Introduction

Almighty God says, “For the sake of your fate, you should seek the approval of God. This is to say, since you acknowledge that you are a member of the house of God, you ought then to bring peace of mind to God and satisfy Him in all things. You must, in other words, be principled in your actions and conform to the truth in them. If this is beyond you, then you shall be detested and rejected by God and spurned by every man. Once you have fallen into such a predicament, you cannot then be counted among the house of God, which is precisely what it is meant by not being approved of by God” (“Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). This section of God’s words elucidates an important truth: In your belief in God, if you want Him to approve of you, you must become able to “bring peace of mind to God and satisfy Him in all things. You must, in other words, be principled in your actions and conform to the truth in them.” Only this is the standard of being saved and perfected in your belief in God.

This book lists the one hundred and seventy principles of practicing the truth, and touches upon various aspects of putting the truth into practice when believing in God. These are very beneficial for the life entry of God’s chosen ones. If, in your life experience, you can learn to utilize these 170 principles, then you will have an easy time practicing the truth. Most of these principles can be boiled down to four—not perfectly, but as long as you can practice the truth in this manner, you can get to where you are acting according to principle. As people’s experience deepens, they can glean principles that are even more concrete, accurate, and perfect; this is the path of entering truth reality.

I. On the Principles of Believing in God

1. The Principles of Believing in God

(1) It is necessary to experience and submit to God’s work from a foundation of faith that God created all things and is sovereign over all. Only thus can one attain salvation;

(2) It is necessary to regard the eating and drinking of God’s words as being of primary importance, and to submit to God’s judgment and chastisement, trials and refinement, and pruning and dealing, so as to be purified of corruption;

(3) It is necessary, in experiencing God’s work, to perform well the duty of a created being, to arrive at an understanding of the truth and entry into reality, and to be able to bear true testimony;

(4) To attain salvation and be perfected, it is necessary to pursue the truth and to secure the perfection of the Holy Spirit’s work. Only thus can one truly serve God and testify to Him.

Relevant Words of God:

Though many people believe in God, few understand what faith in God means, and what they must do to conform to God’s will. This is because, though people are familiar with the word “God” and phrases such as “the work of God,” they do not know God, and still less do they know His work. No wonder, then, that all those who do not know God are muddled in their belief of Him. People do not take belief in God seriously, and this is entirely because believing in God is too unfamiliar, too strange for them. In this way, they fall short of God’s demands. In other words, if people do not know God, and do not know His work, then they are not fit for God’s use, and still less are they able to satisfy His will. “Belief in God” means believing that there is a God; this is the simplest concept as regards believing in God. What’s more, believing that there is a God is not the same as truly believing in God; rather, it is a kind of simple faith with strong religious overtones. True faith in God means the following: On the basis of the belief that God holds sovereignty over all things, one experiences His words and His work, purges one’s corrupt disposition, satisfies the will of God, and comes to know God. Only a journey of this kind may be called “faith in God.” Yet people often see belief in God as a simple and frivolous matter. People who believe in God in this way have lost what it means to believe in God, and though they may continue to believe until the very end, they shall never gain God’s approval, because they tread upon the wrong path. There are still those today who believe in God according to letters and in hollow doctrine. They do not know that they lack the essence of belief in God, and they cannot receive God’s approval. Still they pray to God for blessings of safety and sufficient grace. Let us stop, quiet our hearts, and ask ourselves: Can it be that believing in God really is the easiest thing on earth? Can it be that believing in God means nothing more than receiving much grace from God? Are people who believe in God without knowing Him or who believe in God and yet oppose Him really able to satisfy the will of God?

Excerpted from Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh

True belief in God is not a matter of believing in Him solely to be saved, and less still is it one of being a good person. It is also not only a matter of coming to possess human likeness. In fact, people should not take the view that faith is mere belief that there is a God, and that He is the truth, the way, the life, and nothing more. Neither is faith meant only to have you acknowledge God and believe He is the Ruler over all things, that He is almighty, that He created all things in the world, and that He is unique and supreme. Faith is not merely a matter of belief in this fact. God’s will is that your whole being and heart should be given to Him and submit to Him—that is, you should follow God, allow God to make use of you, and be happy to do service for Him; whatever you can do for Him, you should. It does not mean that only those predestined and chosen by God should believe in Him. The fact is that all mankind should worship God, heed Him and obey Him, because mankind was made by God. If you always say, “Don’t we believe in God in order to gain eternal life? Don’t we believe in God in order to be saved?” then your belief in God is like a peripheral matter, done for the mere sake of gaining something. This is not how one should view belief in God.

Excerpted from “Only to Pursue the Truth Is Truly to Believe in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is real belief in God today? It is the acceptance of God’s word as your life reality and the knowing of God from His word in order to achieve a true love of Him. To be clear: Belief in God is so that you may obey God, love God, and perform the duty that should be performed by a creature of God. This is the aim of believing in God. You must achieve a knowledge of the loveliness of God, of how worthy God is of reverence, of how, in His creatures, God does the work of salvation and making them perfect—these are the bare essentials of your belief in God. Belief in God is principally the switch from a life of the flesh to a life of loving God; from living within corruption to living within the life of God’s words; it is coming out from under the domain of Satan and living under the care and protection of God; it is being able to achieve obedience to God and not obedience to the flesh; it is allowing God to gain your entire heart, allowing God to make you perfect, and freeing yourself from the corrupt satanic disposition. Belief in God is principally so that the power and glory of God may be manifested in you, so that you may do God’s will, and accomplish God’s plan, and be able to bear testimony to God before Satan. Belief in God should not revolve around the desire to behold signs and wonders, nor should it be for the sake of your personal flesh. It should be about the pursuit of knowing God, and being able to obey God, and, like Peter, obeying Him until one’s death. These are the main aims of believing in God. One eats and drinks the word of God in order to know God and satisfy Him. Eating and drinking the word of God gives you a greater knowledge of God, only after which can you obey Him. Only with knowledge of God can you love Him, and this is the goal man should have in his belief in God. If, in your belief in God, you are always trying to behold signs and wonders, then the viewpoint of this belief in God is wrong. Belief in God is principally the acceptance of the word of God as life reality. The aim of God is only attained by putting into practice the words of God from His mouth and carrying them out within yourself. In believing in God, man should strive to be made perfect by God, to be able to submit to God, and for complete obedience to God. If you can obey God without complaint, be mindful of God’s desires, achieve the stature of Peter, and possess the style of Peter spoken of by God, then that will be when you have achieved success in belief in God, and it will signify that you have been gained by God.

Excerpted from “All Is Achieved by the Word of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since you do believe in God, then you must eat and drink His words, experience His words, and live out His words. Only this can be called belief in God! If you say you believe in God with your mouth and yet are unable to put any of His words into practice or to produce any reality, this is not called believing in God. Rather, it is “seeking bread to satisfy hunger.” Speaking only of trivial testimonies, useless things, and superficial matters, without possessing even the slightest bit of reality: these do not constitute belief in God, and you have simply not grasped the right way of believing in God. Why must you eat and drink as many as possible of God’s words? If you do not eat and drink His words but seek only to ascend to heaven, is that believing in God? What is the first step one who believes in God should take? By what path does God perfect man? Can you be perfected without eating and drinking the words of God? Can you be considered a person of the kingdom without the words of God to serve as your reality? What exactly does belief in God mean? Believers in God should, at the very least, be well-behaved on the outside; most important of all is to be possessed of the words of God. No matter what, you can never turn away from His words. Knowing God and fulfilling His intentions are all achieved through His words. In future, every nation, denomination, religion, and sector will be conquered through God’s words. God will speak directly, and all people will hold the words of God in their hands, and by means of this, humanity will be perfected. Within and without, the words of God pervade throughout: Humanity will speak God’s words with their mouths, practice in accordance with God’s words, and keep the words of God within, remaining steeped in God’s words both inside and out. Thus will humanity be perfected. Those who fulfill the intentions of God and are able to bear witness to Him, these are the people who possess the words of God as their reality.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, to believe in the practical God, you must set foot on the right track. If you believe in God, you should not only seek blessings, but to love God and know God. Through His enlightenment, through your own individual seeking, you can eat and drink His word, develop a real understanding of God, and have a real love of God that comes from your inmost heart. In other words, when your love for God is most genuine, and no one can destroy or stand in the way of your love for Him, at this time you are on the right track in your belief in God. This proves that you belong to God, for your heart is already in God’s possession and nothing else can then take possession of you. Through your experience, through the price you have paid, and through the work of God, you are able to develop an unbidden love for God—and when you do, you will become free from the influence of Satan and will come to live in the light of God’s word. Only when you have broken free from the influence of darkness can you be said to have gained God. In your belief in God, you must try to seek this goal. This is the duty of each of you. None of you should be satisfied with the current state of affairs. You cannot be of two minds toward the work of God, nor can you regard it lightly. You should think of God in all respects and at all times, and do all things for His sake. And whenever you speak or act, you should place the interests of the house of God first. Only thus can you be after God’s heart.

Excerpted from “You Ought to Live for the Truth Since You Believe in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Someone who serves God should not only know how to suffer for Him; more than that, they should understand that the purpose of believing in God is to pursue a love of God. God makes use of you not just to refine you or for the sake of making you suffer, but rather He makes use of you so that you may know His actions, know the true significance of human life, and in particular, so that you may know that serving God is not an easy task. Experiencing God’s work is not about enjoying grace, but rather about suffering for your love of Him. Since you enjoy God’s grace, you must also enjoy His chastisement; you must experience all of this. You can experience God’s enlightenment in you, and you can also experience how He deals with you and judges you. In this way, your experience will be comprehensive. God has carried out His work of judgment and chastisement upon you. God’s word has dealt with you, but not only that; it has also enlightened and illuminated you. When you are negative and weak, God worries for you. All of this work is to let you know that everything about man is within God’s orchestrations. You may think that believing in God is about suffering, or doing all manner of things for Him; you might think that the purpose of believing in God is so that your flesh may be at peace, or so that everything in your life runs smoothly, or so that you may be comfortable and at ease in all things. However, none of these are purposes that people should attach to their belief in God. If you believe for these purposes, then your perspective is incorrect, and it is simply impossible for you to be perfected. God’s actions, God’s righteous disposition, His wisdom, His words, and His wondrousness and unfathomableness are all things people ought to understand. Having this understanding, you should use it to rid your heart of all personal demands, hopes, and notions. Only by eliminating these things can you meet the conditions demanded by God, and it is only by doing this that you can have life and satisfy God. The purpose of believing in God is to satisfy Him and to live out the disposition He requires, so that His actions and glory may be manifested through this group of unworthy people. This is the correct perspective for believing in God, and this is also the goal that you should seek. You should have the right viewpoint about believing in God and you should seek to obtain God’s words. You need to eat and drink God’s words and you must be able to live out the truth, and in particular you must be able to see His practical deeds, His wonderful deeds throughout the entire universe, as well as the practical work He does in the flesh. People can, through their practical experiences, appreciate just how God does His work on them and what His will is toward them. The purpose of all of this is to eliminate people’s corrupt satanic disposition. Having cast out all the uncleanliness and unrighteousness inside you, and having cast off your wrong intentions, and having developed true faith in God—only with true faith can you truly love God. You can only genuinely love God on the foundation of your belief in Him. Can you achieve love for God without believing in Him? Since you believe in God, you cannot be muddle-headed about it. Some people become full of vigor as soon as they see that faith in God will bring them blessings, but then lose all energy as soon as they see that they have to suffer refinements. Is that believing in God? Ultimately, you must achieve complete and utter obedience before God in your faith. You believe in God but still have demands of Him, have many religious notions you cannot put down, personal interests you cannot let go of, and still you seek blessings of the flesh and want God to rescue your flesh, to save your soul—these are all behaviors of people who have the wrong perspective. Even though people with religious beliefs have faith in God, they do not seek to change their dispositions and do not pursue knowledge of God, but rather seek only the interests of their flesh. Many among you have faiths that belong in the category of religious convictions; this is not true faith in God. To believe in God, people must possess a heart that is prepared to suffer for Him and the will to give themselves up. Unless people meet these two conditions, their faith in God is not valid, and they will not be able to achieve change in their disposition. Only people who genuinely pursue the truth, seek knowledge of God, and pursue life are those who truly believe in God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why do you believe in God? Most people are confounded by this question. They always have two entirely different viewpoints about the practical God and the God in heaven, which shows that they believe in God not in order to obey Him, but to receive certain benefits, or to escape the suffering that disaster brings; only then are they somewhat obedient. Their obedience is conditional; it is for the sake of their own personal prospects, and forced upon them. So, just why do you believe in God? If it is solely for the sake of your prospects and your fate, then it would be better if you did not believe at all. Belief such as this is self-deception, self-reassurance, and self-admiration. If your faith is not built upon the foundation of obedience to God, then you will ultimately be punished for opposing Him. All those who do not seek obedience to God in their faith oppose Him. God asks that people seek the truth, that they thirst for His words, eat and drink His words, and put them into practice, so that they may achieve obedience to God. If these are your true intentions, then God will surely raise you up, and will surely be gracious toward you. This is undoubtable and unchangeable. If your intention is not to obey God, and you have other aims, then all that you say and do—your prayers before God, and even your every action—will be in opposition to Him. You may be soft-spoken and mild-mannered, your every action and expression may look proper, and you may appear to be one who obeys, but when it comes to your intentions and your views about faith in God, everything you do is in opposition to God; everything you do is evil. People who appear as obedient as sheep, but whose hearts harbor evil intentions, are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They directly offend God, and God will not spare a single one of them. The Holy Spirit will reveal each and every one of them and show everybody that all those who are hypocrites will, with certainty, be detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit. Worry not: God will reckon with and dispose of every last one of them in turn.

Excerpted from “In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In their faith in God, people’s greatest fault is that they believe in word only, and God is utterly absent from their everyday lives. All people, indeed, believe in the existence of God, yet God is not a part of their everyday lives. People’s mouths speak many prayers to God, but God has little place in their hearts, and so God tries them again and again. It is because people are impure that God has no alternative but to try them, so that they may feel ashamed and come to know themselves in the midst of these trials. If not, humanity would turn into the descendants of the archangel, and become increasingly corrupt. In the process of their faith in God, each person casts off many of their personal intentions and objectives under God’s ceaseless cleansing. If not, God would have no way of using anyone, and no way of doing in people the work that He ought. God first cleanses people, and through this process, they may come to know themselves and God may change them. Only then does God work His life into them, and only thus can their hearts be fully turned to God. And so I say, believing in God is not as simple as people say. As God sees it, if you only have knowledge but do not have His word as life, and if you are limited only to your own knowledge but cannot practice the truth or live out the word of God, then this is proof still that you do not have a heart that loves God, and it shows that your heart does not belong to God. One can come to know God by believing in Him: This is the final goal, and the goal of man’s pursuit. You must put effort into living out the words of God so that they may come to fruition in your practice. If you have only doctrinal knowledge, then your faith in God will come to naught. Only if you then also practice and live out His word can your faith be considered complete and in accord with God’s will.

Excerpted from “You Ought to Live for the Truth Since You Believe in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You believe in God and follow God, and so in your heart you must love God. You must cast aside your corrupt disposition, you must seek to fulfill God’s desire, and you must perform the duty of a creature of God. Since you believe in and follow God, you should offer everything to Him, and should not make personal choices or demands, and you should achieve the fulfillment of God’s desire. Since you were created, you should obey the Lord that created you, for you are inherently without dominion over yourself, and have no ability to control your own destiny. Since you are a person who believes in God, you should seek holiness and change. Since you are a creature of God, you should adhere to your duty, and keep your place, and you must not overstep your duty. This is not to constrain you, or to suppress you through doctrine, but is instead the path through which you can perform your duty, and it can be achieved—and should be achieved—by all those who do righteousness.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you believe in God, then you must obey God, put the truth into practice, and fulfill all of your duties. Additionally, you must understand the things you should experience. If you only experience being dealt with, being disciplined, and being judged, if you are only able to enjoy God but remain unable to feel when God is disciplining you or dealing with you—this is unacceptable. Perhaps in this instance of refinement, you are able to stand your ground, but this is still not enough; you must still keep marching forward. The lesson of loving God never stops and has no end. People see believing in God as something that is extremely simple, but once they gain some practical experience, they then realize that belief in God is not as simple as people imagine. When God works to refine man, man suffers. The greater a person’s refinement, the greater their love of God will be, and the more of God’s might will be revealed in them. Conversely, the less refinement a person receives, the less their love of God will grow, and the less God’s might will be revealed in them. The greater such a person’s refinement and pain and the more torment they experience, the deeper their love of God will grow, the more genuine their faith in God will become, and the more profound their knowledge of God will be. In your experiences, you will see people who suffer greatly as they are refined, who are dealt with and disciplined much, and you will see that it is those people who have a deep love for God and a more profound and penetrating knowledge of God. Those who have not experienced being dealt with have but a superficial knowledge, and they can only say: “God is so good, He bestows grace upon people so that they can enjoy Him.” If people have experienced being dealt with and disciplined, then they are able to speak about the true knowledge of God. So the more wondrous God’s work in man is, the more valuable and significant it is. The more impenetrable it is to you and the more incompatible it is with your notions, the more God’s work is able to conquer you, gain you, and make you perfect. How great is the significance of God’s work! If God did not refine man in this way, if He did not work according to this method, then His work would be ineffectual and without significance. It was said in the past that God would select and gain this group, and make them complete in the last days; in this, there is extraordinary significance. The greater the work He carries out within you, the deeper and purer your love for God. The greater the work of God, the more man is able to grasp something of His wisdom and the deeper is man’s knowledge of Him.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The most fundamental requirement of man’s belief in God is that he have an honest heart, and that he fully devote himself, and truly obey. What is hardest for man is to provide his whole life in exchange for true belief, through which he can gain the entire truth, and fulfill his duty as a creature of God. This is what is unattainable by those who fail, and it is even more unattainable by those who cannot find Christ. Because man is not good at wholly devoting himself to God, because man is not willing to perform his duty to the Creator, because man has seen the truth but avoids it and walks his own path, because man always seeks by following the path of those who have failed, because man always defies Heaven, thus, man always fails, is always taken in by Satan’s trickery, and is ensnared in his own net. Because man does not know Christ, because man is not adept at understanding and experiencing the truth, because man is too worshipful of Paul and too covetous of heaven, because man is always demanding that Christ obey him and ordering God about, thus those great figures and those who have experienced the vicissitudes of the world are still mortal, and still die amid God’s chastisement. All I can say of such people is that they die a tragic death, and that the consequence for them—their death—is not without justification. Is their failure not even more intolerable to the law of Heaven? The truth comes from the world of man, yet the truth among man is passed on by Christ. It originates from Christ, that is, from God Himself, and this is not something man is capable of. Yet Christ provides only the truth; He does not come to decide whether man will be successful in his pursuit of the truth. Thus it follows that success or failure in the truth is all down to man’s pursuit. Man’s success or failure in the truth has never had anything to do with Christ, but is instead determined by his pursuit. Man’s destination and his success or failure cannot be heaped upon the head of God, so that God Himself is made to bear it, because this is not a matter for God Himself, but is directly related to the duty that the creatures of God should perform.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

2. The Principles of Eating and Drinking of God’s Words

(1) It is necessary to eat and drink of the current words spoken by God and to fellowship often, thereby attaining clarity and a path of practice. Only thus can one enter truth reality;

(2) It is necessary to choose which of God’s words to eat and drink in the context of problems among God’s chosen people and in the church, so that the truth may be used to resolve problems;

(3) In order to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit and to achieve an understanding of the truth, it is necessary, in eating and drinking of God’s words, to be quiet before God and to diligently pray and contemplate His words;

(4) When choosing to eat and drink of God’s words and fellowship on the truth, it is necessary to do so according to the arrangements of God’s house that are specific to each period of time, and thereby keep pace with the work of the Holy Spirit.

Relevant Words of God:

Now is the Age of Kingdom. Whether you have entered into this new age depends on whether you have entered into the reality of God’s words, on whether His words have become your life reality. The words of God are made known to every person so that, in the end, all people will live in the world of God’s words, and His words will enlighten and illuminate each person from within. If, during this time, you are careless in reading the words of God, and have no interest in His words, then this shows that your state is wrong. If you are unable to enter into the Age of Word, then the Holy Spirit does not work in you; if you have entered into this age, He will do His work. What can you do at the onset of the Age of Word in order to gain the work of the Holy Spirit? In this age, and among you, God shall accomplish the following fact: that every person shall live out the words of God, shall be able to put truth into practice, and shall love God earnestly; that all people shall use the words of God as a foundation and as their reality, and shall have hearts that revere God; and that, through practicing the words of God, man shall then wield kingly power together with God. This is the work to be achieved by God. Can you go without reading the words of God? Today, there are many who feel that they cannot go even a day or two without reading His words. They have to read His words every day, and if time does not permit, listening to them will suffice. This is the feeling that the Holy Spirit gives people, and it is the way He begins to move them. That is, He governs people through words, so that they can enter into the reality of the words of God. If, after just one day without eating and drinking the words of God, you feel darkness and thirst, and cannot stand it, this shows that you have been moved by the Holy Spirit, and that He has not turned away from you. You are, then, one who is in this stream. However, if after a day or two without eating and drinking the words of God, you don’t feel a thing, if you have no thirst, and are not at all moved, this shows that the Holy Spirit has turned away from you. This means, then, that there is something wrong with the state within you; you have not entered into the Age of Word, and you are one of those who have fallen behind. God uses words to govern people; you feel good if you eat and drink the words of God, and if you do not, you have no path to follow. The words of God become people’s food, and the force that drives them. The Bible says that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Today, God will bring this work to completion, and He shall accomplish this fact in you. How is it that in the past, people could go many days without reading the words of God and yet be able to eat and work as usual, but this is not the case today? In this age, God chiefly uses words to govern all. Through the words of God, man is judged and perfected, then finally taken into the kingdom. Only the words of God can supply the life of man, and only the words of God can give man light and a path for practice, particularly in the Age of Kingdom. As long as you do not stray from the reality of God’s words, eating and drinking His words each day, God will be able to make you perfect.

Pursuit of life is not something that can be rushed; growth of life does not happen in just a day or two. The work of God is normal and practical, and there is a process that it necessarily undergoes. It took the incarnate Jesus thirty-three and a half years to complete His work of crucifixion—so what of purifying man and transforming his life, work of the utmost difficulty? It is no easy task to make a normal man who manifests God. This is particularly so for the people who are born in the nation of the great red dragon, who are of poor caliber and require a long period of God’s words and work. So do not be impatient to see results. You must be proactive in eating and drinking God’s words, and put more effort into the words of God. When you are finished reading His words, you must be able to put them into actual practice, growing in knowledge, insight, discernment, and wisdom in the words of God. Through this, you will change without realizing it. If you are able to take as your principle the eating and drinking of God’s words, reading them, coming to know them, experiencing them, and practicing them, you will come to maturity without realizing it. There are those who say that they are unable to put the words of God into practice even after reading them. What is your hurry? When you reach a certain stature, you will be able to put His words into practice. Would a four- or five-year-old child say that they are unable to support or honor their parents? You should know how great your current stature is. Put into practice what you are able to put into practice, and avoid being someone who disrupts the management of God. Just eat and drink God’s words, and take that as your principle from now on. Do not worry, for the time being, about whether God can make you complete. Do not delve into that yet. Just eat and drink God’s words as they come to you, and God will be certain to make you complete. However, there is a principle by which you must eat and drink His words. Do not do so blindly. In eating and drinking the words of God, on the one hand, seek out the words that you should come to know—that is, those that relate to visions—and on the other, seek out that which you should put into actual practice—that is, what you should enter into. One aspect has to do with knowledge, and the other with entering. Once you have grasped both—when you have grasped what you should know and what you should practice—you will know how to eat and drink the words of God.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Of the principles of eating and drinking the words of God, one relates to knowledge, and the other to entry. Which words should you come to know? You should come to know the words that relate to visions (such as, those relating to which age God’s work has now entered, what God wishes to achieve now, what the incarnation is, and so on; all these are related to visions). What is meant by the path that man should enter into? This refers to the words of God that man should practice and enter into. The above are the two aspects of eating and drinking the words of God. From now on, eat and drink the words of God in this way. If you have a clear understanding of His words concerning visions, then there is no need to keep reading all the time. Of primary importance is to eat and drink more of the words on entering, such as how to turn your heart toward God, how to quiet your heart before God, and how to forsake the flesh. These are the things you should put into practice. Without knowing how to eat and drink the words of God, true fellowship is impossible. Once you know how to eat and drink His words, when you have grasped what is key, fellowship will become free, and whatever issue is raised, you will be able to fellowship and grasp the reality. If, when fellowshiping the words of God, you have no reality, then you have not grasped what is key, which shows that you do not know how to eat and drink God’s words. Some people may find reading the words of God tiresome, which is not a normal state. What is normal is never growing tired of reading God’s words, always thirsting for them, and always finding the words of God to be good. This is how one who has really entered eats and drinks the words of God. When you feel that the words of God are exceedingly practical and are exactly what man should enter into; when you feel that His words are greatly helpful and beneficial to man, and that they are the provision of man’s life—it is the Holy Spirit that gives you this feeling, and it is the Holy Spirit that moves you. This proves that the Holy Spirit is working in you and that God has not turned away from you. Some people, seeing that God is always speaking, become tired of His words, and think it of no consequence whether they read them or not—which is not a normal state. They lack a heart that thirsts to enter into reality, and such people neither thirst for nor place importance on being perfected. Whenever you find you do not thirst for the words of God, this shows that you are not in a normal state. In the past, whether God had turned away from you could be determined by whether you were at peace within, and whether you experienced enjoyment. Now the key is whether you thirst for the words of God, whether His words are your reality, whether you are faithful, and whether you are able to do all that you can for God. In other words, man is judged by the reality of the words of God. God directs His words to all of humanity. If you are willing to read them, He will enlighten you, but if you are not, He will not. God enlightens those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and He enlightens those who seek Him. Some say that God did not enlighten them even after they read His words. But in what way did you read these words? If you read His words in the way a man on horseback looks at flowers, and placed no importance on reality, how could God enlighten you? How can one who does not treasure God’s words be made perfect by Him? If you do not treasure the words of God, then you will have neither truth nor reality. If you treasure His words, then you will be able to put the truth into practice, and only then will you possess reality. This is why you must eat and drink the words of God at all times, whether you are busy or not, whether the circumstances are adverse or not, and whether you are being tried or not. All in all, the words of God are the foundation of man’s existence. No one can turn away from His words, but must eat His words as they do the three meals of the day. Could being made perfect and gained by God be that easy? Whether or not you understand at present, and whether or not you have insight into the work of God, you must eat and drink the words of God as much as possible. This is entering in a proactive way. After reading the words of God, hasten to put into practice what you can enter into, and set aside for the moment what you cannot. There may be many of the words of God that you cannot understand in the beginning, but after two or three months, perhaps even a year, you will. How can this be? It is because God cannot make people perfect in a day or two. Most of the time, when you read His words, you may not understand right away. At that time, they may seem like nothing more than mere text; you must experience them for a time before you can understand them. God having spoken so much, you should do your utmost to eat and drink His words, and then, without you realizing it, you will come to understand, and without you realizing it, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you. When the Holy Spirit enlightens man, it is often without man’s awareness. He enlightens and guides you when you thirst and seek. The principle by which the Holy Spirit works is centered around the words of God that you eat and drink. All those who place no importance on the words of God and are always of a different attitude toward His words—believing, in their befuddled thinking, it a matter of indifference whether they read His words or not—are those who do not possess reality. Neither the Holy Spirit’s work nor His enlightenment can be seen in such a person. People like this are merely coasting along, pretenders without true qualifications, like Mr. Nanguo of the parable.[a]

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every time you eat and drink a passage of God’s words, if you are able to grasp the work that He is currently performing and can learn how to pray, how to cooperate, and how to attain entry, only then will your eating and drinking of God’s words produce results. When, by way of God’s words, you are able to find the path of entry and can discern the current dynamics of God’s work, as well as the direction of the Holy Spirit’s work, you will have entered onto the right track. If you have not grasped the key points while eating and drinking of God’s words and, afterward, are still unable to find a path on which to practice, this will show that you still do not know how properly to eat and drink of God’s words, and that you have not discovered the method or principle for doing so.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you eat and drink the words of God, you must measure the reality of your own state against them. That is, when you discover your shortcomings in the course of your real experience, you must be capable of finding a path to practice, of turning your back on your incorrect motivations and notions. If you always strive for these things and pour your heart into achieving them, then you will have a path to follow, you will not feel empty, and thus you will be able to maintain a normal state. Only then will you be someone who carries a burden in your own life, who has faith. Why is it that some people, after reading God’s words, are unable to put them into practice? Is it not because they cannot grasp the most crucial things? Is it not because they do not take life seriously? The reason that they cannot grasp the crucial things and have no path to practice is that when they read God’s words, they are unable to relate their own states to them, nor can they master their own states. Some people say: “I read God’s words and relate my state to them, and I know that I am corrupt and of poor caliber, but I am incapable of satisfying God’s will.” You have only seen the very surface; there are many real things that you do not know: how to put aside the enjoyments of the flesh, how to put aside self-righteousness, how to change yourself, how to enter into these things, how to improve your caliber, and from which aspect to begin. You only grasp a few things on the surface, and all that you know is that you are indeed very corrupt. When you meet your brothers and sisters, you talk about how corrupt you are, and it seems that you know yourself and carry a great burden for your life. In fact, your corrupt disposition has not changed, which proves you have not found the path to practice.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Gaining knowledge of practicality and a thorough understanding of God’s work—these are both seen in His words, and it is only through these utterances that you can gain enlightenment. You therefore should do more to equip yourself with God’s words. Communicate your understanding of God’s words in fellowship, and in this way, you can enlighten others and give them a way out—this is a practical path. Before God arranges an environment for you, you each must first equip yourself with His words. This is something that everyone should do; it is an urgent priority. First, reach a point where you know how to eat and drink of God’s word. For anything that you are unable to do, search His words for a path of practice, and scan these utterances for any issues you do not understand or any difficulties you might have. Make God’s words your supply, and allow them to assist you in resolving your practical difficulties and problems; also allow His words to become your help in life. These things will require effort on your part. In eating and drinking of God’s word, you must achieve results; you must be able to quiet your heart before Him, and you must practice in accordance with His utterances whenever you encounter any issues. When you have not encountered any issues, you should just concern yourself with eating and drinking of His word. Sometimes you may pray and contemplate God’s love, share in fellowship your understanding of His words, and communicate about the enlightenment and illumination you experience within yourself and the reactions you have had while reading these utterances. Moreover, you can give people a way out. Only this is practical. The goal of doing this is to allow God’s words to become your practical supply.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden you bear, and the greater the burden you bear, the richer your experience will be. When you are mindful of God’s will, God will lay a burden upon you, and then enlighten you about the tasks which He has entrusted to you. When God gives you this burden, you will pay attention to all the related truths while eating and drinking of God’s words. If you have a burden related to the state of your brothers’ and sisters’ lives, then this is a burden that has been entrusted to you by God, and you will always carry this burden with you in your daily prayers. What God does has been laden onto you, and you are willing to do that which God wants to do; this is what it means to take on God’s burden as your own. At this point, in your eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on these types of issues, and you will wonder, How am I going to solve these problems? How can I enable my brothers and sisters to achieve release and find spiritual enjoyment? You will also focus on solving these problems while fellowshiping, and when eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on eating and drinking of words that relate to these issues. You will also carry a burden while eating and drinking of His words. Once you have understood God’s requirements, you will have a clearer idea about which path to take. This is the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit brought by your burden, and this is also God’s guidance which has been bestowed upon you. Why do I say this? If you have no burden, then you will not be attentive while eating and drinking of God’s words; when you eat and drink of God’s words while carrying a burden, you can grasp their essence, find your way, and be mindful of God’s will. Therefore, in your prayers, you should wish for God to place more burdens upon you and entrust you with even greater tasks, so that ahead of you, you may have more of a path on which to practice; so that your eating and drinking of God’s words has a greater effect; so that you grow able to grasp the essence of His words; and so that you become more capable of being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Eating and drinking of God’s words can enable you to understand the truth only if it is done the right way. However, simply understanding the truth does not mean you are able to enter truth reality. Some people are of good caliber but do not love the truth; although they are able to understand a bit of the truth, they do not practice it. Can such people enter truth reality? Understanding the truth is not as simple as understanding doctrines. To understand the truth, you must know how to eat and drink of God’s words. Take the eating and drinking of a passage concerning the truth of love for God, for example. God’s word says: “‘Love,’ as it is called, refers to an emotion that is pure and without blemish, where you use your heart to love, to feel, and to be thoughtful. In love there are no conditions, no barriers, and no distance. In love there is no suspicion, no deceit, and no cunning. In love there is no trade and nothing impure.” This is how God defines love, and this is the truth. But whom shall you love? Shall you love your husband? Your wife? Your brothers and sisters? No. When God speaks of love, He speaks not of love for your fellow man, but of man’s love of God. This love is true love. How should you comprehend this truth? It means God wants people not to doubt Him or distance themselves from Him, but to have a love for Him which is pure and without blemish. “Without blemish” means having no extravagant desires and making no extravagant demands of God, laying no conditions on Him, and not making any excuses. It means He comes first in your heart; it means only His words occupy your heart. This is an emotion that is pure and without blemish. This emotion occupies a certain place in your heart; you are always thinking of Him and missing Him, and can bring Him to mind at each and every moment. To love means to love with your heart. Loving with your heart consists of being considerate, caring and longing. To succeed in loving with your heart, you must undergo a process of knowing. At the present time, while you have little knowledge of God, you should use your heart to yearn for Him, to long for Him, to obey Him, to be considerate toward Him, to pray to Him, and to cry out for Him; you should even be able to share in His thoughts and concerns. You must put your heart into these things. Do not merely pay lip service, saying: “Dear God! I’m doing this for You, I’m doing that for You!” Only loving and satisfying God with your heart is real. Although you do not say so aloud, you have God in your heart, in your heart you are thinking of Him. You can give up your husband, your wife, your children, your parents; but your heart cannot be without God. Without God, you simply cannot live. This means you have love, and you have God in your heart. “Use your heart to love, to feel, and to be thoughtful.” This involves many things. It is the true love that God requires of man; in other words, you must love and care for Him with your heart, and always keep Him in mind. This does not mean just voicing the words, nor does it mean how you express yourself with your bearing; rather, primarily, it means doing things with heart, and letting your heart govern all of your actions. In doing things this way, there is no motivation, no adulteration, no suspicion; a heart such as this is much purer. How are doubts in your heart expressed? They are expressed when you are always thinking, “Is it right for God to do this? Why does God say this? If there’s no reason behind God saying this, I won’t obey it. If it is unjust for God to do this, I won’t obey. I’ll drop it for now.” To not harbor doubts means recognizing that whatever God says and does is right, and with God there is no right or wrong. Man must obey God, be considerate toward God, satisfy God, and share in His thoughts and concerns. Regardless of whether or not everything God does seems meaningful to you, whether it is agreeable to man’s notions and imaginings, and regardless of whether it makes sense to man, you can always obey and have a reverent, submissive heart toward these things. Is not such practice in conformity with the truth? Is it not the manifestation and practice of love? Therefore, if from God’s words you do not understand God’s will and the intentions behind His utterances, if you do not understand the aims and results that His words intend to achieve, if you do not understand what His words seek to accomplish and perfect in man, if you do not understand these things, then it proves that you do not yet comprehend the truth. Why does God say what He says? Why does He speak in that tone? Why is He so earnest and sincere in every word He speaks? Why does He choose to use certain words? Do you know? If you cannot say for sure, it means you do not understand God’s will or His intentions, you do not understand the context behind His words. If you do not comprehend this, then how can you gain the truth? Gaining the truth means understanding God’s meaning through every word that He says; it means you are able to put God’s words into practice once you have understood them, so that God’s words can be lived out by you and become your reality. Only when you have a thorough understanding of the word of God can you really grasp the truth.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In summary, taking Peter’s path in one’s faith means to walk the path of pursuing the truth, which is also the path of truly getting to know oneself and changing one’s disposition. Only by walking the path of Peter will one be on the path of being perfected by God. One must be clear on how, exactly, to walk Peter’s path, as well as how to put it into practice. First, one must put aside one’s own intentions, improper pursuits, and even family and all things of one’s own flesh. One must be wholeheartedly devoted; that is, one must completely devote oneself to the word of God, focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, concentrate on the search for the truth and the search for God’s intentions in His words, and try to grasp God’s will in everything. This is the most fundamental and vital method of practice. This was what Peter did after seeing Jesus, and it is only by practicing in this way that one can achieve the best results. Wholehearted devotion to the words of God primarily involves seeking the truth, seeking God’s intentions within His words, focusing on grasping the will of God, and understanding and obtaining more truth from God’s words. When reading His words, Peter was not focused on understanding doctrines, much less was he focused on obtaining theological knowledge; instead, he concentrated on comprehending the truth and grasping God’s will, as well as achieving an understanding of His disposition and His loveliness. Peter also attempted to understand the various corrupt states of man from God’s words, as well as man’s corrupt nature and actual shortcoming, thus meeting all aspects of God’s requirements of man in order to satisfy Him. Peter had so many correct practices that abided by the words of God; this was most in line with God’s will, and it was the best way a person could cooperate while experiencing God’s work. When experiencing the hundreds of trials from God, Peter examined himself strictly against every word of God’s judgment of man, every word of God’s revelation of man, and every word of His demands of man, and strived to fathom the meaning of those words. He tried in earnest to ponder and memorize every word that Jesus said to him, and achieved very good results. Through this manner of practicing, he was able to achieve an understanding of himself from God’s words, and he not only came to understand the various corrupt states of man, but also came to understand man’s essence, nature, and various shortcomings. This is what it means to truly understand oneself. From God’s words, Peter not only achieved a true understanding of himself, but from the things expressed in God’s words—God’s righteous disposition, what He has and is, God’s will for His work, His demands of mankind—from these words he came to know God completely. He came to know God’s disposition, and His essence; he came to know and understand what God has and is, as well as God’s loveliness and God’s demands for man. Although God did not speak back then as much as He does today, results in these aspects were nevertheless achieved in Peter. This was a rare and precious thing. Peter went through hundreds of trials, but did not suffer in vain. He not only came to understand himself from the words and the work of God, but he also came to know God. In addition, he particularly focused on God’s requirements of mankind within His words. In whichever aspects man should satisfy God to be in line with God’s will, Peter was able to put forth great effort in these aspects and achieve full clarity; this was extremely beneficial with regard to his own entry. No matter what God spoke of, as long as those words could become life and are the truth, Peter was able to carve them into his heart to ponder and appreciate them frequently. After hearing the words of Jesus, he was able to take them to heart, which shows that he was especially focused on God’s words, and he truly achieved results in the end. That is, he was able to freely put the words of God into practice, accurately practice the truth and be in line with God’s will, act entirely in accordance with God’s intention, and give up his own personal opinions and imaginations. In this way, Peter entered into the reality of God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the phrase “of the parable.”

3. The Principles of Contemplating God’s Words

(1) In reading God’s words, do not focus merely on understanding their literal meaning. One must seek to grasp God’s will and His requirements of man in His words;

(2) God’s words must be read in the context of human states and one’s own problems, for God’s words speak precisely to man’s corruption and deficiencies;

(3) It is necessary for one to stand firm in man’s station and contemplate God’s words from within a mindset of absolute submission to the Creator. Only thus can one gain God’s enlightenment;

(4) It is necessary to believe that all God’s words are the truth in order to have faith in God, and only by seeing clearly that man’s essence is filled with corruption and has no truth can one seek and accept the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

If you wish to pursue the truth, if you wish to understand and gain the truth, then you must learn how to be quiet before God, how to ponder the truth, and how to ponder God’s words. Are there formalities to follow in order to ponder the truth? Are there any rules? Are there any time limitations? Do you have to do it in a certain place? No—God’s words can be pondered at any time or place. If you spent less time on your usual vacuous thoughts and flights of fancy, and used it to ponder the truth, how much time a day would not be wasted as a result? What do people do when they waste time? They spend all day chatting and gossiping, only doing what interests them, engaging only in frivolities, thinking only of the useless things of times gone by, and imagining what their future will hold, where the future kingdom will be, where hell is—are these not frivolities? If this time is spent on positive things—if you are quiet before God, spend more time pondering God’s words and fellowshiping the truth, reflect upon each of your actions, and hold them up before God for His scrutiny, and then look at whether there are any major issues that you have failed to realize or identify, looking in particular, at those critical areas where you are most rebellious to God, and searching for the corresponding words of God to solve them—then you will gradually enter truth reality.

How should one ponder the words of God? First, you need clarity on spiritual terms and spiritual phrases, and then you need to fellowship on the principles of practice you believe to be correct. These are things you absolutely must have clarity on. Some people say, “I’m clear about these spiritual phrases and terminology in theory, I have a good understanding of their literal meaning, but what about their reality? How should I put them into practice?” That is how to ponder the words of God; start from this aspect. If, when they believe in God, people do not know how to ponder His words, they will have great difficulty entering and understanding the truth. If, when they believe in God, people do not know how to ponder His words, they will have great difficulty entering and understanding the truth. If people are incapable of truly understanding the truth, are they able to enter truth reality? If they are unable to enter truth reality, can they gain the truth? If people cannot gain the truth, and cannot enter truth reality, can they satisfy God’s will? It would be very difficult. Take the oft-repeated words of “fear God and shun evil,” for example: You must contemplate these words, and say to yourself, “What is fearing God? If I say something wrong, is this fearing God or not? Is speaking thus doing evil, or doing good? Is it remembered by God? Is it condemned by God? What things are evil? Are my own ideas, motivations, thoughts, views, the impetus and origins behind the things I say and do, the various dispositions I reveal—are these considered evil? Which of them are approved of by God? Which are loathed by God? Which are condemned by God? In which matters is there a high chance of me making a grave mistake?” All of this is worthy of consideration. Do you regularly ponder the truth? How much time have you wasted? How many matters concerning the truth, concerning faith in God, concerning life entry, concerning fearing God and shunning evil, have you given thought to? When your pondering of God’s words or pondering of matters concerning faith in God and the truth bears fruit, you will have attained life entry. You still do not know how to ponder these things today, and you have not attained life entry. When someone has attained life entry, and is able to ponder God’s words, and contemplate issues, they have then begun to enter truth reality.

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the word of God? It is the reality of all positive things; it is the truth, the way, and the life that God bestows on man. God’s words are not doctrines, slogans, or arguments, nor are they some sort of philosophy and learning. Rather, they have to do with man’s life and existence, with his behavior and disposition, with all that man reveals, and with the ideas and opinions that are conceived in man’s heart and exist in his mind. If your contemplation of God’s words is untethered from these things, and if you are untethered from them as you read His words and listen to sermons and fellowship, then what you can understand will be superficial and limited. You must learn how to contemplate God’s words. This is crucial. There are many ways to contemplate God’s words: You may read them silently and pray in your heart, seeking enlightenment and illumination from the Holy Spirit; you may also fellowship and pray-read in the company of those who pursue the truth; and, of course, you may integrate fellowships and sermons into your contemplation to deepen your understanding and appreciation of God’s words. The ways are many and varied. In short, if, in reading God’s words, one wishes to achieve an understanding of them, then it is crucial to contemplate and pray-read God’s words. The purpose of pray-reading God’s words is not to be able to recite them, nor is it to commit them to memory; rather, it is to gain an accurate understanding of these words after having pray-read and contemplated them and to know the meaning of these words spoken by God, as well as His intention. It is to find therein the path on which one should practice, and to keep from turning to one’s own way. In addition, it is to be able to discern between all the various sorts of states and types of people revealed in God’s words, to be able to find the accurate path of practice with which to treat each type of person. At the same time, it is to avoid going astray and setting foot on the path that God abhors. Once you learn how to pray-read and how to contemplate God’s words, and do it often, only then can God’s words take root in your heart and become your life.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

If you wish to perform your duty well, you must first understand the truth, and try harder to seek the truth. One crucial part of seeking the truth is learning how to ponder the words of God. The purpose of pondering God’s words is to understand the true meaning behind these words: Through seeking, you will come to know the meaning of God’s utterances, what He requires, and what His will in these words is—this is what it means to understand the reality of the truth. Once you understand the reality of the truth, you will be able to grasp the principles of practice, and so, too, will you attain entry into truth reality. In this way and without being aware of it, you will be enlightened in matters that you did not previously understand, you will gain new insights, and they will gradually become your reality.

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whichever aspect of the truth reality you have heard, if you hold yourself up against it, implement these words in your own life, and incorporate them into your own practice, then you will definitely gain something, and you are bound to change. If you simply stuff these words into your belly and memorize them in your brain, then you will never change. Whilst listening to the sermons, you should ponder thusly: “What sort of state are these words referring to? What aspect of essence are they referring to? In what matters should I apply this aspect of the truth? Whenever I do something related to this aspect of the truth, am I practicing in accordance with it? And when I’m putting it into practice, is my state in keeping with these words? If not, then should I seek, fellowship, or wait?” Do you practice in this manner in your lives? If you do not, then your life is without God and without the truth. You live according to letters and doctrines or according to your own interests, confidence, and enthusiasm. Those who do not possess the truth as reality are those who have no reality, and people who do not have God’s words as their reality are people who have not entered His words.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Coming to a genuine understanding of God’s words is no simple matter. Do not think this way: “I can interpret the literal meaning of God’s words, and everyone says my interpretation is good, and gives me a thumbs-up, so this means I understand God’s words.” That is not the same as understanding God’s words. If you have gained some light from within God’s utterances, and you have gotten a sense of the true meaning of His words; and if you can express the intention behind His words and what effect they will ultimately achieve, then once you have a clear understanding of all of these things, you can be considered to have some level of understanding of God’s words. Thus, understanding God’s words is not all that simple. Just because you can give a flowery explanation of the literal meaning of God’s words does not mean you understand them. No matter how much you can explain their literal meaning, your explanation is still based on human imagination and way of thinking. It is useless! How can you understand God’s words? The key is to seek the truth from within them; only in that way can you truly understand what He says. Whenever God speaks, He certainly does not speak in mere generalities. Each sentence He utters contains details that are certain to be revealed further in God’s words, and they may be expressed differently. Man cannot fathom the ways in which God expresses the truth. God’s utterances are very profound and cannot be fathomed with human way of thinking. People can discover the entire meaning of every aspect of the truth as long as they make an effort; if you do this, then as you experience them, what details remain will be filled in completely as the Holy Spirit enlightens you, thus giving you an understanding of these concrete states. One part is understanding God’s words and seeking their specific content through reading them. Another part is understanding the implications of God’s words through experiencing them and obtaining enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. It is primarily by these two means that a true understanding of God’s words is achieved. If you interpret His words literally, or through the lens of your own thinking or imagination, then your understanding of God’s words is not real no matter how eloquently you can interpret them. You might even take their meaning out of context and misinterpret them, and doing so is even more troublesome. Thus, the truth is primarily obtained by receiving enlightenment from the Holy Spirit through gaining knowledge of God’s words. Understanding the literal meaning of His words, or being able to explain them, does not count as having gained the truth. If you only needed to interpret the literal meaning of His words, then what would be the point of the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment? In that case, you would only need to have a certain level of education, and the uneducated would all be in quite a predicament. God’s work is not something that can be comprehended by the human brain. A true understanding of God’s words relies mainly on having enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; such is the process of gaining the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

By comparison, Peter’s humanity was about the same as that of the other apostles and his brothers and sisters, but he stood out in his fervent pursuit of the truth; he pondered everything Jesus said in earnest. Jesus asked, “Simon Barjona, do you love Me?” Peter answered honestly, “I only love the Father who is in heaven, yet have not loved the Lord on earth.” Later he understood, thinking, “This is not right; the God on earth is the God in heaven. Is it not the same God both in heaven and on earth? If I only love God in heaven, then my love is not real; I must love God on earth, for only then will my love be real.” Thus, Peter came to understand the true meaning of what Jesus had said by pondering His words. To love God, and for this love to be real, one must love the incarnate God on earth. Loving a vague and invisible God is neither realistic nor practical, whereas loving the practical, visible God is truth. From Jesus’ words, Peter gained the truth and an understanding of God’s will. Clearly, Peter’s belief in God had only been focused on pursuing the truth; ultimately, he achieved a love of the practical God—the God on earth. Peter was especially earnest in his pursuit of the truth. Each time Jesus counseled him, he pondered Jesus’ words in earnest. Perhaps he pondered for months, a year, or even years before the Holy Spirit enlightened him and he understood the meaning of God’s words; in this way, Peter entered the truth, and afterward, his life disposition was transformed and renewed. If a person does not pursue the truth, he will never understand it. You can say the letters and doctrines ten thousand times, but they will still just be letters and doctrines. Some people just say, “Christ is the truth, the way, and the life.” Even if you repeat these words ten thousand times, it will still be useless; you have no understanding of its meaning. Why is it said that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life? Can you articulate the knowledge you have gained about this from experience? Have you entered the reality of the truth, the way, and the life? God has uttered His words so that you can experience them and gain knowledge; merely voicing letters and doctrines is useless. You can only know yourself once you have understood and entered God’s words. If you do not understand God’s words, then you cannot know yourself. You can only discern when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot discern. You can only fully understand a matter when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot understand a matter. You can only know yourself when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot know yourself. Your disposition can only change when you have the truth; without the truth, your disposition cannot change. Only after you have the truth can you serve in accordance with God’s will; without the truth, you cannot serve in accordance with God’s will. Only after you have the truth can you worship God; without the truth, your worship will be nothing more than a performance of religious rites. All of these things hinge on gaining the truth from God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people put no effort into the truth, then sooner or later they will fall, and they will struggle to stand firm. This is because when trials befall them, the solution will not lie in a few letters and doctrines. Letters and doctrines cannot solve real problems! You must have a clear understanding of each truth, regularly mulling them over, so that you understand them in your heart and know them inside out; only then will you know what to do when something happens to you. But can you gain these truths if you do not give them any deliberation? If you do not ponder them, then no matter how many you hear, or how much you can say about them, you will never get beyond their literal meaning. These literal meanings will often give you the illusion that your faith in God has already born fruit, and that your stature is very great, because you have passion and energy—but as soon as something happens to you, you will discover that these literal meanings cannot guarantee that you make it smoothly through each trial or test. People are often confused when something happens to them, thinking, “What should I do about this? I must hurry and search for the words of God and identify the various principles. Which aspect of the truth does this correspond to?” At such times you will realize that you have equipped yourself with too few truths, that you understand too few of the truth realities. People often only discover this when they are in need. When they are not, they always think that they have already equipped themselves with many truths, that they are brimming over with the truth. What do they brim over with? With letters and doctrines, with superficialities. They are wrong to feel that they are brimming over with the truth; when you feel that you are brimming over with the truth, you are in danger. But when you feel that you are nothing, that there is much that you do not understand, you will then be able to contemplate how to enter. If you always think you already possess the truth, that you are brimming over with it, that you have enough, that you know yourself, and love God, and can do everything for God, then this is a sign of danger. The more you think this, the more it proves that you understand nothing, that you are bereft of any truth realities. Think carefully about this. Learn how to ponder the truth; this is a very important part of the life of people who believe in God.

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

4. The Principles of Regarding God’s Words

(1) It is necessary to believe that God’s words are conclusively the truth. They should be accepted and obeyed, whether or not they are in line with human notions or can be comprehended;

(2) It is necessary to accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words. Only thus can one come to know the essence and truth of their own corruption and purify their corrupt disposition;

(3) When one does not understand some of God’s words, they should pray to Him, seek the truth, and focus on practice and experience. Only thus can one understand the truth and enter reality;

(4) It is necessary to practice and experience the words of God. Only thus can one gain an understanding of the truth and knowledge of God, and only thus can one confirm that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life.

Relevant Words of God:

The words I speak are truths directed at all mankind; they are not addressed only to a specific person or type of person. Therefore, you should concentrate on understanding My words from the standpoint of the truth, and must have an attitude of undivided attention and sincerity; do not ignore a single word or truth that I speak, and do not treat all of the words I speak lightly. In your lives, I see that you have done much that is irrelevant to the truth, and so I expressly ask that you become servants of the truth, that you not be enslaved by wickedness and ugliness, and that you do not trample on the truth or defile any corner of the house of God. This is My admonition to you.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I hope only that you are able not to let the pains I have taken go to waste, and, more than that, that you can understand the thoughtful care I have taken, and treat My words as the foundation of how you behave as a human being. Whether or not they are the kind of words to which you are willing to listen, whether or not you enjoy accepting them or can only accept them with discomfort, you must treat them seriously. Otherwise, your casual and unconcerned dispositions and demeanors will upset Me seriously and, indeed, disgust Me. I very much hope all of you can read My words over and over again—thousands of times—and that you may even come to know them by heart. Only in this way will you be able not to fail My expectations of you. However, none of you is living like this now. On the contrary, you are all immersed in a debauched life, a life of eating and drinking to your heart’s content, and none of you uses My words to enrich your heart and soul. For this reason, I have come to a conclusion about mankind’s true countenance: Man can betray Me at any time, and no one can be absolutely faithful to My words.

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I have given you many warnings and bestowed upon you many truths intended to conquer you. By now, you all feel significantly more enriched than you did in the past, have come to understand many principles of how a person should be, and you have come to possess so much of the common sense that faithful people should have. All of this is the harvest you have reaped over the course of many years. I do not deny your achievements, but I must also say quite frankly that I also do not deny the numerous disobediences and rebellions you have committed against Me over these many years, for there is not one saint among you. You are, without exception, people who have been corrupted by Satan; you are enemies of Christ. To date, your transgressions and disobediences have been too numerous to count, so it can hardly be considered strange that I am always badgering you. I do not wish to coexist with you in this manner—but for the sake of your futures, for the sake of your destinations, I will, here and now, nag you once more. I hope you will indulge Me and, moreover, that you will be able to believe My every utterance and infer the deep implications of My words. Do not doubt what I say, let alone pick up My words as you wish and toss them aside at will; this I find intolerable. Do not judge My words, and still less should you take them lightly or say that I am always tempting you or, worse, that what I have told you is inaccurate. These things I also find intolerable. Because you treat Me and what I say with such suspicion, never taking My words on board and ignoring Me, I tell each of you in all seriousness: Do not link what I say with philosophy; do not link My words with the lies of charlatans. Much less should you respond to My words with contempt.

Excerpted from “Transgressions Will Lead Man to Hell” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The truth is the reality of all positive things. It can be the life of man and the direction in which he travels; it can lead one to cast off their corrupt disposition, to come to fear God and shun evil, to become one who obeys God and a qualified created being, one whom God loves and who meets with His favor. Given its preciousness, what attitude and perspective should one have in regarding God’s words and the truth? It is quite obvious: For those who truly believe in God and have a heart of reverence for Him, His words are their lifeblood. Man should treasure God’s words, and eat and drink of them, and enjoy them, and accept them as his life, as the direction in which he makes his way, as his ready aid and provision; man should live, practice, and experience in accordance with the statements and requirements of the truth, and submit to its demands of him, to each of the statements and requirements that the truth grants to him, rather than subjecting it to study, analysis, speculation, and doubt. As the truth is man’s ready aid, his ready provision, and can be his life, man should treat the truth as the most precious thing, for he must rely on the truth to live, to come to satisfy God’s demands, fearing Him and shunning evil, and to find within his daily life the path on which to practice, grasping the principles of practice and achieving submission to God. Man must also rely on the truth to cast off his corrupt disposition, to become one who is saved and a qualified created being.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Seven)” in Exposing Antichrists

When receiving the judgment of God’s words, we must not fear suffering, nor should we be afraid of pain, and much less should we fear that God’s words will pierce our hearts. We should read more of His utterances about how He judges and chastises us and exposes our corrupt essences. We must read them and hold ourselves up to them more. Do not compare others to them—we must compare ourselves against them. We are not lacking in any single one of these things; we can all square with them. If you do not believe it, go experience it yourself. After reading God’s words, some people are incapable of applying them to themselves; they think that parts of these words are not about them, but are instead about other people. For example, when God exposes people as sluts and whores, some sisters feel that because they have been unerringly faithful to their husbands, such words must not be in reference to them; some sisters feel that since they are unmarried and have never had sex, such words must not be about them, either. Some brothers feel that these words are only aimed at women, and have nothing to do with them; some people believe that such words of God are too unpleasant-sounding, and refuse to accept them. There are even people who say that in some instances, God’s words are wrong. Is this the right attitude to have toward God’s words? People are incapable of reflecting upon themselves based on God’s words. Here, “sluts” and “whores” refer to people’s corruption of promiscuity. Whether man or woman, married or not married, everyone is possessed of the corruption of promiscuity—so how can it have nothing to do with you? God’s words expose people’s corrupt dispositions; whether male or female, one’s level of corruption is the same. Is this not fact? Prior to doing anything else, we have to realize that we must accept every one of the words spoken by God, whether these utterances are pleasant-sounding or not and whether they give us a bitter feeling or a sweet one. Such is the attitude we should have toward God’s words. What sort of attitude is this? Is it a devout attitude, a patient attitude, or an attitude of embracing suffering? I tell you that it is not any of these. In our faith, we must firmly maintain that God’s words are the truth. Since they are indeed the truth, we should accept them rationally. Whether or not we are able to recognize or admit it, our first attitude toward God’s words should be one of absolute acceptance. Every single line of God’s words pertains to a specific state. That is, none of the lines of His utterances are about external appearances, much less about external rules or a simple form of behavior in people. They are not like that. If you see every line uttered by God as being about a simple kind of human behavior or external appearance, then you have no spiritual understanding and you do not understand what the truth is. God’s words are profound. How are they profound? Everything that God says, everything that He reveals, is about people’s corrupt dispositions, and essential and deep-rooted things within their lives. They are essential things, not external appearances, and particularly not external behaviors. Viewing people from their external appearance, they might all seem to be fine. Why, then, does God say that some people are evil spirits and some are unclean spirits? This is a matter that is not visible to you. Thus, you cannot rely on appearance or what you see from the outside to hold up to God’s words. After being fellowshiped to thusly, have you experienced a change in your attitude toward God’s words? No matter how great or small the change, the next time you read such words, you at least will not try to reason with God. You will not say, “God’s words are really hard to listen to; I’m not going to read this page. I’ll just skip over it! Let me search for something to read about blessings and promises, so as to find some comfort.” You must not pick and choose what you read like that.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people equip themselves with the truth to help others and to serve God, and to lead the church properly. Is this view correct? Irrespective of how many messages you have heard or what your plans are, let Me tell you what is most critical and which view is the most correct: Whatever duty you perform, and whether or not you are a leader, you must first check yourself against God’s words and implement them within yourself. Do not treat these words as a tool to do work or as things you have accumulated while working. If you succeed in all of this, then you will surely be able to do your work well. If you always want to measure other people against these words, carry them out on other people, or regard them as capital for your own work, then you are in trouble; it means you are walking the path of Paul. This is the absolute truth. Because you have this view, you undoubtedly treat these words as doctrine and theory, and you wish to disseminate them and do the work—and this is a very dangerous thing. If you measure yourself against God’s words, and start by putting them into practice yourself, then the first one to change and attain entry will be you. Only if you yourself gain something will you have the stature, qualifications, and ability to do well in the work you must do. If you are without stature, have no experience, and have not gained entry, then you are working blindly, and are running about blindly, and there is no real outcome to this. Whichever aspect of the truth reality you have heard, if you hold yourself up against it, implement these words in your own life, and incorporate them into your own practice, then you will definitely gain something, and you are bound to change. If you simply stuff these words into your belly and memorize them in your brain, then you will never change. Whilst listening to the sermons, you should ponder thusly: “What sort of state are these words referring to? What aspect of essence are they referring to? In what matters should I apply this aspect of the truth? Whenever I do something related to this aspect of the truth, am I practicing in accordance with it? And when I’m putting it into practice, is my state in keeping with these words? If not, then should I seek, fellowship, or wait?” Do you practice in this manner in your lives? If you do not, then your life is without God and without the truth. You live according to letters and doctrines or according to your own interests, confidence, and enthusiasm. Those who do not possess the truth as reality are those who have no reality, and people who do not have God’s words as their reality are people who have not entered His words. Do you understand what I am saying? It is best if you are, but regardless of what your understanding of them is, and of how much you have comprehended of what you have heard, the crucial thing is that you are able to introduce what you have grasped into your life and put it into practice. Only then will your stature be able to grow, and only then will changes occur in your disposition.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Many people hold up God’s words to read day by day, even to the point of carefully committing to memory all the classic passages therein as their most prized possession, and moreover preach God’s words everywhere, providing and aiding others with God’s words. They think that to do this is to bear witness to God, to bear witness to His words, that to do this is to follow God’s way; they think that to do this is to live by God’s words, that to do this is to bring His words into their actual lives, that doing this will enable them to receive God’s commendation, and to be saved and perfected. But, even as they preach the words of God, they never comply with God’s words in practice, or try to compare themselves against what is revealed in God’s words. Rather, they use God’s words to gain the adoration and trust of others by trickery, to enter into management on their own, and to embezzle and steal God’s glory. They hope, vainly, to exploit the opportunity afforded by spreading God’s words so as to be awarded God’s working and His commendation. How many years have gone by, but not only have these people been incapable of earning God’s commendation in the process of preaching God’s words, and not only have they been incapable of discovering the way that they should follow in the process of bearing witness to God’s words, and not only have they not aided or provided for themselves in the process of aiding and providing others with God’s words, and not only have they been incapable of knowing God, or awakening in themselves genuine reverence for God, in the process of doing all these things; but, on the contrary, their misunderstandings about God grow ever deeper, their mistrust of Him ever graver, and their imaginings about Him ever more hyperbolic. Supplied and guided by their theories about God’s words, they appear as if completely in their element, as if plying their skills with effortless ease, as if they have found their purpose in life, their mission, and as if they have won new life and been saved, as if, with God’s words rolling crisply off their tongue in recital, they have gained the truth, grasped God’s intentions, and discovered the path to knowing God, as if, in the process of preaching God’s words, they often have come face to face with God. Also, they are often “moved” to bouts of weeping, and, often led by the “God” in God’s words, they appear to be ceaselessly grasping at His earnest solicitude and kind intention, and at the same time to have grasped God’s salvation of man and His management, to have come to know His essence, and to have understood His righteous disposition. Based on this foundation, they seem to believe even more firmly in God’s existence, to be more cognizant of His exalted state, and to feel even more deeply His grandeur and transcendence. Steeped in superficial knowledge of God’s words, it would appear that their faith has grown, their resolve to endure suffering has strengthened, and their knowledge of God has deepened. Little do they know that, until they actually experience God’s words, all their knowledge of God and their ideas about Him come out of their own wishful imaginings and conjecture. Their faith would not hold up under any kind of test from God, their so-called spirituality and stature would simply not hold up under God’s trial or inspection, their resolution is but a castle built upon the sand, and their so-called knowledge of God no more than a figment of their imagination. In fact, these people, who have, as it were, put a lot of effort into God’s words, have never ever realized what is real faith, what is real obedience, what is real caring, or what is real knowledge of God. They take theory, imagination, knowledge, gift, tradition, superstition, and even the moral values of humanity, and make them into “capital” and “weaponry” for believing in God and following Him, even making them into the foundations of their belief in God and their following Him. At the same time, they also take this capital and weaponry and make them into magic talismans through which they know God, for facing and dealing with God’s inspections, trials, chastisement, and judgment. In the end, what they garner still consists of nothing more than conclusions about God that are steeped in religious connotation, in feudal superstition, and in all that is romantic, grotesque, and enigmatic. Their way of knowing and defining God is stamped in the same mold as that of people who believe only in Heaven Above, or the Old Man in the Sky, while God’s realness, His essence, His disposition, His possessions and being, and so forth—all that relates to the real God Himself—are things that their knowledge has failed to grasp, from which their knowledge is completely divorced, and even as far apart as the north and south poles. In this way, although these people live under the provision and nourishment of God’s words, they are nevertheless unable truly to tread the path of fearing God and shunning evil. The true reason for this is that they have never become acquainted with God, neither have they ever had genuine contact or communion with Him, and so it is impossible for them to arrive at mutual understanding with God, or to awaken in themselves genuine belief in, following of, or worship for God. That they should thus regard God’s words, that they should thus regard God—this perspective and attitude has doomed them to return empty-handed from their endeavors, has doomed them to never in all eternity be able to tread the path of fearing God and shunning evil. The goal for which they are aiming, and the direction in which they are going, signifies that they are God’s enemies through eternity, and that through eternity they will never be able to receive salvation.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God expresses the truth for people who thirst for the truth, seek the truth, and love the truth. As for those who concern themselves with letters and doctrines and like to give lengthy, pompous speeches, they will never gain the truth; they are fooling themselves. Such people have an incorrect view of reading God’s words; they twist their necks to read that which is upright—their perspective is all wrong. Some people only know to research the words of God, studying what He says about being blessed and about man’s destination. If God’s words do not fit their notions, they become negative and halt their pursuit. This shows that they are not interested in the truth. As a result, they do not take the truth seriously; they are only capable of accepting the truth of their notions and imagination. Although such people are fervent in their belief in God and try every way they can to do some good deeds and present themselves well to others, they are only doing it in order to have a good destination in the future. Despite the fact that they also engage in church life, eating and drinking of God’s words along with everyone else, they have difficulty in entering truth reality and gaining the truth. There are still others who eat and drink of the words of God, but who merely go through the motions; they think they have gained the truth simply by having come to understand a few letters and doctrines. What fools they are! The word of God is the truth. However, one will not necessarily understand and gain the truth after they read God’s words. If you fail to gain the truth through eating and drinking the words of God, then what you gain will be letters and doctrines. You do not know what it means to gain the truth. You may hold the words of God in the palm of your hand, but after reading them you still fail to understand God’s will, you only acquire some letters and doctrines. First of all, you should realize that the word of God is not so straightforward; the word of God is utterly profound. Without many years of experience, how could you possibly understand the word of God? Even one sentence of God’s words will require your lifetime to fully experience. You read the words of God, but you do not understand God’s will; you do not understand the intentions of His words, their origin, the effect they seek to achieve, or what they seek to accomplish. If you understand none of these things, then how can you understand the truth? You may have read God’s words many times and perhaps you can recite many passages by heart, but you still have not changed at all, nor have you made any progress. Your relationship with God is just as distant and estranged as ever. There are still barriers between you and God, as before, and you still remain doubtful toward Him. Not only do you not understand God, but you give excuses to Him and harbor notions about Him. You resist Him and even blaspheme Him. How could this mean you have gained the truth? Though everyone has a copy of God’s word that they read every day, and they write down the enlightenment they receive from fellowshiping on the truth, in the end, different people achieve different effects. Some focus on doctrines, while others focus on their practice. Some prefer to study that which is profound and mysterious, while others prefer to learn about man’s future destination. Some prefer to study the administrative decrees, while some look for words of consolation, and others prefer to read the prophecies—the things that people focus on are different. Some people prefer to read the words the Holy Spirit says to the churches and want to be “My sons.” But what will such people get in the end? Nowadays, there are some new believers who say: “Look at how comforting the word of God is! ‘My sons, My sons!’ Who else in the world could provide us such consolation?” They do not understand for whom these words are intended. Even after accepting God’s new work for one or two years, some people still fail to understand and still shamelessly say these things, without reddening or feeling ashamed. Is this understanding the truth? They do not even understand God’s will, but they dare assume the status of God’s sons! What do such people learn from the word of God? All they do is misinterpret the word of God! Those who do not love the truth will never gain the truth, though they read the word of God. When someone has no love for the truth, they will not pay attention to it no matter how much you fellowship with them. Those who love the truth, after reading the words of God, will seek to grasp God’s will; they will investigate, and fellowship on the truth with others. Only this kind of person has hope of gaining the truth.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Listening to the word of God and obeying God’s requirements is man’s heaven-sent vocation; what God says is no business of man. No matter what God says, what God asks of man, the identity, essence, and status of God do not change—He is always God. When you have no doubt that He is God, your only responsibility, the only thing you should do, is to listen to what He says; this is the path of practice. A creature of God should not study, analyze, explore, reject, contradict, disobey, or deny the words of God; this is abhorred by God, and not what He wishes to see in man. So just what is the path of practice? It is actually very simple: Learn to listen, listen with your heart, accept with your heart, understand and comprehend with your heart, and then go and do, carry out, and execute with your heart. What you hear and comprehend in your heart is closely connected to what you put into practice. Do not separate the two; everything—what you practice, what you obey, what you do by your own hand, everything you run around for—is connected to what you hear and comprehend in your heart, and in this, you will achieve obedience to the words of the Creator. This is the path of practice.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Noah was an ordinary member of humankind who worshiped and followed God. When God’s words came upon him, his attitude was not to procrastinate, delay, or take his time. Instead, he listened to God’s words with great seriousness, he listened to God’s every utterance with great care and attention, diligently trying to take in and remember everything that God commanded of him, not daring to let anything pass him by. In his attitude toward God, and God’s words, was the fear of God, which showed that God had a place in his heart, and that he was obedient unto God. He listened closely to what God said, to the content of God’s words, to what God asked of him. He listened attentively—not analyzing, but accepting. There was no refusal, antipathy, or intolerance in his heart; instead, he calmly, carefully, and attentively noted, in his heart, every word and thing that God asked of him. After God gave him each instruction, Noah recorded, in detail and by his own means, everything that God had said and entrusted to him. Then he put aside his own labors, broke with the routines and plans of his old life, and began preparing for all that God had entrusted him to do, and all the supplies required for the ark that God had asked him to build. He dared not neglect any of God’s words, or any of what God asked, or any detail of what was required of him in God’s words. By his own means, he recorded the main points and particulars of all that God asked and entrusted to him, then pondered and reflected on them, over and over. Next, Noah went in search of all the materials that God had asked him to prepare. Naturally, after each instruction God gave him, he, in his own way, made detailed plans and arrangements for all that God had commissioned of him and instructed him to do—and then, step-by-step, he implemented and executed his plans and arrangements, and every detail and individual step of what God asked. Throughout the whole process, everything Noah did, whether great or small, whether remarkable or not in man’s eyes, was what he had been instructed to do by God, and was what had been spoken of and required by God. From all that was exhibited in Noah after he accepted God’s commission, it is evident that his attitude toward God’s words was not merely one of just listening, and nothing more—much less was it the case that after hearing these words, Noah chose a time when he was in a good mood, when the environment was right, or when the timing was favorable to carry this out. Instead, he put aside his own labors, broke with his life’s routine, and made the construction of the ark that God had ordered the biggest priority in his life and existence from then onward. His attitude toward God’s commission and God’s words was not casual, perfunctory, or capricious, much less was it one of rejection; instead, he listened carefully to God’s words, and put his heart into remembering and pondering them. His attitude toward God’s words was one of acceptance and obedience. To God, only this is the attitude that a true creature of God should have toward His words. There was no refusal, no half-heartedness, no willfulness in this attitude, nor was it adulterated by human intent; it was, wholly and completely, the attitude that a created being ought to have.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Abraham was an honest man. He had but one attitude toward God’s words: to listen, accept, and obey. He listened to whatever God said; if God said something was black, even if it didn’t look black to Abraham, he believed without question that it was black. If God said something was white, it was white. That’s how simple it was. When God said He would give him a child, he thought to himself, “I am a hundred years old. If God says He is going to give me a child, then I give thanks to God, I thank my Lord.” He didn’t overthink things; he just believed in God. And what was the essence of this belief? He believed in the essence and identity of God; his knowledge of the Creator was true. He was not like some people, who say out loud that they believe that God is possessed of the power to create all things, and that God made humankind, and yet in their hearts are doubtful: “Aren’t we evolved from apes? Why didn’t I see it when God created all things?” Every time they hear God speak, there are big question marks in their hearts. Every fact, thing, and instruction spoken by God they have to minutely, diligently, and cautiously study and analyze; otherwise, if they’re not careful, they could be tricked, and taken advantage of. But Abraham wasn’t like this. His heart was pure, he listened to God’s words with a pure heart, and though, when God spoke this time, it pained him, he chose to still believe and obey; he believed that God’s words would not change, that they would become reality, that they were what should be carried out and obeyed by created humankind; faced with God’s words, created mankind had no right to choose, much less should it study or analyze. Such was Abraham’s attitude toward God’s words. And so, even though it pained him greatly, even though, because of his attachment, love, and adoration toward his son, he felt the utmost stress and suffering, still he chose to give his son back to God. Why did he have to return him to God? If God had not asked, he need not take it upon himself to return his son—but once God asked, he had to give him back to God; he had no excuses, people shouldn’t try to reason with God; this was Abraham’s attitude. Such was the pure heart with which he obeyed God: This was what God wanted, and it was what God wished to see. What Abraham accomplished in offering up Isaac, and what was exhibited in him before God, was what God wished to see, and was God’s test of him. And yet, God did not treat Abraham as He treated Noah. He did not tell Abraham the whole story, the process, everything behind this matter. Abraham only knew one thing: God has asked him to return Isaac, that is all. He did not know that in doing this, God was testing him, nor was he aware of what, after being subjected to this test, God wished to accomplish in him and his descendants. God didn’t tell him everything, He just gave him a simple instruction, a request. And though these words of God were very simple, and cold-blooded, yet as expected, Abraham did as God wished and required: He sacrificed Isaac upon the altar. Everything he did shows that his offering wasn’t just a formality, he was not just going through the motions, but was sincere from his inmost heart. Even though he couldn’t bear to, even though it pained him, when faced with what the Creator asked, Abraham chose that method which any member of humankind would not: Absolute obedience to what the Creator asked, obedience without compromise, without excuses, and without any conditions—he did whatever God asked. And what was found in him, that he could do what God asked? Partly, there was in him the true faith in God; he was sure that the Creator was God, his God, his Lord, the One who ruled over all things and had created humankind. This was true faith. Partly, his was a pure heart. He trusted in every word uttered by the Creator, and was able to simply and straightforwardly accept every word uttered by the Creator. And partly, no matter how great the difficulty of what the Creator asked, how much pain it would bring him, the attitude he chose was obedience, not trying to reason with God, or push back, or refuse, but complete and total obedience, acting and implementing according to what God asked, according to His every word, and every order issued. As God asked and wished to see, Abraham sacrificed Isaac on the altar, he sacrificed him to God—and all that he did proved that God had chosen the right person, that in God’s eyes, he was righteous.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

It is God’s people who treasure God’s word, who cherish God’s word, who venerate God’s word, who respect every word and sentence that God says as well as how He speaks, the perspective from which He speaks, and what He says in each passage. Only God’s enemies often mock and scorn His words. They hold them in disdain. They do not treat God’s words as the truth, as words pronounced by the Creator. As such, in their hearts, they often desire to tamper with God’s words and interpret them arbitrarily. They attempt to use their ways, their modes of thought and the logic of their thinking to alter God’s words, so that they conform to corrupt human tastes, corrupt human points of view, and corrupt human thinking and philosophy, in an effort to win acclaim from more people in the end. God’s word is God’s word, whatever it is about, however it is communicated, and from whichever perspective it is spoken. In order that corrupt mankind can more readily understand, better appreciate, and more easily gain the word of God, so that they can understand the truth in His words, God often uses human languages, human methods, as well as ways, tone of speech, and logic that are much easier for people to comprehend, to explain His will and to tell mankind of that which they should enter. Yet it is precisely these inconspicuous methods and this inconspicuous tone, and inconspicuous words that are exploited by antichrists to bring charges against God and to deny that His word is truth. Antichrists frequently compare God’s word to knowledge and the writings of renowned personages, and even compare God’s word with the speeches, phrasing, tone of speech, and moral integrity of well-known individuals. The more they compare them so, the less they feel God’s word is worthy of mention, the shallower they think it is, and the more they want to alter it, to correct God’s words, His tone and His style, as well as the perspective from which He speaks. No matter how God speaks or how much mankind benefits from what God has to say, antichrists do not regard God’s word as the truth. In God’s words, they do not seek the truth, or the principles of practice, or the way of entry into life; rather, they unfailingly approach them with a mind to research them, to study them, regarding God’s words with such an attitude of intensive research and investigation. And researching them this way and that, investigating them through and through, they continue in their belief that there are many places in God’s words that need to be altered, that need to be “fixed.” So, from the day an antichrist comes into contact with God’s words and even after being a believer for ten, twenty, thirty years, contrary to what others say, in their heart of hearts, not only do they still not think that God’s word has life or truth in it, they do not believe that it is the gate into the kingdom or the way leading to heaven. They do not see it. They cannot discover it. What, then, do they think? “Why is it that the longer I believe, the more I feel that God’s words are nothing special? The longer I believe, the more I believe that there is no truth in these words of God.” What is this? Is it a good sign or a bad sign? (It is a bad one.) How is it bad? Once your faith has come to such a point, will that be all there is to it? Will you be done believing?

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Five)” in Exposing Antichrists

Originally, I wished to supply you with more truths, but I have had to refrain from this because your attitude toward the truth is much too cold and indifferent; I do not wish for My efforts to be wasted, nor do I wish to see people holding My words yet in all regards doing that which resists Me, maligns Me, and blasphemes Me. Because of your attitudes and your humanity, I merely supply you with a small and, for you, very important part of My words, which serves as My trial work among mankind. Only now have I truly confirmed that the decisions and plan I have made fit your needs and, moreover, that My attitude toward mankind is the correct one. Your many years of behavior before Me have given Me an answer without precedent, and the question to this answer is: “What is man’s attitude before the truth and the true God?” The efforts I have devoted to man prove My essence of love for man, and man’s every action before Me proves his essence of loathing toward the truth and opposition to Me. At all times, I am concerned for all who follow Me, yet at no time are those who follow Me able to receive My words; they are not even able to accept My suggestions. This is what saddens Me most of all. No one has ever been able to understand Me and nor, moreover, has anyone ever been able to accept Me, even though My attitude is sincere, and My words are gentle. Everyone tries to do the work I have entrusted to them according to their own ideas; they do not seek My intentions, let alone do they ask what I require of them. They still claim to serve Me loyally, all while they rebel against Me. Many believe that the truths that are unacceptable to them or that they cannot practice are not truths. In such people, My truths become something that is denied and cast aside. At the same time, people recognize Me as God in word, yet also believe Me an outsider who is not the truth, the way, or the life. No one knows this truth: My words are the forever unchanging truth. I am the supply of life for man and the only guide for mankind. The worth and meaning of My words are not determined by whether they are recognized or accepted by mankind, but by the essence of the words themselves. Even if not a single person on this earth can receive My words, the value of My words and their help to mankind are inestimable to any man. Therefore, when faced with the many people who rebel against, refute, or are utterly contemptuous of My words, My stance is only this: Let time and facts be My witness and show that My words are the truth, the way, and the life. Let them show that all I have said is right, that it is that which man should be furnished with and, moreover, that which man should accept. I will let all who follow Me know this fact: Those who cannot fully accept My words, those who cannot practice My words, those who cannot find a purpose in My words, and those who cannot receive salvation because of My words, are those who have been condemned by My words and, moreover, have lost My salvation, and My rod shall never stray from them.

Excerpted from “You Ought to Consider Your Deeds” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

5. The Principles of Knowing God’s Words

(1) When eating and drinking of God’s words, it is necessary to contemplate them in earnest, with a prayerful heart, and to seek the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Only thus can one gradually come to understand the truth;

(2) When reading God’s words, it is necessary to seek to understand His will and requirements, as well as the effects He means to achieve in speaking them. This is what it means to have true knowledge of God’s words;

(3) It is necessary to seek out the specificities of each aspect of the truth in God’s words and the entirety of their meaning. Only thus is the truth of God’s words easily understood;

(4) One must focus on putting God’s words into practice, and through practicing and experiencing them, gain the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Only thus can one understand the essence and true meaning of the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

Knowing God must be achieved through reading and understanding God’s words. Some say: “I haven’t seen God incarnate, so how should I know God?” In fact, God’s words are an expression of His disposition. From God’s words, you can see His love and salvation for humans, as well as His method for saving them…. This is because His words are expressed by God Himself, not written by humans. They have been personally expressed by God; God Himself is expressing His own words and His inner voice. Why are they called words from the heart? It is because they are issued from deep down, and express His disposition, His will, His thoughts, His love for mankind, His salvation of mankind, and His expectations of mankind…. God’s utterances include harsh words, and gentle and considerate words, as well as some revelatory words that are not in line with human wishes. If you look only at the revelatory words, you might feel that God is rather stern. If you look only at the gentle words, you might feel that God is not very authoritative. You therefore should not take them out of context; rather, look at them from every angle. Sometimes God speaks from a gentle and compassionate perspective, and then people see His love for mankind; sometimes He speaks from a very strict perspective, and then people see the disposition of His that will tolerate no offense. Man is deplorably filthy, and is not worthy of seeing God’s face or of coming before Him. That people are now allowed to come before Him is purely by His grace. God’s wisdom can be seen from the way He works and in the significance of His work. People can still see these things in God’s words, even without any direct contact from Him. When someone who genuinely knows God comes into contact with Christ, his encounter with Christ can correspond with his existing knowledge of God; however, when someone who has only a theoretical understanding encounters God, he cannot see the correlation. This aspect of the truth is the most profound of mysteries; it is difficult to fathom. Sum up God’s words on the mystery of the incarnation, look at them from all angles, and then pray together, ponder, and fellowship further on this aspect of the truth. In doing so, you will be able to gain the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and come to understand. Because humans have no chance of having direct contact with God, they must rely on this kind of experience to feel their way through and enter a little bit at a time in order to attain true knowledge of God.

Excerpted from “How to Know God Incarnate” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Before man carries out the word of God, he must know the word of God; that is, he must understand God’s will. Only in this way can God’s word be carried out accurately and in accordance with God’s will. This is something that everyone who seeks the truth must possess, and it is also the process that everyone who tries to know God must undergo. The process of coming to know the word of God is the process of coming to know God and the work of God. So, knowing visions not only refers to knowing the humanity of God incarnate, but also includes knowing the word and the work of God. From the word of God people come to understand God’s will, and from the work of God they come to know God’s disposition and what God is.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whether the words spoken by God be plain or profound in outward appearance, they are all truths indispensable to man as he enters into life; they are the fount of living waters that enables man to survive in both spirit and flesh. They provide what man needs to stay alive; the principles and creed for conducting his daily life; the path he must take to salvation, as well as its goal and direction; every truth that he should possess as a created being before God; and every truth about how man obeys and worships God. They are the guarantee that ensures man’s survival, they are man’s daily bread, and they are also the sturdy support that enables man to be strong and stand up. They are rich in the truth reality with which created mankind lives out normal humanity, rich in the truth by which mankind breaks free from corruption and eludes Satan’s snares, rich in the tireless teaching, exhortation, encouragement, and solace that the Creator gives to created humanity. They are the beacon that guides and enlightens men to understand all that is positive, the guarantee which ensures that men will live out and come into possession of all that is righteous and good, the criterion by which all people, events, and objects are measured, and also the navigation marker that leads men toward salvation and the path of light.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In pursuing life, you must pay attention to two things: first, understanding the truth within God’s words; second, understanding yourself within God’s words. These two things are most fundamental. There is no life or truth outside of God’s words. If you do not seek the truth within God’s words, where, then, can you go to seek it? Where is there truth in the world? All of the world’s books are compiled of the devil Satan’s theories, are they not? They do not contain even one iota of truth! The most important parts of understanding the truth in God’s words are understanding God within His words, understanding human life within His words, and understanding all aspects of the truth within His words, such as the true understanding of oneself and discovering the meaning of human existence within God’s words. All truth is within God’s words. You cannot enter into the truth unless it is done through the words of God. The main outcome you must attain is to know what it is to possess understanding and knowledge of God’s words. With a real understanding of God’s words, you can then understand the truth. This is the most fundamental thing.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If from God’s words you do not understand God’s will and the intentions behind His utterances, if you do not understand the aims and results that His words intend to achieve, if you do not understand what His words seek to accomplish and perfect in man, if you do not understand these things, then it proves that you do not yet comprehend the truth. Why does God say what He says? Why does He speak in that tone? Why is He so earnest and sincere in every word He speaks? Why does He choose to use certain words? Do you know? If you cannot say for sure, it means you do not understand God’s will or His intentions, you do not understand the context behind His words. If you do not comprehend this, then how can you gain the truth? Gaining the truth means understanding God’s meaning through every word that He says; it means you are able to put God’s words into practice once you have understood them, so that God’s words can be lived out by you and become your reality. Only when you have a thorough understanding of the word of God can you really grasp the truth.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Coming to a genuine understanding of God’s words is no simple matter. Do not think this way: “I can interpret the literal meaning of God’s words, and everyone says my interpretation is good, and gives me a thumbs-up, so this means I understand God’s words.” That is not the same as understanding God’s words. If you have gained some light from within God’s utterances, and you have gotten a sense of the true meaning of His words; and if you can express the intention behind His words and what effect they will ultimately achieve, then once you have a clear understanding of all of these things, you can be considered to have some level of understanding of God’s words. Thus, understanding God’s words is not all that simple. Just because you can give a flowery explanation of the literal meaning of God’s words does not mean you understand them. No matter how much you can explain their literal meaning, your explanation is still based on human imagination and way of thinking. It is useless! How can you understand God’s words? The key is to seek the truth from within them; only in that way can you truly understand what He says. Whenever God speaks, He certainly does not speak in mere generalities. Each sentence He utters contains details that are certain to be revealed further in God’s words, and they may be expressed differently. Man cannot fathom the ways in which God expresses the truth. God’s utterances are very profound and cannot be fathomed with human way of thinking. People can discover the entire meaning of every aspect of the truth as long as they make an effort; if you do this, then as you experience them, what details remain will be filled in completely as the Holy Spirit enlightens you, thus giving you an understanding of these concrete states. One part is understanding God’s words and seeking their specific content through reading them. Another part is understanding the implications of God’s words through experiencing them and obtaining enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. It is primarily by these two means that a true understanding of God’s words is achieved. If you interpret His words literally, or through the lens of your own thinking or imagination, then your understanding of God’s words is not real no matter how eloquently you can interpret them. You might even take their meaning out of context and misinterpret them, and doing so is even more troublesome. Thus, the truth is primarily obtained by receiving enlightenment from the Holy Spirit through gaining knowledge of God’s words. Understanding the literal meaning of His words, or being able to explain them, does not count as having gained the truth. If you only needed to interpret the literal meaning of His words, then what would be the point of the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment? In that case, you would only need to have a certain level of education, and the uneducated would all be in quite a predicament. God’s work is not something that can be comprehended by the human brain. A true understanding of God’s words relies mainly on having enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; such is the process of gaining the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Why is it said that God’s words are a beacon for people? It is because they are not spoken in vain; they are not some kind of theory or high-sounding words, nor are they some sort of argument. They are there for you to implement, to put into practice. When you encounter problems, and have no idea what to do and lack a path for practice, you think of what requirements are made by God’s words. After mulling His words over, you find a way forward and understand their meaning. Then, you can practice in accordance with His will. By practicing in this way, you gain confirmation, and discover that it brings you spiritual peace and enjoyment; this is edifying for others as well. In the process of putting God’s words into practice, you gain some enlightenment as well as some experience and learning; you are awakened to certain things. You come to realize what God means by saying these words and getting people to do things in a certain way. You locate the relevant principles of practice, and you come to know the origin and significance of God’s utterance of these words. This is understanding the truth. Once you have understood the truth, you will no longer be confused or find it difficult to get involved; you will have a path of practice. What is meant by having a path to put God’s words into practice? It means you comprehend the principles of practice behind them; you understand what states God is referring to, and you know how you should practice. God’s words may look simple to you, but in fact, they tell you how you should live, what you should do when you encounter an issue, and how you should resolve any difficulties you might come across. They are the truth. They can become your path, allowing you to approach issues with wisdom and principles, and have a path of practice. If you have a path to follow in performing your duty or in other matters, and if you have principles in how you handle things and know God’s will, then this shows that you understand the truth and that you understand His words.

Excerpted from “Having a Human Likeness Requires Fulfilling Your Duty Properly With All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Have you discovered the laws of God’s words? Some people say this: “God’s every utterance contains all kinds of content and there is a different meaning to every passage and every sentence, which makes it hard for us to remember and difficult to understand. It is not even possible to summarize the general idea of a paragraph.” God’s word is beyond the reach of those of poor caliber. It is not a novel, nor is it some prose or a work of literature. It is the truth; it is the word that gives life to man. It is not something that can be understood by mulling it over in your mind, nor can its laws be summarized with a bit of extra effort. So no matter what aspect people have a little understanding of or have some sense of its rules, it can only be a one-sided understanding, only skin-deep, just one drop in the ocean, and it is basically incapable of reaching what God originally intended. Any article of God’s words will contain several aspects of the truth. For example, an article talking about the mystery of God’s incarnation will include the significance of the incarnation along with the work the incarnation does. And it will also contain how people should believe in God, and may perhaps also contain how people should understand and love God; it will include many aspects of the truth. If, according to your imagination, the significance of the incarnation contained only a few aspects and could be generalized in a few sentences, what outcome could God’s work on man then be able to achieve? People are made to understand the significance of the incarnation in order to make them understand God. After someone has understood God, they naturally have a heart that reveres God, and this now involves man’s practice. So no aspect of God’s words and no aspect of the truth is as simple as you imagine. If you regard the word of God and the divine language as simple, thinking that any question can be answered with a paragraph of God’s words, then that is not the truth. Every article contains many angles from which God’s words are spoken and there is no way for people to summarize or sum up His words. After you have summed up His words, you think a passage has answered a certain question, but this passage also relates to other questions. Every aspect of the truth contains many things. Why is it said that the truth is life, that it can provide enjoyment to man, that it cannot be experienced in its entirety even over several lifetimes or several hundred years? Say you were to sum up some aspect of the truth or some passage of God’s words, then the passage you summed up has become a formula, a rule and a doctrine, and is not the truth. Why? Because you misled people and brought them into doctrines, made them think, imagine, consider questions, and read that passage in accordance with your doctrines. They would then read it back and forth, seeing only one question and not seeing any other aspect. In the end they would be brought to a place where they cannot experience the truth and cannot experience the word of God, a place where they can only equip themselves with and discuss doctrines and yet lack understanding of God. All they could speak about would be pleasant-sounding and correct doctrines, but there would be no reality within them and they would have no path to walk on. This kind of leading really does grievous harm.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Everyone experiences the truth, but each does so under different circumstances, and everyone gains something different. Yet even if their knowledge were combined, they would still be incapable of fully articulating a single truth. That is how profound the truth is! Why is it said that the things you have gained and your knowledge cannot stand for the truth? You fellowship your knowledge with others, and it only takes two or three days of contemplation before they have fully experienced it. But people can spend a whole lifetime and still not fully experience the truth; even if what each person experienced were combined, the truth would still not be fully experienced. It can therefore be seen that the truth is extraordinarily profound. The truth cannot be fully articulated with words. In the language of man, the truth is the true essence of mankind. Man will never be able to fully experience the truth. Man should live by the truth. One truth can sustain the whole of mankind’s existence for several thousand years.

The truth is the life of God Himself; it represents His disposition, His essence, and everything in Him. If you say that having a bit of experience means possessing the truth, then can you represent God’s disposition? You may have some experience or light regarding a certain aspect or side of a truth, but you cannot supply others with it forever, so this light you have gained is not truth; it is merely a certain point that people can reach. It is simply the proper experience and the proper understanding a person should possess: some actual experience and knowledge of the truth. This light, enlightenment, and experiential understanding can never substitute for the truth; even if all people had completely experienced this truth, and pooled together all of their experiential understanding, it still would not be able to take the place of that one truth. As has been said in the past, “I sum this up with a maxim for the human world: Among men, there is no one who loves Me.” This is a statement of truth; it is the true essence of life. This is the most profound of things; this is an expression of God Himself. You can keep on experiencing it, and if you experience it for three years you will have a superficial understanding of it; if you experience it for seven or eight years you will gain even more understanding of it—but any understanding you gain will never be able to substitute for that one statement of truth. Another person, after experiencing it for a couple of years, might gain a little understanding, and then a slightly more profound understanding after experiencing it for ten years, and then some further understanding after experiencing it for a lifetime—but if you both combine what understanding you have gained, even then—no matter how much understanding, how much experience, how many insights, how much light, or how many examples you both possess—all of that still cannot substitute for that one statement of truth. In other words, the life of man will always be the life of man, and no matter how much your understanding might accord with the truth, God’s intentions, and His requirements, it will never be able to be a substitute for the truth. To say that people have gained the truth means that they possess some reality, that they have gained some understanding of the truth, that they have attained some real entry to God’s words, that they have had some real experience with them, and that they are on the right track in their faith in God. Just one statement from God is enough for a person to experience for an entire lifetime; even if people were to experience it for several lifetimes or even several millennia, they still would not be able to completely and thoroughly experience a single truth. If people have merely understood a few superficial words, yet they claim to have gained the truth, would that not be complete and utter nonsense?

Excerpted from “Do You Know What the Truth Really Is?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s work and word are meant to cause a change in your disposition; His goal is not merely to make you understand or know His work and word. That is not enough. You are a person who has the ability to comprehend, so you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, because most of God’s word is written in human language, and He speaks very plainly. For instance, you are perfectly capable of learning what it is that God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a normal person who has the faculty of comprehension should be able to do. In particular, the words that God is saying in the present stage are especially clear and transparent, and God is pointing out many things that people have not considered, as well as all manner of human states. His words are all-encompassing, and as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues, but there is still something missing—people putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of the truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, rather than simply waiting to absorb whatever is made available to them; otherwise they become little more than parasites. They know God’s word, yet do not put it into practice. This kind of person does not love the truth and will ultimately be eliminated. To be like a Peter of the 1990s, this means that each one of you should practice the word of God, have true entry in your experiences and gain even more and even greater enlightenment in your cooperation with God, which will be of ever increasing assistance to your own life. If you have read a lot of God’s word but only understand the meaning of the text and lack direct knowledge of God’s word through your practical experiences, then you will not know God’s word. As far as you are concerned, God’s word is not life, but just lifeless letters. And if you only live in observance of lifeless letters, then you cannot grasp the essence of God’s word, nor will you understand His will. Only when you experience His word in your actual experiences will the spiritual meaning of God’s word open itself to you, and it is only through experience that you can grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths and unlock the mysteries of God’s word. If you do not put it into practice, then no matter how clear His word, all that you have grasped are empty letters and doctrines, which have become religious regulations to you. Is this not what the Pharisees did? If you practice and experience God’s word, it becomes practical to you; if you do not seek to practice it, then God’s word to you is little more than the legend of the third heaven. In fact, the process of believing in God is the process of you experiencing His word as well as being gained by Him, or to put it more clearly, to believe in God is to have the knowledge and understanding of His word and to experience and live out His word; such is the reality behind your belief in God. If you believe in God and hope for eternal life without seeking to practice the word of God as something you have within you, then you are foolish. This would be like going to a feast and only looking at the food and learning the delicious things by heart without actually tasting any of it. Would such a person not be a fool?

The truth that man needs to possess is found in the word of God, and it is a truth that is the most beneficial and helpful to mankind. It is the tonic and sustenance that your body needs, something that helps man restore his normal humanity. It is a truth that man should be equipped with. The more you practice God’s word, the more quickly your life will blossom, and the clearer the truth will become. As you grow in stature, you will see things of the spiritual world more clearly, and the more strength you will have to triumph over Satan. Much of the truth that you do not understand will be made clear when you practice the word of God. Most people are satisfied to merely understand the text of God’s word and focus on equipping themselves with doctrines rather than on deepening their experience in practice, but is that not the way of the Pharisees? So how can the phrase, “The word of God is life” be real for them? A person’s life cannot grow simply by reading God’s word, but only when the word of God is put into practice. If it is your belief that to understand God’s word is all that is needed to have life and stature, then your understanding is warped. Truly understanding God’s word occurs when you practice the truth, and you must understand that “only by practicing the truth can it ever be understood.” Today, after reading the word of God, you can merely say that you know God’s word, but you cannot say that you understand it. Some say that the only way to practice the truth is to understand it first, but this is only partially correct, and is certainly not entirely accurate. Before you have knowledge of a truth, you have not experienced that truth. Feeling that you understand something you hear in a sermon is not truly understanding—this is just taking possession of the literal words of the truth, and it is not the same as understanding the true meaning therein. Just having a superficial knowledge of the truth does not mean that you actually understand it or have knowledge about it; the true meaning of the truth comes from having experienced it. Therefore, only when you experience the truth can you understand it, and only then can you grasp the hidden parts of it. Deepening your experience is the only way to grasp the connotations, and to understand the essence of the truth.

Excerpted from “Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

6. The Principles of Communing With God

(1) Pray to God in His words, seek the truth and attempt to grasp His will, and be able to obtain the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This is true communion with God;

(2) In practicing and experiencing God’s words, one must learn to pray-read them, seeking the truth. By praying in this way, the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit are easily obtained;

(3) All the words of God are the truth. Only by praying often to God in His words can one achieve an understanding of His will and a path of practice;

(4) By praying to God and grasping His will amidst trials and refinement, and achieving genuine communion with Him, one can easily know and submit to God when engaging with Him.

Relevant Words of God:

How can people maintain a relationship with God? And what should they rely on to do this? They should rely on supplicating God, praying to God, and communicating with God in their hearts. With a relationship such as this, people live always before God, and such people are very peaceful. Some people spend their whole time in external actions, busying themselves with external tasks. After one or two days without the spiritual life, they feel nothing; after three or five days, or one or two months, they still feel nothing; they have not prayed, made supplication, or held spiritual communion. Supplication is when something happens to you, and you ask God to help you, guide you, provide for you, enlighten you, and allow you to understand His will and know what to do in line with the truth. The scope of prayer is wider: Sometimes you speak the words in your heart, talking to God of your difficulties or negativity and weakness; so, too, do you pray to God when you are rebellious, or else you speak to Him of the things that happen to you each day, whether they are clear to you or not. This is praying. The scope of prayer is basically talking and opening up to God. Sometimes it is done at regular times, sometimes not; you can pray whenever and wherever you wish. Spiritual communion is not overly formal. Sometimes it is because you have a problem, sometimes not. Sometimes it involves words, sometimes not. When you have a problem, you talk of it with God and pray; when you do not have a problem, you think of how God loves people, how He is concerned about people, how He rebukes people. You may commune with God at any time or place. This is what spiritual communion is. Sometimes, when you are out and about and you think of something that upsets you, you do not have to get down on your knees or close your eyes. You just have to say to God in your heart: “O God, please guide me in this. I am weak, I cannot overcome it.” Your heart is moved; you speak but a few simple words, and God knows. Sometimes you miss home and say, “O God! I really miss home….” You do not say who specifically you miss. You just feel down, and speak of this to God. Problems can only be solved when you pray to God and say what is in your heart. Can talking to other people solve problems? It is okay if you encounter someone who understands the truth, but if they do not—if you encounter someone negative and weak—you could have an effect on them. If you speak to God, God will comfort you, and move you. If you are able to read God’s words quietly before God, then you will be able to understand the truth and solve the problem. God’s words will allow you to find a way through, to get past this little hurdle. The hurdle will not trip you up, it will not restrain you, nor will it affect your performance of your duty. There are times when you suddenly feel a little down or uneasy inside. At such times, do not hesitate to pray to God. It may be that you make no supplication to God, there may be nothing you wish God to do or enlighten you with—you just speak to God and open up to Him at any time, wherever you are. What must you feel at all times? It is, “God is always with me, He has never left me, I can feel it. No matter where I am or what I’m doing—I could be taking a rest, or be in a gathering, or be performing my duty—in my heart, I know that my hand is led by God, that He has never left me.” Sometimes, recalling how you have passed each day over the past few years, you feel that your stature has grown, that you have been guided by God, that God’s love has protected you throughout. Thinking these things, you pray in your heart, offering thanks to God: “O God, I thank You! I am so weak and frail, so profoundly corrupt. Without You to guide me like this, I would not have made it to today relying on myself.” Is this not spiritual communion? If people can often commune in this way, will they not have much to say to God? They would not go many days without anything to say to God. When you have nothing to say to God, God is absent from your heart. If God is in your heart, and you have faith in God, then you will be able to speak of everything in your heart to Him, including those things you would speak of to your confidants. In fact, God is your closest confidant. If you treat God as your closest confidant, as your family whom you depend on most, rely on most, trust most, confide in most, whom you are closest to, then it will be impossible for you to have nothing to say to God. If you always have something to say to God, will you not always live before God? If you can always live before God, then at every moment, you will sense how God guides you, how He cares for and protects you, how He brings you peace and joy, how He blesses you, how He enlightens you, and how He rebukes you, disciplines you, chastens you, and judges and chastises you; all this will be clear and evident to you in your heart. You will not just muddle through each day, knowing nothing, only saying you believe in God, performing your duty and attending gatherings only for appearance’s sake, reading God’s words and praying on a daily basis, simply going through the motions—yours will not simply be this kind of external religious ceremony. Instead, in your heart, you will look to God and pray to God at every moment, you will commune with God at all times, and you will be able to submit to God, and live before God.

Excerpted from “If You Cannot Always Live Before God, You Are a Nonbeliever” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People may be able to carry out the practice of prayer and to understand the significance of prayer, but for prayer to be effective is no simple matter. Prayer is not a case of just going through the motions, following procedure, or reciting the words of God. That is to say, praying is not parroting certain words and it is not imitating others. In prayer, one must reach the state where one’s heart can be given to God, laying open one’s heart so that it may be moved by God. If prayer is to be effective, then it must be based on the reading of God’s words. Only by praying from within God’s words can one receive greater enlightenment and illumination. The manifestations of a true prayer are: Having a heart that yearns for all that God asks, and moreover desires to accomplish what He demands; detesting that which God detests and then, building on this foundation, gaining some understanding of it, and having some knowledge and clarity regarding the truths God expounds. Where there is resolution, faith, knowledge, and a path of practice following prayer, only then can it be called true prayer, and only this type of prayer can be effective. Yet prayer must be built upon the enjoyment of God’s words, it must be established on the foundation of communing with God in His words, and the heart must be able to seek God and become quiet before Him. Prayer of this kind has already entered the stage of true communion with God.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must fellowship more, be able to eat and drink independently during your own spiritual devotions, and be able to grasp the key truths and put them into practice immediately. You must get a feel for the reality of My word: Grasp its very core and its principles, and do not slacken your grip. Always ponder, and always fellowship with Me, and gradually things will be revealed. You cannot come close to God for a little while and, then, without waiting for your heart to grow quiet before Him, be disturbed when something else happens to you. You are always confused and unclear about things, and unable to see My face; as such, you cannot gain a clear understanding of My heart—and even if you can understand it a bit, you are uncertain and still doubt. Only when I possess your heart in full, and your mind is no longer disturbed by any worldly things and you can wait with a clear and quiet mind, shall I make revelations to you, one by one, in accordance with My intentions. You must understand this path of closeness to Me. Whoever strikes or curses you, or however nice the things people offer you might be, it is unacceptable if they keep you from being close to God. Let your heart be in My grasp, and never leave My side. With this kind of closeness and fellowship, your parents, husband, children, other familial contact, and worldly entanglements will all float away. You will enjoy an almost indescribable sweetness in your heart, and you will experience a fragrant and delicious taste; moreover, you will truly be inseparable from Me. If you continue in this manner, you will understand what is in My heart. You will never lose your way as you continue to progress, for I am your way, and everything exists because of Me. How mature your life is, when you will be able to break away from worldliness, when you will be able to cast off your emotions, when you will be able to leave behind your husband and children, when your life will mature … all these things will happen in accordance with My time. There is no need to be anxious.

You must attain entry from the side of positivity. If you wait passively, then you are still being negative. You must be proactive in cooperating with Me; be diligent, and never be lazy. Always fellowship with Me and attain an even deeper intimacy with Me. If you do not understand, do not be impatient for quick results. It is not that I will not tell you; it is that I want to see whether you rely on Me when you are in My presence, and whether you are confident in your dependence on Me. You must always remain close to Me, and place all matters in My hands. Do not go back in vain. After you have been unconsciously close to Me for a period of time, My intentions shall be revealed to you. If you grasp them, then you will truly come face to face with Me, and you will truly have found My face. You will have much clarity and steadfastness within, and you will have something to rely on. You will then also possess power, as well as confidence, and you will have a path forward. Everything will come easily to you.

Excerpted from “Chapter 9” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you look to God, it is possible that He does not give you any feeling or any clear ideas, much less any clear directions, but He allows you some understanding. Or maybe this time you have not understood anything, yet it is right that you look to God. People practicing in this way is not done to follow rules, but rather it is the need of their hearts and is how man should practice. It is not that you can obtain enlightenment and guidance every time you look to God and call on God; this spiritual state in man’s life is normal and natural, and looking to God is the normal interaction with God in people’s hearts.

Sometimes, looking to God does not mean asking God to do something using specific words, or asking Him for specific guidance or protection. Rather, it is that when people encounter some issue, they are able to call on Him sincerely. So, what is God doing there when people call on Him? When someone’s heart stirs and they have this thought: “Oh God, I can’t do this myself, I don’t know how to do it, and I feel weak and negative…,” when these thoughts arise in them, does God not know about it? When these thoughts arise in people, are their hearts sincere? When they call on God sincerely in this way, does God assent to help them? Despite the fact that they may not have spoken a word, they show sincerity, and so God assents to help them. When someone encounters an especially thorny difficulty, when they have no one to turn to, and when they feel particularly helpless, they put their only hope in God. What are their prayers like? What is their state of mind? Are they sincere? Is there any adulteration at that time? It is only when you trust God as though He were the last straw that you clutch onto to save your life, hoping that He will help you, that your heart is sincere. Though you may not have said much, your heart has already stirred. That is, you give your sincere heart to God, and God listens. When God listens, He sees your difficulties, and He will enlighten you, guide you, and help you.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As soon as people grow hasty in fulfilling their duties, they stop knowing how to experience. As soon as they become busy with matters, their spiritual states become troubled and they lose the ability to maintain a normal condition. How can this be so? If you are asked to do a little work, you become unbridled, unrestrained, unwilling to approach God, and distanced from God. This proves that people do not know how to experience. No matter what you do, you should first understand why you are doing it, what intention it is that directs you to do this thing, what the significance is in your doing it, what the nature of the matter is, and whether what you are doing is a positive thing or a negative thing. You must have a clear understanding of all these matters; this is quite necessary to be able to act with principle. If you are doing something to fulfill your duty, then you should ponder: How should I do this? How should I fulfill my duty well so that I am not just doing it perfunctorily? You should draw close to God in this matter. Drawing close to God means seeking the truth in this matter, seeking the way to practice, seeking the will of God, and seeking how to satisfy God. This is how to draw close to God in everything you do. It does not involve performing a religious ceremony or an outward action. It is done for the purpose of practicing in accordance with the truth after seeking God’s will. If you always say “Thank God” when you have not done anything, but then when you are doing something, you continue to do it the way you want, then this type of thanks is just an outward action. When fulfilling your duty or working on something, you should always think: How should I fulfill this duty? What is God’s will? It is for you to draw close to God through what you do, and, in doing so, to seek the principles and truth behind your actions as well as God’s will, and not stray from God in anything that you do. Only such a person truly believes in God. These days, whenever people come across things, regardless of what the actual situation is, they think they can do this and that, so they do not have God in their hearts, and they do it according to their own will. Regardless of whether their course of action is suitable or not, or whether it is in accordance with the truth or not, they just stubbornly press on, and act according to their personal intentions. It might usually seem that God is in their hearts, but when they do things, God is not in their hearts. Some people say, “I can’t draw close to God in the things I do. In the past, I was accustomed to performing religious ceremonies, and I tried to draw close to God, but it was to no effect. I could not draw near to Him.” Such people do not have God in their hearts; they only have themselves in their hearts, and they simply cannot put truth into practice in anything they do. Not acting in accordance with truth means doing things according to their own will, and doing things according to their own will means leaving God; that is, they do not have God in their hearts. Human ideas usually look good and right to people, and they appear as though they would not violate the truth very much. People feel that doing things in such a manner would be putting truth into practice; they feel that doing things that way would be submitting to God. Actually, they are not truly seeking God or praying to God about it, and they are not striving to do it well, in accordance with God’s requirements, in order to satisfy His will. They do not possess this true state, nor do they have such a desire. This is the greatest mistake people make in their practice. You believe in God, but you do not keep God in your heart. How is this not a sin? Are you not deceiving yourself? What sort of effects can you reap if you keep believing that way? Moreover, how can the significance of belief be manifested?

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

7. The Principles of Praying and Supplicating to God

(1) When encountering all difficulties, or when in plight and faced with a dilemma, one should open wide their heart in prayer and supplication to God to seek His leadership and guidance;

(2) In praying to God, one should, in addition to supplicating to Him, commune with Him often; lay bare their heart with simple, open speech; and learn to grasp His will;

(3) Especially when reading God’s words, one should seek the truth from Him and learn to pray within His words and commune with Him. This is the most effective way to understand the truth;

(4) One should pray to God with a heart of reverence, as well as with good sense. One should neither make requests of Him nor attempt to coerce or exploit Him, nor should one attempt to make deals with God.

Relevant Words of God:

Prayer is one of the ways in which man cooperates with God, it is a means by which man calls upon God, and it is the process by which man is moved by God’s Spirit. It can be said that those without prayer are dead people who are devoid of spirit, which proves that they lack the faculty to be moved by God. Without prayer, it would be impossible to lead a normal spiritual life, much less keep up with the work of the Holy Spirit. To be without prayer is to break off one’s relationship with God, and it would be impossible to win God’s praise. As a believer in God, the more one prays, that is, the more one is moved by God, the more one will be filled with resolution and the better able one will be to receive new enlightenment from God. As a result, this kind of person can very quickly be made perfect by the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Prayer is not a type of ritual; it is a true communion between a person and God, and it carries a profound significance. From people’s prayers, one can see that they are directly serving God. If you look at prayer as a ritual, then you are guaranteed not to serve God well. If your prayers are not done in earnest or with sincerity, then it can be said that from God’s point of view, you as a person do not exist. How, then, can you have the Holy Spirit working on you? As a result, after working for a period of time, you will be exhausted. From now on, without prayer, you will not be able to do work. It is prayer that brings about work, and prayer that brings about service. If you are a person who leads, and who serves God, yet you have never devoted yourself to prayer or ever been serious in your prayers, then the manner in which you serve will end up causing you to fall. What makes people feel they have the right not to pray? Have they stopped praying because God is incarnate? That is no excuse; sometimes even I pray! When Jesus was in the flesh, He, too, prayed when it came to critical matters. He prayed in the mountains, aboard boats, and in gardens; He also led His disciples to pray. If you can frequently come before God and pray to Him, this proves that you treat God as God. If you often neglect to pray, and tend to do things on your own, doing this and that behind His back, then you are not serving God; you are merely engaged in your own business. As such, will you not be condemned? From the outside, it will not appear as though you have done anything disruptive, nor will it seem that you have blasphemed God, but you will just be doing your own thing. In doing so, are you not interrupting? Even if, on the surface, it looks as though you are not, in essence you are resisting God.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Prayer and Its Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is true prayer? It is telling God what is in your heart, communing with God as you grasp His will, communicating with God through His words, feeling especially close to God, sensing He is there before you, and believing you have something to say to Him. Your heart feels filled with light and you feel how lovable God is. You feel especially inspired, and listening to you brings gratification to your brothers and sisters. They will feel that the words you speak are the words within their hearts, the words they wish to say, as though your words were a substitute for their own. This is what true prayer is. After you have engaged in true prayer, your heart will be at peace and will know gratification. The strength to love God can rise up, and you will feel that there is nothing of greater value or significance in life than loving God. All this proves that your prayers have been effective. Have you ever prayed in such a way?

And what about the content of prayer? Your prayer should proceed step by step, in line with the true state of your heart and the work of the Holy Spirit; you come to commune with God in accordance with His will and with what He requires of man. When you begin the practice of prayer, first give your heart to God. Do not attempt to grasp God’s will—only try to speak the words within your heart to God. When you come before God, speak in this way: “Oh God, only today do I realize that I used to disobey You. I am truly corrupt and despicable. I have only been wasting my life. From today I will live for You. I will live a life of meaning and will satisfy Your will. May Your Spirit always work in me, continuously illuminating and enlightening me. Let me bear strong and resounding testimony before You. Let Satan see Your glory, Your testimony, and the proof of Your triumph, manifest in us.” When you pray in this way, your heart will be completely set free. Having prayed in this way, your heart will be closer to God, and if you can pray in this way often, the Holy Spirit will inevitably work in you. If you always call out to God in this way, and make your resolution before Him, a day will come when your resolution is acceptable before God, when your heart and your entire being are gained by God, and you are ultimately made perfect by Him. For you, prayer is of utmost importance. When you pray and you receive the work of the Holy Spirit, your heart will be moved by God, and strength to love God will issue forth. If you do not pray with your heart, if you do not open your heart to commune with God, then God will have no way of working in you. If, after having prayed and spoken the words of your heart, the Spirit of God has not begun His work, and you have received no inspiration, then this shows your heart lacks sincerity, your words are untrue, and still impure. If, after having prayed, you have a sense of gratification, then your prayers have been acceptable to God and the Spirit of God is working in you. As one who serves before God, you cannot be without prayer. If you truly see communion with God as something that is meaningful and valuable, then can you forsake prayer? No one can be without communion with God. Without prayer, you live in the flesh, in bondage to Satan; without true prayer, you live under the influence of darkness. I hope that you brothers and sisters are able to engage in true prayer each and every day. This is not about following the rules, but about achieving a certain result. Are you willing to forgo a little sleep and enjoyment to rise early for morning prayers and enjoy the words of God? If you pray with a pure heart and eat and drink the words of God like this, you will be more acceptable to Him. If every morning you do this, if every day you practice giving your heart to God, communicating and engaging with Him, then your knowledge of God will certainly increase, and you will be better able to grasp God’s will. You say: “O God! I am willing to fulfill my duty. I am only able to consecrate my whole being unto You, so that You may gain glory from us, so that You may enjoy the testimony borne by this group of us. I beg You to work in us, so that I may become able to truly love You and satisfy You and pursue You as my goal.” As you take on this burden, God will surely make you perfect. You should not pray only for your own benefit, but you should pray also in order to follow God’s will and to love Him. This is the truest kind of prayer. Are you someone who prays for the sake of following the will of God?

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When praying, you must have a heart that is quiet before God, and you must have a sincere heart. You are truly communing and praying with God—you must not try to wheedle God with nice-sounding words. Prayer should center upon that which God wishes to accomplish right now. Ask God to grant you greater enlightenment and illumination, bring your actual states and your troubles into His presence when you pray, including the resolution that you made before God. Prayer is not about following procedure; it is about seeking God with a sincere heart. Ask that God protect your heart, so that your heart may often be quiet before Him; that in the environment in which He has placed you, you would know yourself, despise yourself, and forsake yourself, thus allowing you to have a normal relationship with God and truly become someone who loves God.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People may be able to carry out the practice of prayer and to understand the significance of prayer, but for prayer to be effective is no simple matter. Prayer is not a case of just going through the motions, following procedure, or reciting the words of God. That is to say, praying is not parroting certain words and it is not imitating others. In prayer, one must reach the state where one’s heart can be given to God, laying open one’s heart so that it may be moved by God. If prayer is to be effective, then it must be based on the reading of God’s words. Only by praying from within God’s words can one receive greater enlightenment and illumination. The manifestations of a true prayer are: Having a heart that yearns for all that God asks, and moreover desires to accomplish what He demands; detesting that which God detests and then, building on this foundation, gaining some understanding of it, and having some knowledge and clarity regarding the truths God expounds. Where there is resolution, faith, knowledge, and a path of practice following prayer, only then can it be called true prayer, and only this type of prayer can be effective. Yet prayer must be built upon the enjoyment of God’s words, it must be established on the foundation of communing with God in His words, and the heart must be able to seek God and become quiet before Him. Prayer of this kind has already entered the stage of true communion with God.

The most basic knowledge about prayer:

1. Do not blindly say whatever comes to mind. There must be a burden on your heart, that is, you must have an objective when you pray.

2. Prayer must contain the words of God; it must be founded upon the words of God.

3. When praying, you must not rehash outdated issues. Your prayers should relate to the current words of God, and when you pray, tell God your innermost thoughts.

4. Group prayer must revolve around a center, which is, necessarily, the present work of the Holy Spirit.

5. All people have to learn intercessory prayer. This is also a way of showing consideration for the will of God.

The individual’s life of prayer is based upon an understanding of the significance of prayer and of a basic knowledge of prayer. In daily life, pray frequently for your own shortcomings, pray to effect change in your disposition in life, and pray on the basis of your knowledge of God’s words. Each person should establish their own life of prayer, they should pray for the sake of knowing God’s words, and they should pray to seek knowledge of God’s work. Lay bare your personal circumstances before God and be real without fussing over the way you pray, and the key issue is to attain true understanding, and to gain real experience of God’s words. A person who pursues entry into the spiritual life must be able to pray in many different ways. Silent prayer, ruminating upon the words of God, coming to know the work of God—these are all examples of the purposeful work of spiritual fellowship for the sake of achieving entry into normal spiritual life, which ever improves one’s states before God and pushes one to make ever greater progress in life. In short, all that you do, whether it be eating and drinking the words of God, or praying silently, or proclaiming loudly, is in order to enable you to clearly see God’s words, His work, and that which He wishes to achieve in you. More importantly, all that you do is done in order to reach the standards that God requires and to raise your life to new heights. The minimum that God requires of man is that man be able to open his heart to Him. If man gives his true heart to God and speaks what is truly in his heart, then God is willing to work in him. What God desires is not the twisted heart of man, but a pure and honest heart. If man does not speak from his heart to God, then God will not move his heart or work in him. Therefore, the crux of prayer is to speak to God from your heart, telling Him your shortcomings or rebellious disposition, laying yourself completely open before Him; only then will God be interested in your prayers, or else He will hide His face from you. The minimum criterion for prayer is that you must be able to keep your heart quiet before God, and it must not depart from God. It may be that, during this phase, you do not gain a newer or higher insight, but you must then use prayer to maintain the status quo—you must not regress. This is the very least that you must achieve. If you cannot accomplish even this, then it proves that your spiritual life is not on the right track. As a result, you will be unable to hold on to the vision you first had, you will lose faith in God, and your resolution will subsequently dissipate. One sign of whether or not you have entered into spiritual life is to see if your prayers are on the right track. All people must enter into this reality; they must all do the work of consciously training themselves in prayer, not passively waiting, but consciously seeking to be moved by the Holy Spirit. Only then will they be people who truly seek God.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How do you seek being touched by the Holy Spirit? The crucial thing is to live in God’s present words, and to pray upon the foundation of God’s requirements. Having prayed in this way, the Holy Spirit is sure to touch you. If you do not seek with a basis in the foundation of the words spoken by God today, then this is fruitless. You should pray, and say: “O God! I oppose You, and I owe You so much; I am so disobedient, and never able to satisfy You. O God, I wish for You to save me, I wish to give service to You to the very end, I wish to die for You. You judge me and chastise me, and I have no complaints; I oppose You and I deserve to die, so that all people may behold Your righteous disposition in my death.” When you pray from within your heart in this way, God will hear you, and will guide you; if you do not pray upon the foundation of the words of the Holy Spirit today, then there is no possibility of the Holy Spirit touching you. If you pray according to God’s will, and according to that which God wishes to do today, you will say: “O God! I wish to accept Your commissions and be faithful to Your commissions, and I am willing to devote my entire life to Your glory, so that all that I do can reach the standards of the people of God. May my heart be touched by You. I wish for Your Spirit to ever enlighten me, to make all I do bring shame upon Satan, that I am ultimately gained by You.” If you pray in this way, in a way that is centered around the will of God, then the Holy Spirit will inevitably work in you. It matters not how many are the words of your prayers—what is key is whether or not you grasp the will of God. You may all have had the following experience: Sometimes, whilst praying in an assembly, the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit reach their peak, causing everyone’s strength to rise up. Some people cry bitterly and weep tears while praying, overcome with remorse before God, and some people show their resolve, and make vows. Such is the effect to be achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit. Today, it is crucial that all people completely pour their hearts into the words of God. Do not focus on the words that were spoken before; if you still hold on to what came before, then the Holy Spirit will not work within you. Do you see how important this is?

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you begin to pray, do not overreach yourself and hope to achieve everything in one fell swoop. You cannot make extravagant demands, expecting that as soon as you open your mouth you will be moved by the Holy Spirit, or that you will receive enlightenment and illumination, or that God will shower grace on you. That will not happen; God does not perform supernatural things. God grants the prayers of people in His own time, and sometimes He tests your faith to see whether you are loyal before Him. When you pray you must have faith, perseverance, and resolution. Most people, when just beginning to train, lose heart because they fail to be moved by the Holy Spirit. This will not do! You must persevere; you must focus on feeling the moving of the Holy Spirit and on seeking and exploring. Sometimes, the path of your practice is not right, and sometimes, your personal motives and notions cannot hold fast before God, and so God’s Spirit fails to move you. At other times, God looks at whether or not you are loyal. In short, in training, you should pay a higher price. If you discover you are veering off on the path of your practice, you can change the way you pray. As long as you seek with a sincere heart and long to receive, then the Holy Spirit will surely take you into this reality. Sometimes you pray with a sincere heart but do not feel as if you have been particularly moved. At times like these you must rely on faith, trusting that God watches over your prayers; you must have perseverance in your prayers.

Be an honest person; pray to God to rid you of the deception in your heart. Purify yourself through prayer at all times, be moved by the Spirit of God through prayer, and your disposition will gradually change. The true spiritual life is a life of prayer—it is a life that is moved by the Holy Spirit. The process of being moved by the Holy Spirit is the process of changing man’s disposition. A life that is not moved by the Holy Spirit is not a spiritual life, but a life of religious ritual only. Only those who are often moved by the Holy Spirit, and enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, have entered into spiritual life. Man’s disposition constantly changes as he prays. The more the Spirit of God moves him, the more proactive and obedient he becomes. So, too, will his heart gradually be purified, and his disposition gradually change. Such is the effect of true prayer.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The first thing to do upon encountering an issue is pray. Prayer is not just insincerely jawing on; that would not solve any problems. You might pray eight or ten times and gain nothing, but do not be discouraged—you must still pray. When something happens to you, first pray, first tell God, let God take over, let God help you, let God lead you, and show you the way. This proves that you have put God first, that He is in your heart. If, when you encounter an issue, the first thing you do is to feel resistant, get angry, and fly into a rage—if, before anything else, you become negative—then this is a manifestation of God not being in your heart. In real life, you must pray whenever anything happens to you. At the very first instance, you must kneel and pray—this is crucial. Prayer demonstrates your attitude toward God in His presence. You would not do it if God were not in your heart. Some people say, “I pray but still God does not enlighten me!” You must not say that. First look at whether your motivations for prayer are right; if you truly seek the truth and often pray to God, then He may well enlighten you in some matter so that you may understand—in a word, God will make you understand. Without the enlightenment of God, you could not understand on your own: You lack the acumen, you do not have the brain for it, and this is unattainable by human intellect. When you do understand, is that understanding born of your own mind? If you are not enlightened by the Holy Spirit, then no one you ask will know what the meaning is of the Spirit’s work or what God means; only when God Himself tells you the meaning will you know. And so, the first thing to do when something happens to you is to pray. Prayer requires probing with a seeking attitude, and expressing your thoughts, opinions, and attitudes—this is what it should involve. Simply going through the motions will have no effect, so do not blame the Holy Spirit for not enlightening you. I have found that in some people’s faith in God, they go on believing, but God is only on their lips. God is not in their hearts, they deny the work of the Spirit, and they deny prayer as well; they merely read the words of God, and nothing more. Can this be called faith in God? They keep on and on believing until God disappears altogether from their faith. In particular, there are those who often handle general affairs, and feel they are so busy and get nothing for all their efforts. This is a case of people not walking the right path in their faith in God. Is it not hard work to take the right way? They fail to take this way even after understanding much doctrine, and are prone to take the downhill path. So when something happens to you, you must spend more time praying and seeking—this is the very least you should do. Learning how to seek the will of God and the intentions of the Holy Spirit is the key. If people who believe in God are incapable of experiencing and practicing thus, then they will gain nothing, and their faith will count for nothing.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is nothing God despises more than the prayers of religious ceremony. Prayers to God are only accepted when they are sincere. If you have nothing sincere to say, then keep quiet; do not always speak false words and blindly make oaths before God, trying to deceive Him, talking about how much you love Him, about how much you wish to be loyal to Him. If you are incapable of achieving your desires, if you lack this resolve and stature, do not, under any circumstances, pray thus before God. That is ridicule. Ridicule means making fun of someone, trifling with them. When people pray before God with this kind of disposition, then at the very least, this is deception. At worst, if you do this often, then you are of utterly contemptible character. If God were to condemn you, it would be called blasphemy! People have no reverence toward God, they do not know how to revere God, or how to love and satisfy Him. If the truth is not clear to them, or their disposition is corrupt, God will let it slide. But they bring such character before God, and treat God as the unbelievers treat other people. Moreover, they solemnly kneel before Him in prayer, using these words to try and wheedle God, and when they are finished, they not only feel no self-reproach, but also have no sense of the seriousness of their actions. That being the case, is God with them? Can someone who is utterly without the presence of God be enlightened and illuminated? Can they be enlightened with the truth? (No, they can’t.) Then they are in trouble. Have you prayed thus many times? Do you do so often? When people spend too long in the outside world, they reek of society’s stench, their scummy nature is amplified, and they become suffused with satanic poisons and ways of living; what come from their mouths are words of falseness and deceit, they speak without thinking, or else speak words that always contain nothing but their own motivations and aims, and seldom have the proper motivations. These are serious problems. When people take these satanic philosophies and ways of living before God, do they not offend God’s disposition? And what will be the consequence of this? On the surface, these prayers are attempts to deceive and fool God, and are incompatible with His will and requirements. Fundamentally speaking, this is caused by human nature; it is not some momentary revelation of corruption.

Excerpted from “Only When You Know Yourself Can You Pursue the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

I have discovered a problem that all people share: When something happens to them, they come before God to pray, but, to them, prayer is one thing, and the matter at hand is another. They believe they should not speak of what is happening to them in prayer. You seldom pray genuinely, and there are some who do not even know how. Actually, to pray is mainly to say what is in your heart, as if you were speaking as you normally do. However, there are people who forget their place as soon as they begin to pray; they insist that God grant them something, heedless of whether it accords with His will, and, as a result, their prayers wither in the praying. When you pray, whatever it is you are asking for in your heart, whatever it is you long for; or, perhaps, there is an issue you wish to address, but into which you have no insight, and you are asking that God give you wisdom or strength, or that He enlighten you—whatever your request, you must be sensible in phrasing it. If you are not, and kneel down and say, “God, give me strength; let me see my nature; I beg You to work; I beg You for this and that; I beg You to make me such-and-such….” That “beg” of yours has a coercive quality; it is an attempt to put pressure on God, to compel Him to do what you want—whose terms you have unilaterally decided in advance, no less. As the Holy Spirit sees it, what effect could such a prayer have, when you have already set the terms and decided what you want to do? One should pray with a seeking, submissive heart. When something has befallen you, for instance, and you are not sure how to handle it, you might say, “God! I do not know what to do about this. I wish to satisfy You in this matter, and to seek Your will. May Your will be done. I wish only to do as You will, not as I will. You know that all human will is contrary to Yours, and resists You, and does not accord with the truth. I ask that You enlighten me, give me guidance in this matter, and let me not offend You….” That is the appropriate tone for a prayer. If you merely say, “God, I ask that You help me, guide me, furnish me with the right environment and the right people, and let me do my work well…,” then, after your prayer, you will still not have grasped God’s will, as you will have been asking God to act according to your own will.

You must now ascertain whether the words you use in prayer are sensible. If your prayers are not sensible, no matter if this is due to your foolishness or by design, the Holy Spirit will not work on you. Therefore, when you pray, you must speak sensibly, in a suitable tone. Say this: “God! You know of my weakness and my rebelliousness. I ask only that You give me strength and help me endure my circumstances, but only according to Your will. This is all I ask. I don’t know what Your will is, but may Your will be done all the same. Even if I were made to do service, or to be a foil, I would do so willingly. I ask that You give me strength and wisdom, and let me satisfy You in this matter. I wish only to submit to Your arrangements….” After such a prayer, your heart will feel at ease. If all you do is constantly beg, then, no matter how much you say, it will all be hollow words; God will not work in response to your plea, because you will have decided what you want in advance. When you kneel in prayer, say this: “God! You know of man’s weakness, and You know man’s states. I ask that You enlighten me in this matter. Let me understand Your will. I wish only to submit to all You arrange; my heart is willing to obey You….” Pray thus, and the Holy Spirit will move you. If the way you pray is not correct, your prayer will be stale, and the Holy Spirit will not move you. Do not prattle on, speaking for yourself—to do so is nothing but careless and perfunctory. Would the Holy Spirit work if you are careless and perfunctory? When one comes before God, they must be right and proper, with a pious attitude, like the priests in the Age of Law, who all knelt down when they offered a sacrifice. It is not a simple thing to pray. How could it be viable for a person to come before God baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, or to pray supine, nestled in their quilt, believing that God can hear them? That is not piety! My purpose in this talk is not to demand that people adhere to some specific rule; the least one can do is incline their heart toward God, and come before Him with a pious attitude.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Prayer and Its Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Though to kneel down to pray is to talk with God from the heart, know this: People’s prayers are also conduits for the Holy Spirit’s work. While a person in a correct state prays and seeks, the Holy Spirit, too, is at work. This is a good coordination between God and man from two different perspectives, or else it can be said that God helps man resolve some of their issues, and this is a kind of cooperation when people come before God. It is also one of the ways God saves and cleanses people, and, beyond that, it is the path of normal life entry. It is not a ritual. Prayer is not merely a thing that invigorates people; if it were, it would be enough to go through the motions and shout a few slogans, and there would be no need to implore God for anything, or for worship, or for piety. Prayer is a thing of deep significance! If you know how to pray and do so often, with frequent prayers that are submissive to God and sensible, then your inner state will more often than not be quite normal. If, on the other hand, your prayers consist often of only a few slogans, and you take no burden on yourself, and do not ponder what would or would not be sensible to say in prayer, nor what would not be truly worshipful to say, and never take these matters seriously, then you will never find success in your praying, and your inner state will always be abnormal. You will never get deeper into the lesson of, nor deepen your entry into, what normal sense, true submission, true worship, and the perspective with which one should pray are. These are all subtle things. As most of you seldom interact with Me directly, you are restricted to praying before the Spirit, and once you begin to pray it becomes a question of whether the words you say are sensible; whether you are truly worshipful; whether what you are asking for meets with God’s approval; whether, within your prayer, there is a transactional element, or whether it is adulterated by human impurities; whether your speech, behavior, and decisions accord with the truth; whether you have special reverence, respect, and obedience for God; and whether you are truly treating God as God. One must treat what they say privately in prayer seriously, and take an earnest approach to it; only thus can you have normal sense when you come before Christ. If you do not take it seriously before the Spirit, then when you come before Christ, you will always be resistant, or you will talk unreasonably, or speak dishonestly, or constantly cause disruption with your speech and actions, and afterward you will always feel reproached. Why will you always feel reproached? Because, as a rule, you have not the least knowledge of the truths of how to worship or treat God, so, when you encounter an issue, you are confused, and do not know how to practice, and make mistakes constantly. How should people who believe in God come into His presence? To examine, through prayer, how one is to speak with good sense, how one is to speak from a position that a human being should take, how one is to speak from a state of obedience, how one is to speak when one is feeling inward turmoil or when one cannot say what one means, and how one is to speak from the heart, or to speak the truth. You will be much better at this when you come to God’s presence after practicing this for a while. Ordinarily, your prayers in the presence of the Spirit are not sensible—you have never placed any importance on this, and you even believe that God doesn’t notice, so you can say whatever you want, and it won’t matter if you say something wrong. You are careless and muddleheaded all day long, and as a result, when you do come into the presence of Christ, you are afraid of saying or doing something wrong. But the more you are afraid of getting things wrong, the more you will get them wrong, and you can never make it up. And since you can’t be in constant touch with Christ or hear Christ talking to you face to face, all you can do is to come often into the presence of the Spirit to pray and to seek, and to arrive at submission. This is because even if I talked to you face to face, you would still have to rely on yourself to walk this path. From now on, you must pay more attention to what you say when you pray. Try praying, pondering, and feeling, gradually, over time, and then, once the Holy Spirit enlightens you, you will have made progress in this regard. The feeling you get when the Holy Spirit enlightens you is especially subtle. After having some of these subtle feelings and subtle knowledge, if you do some things, or, coming into contact with Christ, take care of some things, you will then be able to recognize which words are spoken with good sense, and which are not, which things are done with good sense, and which are not. You will have achieved the purposes of prayer.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Prayer and Its Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Prayer is mainly about speaking honestly. “Oh, God! You know man’s corruption. Today I have done another unreasonable thing. I harbored an intention—I am a deceitful person. I wasn’t acting according to Your will or the truth. I acted as I willed and tried to justify myself. Now, I recognize my corruption. I ask You to enlighten me more and allow me to understand the truth, put it into practice, and cast off these corruptions.” Speak this way; give a factual account of factual matters. Most people do not pray truly much of the time; they merely think back to the past, with scant knowledge in their minds and a willingness to repent, yet they have neither contemplated nor fathomed the truth. To contemplate God’s words and seek the truth while praying is far more profound than mere recollection and knowledge. The stirrings visited on you by the work of the Holy Spirit and the enlightenment and illumination His work supplies to you through God’s words lead you to true knowledge and true repentance; they are much more profound than human thoughts and knowledge. This is something you must know well. If you engage merely in superficial, haphazard thinking and examination, you have no fitting path on which to practice, and you make little progress toward the truth, then you will remain incapable of change. There are times, for instance, when people resolve to expend themselves in earnest for God, and to repay His love in earnest—yet, with this desire, you may not expend yourself with much energy, and your heart may not be wholly committed to the endeavor. If, however, having prayed and been moved, you make a resolution and say, “God, I am willing to suffer hardship; I am willing to accept Your trials; and I am willing to submit to You completely. No matter how great my suffering, I am willing to repay Your love. I enjoy Your great love, and You have raised me up so—for this, I thank You from the bottom of my heart, and give all glory unto You,” after having offered such a prayer, your whole body will be empowered, and you will have a path on which to practice. This is the effect of prayer. After a person prays, the Holy Spirit sets to work on them, enlightening, illuminating, and guiding them, and giving them the faith and courage necessary to put the truth into practice. There are people who read God’s words daily without achieving such a result, yet, having read them, when they fellowship about them, their hearts grow bright, and they find something of a way forward. If, in addition, the Holy Spirit moves you a bit and gives you a bit of guidance, as well as a bit of a burden, the results will be very different indeed. When you read God’s words on your own, you may be somewhat moved, and you may weep, only to have the feeling pass after a short while. If, however, you offer a tearful prayer, an earnest prayer, or a prayer that is genuine and sincere, then you will be given such vigor as can last for days. This is the effect of prayer. The purpose of prayer is to have people come before God and accept that which He would give them. If you pray often, and come often before God to commune with Him, and have a normal relationship with Him, then you will always be moved inside by Him, and will always receive His provisions—and one who always receives God’s provisions is changed, and their conditions are ever improving. In particular, when brothers and sisters pray together, an especially great energy arises afterward, and they feel they have gained a great deal. In truth, they may not have fellowshiped much in their time together; it was prayer that roused them, such that they could not wait a second longer to renounce their families and the world, and they wanted nothing, and having God alone sufficed. What great faith! The power that the Holy Spirit’s work gives man can be enjoyed without end! How far can you go without relying on that power, but bracing yourself and stiffening your neck as you walk on, or depending on your own perseverance and willpower? Not far ahead is where you will fall and be degraded; as you walk, your strength will fail. People must maintain their contact with God unto the end! Yet man, as he walks on, strays far from God. God is God, man is man, and each follows their own path; God speaks the words of God, and man walks his own path, which is not the same as God’s. When a person loses strength in their belief in God, they come before God to pray a few words and borrow a bit of strength. After they have got some energy, they depart once more. In a while, they run out of fuel, and come back to God for more. When acting this way, a person cannot sustain it for a long time; if a person leaves God, they have no way forward.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Prayer and Its Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

I find that many people now are particularly lacking in the ability to restrain themselves. Why is this? It is because they never pray. When people do not pray, they become dissolute, and when people are dissolute, they lose their piety and their humility. They speak only of humanity, integrity, and of knowing their own corrupt nature. As for how the Holy Spirit acts, exactly, how He moves people, and how people should seek God’s will in their daily lives—these things all disappear. People believe in their hearts only that there is truly a God, and all that is left of their faith is an acknowledgment of God; the affairs of the life of the spirit are gone. Their faith extends only to the material world and they deny matters of the spirit, and so, as they walk on their own, they go astray and fall down. When a person who does not pray practices the truth, they can only hold to a principle within a certain scope—all mere rules. Though you may adhere to the arrangements from the Above in your actions and do not offend God, all you are doing is adhering to rules. People’s spirits are now so numb and dull. There are many intricate things in man’s relationship with God, such as being moved and enlightened by the Spirit. Man cannot feel these things—he is too numb! Man does not read God’s words, he is not in touch with the affairs of the life of the spirit, and he cannot wrest control of his own state. To wrest control of one’s state of the life of the spirit, it will not do not to pray, nor will it do not to live the church life. Do you feel so? To believe in God, one must pray; without prayer, there is no likeness of belief in God. I say you do not have to adhere to rules—you may pray anywhere and at any time—and so there are some who seldom pray. They do not pray in the morning when they awaken, but merely read a few passages of God’s words and listen to hymns. During the day, they busy themselves with external affairs, and they do not pray before they lie down to sleep at night, either. Do you not feel like this? If you merely read God’s words and do not pray, are you not then like an unbeliever reading His words, with the words not sinking in? Without prayer, the heart is not engaged, and there are no subtle feelings or stirrings in one’s spirit. One is numb and dull; they speak superficially of things related to dispositional change, and they seem to believe in God, yet the feeling in the depths of their spirit is not so strong. They are as ones who do not believe in God. However they try to pray, they are unable to get the words out. This is very dangerous—it means you are too far from God, and He is no longer in your heart. There is, in fact, no conflict between handling external affairs and work and coming back into the spirit to pray. Not only is there no conflict, but coming back into the spirit to pray is actually more beneficial to one’s work.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Prayer and Its Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Now you should be able to clearly see the precise path that Peter took. If you can clearly see Peter’s path, then you will be certain about the work being done today, so you will not complain or be passive, or long for anything. You should experience Peter’s mood at the time: He was stricken with sorrow; he no longer asked for a future or any blessings. He did not seek profit, happiness, fame, or fortune in the world; he only sought to live the most meaningful life, which was to repay God’s love and dedicate what he held utterly most precious to God. Then he would be satisfied in his heart. He often prayed to Jesus with the words: “Lord Jesus Christ, I once loved You, but I never truly loved You. Though I said I had faith in You, I never loved You with a true heart. I only looked up to You, adored You, and missed You, but I never loved You nor truly had faith in You.” He constantly prayed to make his resolution, and he was always encouraged by the words of Jesus and drew motivation from them. Later, after a period of experience, Jesus tested him, provoking him to yearn for Him further. He said: “Lord Jesus Christ! How I miss You, and long to look upon You. I lack too much, and cannot make up for Your love. I beg You to soon take me away. When will You have need of me? When will You take me away? When will I once again look upon Your face? I do not wish to live any longer in this body, to continue becoming corrupted, nor do I wish to rebel any further. I am ready to dedicate all I have to You as soon as I can, and I do not wish to sadden You any further.” This is how he prayed, but he did not know at the time what Jesus would perfect in him. During the agony of his test, Jesus appeared to him again and said: “Peter, I wish to make you perfect, such that you become a piece of fruit, one that is the crystallization of My perfection of you, and which I will enjoy. Can you truly testify for Me? Have you done what I ask you to do? Have you lived out the words I have spoken? You once loved Me, but though you loved Me, have you lived Me out? What have you done for Me? You recognize that you are unworthy of My love, but what have you done for Me?” Peter saw that he had done nothing for Jesus and remembered his previous oath to give his life to God. And so, he no longer complained, and his prayers from then on grew much better. He prayed, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! I once left You, and You too once left me. We have spent time apart, and time together in company. Yet You love me more than all else. I have repeatedly rebelled against You and repeatedly grieved You. How can I forget such things? I am always bearing in mind and never forget the work You have done on me and what You have entrusted me with. I have done everything that I can for the work You have done on me. You know what I can do, and You further know what role I can play. I wish to submit to Your orchestrations, and I will dedicate everything I have to You. Only You know what I can do for You. Although Satan fooled me so much and I rebelled against You, I believe You do not remember me for those transgressions and that You do not treat me based on them. I wish to dedicate my entire life to You. I ask for nothing, and neither do I have other hopes or plans; I only wish to act according to Your intention and to do Your will. I will drink from Your bitter cup, and I am Yours to command.”

Excerpted from “How Peter Came to Know Jesus” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

8. The Principles of Praying to God and Worshiping Him

(1) When one gains the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit during prayer, they should thank and praise God. When enjoying the work of the Holy Spirit, they must lie prostrate and worship God;

(2) Read God’s words often. When one understands the truth and sees God’s love and blessings, they should offer thanks and praise to Him. This is true worship of God;

(3) When one faced with trials and tribulations does not complain, but stands firm in their testimony, this is a result of God’s protection, and they should offer thanks and praise to Him;

(4) When, in undergoing God’s judgment and chastisement, one comes to have knowledge of their own corrupt essence and to see God’s righteousness and holiness, they should worship God.

Relevant Words of God:

To use your heart and honesty to worship God, you must have a heart that is quiet and sincere; in the deepest recesses of your heart, you must know to seek God’s will and the truth, and you must contemplate how to do your duty well, contemplating which parts of your duty you do not yet understand and how to do your duty better. Only by thinking of these things often in your heart will you be able to gain the truth. If these things are not what you contemplate often in your heart, and your heart is filled instead with things of the mind or external things, occupied with such things that have nothing to do with using your heart and honesty to worship God—nothing whatsoever to do with it—are you then able to gain the truth? Do you have a relationship with God?

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is true prayer? It is telling God what is in your heart, communing with God as you grasp His will, communicating with God through His words, feeling especially close to God, sensing He is there before you, and believing you have something to say to Him. Your heart feels filled with light and you feel how lovable God is. You feel especially inspired, and listening to you brings gratification to your brothers and sisters. They will feel that the words you speak are the words within their hearts, the words they wish to say, as though your words were a substitute for their own. This is what true prayer is. After you have engaged in true prayer, your heart will be at peace and will know gratification. The strength to love God can rise up, and you will feel that there is nothing of greater value or significance in life than loving God. All this proves that your prayers have been effective.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Prayer is not a case of just going through the motions, following procedure, or reciting the words of God. That is to say, praying is not parroting certain words and it is not imitating others. In prayer, one must reach the state where one’s heart can be given to God, laying open one’s heart so that it may be moved by God. If prayer is to be effective, then it must be based on the reading of God’s words. Only by praying from within God’s words can one receive greater enlightenment and illumination. The manifestations of a true prayer are: Having a heart that yearns for all that God asks, and moreover desires to accomplish what He demands; detesting that which God detests and then, building on this foundation, gaining some understanding of it, and having some knowledge and clarity regarding the truths God expounds. Where there is resolution, faith, knowledge, and a path of practice following prayer, only then can it be called true prayer, and only this type of prayer can be effective. Yet prayer must be built upon the enjoyment of God’s words, it must be established on the foundation of communing with God in His words, and the heart must be able to seek God and become quiet before Him. Prayer of this kind has already entered the stage of true communion with God.

Excerpted from “Concerning the Practice of Prayer” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you know God, understand Him, and are able to comprehend some of His will, then you can truly believe in Him, truly submit to Him, truly love Him, and truly worship Him. If you do not understand these things, then you are just a follower who runs along and goes with the flow. That cannot be called true submission or true worship. How does true worship come about? Without exception, all who genuinely know God worship and revere Him whenever they see Him; they are all compelled to bow down and worship Him. At present, while God incarnate is at work, the more understanding people have of His disposition and of what He has and is, the more they will treasure these things and the more they will revere Him. Generally, the less understanding people have, the more careless they are, and so they treat God as human. If people really knew and saw God, they would tremble with fear. “He that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear”—why did John say this? Though deep down he did not have a very profound understanding, he knew that God is awe-inspiring. How many people these days are capable of revering God? If they do not know His disposition, then how can they revere God? People neither know Christ’s essence nor understand God’s disposition, much less are they able to truly worship God. If they see only the ordinary and normal outward appearance of Christ, yet do not know His essence, then it is easy for them to treat Christ as just an ordinary man. They may adopt an irreverent attitude toward Him and can cheat Him, resist Him, disobey Him, and cast judgment on Him. They can be self-righteous and not take His words seriously; they can even give rise to notions, condemnations, and blasphemy against God. To resolve these issues, one must know Christ’s essence and divinity. This is the main aspect of knowing God; it is what everyone who believes in the practical God must enter and achieve.

Excerpted from “How to Know God Incarnate” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Although Job had never seen God or heard the words of God with his own ears, God had a place in Job’s heart. What was Job’s attitude toward God? It was, as previously referred to, “blessed be the name of Jehovah.” His blessing of God’s name was unconditional, irrespective of context, and bound to no reason. We see that Job had given his heart to God, allowing it to be controlled by God; all that he thought, all that he decided, and all that he planned in his heart was laid open to God and not closed off from God. His heart did not stand in opposition to God, and he had never asked God to do anything for him or give him anything, and he did not harbor extravagant desires that he would gain anything from his worship of God. Job did not talk of trades with God, and made no requests or demands of God. His praising of God’s name was because of the great power and authority of God in ruling all things, and it was not dependent on whether he gained blessings or was struck by disaster. He believed that regardless of whether God blesses people or brings disaster upon them, God’s power and authority will not change, and thus, regardless of a person’s circumstances, God’s name should be praised. That man is blessed by God is because of God’s sovereignty, and when disaster befalls man, so, too, it is because of God’s sovereignty. God’s power and authority rule over and arrange everything about man; the vagaries of man’s fortune are the manifestation of God’s power and authority, and regardless of one’s viewpoint, God’s name should be praised. This is what Job experienced and came to know during the years of his life.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When he was being chastised by God, Peter prayed, “O God! My flesh is disobedient, and You chastise me and judge me. I rejoice in Your chastisement and judgment, and even if You do not want me, in Your judgment I behold Your holy and righteous disposition. When You judge me, so that others may behold Your righteous disposition in Your judgment, I feel content. If it can express Your disposition and allow Your righteous disposition to be seen by all creatures, and if it can make my love for You more pure, that I can attain the likeness of one who is righteous, then Your judgment is good, for such is Your gracious will. I know that there is still much in me that is rebellious, and that I am still not fit to come before You. I wish for You to judge me even more, whether through a hostile environment or great tribulations; no matter what You do, to me it is precious. Your love is so profound, and I am willing to lay myself at Your mercy without the slightest complaint.” This is Peter’s knowledge after he experienced the work of God, and it is also a testimony to his love of God. … Near the end of his life, after he had been made perfect, Peter said, “O God! If I were to live a few more years, I would wish to achieve a purer and deeper love of You.” When he was about to be nailed to the cross, in his heart he prayed, “O God! Your time has now arrived; the time You prepared for me has arrived. I must be crucified for You, I must bear this testimony to You, and I hope that my love can satisfy Your requirements, and that it can become purer. Today, to be able to die for You, and be nailed to the cross for You, is comforting and reassuring to me, for nothing is more gratifying to me than to be able to be crucified for You and satisfy Your wishes, and to be able to give myself to You, to offer up my life to You. O God! You are so lovely! Were You to allow me to live, I would be even more willing to love You. As long as I am alive, I will love You. I wish to love You more deeply. You judge me, and chastise me, and try me because I am not righteous, because I have sinned. And Your righteous disposition becomes more apparent to me. This is a blessing to me, for I am able to love You more deeply, and I am willing to love You in this way even if You do not love me. I am willing to behold Your righteous disposition, for this makes me more able to live out a life of meaning. I feel that my life now is more meaningful, for I am crucified for Your sake, and it is meaningful to die for You. Yet still I do not feel satisfied, for I know too little of You, I know that I cannot completely fulfill Your wishes, and have repaid You too little. In my life, I have been incapable of returning my entirety to You; I am far from that. As I look back at this moment, I feel so indebted to You, and I have but this moment to make up for all of my mistakes and all the love that I have not repaid You.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

After years have passed, man has become weather-beaten, having experienced the hardship of refinement and chastisement. Although man has lost the “glory” and “romance” of times past, he has, without knowing it, come to understand the principles of human conduct, and has come to appreciate God’s years of devotion to saving mankind. Man slowly begins to loathe his own barbarousness. He begins to hate how feral he is, all of his misunderstandings toward God, and the unreasonable demands he has made of Him. The clock cannot be turned back. Past events become regretful memories of man, and the words and love of God become the driving force in man’s new life. Man’s wounds heal day by day, his strength returns, and he stands up and looks upon the face of the Almighty … only to discover that He has always been at my side, and that His smile and His beautiful countenance are still so stirring. His heart still holds concern for the mankind He created, and His hands are still as warm and powerful as they were in the beginning. It is as if man returned to the Garden of Eden, yet this time man no longer listens to the enticements of the serpent and no longer turns away from the face of Jehovah. Man kneels before God, looks up at God’s smiling face, and offers his most precious sacrifice—Oh! My Lord, my God!

Excerpted from “Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

9. The Principles of Practicing Daily Devotions

(1) When one’s corrupt disposition is revealed, they must perform devotions. They must engage in self-reflection and know themselves based in God’s words, and address the expression of their corrupt disposition;

(2) Devotional self-reflection requires one to accept God’s scrutiny. Only in this way can one open their heart wide to God, thereby gaining the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and learning of their own deviations;

(3) It is necessary to reflect on whether, in light of God’s words, the path one walks is the right one, and on whether one is performing their duty satisfactorily, and on how many of one’s own motives and purposes adulterate that performance;

(4) One must also examine and analyze their mistakes and transgressions in performing their duty, as well as their progress and gains. Only such practice yields progress in life.

Relevant Words of God:

Faith in God necessitates a normal spiritual life, which is the foundation for experiencing God’s words and entering into reality. Does all your current practice of prayers, of drawing near to God, of hymn-singing, praise, meditation, and pondering the words of God amount to a “normal spiritual life”? None of you seems to know. A normal spiritual life is not limited to such practices as praying, singing hymns, participating in church life, and eating and drinking of God’s words. Rather, it involves living a new and vibrant spiritual life. What matters is not how you practice, but what fruit your practice bears. Most people believe that a normal spiritual life necessarily involves praying, singing hymns, eating and drinking the words of God or pondering His words, regardless of whether such practices actually have any effect or lead to true understanding. These people focus on following superficial procedures without any thought to their results; they are people who live in religious rituals, not people who live within the church, and much less are they people of the kingdom. Their prayers, hymn singing, and eating and drinking of God’s words are all just rule-following, done out of compulsion and to keep up with trends, not out of willingness nor from the heart. However much these people pray or sing, their efforts will bear no fruit, for what they practice is just the rules and rituals of religion; they are not actually practicing God’s words. They focus only on making a fuss over how they practice, and they treat God’s words as rules to follow. Such people are not putting God’s words into practice; they are just gratifying the flesh, and performing for other people to see. These religious rules and rituals are all human in origin; they do not come from God. God does not follow rules, nor is He subject to any law. Rather, He does new things every day, accomplishing practical work. Like people in the Three-Self Church, who limit themselves to practices such as attending morning services every day, offering evening prayers and prayers of gratitude before meals, and giving thanks in all things—however much they do and for however long they do it, they will not have the work of the Holy Spirit. When people live amidst rules and have their hearts fixed on methods of practice, the Holy Spirit cannot work, because their hearts are occupied by rules and human notions. Thus, God is unable to intervene and work on them, and they can only continue living under the control of laws. Such people are forever incapable of receiving God’s praise.

Excerpted from “Regarding a Normal Spiritual Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

A normal spiritual life is a life lived before God. When praying, one can quiet one’s heart before God, and through prayer, one can seek the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment, know God’s words, and understand God’s will. By eating and drinking of His words, people can gain a clearer and more thorough understanding of God’s current work. They can also gain a new path of practice, and will not cling to the old; what they practice will all be to achieve growth in life. As for prayer, it is not about speaking a few nice-sounding words or breaking down in tears before God to show how indebted you are; rather, its purpose is to train oneself in the use of the spirit, allowing one to quiet one’s heart before God, to train oneself to seek out guidance from God’s words in all matters, so that one’s heart can be drawn to a fresh new light each day, and so that one will not be passive or lazy and may set foot upon the right track of putting God’s words into practice. Most people nowadays focus on methods of practice, yet they do not do so in order to pursue the truth and achieve life growth. This is where they have gone astray. There are also some who are capable of receiving new light, but their methods of practice do not change. They bring their old religious notions with them as they look to receive God’s words of today, so what they receive is still doctrine colored by religious notions; they are not receiving today’s light simply. As a result, their practices are tainted; they are the same old practices in new packaging. However well they might practice, they are hypocrites. God leads people in doing new things every day, demanding that each day they gain new insight and understanding, and requiring that they not be old-fashioned and repetitive. If you have believed in God for many years, yet your methods of practice have not changed at all, and if you are still zealous and busy about external matters, yet do not have a quiet heart to bring before God to enjoy His words, then you will obtain nothing. When it comes to accepting God’s new work, if you do not plan differently, do not go about your practice in a new way, and do not pursue any new understanding, but instead cling to the old and receive only some limited new light, without changing the way you practice, then such people as you are in this stream in name only; in actuality, they are religious Pharisees outside the stream of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Regarding a Normal Spiritual Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To live a normal spiritual life, one must be able to receive new light daily and pursue a true understanding of God’s words. One must see the truth clearly, find a path of practice in all matters, discover new questions through reading God’s words each day, and realize one’s own inadequacies so that one may have a longing and seeking heart that moves one’s entire being, and so that one may be quiet before God at all times, deeply afraid of falling behind. A person with such a longing, seeking heart, who is willing to continually attain entry, is on the right track of spiritual life. Those who are moved by the Holy Spirit, who desire to do better, who are willing to pursue being perfected by God, who long for a deeper understanding of God’s words, who do not pursue the supernatural but rather pay a real price, who truly care for God’s will, who actually attain entry so that their experiences are more genuine and real, who do not pursue empty words and doctrines or pursue to feel the supernatural, who do not worship any great personality—these are the ones who have entered into a normal spiritual life. Everything they do is intended to achieve further growth in life and to make them fresh and lively in spirit, and they are always able to attain entry actively. Without realizing it, they come to understand the truth and enter into reality. Those with normal spiritual lives find the liberation and freedom of spirit each day, and they can practice the words of God in a free way to His satisfaction. For these people, praying is not a formality or a procedure; each day, they are able to keep pace with the new light. For example, people train themselves to quiet their hearts before God, and their hearts can truly be quiet before God, and they can be disturbed by no one. No person, event, or thing can constrain their normal spiritual lives. Such training is intended to yield results; it is not intended to make people follow rules. This practice is not about rule-following, but is instead about promoting growth in people’s life. If you see this practice only as rules to follow, your life will never change. You may be engaged in the same practice as others, but while they are ultimately able to keep pace with the work of the Holy Spirit, you are eliminated from the stream of the Holy Spirit. Are you not deceiving yourself? The purpose of these words is to allow people to quiet their hearts before God, to turn their hearts to God, so that God’s work in them may be without hindrance and may bear fruit. Only then can people be in accord with God’s will.

Excerpted from “Regarding a Normal Spiritual Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No step is more crucial to entering God’s words than quieting your heart in His presence. It is a lesson that all people are in urgent need of entering at present. The paths of entry into quieting your heart before God are as follows:

1. Withdraw your heart from external matters. Be at peace before God, and give your undivided attention to praying to God.

2. With your heart at peace before God, eat, drink, and enjoy God’s words.

3. Meditate on and contemplate God’s love and ponder God’s work in your heart.

First, begin from the aspect of prayer. Pray with undivided attention and at fixed times. No matter how pressed you are for time, how busy your work, or what befalls you, pray every day as normal, and eat and drink God’s words as normal. As long as you eat and drink God’s words, no matter what your surroundings are, you will have great enjoyment in your spirit, and you will be undisturbed by the people, events, or things around you. When you ordinarily contemplate God in your heart, what goes on outside cannot bother you. This is what it means to possess stature. Begin with prayer: Praying quietly before God is most fruitful. After that, eat and drink the words of God, seek out the light in God’s words by pondering them, find the path to practice, know God’s purpose in speaking His words, and understand them without deviation. Ordinarily, it should be normal for you to be able to draw close to God in your heart, to contemplate God’s love and to ponder the words of God, without being disturbed by external things. When your heart has achieved a certain degree of peace, you will be able to muse silently and, within yourself, to contemplate God’s love and truly draw near to Him, regardless of your surroundings, until finally you reach the point where praise wells up in your heart, and it is even better than prayer. Then you will be possessed of a certain stature. If you are able to achieve the states of being described above, it will be proof that your heart is truly at peace before God. This is the first basic lesson. Only after people are able to be at peace before God can they be touched by the Holy Spirit, and enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and only then are they able to have true communion with God, as well as to grasp God’s will and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They will then have entered onto the right track in their spiritual lives. When their training to live before God has reached a certain depth, and they are able to forsake themselves, to despise themselves, and to live in God’s words, then their hearts are truly at peace before God. Being able to despise oneself, curse oneself, and forsake oneself is the effect achieved by God’s work, and cannot be done by people on their own. Thus, the practice of quieting one’s heart before God is a lesson people should immediately enter.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you would have your heart truly at peace before God, then you must do the work of conscious cooperation. This is to say that every one of you must have a time for your devotions, a time when you put aside people, events, and things; settle your heart and quiet yourself before God. Everyone must keep individual devotional notes, recording their knowledge of God’s word and how their spirit is moved, regardless of whether they are profound or superficial; everyone must consciously quiet their heart before God. If you can dedicate one or two hours each day to true spiritual life, then your life that day will feel enriched and your heart will be bright and clear. If you live this kind of spiritual life every day, then your heart will be able to return more into God’s possession, your spirit will become stronger and stronger, your condition will constantly improve, you will become more capable of walking the path on which the Holy Spirit leads, and God will bestow increased blessings upon you. The purpose of your spiritual life is consciously to gain the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is not to observe rules or conduct religious rituals, but truly to act in concert with God, truly to discipline your body—this is what man should do, so you should do this with the utmost effort. The better your cooperation and the more effort you commit, the more your heart will be able to return to God and the better you will be able to quiet your heart before Him. At a certain point, God will gain your heart completely. No one will be able to sway or capture your heart, and you will belong completely to God. If you walk this path, then God’s word will reveal itself to you at all times and enlighten you about everything that you do not understand—this can all be achieved through your cooperation. This is why God always says, “All who act in concert with Me, I will reward twice over.” You must see this path clearly. If you wish to walk the right path, then you must do all that you can to satisfy God. You must do all that you can to attain a spiritual life. At the start, you may not achieve great results in this pursuit, but you must not allow yourself to regress or wallow in negativity—you must keep working hard! The more you live a spiritual life, the more your heart will be occupied by the words of God, always concerned with these matters, always bearing this burden. After that, reveal your innermost truth to God through your spiritual life; tell Him what you are willing to do, what you are thinking about, your understanding and view of His word. Do not hold back anything, not even a little bit! Practice speaking the words within your heart and revealing your true feelings to God; if it is in your heart, then by all means, say it. The more you speak in this way, the more you will feel God’s loveliness, and God will tug more strongly on your heart. When this happens, you will feel that God is dearer to you than anyone else. You will never leave God’s side, no matter what. If you practice this kind of spiritual devotional on a daily basis and do not put it out of your mind, but treat it as a matter of great importance in your life, then God’s word will occupy your heart. This is what it means to be touched by the Holy Spirit. It will be as if your heart has always been possessed by God, as if that which you love is always in your heart. No one can take that away from you. When this happens, God will truly live inside you and have a place within your heart.

Excerpted from “A Normal Spiritual Life Leads People Onto the Right Track” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When equipping yourself for life, you must focus on eating and drinking God’s words, you must be able to talk of knowledge of God, of your views on human life, and, in particular, of your knowledge of the work done by God during the last days. Since you pursue life, you must equip yourself with these things. When you eat and drink the words of God, you must measure the reality of your own state against them. That is, when you discover your shortcomings in the course of your real experience, you must be capable of finding a path to practice, of turning your back on your incorrect motivations and notions. If you always strive for these things and pour your heart into achieving them, then you will have a path to follow, you will not feel empty, and thus you will be able to maintain a normal state. Only then will you be someone who carries a burden in your own life, who has faith. Why is it that some people, after reading God’s words, are unable to put them into practice? Is it not because they cannot grasp the most crucial things? Is it not because they do not take life seriously? The reason that they cannot grasp the crucial things and have no path to practice is that when they read God’s words, they are unable to relate their own states to them, nor can they master their own states. Some people say: “I read God’s words and relate my state to them, and I know that I am corrupt and of poor caliber, but I am incapable of satisfying God’s will.” You have only seen the very surface; there are many real things that you do not know: how to put aside the enjoyments of the flesh, how to put aside self-righteousness, how to change yourself, how to enter into these things, how to improve your caliber, and from which aspect to begin. You only grasp a few things on the surface, and all that you know is that you are indeed very corrupt. When you meet your brothers and sisters, you talk about how corrupt you are, and it seems that you know yourself and carry a great burden for your life. In fact, your corrupt disposition has not changed, which proves you have not found the path to practice.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In your practical experience, you must first know how to eat and drink God’s words; you must find within His words what you should enter into and your own shortcomings, you should seek entry in your practical experience, and take the portion of God’s words that should be put into practice and try to do so. Eating and drinking God’s words is one aspect. In addition, the life of the church must be maintained, you must have a normal spiritual life, and you must be able to hand over all of your current states to God. No matter how His work changes, your spiritual life should remain normal. A spiritual life can maintain your normal entering in. No matter what God does, you ought to continue your spiritual life uninterrupted and fulfill your duty. This is what people should do. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit, but while for those with a normal condition this is perfection, for those with an abnormal condition it is a trial. At the current stage of the Holy Spirit’s refinement work, some people say that God’s work is so great and that people absolutely need refinement, otherwise their stature will be too small and they will have no way of attaining God’s will. However, for those whose condition is not good, it becomes a reason to not pursue God, and a reason to not attend gatherings or eat and drink God’s word. In God’s work, no matter what He does or what changes He effects, people must maintain a baseline of a normal spiritual life. Perhaps you have not been lax in this current stage of your spiritual life, but you still have not gained much, and have not reaped a great harvest. Under these kinds of circumstances, you must still follow the rules; you must keep to these rules so that you do not suffer losses in your life and so that you satisfy God’s will. If your spiritual life is abnormal, you cannot understand God’s current work, and instead always feel that it is completely incompatible with your own notions, and though you are willing to follow Him, you lack internal drive. So, no matter what God is currently doing, people must cooperate. If people do not cooperate, then the Holy Spirit cannot do His work, and if people do not have a heart to cooperate, then they can hardly gain the work of the Holy Spirit. If you want to have the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you, and if you want to gain God’s approval, then you must maintain your original devotion before the face of God. Now, it is not necessary for you to have a deeper understanding, a higher theory, or other such things—all that is required is that you uphold God’s word on the original foundation. If people do not cooperate with God and do not pursue deeper entry, then God will take away all the things that were originally theirs. On the inside, people are always greedy for ease and would rather enjoy what is already available. They want to gain God’s promises without paying any price at all. These are the extravagant thoughts that mankind entertains. Gaining life itself without paying a price—but has anything ever been this easy? When someone believes in God and seeks to enter into life and seeks a change in their disposition, they must pay a price and achieve a state in which they will always follow God, no matter what He does. This is something that people must do. Even if you follow all of this as a rule, you must always uphold it, and no matter how great the trials, you cannot let go of your normal relationship with God. You should be able to pray, maintain your church life, and never leave your brothers and sisters. When God tries you, you should still seek the truth. This is the minimum requirement for a spiritual life. Always having the desire to seek, and striving to cooperate, applying all of your energy—can this be done? If people take this as a foundation, they will be able to achieve discernment and entry into reality. It is easy to accept God’s word when your own state is normal; in these circumstances it does not feel difficult to practice the truth, and you feel that God’s work is great. But if your condition is poor, no matter how great God’s work is and no matter how beautifully someone speaks, you will pay no mind. When a person’s condition is abnormal, God cannot work in them, and they cannot achieve changes in their disposition.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people put a lot of enthusiasm into their pursuit and yet fail to enter onto the right track. This is because they are too careless and pay no attention to spiritual things. They have no idea how to experience God’s words, and do not know what the work and presence of the Holy Spirit are. Such people are enthusiastic but foolish; they do not pursue life. That is because you lack the slightest bit of knowledge of the Spirit, you know nothing of development in the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work, and you are ignorant of the state within your own spirit. Is the faith of such people not a foolish kind of faith? The pursuit of such people ultimately yields nothing. The key to achieving growth in life in one’s faith in God is knowing what work God does in your experience, beholding the loveliness of God, and understanding the will of God, such that you defer to all of God’s arrangements, have God’s words wrought into you so that they become your life, and thereby satisfy God. If your faith is a foolish faith, if you pay no heed to spiritual matters and to changes in your life disposition, if you exert no effort toward the truth, will you be able to grasp God’s will? If you do not understand what God asks, then you will be incapable of experiencing, and will thus have no path to practice. What you must pay attention to as you experience God’s words is the effect they produce in you, so that you may come to know God from His words. If you only know to read God’s words, but do not know how to experience them, does this not show that you are ignorant of spiritual matters? Right now, most people are incapable of experiencing God’s words, and thus they do not know the work of God. Is this not a failing in their practice? If they carry on like this, at what point will they be capable of experiencing things in their rich fullness and achieving growth in their lives? Does this not amount merely to empty talk? There are many among you who focus on theory, who know nothing of spiritual matters, and yet still wish to be put to great use by God and to be blessed by God. This is totally unrealistic! Thus, you must put an end to this failing, so that you may all enter onto the right track in your spiritual lives, have real experiences, and truly enter into the reality of God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Enter Into a Normal State” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

10. The Principles of Being Quiet Before God

(1) One should eat and drink of God’s words every day. One should also pray to God, contemplate His words, and try to grasp His will, so that their heart may easily be quiet before Him;

(2) Learn to seek the truth in all things. Learn discernment, and be able to act accurately according to God’s words. One can thus ensure that, in all things, they live before God;

(3) One must engage in self-reflection each day, and if one’s corruption is revealed or one is pruned and dealt with, they must seek to use the truth to address the problem on the basis of God’s words;

(4) When one has nothing to do, they should learn to sing hymns of praise to God so that their heart will be touched and their thoughts will be of God’s love. God will come naturally to be with them.

Relevant Words of God:

To come before God to accept His words as your life, you must first be at peace before God. Only when you are at peace before God will God enlighten you and give you knowledge. The more at peace people are before God, the more they are able to receive God’s enlightenment and illumination. All this requires people to have piety and faith; only thus can they be made perfect. The fundamental lesson for entering spiritual life is being at peace in God’s presence. Only if you are at peace in God’s presence will all your spiritual training be effective. If your heart is incapable of being at peace before God, you will be unable to receive the work of the Holy Spirit. If your heart is at peace before God no matter what you are doing, then you are someone who lives in God’s presence. If your heart is at peace before God and draws close to God no matter what you are doing, this proves that you are a person who is at peace before God. If, when you are talking with others, or walking, you are able to say, “My heart is drawing close to God, and is not focused on external things, and I can be at peace before God,” then you are someone who is at peace before God. Do not engage with anything that pulls your heart toward external matters, or with people who separate your heart from God. Whatever it is that can distract your heart from being close to God, put it aside, or stay away from it. This is of greater benefit to your life. Now is precisely the time for the great work of the Holy Spirit, the time when God personally makes people perfect. If, at this moment, you cannot be at peace before God, then you are not someone who will return before the throne of God. If you pursue things other than God, there will be no way for you to be perfected by God. Those who can hear such utterances from God and yet fail to be at peace before Him today are people who do not love the truth and do not love God. If you will not offer yourself at this moment, what are you waiting for? To offer oneself is to quiet one’s heart before God. That would be a genuine offering. Whoever truly offers their heart to God now is assured of being completed by God. Nothing, no matter what it is, can disturb you; whether it is to prune you or deal with you, or whether you meet with frustration or failure, your heart should always be at peace before God. No matter how people treat you, your heart should be at peace before God. No matter what circumstances you encounter—whether you are beset by adversity, suffering, persecution, or different trials—your heart should always be at peace before God; such are the paths to being made perfect. Only when you are truly at peace before God will God’s current words become clear to you. You can then practice more correctly and without deviation the Holy Spirit’s illumination and enlightenment, grasp with greater clarity God’s intentions which will give your service a clearer direction, grasp more accurately the moving and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and be assured of living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Such are the effects achieved by truly being at peace before God. When people are not clear about God’s words, have no path to practice, fail to grasp God’s intentions, or lack the principles of practice, this is because their hearts are not at peace before God. The purpose of being at peace before God is to be earnest and pragmatic, to seek correctness and transparency in God’s words, and ultimately to arrive at understanding the truth and knowing God.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No step is more crucial to entering God’s words than quieting your heart in His presence. It is a lesson that all people are in urgent need of entering at present. The paths of entry into quieting your heart before God are as follows:

1. Withdraw your heart from external matters. Be at peace before God, and give your undivided attention to praying to God.

2. With your heart at peace before God, eat, drink, and enjoy God’s words.

3. Meditate on and contemplate God’s love and ponder God’s work in your heart.

First, begin from the aspect of prayer. Pray with undivided attention and at fixed times. No matter how pressed you are for time, how busy your work, or what befalls you, pray every day as normal, and eat and drink God’s words as normal. As long as you eat and drink God’s words, no matter what your surroundings are, you will have great enjoyment in your spirit, and you will be undisturbed by the people, events, or things around you. When you ordinarily contemplate God in your heart, what goes on outside cannot bother you. This is what it means to possess stature. Begin with prayer: Praying quietly before God is most fruitful. After that, eat and drink the words of God, seek out the light in God’s words by pondering them, find the path to practice, know God’s purpose in speaking His words, and understand them without deviation. Ordinarily, it should be normal for you to be able to draw close to God in your heart, to contemplate God’s love and to ponder the words of God, without being disturbed by external things. When your heart has achieved a certain degree of peace, you will be able to muse silently and, within yourself, to contemplate God’s love and truly draw near to Him, regardless of your surroundings, until finally you reach the point where praise wells up in your heart, and it is even better than prayer. Then you will be possessed of a certain stature. If you are able to achieve the states of being described above, it will be proof that your heart is truly at peace before God. This is the first basic lesson. Only after people are able to be at peace before God can they be touched by the Holy Spirit, and enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and only then are they able to have true communion with God, as well as to grasp God’s will and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They will then have entered onto the right track in their spiritual lives. When their training to live before God has reached a certain depth, and they are able to forsake themselves, to despise themselves, and to live in God’s words, then their hearts are truly at peace before God. Being able to despise oneself, curse oneself, and forsake oneself is the effect achieved by God’s work, and cannot be done by people on their own. Thus, the practice of quieting one’s heart before God is a lesson people should immediately enter. For some people, not only are they ordinarily unable to be at peace before God, but they cannot quiet their hearts before God even when praying. This falls too short of God’s standards! If your heart cannot be at peace before God, can you be moved by the Holy Spirit? If you are one who cannot be at peace before God, you are liable to be distracted when someone comes by, or when others are talking, and your mind can be drawn away when others are doing things, in which case you do not live in God’s presence. If your heart truly is at peace before God, you will not be disturbed by anything going on in the outside world, or occupied by any person, event, or thing. If you have entry into this, then those negative states and all negative things—human notions, philosophies for living, abnormal relationships between people, and ideas and thoughts, and so forth—will naturally disappear. Because you are always pondering God’s words, and your heart is always drawing close to God and always being occupied with the current words of God, those negative things will fall away from you without you realizing it. When new and positive things occupy you, negative old things will have no place, so do not pay attention to those negative things. You need not make an effort to control them. You should focus on being at peace before God, eat, drink, and enjoy God’s words as much as you can, sing hymns in praise of God as much as you can, and let God have a chance to work on you, because God now wants to perfect humanity personally, and He wants to gain your heart; His Spirit moves your heart and if, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you come to live in God’s presence, you will satisfy God. If you pay attention to living in God’s words and engage more in fellowship about the truth to gain the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit, then those religious notions and your self-righteousness and self-importance will all disappear, and you will know how to expend yourself for God, how to love God, and how to satisfy God. And without your realizing it, those things that are extraneous to God will entirely dissipate from your consciousness.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To ponder and pray over the words of God while eating and drinking His current words is the first step to being at peace before God. If you can truly be at peace before God, then the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit will be with you. All spiritual life is achieved by being at peace in God’s presence. In praying, you must be at peace before God, and only then can you be moved by the Holy Spirit. When you are at peace before God when you eat and drink God’s words, you can be enlightened and illuminated, and can achieve true understanding of God’s words. When, in your usual activities of meditation and fellowship and drawing close to God in your heart, you become at peace in God’s presence, you will be able to enjoy genuine closeness to God, to have genuine understanding of God’s love and His work, and to show true thoughtfulness and care toward God’s intentions. The more you are ordinarily able to be at peace before God, the more you will be illuminated and the more you will be able to understand your own corrupt disposition, what it is that you lack, what it is that you should enter, what function you should serve, and wherein your defects lie. All this is achieved by being at peace in God’s presence. If you truly attain depth in your peace before God, you will be able to grasp certain mysteries of the spirit, to grasp what God at present wishes to carry out in you, to grasp a deeper understanding of God’s words, to grasp the marrow of God’s words, the essence of God’s words, the being of God’s words, and you will be able to see the path of practice more clearly and accurately. If you fail to achieve sufficient depth in becoming at peace in your spirit, you will only be a little moved by the Holy Spirit; you will feel strengthened on the inside and will feel a certain amount of enjoyment and peace, but you will not grasp anything deeper. I have said before: If people do not employ every ounce of their strength, it will be difficult for them to hear My voice or see My face. This refers to achieving depth in one’s peace before God, and not to making superficial efforts. A person who can truly be at peace in God’s presence is able to free themselves from all worldly ties, and to attain possession by God. All who are incapable of being at peace in God’s presence are assuredly dissolute and unrestrained. All who are capable of being at peace before God are those who are pious before God, and who yearn for God. Only those who are at peace before God value life, value fellowship in the spirit, thirst for God’s words, and pursue the truth. Whoever does not value being at peace before God and does not practice being at peace before God is vain and superficial, attached to the world and without life; even if they say they believe in God, they are just paying lip service. Those whom God ultimately perfects and completes are people who can be at peace in His presence. Therefore, those who are at peace before God are graced with great blessings. People who scarcely take time to eat and drink God’s words throughout the day, who are busily preoccupied with external affairs and place little value on life entry—these are all hypocrites with no prospect of future growth. It is those who can be at peace before God and who can genuinely commune with God who are God’s people.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you would have your heart truly at peace before God, then you must do the work of conscious cooperation. This is to say that every one of you must have a time for your devotions, a time when you put aside people, events, and things; settle your heart and quiet yourself before God. Everyone must keep individual devotional notes, recording their knowledge of God’s word and how their spirit is moved, regardless of whether they are profound or superficial; everyone must consciously quiet their heart before God. If you can dedicate one or two hours each day to true spiritual life, then your life that day will feel enriched and your heart will be bright and clear. If you live this kind of spiritual life every day, then your heart will be able to return more into God’s possession, your spirit will become stronger and stronger, your condition will constantly improve, you will become more capable of walking the path on which the Holy Spirit leads, and God will bestow increased blessings upon you. The purpose of your spiritual life is consciously to gain the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is not to observe rules or conduct religious rituals, but truly to act in concert with God, truly to discipline your body—this is what man should do, so you should do this with the utmost effort. The better your cooperation and the more effort you commit, the more your heart will be able to return to God and the better you will be able to quiet your heart before Him. At a certain point, God will gain your heart completely. No one will be able to sway or capture your heart, and you will belong completely to God.

Excerpted from “A Normal Spiritual Life Leads People Onto the Right Track” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What kind of people does God like? Those whose hearts can be at peace. What are these people doing when they are at peace? Are they like a wooden puppet, thinking nothing? Not so. They are at peace before God and praying to God, seeking the will of God, and asking for God’s protection and enlightenment. In addition, when there is an aspect of the truth they do not understand, they seek to receive enlightenment and illumination in this aspect of the truth, that they may attain lucid understanding. Alternatively, they seek a solution and the guidance of God for the difficult problems of a certain area of work. When you are at peace before God, there are so many tasks to do, so many things that need to be done. It is not a case of making a report to God when you’ve got nothing else to do, saying “O God! I’m here, You are in my heart, You are with me, do not let me fall into temptation.” That’s going through the motions, it is being flippant toward God; this is not someone who truly believes in God, and God does not bestow the truth upon such people. What is the first thing that must be fulfilled by those upon whom God bestows the truth? They must have a heart that hungers for righteousness, and a heart that is sincere. What does it mean when your heart is sincere? It means that you truly love the truth. What is it called when you are always flippant toward God, when your heart is not sincere, when your intention is only ever to come before God to make a report and say hello, and then afterward, you have the final say, you go and do things on your own, and, after God’s work has been entrusted to you, you ultimately have nothing to do with God or the truth? This is called resisting God and running your own operation. With that so, would God enlighten you? No. Have you found the path of striving for the truth and understanding the truth? You must often come before God, searching for the truth and praying to God with your heart at peace. You must learn to be at peace. Being at peace does not mean emptying your mind, but having things that you ask, having thoughts, and a burden in your heart, it means coming before God with a heart that is sincere and hungry, yearning for the truth and for the will of God, and it means being emburdened by one’s duty and work. This is all that should be found in you when you come before God and are at peace.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

If your heart is not often at peace before God, God has no means of perfecting you. Being without resolve is tantamount to having no heart, and a person without a heart cannot be at peace before God; such a person does not know how much work God does, or how much He speaks, nor do they know how to practice. Is this not a person without a heart? Can a person without a heart be at peace before God? God has no means of perfecting people without a heart—they are no different from beasts of burden. God has spoken so clearly and transparently, yet your heart remains unmoved, and you remain incapable of being at peace before God. Are you not a dumb brute? Some people go astray in practicing being at peace in God’s presence. When it is time to cook, they do not cook, and when it is time to do chores, they do not do them, but just go on praying and meditating. Being at peace before God does not mean not cooking or doing chores, or not living one’s life; rather, it is being able to quiet one’s heart before God in all normal states, and to have a place for God in one’s heart. When you pray, you should kneel down properly before God to pray; when you do chores or prepare food, quiet your heart before God, ponder God’s words, or sing hymns. No matter what situation you find yourself in, you should have your own way to practice, you should do everything you can to draw close to God, and you should try with all your might to quiet your heart before God. When circumstances permit, pray single-mindedly; when circumstances do not permit, draw near to God in your heart while doing the task at hand. When you can eat and drink God’s words, then eat and drink His words; when you can pray, then pray; when you can contemplate God, then contemplate Him. In other words, do your utmost to train yourself for entry according to your environment. Some people can be at peace before God when nothing is the matter, but as soon as something happens, their minds wander. That is not being at peace before God. The correct way to experience is this: Under no circumstances does one’s heart depart from God, or feel disturbed by outside people, events, or things, and only then is one a person who is truly at peace before God. Some people say that, when they pray in assemblies, their hearts can be at peace before God, but in fellowship with others they are incapable of being at peace before God, and their thoughts run wild. This is not being at peace before God. Today, most people are in this state, their hearts incapable of always being at peace before God. Thus, you must put more effort into exercising yourselves in this area, enter, step-by-step, upon the right track of life experience, and embark upon the path of being perfected by God.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It can be seen from experience that one of the most important issues is quieting one’s heart before God. This is an issue that concerns people’s spiritual life, and their growth in their lives. Only if your heart is at peace before God will your pursuit of the truth and of changes in your disposition bear fruit. Because you come before God bearing a burden, and because you always feel that you are lacking in so many ways, that there are many truths that you need to know, much reality that you need to experience, and that you should give every care to God’s will—these things are always on your mind. It is as if they are pressing down on you with a force that leaves you unable to breathe, and thus you feel heavy of heart (though you are not in a negative state). Only people such as this are qualified to accept the enlightenment of God’s words and to be moved by the Spirit of God. It is because of their burden, because they are heavy of heart, and, it can be said, because of the price they have paid and the torment they have suffered before God, that they receive His enlightenment and illumination. For God does not give anyone special treatment. He is always fair in His treatment of people, but He also does not give to people arbitrarily or unconditionally. This is one aspect of His righteous disposition. In real life, most people have yet to attain this realm. At the very least, their heart has yet to completely turn to God, and thus there has still not been any great change in their life disposition. This is because they only live in God’s grace and have yet to gain the work of the Holy Spirit. The criteria that people must meet in order to be made use of by God are as follows: Their heart turns to God, they carry the burden of the words of God, they have a heart of yearning, and they have the resolve to seek the truth. Only people such as this can gain the work of the Holy Spirit and they frequently gain enlightenment and illumination. The people God makes use of appear from the outside to be irrational and to not have normal relationships with others, though they speak with propriety, do not speak carelessly, and can always keep a quiet heart before God. This is exactly the kind of person who is sufficient to be used by the Holy Spirit. This “irrational” person God speaks of seems not to have normal relationships with others, and they do not give due regard to outward love or outward practices, but when they communicate spiritual matters they are able to open their heart and selflessly provide others with the illumination and enlightenment they have acquired from their actual experience before God. This is how they express their love for God and satisfy God’s will. When others are all slandering and ridiculing them, they are able to avoid being controlled by outside people, matters, or things, and can still be quiet before God. Such a person seems to have their own unique insights. Regardless of what other people do, their heart never leaves God. When others are chatting cheerfully and humorously, their heart still remains before God, contemplating God’s word or praying in silence to the God in their heart, seeking God’s intentions. They never attach importance to maintaining normal relationships with other people. Such a person seems to have no philosophy for living. On the outside, this person is lively, lovable, and innocent, but also possesses a sense of calmness. This is the likeness of the kind of person God makes use of. Things like the philosophy for living or “normal reason” simply do not work in this type of person; this is a type of person who has devoted their whole heart to God’s word, and seems to only have God in their heart. This is the type of person that God refers to as a person “without reason,” and it is precisely this kind of person that is used by God. The mark of a person who is being made use of by God is: No matter when or where, their heart is always before God, and no matter how dissolute others may be, how much they indulge their lust and their flesh, still the heart of this person never leaves God, and they do not follow the crowd. Only this type of person is suited for God’s use, and only this type of person is perfected by the Holy Spirit. If you are unable to attain these things, then you are not qualified to be gained by God and to be perfected by the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

11. The Principles of Living Before God

(1) Every day, it is necessary to eat and drink of a passage or paragraph of God’s words, and then to seek and pray within them, and to commune with Him genuinely;

(2) Be able to seek the truth in whatever you encounter, and to pray to God and achieve quietude before Him, with a path on which to practice the truth;

(3) It is necessary to perform your duty in peaceful cooperation with others and in submission to the truth. If you encounter difficulties, you should come before God and seek the truth to resolve them;

(4) Accept God’s scrutiny in all things. Reflect on whether your words, manner, and deeds are in line with the truth, and come to truly know yourself;

(5) It is necessary to follow God’s way with all one’s heart and all one’s mind. Come to fear God and shun evil, and act according to principle. This is what it is to live before God.

Relevant Words of God:

You must often come before God, eat and drink and ponder His words, and accept His discipline and guidance of you. You must be able to submit to all the environments, people, things, and matters that God has arranged for you, and when it comes to matters you cannot quite fathom, you must frequently pray while seeking the truth; only by understanding God’s will can you find a way forward. You must be in reverence of God, and do cautiously what you should do; you must often be at peace before God, and not be dissolute. At the very least, when something happens to you, your first reaction should be to calm yourself, and then pray immediately. By praying, waiting, and seeking, you will attain an understanding of God’s will. This is an attitude that shows reverence toward God, is it not? If, deep down, you revere God and submit to God, and can be quiet before God and grasp His will, then by cooperating and practicing this way, you can be protected. You will not encounter temptation, or do things that interrupt God’s management work, nor will you go so far as to provoke God’s loathing. With a God-fearing heart, you will be afraid of offending God; the moment you are faced with temptation, you will live before Him, trembling with dread, and hope that in all things you will be able to submit to Him and satisfy Him. Only by practicing like this, frequently living in such a state, and frequently being at peace before God will you be able to distance yourself from temptation and evil without even having to think about it.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If, in their belief in God, people do not frequently live before Him, then they will not be able to have any reverence for Him, and so will they be incapable of shunning evil. These things are connected. If deep down you often live before God, you will be held in check, and will fear Him in many things. You will not go too far or do anything that is dissolute, nor will you do anything which is loathed by God or speak words that are not sensible. If you accept God’s scrutiny, and accept His discipline, you will avoid doing many evil things. As such, will you not have shunned evil? If, in your belief in God, you often exist in a state of bewilderment, not knowing whether He is in your heart and not knowing what you wish to do deep down; if you are incapable of being at peace before God, and do not pray or seek the truth whenever something happens to you; if you often act according to your own will, live according to your satanic disposition, and reveal your arrogant disposition; and if you do not accept God’s scrutiny or discipline, and do not submit, then deep down people like this will always live before Satan and be controlled by Satan and by their corrupt disposition. Such people are therefore without the slightest reverence for God. They are simply incapable of shunning evil, and even if they do not do evil things, everything they think is still evil, and is both unconnected to the truth and runs against it. Do such people, then, fundamentally have no connection to God? Though they are ruled by Him, they have never reported before Him; they have never treated God as God, they have never treated Him as the Creator who rules over them, they have never acknowledged that He is their God and their Lord, and they have never considered worshiping Him in earnest. Such people do not understand what it means to fear God, and they think it is their right to commit evil. They say, “I’ll do what I want. I’ll take care of my own business, it’s not up to anyone else.” Meanwhile, they treat faith in God as a kind of mantra, a form of ceremony. Does this not make them nonbelievers? They are nonbelievers! And what does God name these people in His heart? All day long, everything they think is evil. They are the degenerates of the house of God, and He does not acknowledge such people as members of His house.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Over the course of a day, how many hours do you spend in which you are genuinely before God? How much of your day is actually given to God? How much is given to the flesh? Having one’s heart always oriented toward God is the first step to being on the right track of being perfected by Him. If you can devote your heart, body, and all of your genuine love to God, place them before Him, be completely obedient toward Him, and be absolutely considerate of His will—not for the flesh, not for family, and not for your own personal desires, but for the interests of God’s household, taking God’s word as the principle and foundation in everything—then by doing so, your intentions and your perspectives will all be in the right place, and you will then be a person before God who receives His praise. The people God likes are those who are absolute toward Him; they are the ones who can be devoted solely to Him. Those whom God loathes are the ones who are half-hearted toward Him and who rebel against Him. He loathes those who believe in Him and always want to enjoy Him while yet being unable to completely expend themselves for His sake. He loathes those who say they love Him but who rebel against Him in their hearts; He loathes those who use eloquent, flowery words to engage in deception. Those who are not genuinely dedicated to God or who have not truly submitted before Him are treacherous and overly arrogant by nature. Those who cannot be genuinely submissive in front of the normal, practical God are even more arrogant, and they especially are the dutiful progeny of the archangel. People who truly expend themselves for God lay out their entire being before Him; they genuinely submit to all of His utterances, and are able to put His words into practice. They make God’s words the foundation of their existence, and they are able to search earnestly within God’s words to find out which parts to practice. Such are people who truly live before God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, all who cannot accept God’s scrutiny cannot receive His approval, and those who do not know God incarnate cannot be perfected. Look at all that you do, and see if it can be brought before God. If you cannot bring all that you do before God, this shows that you are an evildoer. Can evildoers be perfected? All that you do, every action, every intention, and every reaction should be brought before God. Even your daily spiritual life—your prayers, your closeness to God, how you eat and drink of God’s words, your fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and your life within the church—and your service in partnership can be brought before God for His scrutiny. It is such practice that will help you achieve growth in life. The process of accepting God’s scrutiny is the process of purification. The more you can accept God’s scrutiny, the more you are purified and the more you are in accord with God’s will, so that you will not be drawn into debauchery, and your heart will live in His presence. The more you accept His scrutiny, the greater are Satan’s humiliation and your ability to forsake the flesh. So, the acceptance of God’s scrutiny is a path of practice people should follow. No matter what you do, even when communing with your brothers and sisters, you can bring your acts before God and seek His scrutiny and aim to obey God Himself; this will make what you practice much more correct. Only if you bring all you do before God and accept God’s scrutiny can you be someone who lives in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How does God scrutinize people’s hearts? He does not look only with His eyes; He sets environments for you, touching your heart with His hands. And why do I say this? Because when God sets an environment for you, He looks at whether you feel aversion and revulsion, or joy and obedience; He looks to see if you wait quietly, or seek the truth; God looks at how your heart changes, and what direction your heart is growing in. The changes in your heart, your every thought and idea about the people, events, and things He sets out for you, every change in your feelings—God can sense it all. You have not told anyone these things, or prayed about them. You only thought about them in your heart, in your own world—but God knows them well, and they are as clear as day to Him. People look at you with their eyes, but God touches your heart with His heart; that is how close He is to you. If you can sense that you are being scrutinized by God, then you are living before God. If you feel nothing, then you are living in your own world, in which case you are in trouble. You do not live before God, there is a distance between you and God, you are far from Him, your hearts are not close, they do not touch, you do not accept God’s scrutiny—and God also knows this, He can sense it acutely. Thus, when you are possessed of resolve and purpose, and wish to be perfected by God and become one who follows His will, as well as one who fears God and shuns evil—once you have this resolve and are frequently praying and asking for such things, and are living before God and do not shun Him or leave Him, then these things will become clear to you, and He will be aware of this. Some people say, “This is clear to me; is God aware of it?” Such words have no credence. Saying that proves that you have never communicated with God, and that there is no relationship between you and Him. Why do I say there is no relationship? Because you do not live before God, and therefore you have no sense of whether or not God is with you, whether He is guiding you, whether He is protecting you, whether He rebukes you when you do something wrong. If you can feel none of this, then you are not living before God. If you only think for yourself, and are absorbed in yourself, then you are living in your own world, not before God, and there is no relationship between you and God.

Excerpted from “If You Cannot Always Live Before God, You Are a Nonbeliever” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Entering into the truth reality is not a simple matter. The key is to focus on seeking the truth and putting the truth into practice. You have to hold these things in your heart every day. Regardless of what problems you face, do not always protect your own interests; rather, learn to seek the truth and self-reflect. No matter what corruptions are revealed in you, you cannot let them go unchecked; it is best if you can reflect upon and recognize your corrupt essence. If, in everyday situations, your thoughts dwell on how to resolve your corrupt disposition, how to practice the truth, and what the truth principles are, then you are capable of learning how to use the truth to resolve your problems in accordance with God’s words. In doing so, you will gradually enter reality. If your mind is filled with thoughts of how to attain a higher position, or what to do in front of others to get them to admire you, then you are on the wrong path. It means you are doing things for Satan; you are rendering service. If your mind is filled with thoughts of how to change so that you will be more and more like a human, be in line with God’s intentions, be capable of submitting to Him and revering Him, and show restraint and accept His scrutiny in everything you do, then your condition will get better and better. This is what it means to be one who lives before God. As such, there are two paths: One merely emphasizes behavior, fulfilling one’s own ambitions, desires, intents, and plans; this is living before Satan and living under its domain. The other path emphasizes how to satisfy God’s will, enter truth reality, submit to God, and have no misconceptions or disobedience toward Him, so that one reveres God and performs one’s duty well. This is what it means to live before God.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Possess Normal Humanity” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In your daily lives, when you experience God’s work and pray to Him, you do it carelessly—you pray to God while you work. Can this be called giving your heart to God? You are thinking about household matters or affairs of the flesh; you are always of two minds. Can this be considered quieting your heart in the presence of God? This is because your heart is always fixated on external affairs, and is not able to return before God. If you would have your heart truly at peace before God, then you must do the work of conscious cooperation. This is to say that every one of you must have a time for your devotions, a time when you put aside people, events, and things; settle your heart and quiet yourself before God. Everyone must keep individual devotional notes, recording their knowledge of God’s word and how their spirit is moved, regardless of whether they are profound or superficial; everyone must consciously quiet their heart before God. If you can dedicate one or two hours each day to true spiritual life, then your life that day will feel enriched and your heart will be bright and clear. If you live this kind of spiritual life every day, then your heart will be able to return more into God’s possession, your spirit will become stronger and stronger, your condition will constantly improve, you will become more capable of walking the path on which the Holy Spirit leads, and God will bestow increased blessings upon you. The purpose of your spiritual life is consciously to gain the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is not to observe rules or conduct religious rituals, but truly to act in concert with God, truly to discipline your body—this is what man should do, so you should do this with the utmost effort. The better your cooperation and the more effort you commit, the more your heart will be able to return to God and the better you will be able to quiet your heart before Him. At a certain point, God will gain your heart completely. No one will be able to sway or capture your heart, and you will belong completely to God. If you walk this path, then God’s word will reveal itself to you at all times and enlighten you about everything that you do not understand—this can all be achieved through your cooperation. This is why God always says, “All who act in concert with Me, I will reward twice over.” You must see this path clearly. If you wish to walk the right path, then you must do all that you can to satisfy God. You must do all that you can to attain a spiritual life. At the start, you may not achieve great results in this pursuit, but you must not allow yourself to regress or wallow in negativity—you must keep working hard! The more you live a spiritual life, the more your heart will be occupied by the words of God, always concerned with these matters, always bearing this burden. After that, reveal your innermost truth to God through your spiritual life; tell Him what you are willing to do, what you are thinking about, your understanding and view of His word. Do not hold back anything, not even a little bit! Practice speaking the words within your heart and revealing your true feelings to God; if it is in your heart, then by all means, say it. The more you speak in this way, the more you will feel God’s loveliness, and God will tug more strongly on your heart. When this happens, you will feel that God is dearer to you than anyone else. You will never leave God’s side, no matter what. If you practice this kind of spiritual devotional on a daily basis and do not put it out of your mind, but treat it as a matter of great importance in your life, then God’s word will occupy your heart. This is what it means to be touched by the Holy Spirit. It will be as if your heart has always been possessed by God, as if that which you love is always in your heart. No one can take that away from you. When this happens, God will truly live inside you and have a place within your heart.

Excerpted from “A Normal Spiritual Life Leads People Onto the Right Track” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How can people maintain a relationship with God? And what should they rely on to do this? They should rely on supplicating God, praying to God, and communicating with God in their hearts. With a relationship such as this, people live always before God, and such people are very peaceful. Some people spend their whole time in external actions, busying themselves with external tasks. After one or two days without the spiritual life, they feel nothing; after three or five days, or one or two months, they still feel nothing; they have not prayed, made supplication, or held spiritual communion. Supplication is when something happens to you, and you ask God to help you, guide you, provide for you, enlighten you, and allow you to understand His will and know what to do in line with the truth. The scope of prayer is wider: Sometimes you speak the words in your heart, talking to God of your difficulties or negativity and weakness; so, too, do you pray to God when you are rebellious, or else you speak to Him of the things that happen to you each day, whether they are clear to you or not. This is praying. The scope of prayer is basically talking and opening up to God. Sometimes it is done at regular times, sometimes not; you can pray whenever and wherever you wish. Spiritual communion is not overly formal. Sometimes it is because you have a problem, sometimes not. Sometimes it involves words, sometimes not. When you have a problem, you talk of it with God and pray; when you do not have a problem, you think of how God loves people, how He is concerned about people, how He rebukes people. You may commune with God at any time or place. This is what spiritual communion is. Sometimes, when you are out and about and you think of something that upsets you, you do not have to get down on your knees or close your eyes. You just have to say to God in your heart: “O God, please guide me in this. I am weak, I cannot overcome it.” Your heart is moved; you speak but a few simple words, and God knows. Sometimes you miss home and say, “O God! I really miss home….” You do not say who specifically you miss. You just feel down, and speak of this to God. Problems can only be solved when you pray to God and say what is in your heart. Can talking to other people solve problems? It is okay if you encounter someone who understands the truth, but if they do not—if you encounter someone negative and weak—you could have an effect on them. If you speak to God, God will comfort you, and move you. If you are able to read God’s words quietly before God, then you will be able to understand the truth and solve the problem. God’s words will allow you to find a way through, to get past this little hurdle. The hurdle will not trip you up, it will not restrain you, nor will it affect your performance of your duty. There are times when you suddenly feel a little down or uneasy inside. At such times, do not hesitate to pray to God. It may be that you make no supplication to God, there may be nothing you wish God to do or enlighten you with—you just speak to God and open up to Him at any time, wherever you are. What must you feel at all times? It is, “God is always with me, He has never left me, I can feel it. No matter where I am or what I’m doing—I could be taking a rest, or be in a gathering, or be performing my duty—in my heart, I know that my hand is led by God, that He has never left me.” Sometimes, recalling how you have passed each day over the past few years, you feel that your stature has grown, that you have been guided by God, that God’s love has protected you throughout. Thinking these things, you pray in your heart, offering thanks to God: “O God, I thank You! I am so weak and frail, so profoundly corrupt. Without You to guide me like this, I would not have made it to today relying on myself.” Is this not spiritual communion? If people can often commune in this way, will they not have much to say to God? They would not go many days without anything to say to God. When you have nothing to say to God, God is absent from your heart. If God is in your heart, and you have faith in God, then you will be able to speak of everything in your heart to Him, including those things you would speak of to your confidants. In fact, God is your closest confidant. If you treat God as your closest confidant, as your family whom you depend on most, rely on most, trust most, confide in most, whom you are closest to, then it will be impossible for you to have nothing to say to God. If you always have something to say to God, will you not always live before God? If you can always live before God, then at every moment, you will sense how God guides you, how He cares for and protects you, how He brings you peace and joy, how He blesses you, how He enlightens you, and how He rebukes you, disciplines you, chastens you, and judges and chastises you; all this will be clear and evident to you in your heart. You will not just muddle through each day, knowing nothing, only saying you believe in God, performing your duty and attending gatherings only for appearance’s sake, reading God’s words and praying on a daily basis, simply going through the motions—yours will not simply be this kind of external religious ceremony. Instead, in your heart, you will look to God and pray to God at every moment, you will commune with God at all times, and you will be able to submit to God, and live before God.

Excerpted from “If You Cannot Always Live Before God, You Are a Nonbeliever” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you spend some time experiencing before God, and come to understand God’s work and His disposition, you will unconsciously gain much insight, and your stature will gradually grow. You will understand many spiritual things better, and you will be clearer about God’s work in particular. You will accept God’s words, God’s work, God’s every action, God’s disposition, and what God is and has as your own life. If all you do is wander in the world, your wings will grow ever harder, and your resistance against God will become ever greater; how then can God use you? Because there is too much of “in my opinion” in you, God does not use you. The more you are in the presence of God, the more experiences you will have. If you still live in the world like a beast—your mouth professing belief in God but your heart somewhere else—and if you still study the worldly philosophies for living, then will all your previous labors not have been for nothing? Therefore, the more that people are in the presence of God, the easier they are to be perfected by God. This is the path by which the Holy Spirit does His work. If you do not understand this, it will be impossible for you to enter onto the right track, and being perfected by God will be out of the question. You will not be able to have a normal spiritual life; it will be as if you are handicapped, and you will have only your own hard work and none of God’s work. Is this not a mistake in your experiencing? You do not necessarily have to pray to be in the presence of God; sometimes it is in your contemplating God or pondering His work, sometimes in your dealing with some matter, and sometimes through your being revealed in an event, that you come into God’s presence. Most people say, “Am I not in the presence of God, since I often pray?” Many people pray endlessly “in the presence of God.” Though prayers may be always on their lips, they do not really live in God’s presence. This is the only means by which such people can maintain their conditions in the presence of God; they are utterly incapable of using their hearts to engage with God at all times, and nor are they able to come before God by means of experiencing, whether through pondering, silent contemplation, or using their minds to engage with the God within their hearts, by being mindful of God’s burden. They just offer prayers to God in heaven with their mouths. Most people’s hearts are bereft of God, and God is only there when they draw close to Him; most of the time, God is not there at all. Is this not the manifestation of not having God in one’s heart? If they really had God in their hearts, could they do the things that robbers and beasts do? If a person really reveres God, they will bring their true heart into contact with God, and their thoughts and ideas will always be occupied by God’s words. They will not make mistakes in either speech or action, and will not do anything that obviously opposes God. Such is the standard for being a believer.

Excerpted from “On Experience” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In their faith, if people wish to attain salvation, the crux of the matter is whether they are God-fearing and whether He has a place in their hearts. If your heart is incapable of living before Him, or if there is no normal relationship between you and God, then you will never be saved. Your path to salvation will be blocked; you will have reached a dead end. Your belief in God will be useless if it exists in name only, and it will not matter how much doctrine you are able to speak, how much you have suffered, or how great your natural gifts are. God will say, “Depart from Me, you evildoer.” You will have been classed as an evildoer. You have no connection to God; He is not your Ruler, He is not your Creator, He is not your God, He is not the One you worship, and He is not the One you follow. You follow Satan and demons. You are your own lord. Ultimately, people like you will be eliminated, detested, rejected, and punished by God. He does not save such people. Only when people accept that God is their Lord and Ruler, only when they accept that He is the truth and the source of man’s way and life, and only when all that they do and the path that they walk are connected to the truth, to God, to submission before Him, and to following His way—only then will they be saved. Otherwise, they shall be condemned by God. Is it alright for people to hope to just get lucky? Is it okay for them to always cling to their own notions? Is it okay for them to constantly hold on to vague and abstract imaginings? (No.) Do not think you can just get lucky; if you want to attain salvation in your faith in God, there is no other path to take. …

What impassions you after having listened to these sermons does not matter; when all is said and done, the only right path is the path that makes you fear God and shun evil. If you believe in God but your faith has nothing to do with Him, if He is not your Lord and not your Creator, if you do not accept that He is the Ruler of your fate, do not submit to all that is set out for your by Him, do not accept the fact that He is the truth, then your dream of salvation is in tatters. If you walk this path, then you are on the path of destruction. Suppose what you focus on, pursue, and pray and supplicate for each day gives you an increasing sense that you should submit to the Creator, that God is your Lord. And suppose you gladly accept and obey His sovereignty and orchestration for you, submitting to what God arranges for you ever more gladly, your state becoming increasingly normal, your relationship with God becoming ever closer, your love for Him ever purer, and you then have ever fewer extravagant desires, complaints, and misunderstandings toward God, you commit less and less evil, increasingly shunning it, and your fear of God becomes ever more genuine. Now what would this mean? It would mean that you have set foot upon the path of salvation. If you think that there is nothing wrong with what you seek, and that the path you are following is the right one, but then, after all your seeking, you have not been disciplined by God and cannot sense His judgment and chastisement, unwilling to be examined by Him and wishing to be your own boss, then this is not the right path. If, the more you seek, the greater your sense that you must live before God at every moment, and you are fearful that one day you will do something wrong, that as soon as you are not careful you might offend God and be in trouble, and will then surely be forsaken by Him, and that there is nothing more terrifying than this, and you feel that when people believe in God, they must not stray from Him, and that if they do stray from His discipline, dealing, pruning, judgment, and chastisement, then it will be the same as losing the care and protection of God—if you realize these things, you will then pray to God and say, “O God! I beg You to judge and chastise me, to reprimand and discipline me, to scrutinize me at all times, to grant me reverence for You, and to make me shun evil.” What do you think of this path? This is the right path. Thus, you should measure yourselves against this standard: Are you on the path of salvation? (No.) Is it easy to walk the path of salvation? (We must rely on God for His guidance.) You must rely on God, and it also depends on your own cooperation. If, after hearing this message, you feel that you have yet to set foot upon the path to salvation but are not worried, and think nothing of it, and feel that sooner or later the day will come when you do—if this is how you see things, then you will have trouble walking the path of salvation. What should your resolve be, then, to be able to set foot upon this path? You should say, “I haven’t started on the path of salvation, so I’m in danger! God says that people must live before Him at all times, that they must pray more, that deep down they must be at peace, and not be impetuous. I should start practicing like this right away.” This is getting close to being on the right track, is it not? It is exactly that simple! The people who put God’s words into practice as soon as they hear them are the ones who love the truth. What sort of people remain obstinate, uncaring, and apathetic after hearing His words, treating them with a frivolous attitude and letting them go in one ear and out the other? Are these people not muddle-headed? People always ask if there are any shortcuts to attaining salvation through faith. I tell you there are not, and I have told you of such a simple path—but after hearing of it, if you still do not put it into practice, then you do not know what is good or bad. Can such people be saved? (No.) It cannot be said that they absolutely will not be saved, but they will certainly encounter great difficulty. One day they might wake up, think things over, and say, “I haven’t taken my faith in God seriously all these years; He asks that people live before Him at all times, but I don’t. I should hurry up and pray!” They are alarmed, and they realize that they must start engaging properly, and it is not too late! However, do not wait until old age renders you immobile and you no longer have energy to start seeking; wasting optimal time on unimportant things simply is not worth it. When the time comes, you will have no destination or outcome, and there will be no time to regret having missed out on the best time to attain salvation!

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

12. The Principles of Confirming the Holy Spirit Is at Work

(1) That which comes from the Holy Spirit most certainly aligns with God’s word the truth. It never contradicts it, and it is distinctly not a part of man’s notions and imaginings;

(2) That which comes from the Holy Spirit leads people to understand the truth and God’s will. It can light up their hearts and give them a path on which to practice;

(3) That which comes from the Holy Spirit can bring light to people and deliver them from darkness, giving them practical knowledge of God and a clear vantage onto the path of life entry;

(4) That which comes from the Holy Spirit can benefit people’s life entry and lead them to set foot upon the right track in their belief in God, enabling them to practice the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

The work of the Holy Spirit is a form of proactive guidance and positive enlightenment. It does not allow people to be passive. It brings them solace, gives them faith and resolve, and enables them to pursue being made perfect by God. When the Holy Spirit works, people are able to enter actively; they are not passive or forced, but act at their own initiative. When the Holy Spirit works, people are glad and willing, willing to obey and happy to humble themselves. Even though they are pained and fragile inside, they have the resolve to cooperate; they suffer gladly, they are able to obey, and they are untainted by human will, untainted by the thinking of man, and certainly they are untainted by human desires and motivations. When people experience the work of the Holy Spirit, they are especially holy inside. Those who are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit live out the love of God and the love of their brothers and sisters; they delight in the things that delight God and loathe the things that God loathes. People who are touched by the work of the Holy Spirit have normal humanity, and they constantly pursue the truth and are possessed of humanity. When the Holy Spirit works within people, their condition becomes better and better, and their humanity becomes more and more normal, and though some of their cooperation may be foolish, their motivations are right, their entry is positive, they do not try to cause disruption, and there is no malevolence within them. The work of the Holy Spirit is normal and real, the Holy Spirit works in man according to the rules of the normal life of man, and He carries out enlightenment and guidance within people according to the actual pursuit of normal people. When the Holy Spirit works in people, He guides and enlightens them according to the needs of normal people. He provides for them according to their needs, and He positively guides and enlightens them according to what they lack, and according to their deficiencies. The Holy Spirit’s work is to enlighten and guide people in real life; only if they experience God’s words in their actual lives are they able to see the work of the Holy Spirit. If, in their everyday lives, people are in a positive state and have a normal spiritual life, then they are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit. In such a state, when they eat and drink the words of God, they have faith; when they pray, they are inspired; when they come up against something, they are not passive; and as things happen, they are able to see the lessons within those things that God requires them to learn. They are not passive or weak, and although they have real difficulties, they are willing to obey all the arrangements of God.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are many situations in which you simply do not know how to practice, and you know even less of how the Holy Spirit works. Sometimes you do something that is clearly disobedient to the Holy Spirit. Through your eating and drinking of God’s words, you already have a grasp of the principle at hand in the matter, so you have an inner feeling of reproach and disquiet; of course this is a feeling that one will feel only under the premise of knowing some truth. If people do not cooperate or practice in accordance with God’s word of today, then they are obstructing the Holy Spirit’s work and they will surely feel disquiet within. Say you understand the principle of a certain aspect but you do not practice accordingly, you would therefore suffer a feeling of reproach within. If you do not understand the principle and do not know this aspect of the truth at all, then you will not necessarily feel a sense of reproach on this matter. The Holy Spirit’s reproach is always in context. You think that because you have not prayed and have not cooperated with the Holy Spirit’s work that you have delayed the work. In actual fact, it cannot be delayed. The Holy Spirit will move someone else; the Holy Spirit’s work is constrained by no one. You feel you have let God down, and this is a feeling you should have in your conscience. Whether you can gain the truth or not is your own business and is unrelated to God. Sometimes it is your own conscience that feels accused, but this is not the enlightenment or illumination of the Holy Spirit, nor is it the reproach of the Holy Spirit. Instead it is a feeling within the human conscience. If you act wantonly in matters that involve the name of God, the testimony of God or the work of God, then God will not let you off. But there is a limit—God will not bother with you in common, small matters. He will ignore you. If you violate principles, and you disrupt and disturb God’s work, He will unleash His wrath upon you and absolutely will not let you off. Some of the mistakes you make are unavoidable in the course of human life. For example, you do not steam your buns the right way and say it is God disciplining you—this is an utterly unreasonable thing to say. Before you came to believe in God, did this kind of thing not often happen? You feel that it seems to be the Holy Spirit’s discipline, but in fact this is not the case (some exceptional circumstances aside), because this work does not come entirely from the Holy Spirit, but rather from human feelings. However, it is normal for people of faith to think along these lines. You could not have thought like this when you did not believe in God. Once you came to believe in God, you began to spend more time contemplating these things and so you naturally came to think along these lines. This arises from normal people’s thinking and has to do with their mentality. But let Me tell you, such thinking is not within the scope of the work of the Holy Spirit. This is an example of the Holy Spirit giving people a normal reaction through their thoughts; but you must understand that this reaction is not the work of the Holy Spirit. Having this kind of “knowledge” does not prove that you have the work of the Holy Spirit. Your knowledge does not arise from the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment, much less is it the work of the Holy Spirit. It is merely the product of normal human thought and it has absolutely no link to the enlightenment or illumination of the Holy Spirit—these are categorically distinct phenomena. Such normal human thought does not derive entirely from the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit works to enlighten people, He generally gives them knowledge of God’s work, and of their true entry and true state. He also allows them to understand God’s urgent intentions and His requirements for man today, so that they have the resolve to sacrifice everything to satisfy God, love God even if they meet with persecution and adversity, and stand witness for God even if it means shedding their blood or giving their life, and do so without regret. If you have this kind of resolve, it means you have the stirrings and work of the Holy Spirit—but know that you are not possessed of such stirrings at every passing moment. Sometimes at meetings when you pray and eat and drink God’s words, you can feel extremely moved and inspired. It feels so new and fresh when others share some fellowship on their experience and understanding of God’s words, and your heart is perfectly clear and bright. This is all the work of the Holy Spirit. If you are a leader and the Holy Spirit gives you exceptional enlightenment and illumination when you go down to the church to work, gives you insight into the problems that exist within the church, allows you to know how to share fellowship on the truth to resolve them, makes you incredibly earnest, responsible and serious in your work, all of this is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Practice (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people’s conditions are normal, then their spiritual lives and their lives in the flesh are normal and their reason is normal and orderly. When they are in this condition, what they experience and come to know within themselves can generally be said to come from being touched by the Holy Spirit (having insights or possessing some simple knowledge when they eat and drink the words of God, or being faithful in some things, or having the strength to love God in some things—this all comes from the Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit’s work in man is especially normal; man is incapable of feeling it, and it seems to come through man himself, although it is in fact the work of the Holy Spirit. In daily life, the Holy Spirit does work both great and small in everyone, and it is just the extent of this work that varies. Some people are of good caliber, and they understand things quickly, and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is especially great within them. Meanwhile, some people are of poor caliber, and it takes them longer to understand things, but the Holy Spirit touches them inside and they, too, are able to achieve faithfulness to God—the Holy Spirit works in all those who pursue God. When, in daily life, people do not oppose or rebel against God, do not do things that are at odds with the management of God and do not interfere with the work of God, then in each one of them the Spirit of God works to a greater or lesser extent; He touches them, enlightens them, gives them faith, gives them strength, and moves them to enter proactively, not being lazy or coveting the enjoyments of the flesh, willing to practice the truth, and longing for the words of God. All of this is work that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The way in which the work of the Holy Spirit helps people the most is by allowing them to understand many truths, and to understand some of God’s will, stopping them from acting against the will of God, and enabling them to work in the right direction, and not stray from the right path. What is the aim of the Holy Spirit’s work of enlightening people? Sometimes, it plays the role of guiding people; sometimes, it serves to remind you. When you are about to go astray, He supports and assists you like a walking cane, leading you onto the right path and guiding you. Regardless of the light and understanding with which the Holy Spirit enlightens people, or whether it varies because of their personal background, there is never any violation of, or conflict with, the truth. If each person experiences thus, genuinely seeking and praying, truly obeying, if the Holy Spirit continually works thus, if people are of keen and subtle intellect, and if the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment is not lost on them, then their stature will grow very quickly. They will have seized the opportunity. One characteristic of the work of the Holy Spirit is that it is very fast—it is over in a flash. It is not like the work of evil spirits, when you are always being pushed, and you cannot act in any other way. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit works by giving you a feeling when you are on the verge of danger, making you feel uneasy and anxious inside. This happens under special circumstances. Most of the time, during the course of people’s normal experience, they are given a slight feeling, or a subtle thought or idea; you are made to understand the meaning, and then this meaning is wrought into human words through the human mind. In fact, if people always experience in this way, if they have these truths as the foundation, if they have the work of the Holy Spirit and are always able to seize it, then there is no possibility of them deviating from the true way. Even if, throughout, no one fellowships with you, no one guides you, and you are not given any work arrangements, if you carry on in this direction, then you will definitely not take the wrong path.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The enlightenment that the Holy Spirit works in man takes place when they are in a normal state; at such times, people often mistake the enlightenment they receive as their own actual stature, because the way in which the Holy Spirit enlightens is exceptionally normal, and He makes use of what is inherent within man. When people work and speak, or when they are praying and making their spiritual devotions, a truth will suddenly become clear to them. In reality, however, what man sees is only enlightenment by the Holy Spirit (naturally, this enlightenment is connected to man’s cooperation) and does not represent man’s true stature. After a period of experience in which man encounters some difficulties and trials, the true stature of man becomes apparent under such circumstances. Only then will man discover that his stature is not so great, and the selfishness, personal considerations, and greed of man all emerge. Only after several cycles of experiences like this will many of those who are awakened within their spirits realize that what they had experienced in the past was not their own individual reality, but a momentary illumination from the Holy Spirit, and that man had but received this light. When the Holy Spirit enlightens man to understand the truth, it is often in a clear and distinct manner, without explaining how things came about or where they are going. That is, rather than incorporating the difficulties of man into this revelation, He directly reveals the truth. When man encounters difficulties in the process of entering, and then incorporates the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, this becomes the actual experience of man.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit is positive progress, whereas the work of Satan is retreat, negativity, rebelliousness, resistance against God, loss of faith in God, unwillingness even to sing hymns, and being too weak to perform one’s duty. Everything that stems from the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is quite natural; it is not forced upon you. If you follow it, then you will have peace; if you do not, then you will afterward be rebuked. With the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, nothing you do will be interfered with or constrained; you will be set free, there will be a path to practice in your actions, and you will not be subject to any restraints, but be able to act upon the will of God. The work of Satan causes you interference in many things; it makes you unwilling to pray, too lazy to eat and drink the words of God, and indisposed to live the life of the church, and it estranges you from the spiritual life. The work of the Holy Spirit does not interfere with your daily life and does not interfere with your normal spiritual life.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Inner guidance from the Holy Spirit is not at all transcendental; it is, in fact, very normal. That is, in the depths of your heart, you know this is an appropriate way to act, and that it is the best way. This thought is actually quite clear; it did not come of your pondering, but was a sort of feeling you gave rise to from deep down, and sometimes you do not fully understand what makes you act this way. This is often none other than enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, and this is how it occurs most commonly in the majority of people. One’s own ideas often come from thinking and considering, and are all adulterated by self-will, ideas of what areas there are in which one can find self-benefit, and what advantages something might have for oneself; every human decision has these things in it. Guidance from the Holy Spirit, however, in no way contains such adulterations. It is necessary to pay careful attention to the guidance or enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; particularly in key issues, you must be careful in order to grasp it. People who like to use their brains, and who like to act on their own ideas, are the most liable to miss such guidance or enlightenment.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What kind of person does the Holy Spirit enlighten? Those who are of keen and subtle intellect. When they are given a feeling or an enlightenment, they can sense that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, and that it is God doing it. Sometimes, they can tell as soon as they are being reproached by the Holy Spirit, and so they rein themselves in. These are the people whom the Holy Spirit enlightens. If someone is careless and does not understand spiritual things, they will not realize when they are being given a feeling. They are heedless of the work of the Holy Spirit, and so the Holy Spirit will not try to enlighten them again. If they remain unreceptive even after three or four attempts, the Holy Spirit will no longer work on them. Why is it that some people feel dark, depressed, deflated, bereft of the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit within themselves the further they go? There is nothing but lifeless things, lifeless doctrines, within them, so how could they possibly feel energized? People do not last for long by only relying on their enthusiasm. You must understand the truth to have strength. Therefore, in your faith in God, you must be of subtle intellect, you must take God’s words seriously, and focus on knowing yourself. You must understand the will of God through understanding the truth, through knowing and experiencing; only then will you gain the work of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is extraordinarily practical. Some people have the capability to understand the truth, yet they have no personal experience of the work of the Holy Spirit. Going forward, you must focus on the subtlest of feelings, and the subtlest of light. Each time something happens to you, you should observe it and approach it from the perspective of the truth, and in so doing, you will gradually set foot upon the right track.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

13. The Principles of Obtaining the Work of the Holy Spirit

(1) It is necessary to read and contemplate God’s words often, with a longing in your heart to understand the truth, and truly to pray to God and commune with Him;

(2) Seek to be an honest person, be able sincerely to expend yourself for God, and do your utmost to do your duty well, so as to satisfy God;

(3) Reflect often on your transgressions and the corruption that is revealed in you. Seek to resolve them with the truth, and offer sincere thanks and praise to God;

(4) It is necessary to establish a normal relationship with God. When one has notions of God or disobeys Him, they should seek the truth to resolve the issue and genuinely repent.

Relevant Words of God:

The first step of the Holy Spirit’s path in man is, before anything else, to draw man’s heart away from people, events, and things and into the words of God, causing man’s heart to believe that the words of God are beyond all doubt, and completely true. If you believe in God, you must believe in His words; if, after many years of faith in God, you remain unaware of the path taken by the Holy Spirit, are you really a believer? To achieve a normal human life—a normal human life that has a normal relationship with God—you must first believe in His words. If you have not achieved the first step of the Holy Spirit’s work in people, then you have no foundation. If even the very least of principles is beyond you, how will you walk the path ahead? Setting foot upon the right track by which God perfects man means entering upon the right track of the Holy Spirit’s current work; it means setting foot upon the path taken by the Holy Spirit. Right now, the path taken by the Holy Spirit is the current words of God. As such, if people are to set foot upon the path of the Holy Spirit, they must obey, and eat and drink, the current words of God incarnate. The work He does is the work of words; everything begins from His words, and all is built upon His words, upon His current words. Whether being certain about the incarnate God, or knowing the incarnate God, each requires spending more effort on His words. If not, people can accomplish nothing and will be left with nothing. Only by building upon the foundation of eating and drinking God’s words, and thereby coming to know Him and to satisfy Him, can people gradually build a normal relationship with God. For man, there is no better cooperation with God than eating and drinking His words and putting them into practice. Through such practice they are best able to stand firm in their testimony of God’s people. When people understand and are able to obey the essence of God’s current words, they live on the path of being guided by the Holy Spirit, and have set foot on the right track of God’s perfection of man.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s work is to supply you through His words. When you obey and accept His words, the Holy Spirit shall surely work in you. The Holy Spirit works exactly as I speak; do as I have said, and the Holy Spirit will promptly work in you. I release a new light for you to behold, bringing you into the light of the present, and when you walk into this light, the Holy Spirit shall immediately work in you. There are some who may be recalcitrant, saying, “I simply will not carry out what You say.” In which case, I tell you that you have now come to the end of the road; you are dried up, and have no more life. Thus, in experiencing the transformation of your disposition, nothing is more crucial than keeping pace with the present light. The Holy Spirit not only works in certain people who are used by God, but, furthermore, in the church. He could be working in anyone. He may work in you during the present time, and you will experience this work. During the next period, He may work in someone else, in which case you must haste to follow; the more closely you follow the present light, the more your life can grow. No matter what manner of person someone is, if the Holy Spirit works in them, then you must follow. Take in their experiences through your own, and you will receive even higher things. In so doing you will progress more quickly. This is the path of perfection for man and the means by which life grows.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God works in those who pursue and treasure His words. The more you treasure God’s words, the more His Spirit will work in you. The more a person treasures God’s words, the greater their chance of being perfected by God. God perfects those who truly love Him, and He perfects those whose hearts are at peace before Him. To treasure all of God’s work, to treasure God’s enlightenment, to treasure God’s presence, to treasure God’s care and protection, to treasure how God’s words become your reality and provide for your life—all this accords best with God’s heart. If you treasure God’s work, that is, if you treasure all the work that He has done upon you, then He will bless you and cause all that is yours to multiply. If you do not treasure God’s words, He will not work in you, but He will only grant you paltry grace for your faith, or bless you with scant wealth and your family with scant safety. You should strive to make God’s words your reality, and be able to satisfy Him and be after His own heart; you should not merely strive to enjoy His grace. Nothing is more important for believers than to receive God’s work, gain perfection, and become those who do God’s will. This is the goal you should pursue.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God having spoken so much, you should do your utmost to eat and drink His words, and then, without you realizing it, you will come to understand, and without you realizing it, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you. When the Holy Spirit enlightens man, it is often without man’s awareness. He enlightens and guides you when you thirst and seek. The principle by which the Holy Spirit works is centered around the words of God that you eat and drink. All those who place no importance on the words of God and are always of a different attitude toward His words—believing, in their befuddled thinking, it a matter of indifference whether they read His words or not—are those who do not possess reality. Neither the Holy Spirit’s work nor His enlightenment can be seen in such a person. People like this are merely coasting along, pretenders without true qualifications, like Mr. Nanguo of the parable.[a]

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you can often eat and drink the words of God and be attentive to His will and put His words into practice, then you belong to God, and you are a person who lives within His words. Are you willing to escape from the domain of Satan and live in the light of God? If you live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will have an opportunity to perform His work; if you live under Satan’s influence, then you will give the Holy Spirit no such opportunity. The work that the Holy Spirit performs on men, the light that He shines on them, and the confidence that He gives to them last for only a moment; if people are not careful and do not pay attention, then the work of the Holy Spirit will pass them by. If men live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will be with them and perform work on them. If men do not live within the words of God, then they live in Satan’s bonds. If men live with corrupt dispositions, then they do not have the presence or the work of the Holy Spirit. If you live within the boundaries of the words of God, and if you live in the state that God requires, then you are one who belongs to Him, and His work will be performed on you; if you are not living within the boundaries of God’s requirements, but living instead under the domain of Satan, then you are decidedly living within Satan’s corruption. Only by living within the words of God and giving your heart to Him can you meet His requirements; you must do as God says, making His utterances the foundation of your existence and the reality of your life; only then will you belong to God. If you actually practice in accordance with God’s will, He will perform work on you, and you will then live under His blessings, in the light of His countenance; you will grasp the work that the Holy Spirit performs and feel the joy of God’s presence.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

And how do you seek being touched by the Holy Spirit? The crucial thing is to live in God’s present words, and to pray upon the foundation of God’s requirements. Having prayed in this way, the Holy Spirit is sure to touch you. If you do not seek with a basis in the foundation of the words spoken by God today, then this is fruitless. You should pray, and say: “O God! I oppose You, and I owe You so much; I am so disobedient, and never able to satisfy You. O God, I wish for You to save me, I wish to give service to You to the very end, I wish to die for You. You judge me and chastise me, and I have no complaints; I oppose You and I deserve to die, so that all people may behold Your righteous disposition in my death.” When you pray from within your heart in this way, God will hear you, and will guide you; if you do not pray upon the foundation of the words of the Holy Spirit today, then there is no possibility of the Holy Spirit touching you. If you pray according to God’s will, and according to that which God wishes to do today, you will say: “O God! I wish to accept Your commissions and be faithful to Your commissions, and I am willing to devote my entire life to Your glory, so that all that I do can reach the standards of the people of God. May my heart be touched by You. I wish for Your Spirit to ever enlighten me, to make all I do bring shame upon Satan, that I am ultimately gained by You.” If you pray in this way, in a way that is centered around the will of God, then the Holy Spirit will inevitably work in you. It matters not how many are the words of your prayers—what is key is whether or not you grasp the will of God. You may all have had the following experience: Sometimes, whilst praying in an assembly, the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit reach their peak, causing everyone’s strength to rise up. Some people cry bitterly and weep tears while praying, overcome with remorse before God, and some people show their resolve, and make vows. Such is the effect to be achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit. Today, it is crucial that all people completely pour their hearts into the words of God. Do not focus on the words that were spoken before; if you still hold on to what came before, then the Holy Spirit will not work within you. Do you see how important this is?

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The Holy Spirit works by this principle: Through people’s cooperation, through them actively praying, searching and coming closer to God, results can be achieved and they can be enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. It is not the case that the Holy Spirit acts unilaterally, or that man acts unilaterally. Both are indispensable, and the more that people cooperate, and the more they pursue the attainment of the standards of God’s requirements, the greater the work of the Holy Spirit. Only people’s real cooperation, added to the work of the Holy Spirit, can produce real experiences and the essential knowledge of God’s words. Gradually, through experiencing in this way, a perfect person is ultimately produced. God does not do supernatural things; in people’s notions, God is almighty, and everything is done by God—with the result that people wait passively, do not read the words of God or pray, and merely await the touch of the Holy Spirit. Those with a correct understanding, however, believe this: God’s actions can only go as far as my cooperation, and the effect that God’s work has in me depends on how I cooperate. When God speaks, I should do all I can to seek and strive toward God’s words; this is what I should achieve.

Excerpted from “How to Know Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It can be seen from experience that one of the most important issues is quieting one’s heart before God. This is an issue that concerns people’s spiritual life, and their growth in their lives. Only if your heart is at peace before God will your pursuit of the truth and of changes in your disposition bear fruit. Because you come before God bearing a burden, and because you always feel that you are lacking in so many ways, that there are many truths that you need to know, much reality that you need to experience, and that you should give every care to God’s will—these things are always on your mind. It is as if they are pressing down on you with a force that leaves you unable to breathe, and thus you feel heavy of heart (though you are not in a negative state). Only people such as this are qualified to accept the enlightenment of God’s words and to be moved by the Spirit of God. It is because of their burden, because they are heavy of heart, and, it can be said, because of the price they have paid and the torment they have suffered before God, that they receive His enlightenment and illumination. For God does not give anyone special treatment. He is always fair in His treatment of people, but He also does not give to people arbitrarily or unconditionally. This is one aspect of His righteous disposition. In real life, most people have yet to attain this realm. At the very least, their heart has yet to completely turn to God, and thus there has still not been any great change in their life disposition. This is because they only live in God’s grace and have yet to gain the work of the Holy Spirit. The criteria that people must meet in order to be made use of by God are as follows: Their heart turns to God, they carry the burden of the words of God, they have a heart of yearning, and they have the resolve to seek the truth. Only people such as this can gain the work of the Holy Spirit and they frequently gain enlightenment and illumination.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit has its principles, and it is conditional. In what kind of person does the Holy Spirit typically work? What must a person possess to obtain the work of the Holy Spirit? In one’s faith, one must clearly understand that to obtain the work of the Holy Spirit, at the very least one must have a conscience and an honest heart, and one’s conscience must have elements of honesty. Only once you have an honest heart—as well as the conscience and reason that one’s humanity must possess—can the Holy Spirit work on you. People always say that God looks deeply into one’s heart and observes everything. However, people never know why some never gain enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, why they can never obtain grace, why they never have joy, why they are always negative and depressed, and why they are incapable of being positive. Take a look at their states. It is certain that not one of these people has a functioning conscience or an honest heart. Those who have peace and joy, who are always active and improving in the performance of their duties, who always gain something, who always have understanding, and who always get something from their efforts after a period of time—is what they gain achieved by their imagination? Are those things learned from studying books? How are they gained? Can the Holy Spirit’s work be gotten rid of? (No.) The work of the Holy Spirit is the main thing. When you possess an honest heart, and the conscience and reason that are the prerequisites of one’s humanity, God will observe you. Have you figured out a pattern of how the Holy Spirit works? The Holy Spirit usually works on those whose hearts are honest, and He works when people get into trouble and are seeking the truth. God will not pay heed to those who have no shred of human reason or conscience. If someone is very honest but, for a period of time, his heart is turned away from God, he has no desire to improve, he falls into a negative state and does not come out of it, when he does not pray or seek the truth to resolve his state, and he does not cooperate, then the Holy Spirit will not work in him during such occasional darkening of his state or his temporary degeneration. How, then, can someone without the consciousness of humanity be worked in by the Holy Spirit? That is even more impossible. What, then, should such people do? Is there a way for them to follow? They must genuinely repent and be honest people. How can one be an honest person? First, your heart must open up to God, and you must seek truth from God; once you understand the truth, you must then practice it. You must then submit to God’s arrangements and allow God to take charge of you. Only in this way will you be praised by God. You must first set aside your own prestige and vanity, and forgo your own interests. Try to set them aside first of all, and once you have set them aside, put your entire body and soul into your duty and into the work of testifying for God, and then see how God guides you, see whether peace and joy arise within you, whether you have this confirmation. You must first genuinely repent, surrender yourself, open your heart to God, and set aside the things that you treasure. If you continue to hold on to them while making requests of God, will you be able to gain the work of the Holy Spirit? The work of the Holy Spirit is conditional, and God is a God who hates evil and who is holy. If people always hold on to these things, constantly closing themselves off to God and rejecting God’s work and guidance, then God will stop working on them. It is not that God must work within every person, or that He will force you to do this or that. He does not coerce you. The work of evil spirits is to force humans to do this and that, and even to possess and control people. The Holy Spirit works especially gently; He moves you, and you do not feel it. You simply feel as though you have unconsciously come to understand or realize something. This is how the Holy Spirit moves people, and, if they submit, they will find themselves able to truly repent.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is a rule to God’s perfection of people, which is that He enlightens you by using a desirable part of you so that you have a path to practice and can separate yourself from all negative states, helping your spirit attain release, and making you more able to love Him. In this way, you are able to throw off the corrupt disposition of Satan. You are artless and open, willing to know yourself and to put truth into practice. God will certainly bless you, so when you are weak and negative, He enlightens you doubly, helping you know yourself more, be more willing to repent for yourself, and be more able to practice the things that you should practice. Only in this way can your heart be peaceful and at ease. A person who ordinarily pays attention to knowing God, who pays attention to knowing himself, who pays attention to his own practice, will be able to frequently receive God’s work, as well as His guidance and enlightenment. Even though such a person may be in a negative state, he is able to turn things around immediately, whether due to the action of conscience or the enlightenment from God’s word.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In your daily life, you must understand which words you say and which things you do might cause abnormality in your relationship with God, and then rectify yourself to enter into the correct manner. At all times, examine your words, your actions, your each and every move, and all your thoughts and ideas. Gain a proper understanding of your real state and enter into the manner of the Holy Spirit’s work. This is the only way to have a normal relationship with God. By assessing whether your relationship with God is normal, you will be able to correct your intentions, understand the nature essence of man, and truly understand yourself, and, in doing so, you will be able to enter into real experiences, forsake yourself in a real way, and submit with intention. As you experience these matters concerning whether or not your relationship with God is normal, you will find opportunities to be perfected by God and become able to grasp many states of the Holy Spirit’s work. You will also be able to see through many of Satan’s tricks and penetrate its conspiracies. Only this path leads to being perfected by God. You put right your relationship with God, that you may submit to His arrangements in their entirety, and that you may enter even more deeply into real experience and receive even more of the Holy Spirit’s work.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the phrase “of the parable.”

14. The Principles of Accepting God’s Scrutiny

(1) In your prayers to God, accept His scrutiny. Do not speak falsely or attempt to deceive Him; only say what is in your heart, seek the truth, and seek to grasp His will;

(2) When fulfilling your duty, it is necessary to accept God’s scrutiny. Be accountable to God for your duty’s performance, rectify your intents, and put an end to slipshod, perfunctory work and trickery;

(3) Accept God’s scrutiny in all personal affairs. Correct any of them that violate the truth principle, and repent to God;

(4) Whether in front of others or out of their sight, be able to bring all you do before God and subject it to His examination. Tell Him in prayer of matters that are obscure to you, and seek the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

I am righteous, I am trustworthy, and I am the God who examines the innermost heart of man! I will reveal at once who is true and who is false. Do not be alarmed; all things work according to My time. Who wants Me sincerely, and who does not—I will tell you, one by one. You just take care to eat up, drink up, and draw up close to Me when you come into My presence, and I will do My work Myself. Do not be too anxious for quick results; My work is not something that can be accomplished all at once. Within it there are My steps and My wisdom, and that is why My wisdom can be revealed. I will let you see what is done by My hands—the punishing of evil and the rewarding of good. I most certainly do not favor anyone. You who sincerely love Me, I will sincerely love you, and as for those who do not sincerely love Me, My wrath will ever be with them, so that they may remember through eternity that I am the true God, the God who examines the innermost heart of man. Do not act one way to others’ faces but another way behind their backs; I see clearly everything you do, and though you may fool others, you cannot fool Me. I see it all clearly. It is not possible for you to conceal anything; all lies within My hands. Do not think yourself so very clever for making your petty little calculations come out to your advantage. I tell you: However many plans man may hatch, be they thousands or tens of thousands, in the end they cannot escape from the palm of My hand. All things and all objects are controlled by My hands, never mind a single person! Do not try to evade Me or hide, do not try to wheedle or conceal. Can it be that you still do not see that My glorious countenance, My wrath and My judgment, have been publicly revealed? Whosoever does not want Me sincerely, I will judge them immediately and without mercy. My pity has come to its end; there is no more left. Do not be hypocrites any longer, and put a stop to your wild and reckless ways.

Excerpted from “Chapter 44” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To be a believer in God means that all you do must be brought before Him and made subject to His scrutiny. If what you do can be brought before God’s Spirit but not before God’s flesh, this shows that you have not come under scrutiny by His Spirit. Who is the Spirit of God? Who is the person to whom God bears witness? Are They not one and the same? Most see Them as two separate beings, believing God’s Spirit is God’s Spirit, and the person to whom God bears witness is merely a human. But are you not mistaken? On whose behalf does this person work? Those who do not know God incarnate do not have spiritual understanding. God’s Spirit and His incarnate flesh are one, because God’s Spirit is materialized in the flesh. If this person is unkind to you, will God’s Spirit be kind? Are you not confused? Today, all who cannot accept God’s scrutiny cannot receive His approval, and those who do not know God incarnate cannot be perfected. Look at all that you do, and see if it can be brought before God. If you cannot bring all that you do before God, this shows that you are an evildoer. Can evildoers be perfected? All that you do, every action, every intention, and every reaction should be brought before God. Even your daily spiritual life—your prayers, your closeness to God, how you eat and drink of God’s words, your fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and your life within the church—and your service in partnership can be brought before God for His scrutiny. It is such practice that will help you achieve growth in life. The process of accepting God’s scrutiny is the process of purification. The more you can accept God’s scrutiny, the more you are purified and the more you are in accord with God’s will, so that you will not be drawn into debauchery, and your heart will live in His presence. The more you accept His scrutiny, the greater are Satan’s humiliation and your ability to forsake the flesh. So, the acceptance of God’s scrutiny is a path of practice people should follow. No matter what you do, even when communing with your brothers and sisters, you can bring your acts before God and seek His scrutiny and aim to obey God Himself; this will make what you practice much more correct. Only if you bring all you do before God and accept God’s scrutiny can you be someone who lives in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you wish to be after God’s own heart, then you must have a heart that obeys His work, you must strive to pursue the truth, and you must accept God’s scrutiny in all things. Has all that you do passed under God’s scrutiny? Is your intent correct? If your intent is correct, then God will commend you; if your intent is wrong, this shows that what your heart loves is not God, but the flesh and Satan. Therefore, you must use prayer as a way to accept God’s scrutiny in all things. When you pray, although I am not standing in front of you in person, the Holy Spirit is with you, and it is both Myself and the Spirit of God to whom you are praying. Why do you believe in this flesh? You believe because He has the Spirit of God. Would you believe in this person if He were without the Spirit of God? When you believe in this person, you believe in the Spirit of God. When you fear this person, you fear the Spirit of God. Faith in God’s Spirit is faith in this person, and faith in this person is also faith in the Spirit of God. When you pray, you feel the Spirit of God is with you and that God is before you, and therefore you pray to His Spirit. Today, most people are too afraid to bring their actions before God; while you may deceive His flesh, you cannot deceive His Spirit. Any matter that cannot withstand God’s scrutiny is at odds with the truth, and should be cast aside; to do otherwise is to commit a sin against God. So, you must lay your heart before God at all times, when you pray, when you speak and fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and when you perform your duty and go about your business. When you fulfill your function, God is with you, and so long as your intent is correct and is for the work of God’s house, He will accept all that you do; you should sincerely devote yourself to fulfilling your function. When you pray, if you have love for God in your heart and seek God’s care, protection and scrutiny, if these things are your intent, your prayers will be effective. For example, when you pray at meetings, if you open your heart and pray to God and tell Him what is in your heart without speaking falsehoods, then your prayers will surely be effective.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Having a normal relationship with God means being able not to doubt and not to deny any of His work and being able to submit to His work. It means having correct intentions in God’s presence, not making plans for yourself, and considering the interests of God’s family first in all things; it means accepting God’s scrutiny and obeying God’s arrangements. You must be able to quiet your heart in God’s presence in all that you do. Even if you do not understand God’s will, you must still fulfill your duties and responsibilities to the best of your ability. Once God’s will has been revealed to you, act on it, and it will not be too late. When your relationship with God has become normal, then you will also have normal relationships with people. Everything is built on the foundation of God’s words. Eat and drink the words of God, then put God’s requirements into practice, correct your views, and avoid doing anything to resist God or disturb the church. Do nothing that does not benefit the lives of your brothers and sisters, say nothing that is unhelpful to others, and do nothing shameful. Be just and honorable in everything you do and ensure that your every action is presentable before God. Although the flesh may sometimes be weak, you must be able to put the interests of God’s family first, without greed for personal profit, and you must be able to act righteously. If you can practice in this way, then your relationship with God will be normal.

In everything you do, you must examine whether your intentions are correct. If you are able to act according to the requirements of God, then your relationship with God is normal. This is the minimum standard. Look into your intentions, and if you find that incorrect intentions have arisen, be able to turn your back on them and act according to the words of God; thus will you become someone who is right before God, which in turn demonstrates that your relationship with God is normal, and that all that you do is for God’s sake, not your own. In all you do and all you say, be able to set your heart right and be righteous in your actions, and do not be led by your emotions, nor act according to your own will. These are principles by which believers in God must conduct themselves.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When anyone monitors or observes you, or asks you in-depth questions, trying to have a heart-to-heart with you and find out what your state has been like during this time, and even sometimes when their attitude is a little harsher, and they deal with and prune you a little, and discipline you, and reproach you, this is all because they have a conscientious and responsible attitude toward the work of the house of God. You should not have negative thoughts or feelings toward this. That you can accept people’s oversight, observation, and questioning means that, in your heart, you accept the scrutiny of God. If you do not accept people’s oversight, observation, and questioning of you—if you push back against all this—are you able to accept the scrutiny of God? The scrutiny of God is eminently more detailed, in-depth, and severe; what God asks is eminently more specific, exacting, and in-depth than this. So if you cannot accept this from people, are your claims that you can accept it from God not empty words? Thus, for someone to be able to accept God’s scrutiny and examination, they must first be able to accept monitoring by the house of God, the leaders and workers, and the brothers and sisters.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (7)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Regardless of whether or not people understand the truth, they must not, under any circumstances, do bad things, act upon ambition, or expect to get away with anything, for God watches over the whole of the earth. What does the “whole of the earth” include? It includes both the material and immaterial. Do not use your mind to measure God, to measure His authority and omnipotence. Do nothing that is ignorant or wicked; sooner or later, wicked deeds will be met with retribution, until a day comes when God exposes you and you will have to accept the consequences. And so, there are certain matters where you are better off holding yourself up to God’s words, and trying to find out and reflect on these problems by yourself, before God exposes you. First try and solve them for yourself—do not wait for God to expose you. And when He does, do you not become passive? Do you still have worth? Is there any change in your worth, in how you are seen in God’s eyes, from when God begins to scrutinize you to when He exposes you? How great a change? During the period that God scrutinizes you, God gives you chances, He puts great hope in you, right up until the day He exposes you—at which point His hopes for you and the chances He gives you are greatly different. What will this difference bring you? In less serious circumstances, you could become one of those who, in God’s heart, are despised and on the verge of being laid aside. What does “being laid aside” mean? It means being kept back and observed. And what about in serious circumstances? In His heart, God says, “This person is a scourge, they are not even fit to do service. I will never save this person!” Once this becomes God’s intention, you are entirely done for. There is no use bowing and scraping then—God has already given you enough opportunities, even so you have failed to repent at every step. You have gone too far. And so, regardless of what issues exist within you or what sort of corruption you reveal, you must reflect upon and know yourself when reading God’s words or listening to sermons, or have brothers and sisters give you feedback. You must accept God’s scrutiny, and come before God to ask for His enlightenment and illumination. Regardless of how you do it, it is best when you identify your issues in advance and are able to reflect and repent without delay. Whatever you do, do not just wait to be exposed by God, for then regrets will come too late!

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

15. The Principles of Making Oaths to God

(1) It is necessary to understand that God’s scrutiny of man extends even into his innermost heart. All is subject to His scrutiny. The only oaths and vows to God with significance are those made with the intent of satisfying Him;

(2) In making oaths and vows to God, a heart that fears Him and submits to Him is indispensable; with such a heart, one is motivated to incline themselves toward justice and stand firm in their testimony;

(3) Oaths and vows to God are made in service of life entry. One can never exploit God by making false oaths to achieve their own ends;

(4) Having made an oath or vow to God, it is necessary to uphold it and strive to honor it. Not to do so is a dereliction of responsibility; it is a lie designed to exploit and deceive God.

Relevant Words of God:

Since you have already made resolutions to serve Me, I will not let you go. I am a jealous God, and I am a God who is jealous of humanity. Since you have already placed your words upon the altar, I will not tolerate your running off before My very eyes, nor will I tolerate your serving two masters. Did you think that you could have a second love after having placed your words upon My altar and before My eyes? How could I allow people to make a fool of Me in such a way? Did you think that you could casually make vows and oaths to Me with your tongue? How could you swear oaths by My throne, the throne of I who am Most High? Did you think that your oaths had already passed away? Let Me tell you: Even though your flesh might pass away, your oaths cannot. In the end, I will condemn you based upon your oaths. However, you believe that you can deal with Me by placing your words before Me, and that your hearts can serve unclean spirits and evil spirits. How could My wrath tolerate those dog-like, pig-like people who cheat Me? I must carry out My administrative decrees, and wrest back from the hands of unclean spirits all of those stuffy, “pious” ones who have faith in Me so that they might “wait on” Me in a disciplined fashion, be My oxen, be My horses, and be at the mercy of My slaughtering. I will have you pick up your previous determination and serve Me once again. I will not tolerate any creation that cheats Me. Did you think that you could just wantonly make requests and lie in front of Me? Did you think that I had not heard or seen your words and deeds? How could your words and deeds not have been in My view? How could I ever allow people to deceive Me like that?

Excerpted from “You Are All So Base in Character!” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Who among you has made resolutions in front of Me and not discarded them afterward? Who has made long-term resolutions before Me instead of frequently setting their minds on things? Always, humans make resolutions before Me in times of ease, and then write them all off in times of adversity; then, later, they pick their resolve back up and set it before Me. Am I so disrespectable that I would casually accept this junk that humanity has picked up from the garbage heap? Few humans hold fast to their resolutions, few are chaste, and few offer things that are most precious to them in sacrifice to Me. Are all of you not the same? If you are unable to keep to your duties as members of My people in the kingdom, then you will be detested and rejected by Me!

Excerpted from “Chapter 14” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is nothing God despises more than the prayers of religious ceremony. Prayers to God are only accepted when they are sincere. If you have nothing sincere to say, then keep quiet; do not always speak false words and blindly make oaths before God, trying to deceive Him, talking about how much you love Him, about how much you wish to be loyal to Him. If you are incapable of achieving your desires, if you lack this resolve and stature, do not, under any circumstances, pray thus before God. That is ridicule. Ridicule means making fun of someone, trifling with them. When people pray before God with this kind of disposition, then at the very least, this is deception. At worst, if you do this often, then you are of utterly contemptible character. If God were to condemn you, it would be called blasphemy! People have no reverence toward God, they do not know how to revere God, or how to love and satisfy Him. If the truth is not clear to them, or their disposition is corrupt, God will let it slide. But they bring such character before God, and treat God as the unbelievers treat other people. Moreover, they solemnly kneel before Him in prayer, using these words to try and wheedle God, and when they are finished, they not only feel no self-reproach, but also have no sense of the seriousness of their actions. That being the case, is God with them? Can someone who is utterly without the presence of God be enlightened and illuminated? Can they be enlightened with the truth? (No, they can’t.) Then they are in trouble.

Excerpted from “Only When You Know Yourself Can You Pursue the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You must lay your heart before God at all times, when you pray, when you speak and fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and when you perform your duty and go about your business. When you fulfill your function, God is with you, and so long as your intent is correct and is for the work of God’s house, He will accept all that you do; you should sincerely devote yourself to fulfilling your function. When you pray, if you have love for God in your heart and seek God’s care, protection and scrutiny, if these things are your intent, your prayers will be effective. For example, when you pray at meetings, if you open your heart and pray to God and tell Him what is in your heart without speaking falsehoods, then your prayers will surely be effective. If you earnestly love God in your heart, then make an oath to God: “God, who is in the heavens and on earth and among all things, I swear to You: May Your Spirit examine all that I do and protect and care for me at all times, and make it possible for all that I do to stand in Your presence. Should my heart ever cease to love You or should it ever betray You, then chastise and curse me severely. Do not pardon me in either this world or the next!” Do you dare make such an oath? If you do not, this shows you are timid, and that you still love yourself. Do you have this resolve? If this is truly your resolve, you should make this oath. If you have the resolve to make such an oath, then God will fulfill your resolve. When you swear an oath to God, He listens. God determines whether you are sinful or righteous by the measure of your prayer and your practice. This now is the process of perfecting you, and if you truly have faith in being perfected, then you will bring all that you do before God and accept His scrutiny; if you do something outrageously rebellious or if you betray God, then He will bring your oath to fruition, and thus no matter what happens to you, be it perdition or chastisement, this is your own doing. You made the oath, so you should abide by it. If you make an oath, but do not abide by it, you will suffer perdition. Since yours was the oath, God will bring your oath to fruition. Some are afraid after they pray, and lament, “All is over! My chance of debauchery is gone; my chance to do wicked things is gone; my chance to indulge my worldly cravings is gone!” These people still love worldliness and sin, and they are certain to suffer perdition.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Say someone writes an oath promising to take good care of the offerings made to God: What would someone with sense and humanity write? With what sort of tone and wording should they write, in order to stand in their proper station and express their attitude? This no simple matter—people of discernment can tell. Look at people who are abnormal: Satan, antichrists, go-getters—they have a certain tone in their speech. The first thing John Doe says, for example, is, “If I, John Doe, were to covet one penny of the offerings made to God, may I be cursed to a terrible death—hit by a car when I step out the door….” What kind of tone is this? It begins with the word “I.” It is most immoderate; the impetus behind their tone and their style is evident in the text. Is this not an immoderate oath? What is an oath like this? This is what is known as being false, as being a hypocrite. Such an arrogant oath—what is there to be arrogant about? You are making an oath to God; a normal person would be restrained, standing in their proper station and speaking their inmost words to God. They would not be pompous and haughty. What is the disposition of people who are so arrogant even when they make an oath? And is their oath true or false? That is hard to say. What they mean is, “Do you not believe me? Are you afraid I’m trying to take advantage of the house of God, afraid that I’ll steal the offerings made to God? You use me but don’t trust me, and even make me swear an oath. Well, I’ll swear an oath—watch me!” What attitude is this? This is what it means to be arrogant, to be unscrupulous; they dare to bluster at God and use an oath to disguise their evil intent. Is this revering God? There is not the least piety in this. Such people are Satan and antichrists; antichrists say such things. What disposition is it that blusters so when swearing an oath? Can such people be saved? Have you ever encountered such people? You cannot discern the behaviors, outpourings, or dispositions of such people, can you? Some of you think these people are clearheaded and honest, that they understand spiritual things and are faithful to God. Is this not a lack of discernment? When you find no fault in such vile behavior and disposition as are evident in the literal meaning and in the wording of their oath, does this not mean you understand too little of the truth? It seems all you understand is doctrine. The more detailed and practical something is, the less you can discern it for what it is; the more doctrinal something is, the better you are at expressing it, intoning your fill of empty slogans. Have you ever written such an oath? (Yes.) In essence, there is no difference. Swearing an oath is not like rushing into battle, ready to die a hero’s death; oaths do not require this sort of fighting spirit. Think carefully when you make an oath to God: You must understand why you are writing it, to whom you are swearing and making this guarantee. God wants a certain attitude from people, not a fighting spirit. Your fighting spirit is arrogance and bluster; it is a manifestation of the arrogant, satanic disposition. It is not piety, and is not what ought to be manifested by a created being, much less does it reflect the status of a created being.

Excerpted from “They Exalt and Testify About Themselves” in Exposing Antichrists

16. The Principles of Exalting God as Great

(1) When undergoing judgment and chastisement, come to know God’s righteous disposition, and to fear Him and shun evil. In doing so, you will naturally exalt God as great in your heart;

(2) Submit to and worship God alone; do not worship or follow any human. Base all your conduct in life on God’s word the truth, and do not follow worldly trends;

(3) It is necessary to orient oneself toward justice and adhere to the truth principle, to exalt and testify to God, and to endeavor to safeguard His work without making any concessions to the evil forces of Satan;

(4) It is necessary to let God’s word the truth reign in one’s heart, and to affirm that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. Only thus can one exalt and testify to God.

Relevant Words of God:

God is the One who rules over all things and administers all things. He created all that there is, He administers all that there is, He rules over all that there is, and He provides for all that there is. This is the status of God, and it is His identity. For all things and all that there is, God’s true identity is the Creator and the Ruler of all of creation. Such is the identity possessed by God, and He is unique among all things. None of God’s creatures—whether they be among mankind or in the spiritual world—can use any means or excuse to impersonate or replace God’s identity and status, for there is only One, among all things, who is possessed of this identity, power, authority, and ability to rule over creation: our unique God Himself. He lives and moves among all things; He can rise to the highest place, above all things. He can humble Himself by becoming human, becoming one among those of flesh and blood, coming face-to-face with people and sharing weal and woe with them, while at the same time, He commands all that there is, deciding the fate of all that there is and in what direction it all moves. Moreover, He guides the fate of all mankind, and steers the direction of mankind. A God such as this should be worshiped, obeyed, and known by all living beings. Thus, regardless of which group or type among mankind you belong to, believing in God, following God, revering God, accepting His rule, and accepting His arrangements for your fate is the only choice—the necessary choice—for any person and for any living being. In God’s uniqueness, people see that His authority, His righteous disposition, His essence, and the means by which He provides to all things are all completely unique; this uniqueness determines the true identity of God Himself, and it also determines His status. Therefore, among all creatures, if any living being in the spiritual world or among mankind wished to stand in God’s stead, success would be impossible, as would be that of any attempt to impersonate God. This is fact. What are the requirements of mankind of a Creator and Ruler such as this, who is possessed of the identity, the power, and the status of God Himself? This should be clear to everyone, and should be remembered by everyone; this is very important to both God and man!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique X” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God created all things, and so He makes all creation come under His dominion and submit to His dominion; He will command all things, so that all things are in His hands. All of God’s creation, including animals, plants, mankind, the mountains and rivers, and the lakes—all must come under His dominion. All things in the skies and on the ground must come under His dominion. They cannot have any choice and must all submit to His orchestrations. This was decreed by God, and it is the authority of God. God commands everything, and orders and ranks all things, with each classed according to kind, and allotted their own position, according to God’s will. No matter how great it is, no thing can surpass God, all things serve the mankind created by God, and no thing dares to disobey God or make any demands of God. Therefore man, as a creature of God, must also perform the duty of man. Regardless of whether he is the lord or caretaker of all things, no matter how high man’s status among all things, still he is but a small human being under the dominion of God, and is no more than an insignificant human being, a creature of God, and he will never be above God.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

1. Man should not magnify himself, nor exalt himself. He should worship and exalt God.

…………

8. People who believe in God should obey God and worship Him. Do not exalt or look up to any person; do not put God first, the people you look up to second, and yourself third. No person should hold a place in your heart, and you should not consider people—particularly those you venerate—to be on a par with God or to be His equal. This is intolerable to God.

Excerpted from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The group of people whom God incarnate wants to gain today are those who conform to His will. They need only submit to His work, and stop constantly concerning themselves with the ideas of God in heaven, living in vagueness, and making things difficult for God in the flesh. Those who are able to obey Him are those who absolutely listen to His words and submit to His arrangements. Such people pay no mind at all to what God in heaven might really be like or what kind of work God in heaven might currently be doing among mankind; they fully give their hearts to God on earth and they place their entire beings before Him. They never give any consideration to their own safety, nor do they ever make a fuss over the normality and practicality of God in the flesh. Those who submit to God in the flesh can be perfected by Him. Those who believe in God in heaven will gain nothing. This is because it is not God in heaven, but God on earth, who bestows promises and blessings upon people. People should not always magnify God in heaven while seeing God on earth as a mere average person; this is unfair. God in heaven is great and wonderful with marvelous wisdom, yet this does not exist at all; God on earth is very average and insignificant, and is also very normal. He does not have an extraordinary mind or perform earth-shattering acts; He simply works and speaks in a very normal and practical manner. While He does not speak through thunder or summon the wind and the rain, He truly is the incarnation of God in heaven, and He really is the God living amongst humans. People must not magnify the one whom they are able to understand and who corresponds to their own imaginations as God, while seeing the one they cannot accept and absolutely cannot imagine as being lowly. All of this comes from people’s rebelliousness; it is all the source of mankind’s resistance to God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“But I say to you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day” (Mat 12:6–8). What does the word “temple” refer to here? To put it simply, it refers to a magnificent, tall building, and in the Age of Law, the temple was a place for priests to worship God. When the Lord Jesus said “in this place is one greater than the temple,” who did “one” refer to? Clearly, the “one” is the Lord Jesus in the flesh, because only He was greater than the temple. What did those words tell people? They told people to come out of the temple—God had already left the temple and was no longer working in it, so people should seek God’s footsteps outside of the temple and follow His steps in His new work. When the Lord Jesus said this, there was a premise behind His words, which was that under the law, people had come to see the temple as something greater than God Himself. That is, people worshiped the temple rather than worshiping God, so the Lord Jesus warned them not to worship idols, but to instead worship God, for He is supreme. Thus, He said: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” It is evident that in the eyes of the Lord Jesus, most people living under the law no longer worshiped Jehovah, but were merely going through the motions of sacrificing, and the Lord Jesus determined that this constituted idol worship. These idol-worshipers saw the temple as something greater and higher than God. In their hearts there was only the temple, not God, and if they were to lose the temple, then they would lose their dwelling place. Without the temple they had nowhere to worship and could not carry out their sacrifices. Their so-called “dwelling place” is where they used the false pretense of worshiping Jehovah God in order to stay in the temple and carry out their own affairs. Their so-called “sacrificing” was just them carrying out their own personal shameful dealings under the guise of conducting their service in the temple. This was the reason people at that time saw the temple as greater than God. The Lord Jesus spoke these words as a warning to people, because they were using the temple as a front, and sacrifices as a cover for cheating people and cheating God. If you apply these words to the present, they are still equally valid and equally pertinent. Although people today have experienced different work of God than the people in the Age of Law experienced, their nature essence is the same. In the context of the work today, people will still do the same type of things as are represented by the words, “the temple is greater than God.” For example, people see fulfilling their duty as their job; they see bearing witness to God and battling the great red dragon as political movements in defense of human rights, for democracy and freedom; they turn their duty to utilize their skills into careers, but they treat fearing God and shunning evil as nothing but a piece of religious doctrine to observe; and so on. Are not these behaviors essentially the same as “the temple is greater than God”? The difference is that, two thousand years ago, people were carrying out their personal business in the physical temple, but today, people carry out their personal business in intangible temples. Those people that value rules see rules as greater than God, those people that love status see status as greater than God, those that love their career see careers as greater than God, and so on—all their expressions lead Me to say: “People praise God as the greatest through their words, but in their eyes everything is greater than God.” This is because as soon as people find an opportunity along their path of following God to display their own talents, or to carry out their own business or their own career, they distance themselves from God and throw themselves into their beloved career. As for what God has entrusted to them, and His will, those things have long since been discarded. What is the difference between the state of these people and those who conducted their own business in the temple two thousand years ago?

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who genuinely believe in God always have Him in their hearts, and they always carry within them a God-revering heart, a God-loving heart. Those who believe in God should do things cautiously and prudently, and all that they do should be in accordance with God’s requirements and able to satisfy His heart. They should not be headstrong, doing whatever they please; that does not befit saintly propriety. People must not run amok, waving the flag of God all over the place while swaggering and swindling everywhere; this is the most rebellious sort of conduct. Families have their rules, and nations have their laws—and isn’t it even more so in the house of God? Aren’t the standards even stricter? Aren’t there even more administrative decrees? People are free to do what they want, but the administrative decrees of God cannot be altered at will. God is a God who does not tolerate offense from humans; He is a God who puts people to death. Do people really not know this already?

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The precondition for being able to shun evil is having a heart that fears God. What produces a heart that fears God? It is the magnification of God. What does it mean to magnify God? It means being able to measure all things by God’s words, using God’s words as the standard, as the criterion. Simply speaking, it means that in your heart, you have God, that in your heart, you think of God. It means that whatever you’re doing, you don’t forget yourself, you don’t go your own way, you don’t put yourself first; instead, you let God be your Master—thinking, in all things, “I am a believer in God, I am a follower of God, I am a tiny, insignificant creature selected by God. I make no convictions, I make no decisions, I leave them up to God, God is my mainstay, and the guiding light in all I do; I must act based on God’s words and according to His will.” This is what it means to have God in your heart. In all you do, do not be impulsive or reckless. First think about what God’s words say, whether acting in such a way is loathsome to God, whether it is in accordance with God’s will. In your heart, first ask questions, think it over, try to figure it out. Don’t be rash. Being rash emanates from your natural state, from your hot-bloodedness, from human will. Always being rash proves that God is absent from your heart. In which case, are your claims to magnify God but empty words? Where is your reality? You have no reality. You are incapable of magnifying God; in every respect, you try to take control, and act according to your own will. Are your claims that you have a heart that fears God not nonsense? You are lying. What, specifically, is exhibited in those who have a heart that fears God? The magnification of God. The magnification of God is specifically exhibited by the presence of God in your heart. The presence of God in your heart is specifically exhibited by how, when something happens to you, you are calm and considered, you are not rash, you do not rely on your hot-bloodedness, you ponder God’s will, and you search for the truth principles. When you act, whether it is based upon the words of God or according to your own will, whether your own will or the words of God come first—this all depends on whether God is in your heart. You claim that God is in your heart, but when something happens to you, you are rash, you try to call the shots, you put God to one side. You say you have great fear of God, and that when something happens to you, you always pray. But when you’re done praying, you think it over, and say to yourself, “I think this or that is the right way.” All of this is your personal will, and it makes no difference who fellowships with you. Then do you not lack any indication of a heart that fears God? If nothing about you indicates a heart that fears God, then when you claim to magnify God, and that God is in your heart, these are but empty words, they are not what you practice. Do those who do not have God in their heart, and who are incapable of magnifying God, possess the sense of normal humanity? (No.) The first thing those who possess the sense of normal humanity think is, “I am a believer in God, I am someone who strives for God’s salvation, but I have corrupt dispositions. I put myself first in all matters, it is my corrupt disposition that always reigns supreme, I am always wayward and capricious, and everything I want to do is at odds with the truth, so how can I act in a way that is not based on my corrupt disposition? What do the words of God say? What are the truth principles?” These are the thoughts and indications produced by the sense of normal humanity; these are one of the principles and attitudes by which to act. This is the attitude you have when you possess the sense of normal humanity. When you do not possess the sense of normal humanity, you do not have such an attitude. And so, the sense of humanity is crucial.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

With people who can know that God is the truth, who can accept Him as their Lord, and who see that He is the Ruler of all things, how do such people express themselves? What do they put into practice, what states do they have, and what do they live out? (They search for the truth in all things.) That is one aspect. (They submit to all of the environments, people, matters, and things set out by God, learn from them, and gain the truth.) (They dare not do anything that opposes or offends God.) These, too, are ways they express themselves. The main thing is that when something happens to them, whether they understand the truth or not, they first and foremost have reverence for God; they do not act rashly, nor do they offend Him. Others can see that they do not speak rashly, that their actions are calm and considered rather than impetuous or dissolute, that they are profoundly at peace, that they are patient, that they converse with God in their hearts, and that they seek, submit, and revere God. People who live out these things connect and link up with God’s words no matter what happens to them, and their relationship with Him becomes normal. Some people—those who do not have God in their hearts—are incapable of living out these realities, so their dispositions are sure to be arrogant, dissolute and unrestrained. They spend all day laughing and joking, they put no effort into performing their duties, they say whatever comes into their heads, they are reckless and impetuous in everything they do, they lack any sense of calm, and everything they say and do is wantonly baring their fangs and brandishing their claws. You can tell at first glance that they are like unbelievers. Are these the things that should be expressed and revealed in someone who lives before God? What is the state of people who manifest such things? Is God in their hearts? It is absolutely certain that He is not. Such people are condemned and loathed by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Believing in God requires you to put your intentions and views in proper order; you must have a correct understanding of, and a correct way of treating, the words of God and God’s work, all the environments that God arranges, the man for whom God testifies, and the practical God. You must not practice according to your own ideas or devise your own petty schemes. Whatever you do, you must be able to seek the truth and, in your position as a created being, submit to all of God’s work. If you wish to pursue being perfected by God and enter upon the right track of life, then your heart must always live in God’s presence. Do not be dissolute, do not follow Satan, do not allow Satan any opportunities to carry out its work, and do not let Satan make use of you. You must give yourself to God completely and let God rule over you.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Once a person begins to recognize that he or she is an object of creation, that person will develop hopes of becoming a genuine creature of creation in order to satisfy God. At the same time, such people will also accept God as their Lord and desire to obey all of God’s requirements, as well as His rule. They therefore will stop acting wantonly, and will seek for God’s intentions and seek the principles of truth in everything they do. They will no longer simply do whatever they want to or do things according to their own plans. Rather than relying on their individual ideas, they will begin to have God constantly in their thoughts, and their subjective wish will be to satisfy God in all aspects, conform to the truth and meet God’s requirements in their actions. People in such a state have undoubtedly begun learning to seek the truth, practice the truth, and enter truth reality. If you are in such a state and can begin to learn how to do these things, then it goes without saying that you will very naturally start to learn how to seek God’s will, and begin to seek how not to dishonor God’s name, how to magnify God, how to fear God, and how to satisfy God, rather than satisfying yourself or satisfying someone else, let alone trying to satisfy your own selfish desires. When people enter this sort of state, and have begun to have such a state, their corrupt disposition and corrupt nature will no longer guide the way they think, and will no longer control or influence their thoughts and ideas. Their corrupt disposition and corrupt nature will not be able to control them anymore. Once you are in this state, your subjective desires will be for positive things, and you will be able to grasp how to act in order to prevent your corruption from being revealed, and how to keep from acting in an arbitrary fashion and doing selfish and despicable things. In this way, even though you will still possess a corrupt disposition, it will no longer be able to dominate everything about you and will not be able to control you anymore. Will you not then be living with the truth holding sway within you?

Excerpted from “The Five States Necessary to Be on the Right Track in One’s Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Although Job had never seen God or heard the words of God with his own ears, God had a place in Job’s heart. What was Job’s attitude toward God? It was, as previously referred to, “blessed be the name of Jehovah.” His blessing of God’s name was unconditional, irrespective of context, and bound to no reason. We see that Job had given his heart to God, allowing it to be controlled by God; all that he thought, all that he decided, and all that he planned in his heart was laid open to God and not closed off from God. His heart did not stand in opposition to God, and he had never asked God to do anything for him or give him anything, and he did not harbor extravagant desires that he would gain anything from his worship of God. Job did not talk of trades with God, and made no requests or demands of God. His praising of God’s name was because of the great power and authority of God in ruling all things, and it was not dependent on whether he gained blessings or was struck by disaster. He believed that regardless of whether God blesses people or brings disaster upon them, God’s power and authority will not change, and thus, regardless of a person’s circumstances, God’s name should be praised. That man is blessed by God is because of God’s sovereignty, and when disaster befalls man, so, too, it is because of God’s sovereignty. God’s power and authority rule over and arrange everything about man; the vagaries of man’s fortune are the manifestation of God’s power and authority, and regardless of one’s viewpoint, God’s name should be praised. This is what Job experienced and came to know during the years of his life. All of Job’s thoughts and actions reached the ears of God and arrived before God, and were seen as important by God. God cherished this knowledge of Job, and treasured Job for having such a heart. This heart awaited God’s command always, and in all places, and no matter what the time or place it welcomed whatever befell him. Job made no demands of God. What he demanded of himself was to wait for, accept, face, and obey all of the arrangements that came from God; Job believed this to be his duty, and it was precisely what was wanted by God. Job had never seen God, nor heard Him speak any words, issue any commands, give any teachings, or instruct him of anything. In the words of today, for him to be able to possess such a knowledge and attitude toward God when God had given him no enlightenment, guidance, or provision with regard to the truth—this was precious, and for him to demonstrate such things was enough for God, and his testimony was commended and cherished by God. Job had never seen God or heard God personally utter any teachings to him, but to God his heart and he himself were far more precious than those people who, before God, were only able to talk in terms of deep theory, who were only able to boast, and speak of offering sacrifices, but who had never had a true knowledge of God, and had never truly feared God. For Job’s heart was pure, and not hidden from God, and his humanity was honest and kind-hearted, and he loved justice and that which was positive. Only a man like this who was possessed of such a heart and humanity was able to follow the way of God, and capable of fearing God and shunning evil. Such a man could see God’s sovereignty, could see His authority and power, and was able to achieve obedience to His sovereignty and arrangements. Only a man such as this could truly praise God’s name. That is because he did not look at whether God would bless him or bring disaster upon him, because he knew that everything is controlled by the hand of God, and that for man to worry is a sign of foolishness, ignorance, and irrationality, of doubt toward the fact of God’s sovereignty over all things, and of not fearing God. Job’s knowledge was precisely what God wanted.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Although the skills and abilities of Satan are greater than those of man, although it can do things that are unattainable by man, regardless of whether you envy or aspire to what Satan does, regardless of whether you hate or are disgusted by these things, regardless of whether or not you are capable of seeing them, and regardless of how much Satan can achieve, or how many people it can deceive into worshiping and enshrining it, and regardless of how you define it, you cannot possibly say that it has the authority and power of God. You should know that God is God, there is only one God, and moreover, you should know that only God has authority, that only God has the power to control and rule all things. Just because Satan has the ability to deceive people and can impersonate God, imitate the signs and miracles made by God, and has done similar things as God, you mistakenly believe that God is not unique, that there are many Gods, that these different Gods merely have greater or lesser skills, and that there are differences in the breadth of the power that they wield. You rank their greatness in the order of their arrival and according to their age, and you wrongly believe that there are other deities apart from God, and think that the power and authority of God are not unique. If you have such ideas, if you do not recognize the uniqueness of God, do not believe that only God is possessed of authority, and if you only abide by polytheism, then I say that you are the scum of the creatures, you are the true embodiment of Satan, and you are an absolute person of evil! Do you understand what I am trying to teach you by saying these words? No matter what the time, place, or your background, you must not confuse God with any other person, thing, or object. Regardless of how unknowable and unapproachable you feel the authority of God and essence of God Himself is, regardless of how much the deeds and words of Satan agree with your notion and imagination, regardless of how satisfying they are to you, do not be foolish, do not confuse these concepts, do not deny the existence of God, do not deny the identity and status of God, do not push God out the door and bring in Satan to replace the God within your heart and be your God. I have no doubt that you are capable of imagining the consequences of doing so!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

17. The Principles of Fearing God and Shunning Evil

(1) Accept God’s scrutiny at all times. In all things, reflect on yourself in light of His words, understand your every word and action, and pray to God often, laying bare your heart;

(2) It is necessary to base your treatment of all people, events, and things on God’s words. Do not let notions or imagination guide your actions; be able to seek the truth in all matters, and get to where you can act according to the principles;

(3) One should submit to God regardless of how He judges, tries, and refines them, and whether or not they understand it. Should notions arise, they should hasten to seek the truth;

(4) It is necessary to understand God’s administrative decrees and commandments, and to genuinely come to know His disposition and to give rise to reverence for Him. Only thus can one avoid offending Him.

Relevant Words of God:

A genuine created being must know who the Creator is, what man’s creation is for, how to carry out the responsibilities of a created being, and how to worship the Lord of all creation, must understand, grasp, know, and care for the Creator’s intentions, wishes, and demands, and must act in accordance with the way of the Creator—fear God and shun evil.

What is to fear God? And how can one shun evil?

“To fear God” does not mean nameless fright and horror, nor to evade, nor to put at a distance, nor is it idolization or superstition. Rather, it is admiration, esteem, trust, understanding, caring, obedience, consecration, love, as well as unconditional and uncomplaining worship, requital, and submission. Without genuine knowledge of God, humanity will not have genuine admiration, genuine trust, genuine understanding, genuine caring or obedience, but only dread and unease, only doubt, misunderstanding, evasion, and avoidance; without genuine knowledge of God, humanity will not have genuine consecration and requital; without genuine knowledge of God, humanity will not have genuine worship and submission, only blind idolization and superstition; without genuine knowledge of God, humanity cannot possibly act in accordance with the way of God, or fear God, or shun evil. Conversely, every activity and behavior in which man engages will be filled with rebellion and defiance, with slanderous imputations and maligning judgments about Him, and with evil conduct running contrary to the truth and to the true meaning of God’s words.

Once humanity has genuine trust in God, they will be genuine in following Him and depending on Him; only with real trust in and dependence on God can humanity have genuine understanding and comprehension; along with real comprehension of God comes real caring for Him; only with genuine caring for God can humanity have genuine obedience; only with genuine obedience to God can humanity have genuine consecration; only with genuine consecration to God can humanity have requital that is unconditional and without complaint; only with genuine trust and dependence, genuine understanding and caring, genuine obedience, genuine consecration and requital, can humanity truly come to know God’s disposition and essence, and to know the identity of the Creator; only when they have truly come to know the Creator can humanity awaken in themselves genuine worship and submission; only when they have real worship for and submission to the Creator will humanity be able truly to put aside their evil ways, that is to say, to shun evil.

This constitutes the whole process of “fearing God and shunning evil,” and is also the content in its entirety of fearing God and shunning evil. This is the path that must be traversed in order to attain fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Exactly what sort of path is the way of fearing God and shunning evil? It involves seeking to submit to God, and submitting to Him completely and absolutely. It involves being genuinely afraid and fearful of God, without any elements of deception, resistance, or rebellion. It is being completely pure of heart and absolutely loyal and obedient toward God. This loyalty and obedience must be absolute, not relative; it is not dependent upon time or place, or how old one is. This is the way of fearing God and shunning evil. While walking this path of seeking, you will gradually come to know God and experience His deeds; you will feel His care and protection, sense the truth of His existence, and feel His sovereignty. Only then will you finally really feel God’s existence in all things, as well as sense His presence beside you; only then will you have this kind of realization. If you do not seek this sort of way, then you will never gain knowledge of these things.

Excerpted from “Man Is the Greatest Beneficiary of God’s Management Plan” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

First of all, we know that God’s disposition is majesty and wrath; He is not a sheep to be slaughtered by anyone, much less a puppet to be controlled by people however they want. He is also not a bunch of empty air to be bossed around. If you truly believe that God exists, then you should have a God-fearing heart, and you should know that His essence is not one to be angered. This anger may be caused by a word, or perhaps a thought, or perhaps some kind of vile behavior, or perhaps even by mild behavior—behavior that is passable in the eyes and ethics of humans; or, perhaps it is provoked by a doctrine or a theory. However, once you have angered God, your opportunity is lost, and your end days have arrived. This is a terrible thing! If you do not understand that God must not be offended, then maybe you are not afraid of Him, and perhaps you are routinely offending Him. If you do not know how to fear God, then you are unable to fear God, and you will not know how to put yourself on the path of walking in God’s way—fearing God and shunning evil. Once you become aware, and are conscious that God must not be offended, you will know what it is to fear God and shun evil.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Though God’s essence contains an element of love, and He is merciful toward each and every person, people have overlooked and forgotten the fact that His essence is one of dignity as well. That He has love does not mean that people can offend Him freely, without inciting in Him feelings or a reaction, nor does the fact that He has mercy mean that He has no principles in how He treats people. God is alive; He genuinely exists. He is neither an imagined puppet nor any other object. Given that He does exist, we should carefully listen to the voice of His heart at all times, pay close attention to His attitude, and come to understand His feelings. We should not use human imaginings to define God, nor should we impose human thoughts or wishes on Him, making God treat people in a human manner based on human imaginings. If you do this, then you are angering God, tempting His wrath, and challenging His dignity! Thus, once you have come to understand the severity of this matter, I urge each and every one of you to be cautious and prudent in your actions. Be cautious and prudent in your speech, as well—with regard to how you treat God, the more cautious and prudent you are, the better! When you do not understand what God’s attitude is, refrain from speaking carelessly, do not be careless in your actions, and do not apply labels casually. Even more importantly, do not come to any arbitrary conclusions. Instead, you should wait and seek; these actions, too, are an expression of fearing God and shunning evil. Above all else, if you can achieve this, and above all else, if you possess this attitude, then God will not blame you for your stupidity, ignorance, and lack of understanding of the reasons behind things. Rather, owing to your attitude of fear of offending God, respect for His intentions, and willingness to obey Him, God will remember you, guide and enlighten you, or tolerate your immaturity and ignorance. Conversely, should your attitude toward Him be irreverent—judging Him as you wish or arbitrarily guessing at and defining His ideas—God will condemn you, discipline you, and even punish you; or, He might offer comment on you. Perhaps this comment will involve your outcome. Therefore, I wish to emphasize once more: Each of you should be cautious and prudent about everything that comes from God. Do not speak carelessly, and do not be careless in your actions. Before you say anything, you should stop and think: Would this action of mine anger God? In doing it, am I revering God? Even in simple matters, you should try to figure these questions out, and spend more time considering them. If you can truly practice according to these principles in all aspects, in all things, at all times, and adopt such an attitude especially when you do not understand something, then God will always guide you and provide you with a path to follow.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I exhort you to get a better understanding of the content of the administrative decrees, and to make an effort to know the disposition of God. If not, you will find it difficult to keep your lips sealed, your tongues will wag too freely with high-sounding talk, and you will unwittingly offend the disposition of God and fall into the darkness, losing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the light. Because you are unprincipled in your actions, because you do and say that which you should not, you shall receive a fitting retribution. You should know that though you are unprincipled in word and deed, God is highly principled in both. The reason you receive retribution is because you have offended God, not a person. If, in your life, you commit many offenses against the disposition of God, then you are bound to become a child of hell. To man it may appear that you have only committed a few deeds that are at odds with the truth, and nothing more. Are you aware, however, that in the eyes of God you are already someone for whom there is no more sin offering? Because you have violated the administrative decrees of God more than once and have, moreover, shown no sign of repentance, there is no other recourse but for you to plunge into hell, where God punishes man. A small number of people, while following God, committed some deeds that violated principles, but after being dealt with and given guidance, they gradually discovered their own corruption, thereafter entered on the right track of reality, and they remain well-grounded today. Such people are those who shall remain in the end. Nevertheless, it is the honest that I seek; if you are an honest person and someone who acts according to principle, then you can be a confidant of God. If in your actions you do not offend the disposition of God, and seek the will of God, and have a heart of reverence toward God, then your faith is up to the standard. Whoever does not revere God and does not have a heart that trembles in fear is highly likely to violate the administrative decrees of God. Many serve God on the strength of their passion but have no understanding of the administrative decrees of God, still less any inkling of the implications of His words. And so, with their good intentions, they often wind up doing things that disrupt God’s management. In serious cases, they are thrown out, deprived of any further chance of following Him, and are cast into hell, all association with God’s house at an end. These people work in the house of God on the strength of their ignorant good intentions, and end by angering God’s disposition. People bring their ways of serving officials and lords to the house of God and try to put them into play, vainly thinking that they can be applied with effortless ease here. Never do they imagine that God has not the disposition of a lamb, but that of a lion. Therefore, those associating with God for the first time are unable to communicate with Him, for the heart of God is unlike that of man. Only after you understand many truths can you continuously come to know God. This knowledge is not made up of words and doctrines but can be used as a treasure by means of which you enter into close confidence with God, and as proof that He delights in you. If you lack the reality of knowledge and are not equipped with the truth, then your passionate service can only bring upon you the loathing and abhorrence of God.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who genuinely believe in God always have Him in their hearts, and they always carry within them a God-revering heart, a God-loving heart. Those who believe in God should do things cautiously and prudently, and all that they do should be in accordance with God’s requirements and able to satisfy His heart. They should not be headstrong, doing whatever they please; that does not befit saintly propriety. People must not run amok, waving the flag of God all over the place while swaggering and swindling everywhere; this is the most rebellious sort of conduct. Families have their rules, and nations have their laws—and isn’t it even more so in the house of God? Aren’t the standards even stricter? Aren’t there even more administrative decrees? People are free to do what they want, but the administrative decrees of God cannot be altered at will. God is a God who does not tolerate offense from humans; He is a God who puts people to death. Do people really not know this already?

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In every age, while working among humans, God bestows some words upon them and tells them of some truths. These truths serve as the way people should adhere to, the way they should walk in, the way that enables them to fear God and shun evil, and the way that people should put into practice and adhere to in their lives and over the course of their life journeys. It is for these reasons that God expresses these utterances to humanity. These words that come from God should be adhered to by people, and to adhere to them is to receive life. If a person does not adhere to them, does not put them into practice, and does not live out God’s words in their life, then this person is not putting the truth into practice. Furthermore, if people are not putting the truth into practice, then they are not fearing God and shunning evil, nor can they satisfy God. People who are incapable of satisfying God cannot receive His praise, and such people have no outcome.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must often come before God, eat and drink and ponder His words, and accept His discipline and guidance of you. You must be able to submit to all the environments, people, things, and matters that God has arranged for you, and when it comes to matters you cannot quite fathom, you must frequently pray while seeking the truth; only by understanding God’s will can you find a way forward. You must be in reverence of God, and do cautiously what you should do; you must often be at peace before God, and not be dissolute. At the very least, when something happens to you, your first reaction should be to calm yourself, and then pray immediately. By praying, waiting, and seeking, you will attain an understanding of God’s will. This is an attitude that shows reverence toward God, is it not? If, deep down, you revere God and submit to God, and can be quiet before God and grasp His will, then by cooperating and practicing this way, you can be protected. You will not encounter temptation, or do things that interrupt God’s management work, nor will you go so far as to provoke God’s loathing. With a God-fearing heart, you will be afraid of offending God; the moment you are faced with temptation, you will live before Him, trembling with dread, and hope that in all things you will be able to submit to Him and satisfy Him. Only by practicing like this, frequently living in such a state, and frequently being at peace before God will you be able to distance yourself from temptation and evil without even having to think about it.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Walking in God’s way is not about observing superficial rules; rather, it means that when you are faced with a problem, you view it first and foremost as a situation that has been arranged by God, a responsibility He has bestowed upon you, or a task that He has entrusted to you. When facing this problem, you should even see it as a trial God has put to you. When you encounter this problem, you must have a standard in your heart, and you must think that this matter has come from God. You must think about how to deal with it in such a way that you can fulfill your responsibility while remaining loyal to God, as well as how to do it without infuriating Him or offending His disposition. … In order to keep to God’s way, we cannot let go of anything that happens either to us or around us, even the little things; whether we think we should pay attention to it or not, as long as any matter is facing us, we must not let it go. All things that happen should be viewed as tests God has given us. What do you think about this way of looking at things? If you have this kind of attitude, then it confirms one fact: Deep down, you fear God and are willing to shun evil. If you have this desire to satisfy God, then what you put into practice will not be far off meeting the standard of fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the primary thing one should understand when pursuing life entry? It is that in all the words spoken by God, no matter their topic, one should locate what He requires of people and His standards for them, and seek out a path of practice therein. Measure your conduct and perspective in life against them, as well as every regard of your states and expressions. More importantly, measure yourself against these things to determine what you should do, how to satisfy God’s will in the course of performing your duties, and how you can act in complete accordance with God’s requirements. Be a person with truth reality; do not be someone who merely arms themselves with letters and doctrines and religious theories. Do not feign spirituality; do not be a fake spiritual person. You must focus on practice, and on using God’s words as a basis for evaluating your state and to reflect on it, and then change the viewpoints and attitudes with which you treat every sort of situation. Ultimately, you will be able to revere God in every situation, and you will no longer act rashly, follow your own ideas, do things according to your desires, or live within a corrupt disposition. Instead, all your actions and words will be based on God’s words and on the truth; as such, you will gradually develop a heart of reverence for God. A heart of reverence for God arises while one is pursuing the truth; it does not come from restraint. All restraint gives rise to is one type of behavior; it is an external limitation. Genuine reverence for God comes over the course of one’s belief in Him, from understanding the truth, practicing in accordance with the truth, gradually and increasingly reducing one’s corrupt disposition, and improving one’s states, bit by bit, so that one can come frequently before God. This is a process that gives rise to genuine reverence. When that time comes, you will know what it is to revere God, and you will feel inside the sort of attitude and the sort kind of state one must have, and the sort of disposition one must possess, before they have true reverence for God and demonstrate their reverence for Him.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Practice the Truth Are God-Fearing” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Job had not seen the face of God or heard the words spoken by God, and much less had he personally experienced the work of God, yet his fear of God and his testimony during his trials are witnessed by all, and they are loved, delighted in, and commended by God, and people envy, and admire them, and even more than that, sing their praises. There was nothing great or extraordinary about his life: Just like any ordinary person, he lived an unremarkable life, going out to work at sunrise and returning home to rest at sunset. The difference is that during the several unremarkable decades of his life, he gained an insight into the way of God, and realized and understood the great power and sovereignty of God as no other person ever had. He was no cleverer than any ordinary person, his life was not especially tenacious, nor, moreover, did he have invisible special skills. What he did possess, though, was a personality that was honest, kind-hearted, and upright, a personality which loved fairness, righteousness, and positive things—none of these things are possessed by the majority of ordinary people. He differentiated between love and hate, had a sense of justice, was unyielding and persistent, and paid meticulous attention to detail in his thinking. Thus, during his unremarkable time on earth he saw all the extraordinary things that God had done, and he saw the greatness, holiness, and righteousness of God, he saw God’s concern, graciousness, and protection for man, and he saw the honorableness and authority of the supreme God. The first reason why Job was able to gain these things that were beyond any normal person was because he had a pure heart, and his heart belonged to God, and was led by the Creator. The second reason was his pursuit: his pursuit of being impeccable and perfect, and of being someone who complied with the will of Heaven, who was loved by God, and who shunned evil. Job possessed and pursued these things while being unable to see God or hear the words of God; though he had never seen God, he had come to know the means by which God rules over all things, and he understood the wisdom with which God does so. Though he had never heard the words spoken by God, Job knew that the deeds of rewarding man and taking from man all come from God. Although the years of his life were no different from those of any ordinary person, he did not allow the unremarkableness of his life to affect his knowledge of God’s sovereignty over all things, or to affect his following of the way of fearing God and shunning evil. In his eyes, the laws of all things were full of God’s deeds, and God’s sovereignty could be seen in any part of a person’s life. He had not seen God, but he was able to realize that God’s deeds are everywhere, and during his unremarkable time on earth, in every corner of his life he was able to see and realize the extraordinary and wondrous deeds of God, and he could see the wondrous arrangements of God. The hiddenness and silence of God did not hinder Job’s realization of God’s deeds, nor did they affect his knowledge of God’s sovereignty over all things. His life was the realization, during his everyday life, of the sovereignty and arrangements of God, who is hidden among all things. In his everyday life he also heard and understood the voice of God’s heart and the words of God, who is silent among all things yet expresses the voice of His heart and His words by governing the laws of all things. You see, then, that if people have the same humanity and pursuit as Job, then they can gain the same realization and knowledge as Job, and can acquire the same understanding and knowledge of God’s sovereignty over all things as Job. God had not appeared to Job or spoken to him, but Job was able to be perfect and upright, and to fear God and shun evil. In other words, without God having appeared to or spoken to man, God’s deeds among all things and His sovereignty over all things are sufficient for man to become aware of God’s existence, power, and authority, and God’s power and authority are enough to make man follow the way of fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Fearing God and shunning evil” and knowing God are indivisibly connected by a myriad threads, and the connection between them is self-evident. If one wishes to attain to shunning evil, one must first have real fear of God; if one wishes to attain to real fear of God, one must first have real knowledge of God; if one wishes to attain to knowledge of God, one must first experience God’s words, enter into the reality of God’s words, experience God’s chastening and discipline, His chastisement and judgment; if one wishes to experience God’s words, one must first come face to face with God’s words, come face to face with God, and ask God to provide opportunities to experience God’s words in the form of all sorts of environments involving people, events, and objects; if one wishes to come face to face with God and with God’s words, one must first possess a simple and honest heart, readiness to accept the truth, the will to endure suffering, the resolution and the courage to shun evil, and the aspiration to become a genuine created being…. In this way, going forward step by step, you will draw ever closer to God, your heart will grow ever more pure, and your life and the value of being alive will, in the wake of your coming to know God, grow ever more meaningful and wax ever more radiant. Until, one day, you will feel that the Creator is no longer a riddle, that the Creator has never been hidden from you, that the Creator has never concealed His face from you, that the Creator is not at all far from you, that the Creator is no longer the One that you constantly long for in your thoughts but that you cannot reach with your feelings, that He is really and truly standing guard to your left and right, supplying your life, and controlling your destiny. He is not on the remote horizon, nor has He secreted Himself high up in the clouds. He is right by your side, presiding over your all, He is everything that you have, and He is the only thing you have. Such a God allows you to love Him from the heart, cling to Him, hold Him close, admire Him, fear to lose Him, and be unwilling to renounce Him any longer, disobey Him any longer, or any longer to evade Him or put Him at a distance. All you want is to care for Him, obey Him, requite all that He gives you, and submit to His dominion. You no longer refuse to be guided, provided for, watched over, and kept by Him, no longer refuse what He dictates and ordains for you. All you want is to follow Him, to be around Him in His company; all you want is to accept Him as your one and only life, to accept Him as your one and only Lord, your one and only God.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

18. The Principles of Relying on God and Looking Up to Him

(1) It is necessary to know that God created all and is sovereign over all, and to have faith that all events and things are in His hands. Only thus can one truly rely on Him and look up to Him;

(2) Through the practice of relying on God and looking up to Him, one can see His acts and know His omnipotence and wisdom, coming gradually to revere Him and submit to Him;

(3) It is necessary to exalt Christ as great. Christ alone can express the truth. With faith that the words of God accomplish all, one is naturally able to follow and testify to Christ;

(4) When faced with trials and tribulations, it is necessary to seek the truth, and to pray to God in accordance with His words, in an attempt to grasp His will. Only by putting the truth into practice can one stand firm in their testimony.

Relevant Words of God:

The greatest wisdom is to look to God and rely on God in all things. This is something that most people haven’t grasped. What do they believe instead? “I study more, listen more and read a lot of God’s words, and I attend many meetings, learn many skills and many songs. Then I pray even more, fellowship with brothers and sisters even more, do my duties more, suffer more, pay a greater price, abandon even more things, and this is perhaps the greatest wisdom.” But you have overlooked the final aim of doing all this. Regardless of how much truth one understands, how many duties one has fulfilled, how much one has experienced while fulfilling those duties, how great or small one’s stature is, or what sort of environment one is in, what one cannot do without is that one must look up to God and rely on Him in everything one does. This is the greatest sort of wisdom. Why do I say this is the greatest wisdom? Even if one has come to understand many truths, will it do if one does not rely on God? Some people, after having believed in God a little longer, have come to understand some truths and undergone a few trials. They might have gained a bit of practical experience, but they do not know to rely on God, nor do they understand how to look up to and rely on Him. Do such people possess wisdom? They are the most foolish of people, and are the sort who think themselves clever; they do not fear God and shun evil. Some people say, “I understand many truths and possess truth reality. It’s okay just to do things in a principled manner. I am loyal to God, and I know how to get close to Him. Isn’t it enough that I rely on the truth?” “Relying on the truth” works fine, doctrinally speaking. However, there are many times and situations wherein people do not know what the truth is or what the truth principles are. All those with practical experience know this. For example, when you encounter some issue, you might not know how the truth relevant to this issue should be practiced or applied. What should you do at times like these? No matter how much practical experience you have, you cannot be in possession of the truth in all situations. No matter how many years you have believed in God, how many things you have experienced, and how much pruning, dealing, or disciplining you have experienced, are you the source of the truth? Some people say, “I know by heart all those well-known utterances and passages in the book, The Word Appears in the Flesh; I don’t need to rely on God or look up to Him. When the time comes, I’ll do just fine by relying on these words of God.” The words you have memorized are static, yet the environments you encounter—as well as your states—are dynamic. Having a grasp of the literal words and talking about many spiritual doctrines does not amount to an understanding of the truth, much less does it amount to comprehending God’s will in every situation. Thus, there is a very important lesson to be learned here: It is that people need to look up to God in all things, and that by doing so, they can achieve a reliance on God. Only by relying on God will they have a path to follow. Otherwise, you can do something correctly and in conformity with the truth principles, but if you do not rely on God, then your actions are but deeds of man, and they will not necessarily satisfy God. Because people have such a shallow understanding of the truth, they are likely to follow rules and cling obstinately to letters and doctrines by using that same truth when facing various situations. It is possible that they may complete many matters in general conformity with the truth principles, but God’s guidance cannot be seen in this, nor can the work of the Holy Spirit. There is a serious problem here, which is that people do many things in dependence on their experience and the rules they have understood, and on certain human imaginings. They can barely achieve the very best result, which comes through clearly understanding God’s will by looking up to Him and praying to Him, and then relying on His work and guidance. For this reason, I say that the greatest wisdom is to look up to God and rely on Him in all things.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How should you practice looking up to God and relying on Him? Some people say: “I’m at a young age, my stature is small, and I have believed in God only for a short time. I don’t know how to look up to God, so looking to God is difficult for me. I don’t know how to rely on God, either.” Is this a problem? Is looking up to God an empty doctrine? Is it a formality? No. Some people say: “Most of the things we look to God for are our duties. We don’t need to look to God with regard to our own personal trifles. God doesn’t care about them.” Is this interpretation correct? (No, it’s wrong.) So in what things should people look up to God? (All things.) What does “all things” mean? (Irrespective of whether a matter is big or small, we must look to God and rely on God.) Some involve the things of normal humanity, such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, and eating. It’s fine for you to handle these things yourself, but you must pray and look up to God when you come across exceptional situations. Suppose your stomach is causing you discomfort today and it is affecting your duties. For this you must pray, saying: “Oh God, my stomach is causing me discomfort today. Did I eat the wrong thing, catch a chill or are You disciplining me for not being devoted to my duties? I pray to You for enlightenment and guidance.” You must cry out to God in this way; this is what “looking to God” is. But you mustn’t allow your looking to God to influence all of your activities of normal humanity. After praying and looking to God, you should go have your meal as usual. If you cannot eat your meal, then find something more suitable to eat. If your stomach hurts so much, then take some medicine, and you must also pray and seek. You must work with the things you should work with in normal humanity and not go looking for feelings. But you must still seek and look to God in this matter. Afterward, it’s possible that God will enlighten you by means of some matter, and you will realize unconsciously that you have shown some behavior during your duties that is not so good. After you have realized this, you should then reflect straight away. You must confess your sins and repent before God: “Oh God, my purpose is mixed when doing my duties, I rely on my self-will. I am so capricious and have affected the progress of my duties. I give thanks for Your discipline and for Your reproach. I won’t do this again. I pray to You to guide me and forgive me this one time.” After you pray, your heart is at peace. And unbeknownst to you, your illness gets better little by little. Man must do what they ought to do, but while they are doing it, they must not forget to rely on God—this is a way of practice. When you look to God, it is possible that He does not give you any feeling or any clear ideas, much less any clear directions, but He allows you some understanding. Or maybe this time you have not understood anything, yet it is right that you look to God. People practicing in this way is not done to follow rules, but rather it is the need of their hearts and is how man should practice. It is not that you can obtain enlightenment and guidance every time you look to God and call on God; this spiritual state in man’s life is normal and natural, and looking to God is the normal interaction with God in people’s hearts.

Sometimes, looking to God does not mean asking God to do something using specific words, or asking Him for specific guidance or protection. Rather, it is that when people encounter some issue, they are able to call on Him sincerely. So, what is God doing there when people call on Him? When someone’s heart stirs and they have this thought: “Oh God, I can’t do this myself, I don’t know how to do it, and I feel weak and negative…,” when these thoughts arise in them, does God not know about it? When these thoughts arise in people, are their hearts sincere? When they call on God sincerely in this way, does God assent to help them? Despite the fact that they may not have spoken a word, they show sincerity, and so God assents to help them. When someone encounters an especially thorny difficulty, when they have no one to turn to, and when they feel particularly helpless, they put their only hope in God. What are their prayers like? What is their state of mind? Are they sincere? Is there any adulteration at that time? It is only when you trust God as though He were the last straw that you clutch onto to save your life, hoping that He will help you, that your heart is sincere. Though you may not have said much, your heart has already stirred. That is, you give your sincere heart to God, and God listens. When God listens, He sees your difficulties, and He will enlighten you, guide you, and help you.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

However weak and passive you are, however aggrieved and negative you’re feeling, tell it to God. Don’t treat God like a stranger; you can hide it from anyone, but don’t hide it from God, for God is the only One you can depend on, He is the only One who can save you. Only if people come before God will these things be solved. Relying on others is of no use. And so, when people encounter that which is most likely to make them weak and passive, the wisest of all are those who can come before God and rely on God. It is only the foolish who keep themselves farthest from God and hide themselves most from Him when major, crucial events arise and their need to confide in Him is greatest, brooding about these things in their hearts. And what happens as they keep brooding about them? These grievances become opposition, and opposition becomes resistance and a clamor against Him. These people become incompatible with God, and their relationship with God is completely broken. But when you encounter such weakness and passivity, you choose to still come before God, you accept God’s sovereignty over you, you accept His orchestrations and arrangements, yours is an attitude of obedience, and when God sees your sincerity and when He sees your weakness, He knows how to guide you, how to bring you out of weakness and passivity. And so, under God’s guidance, these things become triflingly easy; without you even realizing it, God helps you dispel them, you unconsciously find a way out, and unconsciously grow stronger, and are no longer weak. When you look back, you wonder how your weakness at that time could have been so childish. But that’s just how childish people are. Without God’s support, they will never be able to change from childishness and stupidity to maturity. Only when, in the course of experiencing these childish things, people gradually accept and submit to God’s sovereignty, and actively face these matters head on, searching for principle and the will of God—rather than it being the case that the more they encounter such things, the more they stray from God, the more they hide from God, and the more they resist and oppose God, and they neither say anything to God nor read His words, none of this being their state—only then will people become increasingly mature, and become more and more grown up.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (17)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Almighty God dominates all things and occurrences! As long as we look up to Him in our hearts at all times and enter the spirit and fellowship with Him, He will show us all the things we seek, and His will is sure to be revealed to us. Our hearts will then be in joy and peace, steady with perfect clarity. It is crucial to be capable of acting in accordance with His words. Only being capable of grasping His will and of living in dependence on His words counts as true experience.

Excerpted from “Chapter 7” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must attain entry from the side of positivity. If you wait passively, then you are still being negative. You must be proactive in cooperating with Me; be diligent, and never be lazy. Always fellowship with Me and attain an even deeper intimacy with Me. If you do not understand, do not be impatient for quick results. It is not that I will not tell you; it is that I want to see whether you rely on Me when you are in My presence, and whether you are confident in your dependence on Me. You must always remain close to Me, and place all matters in My hands. Do not go back in vain. After you have been unconsciously close to Me for a period of time, My intentions shall be revealed to you. If you grasp them, then you will truly come face to face with Me, and you will truly have found My face. You will have much clarity and steadfastness within, and you will have something to rely on. You will then also possess power, as well as confidence, and you will have a path forward. Everything will come easily to you.

Excerpted from “Chapter 9” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The purpose of everything that is arranged at present is to train you so that you may grow in your lives, to make your spirits keen and sharp, and to open your spiritual eyes so that you will recognize what things come from God. What comes from God enables you to serve with capability and burden, and to be steadfast in spirit. All things that do not come from Me are empty; they give you nothing, they cause a void in your spirit and make you lose your faith, and put distance between you and Me, trapping you in your own mind. You can now transcend everything in the secular world when you live in the spirit, but to live in your mind is to be taken in by Satan; this is a dead end. It is very simple now: Look upon Me with your heart, and your spirit will immediately grow strong. You will have a path to practice, and I will guide your every step. My word shall be revealed to you at all times and in all places. No matter where or when, or how adverse the environment is, I will make you see clearly, and My heart shall be revealed to you if you look to Me with yours; in this manner, you will run down the road ahead and never lose your way.

Excerpted from “Chapter 13” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It is not that your faith is good or pure, but rather, My work is wondrous! Everything is due to My mercy! You must not have the slightest corrupt disposition of selfishness or arrogance, otherwise I will not work on you. You must understand clearly that whether men fall or stand strong is not because of them; it is because of Me. Today, if you do not clearly understand this step, you will certainly fail to enter the kingdom! You must understand that what is being done today is the wondrous work of God; it has nothing to do with man. What do the actions of man count for? When they are not being selfish, arrogant, and prideful, they are interrupting God’s management and destroying His plans. Oh, the corrupt ones! You must come to rely on Me today; if you do not, today I shall tell you that you will never achieve anything! All shall be in vain and your undertakings shall be worthless!

Excerpted from “Chapter 38” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People spend most of their time living in a state of unconsciousness. They do not know whether they should rely on God or on themselves. They then tend to choose to rely on themselves and the beneficial conditions and environments around them, as well as on any people, events, and things that are to their advantage. This is what people are best at. What they are worst at is relying on God and looking up to Him, because they feel looking up to God to be too much of a bother—they cannot see, they cannot touch—and they feel that doing so is vague and unrealistic. Thus, in this aspect of their lessons, people perform the worst, and their entry to it is the shallowest. If you do not learn how to look up to and rely on God, you will never see God work in you, guide you, or enlighten you. If you cannot see these things, then questions such as “whether God exists and whether He guides everything in the life of mankind” will, in the depths of your heart, end with a question mark rather than a period or exclamation mark. “Does God guide everything in the life of mankind?” “Does God observe the depths of man’s heart?” For what reason do you make these into questions? If you do not truly rely on or look up to God, you will not be able to give rise to genuine faith in Him. If you cannot give rise to genuine faith in Him, then for you, those question marks will forever be there, accompanying everything God does, and there will be no periods.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

19. The Principles of Safeguarding a Normal Relationship With God

(1) One should give their heart over to God and let Him be its master. In all matters, one should pray to Him and open up their heart to Him, and be able to safeguard a normal relationship with Him;

(2) It is necessary to eat and drink of God’s words normally, to frequently fellowship with others on the truth, to focus on putting it into practice, and to requite God’s love by doing one’s duty well;

(3) You must accept God’s scrutiny at all times. Prioritize the interests of God’s house, and do not machinate for personal benefit, but submit to all that God arranges;

(4) Seek the truth principle in all matters, fear God and shun evil, seek to know God, and practice loving Him. In this way, you will naturally not be separated from Him.

Relevant Words of God:

In believing in God, you must at least resolve the issue of having a normal relationship with God. If you do not have a normal relationship with God, then the meaning of your belief in God is lost. The establishment of a normal relationship with God is entirely achievable with a heart that is quiet in God’s presence. Having a normal relationship with God means being able not to doubt and not to deny any of His work and being able to submit to His work. It means having correct intentions in God’s presence, not making plans for yourself, and considering the interests of God’s family first in all things; it means accepting God’s scrutiny and obeying God’s arrangements. You must be able to quiet your heart in God’s presence in all that you do. Even if you do not understand God’s will, you must still fulfill your duties and responsibilities to the best of your ability. Once God’s will has been revealed to you, act on it, and it will not be too late. When your relationship with God has become normal, then you will also have normal relationships with people. Everything is built on the foundation of God’s words. Eat and drink the words of God, then put God’s requirements into practice, correct your views, and avoid doing anything to resist God or disturb the church. Do nothing that does not benefit the lives of your brothers and sisters, say nothing that is unhelpful to others, and do nothing shameful. Be just and honorable in everything you do and ensure that your every action is presentable before God. Although the flesh may sometimes be weak, you must be able to put the interests of God’s family first, without greed for personal profit, and you must be able to act righteously. If you can practice in this way, then your relationship with God will be normal.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In everything you do, you must examine whether your intentions are correct. If you are able to act according to the requirements of God, then your relationship with God is normal. This is the minimum standard. Look into your intentions, and if you find that incorrect intentions have arisen, be able to turn your back on them and act according to the words of God; thus will you become someone who is right before God, which in turn demonstrates that your relationship with God is normal, and that all that you do is for God’s sake, not your own. In all you do and all you say, be able to set your heart right and be righteous in your actions, and do not be led by your emotions, nor act according to your own will. These are principles by which believers in God must conduct themselves. Small things can reveal a person’s intentions and stature, and so, for someone to enter onto the path of being made perfect by God, they must first rectify their intentions and their relationship with God. Only when your relationship with God is normal can you be made perfect by Him; only then can God’s dealing, pruning, discipline, and refinement achieve their intended effect in you. That is to say, if human beings are able to keep God in their hearts and do not pursue personal gain or give thought to their own prospects (in a fleshly sense), but instead bear the burden of entering life, do their best to pursue the truth, and submit to God’s work—if you can do this, then the goals you pursue will be correct, and your relationship with God will become normal. Making right one’s relationship with God can be called the first step of entry into one’s spiritual journey. Although man’s fate is in God’s hands and is predestined by God, and cannot be changed by man, whether you can be made perfect by God or be gained by Him depends on whether your relationship with God is normal. There may be parts of you that are weak or disobedient—but as long as your views and your intentions are correct, and as long as your relationship with God is right and normal, then you are qualified to be made perfect by God. If you do not have the right relationship with God, and act for the sake of the flesh or your family, then regardless of how hard you work, it will be for nothing. If your relationship with God is normal, then everything else will fall into place. God looks at nothing else, but only at whether your views in your belief in God are correct: whom you believe in, for whose sake you believe, and why you believe. If you are able to see these things clearly and practice with your views well disposed, then you will make progress in your life, and you will also be guaranteed entry onto the right track. If your relationship with God is not normal, and the views of your belief in God are deviant, then all else is in vain, and no matter how hard you believe, you will receive nothing. Only after your relationship with God becomes normal will you win praise from Him when you forsake the flesh, pray, suffer, endure, submit, help your brothers and sisters, expend more of yourself for God, and so on. Whether what you do has value and significance depends on whether your intentions are right and your views correct. Nowadays, many people believe in God as if they were tilting their heads to look at a clock—their perspectives are skewed, and they must be righted with a breakthrough. If this problem is resolved, everything will be fine; if not, everything will come to nothing. Some people behave well in My presence, but behind My back, all they do is resist Me. This is a manifestation of crookedness and deceitfulness, and this type of person is a servant of Satan; they are the typical embodiment of Satan, come to test God. You are only a correct person if you are able to submit to My work and My words. As long as you are able to eat and drink the words of God; as long as everything you do is presentable before God and you behave justly and honorably in all that you do; as long as you do not do shameful things, or things that would harm the lives of others; and as long as you live in the light and do not allow yourself to be exploited by Satan, then your relationship with God is in proper order.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To achieve a normal human life—a normal human life that has a normal relationship with God—you must first believe in His words. If you have not achieved the first step of the Holy Spirit’s work in people, then you have no foundation. If even the very least of principles is beyond you, how will you walk the path ahead? Setting foot upon the right track by which God perfects man means entering upon the right track of the Holy Spirit’s current work; it means setting foot upon the path taken by the Holy Spirit. Right now, the path taken by the Holy Spirit is the current words of God. As such, if people are to set foot upon the path of the Holy Spirit, they must obey, and eat and drink, the current words of God incarnate. The work He does is the work of words; everything begins from His words, and all is built upon His words, upon His current words. Whether being certain about the incarnate God, or knowing the incarnate God, each requires spending more effort on His words. If not, people can accomplish nothing and will be left with nothing. Only by building upon the foundation of eating and drinking God’s words, and thereby coming to know Him and to satisfy Him, can people gradually build a normal relationship with God. For man, there is no better cooperation with God than eating and drinking His words and putting them into practice. Through such practice they are best able to stand firm in their testimony of God’s people. When people understand and are able to obey the essence of God’s current words, they live on the path of being guided by the Holy Spirit, and have set foot on the right track of God’s perfection of man. Previously, people could gain God’s work simply by seeking God’s grace, or by seeking peace and joy, but things are different now. Without the words of the incarnate God, without the reality of His words, people cannot gain God’s approval and will all be eliminated by God. To achieve a normal spiritual life, people should first eat and drink God’s words and put them into practice, and then, upon this foundation, establish a normal relationship with God.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The way that people believe in God, love God, and satisfy God is by touching the Spirit of God with their heart and thereby obtaining His satisfaction, and by using their heart to engage with God’s words and thus being moved by the Spirit of God. If you wish to achieve a normal spiritual life and establish a normal relationship with God, then you must first give your heart to Him. Only after you have quieted your heart before Him and poured your whole heart into Him will you gradually be able to develop a normal spiritual life. If in people’s belief in God, they do not give their heart to Him and if their heart is not in Him and they do not treat His burden as their own, then everything they do is an act of cheating God, an act typical of religious people, and cannot receive God’s praise. God cannot gain anything from this kind of person; this kind of person can only serve as a foil to God’s work, like a decoration in the house of God, something superfluous and useless. God does not make use of this kind of person. In such a person, not only is there no opportunity for the work of the Holy Spirit, there is not even any value in their being perfected. This type of person is, in truth, a walking corpse. Such people have nothing that can be used by the Holy Spirit, but on the contrary, all of them have been appropriated and deeply corrupted by Satan. God will weed these people out. Currently, in making use of people the Holy Spirit not only employs those parts of them that are desirable in order to get things done, He also perfects and changes their undesirable parts. If your heart can be poured into God and remain quiet before Him, then you will have the opportunity and the qualifications to be used by the Holy Spirit, to receive the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit, and even more, you will have the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to make good your shortcomings. When you give your heart to God, on the positive side, you can attain deeper entry and attain a higher plane of insight; on the negative side, you will have more understanding of your own faults and shortcomings, you will be more eager to seek to satisfy God’s will, and you will not be passive, but will actively enter in. Thus, you will become a correct person. Assuming your heart is able to remain quiet before God, the key to whether or not you receive praise from the Holy Spirit, and whether or not you please God, is whether you can actively enter in. When the Holy Spirit enlightens a person and makes use of them, it never makes them negative but always makes them actively progress. Even though this person has weaknesses, they can avoid basing the way they live their lives on those weaknesses. They can avoid delaying growth in their life, and continue to seek to satisfy God’s will. This is a standard. If you can attain this, it is sufficient proof that you have obtained the presence of the Holy Spirit. If a person is always negative, and if, even after receiving enlightenment and coming to know themselves, they remain negative and passive and unable to stand up and act in concert with God, then this type of person just receives the grace of God, but the Holy Spirit is not with them. When a person is negative, this means that their heart has not turned to God and their spirit has not been moved by God’s Spirit. This should be understood by all.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to have a normal relationship with God, then your heart must turn to God. With this as a foundation, you will also have a normal relationship with other people. If you do not have a normal relationship with God, then no matter what you do to maintain your relationships with other people, no matter how hard you work or how much energy you exert, it will all just pertain to a human philosophy for living. You are maintaining your position among people through a human perspective and a human philosophy so that people will praise you, but you are not following the word of God to establish normal relationships with people. If you do not focus on your relationships with people but maintain a normal relationship with God, if you are willing to give your heart to God and learn to obey Him, then naturally your relationships with all people will become normal. This way, these relationships are not established in the flesh, but on the foundation of God’s love. There are almost no fleshly interactions, but in the spirit there is fellowship, mutual love, mutual comfort, and provision for one another. This is all done on the foundation of a heart that satisfies God. These relationships are not maintained by relying on a human philosophy for living, but are formed very naturally through carrying a burden for God. It does not require man-made effort. You need only practice according to God’s word principle. Are you willing to be considerate of the will of God? Are you willing to be a person who is “without reason” before God? Are you willing to completely give your heart to God and to disregard your position among people? Of all the people you have contact with, with whom do you have the best relationships? With whom do you have the worst relationships? Are your relationships with people normal? Do you treat all people equally? Are your relationships with others maintained according to your philosophy for living, or are they built on the foundation of God’s love? When a person does not give their heart to God, then their spirit becomes obtuse, numb and unconscious. This kind of person will never understand God’s words and will never have a normal relationship with God; this kind of person’s disposition will never be changed. Changing one’s disposition is the process of giving one’s heart completely to God, and of receiving enlightenment and illumination from the words of God. God’s work can allow a person to actively enter in, as well as enable them to purge their negative aspects after gaining knowledge about them. When you reach the point of giving your heart to God, then you will be able to perceive every subtle movement within your spirit, and you will know every enlightenment and illumination received from God. Hold onto this, and you will gradually enter into the path of being perfected by the Holy Spirit. The quieter your heart can be before God, the more sensitive and delicate your spirit will be and the more your spirit will be able to perceive how the Holy Spirit moves it, and then your relationship with God will become ever more normal. A normal relationship between people is established on the foundation of giving their hearts to God, and not through human effort. Without God in their hearts, interpersonal relationships between people are merely relationships of the flesh. They are not normal, but rather, are an abandonment to lust. They are relationships that God detests, that He loathes. If you say that your spirit has been moved, but you always want to have fellowship with people who you like, with whomever you think highly of, and if another person is seeking but you do not like them, even hold a bias against them and will not engage with them, this is more proof that you are subject to your emotions and you do not have a normal relationship with God at all. You are attempting to deceive God and cover up your own ugliness. Even if you can share some understanding yet you carry wrong intentions, then everything you do is good only by human standards. God will not praise you—you are acting according to the flesh, not according to God’s burden. If you are able to quiet your heart in front of God and have normal interactions with all those who love God, only then are you fit for God’s use. This way, no matter how you associate with others, it will not be according to a philosophy for living, but it will be before God, living in a way that is considerate of His burden. How many people like this are there amongst you? Are your relationships with others really normal? On what foundation are they built? How many philosophies for living are there within you? Have they been cast off? If your heart cannot completely turn to God, then you are not of God—you come from Satan, and you will be returned to Satan in the end. You are not worthy of being one of God’s people. All of this requires your careful consideration.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In your daily life, you must understand which words you say and which things you do might cause abnormality in your relationship with God, and then rectify yourself to enter into the correct manner. At all times, examine your words, your actions, your each and every move, and all your thoughts and ideas. Gain a proper understanding of your real state and enter into the manner of the Holy Spirit’s work. This is the only way to have a normal relationship with God. By assessing whether your relationship with God is normal, you will be able to correct your intentions, understand the nature essence of man, and truly understand yourself, and, in doing so, you will be able to enter into real experiences, forsake yourself in a real way, and submit with intention. As you experience these matters concerning whether or not your relationship with God is normal, you will find opportunities to be perfected by God and become able to grasp many states of the Holy Spirit’s work. You will also be able to see through many of Satan’s tricks and penetrate its conspiracies. Only this path leads to being perfected by God. You put right your relationship with God, that you may submit to His arrangements in their entirety, and that you may enter even more deeply into real experience and receive even more of the Holy Spirit’s work. When you practice having a normal relationship with God, in most cases, success will be achieved by forsaking the flesh and through real cooperation with God. You should understand that “without a cooperative heart, it is difficult to receive the work of God; if the flesh does not suffer, there will be no blessings from God; if the spirit does not struggle, Satan will not be put to shame.” If you practice these principles and understand them thoroughly, the views of your belief in God will be put right. In your current practice, you must discard the mindset of “seeking bread to satisfy hunger”; you must discard the mindset of “everything is done by the Holy Spirit, and people are unable to intervene.” Everyone who says so thinks, “People can do whatever they want, and when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will do His work. People have no need to restrain the flesh or cooperate; all that matters is that they be moved by the Holy Spirit.” These opinions are all absurd. Under such circumstances, the Holy Spirit is unable to work. It is this kind of viewpoint that greatly hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. Often, the work of the Holy Spirit is attained through human cooperation. Those who do not cooperate and are not resolved, yet wish to achieve a change in their disposition and receive the work of the Holy Spirit and enlightenment and illumination from God, have extravagant thoughts indeed. This is called “indulging one’s self and pardoning Satan.” Such people do not have a normal relationship with God. You should find many revelations and manifestations of satanic disposition within yourself and find any practices you have that run contrary to what God now requires. Will you now be able to forsake Satan? You should attain a normal relationship with God, act in accordance with God’s intentions, and become a new person with a new life. Do not dwell on past transgressions; do not be unduly remorseful; be able to stand up and cooperate with God, and fulfill the duties that are yours to fulfill. In this way, your relationship with God will become normal.

If after reading this, you merely claim to accept these words, yet your heart remains unmoved, and you do not seek to make your relationship with God normal, it proves you do not attach importance to your relationship with God. It proves that your views have not yet been put right, that your intentions are not yet set on being gained by God and bringing glory to Him, but are set instead on allowing Satan’s conspiracies to prevail and achieving your own goals. Such people harbor wrong intentions and incorrect views. No matter what God says or how He says it, such people remain completely indifferent and are not in the least transformed. Their hearts feel no fear and they are unashamed. Such a person is a spiritless dolt. Read God’s every utterance and put them into practice as soon as you understand them. Perhaps there were occasions when your flesh was weak, or you were rebellious, or you resisted; regardless of how you behaved in the past, it is of little consequence, and it cannot hinder your life from maturing today. So long as you can have a normal relationship with God today, there is hope. If there is change in you every time you read God’s words, and others can tell your life has changed for the better, it shows that your relationship with God is now normal, that it has been put right. God does not treat people according to their transgressions. Once you have understood and become aware, as long as you can cease to rebel or resist, then God will still have mercy on you. When you have the understanding and the resolve to pursue being perfected by God, then your state in God’s presence will become normal. No matter what you are doing, consider the following when you are doing it: What will God think if I do this? Will it benefit my brothers and sisters? Will it be beneficial to the work in God’s house? Whether in prayer, fellowship, speech, work, or in contact with others, examine your intentions, and check if your relationship with God is normal. If you cannot discern your own intentions and thoughts, this means you lack discrimination, which proves that you understand too little of the truth. If you are able to understand clearly everything God does, and can perceive things through the lens of His words, standing on His side, then your views will have become correct. Therefore, establishing a good relationship with God is of the utmost importance to anyone who believes in God; everyone should regard it as a task of paramount importance and the biggest event in their life. Everything you do is measured by whether you have a normal relationship with God. If your relationship with God is normal and your intentions are correct, then act. To maintain a normal relationship with God, you must not be afraid of suffering losses to your personal interests; you cannot allow Satan to prevail, you cannot allow Satan to gain a purchase on you, and you cannot allow Satan to make you a laughing stock. Having such intentions is a sign that your relationship with God is normal—not for the sake of the flesh, but rather for peace of spirit, for gaining the work of the Holy Spirit, and for satisfying the will of God. To enter the right state, you must establish a good relationship with God and put right the views of your belief in God. This is so that God may gain you, and so that He may manifest the fruits of His words in you and enlighten and illuminate you even further. In this way, you will have entered into the right manner. Continue eating and drinking God’s words of today, enter into the Holy Spirit’s current manner of working, act according to God’s demands of today, do not observe old-fashioned methods of practice, do not cling to old ways of doing things, and enter into today’s manner of working as soon as possible. Thus, your relationship with God will become completely normal and you will have embarked on the right track of belief in God.

Excerpted from “How Is Your Relationship With God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter what the Creator does, it is right. No matter what He does, His identity and status remain the same, and people should worship Him. He is the eternal Lord and eternal God of mankind, and this fact can never change. It should not be that when God gives to people, they acknowledge that He is God, but when He takes away, He is not God. This is a case of created beings not having the correct knowledge, not God making a mistake. If people’s experiences give them an understanding of this, and it is clear to them—if, in their heart, they can acknowledge that this is the truth—then their relationship with God will become ever more normal. If you acknowledge in word only that everything God does is right, then this will only ever be theory to you, and when you encounter an issue, you will still try to reason with God, you will still feel that God should not do this or that, in which case you will never have a normal relationship with God. If you can never get beyond this step, if you are incapable of fully accepting and entering truths of this kind, then you will never fulfill what God asks, and thus will be incapable of fully obeying God’s orchestration, and so you will always try and reason with God, and will always feel that your reasons are above the truth, and worthy of bringing to the table, and that many people will support you. Even if many do support you, they are all of corrupt humankind, and they are not the truth; even if the entire human race supported you and joined you in resisting God, God still would not be wrong, it is humankind that is wrong. Is this a formula, a rule, a statement? (No.) This is the truth. People must frequently reflect on and experience truths of this kind. God has carried out several stages of work, and at each stage, there have been many who oppose Him. When the Lord Jesus came to do the work of redemption, the whole of Israel opposed Him—and yet, today, many hundreds of millions of people acknowledge the Lord Jesus as the Savior, people across the world believe in the Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus has already redeemed the whole of mankind. This is fact. No matter what country they’re from, when people try to deny the Lord Jesus’ redemption, it is of no use. Even if the whole of humankind rose up to oppose God, God still would not be wrong. Even if the whole of humankind held up every manner of theory, they could not refute a single sentence or truth from God. These words are the truth, not doctrine, and so people must steadily experience them. And what is the premise for experiencing them? You must first acknowledge and accept the correctness of these words, and practice and appreciate them. Without you realizing it, you will discover that these words are right, that they are indeed the truth, and at this time you will begin to cherish them. Ultimately, whether or not people can attain salvation is not dependent on what duty they fulfill, but on whether they have understood and gained the truth, and on whether or not they can submit to God’s orchestrations and be a genuine created being. God is righteous, and this is the principle by which He measures all mankind. This principle is immutable, and you must remember this. Do not think about finding some other path, or pursuing some unreal thing. The standards God requires of all who attain salvation are forever unchanging; they remain the same no matter who you are.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is not a single member of created mankind who is not of the opinion that nothing is more lowly and degrading than for God to become a human being. It is the last form that God should take; that God, who is so lofty, has incarnated Himself as someone so unremarkable is even more unseemly. The fact that you are able to accept and acknowledge that God is your God when, today, He has become such an unremarkable human being, is itself testimony. And that being the case, what could possibly impact or harm your normal relationship with God? Nothing. With this in mind, being able to recognize Christ as your God is one of the most important criteria for measuring the relationship between man and God. Many people believe in God but do not admit that God is the truth—so are they able to acknowledge that God is their God? Just what is the relationship with God of those who do not acknowledge that God is the truth? Both you and God have a human appearance, human predilections, human language, a human image, and you both live in the world of man. But you are able to rectify your position, you can tell the difference between your status and God’s, you can rectify your relationship with God, and will never overstep this relationship. If people can achieve this standard, then to God, they are adequate, and no temptation or force can destroy your relationship with God. This is likely the most stable relationship of all; it is the standard. The implication is that if your relationship with this fleshly body does not attain the relationship between man and God, if you are not possessed of such a relationship, then when you say, “I have a good relationship with God in heaven, and it’s a very normal relationship,” is this true? It is not. Who has ever seen what you speak of? Where is it shown? It has no factual basis. So, at the moment, are you capable of attaining this relationship with the incarnate God? (No.) Where does the difficulty lie? Currently, there are many truths that man does not understand. What does it mean that man does not understand? It means that humanity, which is corrupt, has views and opinions that, in many respects, do not accord with the views and opinions of God incarnate; it means that the principles and foundation from which man deals with many things do not accord with those of God incarnate. And where is the root of this problem? What factor is affecting relations between God and mankind? It is mankind’s corrupt disposition. That is, mankind still stands on the side of Satan; man lives in reliance upon Satan’s poison, and it is Satan’s disposition and essence that people manifest in the way they live. God’s essence is truth; it is immutable. So, who is it who must change in order to achieve accord with God? (Mankind.) Of course it is mankind; this is unequivocal. How is mankind to change, then? They must come before God and accept the truth; accepting the truth is man’s only path toward attaining accord with God in how He sees things and in the principles by which He acts. Once you set foot upon this path, the attitude and the manner in which you see things, the principles by which you act, and everything else will gradually begin to accord with God. In this way, the barriers between you and God will become ever fewer, there will be no more contradictions, and your attempts to subject God to study will also become fewer and fewer.

Excerpted from “It Is Important to Rectify Relations Between Man and God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is a fundamental principle of the Lord of creation’s treatment of created beings, which is also the highest principle. How He treats created beings is completely based on His management plan and on His requirements; He does not need to consult any single person, nor does He need to get any single person to agree with Him. Whatever He ought to do and however He ought to treat people, He does, and, no matter what He does or how He treats people, it all accords with the principles by which the Lord of creation works. As a created being, the only thing to do is submit; there should not be any other choice. What does this show? It shows that the Lord of creation will always be the Lord of creation; He has the power and the qualifications to orchestrate and rule over any created being as He pleases, and does not need a reason to do so. This is His authority. There is not one among the beings of creation who, insofar as they are created beings, has the power or is qualified to pass judgment on how the Creator should act or on whether what He does is right or wrong, nor is any created being qualified to choose whether they should be ruled over, orchestrated, or disposed of by the Lord of creation. Likewise, not a single created being has the qualifications to choose how they are ruled over and disposed of by the Lord of creation. This is the highest truth. No matter what the Lord of creation has done to His created beings, and no matter how He has done it, the humans He created should do only one thing: Seek, submit, know, and accept this fact put in place by the Lord of creation. The final result will be that the Lord of creation will have accomplished His management plan and completed His work, having caused His management plan to progress without any obstructions; meanwhile, because the created beings have accepted the Creator’s rule and arrangements, and submitted to His rule and arrangements, they will have gained the truth, understood the Creator’s will, and come to know His disposition. There is yet another principle I must tell you: No matter what the Creator does, no matter how He manifests, and no matter whether what He does is a great deed or a small one, He is still the Creator; whereas all mankind, which He created, regardless of what they have done, and regardless of how talented or favored they might be, remain created beings. As for created humanity, no matter how much grace and how many blessings they have received from the Creator, or how much mercy, lovingkindness, or benevolence, they should not believe themselves to stand apart from the masses, or think they can be on equal footing with God and that they have become highly ranked among created beings. Regardless of how many gifts God has bestowed on you, or how much grace He has given you, or how kindly He has treated you, or whether He has given you a few special talents, none of these are your assets. You are a created being, and you will thus forever be a created being. You must never think, “I am a little darling in the hands of God. He would not raise a hand to me. God’s attitude toward me will always be one of love, care, and gentle caresses, with warm whispers of comfort and encouragement.” To the contrary, in the eyes of the Creator, you are the same as all other created beings; God can use you as He wishes, and can also orchestrate you as He wishes, and He can arrange as He wishes for you to play every role among all sorts of people, events, and things. This is the knowledge people should have, and the good sense that they should possess. If one can understand and accept these words, their relationship with God will grow more normal, and they will establish a most legitimate relationship with Him; if one can understand and accept these words, they will orient their station properly, assume their place there, and uphold their duty.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

20. The Principles That Must Be Observed in Life Entry

(1) Read at least a paragraph of God’s words each day, and contemplate them until you grasp their light and a path of practice. Come to glean some of the truth each day;

(2) In at least one matter each day, train yourself to seek the truth; find what God demands of man, and learn to put the truth into practice, and submit to God;

(3) Reflect each day on your every word and deed in light of God’s words. Find those things that have violated the truth principle, tell God of them in prayer, and repent to Him;

(4) It is necessary to train oneself to be an honest person. In all things, examine whether your speech is accurate, whether your intent is to deceive, and whether you are truthful with others;

(5) Train yourself to view people and events in light of God’s words, and learn to discern false leaders, antichrists, and nonbelievers. You must only look up to God and follow Christ.

Relevant Words of God:

What is life entry? Life entry is a change in a person’s life, in their actions, in their life’s direction, and in the goal of their pursuit. Having been foolish and ignorant in the past, and having always acted according to the thoughts, notions, and imaginings of the flesh, a person now, through God’s revelations, watering, and provision, may come to understand that they should act in accord with God’s words. Additionally, this person has undergone a transformation, based in God’s words, in daily life, with regard to their views and style of conducting themselves, and with regard to their direction and goals in life. This is life entry. What is the basis of life entry? (The words of God.) It is primarily related to God’s words and to the truth. Life entry is inseparable from the words of God; it is inseparable from the truth. What is manifested in people who have achieved life entry? They are able to rely on the words of God to live; their actions, speech, thoughts about problems, viewpoints, stances, and perspectives all rely on the words of God and on the truth. These are expressions of having attained life entry.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the primary thing one should understand when pursuing life entry? It is that in all the words spoken by God, no matter their topic, one should locate what He requires of people and His standards for them, and seek out a path of practice therein. Measure your conduct and perspective in life against them, as well as every regard of your states and expressions. More importantly, measure yourself against these things to determine what you should do, how to satisfy God’s will in the course of performing your duties, and how you can act in complete accordance with God’s requirements. Be a person with truth reality; do not be someone who merely arms themselves with letters and doctrines and religious theories. Do not feign spirituality; do not be a fake spiritual person. You must focus on practice, and on using God’s words as a basis for evaluating your state and to reflect on it, and then change the viewpoints and attitudes with which you treat every sort of situation. Ultimately, you will be able to revere God in every situation, and you will no longer act rashly, follow your own ideas, do things according to your desires, or live within a corrupt disposition. Instead, all your actions and words will be based on God’s words and on the truth; as such, you will gradually develop a heart of reverence for God. A heart of reverence for God arises while one is pursuing the truth; it does not come from restraint. All restraint gives rise to is one type of behavior; it is an external limitation. Genuine reverence for God comes over the course of one’s belief in Him, from understanding the truth, practicing in accordance with the truth, gradually and increasingly reducing one’s corrupt disposition, and improving one’s states, bit by bit, so that one can come frequently before God. This is a process that gives rise to genuine reverence. When that time comes, you will know what it is to revere God, and you will feel inside the sort of attitude and the sort kind of state one must have, and the sort of disposition one must possess, before they have true reverence for God and demonstrate their reverence for Him.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Practice the Truth Are God-Fearing” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In your entry into life, at the very least you must pour your heart into the words of God, and be able to accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words; your heart must yearn for God, you must pursue profound entry into the truth, and the objectives required by God. When you are possessed of this strength, then it shows that you have been touched by God, and your heart has begun to turn to God.

The first step of entry into life is to completely pour your heart into the words of God, and the second step is to accept being touched by the Holy Spirit. What is the effect to be achieved by accepting being touched by the Holy Spirit? It is to be able to yearn for, seek, and explore a more profound truth, and to be capable of cooperating with God in a positive manner. Today, you cooperate with God, which is to say there is an objective to your pursuit, to your prayers, and to your communion of God’s words, and you perform your duty in accordance with God’s requirements—only this is cooperating with God. If you only speak of letting God act, but do not take any action, neither praying nor seeking, then could this be called cooperation? If you have no trace of cooperation in you, and are bereft of training for entry that has an objective, then you are not cooperating. Some people say: “Everything depends on the predestination of God, it is all done by God Himself; if God did not do it, then how could man?” God’s work is normal, and not the slightest bit supernatural, and it is only through your active seeking that the Holy Spirit works, for God does not force man—you must give God the opportunity to work, and if you do not pursue or enter, and if there is not the slightest yearning in your heart, then God has no chance of working. By what path can you seek to be touched by God? Through prayer, and coming closer to God. But most importantly, remember, it must be upon the foundation of the words spoken by God. When you are often touched by God, you are not enslaved by the flesh: Husband, wife, children, and money—they are all incapable of shackling you, and you wish only to pursue the truth and to live before God. At this time, you will be someone who lives in the realm of freedom.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In pursuing life, you must pay attention to two things: first, understanding the truth within God’s words; second, understanding yourself within God’s words. These two things are most fundamental. There is no life or truth outside of God’s words. If you do not seek the truth within God’s words, where, then, can you go to seek it? Where is there truth in the world? All of the world’s books are compiled of the devil Satan’s theories, are they not? They do not contain even one iota of truth! The most important parts of understanding the truth in God’s words are understanding God within His words, understanding human life within His words, and understanding all aspects of the truth within His words, such as the true understanding of oneself and discovering the meaning of human existence within God’s words. All truth is within God’s words. You cannot enter into the truth unless it is done through the words of God. The main outcome you must attain is to know what it is to possess understanding and knowledge of God’s words. With a real understanding of God’s words, you can then understand the truth. This is the most fundamental thing.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People’s pursuit of entry into life is based upon the words of God. Previously, it was said that everything is accomplished because of His words, but no one saw this fact. If you enter into experiencing the current step, all will be clear to you, and you will be building a good foundation for future trials. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words. When God says He will begin to chastise people, accept His chastisement. When God asks people to die, accept that trial. If you are always living within His newest utterances, God’s words will perfect you in the end. The more you enter into God’s words, the more quickly you will be perfected. Why, in fellowship after fellowship, do I ask you to know and enter into God’s words? Only when you pursue and experience in God’s words, and enter into the reality of His words, does the Holy Spirit have the opportunity to work in you. Therefore, you are all participants in every method by which God works, and whatever the degree of your suffering, in the end you will all receive a “souvenir.” In order to attain your final perfection, you must enter into all of God’s words. The Holy Spirit’s perfection of people is not unilateral; He requires people’s cooperation, He needs everyone to consciously cooperate with Him. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words—this will be more beneficial to your life. Everything is for the sake of achieving a change in your disposition. When you enter into God’s words, your heart will be moved by Him, and you will be capable of knowing everything that God wishes to achieve in this step of His work, and you will have the resolution to achieve it. During the time of chastisement, there were those who believed that this was a method of work, and did not believe in God’s words. As a result, they did not undergo refinement, and emerged from the time of chastisement without gaining or understanding anything. There were some who truly entered into these words without a shred of doubt, who said that the words of God are the infallible truth and that humanity should be chastised. They struggled therein for a period of time, letting go of their future and their destiny, and when they emerged, their dispositions had undergone some change, and they had gained a deeper understanding of God. Those who emerged from chastisement all felt the loveliness of God and realized that this step of work embodied God’s great love descending into them, that it was the conquest and salvation of God’s love. They also said that God’s thoughts are always good, and that everything God does in man comes from love, not hate. Those who did not believe in God’s words, who did not look to His words, did not undergo refinement during the time of chastisement, and as a result, the Holy Spirit was not with them, and they gained nothing. For those who entered the time of chastisement, although they did undergo refinement, the Holy Spirit was working hidden inside them, and their life disposition was changed as a result. Some seemed, to all outward appearances, very positive, filled with good cheer all day, but they did not enter into the state of the refinement of God’s words and so did not change at all, which was the consequence of not believing in God’s words. If you do not believe in God’s words, then the Holy Spirit will not work in you. God appears to all those who believe in His words, and those who believe in and accept His words will be able to gain His love!

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the most crucial starting point for life entry? Hold onto your duty—that comes first. It all starts from doing your duty. Your life entry starts with performing your duty, and through life entry, bit-by-bit you begin to understand the truth, and to gain the truth. You come to have stature, your life gradually grows, you come to have real experiences of the truth, and subsequently grasp various principles of practice, and are not constrained or disturbed by any person, thing, or object; in this way, you gradually start to live before God. If you are not disturbed by any person, matter, or thing, and are able to experience the truth, then, as your experiences become richer, you will become more able to testify to God. When you are more able to testify to God, you will gradually become someone useful; when you become someone useful, you will have a place in the house of God, you will stand firm, and you will become a good person, a genuine person. You will then be worthy of all that God bestows upon you.

Excerpted from “Life Entry Must Begin With the Experience of Performing One’s Duty” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In pursuit of life entry, one must examine one’s own words and deeds, thoughts and ideas with every matter encountered in one’s everyday life, and grasp one’s own states; following that, one must check them against the truth, seek the truth, and enter the truth reality of the truths one understands. During the course of entering truth reality, one must grasp one’s own states, and come frequently before God to pray to Him and beseech Him. One must also fellowship often with brothers and sisters with an open heart, seek the path of entry into truth reality, and seek the truth principle. Ultimately, one will come to know what dispositions one reveals in everyday life, whether or not God takes joy in them, whether or not the path one practices is accurate, whether or not one has checked the states found within oneself through self-examination against God’s words, whether or not they checked them accurately, whether or not they accord with God’s words, and whether or not one has truly made an achievement and made a positive entry regarding the states which accord with God’s words. When you frequently live within these states, within these conditions, gradually, you will come to have a basic comprehension toward some truths and toward your practical states. And when someone has a basic comprehension of these states and of all aspects of the truth, they become enriched and bounteous within; they are no longer so numb, dull-witted, impoverished and pitiful.

Excerpted from “Knowing One’s Disposition Is the Foundation of Changing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The key to achieving growth in life in one’s faith in God is knowing what work God does in your experience, beholding the loveliness of God, and understanding the will of God, such that you defer to all of God’s arrangements, have God’s words wrought into you so that they become your life, and thereby satisfy God. If your faith is a foolish faith, if you pay no heed to spiritual matters and to changes in your life disposition, if you exert no effort toward the truth, will you be able to grasp God’s will? If you do not understand what God asks, then you will be incapable of experiencing, and will thus have no path to practice. What you must pay attention to as you experience God’s words is the effect they produce in you, so that you may come to know God from His words. If you only know to read God’s words, but do not know how to experience them, does this not show that you are ignorant of spiritual matters? Right now, most people are incapable of experiencing God’s words, and thus they do not know the work of God. Is this not a failing in their practice? If they carry on like this, at what point will they be capable of experiencing things in their rich fullness and achieving growth in their lives? Does this not amount merely to empty talk? There are many among you who focus on theory, who know nothing of spiritual matters, and yet still wish to be put to great use by God and to be blessed by God. This is totally unrealistic! Thus, you must put an end to this failing, so that you may all enter onto the right track in your spiritual lives, have real experiences, and truly enter into the reality of God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Enter Into a Normal State” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You are all willing to pursue growing up in your lives and love of God, so have you rid yourselves of your superficial ways? If you only rid yourself of superficial ways and refrain from disruptive and boastful behavior, is that really pursuing growing up in your life? If you rid yourself of all superficial behavior but do not enter into God’s words, this shows that you are not actively making progress. What is the root cause of superficial behavior? Are your actions for the sake of growing up in your life? Are you seeking to pass as one of God’s people? Whatever it is that you focus upon is that which you will live out; if you are focused on superficial behavior, then your heart will often be cast outward and you will have no way to pursue growing up in your life. God requires a change in disposition, but you are always pursuing outward things; this type of person is incapable of changing their disposition! In the process of reaching maturity in life, everyone must follow a route: They must accept the judgment, the chastisement, and the perfecting of God’s words. If you do not have God’s words but you only rely on your own confidence and will, everything you do is based only on zeal. That is, if you want growth in your life you must eat, drink, and understand more of God’s words. All those who are perfected by His words are able to live them out; those who do not undergo the refinement of His words, who do not undergo the judgment of His words, cannot be fit for His use. So, to what degree do you live out His words? Only if you eat and drink God’s words and are able to compare them to your own state of life, and find a path of practice in light of the issues I have brought up, will your practice be correct and in keeping with God’s will. Only someone with this kind of practice has the will to love God.

Excerpted from “Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Pursuit of life is not something that can be rushed; growth of life does not happen in just a day or two. The work of God is normal and practical, and there is a process that it necessarily undergoes. It took the incarnate Jesus thirty-three and a half years to complete His work of crucifixion—so what of purifying man and transforming his life, work of the utmost difficulty? It is no easy task to make a normal man who manifests God. This is particularly so for the people who are born in the nation of the great red dragon, who are of poor caliber and require a long period of God’s words and work. So do not be impatient to see results. You must be proactive in eating and drinking God’s words, and put more effort into the words of God. When you are finished reading His words, you must be able to put them into actual practice, growing in knowledge, insight, discernment, and wisdom in the words of God. Through this, you will change without realizing it. If you are able to take as your principle the eating and drinking of God’s words, reading them, coming to know them, experiencing them, and practicing them, you will come to maturity without realizing it. There are those who say that they are unable to put the words of God into practice even after reading them. What is your hurry? When you reach a certain stature, you will be able to put His words into practice. Would a four- or five-year-old child say that they are unable to support or honor their parents? You should know how great your current stature is. Put into practice what you are able to put into practice, and avoid being someone who disrupts the management of God. Just eat and drink God’s words, and take that as your principle from now on. Do not worry, for the time being, about whether God can make you complete. Do not delve into that yet. Just eat and drink God’s words as they come to you, and God will be certain to make you complete. However, there is a principle by which you must eat and drink His words. Do not do so blindly. In eating and drinking the words of God, on the one hand, seek out the words that you should come to know—that is, those that relate to visions—and on the other, seek out that which you should put into actual practice—that is, what you should enter into. One aspect has to do with knowledge, and the other with entering. Once you have grasped both—when you have grasped what you should know and what you should practice—you will know how to eat and drink the words of God.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Life entry does not happen overnight; it is something that must be constantly on people’s minds. This is because it involves your life, and you should remember it deep down and carry it with you wherever you go. Thus, it is not the case that preaching a great or abstruse sermon, or crying out slogans, will cause people to attain life entry or change; sometimes, it just takes a few small words—words that might seem unremarkable to you, but which can surely make you smarter and wiser, as well as accepted and approved of by God. So, I tell you this: If you wish to enter the truth reality and to have a good starting point for your life entry, then do not focus on doctrine or becoming someone who cries out slogans. Some people admire anyone who can preach a profound sermon or is a good orator, and covet those who have an imposing manner when they give sermons. Is this the right view to have? Is it right to seek such goal? (No.) What, then, is right? What kind of person should you seek to become? You should be practical in your behavior and actions, not depart from prayer in all things, come before God frequently, and not stray from Him—these are the fundaments of believing in God! No matter how great your life, how great your stature, or how much of the truth reality you have entered, deep down you must never leave God, and never stray from Him. Is it okay to have faith without prayer? Is it okay to not read God’s words? Is it okay to not attend assemblies? If you do these things, you will have strayed from God. If you do not keep Him in your heart, then you have already strayed far from Him. People who stray from God frequently do not revere Him. And what is the outcome of those who stray far from Him? When people stray from God, what they reveal in their words and actions will be the corrupt disposition of Satan. They will often make mistakes, they will often rebel against God, and they will interrupt and disturb; at any time, there is a risk that they could be used and taken captive by Satan. How frightful that is! Thus, only if you do not stray from God deep down, and are able to live before Him at all times—only then can you be a God-fearing person, and only once you possess such a mentality can He protect you from taking the wrong path.

Excerpted from “Gaining God and the Truth Is the Happiest of Things” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is key to entry into truth reality? Is there any use in always expressing your own will, in always making oaths and resolving to do things? That is unrealistic. Right now, the most practical issue is attaining life entry through addressing how to approach and accomplish your duty as you carry it out. What is another way of referring to having life entry? Experiencing the truth. It is through this path that life entry is attained. Have you achieved life entry? Are you capable of testifying to God? (No.) Is it the case that for the most part, you are still stuck on doctrine, and have no true knowledge or experience of the truth? If you are unable to truly know and experience the truth, then you will be unable to bear testimony to God. Most of the time, your knowledge of God is perceptual: You sense that God’s words are right, and so say Amen and agree—but you cannot apply these things to yourself, you still get confused when you do things, and you do not know which truth to use to solve your problems. Is this not the state you reside in most of the time? You understand much, and have grasped much, but you have yet to put these things into practice or apply them. Once you have applied and experienced the truths you understand, your life will grow; this is the standard, the hallmark. And one day, when you gain understanding of a certain aspect of the truth, and you are able to speak some of this understanding to testify to God’s will, to testify to God’s disposition, and to your knowledge of God, at such a time, you will be God’s witness. If there is much you understand and you can preach doctrine for hours, but are incapable of solving your own problems and are ignorant of how to solve them, what is it that you understand? (Words and doctrines.) Some of it is not just words and doctrines. Most is perceptual knowledge: You sense that these words are right, you identify with what other people say, but you do not know how to experience it or how to apply these things to yourself—this is perceptual knowledge. How can this problem be solved? You must go back to your duty. Bit-by-bit, examine and come to grips with the various kinds of corruption and your own myriad states that you reveal as you perform your duty, and then steadily address each of them one by one. You must get to grips with the various states you reveal—your self-righteousness, craftiness, the way you always hold something back, or are perfunctory and slapdash—and identify your own corrupt disposition through them. Will you know what to do once you have identified your own corrupt disposition? For example, what should be done when, in a certain matter, you show yourself to be selfish, thinking only of your own prestige? First, you must let go all thoughts of prestige: “If I said that, it would be to protect my prestige. There would be a motivation behind saying that, I would be being selfish and mean. That is my corrupt disposition, I must not say things like that. I must lay myself bare, show my true colors, say what I’m really thinking in my heart. I’d rather lose my prestige and not try to protect it, and not satisfy my own vanity.” And thus, by forsaking yourself, and speaking aloud your deepest thoughts, in one regard you become honest, and in another, you stop acting on your own ideas and looking out for your own prestige. You are able to practice the truth, and perform your duty better, and are able to take responsibility for your duty. What you lose is prestige, but what you uphold are the interests of the house of God, and the truth. Living thus is just and righteous, worthy of being brought before people and God. This is wonderful! Practicing in this way may be a little hard, but if your efforts and what you practice are aimed in this direction, you might fail two or three times, but perhaps on the fifth attempt, you could be successful. And what does success mean to you? It means that when you practice the truth, you are able to take that step that frees you from the bonds of Satan, a step that allows you to forsake yourself, to put aside your own vanity, prestige and interests, and stop being selfish and mean. So what do you see from this? When you do this, you show people that you are someone who loves the truth, who yearns for the truth, who yearns for righteousness and light. At the same time, you also bring shame upon Satan. Satan corrupted you, it made you look out for yourself, it made you selfish, it made you think of your own prestige. But now, these satanic things can no longer bind you, you have broken free of them, you are no longer controlled by vanity, prestige, or your own personal interests, and you practice the truth, and so Satan is humiliated. And are you not victorious when Satan is humiliated? Do you not stand firm in your testimony to God? Do you not fight the good fight? When you have fought the good fight, there is peace, joy, and a sense of ease in your heart. What does it show when people live always with a feeling of incrimination, when their hearts are unmoored, without joy or peace, when they are often saddened and distressed by all kinds of things? It shows that they rarely practice the truth, that they often turn their backs on the truth, and live in corrupt satanic dispositions that are selfish and vile. It shows that they look out for their own prestige, reputation, status, and interests, and they do not have the truth. Their suffering is therefore great, their worries many, and their fetters numerous.

Excerpted from “Life Entry Must Begin With the Experience of Performing One’s Duty” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When it comes to your faith in God, in addition to performing your duty properly, what is key is to understand the truth, enter truth reality, and make more effort to enter into life. When something happens to you, do not let it slip past you; when you encounter an issue and have certain thoughts, or manifest certain behaviors, and you feel something is wrong but still cannot say just what is going on, and do not know how to practice in this matter, you must speak up and fellowship it with everyone; if you discover something is a problem, you must fellowship on it. When you fellowship on this, you will unconsciously have fewer and fewer questions and doubts, and will understand more and more truths, and thus your stature will grow without you even being aware of it. You must try harder when it comes to the truth, you must put your heart into it. Some people say, “I have believed in God for several years and understood much doctrine. I now have a foundation. Now, life in our church overseas is good, the brothers and sisters gather to fellowship matters of faith in God all day long, and I am thus nourished without even realizing it—and that’s enough. I don’t need to put effort into solving the problems of my own entry into life, or problems of my own rebelliousness. Each day, I abide by my schedule to pray, eat and drink the words of God, sing hymns, and perform my duty. I do the work I ought to, not one thing less, and ultimately, my life unconsciously grows.” That is what people think who are muddled in their faith. The path of faith in God is the most realistic path of all; those who affect a high-sounding tone but never do anything real will gain nothing. Which people gain something? Those who are down-to-earth. These people are able to grasp certain key things on the path of their faith in God, they are pragmatic, and they are down to earth in everything they do and when they consider everything they do, when they face everything head on, and when they enter every truth. They are not people who affect a high-sounding tone or only focus on doing. Instead, they experience everything that happens to them with their hearts, they put their heart into all they do, after which they gain understanding after each thing that happens. When they have a difference of opinion, or at certain exceptional times, they have a lesson to draw on. This is what someone with heart is, and this is the kind of person that will ultimately gain the truth. People who are absent-minded are ultimately incapable of gaining the truth; they only focus on exerting themselves physically, on doing, on showing themselves off, and will have great difficulty gaining the truth. Reflect on this: Just what kind of person is able to enter truth reality? People who are grounded, people who use their hearts, who have a heart. In one regard, such people focus more on reality, on things that are real; in addition, they are more pragmatic, they love positive things, they love the truth, and they love things that are real. Such people will ultimately be able to understand and gain the truth.

Excerpted from “Entry Into Life Is Most Important to Faith in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People often speak of letting God be their life, but their experience has not yet come to that point. You are merely saying that God is your life, that He guides you every day, that you eat and drink His words each day, and that you pray to Him each day, so He has become your life. The knowledge of those who say this is quite superficial. In many people there is no foundation; God’s words have been planted within them, but they have yet to sprout, much less have they borne any fruit. Today, to what extent have you experienced? Only now, after God has forced you to come this far, do you feel that you cannot leave God. One day, when your experience has reached a certain point, if God were to make you leave, you would not be able to. You will always feel that you cannot be without God inside you; you can be without a husband, wife, or children, without a family, without a mother or father, without the enjoyments of the flesh, but you cannot be without God. Being without God would be like losing your life; you would not be able to live without God. When you have experienced to this point, you will have hit the mark in your faith in God, and in this way, God will have become your life, He will have become the foundation of your existence. You will never again be able to leave God. When you have experienced to this extent, you will have truly enjoyed God’s love, and when you have a close enough relationship with God, He will be your life, your love, and at that time you will pray to God and say: “O God! I cannot leave You. You are my life. I can go without everything else—but without You, I cannot go on living.” This is people’s true stature; it is the real life. Some people have been forced to come as far as they have today: They have to go on whether they want to or not, and they always feel as if they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. You must experience such that God is your life, such that if God were taken away from your heart, it would be like losing your life; God must be your life, and you must be incapable of leaving Him. In this way, you will have actually experienced God, and at this time, when you love God, you will truly love God, and it will be a singular, pure love. One day, when your experiences are such that your life has reached a certain point, when you pray to God, and eat and drink the words of God, you will be unable to leave God inside, nor will you be able to forget Him even if you wanted to. God will have become your life; you can forget the world, you can forget your wife, husband, or children, but you will have trouble forgetting God—to do so would be impossible, this is your true life and your true love for God. When people’s love of God has reached a certain point, their love for nothing else is equal to their love of God; their love for God comes first. In this way you are able to give up everything else, and are willing to accept all dealing and pruning from God. When you have achieved a love of God that surpasses all else, you will live in reality and in God’s love.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

21. The Principles of Experiencing God’s Work

(1) It is necessary to accept and submit to all of the judgment and chastisement of God’s words. Moreover, one must accept being pruned and dealt with, as well as trials and refinement. Only thus can one be purified and saved;

(2) Accept and submit to all the truth expressed by God. No matter how much of it one understands, one should practice and experience it. Only thus can one enter truth reality;

(3) When tribulations and trials arise, it is necessary to seek the truth, to look up to God, and to rely on Him. Only thus can one see His acts and genuinely come to know Him;

(4) It is necessary to submit to the enlightenment, illumination, and internal guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to perform one’s duty well in accordance with the truth principle. This is true testimony of having submitted to God.

Relevant Words of God:

Belief in God is the first step to knowing God. The process of advancing from this initial belief in God to the most profound belief in Him is the process of coming to know God, the process of experiencing the work of God. If you only believe in God for the sake of believing in God, and not for the sake of coming to know Him, then there is no reality to your faith, and your faith cannot become pure—of this there is no doubt. If, during the process by which man experiences God’s work, he gradually comes to know God, then his disposition will gradually change, and his belief will become increasingly true. In this way, when man achieves success in his belief in God, he will have completely gained God.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit changes from day to day. It rises higher with each step, the revelation of tomorrow higher than today’s, climbing ever higher, step after step. Such is the work by which God perfects man. If people cannot keep pace, then they could be cast out at any time. If they do not have a heart of obedience, they will be unable to follow to the very end. The former age has passed; this is a new age. And in a new age, new work must be done. Particularly in the final age in which people are perfected, God will perform newer work, more quickly, so without obedience in their hearts, people will find it difficult to follow the footsteps of God. God does not abide by any rules, nor does He treat any stage of His work as unchanging. Instead, the work He does is ever newer and ever higher. With each stage, His work becomes more and more practical, and increasingly in line with the actual needs of man. Only after people experience such work can they attain the final transformation of their disposition. Man’s knowledge of life reaches ever higher levels, and so, likewise, the work of God reaches ever higher levels. Only thus can man be made perfect and become fit for God’s use. God works in this way on the one hand to counter and reverse the notions of man, and on the other to lead man into a higher and more realistic state, into the highest realm of belief in God, so that in the end, the will of God can be done. All those of a disobedient nature who willfully oppose shall be cast out by this stage of God’s swift and furiously advancing work; only those who willingly obey and who gladly humble themselves can progress to the end of the road. In this kind of work, all of you should learn how to submit and how to put aside your notions. You should be cautious in every step you take. If you are careless, you will surely become one who is spurned by the Holy Spirit, one who disrupts God’s work. Prior to undergoing this stage of work, man’s rules and laws of old were so innumerable that he got carried away, and as a result, he became conceited and forgot himself. These are all obstacles that keep man from accepting the new work of God; they are the enemies of man’s knowledge of God. It is dangerous for people to have neither obedience in their hearts nor a yearning for the truth. If you submit only to work and words that are simple, and are incapable of accepting anything more profound, then you are one who clings to old ways and cannot keep pace with the work of the Holy Spirit. The work done by God differs from period to period. If you are of great obedience to God’s work in one phase, but in the next phase your obedience toward His work is poor, or you are incapable of obedience, then God shall desert you. If you keep pace with God as He takes this step, then you must continue to keep pace when He ascends the next; only then will you be someone who is obedient to the Holy Spirit. Since you believe in God, you must remain constant in your obedience. You cannot simply obey when you please and disobey when you do not. This kind of obedience is not praised by God. If you cannot keep pace with the new work I fellowship, and continue to hold on to the former sayings, then how can there be progress in your life? God’s work is to supply you through His words. When you obey and accept His words, the Holy Spirit shall surely work in you. The Holy Spirit works exactly as I speak; do as I have said, and the Holy Spirit will promptly work in you. I release a new light for you to behold, bringing you into the light of the present, and when you walk into this light, the Holy Spirit shall immediately work in you. There are some who may be recalcitrant, saying, “I simply will not carry out what You say.” In which case, I tell you that you have now come to the end of the road; you are dried up, and have no more life. Thus, in experiencing the transformation of your disposition, nothing is more crucial than keeping pace with the present light. The Holy Spirit not only works in certain people who are used by God, but, furthermore, in the church. He could be working in anyone. He may work in you during the present time, and you will experience this work. During the next period, He may work in someone else, in which case you must haste to follow; the more closely you follow the present light, the more your life can grow. No matter what manner of person someone is, if the Holy Spirit works in them, then you must follow. Take in their experiences through your own, and you will receive even higher things. In so doing you will progress more quickly. This is the path of perfection for man and the means by which life grows. The path to being made perfect is reached through your obedience to the work of the Holy Spirit. You do not know through what kind of person God will work to perfect you, nor through what person, occurrence, or thing He will allow you to gain or see things. If you can set foot upon this right track, it shows that there is great hope for you to be perfected by God. If you cannot, it shows that your future is bleak, devoid of light. Once you embark upon the right track, you will gain revelation in all things. No matter what the Holy Spirit reveals to others, if you proceed on the basis of their knowledge to experience things on your own, then this experience will become a part of your life, and you will be able to supply others out of this experience. Those who supply others by parroting words are people who have not had any experiences; you must learn to find, through the enlightenment and illumination of others, a way of practice before you can begin to speak of your own actual experience and knowledge. This will be of greater benefit to your own life. You should experience thus, obeying all that comes from God. You should seek the will of God in all things and learn the lessons in all things, that your life may grow. Such practice affords the fastest progress.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you have no knowledge of God’s work, you will not know how to cooperate with God. If you do not know the principles of God’s work, and are unaware of how Satan works in man, you will have no path to practice. Zealous pursuit alone will not allow you to achieve the results demanded by God. Such a means of experiencing is akin to that of Lawrence: making no distinctions whatsoever and only focusing on experience, utterly unaware of what Satan’s work is, of what the work of the Holy Spirit is, of what state man is in without the presence of God, and what kind of people God wants to perfect. What principles should be adopted when dealing with different types of people, how to grasp God’s will in the present, how to know God’s disposition, and at which people, circumstances, and age God’s mercy, majesty, and righteousness are directed—he has no discernment in any of these. If people do not have multiple visions as a foundation for their experiences, then life is out of the question, and experience even more so; they can foolishly continue submitting to and enduring everything. Such people are very difficult to make perfect. It can be said that if you have nothing of the visions spoken of above, this is ample proof that you are a cretin, you are like a pillar of salt always standing in Israel. Such people are useless, good for nothing! Some people only ever submit blindly, they always know themselves and always use their own ways of conducting themselves when dealing with new matters, or they use “wisdom” to deal with trivial matters unworthy of mention. Such people are devoid of discernment, and it is as if their nature is to resign themselves to being picked on, and they are always the same; they never change. People like this are fools who lack even the slightest discernment. They never try to take measures appropriate to the circumstances or to different people. Such people do not have experience. I have seen some people who are so bound up in their knowledge of themselves that when confronted with people possessed by the work of evil spirits, they lower their heads and confess their sins, not daring to stand up and condemn them. And when faced with the obvious work of the Holy Spirit, they do not dare to obey. They believe that evil spirits are also in the hands of God, and have not the slightest courage to stand up and resist them. Such people bring shame to God, and are utterly incapable of bearing a heavy burden for Him. Such fools do not make distinctions of any kind. Such a means of experiencing, therefore, should be purged, for it is untenable in the eyes of God.

God indeed does a lot of work in people, sometimes trying them, sometimes creating environments to temper them, and sometimes speaking words to guide them and amend their shortcomings. Sometimes the Holy Spirit leads people to environments prepared by God for them to unknowingly discover many things that they lack. Through what people say and do, and the way that people treat others and deal with things, without their knowing it, the Holy Spirit enlightens them of many things that they did not previously understand, allowing them to see many things and people more clearly, allowing them to see into much of which they were previously unaware. When you engage with the world, you gradually start to discern the things of the world, and before you meet your end, you might conclude: “It is truly hard to be a person.” If you spend some time experiencing before God, and come to understand God’s work and His disposition, you will unconsciously gain much insight, and your stature will gradually grow. You will understand many spiritual things better, and you will be clearer about God’s work in particular. You will accept God’s words, God’s work, God’s every action, God’s disposition, and what God is and has as your own life. If all you do is wander in the world, your wings will grow ever harder, and your resistance against God will become ever greater; how then can God use you? Because there is too much of “in my opinion” in you, God does not use you. The more you are in the presence of God, the more experiences you will have. If you still live in the world like a beast—your mouth professing belief in God but your heart somewhere else—and if you still study the worldly philosophies for living, then will all your previous labors not have been for nothing? Therefore, the more that people are in the presence of God, the easier they are to be perfected by God. This is the path by which the Holy Spirit does His work. If you do not understand this, it will be impossible for you to enter onto the right track, and being perfected by God will be out of the question. You will not be able to have a normal spiritual life; it will be as if you are handicapped, and you will have only your own hard work and none of God’s work. Is this not a mistake in your experiencing?

Excerpted from “On Experience” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man experiences God’s work, comes to know himself, purges away his corrupt disposition, and seeks growth in life, all for the sake of knowing God. If you only seek to know yourself and to deal with your own corrupt disposition, but have no knowledge of what work God does upon man, of how great His salvation is, or of how you experience God’s work and witness His deeds, then this experience of yours is fatuous. If you think that one’s life has attained maturity just because one is able to put the truth into practice and to endure, this means that you have still not grasped the true meaning of life or God’s purpose in perfecting man. One day, when you are in the religious churches, among members of the Repentance Church or of the Life Church, you will come across many devout people, whose prayers contain “visions” and who, in their pursuit of life, feel touched and are guided by words. Furthermore, they are able in many matters to endure and to forsake themselves, and not to be led by the flesh. At that time, you will not be able to tell the difference: You will believe that everything they do is right, is the natural expression of life, and that it is a great pity that the name that they believe in is wrong. Are not such views foolish? Why is it said that many people have no life? Because they do not know God, and thus it is said that they have no God in their hearts, and have no life. If your belief in God has reached a point where you are capable of thoroughly knowing the deeds of God, the reality of God, and every stage of God’s work, then you are possessed of the truth. If you do not know the work and the disposition of God, then there is still something missing in your experience. How Jesus carried out that stage of His work, how this stage is being carried out, how God did His work in the Age of Grace and what work was done, what work is being done in this stage—if you do not have a thorough knowledge of these things, then you will never feel assured and you will always be insecure. If, after a period of experience, you are able to know the work done by God and every step of His work, and if you have gained thorough knowledge of God’s aims in speaking His words, and why so many words He has spoken have not been fulfilled, then you may boldly and without holding back pursue the road ahead, free from worry and refinement. You should see by what means God achieves so much of His work. He uses the words He speaks, refining man and transforming his notions by means of many different kinds of words. All the suffering that you have endured, all the refinement that you have undergone, the dealing that you have accepted within you, the enlightenment that you have experienced—these have all been achieved by means of the words God has spoken. On what account does man follow God? He follows because of the words of God! The words of God are deeply mysterious, and they can moreover move man’s heart, reveal things buried deep within it, make him know things that happened in the past, and allow him to penetrate into the future. So man endures suffering because of God’s words, and is also made perfect because of God’s words: Only at this time does man follow God. What man should do in this stage is accept the words of God, and regardless of whether he is made perfect or subjected to refinement, the words of God are what is key. This is the work of God, and this is also the vision that man should know today.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For people to experience God’s work, they must first understand His current work and how mankind should cooperate. Indeed, this is something that everyone should understand. No matter what God does, whether it be refinement or even if He is not speaking, not a single step of God’s work falls in line with mankind’s notions. Each step of His work shatters and breaks through people’s notions. This is His work. But you must believe that, since God’s work has reached a certain stage, He will not put all mankind to death no matter what. He gives both promises and blessings to mankind, and all those who pursue Him will be able to gain His blessings, but those who do not will be cast aside by God. This depends on your pursuit. Regardless of anything else, you must believe that when God’s work is concluded, every single person will have a suitable destination. God has provided mankind with beautiful aspirations, but without pursuit they are unattainable. You should be able to see this now—God’s refinement and His chastisement of people is His work, but people, for their part, must pursue a change in disposition at all times. In your practical experience, you must first know how to eat and drink God’s words; you must find within His words what you should enter into and your own shortcomings, you should seek entry in your practical experience, and take the portion of God’s words that should be put into practice and try to do so. Eating and drinking God’s words is one aspect. In addition, the life of the church must be maintained, you must have a normal spiritual life, and you must be able to hand over all of your current states to God. No matter how His work changes, your spiritual life should remain normal. A spiritual life can maintain your normal entering in. No matter what God does, you ought to continue your spiritual life uninterrupted and fulfill your duty. This is what people should do. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit, but while for those with a normal condition this is perfection, for those with an abnormal condition it is a trial. At the current stage of the Holy Spirit’s refinement work, some people say that God’s work is so great and that people absolutely need refinement, otherwise their stature will be too small and they will have no way of attaining God’s will. However, for those whose condition is not good, it becomes a reason to not pursue God, and a reason to not attend gatherings or eat and drink God’s word. In God’s work, no matter what He does or what changes He effects, people must maintain a baseline of a normal spiritual life. Perhaps you have not been lax in this current stage of your spiritual life, but you still have not gained much, and have not reaped a great harvest. Under these kinds of circumstances, you must still follow the rules; you must keep to these rules so that you do not suffer losses in your life and so that you satisfy God’s will. If your spiritual life is abnormal, you cannot understand God’s current work, and instead always feel that it is completely incompatible with your own notions, and though you are willing to follow Him, you lack internal drive. So, no matter what God is currently doing, people must cooperate. If people do not cooperate, then the Holy Spirit cannot do His work, and if people do not have a heart to cooperate, then they can hardly gain the work of the Holy Spirit. If you want to have the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you, and if you want to gain God’s approval, then you must maintain your original devotion before the face of God. Now, it is not necessary for you to have a deeper understanding, a higher theory, or other such things—all that is required is that you uphold God’s word on the original foundation. If people do not cooperate with God and do not pursue deeper entry, then God will take away all the things that were originally theirs. On the inside, people are always greedy for ease and would rather enjoy what is already available. They want to gain God’s promises without paying any price at all. These are the extravagant thoughts that mankind entertains. Gaining life itself without paying a price—but has anything ever been this easy? When someone believes in God and seeks to enter into life and seeks a change in their disposition, they must pay a price and achieve a state in which they will always follow God, no matter what He does. This is something that people must do. Even if you follow all of this as a rule, you must always uphold it, and no matter how great the trials, you cannot let go of your normal relationship with God. You should be able to pray, maintain your church life, and never leave your brothers and sisters. When God tries you, you should still seek the truth. This is the minimum requirement for a spiritual life. Always having the desire to seek, and striving to cooperate, applying all of your energy—can this be done? If people take this as a foundation, they will be able to achieve discernment and entry into reality. It is easy to accept God’s word when your own state is normal; in these circumstances it does not feel difficult to practice the truth, and you feel that God’s work is great. But if your condition is poor, no matter how great God’s work is and no matter how beautifully someone speaks, you will pay no mind. When a person’s condition is abnormal, God cannot work in them, and they cannot achieve changes in their disposition.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Experiencing God’s work is not about enjoying grace, but rather about suffering for your love of Him. Since you enjoy God’s grace, you must also enjoy His chastisement; you must experience all of this. You can experience God’s enlightenment in you, and you can also experience how He deals with you and judges you. In this way, your experience will be comprehensive. God has carried out His work of judgment and chastisement upon you. God’s word has dealt with you, but not only that; it has also enlightened and illuminated you. When you are negative and weak, God worries for you. All of this work is to let you know that everything about man is within God’s orchestrations. You may think that believing in God is about suffering, or doing all manner of things for Him; you might think that the purpose of believing in God is so that your flesh may be at peace, or so that everything in your life runs smoothly, or so that you may be comfortable and at ease in all things. However, none of these are purposes that people should attach to their belief in God. If you believe for these purposes, then your perspective is incorrect, and it is simply impossible for you to be perfected. God’s actions, God’s righteous disposition, His wisdom, His words, and His wondrousness and unfathomableness are all things people ought to understand. Having this understanding, you should use it to rid your heart of all personal demands, hopes, and notions. Only by eliminating these things can you meet the conditions demanded by God, and it is only by doing this that you can have life and satisfy God. The purpose of believing in God is to satisfy Him and to live out the disposition He requires, so that His actions and glory may be manifested through this group of unworthy people. This is the correct perspective for believing in God, and this is also the goal that you should seek. You should have the right viewpoint about believing in God and you should seek to obtain God’s words. You need to eat and drink God’s words and you must be able to live out the truth, and in particular you must be able to see His practical deeds, His wonderful deeds throughout the entire universe, as well as the practical work He does in the flesh. People can, through their practical experiences, appreciate just how God does His work on them and what His will is toward them. The purpose of all of this is to eliminate people’s corrupt satanic disposition. Having cast out all the uncleanliness and unrighteousness inside you, and having cast off your wrong intentions, and having developed true faith in God—only with true faith can you truly love God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whether God judges man or curses him, both make man perfect: Both are done in order to make perfect that which is impure within man. Through this means man is refined, and that which is lacking within man is made perfect through His words and work. Every step of God’s work—whether it be harsh words, or judgment, or chastisement—makes man perfect, and is absolutely appropriate. Never throughout the ages has God done work such as this; today, He works within you so that you appreciate His wisdom. Although you have suffered some pain within you, your hearts feel steadfast and at peace; it is your blessing to be able to enjoy this stage of the work of God. Regardless of what you are able to gain in the future, all that you see of God’s work in you today is love. If man does not experience God’s judgment and refinement, his actions and fervor will always remain at surface level, and his disposition will always remain unchanged. Does this count as having been gained by God? Today, although there is still much within man that is arrogant and conceited, man’s disposition is much more stable than before. God’s dealing with you is done in order to save you, and although you may feel some pain at the time, the day will come when there occurs a change in your disposition. At that time, you will look back and see how wise the work of God is, and at that time you will be able to truly understand God’s will. Today, there are some people who say they understand God’s will, but that is none too realistic. In fact, they are speaking falsehoods, because at present they have yet to understand whether the will of God is to save man or to curse man. Perhaps you cannot see it clearly now, but the day will come when you see that the day God gains glory has arrived, and you will see how meaningful it is to love God, so that you will come to know the human life and your flesh will live in the world of loving God, so that your spirit will be set free, your life will be full of joy, and you will always be close to God and look to Him. At that time, you will truly know how valuable the work of God today is.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God works to refine man, man suffers. The greater a person’s refinement, the greater their love of God will be, and the more of God’s might will be revealed in them. Conversely, the less refinement a person receives, the less their love of God will grow, and the less God’s might will be revealed in them. The greater such a person’s refinement and pain and the more torment they experience, the deeper their love of God will grow, the more genuine their faith in God will become, and the more profound their knowledge of God will be. In your experiences, you will see people who suffer greatly as they are refined, who are dealt with and disciplined much, and you will see that it is those people who have a deep love for God and a more profound and penetrating knowledge of God. Those who have not experienced being dealt with have but a superficial knowledge, and they can only say: “God is so good, He bestows grace upon people so that they can enjoy Him.” If people have experienced being dealt with and disciplined, then they are able to speak about the true knowledge of God. So the more wondrous God’s work in man is, the more valuable and significant it is. The more impenetrable it is to you and the more incompatible it is with your notions, the more God’s work is able to conquer you, gain you, and make you perfect. How great is the significance of God’s work! If God did not refine man in this way, if He did not work according to this method, then His work would be ineffectual and without significance. It was said in the past that God would select and gain this group, and make them complete in the last days; in this, there is extraordinary significance. The greater the work He carries out within you, the deeper and purer your love for God. The greater the work of God, the more man is able to grasp something of His wisdom and the deeper is man’s knowledge of Him. During the last days, six thousand years of God’s plan for management will come to an end. Can it really end easily? Once He conquers mankind, will His work be over? Can it be so simple? People indeed imagine that it is as simple as this, but what God does is not so simple. No matter what part of God’s work you care to mention, it all is unfathomable to man. If you were able to fathom it, then God’s work would be without significance or value. The work done by God is unfathomable; it is completely counter to your notions, and the more irreconcilable it is with your notions, the more it shows that God’s work is meaningful; if it were compatible with your notions, then it would be meaningless. Today, you feel that God’s work is so wondrous, and the more wondrous you feel it is, the more you feel that God is unfathomable, and you see how great God’s deeds are. If He only did some superficial, perfunctory work to conquer man and did nothing else afterward, then man would be incapable of beholding the significance of God’s work. Although you are receiving a little refinement now, it is of great benefit to your growth in life; so it is of the utmost necessity for you to undergo such hardship. Today, you are receiving a little refinement, but afterward you will truly be able to behold the deeds of God, and ultimately you will say: “God’s deeds are so wondrous!” These will be the words in your heart. Having experienced God’s refinement for a while (the trial of the service-doers and the time of chastisement), some people ultimately said: “Believing in God is really difficult!” The fact that they used the words, “really difficult,” shows that God’s deeds are unfathomable, that God’s work is possessed of great significance and value, and that His work is highly worthy of being treasured by man. If, after I have done so much work, you had not the slightest knowledge, then could My work still have value? It will make you say: “Service to God is really difficult, the deeds of God are so wondrous, and God truly is wise! God is so lovely!” If, after undergoing a period of experience, you are able to say such words, then this proves that you have gained God’s work in you.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s work and word are meant to cause a change in your disposition; His goal is not merely to make you understand or know His work and word. That is not enough. You are a person who has the ability to comprehend, so you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, because most of God’s word is written in human language, and He speaks very plainly. For instance, you are perfectly capable of learning what it is that God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a normal person who has the faculty of comprehension should be able to do. In particular, the words that God is saying in the present stage are especially clear and transparent, and God is pointing out many things that people have not considered, as well as all manner of human states. His words are all-encompassing, and as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues, but there is still something missing—people putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of the truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, rather than simply waiting to absorb whatever is made available to them; otherwise they become little more than parasites. They know God’s word, yet do not put it into practice. This kind of person does not love the truth and will ultimately be eliminated. To be like a Peter of the 1990s, this means that each one of you should practice the word of God, have true entry in your experiences and gain even more and even greater enlightenment in your cooperation with God, which will be of ever increasing assistance to your own life. If you have read a lot of God’s word but only understand the meaning of the text and lack direct knowledge of God’s word through your practical experiences, then you will not know God’s word. As far as you are concerned, God’s word is not life, but just lifeless letters. And if you only live in observance of lifeless letters, then you cannot grasp the essence of God’s word, nor will you understand His will. Only when you experience His word in your actual experiences will the spiritual meaning of God’s word open itself to you, and it is only through experience that you can grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths and unlock the mysteries of God’s word. If you do not put it into practice, then no matter how clear His word, all that you have grasped are empty letters and doctrines, which have become religious regulations to you. Is this not what the Pharisees did? If you practice and experience God’s word, it becomes practical to you; if you do not seek to practice it, then God’s word to you is little more than the legend of the third heaven. In fact, the process of believing in God is the process of you experiencing His word as well as being gained by Him, or to put it more clearly, to believe in God is to have the knowledge and understanding of His word and to experience and live out His word; such is the reality behind your belief in God. If you believe in God and hope for eternal life without seeking to practice the word of God as something you have within you, then you are foolish. This would be like going to a feast and only looking at the food and learning the delicious things by heart without actually tasting any of it. Would such a person not be a fool?

Excerpted from “Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do you experience God’s work in the daily performance of your duty? Have you prayed to God when faced with problems, and can you resolve them by seeking the truth? This relates to the issue of entry into life. If one does not take one’s state into account and use God’s words to resolve problems in the performance of one’s duty, then the performance of that duty has nothing to do with believing in God. No matter what duty you are performing nor what you are doing, you must give consideration to the aspects of God’s words that are involved, as well as your own thoughts, opinions, or incorrect motives, all of which are parts of man’s state. What does man’s state include? It includes people’s positions, attitudes, motives, and views, as well as some philosophies, logic, and knowledge—and all these things, in brief, are related to people’s usual modes and methods of action and treatment of others. When faced with a task, you must first examine what your view is—this is the first step. The second step is to examine whether that view is correct. How, then, should you determine whether your view is correct or not? It is determined once with God’s words, and again according to the principles of the sort of task in question: the explicit requirements of God’s words, for instance, or the work arrangements and rules of God’s house, or the interests of God’s house. Use these things to determine whether a view is correct—they are the standards of measurement.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you believe in God’s sovereignty, then you have to believe that everyday occurrences, be they good or bad, do not happen at random. It is not that someone is deliberately being hard on you or targeting you; this was all arranged by God. Why does God orchestrate all these things? It is not to reveal you for who you are or to expose you; exposing you is not the end goal. The goal is to perfect you and save you. How does God do that? He starts by making you aware of your own corrupt disposition, of your nature and essence, of your shortcomings, and of what you lack. Only by knowing these things and having a clear understanding of them can you pursue the truth and gradually cast off your corrupt disposition. This is God providing you with an opportunity. You have to know how to seize this opportunity, and you should not butt heads with God. In particular, when faced with the people, matters, and things that God arranges around you, do not constantly feel that things are not as you wish them to be; do not constantly wish to escape them or always blame and misunderstand God. If you are constantly doing those things, then you are not experiencing God’s work, and that will make it very difficult for you to enter truth reality. Whatever you encounter that you cannot fully understand, when a difficulty arises, you must learn to submit. You should begin by coming before God and praying more. That way, before you know it, a shift will occur in your internal state, and you will be able to seek the truth to resolve your problem. As such, you will be able to experience God’s work. As this happens, truth reality will be wrought within you, and this is how you will progress and undergo a transformation of the state of your life. Once you have undergone this change and possess this truth reality, you will also possess stature, and with stature comes life.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people experience God’s work, their first knowledge of Him is that He is unfathomable, wise, and wonderful, and they unconsciously revere Him and feel the mystery of the work He does, which is beyond the ken of man’s mind. People want only to be able to meet His requirements, to satisfy His desires; they do not wish to exceed Him, because the work He does goes beyond man’s thinking and imagination and could not be done by man in His stead. Even man himself does not know his own inadequacies, yet God has forged a new path and has come to bring man into a newer and more beautiful world, and so mankind has made new progress and has had a new start. What people feel for God is not admiration, or rather, is not only admiration. Their deepest experience is awe and love; their feeling is that God is indeed wonderful. He does work that man is unable to do and says things that man is unable to say. People who have experienced God’s work always have an indescribable feeling. People of deep enough experience can understand the love of God; they can feel His loveliness, that His work is so wise, so wonderful, and thereby is infinite power generated among them. It is not fear or occasional love and respect, but a deep sense of God’s compassion for man and tolerance of him. However, people who have experienced His chastisement and judgment sense His majesty and that He tolerates no offense. Even people who have experienced much of His work are unable to fathom Him; all who truly revere Him know that His work is not in line with people’s notions but always goes against their notions. He does not need people to admire him wholly or present the appearance of submission to Him; rather, they should achieve true reverence and true submission. In so much of His work, anyone with true experience feels reverence for Him, which is higher than admiration. People have seen His disposition due to His work of chastisement and judgment, and they therefore revere Him in their hearts. God is meant to be revered and obeyed, because His being and His disposition are not the same as those of a created being and are above those of a created being. God is self-existent and everlasting, He is a non-created being, and only God is worthy of reverence and obedience; man is not qualified for this. So, all who have experienced His work and truly known Him feel reverence toward Him. However, those who do not let go of their notions about Him—those who simply do not regard Him as God—have no reverence toward Him, and though they follow Him, they are not conquered; they are disobedient people by nature. What He means to achieve by working thus is for all created beings to have hearts of reverence for the Creator, worship Him, and submit to His dominion unconditionally. This is the final result that all His work is meant to achieve. If people who have experienced such work do not revere God, even slightly, and if their past disobedience does not change at all, then they are sure to be eliminated. If a person’s attitude toward God is only to admire Him or to show Him respect from a distance, and not to love Him in the slightest, then this is the result at which a person without a heart of love for God has arrived, and that person lacks the conditions to be perfected. If so much work is unable to obtain a person’s true love, then that person has not gained God and does not genuinely pursue the truth. A person who does not love God does not love the truth and thus cannot gain God, much less receive God’s approval. Such people, however they experience the work of the Holy Spirit, and however they experience judgment, are unable to revere God. These are people whose nature is unchangeable and who have extremely wicked dispositions. All who do not revere God are to be eliminated, to be objects of punishment, and to be punished just like those who do evil, to suffer even more than those who have done unrighteous things.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

After years have passed, man has become weather-beaten, having experienced the hardship of refinement and chastisement. Although man has lost the “glory” and “romance” of times past, he has, without knowing it, come to understand the principles of human conduct, and has come to appreciate God’s years of devotion to saving mankind. Man slowly begins to loathe his own barbarousness. He begins to hate how feral he is, all of his misunderstandings toward God, and the unreasonable demands he has made of Him. The clock cannot be turned back. Past events become regretful memories of man, and the words and love of God become the driving force in man’s new life. Man’s wounds heal day by day, his strength returns, and he stands up and looks upon the face of the Almighty … only to discover that He has always been at my side, and that His smile and His beautiful countenance are still so stirring. His heart still holds concern for the mankind He created, and His hands are still as warm and powerful as they were in the beginning. It is as if man returned to the Garden of Eden, yet this time man no longer listens to the enticements of the serpent and no longer turns away from the face of Jehovah. Man kneels before God, looks up at God’s smiling face, and offers his most precious sacrifice—Oh! My Lord, my God!

Excerpted from “Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

22. The Principles of Pursuing the Truth

(1) It is necessary to eat and drink of God’s words often, to have true communion with Him, to be able to seek the truth in His words, to put the truth into practice, and to enter reality;

(2) It is necessary to submit to God’s work and to accept His judgment and chastisement and being pruned and dealt with by Him. It is also necessary to be capable of self-reflection and self-knowledge in order to have one’s corrupt disposition transformed;

(3) It is necessary to establish a normal relationship with God and come to expend yourself sincerely for Him. Only thus can one be led and perfected by the work of the Holy Spirit;

(4) It is necessary to walk the path of Peter, seeking the truth and reflecting on oneself in all matters, focus on effecting change in one’s disposition, and become one who loves God truly.

Relevant Words of God:

The truth is the reality of all positive things. It can be the life of man and the direction in which he travels; it can lead one to cast off their corrupt disposition, to come to fear God and shun evil, to become one who obeys God and a qualified created being, one whom God loves and who meets with His favor. Given its preciousness, what attitude and perspective should one have in regarding God’s words and the truth? It is quite obvious: For those who truly believe in God and have a heart of reverence for Him, His words are their lifeblood. Man should treasure God’s words, and eat and drink of them, and enjoy them, and accept them as his life, as the direction in which he makes his way, as his ready aid and provision; man should live, practice, and experience in accordance with the statements and requirements of the truth, and submit to its demands of him, to each of the statements and requirements that the truth grants to him, rather than subjecting it to study, analysis, speculation, and doubt. As the truth is man’s ready aid, his ready provision, and can be his life, man should treat the truth as the most precious thing, for he must rely on the truth to live, to come to satisfy God’s demands, fearing Him and shunning evil, and to find within his daily life the path on which to practice, grasping the principles of practice and achieving submission to God. Man must also rely on the truth to cast off his corrupt disposition, to become one who is saved and a qualified created being.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Seven)” in Exposing Antichrists

Right now, God does the work of judgment of the last days, and has expressed many words. On the path of faith in God, we have encountered much that relates to the truth. If we do not seek the truth, then there is no path, so we must have knowledge of the truth, and when we read God’s words, we must combine them into reality. All of God’s words are the truth and must be personally experienced. From the time people are born to when they become adults, begin working, start a family, and establish a career, throughout their entire lives—including the people, events, and things they encounter, and everything else that happens to them—there is nothing that touches upon the truth, much less anything that they perceive through the truth. As such, each and every person is a stranger to the truth. And it is precisely because we all lack the truth that, starting from today, we must pursue the truth; this is imperative. If you have yet to realize that when you believe in God you must pursue the truth, and that only the truth can change you, perfect you, save you, and truly bring you before God, then the truth can hold no interest for you, and you are therefore incapable of pursuing it. Some people say, “It’s enough that in my faith in God, I don’t hesitate to eat and drink the words of God, to lead the life of the church, to perform my duty, and to preach the gospel—so why do I also need to pursue the truth? I never normally commit sin or resist God, nor am I an antichrist. I shun the wicked. I just need a few simple rules to guide and help me, that’s all; I don’t need to pursue any abstruse truths.” Is this the right way of looking at things? (No.) Why not? (Because people can only be saved by God once they have gained the truth.) Right now there are some people who possess a vague awareness of just how important the truth is to their salvation, and that is a good thing. However, whether this awareness can take root depends on how you subsequently pursue the truth. Pursuing the truth is very important. For example, when you are negative and weak, can you become strong without the support and provision of the truth? Are you able to overcome your weakness? Are you able to realize why you have been negative and weak? Definitely not. When you are slipshod and perfunctory whilst performing your duty, are you able to fix this aspect of your corruption without seeking the truth? Are you capable of loyalty to God? Can people know themselves and address their corrupt dispositions if they do not seek the truth? No. When people constantly have notions about God, and are always measuring Him against their own notions and imaginings, can such things be resolved without the truth? They cannot. In much of what we encounter—including matters in our everyday lives—if we do not possess the truth, do not seek the truth, and, moreover, do not understand the truth, and if we are ignorant of what God says about such things and of His will, then how will we approach what happens to us? Those who are a little better may try to find a solution using the words, phrases, and rules with which they are familiar, or by using human methods, but can these take the place of the truth in resolving their problems? If we do not seek the truth, it can be said that nothing in our lives has any principle, nor do we have a path to practice, much less do we have any objective or direction. If this is the case, then everything we do opposes and betrays God. Thus, does He not then despise and curse everything we do? Will our actions not be judged and chastised by Him? It is therefore likely that before genuinely understanding the truth, every person will encounter some of God’s judgment, chastisement, chastening, and disciplining—the purpose of all of which is to make people gain the truth.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In pursuing life, you must pay attention to two things: first, understanding the truth within God’s words; second, understanding yourself within God’s words. These two things are most fundamental. There is no life or truth outside of God’s words. If you do not seek the truth within God’s words, where, then, can you go to seek it? Where is there truth in the world? All of the world’s books are compiled of the devil Satan’s theories, are they not? They do not contain even one iota of truth! The most important parts of understanding the truth in God’s words are understanding God within His words, understanding human life within His words, and understanding all aspects of the truth within His words, such as the true understanding of oneself and discovering the meaning of human existence within God’s words. All truth is within God’s words. You cannot enter into the truth unless it is done through the words of God. The main outcome you must attain is to know what it is to possess understanding and knowledge of God’s words. With a real understanding of God’s words, you can then understand the truth. This is the most fundamental thing.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In summary, taking Peter’s path in one’s faith means to walk the path of pursuing the truth, which is also the path of truly getting to know oneself and changing one’s disposition. Only by walking the path of Peter will one be on the path of being perfected by God. One must be clear on how, exactly, to walk Peter’s path, as well as how to put it into practice. First, one must put aside one’s own intentions, improper pursuits, and even family and all things of one’s own flesh. One must be wholeheartedly devoted; that is, one must completely devote oneself to the word of God, focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, concentrate on the search for the truth and the search for God’s intentions in His words, and try to grasp God’s will in everything. This is the most fundamental and vital method of practice. This was what Peter did after seeing Jesus, and it is only by practicing in this way that one can achieve the best results. Wholehearted devotion to the words of God primarily involves seeking the truth, seeking God’s intentions within His words, focusing on grasping the will of God, and understanding and obtaining more truth from God’s words. When reading His words, Peter was not focused on understanding doctrines, much less was he focused on obtaining theological knowledge; instead, he concentrated on comprehending the truth and grasping God’s will, as well as achieving an understanding of His disposition and His loveliness. Peter also attempted to understand the various corrupt states of man from God’s words, as well as man’s corrupt nature and actual shortcoming, thus meeting all aspects of God’s requirements of man in order to satisfy Him. Peter had so many correct practices that abided by the words of God; this was most in line with God’s will, and it was the best way a person could cooperate while experiencing God’s work. When experiencing the hundreds of trials from God, Peter examined himself strictly against every word of God’s judgment of man, every word of God’s revelation of man, and every word of His demands of man, and strived to fathom the meaning of those words. He tried in earnest to ponder and memorize every word that Jesus said to him, and achieved very good results. Through this manner of practicing, he was able to achieve an understanding of himself from God’s words, and he not only came to understand the various corrupt states of man, but also came to understand man’s essence, nature, and various shortcomings. This is what it means to truly understand oneself. From God’s words, Peter not only achieved a true understanding of himself, but from the things expressed in God’s words—God’s righteous disposition, what He has and is, God’s will for His work, His demands of mankind—from these words he came to know God completely. He came to know God’s disposition, and His essence; he came to know and understand what God has and is, as well as God’s loveliness and God’s demands for man. Although God did not speak back then as much as He does today, results in these aspects were nevertheless achieved in Peter. This was a rare and precious thing. Peter went through hundreds of trials, but did not suffer in vain. He not only came to understand himself from the words and the work of God, but he also came to know God. In addition, he particularly focused on God’s requirements of mankind within His words. In whichever aspects man should satisfy God to be in line with God’s will, Peter was able to put forth great effort in these aspects and achieve full clarity; this was extremely beneficial with regard to his own entry. No matter what God spoke of, as long as those words could become life and are the truth, Peter was able to carve them into his heart to ponder and appreciate them frequently. After hearing the words of Jesus, he was able to take them to heart, which shows that he was especially focused on God’s words, and he truly achieved results in the end. That is, he was able to freely put the words of God into practice, accurately practice the truth and be in line with God’s will, act entirely in accordance with God’s intention, and give up his own personal opinions and imaginations. In this way, Peter entered into the reality of God’s words. Peter’s service came in line with God’s will primarily because he had done this.

If one can satisfy God while fulfilling one’s duty, is principled in one’s words and actions, and can enter truth reality in every aspect of the truth, then one is a person who is perfected by God. It can be said that the work and the words of God have been completely effective for such people, that God’s words have become their life, they have obtained the truth, and they are able to live in accordance with God’s words. After this, the nature of their flesh—that is, the very foundation of their original existence—will shake apart and collapse. After people possess God’s words as their life, they will become new people. If the words of God become their life, if the vision of God’s work, His requirements of humanity, His revelations to humans, and the standards for a true life that God requires them to meet become their life, if they live according to these words and truths, then they are perfected by the words of God. Such people are reborn, and have become new people through God’s words. This is the path by which Peter pursued the truth; it was the path of being perfected, perfected by God’s words, and gaining life from the words of God. The truth expressed by God became his life, and only then did he become a person who obtained the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

All that Peter sought was after God’s heart. He sought to fulfill God’s desire, and regardless of the suffering and adversity, still he was willing to fulfill God’s desire. There is no greater pursuit by a believer in God. What Paul sought was tainted by his own flesh, by his own notions, and by his own plans and schemes. He was by no means a qualified creature of God, was not someone who sought to fulfill God’s desire. Peter sought to submit to God’s orchestrations, and although the work he did was not great, the motivation behind his pursuit and the path that he walked were right; though he was not able to gain many people, he was able to pursue the way of truth. Because of this it can be said that he was a qualified creature of God. Today, even if you are not a worker, you should be able to perform the duty of a creature of God and seek to submit to all of God’s orchestrations. You should be able to obey whatever God says, and experience all manner of tribulations and refinement, and though you are weak, in your heart you should still be able to love God. Those who take responsibility for their own life are willing to perform the duty of a creature of God, and such people’s viewpoint about pursuit is the right one. These are the people that God needs. If you did much work, and others gained your teachings, but you yourself did not change, and did not bear any testimony, or have any true experience, such that at the end of your life, still none of what you have done bears testimony, then are you someone who has changed? Are you someone who pursues the truth? At the time, the Holy Spirit used you, but when He used you, He used the part of you that could be used to work, and He did not use the part of you that could not be used. If you sought to change, then you would gradually be made perfect during the process of being used. Yet the Holy Spirit accepts no responsibility for whether or not you will ultimately be gained, and this depends on the manner of your pursuit. If there are no changes in your personal disposition, then that is because your viewpoint toward pursuit is wrong. If you are granted no reward, then that is your own problem, and because you yourself have not put the truth into practice and are unable to fulfill God’s desire. And so, nothing is of greater importance than your personal experiences, and nothing is more critical than your personal entry! Some people will end up saying, “I’ve done so much work for You, and though I may not have made any celebrated achievements, still I have been diligent in my efforts. Can’t You just let me into heaven to eat the fruit of life?” You must know what kind of people I desire; those who are impure are not permitted to enter into the kingdom, those who are impure are not permitted to besmirch the holy ground. Though you may have done much work, and worked for many years, in the end if you are still deplorably filthy, then it will be intolerable to the law of Heaven that you wish to enter My kingdom! From the foundation of the world until today, never have I offered easy access to My kingdom to those who curry favor with Me. This is a heavenly rule, and no one can break it! You must seek life. Today, those who will be made perfect are the same kind as Peter: They are those who seek changes in their own disposition, and who are willing to bear testimony to God and perform their duty as a creature of God. Only people such as this will be made perfect. If you only look to rewards, and do not seek to change your own life disposition, then all your efforts will be in vain—this is an unalterable truth!

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Pursuit of the truth is both a practical problem and a practical lesson. We cannot attain understanding of the truth or put the truth into practice by relying on our imagination, thoughts, notions, or scraps of knowledge; it is not that easy. What is required is for us to actually pay a price and, in our everyday lives, to actually attempt to experience, seek, contemplate, fellowship, and work on it; only then, little by little, will we achieve some entry and gain something with regard to the words of God and the truth. When the day comes that you understand what the truth is and what its essence is, when you are aware that the words spoken by God incarnate are the principles that must be actually put into practice in everything that we encounter and that they are the objectives and direction of our lives, then, at that time, you will see just how meaningful everything God does is, and just how important and valuable God incarnate is to us! The purpose behind everything God says, every step of work He does, His every utterance, every action, and every move, and all His ideas, viewpoints, and thoughts is to bring salvation to man; it is to allow people to be saved. Not one of them is empty; every single one of them is real and actual. Thus, whether people come from the Age of Grace or from among the unbelievers, they must all stop dreaming; they must stop believing in God through the lens of their imaginings and stop living in the empty thoughts of their own idealism. God’s real and actual work requires us to really and actually experience it and pay a price; only then will the truth we have attained through experience become the life we gain. When experiencing God’s work, what we should gain most of all is the truth. When you have gained the truth, God shall have a place in your heart—which is precisely what He wishes to achieve. Once you understand the truth and are aware of what it is, after it has taken root in your heart, and once you have actually experienced the truth, then deep down, God’s words will have truly become your life. Is this process real? It is indeed. So, what are we required to do in this process? First of all, we must experience and enter into the reality of God’s words. We must be aware of what He wishes to do in us and of the results He wishes to attain. There are primarily two results God wishes to achieve in us: Firstly, to make us know ourselves; and secondly, to make us know God.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God is not to be believed in by man, but loved by him, and pursued and worshiped by him. If you do not pursue today, then the day will come when you say, “Back then why did I not follow God properly, not satisfy Him properly, not pursue changes in my life disposition? How I regret not being able to submit to God at the time, and not pursuing the knowledge of God’s word. God said so much back then; how could I not have pursued? I was so stupid!” You will hate yourself to some degree. Today, you do not believe the words I say, and you pay no attention to them; when the day comes for this work to spread and you see the entirety of it, you will regret, and at that time you will be dumbfounded. There are blessings, yet you do not know to enjoy them, and there is the truth, yet you do not pursue it. Do you not bring contempt upon yourself? Today, although the next step of God’s work has yet to begin, there is nothing exceptional about the demands that are made of you and what you are asked to live out. There is so much work, and so many truths; are they not worthy of being known by you? Is God’s chastisement and judgment incapable of awakening your spirit? Is God’s chastisement and judgment incapable of making you hate yourself? Are you content to live under the influence of Satan, with peace and joy, and a little fleshly comfort? Are you not the lowliest of all people? None are more foolish than those who have beheld salvation but do not pursue to gain it; these are people who gorge themselves on the flesh and enjoy Satan. You hope that your faith in God will not entail any challenges or tribulations, or the slightest hardship. You always pursue those things that are worthless, and you attach no value to life, instead putting your own extravagant thoughts before the truth. You are so worthless! You live like a pig—what difference is there between you, and pigs and dogs? Are those who do not pursue the truth, and instead love the flesh, not all beasts? Are those dead ones without spirits not all walking corpses? How many words have been spoken among you? Has only a little work been done among you? How much have I provided among you? So why have you not gained it? What do you have to complain of? Is it not the case that you have gained nothing because you are too in love with the flesh? And is it not because your thoughts are too extravagant? Is it not because you are too stupid? If you are incapable of gaining these blessings, can you blame God for not saving you? What you pursue is to be able to gain peace after believing in God, for your children to be free from illness, for your husband to have a good job, for your son to find a good wife, for your daughter to find a decent husband, for your oxen and horses to plow the land well, for a year of good weather for your crops. This is what you seek. Your pursuit is only to live in comfort, for no accidents to befall your family, for the winds to pass you by, for your face to be untouched by grit, for your family’s crops to not be flooded, for you to be unaffected by any disaster, to live in God’s embrace, to live in a cozy nest. A coward such as you, who always pursues the flesh—do you have a heart, do you have a spirit? Are you not a beast? I give you the true way without asking for anything in return, yet you do not pursue. Are you one of those who believe in God? I bestow real human life upon you, yet you do not pursue. Are you no different from a pig or a dog? Pigs do not pursue the life of man, they do not pursue being cleansed, and they do not understand what life is. Each day, after eating their fill, they simply sleep. I have given you the true way, yet you have not gained it: You are empty-handed. Are you willing to continue in this life, the life of a pig? What is the significance of such people being alive? Your life is contemptible and ignoble, you live amid filth and licentiousness, and you do not pursue any goals; is your life not the most ignoble of all? Do you have the gall to look upon God? If you continue to experience in this way, will you not acquire nothing? The true way has been given to you, but whether or not you can ultimately gain it depends on your own personal pursuit.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man must pursue to live out a life of meaning, and should not be satisfied with his current circumstances. To live out the image of Peter, he must possess the knowledge and experiences of Peter. Man must pursue things that are higher and more profound. He must pursue a deeper, purer love of God, and a life that has value and meaning. Only this is life; only then will man be the same as Peter. You must focus on being proactive toward your entry on the positive side, and must not submissively allow yourself to backslide for the sake of momentary ease while ignoring more profound, more specific, and more practical truths. Your love must be practical, and you must find ways to free yourself from this depraved, carefree life that is no different from an animal’s. You must live out a life of meaning, a life of value, and you must not fool yourself or treat your life like a toy to be played with. For everyone who aspires to love God, there are no unobtainable truths and no justice for which they cannot stand firm. How should you live your life? How should you love God, and use this love to satisfy His desire? There is no greater matter in your life. Above all, you must have such aspirations and perseverance, and should not be like those who are spineless, those who are weaklings. You must learn how to experience a meaningful life and experience meaningful truths, and should not treat yourself perfunctorily in that way. Without you realizing it, your life will pass you by; after that, will you have another opportunity to love God? Can man love God after he is dead? You must have the same aspirations and conscience as Peter; your life must be meaningful, and you must not play games with yourself. As a human being, and as a person who pursues God, you must be able to carefully consider how you treat your life, how you should offer yourself to God, how you should have a more meaningful faith in God, and how, since you love God, you should love Him in a way that is more pure, more beautiful, and more good. Today, you cannot only be content with how you are conquered, but must also consider the path that you will walk in the future. You must have aspirations and the courage to be made perfect, and should not always think yourself incapable. Does the truth have favorites? Can the truth deliberately oppose people? If you pursue the truth, can it overwhelm you? If you stand firm for justice, will it knock you down? If it is truly your aspiration to pursue life, can life elude you? If you are without the truth, that is not because the truth ignores you, but because you stay away from the truth; if you cannot stand fast for justice, that is not because there is something wrong with justice, but because you believe it is out of line with the facts; if you have not gained life after pursuing it for many years, that is not because life has no conscience toward you, but because you have no conscience toward life, and have driven away life; if you live in the light, and have been incapable of gaining the light, that is not because the light is unable to illuminate you, but because you have not paid any attention to the existence of the light, and so the light has quietly departed from you. If you do not pursue, then it can only be said that you are worthless trash, and have no courage in your life, and do not have the spirit to resist the forces of darkness. You are too weak! You are unable to escape the forces of Satan that lay siege to you, and are only willing to lead this kind of safe and secure life and die in ignorance. What you should achieve is your pursuit of being conquered; this is your bounden duty. If you are content to be conquered, then you drive out the existence of the light. You must suffer hardship for the truth, you must give yourself to the truth, you must endure humiliation for the truth, and to gain more of the truth you must undergo more suffering. This is what you should do. You must not throw away the truth for the sake of a peaceful family life, and you must not lose your life’s dignity and integrity for the sake of momentary enjoyment. You should pursue all that is beautiful and good, and you should pursue a path in life that is more meaningful. If you lead such a vulgar life, and do not pursue any objectives, do you not waste your life? What can you gain from such a life? You should forsake all enjoyments of the flesh for the sake of one truth, and should not throw away all truths for the sake of a little enjoyment. People like this have no integrity or dignity; there is no meaning to their existence!

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

23. The Principles of Seeking to Grasp God’s Will

(1) One should use God’s words to seek the truth in His requirements of man. Find a reliable footing, and never let human notions or imaginings guide you;

(2) When one has notions and misunderstandings of God, they should seek the truth to address them, and not be arrogant and self-righteous. Man has no truth, but only corruption;

(3) Seek to understand the truth in matters that pertain to the truth principle, and to the performance of duty, and rectify human notions and imaginings. Only thus can one accurately grasp God’s will;

(4) Amidst trials and refinement, one should pray to God and seek to understand God’s will and requirements. Come to practice the truth, to submit to God, and to stand firm in your testimony.

Relevant Words of God:

Today God judges you, chastises you, and condemns you, but you must know that the point of your condemnation is for you to know yourself. He condemns, curses, judges, and chastises so that you might know yourself, so that your disposition might change, and, moreover, so that you might know your worth, and see that all of God’s actions are righteous and in accordance with His disposition and the requirements of His work, that He works in accordance with His plan for man’s salvation, and that He is the righteous God who loves, saves, judges, and chastises man. If you only know that you are of lowly status, that you are corrupt and disobedient, but do not know that God wishes to make plain His salvation through the judgment and chastisement that He does in you today, then you have no way of gaining experience, much less are you capable of continuing forward. God has not come to kill or destroy, but to judge, curse, chastise, and save. Until His 6,000-year management plan comes to a close—before He reveals the outcome of each category of man—God’s work on earth will be for the sake of salvation; its purpose is purely to make those who love Him complete—thoroughly so—and to bring them into submission under His dominion. No matter how God saves people, it is all done by making them break away from their old satanic nature; that is, He saves them by having them seek life. If they do not do so, then they will have no way to accept God’s salvation. Salvation is the work of God Himself, and the seeking for life is something that man must take on in order to accept salvation. In the eyes of man, salvation is the love of God, and the love of God cannot be chastisement, judgment, and curses; salvation must contain love, compassion, and, moreover, words of solace, as well as boundless blessings bestowed by God. People believe that when God saves man, He does so by moving them with His blessings and grace, so that they can give their hearts to God. That is to say, His touching man is His saving them. This sort of salvation is done by striking a deal. Only when God grants them a hundredfold will man come to submit before God’s name and strive to do well for Him and bring Him glory. This is not what God intends for mankind. God has come to work on earth in order to save corrupt mankind; there is no falsehood in this. If there were, He would certainly not have come to do His work in person. In the past, His means of salvation involved showing the utmost love and compassion, such that He gave His all to Satan in exchange for the whole of mankind. The present is nothing like the past: The salvation bestowed upon you today occurs at the time of the last days, during the classification of each according to kind; the means of your salvation is not love or compassion, but chastisement and judgment, in order that man may be more thoroughly saved. Thus, all that you receive is chastisement, judgment, and merciless smiting, but know this: In this heartless smiting there is not the slightest punishment. Regardless of how harsh My words might be, what befall you are but a few words that might appear utterly heartless to you, and no matter how angry I might be, what rain upon you are still words of teaching, and I do not mean to harm you or put you to death. Is this not all fact? Know that nowadays, whether it be righteous judgment or heartless refinement and chastisement, everything is for the sake of salvation. Regardless of whether today each is classified according to kind or the categories of man are laid bare, the purpose of all of God’s words and work is to save those who truly love God. Righteous judgment is brought to purify man, and heartless refinement is done to cleanse them; harsh words or chastening are both done to purify and are for the sake of salvation.

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Is your understanding of truth integrated with your own states? In real life, you first have to think of which truths relate to the people, events, and things you have encountered; it is among these truths that you can find God’s will and connect what you have encountered with His will. If you do not know which aspects of the truth relate to the things you have encountered but instead go directly to seek God’s will, this is a blind approach which cannot achieve results. If you want to seek the truth and understand God’s will, first you need to look at what kind of things have happened to you, which aspects of the truth they are related to, and look for the specific truth in the word of God that relates to what you have experienced. Then you look for the path of practice that is right for you in that truth; in this way you can gain an indirect understanding of God’s will. Searching for and practicing the truth is not mechanically applying a doctrine or following a formula. The truth is not formulaic, neither is it a law. It is not dead—it is life itself, it is a living thing, and it is the rule that a created being must follow in life and the rule a human must have in life. This is something that you must, as much as possible, understand through experience. No matter what stage you have arrived at in your experience, you are inseparable from God’s word or the truth, and what you understand of God’s disposition and what you know of what God has and is are all expressed in God’s words; they are inextricably linked with the truth. God’s disposition and what He has and is are, in themselves, the truth; the truth is an authentic manifestation of God’s disposition and what He has and is. It makes what He has and is concrete, and it makes a clear statement of what He has and is; it tells you more straightforwardly what God likes, what He does not like, what He wants you to do and what He does not permit you to do, which people He despises and which people He delights in. Behind the truths that God expresses, people can see His pleasure, anger, sorrow, and happiness, as well as His essence—this is the revealing of His disposition. Aside from knowing what God has and is, and understanding His disposition from His word, what is most important is the need to reach this understanding through practical experience. If a person removes themselves from real life in order to know God, they will not be able to achieve that. Even if there are people who can gain some understanding from the word of God, their understanding is limited to theories and words, and there arises a disparity with what God Himself is really like.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter what duty you fulfill, you must always seek to grasp God’s will and understand what His requirements are regarding your duty; only then will you be able to handle matters in a principled way. In performing your duty, you absolutely cannot go by your personal preferences, by just doing whatever you would like to do, whatever you would be happy and comfortable doing, or whatever would make you look good. If you forcibly impose your personal preferences on God or practice them as though they were the truth, observing them as if they were the truth principles, then that is not fulfilling your duty, and performing your duty in this way will not be remembered by God. Some people do not understand the truth, and they do not know what it means to fulfill their duties well. They feel that since they have put their heart and effort into it, forsaken their flesh and suffered, then the fulfilling of their duties should be up to standard—but why, then, is God always dissatisfied? Where have these people gone wrong? Their mistake was to not seek out God’s requirements, and instead act according to their own ideas; they treated their own desires, preferences, and selfish motives as the truth, and they treated them as though they were what God loved, as though they were His standards and requirements. They saw what they believed to be correct, good, and beautiful to be the truth; this is wrong. In fact, even though people might sometimes think something is right and that it accords with the truth, that does not necessarily mean that it accords with God’s will. The more people think something is right, the more cautious they should be and the more they should seek the truth to see whether what they are thinking meets God’s requirements. If it happens to run counter to His requirements and counter to His words, then it is unacceptable even if you think it is right, it is but a human thought, and it will not necessarily accord with the truth no matter how right you think it is. Your determination of right and wrong must be based solely on God’s words, and no matter how right you think something is, unless there is a basis for it in God’s words, you must discard it. What is duty? It is a commission entrusted by God to people. So how should you fulfill your duty? By acting in accordance with God’s requirements and standards, and by basing your behavior on the truth principles rather than on human subjective desires. In this way, your fulfilling of your duties will be up to standard.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God and man cannot be spoken of on equal terms. His essence and His work are most unfathomable and incomprehensible to man. If God does not personally do His work and speak His words in the world of man, then man would never be able to understand the will of God. And so, even those who have devoted their entire lives to God would not be able to receive His approval. If God does not set to work, then however well man does, it will all be for naught, because God’s thoughts will always be higher than the thoughts of man, and God’s wisdom is beyond man’s comprehension. And so I say that those who claim to “fully understand” God and His work are an inept lot; they are all overweening and ignorant. Man should not define the work of God; moreover, man cannot define the work of God. In the eyes of God, man is as insignificant as an ant; so how can man fathom God’s work? Those who like to spout, “God does not work in this or that way,” or “God is like this or that”—are they not speaking arrogantly? We should all know that man, who is of the flesh, has been corrupted by Satan. Mankind’s very nature is to oppose God. Mankind cannot be on par with God, much less can mankind hope to advise the work of God. As for how God guides man, this is the work of God Himself. It is fitting that man should submit, without professing this or that view, for man is but dust. Since it is our intent to seek God, we should not superimpose our notions onto His work for God’s consideration, still less should we employ our corrupt disposition to its utmost to deliberately oppose the work of God. Would that not make us antichrists? How could such people believe in God? Since we believe that there is a God, and since we wish to satisfy Him and to see Him, we should seek the way of truth, and should look for a way to be compatible with God. We should not stand in stiff-necked opposition to Him. What good could possibly come of such actions?

Excerpted from Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh

As soon as people grow hasty in fulfilling their duties, they stop knowing how to experience. As soon as they become busy with matters, their spiritual states become troubled and they lose the ability to maintain a normal condition. How can this be so? If you are asked to do a little work, you become unbridled, unrestrained, unwilling to approach God, and distanced from God. This proves that people do not know how to experience. No matter what you do, you should first understand why you are doing it, what intention it is that directs you to do this thing, what the significance is in your doing it, what the nature of the matter is, and whether what you are doing is a positive thing or a negative thing. You must have a clear understanding of all these matters; this is quite necessary to be able to act with principle. If you are doing something to fulfill your duty, then you should ponder: How should I do this? How should I fulfill my duty well so that I am not just doing it perfunctorily? You should draw close to God in this matter. Drawing close to God means seeking the truth in this matter, seeking the way to practice, seeking the will of God, and seeking how to satisfy God. This is how to draw close to God in everything you do. It does not involve performing a religious ceremony or an outward action. It is done for the purpose of practicing in accordance with the truth after seeking God’s will. If you always say “Thank God” when you have not done anything, but then when you are doing something, you continue to do it the way you want, then this type of thanks is just an outward action. When fulfilling your duty or working on something, you should always think: How should I fulfill this duty? What is God’s will? It is for you to draw close to God through what you do, and, in doing so, to seek the principles and truth behind your actions as well as God’s will, and not stray from God in anything that you do. Only such a person truly believes in God. These days, whenever people come across things, regardless of what the actual situation is, they think they can do this and that, so they do not have God in their hearts, and they do it according to their own will. Regardless of whether their course of action is suitable or not, or whether it is in accordance with the truth or not, they just stubbornly press on, and act according to their personal intentions. It might usually seem that God is in their hearts, but when they do things, God is not in their hearts. Some people say, “I can’t draw close to God in the things I do. In the past, I was accustomed to performing religious ceremonies, and I tried to draw close to God, but it was to no effect. I could not draw near to Him.” Such people do not have God in their hearts; they only have themselves in their hearts, and they simply cannot put truth into practice in anything they do. Not acting in accordance with truth means doing things according to their own will, and doing things according to their own will means leaving God; that is, they do not have God in their hearts. Human ideas usually look good and right to people, and they appear as though they would not violate the truth very much. People feel that doing things in such a manner would be putting truth into practice; they feel that doing things that way would be submitting to God. Actually, they are not truly seeking God or praying to God about it, and they are not striving to do it well, in accordance with God’s requirements, in order to satisfy His will. They do not possess this true state, nor do they have such a desire. This is the greatest mistake people make in their practice. You believe in God, but you do not keep God in your heart. How is this not a sin? Are you not deceiving yourself? What sort of effects can you reap if you keep believing that way? Moreover, how can the significance of belief be manifested?

When you did a certain thing, God was very dissatisfied. When you were about to do that thing, did you pray to Him? Did you ever ponder, “How would this matter be viewed by God if it were brought before Him? Would He be happy or irritated if He knew about it? Would He detest it?” You did not seek it out, did you? Even if others reminded you, you would still think that the matter was no big deal, and that it did not run against any principles and was not a sin. As a result, this thing you did offended God’s disposition and provoked Him to great anger, even to the point of His despising you. If you had sought and examined, and seen the matter clearly before acting, would you then not have gotten a handle over it? Even though sometimes people are not in a good state, if they solemnly take everything they are planning on doing before God for investigation and seeking, they will not make any major mistakes. When practicing the truth, it is hard for people to avoid making mistakes, but if you know how to do things in accordance with the truth when you do them, yet you do not carry them out in accordance with truth, then the problem is that you have no love for the truth. The disposition of a person without love for the truth will not be changed. If you cannot accurately grasp God’s will, and do not know how to practice, then you should fellowship with others. If no one feels like they can see the matter clearly, then you should carry out the most reasonable solution. However, if you ultimately discover that in carrying it out this way you have made a slight error, then you should quickly correct it, and then God will not count this error as a sin. Because you had the right intentions when putting this matter into practice, and you were practicing in accordance with the truth and simply did not see it clearly, and your actions resulted in some errors, then this was an extenuating circumstance. However, nowadays many people merely rely on their own two hands to work and on their own minds to do this and that, and they seldom give any consideration to these questions: Does practicing this way conform to God’s will? Would God be happy if I did it this way? Would God trust me if I did it this way? Would I be putting the truth into practice if I did it this way? If God hears of this matter, would He be able to say, “You have done this correctly and suitably. Keep it up”? Are you able to carefully examine every matter you encounter? Can you be serious and meticulous about each of them? Or are you able to ponder whether God despises the way you are doing it, how everyone else feels about your methods, and whether you are doing it based on your own will or to satisfy your own desires…? You have to put more thought into it and seek more, and your mistakes will become smaller and smaller. Doing things in this manner will prove that you are a person who genuinely seeks the truth and that you are one who reveres God, because you are doing things in accordance with the direction that the truth requires.

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whatever you do, you must learn to seek and obey the truth in it. So long as you act in accordance with the truth, you are acting correctly. Even if it was a child who proposed it, or the most inconspicuous young brother or young sister, so long as what they say conforms to the truth, then what you are doing will have a good outcome, and it will conform to God’s will. The handling of a matter depends on your impulse and your principles for handling it. If your principles arise from man’s will; if they arise from human thoughts, notions, or imaginings; or if they arise from human emotions and points of view, then your handling of the matter will be wrong, because its source will be wrong. When your views are based on the principles of the truth, and you handle matters in accordance with the truth principles, then you are sure to handle the matter at hand correctly. Sometimes, other people will be unable to accept your handling of the matter at the moment, and, at such times, they may seem to have their own notions, or their hearts will be ill at ease. After a while, however, you will be proven right. Matters that conform to God’s will look better over time; the outcome of matters that do not conform to God’s will, however—matters that accord with man’s will and are man-made—grow worse over time, and will all be proven so. When you act, do not concern yourself with whose way should or should not guide you, and do not make assumptions. First of all, you should seek and pray, and then feel your way forward, and fellowship with everyone together. What is the purpose of fellowship? It enables one to do things in precise accordance with God’s will, and to act in line with God’s will. This is a somewhat grand way of putting it; let us say it enables one to handle affairs in precise accordance with the truth principles—this is somewhat more practical. If you can achieve this, that will do.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In real life, you must pray whenever anything happens to you. At the very first instance, you must kneel and pray—this is crucial. Prayer demonstrates your attitude toward God in His presence. You would not do it if God were not in your heart. Some people say, “I pray but still God does not enlighten me!” You must not say that. First look at whether your motivations for prayer are right; if you truly seek the truth and often pray to God, then He may well enlighten you in some matter so that you may understand—in a word, God will make you understand. Without the enlightenment of God, you could not understand on your own: You lack the acumen, you do not have the brain for it, and this is unattainable by human intellect. When you do understand, is that understanding born of your own mind? If you are not enlightened by the Holy Spirit, then no one you ask will know what the meaning is of the Spirit’s work or what God means; only when God Himself tells you the meaning will you know. And so, the first thing to do when something happens to you is to pray. Prayer requires probing with a seeking attitude, and expressing your thoughts, opinions, and attitudes—this is what it should involve. Simply going through the motions will have no effect, so do not blame the Holy Spirit for not enlightening you. I have found that in some people’s faith in God, they go on believing, but God is only on their lips. God is not in their hearts, they deny the work of the Spirit, and they deny prayer as well; they merely read the words of God, and nothing more. Can this be called faith in God? They keep on and on believing until God disappears altogether from their faith. In particular, there are those who often handle general affairs, and feel they are so busy and get nothing for all their efforts. This is a case of people not walking the right path in their faith in God. Is it not hard work to take the right way? They fail to take this way even after understanding much doctrine, and are prone to take the downhill path. So when something happens to you, you must spend more time praying and seeking—this is the very least you should do. Learning how to seek the will of God and the intentions of the Holy Spirit is the key. If people who believe in God are incapable of experiencing and practicing thus, then they will gain nothing, and their faith will count for nothing.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Prior to being nailed to the cross, the Lord Jesus offered a prayer. How exactly was it worded? (“If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as You will” “If this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Your will be done” [Mat 26:39, 42].) As members of created humanity, people should all undergo such a process of seeking, because they do not understand God’s will. This is a normal process. However, no matter how you seek, and no matter how long, arduous, or difficult the process of seeking might be, nothing God determined to do from the very beginning has ever changed, nor has He ever decided to change it. People may seek and wait, and God does permit them a process by which to gain understanding, knowledge, and clarity on what is actually true, but He would never alter a single decision. Therefore, you should not feel that things happen to you at random, or that, when you somehow escape disaster and certain death, it is dumb luck and coincidence. It is not. God has a preset plan and specific arrangements for every created being, from the greatest to the smallest, from the macroscopic, down to little, created mankind, and even microorganisms. This is what the Creator has worked. Some people who fall ill say their illness came from the exhaustion of some activity or from having eaten the wrong thing accidentally. Do not look for such reasons; they are all negative and resistant attitudes. You should face with positivity the environments, people, events, and things that God has arranged for you. There is no need to look for objective reasons; rather, you should understand from the positive side exactly what the Creator’s will and attitude are in presenting you with this event, and what attitude you should have as a created being when dealing with it; this is the path you must seek. When a person survives, it is never random, nor is it inevitable; the Creator’s arrangements, intentions, and sovereignty are always there. Nothing is hollow. Do you think God’s words, His will, and the truth are all hollow? They are not! When people have not grasped God’s will, they are prone to certain notions and imaginings, and they feel as if those notions and imaginings are quite right, and must be God’s will. In fact, from God’s perspective, this is not at all the case. People think, “These thoughts of mine are correct; I have a lot of faith, and I revere God. I have submitted; I love Him.” The truth is that God pays no heed at all to these thoughts and actions of yours. When you feel that you are in the right, you actually have not understood the truth at all, nor have you been gaining it. Once you have fathomed all of this, and become cognizant of the fact that, in the final analysis, everything is done by the Creator’s sovereignty, arrangement, and predestination, only then will the effects of all you have faced be truly achieved, only then will you be truly in line with God’s will, and only then will you truly understand it.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If a believer’s actions are out of touch with the truth, then he is the same as an unbeliever. This is the type of person who does not have God in his heart, and who leaves God, and such a person is like a hired worker in God’s family who does some odd jobs for his master, receives a little compensation, and then leaves. This is simply not a person who believes in God. Previously, there was mention of what you can do to gain God’s approval. Approval from God is the first thing you should think about and work for; it should be the principle and scope of your practice. The reason you should determine whether what you are doing is in line with the truth is that if it is in line with the truth, then it certainly conforms with God’s will. It is not that you should measure whether the matter is right or wrong, or if it accords with everyone else’s tastes, or if it is in line with your own desires; rather, you should determine whether it is in accordance with the truth, and whether or not it benefits the work and interests of the church. If you give consideration to these things, then you will be more and more in line with God’s will when you do things. If you do not consider these aspects, and merely rely on your own will when doing things, then you are guaranteed to do them incorrectly, because the will of man is not the truth and, of course, is incompatible with God. If you wish to be approved by God, then you must practice according to the truth rather than according to your own will. Some people engage in certain private matters in the name of fulfilling their duties. Their brothers and sisters then see this as inappropriate, and reproach them for it, but these people do not accept the blame. They think that because it was a personal matter that did not involve the church’s work, finances, or people, it therefore does not count as violating the scope of the truth, and God should not interfere in this matter. Some things might seem to you to be private matters that do not involve any principle or truth. However, looking at the thing you did, you were being very selfish in that you gave no consideration to the work of God’s family or how what you did would affect it; you were only considering your own benefit. This already involves the propriety of the saints, as well as issues to do with a person’s humanity. Even though what you were doing did not involve the interests of the church, nor did it involve the truth, engaging in a private matter while claiming to be performing your duty is not in line with the truth. Regardless of what you are doing, how big or small a matter is, and whether you are doing it to fulfill your duty in God’s family or for your own private reasons, you must consider whether what you are doing conforms with God’s will, as well as whether it is something that a person with humanity should do. If you seek the truth like that in everything you do, then you are a person who truly believes in God. If you devoutly treat every matter and every truth in this way, then you will be able to achieve changes in your disposition. Some people think that when they are doing something personal, they can just ignore the truth, do it as they wish, and do it in whatever way makes them happy and in whatever manner is advantageous to them. They do not give the slightest consideration to how it might affect God’s family, nor do they consider whether or not what they are doing befits saintly propriety. Finally, once they are finished with the matter, they grow dark inside and feel uncomfortable, though they do not know why. Is this retribution not deserved? If you do things that are not approved by God, then you have offended God. If someone does not love the truth, and frequently does things based on their own will, then they will frequently offend God. Such people are ordinarily not approved by God in what they do, and if they do not repent, then punishment will not be very far off.

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

24. The Principles of Seeking the Truth

(1) When one encounters difficulties in God’s words, they should pray to God and seek the truth. Moreover, they must contemplate God’s words often, and focus on searching for an answer in His words;

(2) One must not accept blindly the words of any person, but should instead exercise discernment by holding them up against God’s words. Only that which has a basis in God’s words accords with the truth;

(3) In addition to reading God’s words, focus on listening to the sermons and fellowship of God’s house. Only that which comes from the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit accords with the truth;

(4) To understand doctrine is not to understand the truth. The truth is life; it is reality and, more than that, it is principle. Only that which is confirmed by experience accords with the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

If you want to grow in life, you must seek the truth in everything. No matter what you are doing, you should seek out how to behave in order to be in line with the truth, and discover what taints exist within you that violate it; you must have a clear understanding of these things. Regardless of what you are doing, you should consider whether or not it has value. You can do things that have meaning, but you must not do things that have no meaning. With regard to things that you could either do or not do, if they can be let go, then you should let them go. Otherwise, if you do these things for some time and later find that you should let them go, then make a swift decision and let them go quickly. This is the principle you should follow in everything you do. Some people raise this question: Why is seeking the truth and putting it into practice so very difficult—as though you were rowing a boat against the current, and would drift backward if you stopped rowing forward? Why is it actually much easier to do evil or meaningless things—as easy as taking a boat downstream? Why is it like that? It is because humanity’s nature is to betray God. Satan’s nature has taken a dominant role within humans, and this is a reactionary force. Humans with a nature that betrays God are, of course, very liable to do things that betray Him, and positive actions are naturally difficult for them to perform. This is decided entirely by humanity’s nature essence. Once you really understand the truth and begin to love it from within yourself, you will have strength to do things that conform to the truth. This then becomes normal, and even effortless and pleasant, and you feel that doing anything negative would require a great amount of effort. This is because the truth has taken a dominant role in your heart. If you really understand the truth about human life and about what kind of person to be—how to be an aboveboard and straightforward person, an honest person, someone who bears witness for God and serves Him—then you will never again be able to commit evil acts that defy Him, nor will you ever play the role of a false leader, a false worker, or an antichrist. Even if Satan deceives you, or someone evil eggs you on, you will not do it; no matter who tries to coerce you, you still will not act that way. If people gain the truth and the truth becomes their life, they become able to loathe evil and to feel an internal disgust for negative things. It would be difficult for them to commit evil, because their life dispositions have changed and they have been perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Right now, God does the work of judgment of the last days, and has expressed many words. On the path of faith in God, we have encountered much that relates to the truth. If we do not seek the truth, then there is no path, so we must have knowledge of the truth, and when we read God’s words, we must combine them into reality. All of God’s words are the truth and must be personally experienced. From the time people are born to when they become adults, begin working, start a family, and establish a career, throughout their entire lives—including the people, events, and things they encounter, and everything else that happens to them—there is nothing that touches upon the truth, much less anything that they perceive through the truth. As such, each and every person is a stranger to the truth. And it is precisely because we all lack the truth that, starting from today, we must pursue the truth; this is imperative. If you have yet to realize that when you believe in God you must pursue the truth, and that only the truth can change you, perfect you, save you, and truly bring you before God, then the truth can hold no interest for you, and you are therefore incapable of pursuing it. Some people say, “It’s enough that in my faith in God, I don’t hesitate to eat and drink the words of God, to lead the life of the church, to perform my duty, and to preach the gospel—so why do I also need to pursue the truth? I never normally commit sin or resist God, nor am I an antichrist. I shun the wicked. I just need a few simple rules to guide and help me, that’s all; I don’t need to pursue any abstruse truths.” Is this the right way of looking at things? (No.) Why not? (Because people can only be saved by God once they have gained the truth.) Right now there are some people who possess a vague awareness of just how important the truth is to their salvation, and that is a good thing. However, whether this awareness can take root depends on how you subsequently pursue the truth. Pursuing the truth is very important. For example, when you are negative and weak, can you become strong without the support and provision of the truth? Are you able to overcome your weakness? Are you able to realize why you have been negative and weak? Definitely not. When you are slipshod and perfunctory whilst performing your duty, are you able to fix this aspect of your corruption without seeking the truth? Are you capable of loyalty to God? Can people know themselves and address their corrupt dispositions if they do not seek the truth? No. When people constantly have notions about God, and are always measuring Him against their own notions and imaginings, can such things be resolved without the truth? They cannot. In much of what we encounter—including matters in our everyday lives—if we do not possess the truth, do not seek the truth, and, moreover, do not understand the truth, and if we are ignorant of what God says about such things and of His will, then how will we approach what happens to us? Those who are a little better may try to find a solution using the words, phrases, and rules with which they are familiar, or by using human methods, but can these take the place of the truth in resolving their problems? If we do not seek the truth, it can be said that nothing in our lives has any principle, nor do we have a path to practice, much less do we have any objective or direction. If this is the case, then everything we do opposes and betrays God. Thus, does He not then despise and curse everything we do? Will our actions not be judged and chastised by Him? It is therefore likely that before genuinely understanding the truth, every person will encounter some of God’s judgment, chastisement, chastening, and disciplining—the purpose of all of which is to make people gain the truth.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

It is important to seek the truth. If you seek the truth, what you gain will certainly be truth; if you do not seek the truth, but always speak of human justifications, what you will gain in the end is a misunderstanding of God. These are the two paths. You constantly call attention to your justifications, saying, “I’ve done work and I haven’t done anything bad, and I don’t mind that You haven’t praised me or given me a reward, but You deal with me sternly, and You judge me and refine me. Where is God’s love? Why haven’t I seen it? Everyone says God loves people, so how come He loves everyone else except for me?” All your resentment comes out. Can a person in such a state gain the truth? (No.) A problem has arisen in man’s relationship with God, and whenever a problem arises, man does not turn back, nor does he let go of his erroneous thoughts and perspectives, fallacies, or biased ways of thinking, but insists instead on opposing God. This can only result in God’s abandonment of you and your abandonment of God. You are full of resentment for God; you deny His sovereignty and condemn it, you are unwilling to submit to it, and you are unwilling to submit to His arrangements. More serious still, you will deny that God is right, that He is truth—this is the consequence. If you seek the truth, however, you will not only verify that the God you believe in is the truth, the way, the life, and love, but you will also confirm that what God does is right, that He is right to refine people. Because man has a corrupt disposition, and all his deeds and behaviors and all that he reveals are hostile to God, he is unworthy of God’s love. However, God still has such care and concern for man, and He arranges an environment for man in which to try him and refine him personally, enabling him to undergo change; He allows man, by means of this environment, to be equipped with truth, and to gain the truth. God loves man so much, with a love that is so real, and God is nothing but faithful. You will feel it. If God did not do these things, then none could say how far man would have fallen! Man tries to manage his own status, his own fame and fortune, and, in the end, after having done all these things, he wins others to his side and brings them before him—is this not in opposition to God? The consequences of continuing on in this way do not bear imagining! God does an excellent job, putting a stop to all this in time! Though what God does exposes man and judges him, it also saves him. This is real love. When you have realized this for yourself, will you not then have gained this aspect of the truth? When a person has realized this for themselves and reached this understanding, and when they have understood these truths, do they still feel resentment for God? No—it is gone, and, with total devotion, having been convinced utterly, they submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements. The next time they face such a situation, they will realize that all God does is correct and what man does is certainly wrong, and that man is rebellious, but does not possess the truth. Very quickly, they will settle into submission. Those who can achieve this undergo many rounds of refinement to arrive at this point.

Excerpted from “The Most Important Part of Believing in God Is Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Is your understanding of truth integrated with your own states? In real life, you first have to think of which truths relate to the people, events, and things you have encountered; it is among these truths that you can find God’s will and connect what you have encountered with His will. If you do not know which aspects of the truth relate to the things you have encountered but instead go directly to seek God’s will, this is a blind approach which cannot achieve results. If you want to seek the truth and understand God’s will, first you need to look at what kind of things have happened to you, which aspects of the truth they are related to, and look for the specific truth in the word of God that relates to what you have experienced. Then you look for the path of practice that is right for you in that truth; in this way you can gain an indirect understanding of God’s will. Searching for and practicing the truth is not mechanically applying a doctrine or following a formula. The truth is not formulaic, neither is it a law. It is not dead—it is life itself, it is a living thing, and it is the rule that a created being must follow in life and the rule a human must have in life. This is something that you must, as much as possible, understand through experience. No matter what stage you have arrived at in your experience, you are inseparable from God’s word or the truth, and what you understand of God’s disposition and what you know of what God has and is are all expressed in God’s words; they are inextricably linked with the truth. God’s disposition and what He has and is are, in themselves, the truth; the truth is an authentic manifestation of God’s disposition and what He has and is. It makes what He has and is concrete, and it makes a clear statement of what He has and is; it tells you more straightforwardly what God likes, what He does not like, what He wants you to do and what He does not permit you to do, which people He despises and which people He delights in. Behind the truths that God expresses, people can see His pleasure, anger, sorrow, and happiness, as well as His essence—this is the revealing of His disposition. Aside from knowing what God has and is, and understanding His disposition from His word, what is most important is the need to reach this understanding through practical experience. If a person removes themselves from real life in order to know God, they will not be able to achieve that. Even if there are people who can gain some understanding from the word of God, their understanding is limited to theories and words, and there arises a disparity with what God Himself is really like.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to put the truth into practice, and if you want to understand it, then first you must understand the essence of the difficulties you face and the things that happen around you, what the problems with these issues are, as well as what aspect of the truth these are related to. You must seek these things, and, afterward, you must seek the truth based on your actual difficulties. That way, as you gradually gain experience, you will be able to see the hand of God in everything that happens to you, as well as what He wants to do and the results that He wishes to achieve in you. Perhaps you never feel that anything that happens to you is connected to belief in God and the truth, and simply say to yourself, “I have my own way of dealing with this; I don’t need the truth or the words of God. When I attend gatherings, or when I read the words of God, or when I perform my duty, I’ll check myself against the truth and against God’s words.” If the everyday things that happen in your life—things to do with family, work, marriage, and your future—if you feel these various things have nothing to do with the truth, and you solve them using human methods, if this is the way you experience, then you will never gain the truth; you will never understand just what God wishes to do in you or the results He wishes to achieve. Pursuing the truth is a lengthy process. There is a simple side to it, and there is also a complex side. Simply put, we should seek the truth and practice and experience God’s words in everything that happens around us. Once you begin to do this, you will see more and more how much truth you should gain and pursue in your belief in God, and that truth is so real and truth is life. It is not true that only those who serve God and the church’s leaders are required to do everything according to the truth, while ordinary followers are not; if that were so, then there would be no great significance in the words expressed by God. Do you now have a path to pursue the truth? What is the first thing that must be addressed when pursuing the truth? Before all else, you must spend more time eating and drinking the words of God and listening to fellowships. When you encounter an issue, pray and seek more. When you have equipped yourselves with more truths, and have achieved life entry, and possess stature, you will be able to do something real, undertake a little work, and will thereby be able to make it through some trials and temptations. At that time, you will feel that you really have understood and gained some truths, and you will sense that the words spoken by God are what people need, as well as what they ought to gain, and that this is the only truth in the world that can give people life.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what you do, you should first understand why you are doing it, what intention it is that directs you to do this thing, what the significance is in your doing it, what the nature of the matter is, and whether what you are doing is a positive thing or a negative thing. You must have a clear understanding of all these matters; this is quite necessary to be able to act with principle. If you are doing something to fulfill your duty, then you should ponder: How should I do this? How should I fulfill my duty well so that I am not just doing it perfunctorily? You should draw close to God in this matter. Drawing close to God means seeking the truth in this matter, seeking the way to practice, seeking the will of God, and seeking how to satisfy God. This is how to draw close to God in everything you do. It does not involve performing a religious ceremony or an outward action. It is done for the purpose of practicing in accordance with the truth after seeking God’s will. If you always say “Thank God” when you have not done anything, but then when you are doing something, you continue to do it the way you want, then this type of thanks is just an outward action. When fulfilling your duty or working on something, you should always think: How should I fulfill this duty? What is God’s will? It is for you to draw close to God through what you do, and, in doing so, to seek the principles and truth behind your actions as well as God’s will, and not stray from God in anything that you do. Only such a person truly believes in God. These days, whenever people come across things, regardless of what the actual situation is, they think they can do this and that, so they do not have God in their hearts, and they do it according to their own will. Regardless of whether their course of action is suitable or not, or whether it is in accordance with the truth or not, they just stubbornly press on, and act according to their personal intentions. It might usually seem that God is in their hearts, but when they do things, God is not in their hearts. Some people say, “I can’t draw close to God in the things I do. In the past, I was accustomed to performing religious ceremonies, and I tried to draw close to God, but it was to no effect. I could not draw near to Him.” Such people do not have God in their hearts; they only have themselves in their hearts, and they simply cannot put truth into practice in anything they do. Not acting in accordance with truth means doing things according to their own will, and doing things according to their own will means leaving God; that is, they do not have God in their hearts. Human ideas usually look good and right to people, and they appear as though they would not violate the truth very much. People feel that doing things in such a manner would be putting truth into practice; they feel that doing things that way would be submitting to God. Actually, they are not truly seeking God or praying to God about it, and they are not striving to do it well, in accordance with God’s requirements, in order to satisfy His will. They do not possess this true state, nor do they have such a desire. This is the greatest mistake people make in their practice. You believe in God, but you do not keep God in your heart. How is this not a sin? Are you not deceiving yourself? What sort of effects can you reap if you keep believing that way? Moreover, how can the significance of belief be manifested?

When you did a certain thing, God was very dissatisfied. When you were about to do that thing, did you pray to Him? Did you ever ponder, “How would this matter be viewed by God if it were brought before Him? Would He be happy or irritated if He knew about it? Would He detest it?” You did not seek it out, did you? Even if others reminded you, you would still think that the matter was no big deal, and that it did not run against any principles and was not a sin. As a result, this thing you did offended God’s disposition and provoked Him to great anger, even to the point of His despising you. If you had sought and examined, and seen the matter clearly before acting, would you then not have gotten a handle over it? Even though sometimes people are not in a good state, if they solemnly take everything they are planning on doing before God for investigation and seeking, they will not make any major mistakes. When practicing the truth, it is hard for people to avoid making mistakes, but if you know how to do things in accordance with the truth when you do them, yet you do not carry them out in accordance with truth, then the problem is that you have no love for the truth. The disposition of a person without love for the truth will not be changed. If you cannot accurately grasp God’s will, and do not know how to practice, then you should fellowship with others. If no one feels like they can see the matter clearly, then you should carry out the most reasonable solution. However, if you ultimately discover that in carrying it out this way you have made a slight error, then you should quickly correct it, and then God will not count this error as a sin. Because you had the right intentions when putting this matter into practice, and you were practicing in accordance with the truth and simply did not see it clearly, and your actions resulted in some errors, then this was an extenuating circumstance. However, nowadays many people merely rely on their own two hands to work and on their own minds to do this and that, and they seldom give any consideration to these questions: Does practicing this way conform to God’s will? Would God be happy if I did it this way? Would God trust me if I did it this way? Would I be putting the truth into practice if I did it this way? If God hears of this matter, would He be able to say, “You have done this correctly and suitably. Keep it up”? Are you able to carefully examine every matter you encounter? Can you be serious and meticulous about each of them? Or are you able to ponder whether God despises the way you are doing it, how everyone else feels about your methods, and whether you are doing it based on your own will or to satisfy your own desires…? You have to put more thought into it and seek more, and your mistakes will become smaller and smaller. Doing things in this manner will prove that you are a person who genuinely seeks the truth and that you are one who reveres God, because you are doing things in accordance with the direction that the truth requires.

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In order to do anything well, it is necessary to seek out truth principle. One should think single-mindedly of how to do something well while doing it, and it is necessary to quiet oneself to pray and seek before God. Before doing something, it is necessary to fellowship with others, and if there is no one to fellowship with, one must contemplate the matter on one’s own, and seek and pray for the way to do this thing well. This is what it is to quiet oneself before God. You do not need to think of nothing to be quiet before God; you must act and contemplate at the same time, seeking the appropriate way to handle this matter with an attitude of seeking and waiting in your heart. If you have not the slightest idea about the matter, find someone to ask. With what attitude should you ask them? You should, in fact, be seeking and waiting, watching for how God works. The Holy Spirit does not enlighten and guide you as if He were turning on a light that illuminates you within all at once. God invariably uses a person or an event to prompt your understanding. There are many ways of seeking beyond kneeling gravely down to pray and staying there for hours; doing that delays all other matters. At times, one might ponder a matter while walking along; at times, when a matter arises, one might hurry to fellowship about it as a group; at times, one might seek the Above; at times, one might read God’s words by oneself; at times, when a matter is urgent, one might rush to the scene to understand the reality of the situation, then handle it first according to principles that you currently grasp, while praying and seeking in your heart. This is the way you must do things—the skillful way! It will not do to grow nervous whenever something comes up. You must learn several ways of seeking: When you are busy with duty, seek according to how busy you are; when you have time, seek and wait according to the circumstances of having time. There are different ways. If there is time enough to wait, then wait a while. One cannot be hasty in big matters; the consequences of making a mistake in haste would be unthinkable. To achieve the best results, one must wait, watching what happens next, or else you will be prompted by someone with knowledge of the situation. These are all ways to seek. God does not use a single method to enlighten people; neither in His words alone does He enlighten you, nor does He always have those around you give you guidance. How does God enlighten you about matters outside your expertise, things which you have never come across before? He uses certain people, ones who understand the sort of matter at hand. You hurry to find them, you get a few pointers from them, then you do the thing according to principles, and God will guide you while you do it. Yet you must understand a bit about the professional skills or specialty at hand, and have some concept of it; it is upon this foundation that God will enlighten you as to what you should do.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

You should seek God’s will in all things, and you must seek the truth in all things. For example: How do you seek the truth in such matters as food, clothing, and personal matters? Are there truths to seek in these things? Some say, “No matter what, it is good to eat well and to dress well; eating or dressing poorly will cause a person to lose out.” Is there truth in this view? Is it vital to eat well and dress well in life? Absolutely not. Put another way, if someone is genuinely able to know God and possess the truth, then in everything that person does, he is bearing testimony to God and satisfying God. No matter how awfully such a person eats or dresses, there is still value in his living, and he can gain God’s approval—is that not the most meaningful thing? Whatever kinds of clothes a person wears are absolutely not of primary importance; wearing nice clothes does not guarantee that you will be blessed. You will still be cursed if you take the wrong path, whereas a person wearing shabby clothes but who has gained the truth will be blessed by God all the same. Therefore, there is truth to seek in how you should regard the matters of food and clothing, and there is even more truth to seek in how you should treat performing your duty. How you regard God’s commissions is a very serious matter! If you cannot complete what God has entrusted to you, then you are not fit to live in His presence and should be punished. It is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth that humans should complete whatever commissions God entrusts to them; this is their supreme responsibility, and is just as important as their very lives. If you do not take God’s commissions seriously, then you are betraying Him in the most grievous way; in this, you are more lamentable than Judas, and should be cursed. People must gain a thorough understanding of how to view what God entrusts to them and, at the very least, must comprehend that the commissions He entrusts to humanity are exaltations and special favors from God; they are most glorious things. Everything else can be abandoned; even if one must sacrifice one’s own life, he must still fulfill God’s commission. Is there not truth to be sought here? Achieving change in your disposition is intimately linked with seeking the truth! If you understand the truth of why people live, and of how you should view life, then will your view of life not be changed? Even more so, there is truth to be sought here. What truths are there in loving God? Why must humans love Him? What is the significance of loving Him? If a person has a clear understanding of the truth of loving God, and can love Him deep down—even if this person holds a little love for God in his heart—then he has a genuine life and is among the most blessed. Those who seek the truth in all things progress in life the fastest, and can achieve a transformation of disposition. It is precisely those who seek truth in all things whom God loves. If a person relies on notions and doctrines or obeys rules in all things, then he will not progress; he will never gain the truth, and sooner or later he will be eliminated, and God most despises this kind of person.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If a believer’s actions are out of touch with the truth, then he is the same as an unbeliever. This is the type of person who does not have God in his heart, and who leaves God, and such a person is like a hired worker in God’s family who does some odd jobs for his master, receives a little compensation, and then leaves. This is simply not a person who believes in God. Previously, there was mention of what you can do to gain God’s approval. Approval from God is the first thing you should think about and work for; it should be the principle and scope of your practice. The reason you should determine whether what you are doing is in line with the truth is that if it is in line with the truth, then it certainly conforms with God’s will. It is not that you should measure whether the matter is right or wrong, or if it accords with everyone else’s tastes, or if it is in line with your own desires; rather, you should determine whether it is in accordance with the truth, and whether or not it benefits the work and interests of the church. If you give consideration to these things, then you will be more and more in line with God’s will when you do things. If you do not consider these aspects, and merely rely on your own will when doing things, then you are guaranteed to do them incorrectly, because the will of man is not the truth and, of course, is incompatible with God. If you wish to be approved by God, then you must practice according to the truth rather than according to your own will. Some people engage in certain private matters in the name of fulfilling their duties. Their brothers and sisters then see this as inappropriate, and reproach them for it, but these people do not accept the blame. They think that because it was a personal matter that did not involve the church’s work, finances, or people, it therefore does not count as violating the scope of the truth, and God should not interfere in this matter. Some things might seem to you to be private matters that do not involve any principle or truth. However, looking at the thing you did, you were being very selfish in that you gave no consideration to the work of God’s family or how what you did would affect it; you were only considering your own benefit. This already involves the propriety of the saints, as well as issues to do with a person’s humanity. Even though what you were doing did not involve the interests of the church, nor did it involve the truth, engaging in a private matter while claiming to be performing your duty is not in line with the truth. Regardless of what you are doing, how big or small a matter is, and whether you are doing it to fulfill your duty in God’s family or for your own private reasons, you must consider whether what you are doing conforms with God’s will, as well as whether it is something that a person with humanity should do. If you seek the truth like that in everything you do, then you are a person who truly believes in God. If you devoutly treat every matter and every truth in this way, then you will be able to achieve changes in your disposition. Some people think that when they are doing something personal, they can just ignore the truth, do it as they wish, and do it in whatever way makes them happy and in whatever manner is advantageous to them. They do not give the slightest consideration to how it might affect God’s family, nor do they consider whether or not what they are doing befits saintly propriety. Finally, once they are finished with the matter, they grow dark inside and feel uncomfortable, though they do not know why. Is this retribution not deserved? If you do things that are not approved by God, then you have offended God. If someone does not love the truth, and frequently does things based on their own will, then they will frequently offend God. Such people are ordinarily not approved by God in what they do, and if they do not repent, then punishment will not be very far off.

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

25. The Principles of Practicing the Truth

(1) An understanding of the truth necessarily has its basis in God’s words, and, in practicing the truth, one must determine the principles of practice, rather than copying and adhering to regulations;

(2) The principles of practicing the truth are surely submissive to God and the truth, and are of benefit to the work of the church and man’s entry into life;

(3) It is not sufficient for one to confirm on their own that they are at peace in their soul with their practice of the truth; someone else who understands the truth should provide verification, without which total accuracy is not assured;

(4) Perform your duty according to the demands of God’s words and the work arrangements from the Above, and submit to the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit within. This, too, is practicing the truth;

(5) Practicing the truth not only leads one into reality, but can also edify others. Only this is the true testimony of life experience.

Relevant Words of God:

The truth that man needs to possess is found in the word of God, and it is a truth that is the most beneficial and helpful to mankind. It is the tonic and sustenance that your body needs, something that helps man restore his normal humanity. It is a truth that man should be equipped with. The more you practice God’s word, the more quickly your life will blossom, and the clearer the truth will become. As you grow in stature, you will see things of the spiritual world more clearly, and the more strength you will have to triumph over Satan. Much of the truth that you do not understand will be made clear when you practice the word of God. Most people are satisfied to merely understand the text of God’s word and focus on equipping themselves with doctrines rather than on deepening their experience in practice, but is that not the way of the Pharisees? So how can the phrase, “The word of God is life” be real for them? A person’s life cannot grow simply by reading God’s word, but only when the word of God is put into practice. If it is your belief that to understand God’s word is all that is needed to have life and stature, then your understanding is warped. Truly understanding God’s word occurs when you practice the truth, and you must understand that “only by practicing the truth can it ever be understood.” Today, after reading the word of God, you can merely say that you know God’s word, but you cannot say that you understand it. Some say that the only way to practice the truth is to understand it first, but this is only partially correct, and is certainly not entirely accurate. Before you have knowledge of a truth, you have not experienced that truth. Feeling that you understand something you hear in a sermon is not truly understanding—this is just taking possession of the literal words of the truth, and it is not the same as understanding the true meaning therein. Just having a superficial knowledge of the truth does not mean that you actually understand it or have knowledge about it; the true meaning of the truth comes from having experienced it. Therefore, only when you experience the truth can you understand it, and only then can you grasp the hidden parts of it. Deepening your experience is the only way to grasp the connotations, and to understand the essence of the truth. Therefore, you can go everywhere with the truth, but if there is no truth in you, then do not think of trying to convince even your family members, much less religious people. Without the truth you are like fluttering snowflakes, but with the truth you can be happy and free, and none can attack you. No matter how strong a theory is, it cannot overcome the truth. With the truth, the world itself can be swayed and mountains and seas moved, whereas a lack of the truth can lead to strong city walls being reduced to rubble by maggots. This is an obvious fact.

Excerpted from “Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the most important thing in practicing the truth? Is it not that you must first grasp the principles? What are the principles? The principles are the practical side of the truth. When you read a sentence of God’s words, you think it is the truth, but you do not grasp the principles within it; you feel the sentence is correct, but you do not know in what way it is practical, or what state it is meant to address. You cannot grasp its principles or its path of practice. To you, this truth you perceive is merely doctrine. However, once you grasp the truth reality of that sentence, as well as what God’s requirements are—if you truly understand these things, and are able to pay the price and put them into practice—then you will gain that truth. As you gain that truth, little by little, your corrupt disposition is resolved, and that truth is worked into you. When you are able to put the reality of the truth into practice, and when your performance of your duty, your every action, and your conduct as a person are based in the principles of practice of this truth, are you not then changed? Above all, you have become someone who is in possession of truth reality. Is someone who is in possession of truth reality not the same as someone who acts with principles? And is someone who acts with principles not the same as someone who is in possession of the truth? Is someone who is in possession of the truth not also able to conform to God’s will? That is how these things relate.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

How many religious practices do you observe? How many times have you rebelled against the word of God and gone your own way? How many times have you put God’s word into practice because you are truly considerate of His burdens and seek to satisfy His will? You should understand the word of God and put it into practice accordingly. Be principled in all your actions and deeds, though this does not mean abiding by rules or doing something grudgingly just for show; rather, it means practicing the truth and living by the word of God. Only practice such as this satisfies God. Any course of action that pleases God is not a rule, but the practice of truth. Some people have a penchant for drawing attention to themselves. In the presence of their brothers and sisters, they might say they are indebted to God, but behind their backs, they do not practice the truth and act entirely differently. Are these not religious Pharisees? A person who truly loves God and possesses the truth is one who is loyal to God but does not outwardly show off as such. Such a person is willing to practice the truth when situations arise, and does not speak or act in a way that goes against their conscience. This sort of person demonstrates wisdom when matters arise, and is principled in his or her deeds regardless of the circumstances. This kind of person can provide true service. There are some who often pay lip service to their indebtedness to God; they spend their days with brows locked in worry, putting on an affected air and pretending to be pitiable. How despicable! If you were to ask them, “Can you tell me about how you are indebted to God?” then they would be rendered speechless. If you are loyal to God, then do not talk outwardly about it; instead, demonstrate your love for God by way of actual practice, and pray to Him with a true heart. Those who just deal with God verbally and perfunctorily are all hypocrites!

Excerpted from “In Faith, One Must Focus on Reality—Engaging in Religious Ritual Is Not Faith” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Many people have certain outward behaviors, such as being able to cast aside their families and careers and fulfill their duties, and therefore they believe they are practicing the truth. However, God does not recognize that they are practicing the truth. If everything you do has a personal motive behind it and is adulterated, then you are not practicing the truth; you are simply exhibiting superficial conduct. Strictly speaking, your conduct will probably be condemned by God; it will not be praised or remembered by Him. Dissecting this further, you are doing evil and your conduct is in opposition to God. From the outside, you are not interrupting or disturbing anything and you have not done real damage or violated any truth. It appears to be logical and reasonable, yet the essence of your actions pertains to doing evil and resisting God. Therefore, you should determine whether there has been a change in your disposition and whether you are putting the truth into practice by looking at the motives behind your actions in light of God’s words. It does not depend on a human view of whether your actions conform to the human imagination and human intentions, or whether they are suited to your taste; such things are not important. Rather, it depends on God saying whether or not you are conforming to His will, whether or not your actions possess truth reality, and whether or not they meet His requirements and standards. Only measuring yourself against God’s requirements is accurate. Transformation in disposition and putting the truth into practice are not as simple and easy as people imagine. Do you understand this now? Do you have any experience with this? When it comes to a problem’s essence, you might not understand it; your entry has been overly superficial. You run about all day long, from dawn until dusk, rising early and going to bed late, yet you have not achieved transformation in your life disposition, and you cannot grasp what such a transformation involves. This means your entry is too shallow, does it not? Regardless of how long you have believed in God, you might not sense the essence and deep things to do with achieving transformation in disposition. Can it be said that your disposition has changed? How do you know whether God praises you or not? At the very least, you will feel exceptionally steadfast regarding everything that you do, and you will feel the Holy Spirit guiding and enlightening you and working in you while you are fulfilling your duties, doing any work in God’s house, or ordinarily. Your conduct will fit hand-in-hand with God’s words, and once you have gained a certain degree of experience, you will feel that how you acted in the past was relatively suitable. If, however, after gaining experience for a period of time, you feel that some of the things you did in the past were not suitable, and you are dissatisfied with them, and feel that indeed there was no truth in the things you did, then this proves that everything you did was done in resistance to God. It is evidence that your service was full of rebelliousness, resistance, and human ways of acting.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Exactly what are the criteria for putting the truth into practice? How is whether you are putting the truth into practice measured and defined? How does God determine whether you are someone who accepts His words upon hearing them? He looks at whether, during the time that you have believed in Him and listened to sermons, there has been any change in your internal state, in your disobedience toward Him, and in the essence of the various aspects of your corrupt disposition. He looks at whether you have replaced these with the truth, and at whether you have changed in your external behavior and actions or in the essence of your corrupt disposition deep within your heart. God measures you according to these things. Having listened to sermons and eaten and drunk of God’s words for all these years, are your changes just superficial, or essential? Have there been changes in your disposition? Have there been changes in your misconceptions about God, your disobedience toward God, and in how you approach the commissions and duties that God entrusts to you? Has there been a reduction in your disobedience against God? When something happens and you are revealed to be disobedient, are you able to reflect upon yourself? Are you capable of obedience? Have you become more loyal to the commissions and duties that God entrusts to you, and is this loyalty pure? During the time that you have been listening to sermons, have your motives, ambitions, desires, and intentions been cleansed? Are these not criteria for measurement? Then there are also your misconceptions about God: Do you still cling to your original notions, vague and abstract imaginings, and conclusions? Do you still have complaints and other negative emotions? Have there been changes in terms of these things? If there has not been any change in these aspects, then what kind of person are you? This proves one fact: You are not someone who practices the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing God’s Words Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Since people began to believe in God, they have harbored many incorrect intentions. When you are not putting the truth into practice, you feel that all your intentions are correct, but when something happens to you, you will see that there are many incorrect intentions within you. Thus, when God makes people perfect, He causes them to realize that there are many notions within them that are obstructing their knowledge of God. When you recognize that your intentions are wrong, if you are able to stop practicing according to your notions and intentions, and are able to bear testimony to God, and stand firm in your position in all that happens to you, this proves that you have rebelled against the flesh. When you rebel against the flesh, there will inevitably be a battle within you. Satan will try and make people follow it, will try and make them follow the notions of the flesh and uphold the interests of the flesh—but God’s words will enlighten and illuminate people within, and at this time it is up to you whether you follow God or follow Satan. God asks people to put the truth into practice primarily to deal with the things inside them, to deal with their thoughts and notions that are not after God’s heart. The Holy Spirit touches people in their hearts and enlightens and illuminates them. So behind everything that happens is a battle: Every time people put the truth into practice, or put the love of God into practice, there is a great battle, and though all may seem well with their flesh, in the depths of their hearts a life-and-death battle will, in fact, be going on—and only after this intense battle, after a tremendous amount of reflection, can victory or defeat be decided. One does not know whether to laugh or cry. Because many of the intentions within people are wrong, or else because much of God’s work is at odds with their notions, when people put the truth into practice, a great battle is waged behind the scenes. Having put this truth into practice, behind the scenes, people will have shed countless tears of sadness before finally making up their mind to satisfy God. It is because of this battle that people endure suffering and refinement; this is true suffering. When the battle comes upon you, if you are able to truly stand on the side of God, you will be able to satisfy God. While practicing the truth, it is inevitable that one will suffer inside; if, when they put the truth into practice, everything within people were right, then they would not need to be made perfect by God, and there would be no battle, and they would not suffer. It is because there are many things within people that are not fit for use by God, and because there is much of the rebellious disposition of the flesh, that people need to learn the lesson of rebelling against the flesh more profoundly. This is what God calls the suffering that He asked man to undergo with Him. When you encounter difficulties, hurry up and pray to God: “O God! I wish to satisfy You, I wish to endure the final hardship to satisfy Your heart, and regardless of how great the setbacks I encounter, still I must satisfy You. Even if I have to give up my whole life, still I must satisfy You!” With this resolve, when you pray thus, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony. Each time they put the truth into practice, each time they undergo refinement, each time they are tried, and each time God’s work comes upon them, people have to endure extreme pain. All of this is a test for people, and so within all of them there is a battle. This is the actual price that they pay. Reading more of God’s words and running about more is a portion of that price. It is what people ought to do, it is their duty, and the responsibility that they should fulfill, but people must put aside that within them which needs to be put aside. If you do not, then no matter how great your external suffering, no matter how much you run around, all will be in vain! Which is to say, only the changes within you can determine whether your external hardship is of value. When your internal disposition has changed and you have put the truth into practice, then all your external suffering will gain God’s approval; if there has been no change in your internal disposition, then no matter how much suffering you endure or how much you run about on the outside, there will be no approval from God—and hardship that is not confirmed by God is in vain. Thus, whether the price you have paid is approved by God is determined by whether or not there has been a change in you, and by whether or not you put the truth into practice and rebel against your own intentions and notions to attain the satisfaction of God’s will, the knowledge of God, and loyalty to God. No matter how much you run about, if you have never known to rebel against your own intentions, but only to seek external actions and fervency, and never pay any attention to your life, then your hardship will have been in vain. If, in a certain environment, you have something you want to say, but inside you feel that saying it is not right, that saying it does not benefit your brothers and sisters and may hurt them, then you will not say it, preferring to be pained within, for these words are incapable of meeting God’s will. At this time, there will be a battle inside you, but you will be willing to suffer pain and give up that which you love. You will be willing to endure this hardship to satisfy God, and although you will suffer pain inside, you will not pander to the flesh, and God’s heart shall have been satisfied, and so you will also be comforted inside. This is truly paying a price, and is the price desired by God. If you practice in this way, God will surely bless you; if you cannot achieve this, then no matter how much you understand, or how well you can speak, it will all be for nothing! If, on the road to loving God, you are able to stand on the side of God when He does battle with Satan, and you do not turn back to Satan, then you will have achieved the love of God, and you will have stood firm in your testimony.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man’s current practice of the truth is still not up to standard, and cannot achieve fully all the truth requires. People practice only a portion of the truth, and only when they are in certain states and circumstances; they cannot put the truth into practice in all circumstances and all situations. When, on occasion, a person is happy and their state is good, or when they are fellowshiping with the group, and feel more liberated than usual, they may temporarily be able to do some things that accord with the truth; yet when they are in the company of negative people and those who do not pursue the truth, their practice is poorer, and their actions are somewhat inappropriate. This is because people practice the truth without an attitude of perseverance, but instead put it into practice guided by the fleeting influences of emotion or circumstance. It is also because you have not understood your state, nor have you understood your nature, so, at times, you are yet capable of doing things you cannot imagine yourself doing. You only know some of your states, but, as you have not understood your nature, you cannot control what you might do in the future—that is, you have no absolute certainty you will stand firm. There are times when you are in a state and you can put the truth into practice, and you seem to evince some change, yet, in a different environment, you are incapable of putting it into practice. This is out of your control. Sometimes you can practice the truth, and sometimes you cannot. One moment, you understand, and the next, you are confused. Currently, you are doing nothing bad, but perhaps you will in a little while. This proves that corrupt things still exist inside you, and, if you are incapable of true self-knowledge, they will not be easy to resolve. If you cannot attain a thorough understanding of your own corrupt disposition, and are ultimately capable of things that resist God, then you are in danger. If you can attain penetrating insight into your nature and hate it, then you will be able to control yourself, forsake yourself, and put the truth into practice.

Excerpted from “Understanding One’s Nature and Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When practicing the truth, it is hard for people to avoid making mistakes, but if you know how to do things in accordance with the truth when you do them, yet you do not carry them out in accordance with truth, then the problem is that you have no love for the truth. The disposition of a person without love for the truth will not be changed. If you cannot accurately grasp God’s will, and do not know how to practice, then you should fellowship with others. If no one feels like they can see the matter clearly, then you should carry out the most reasonable solution. However, if you ultimately discover that in carrying it out this way you have made a slight error, then you should quickly correct it, and then God will not count this error as a sin. Because you had the right intentions when putting this matter into practice, and you were practicing in accordance with the truth and simply did not see it clearly, and your actions resulted in some errors, then this was an extenuating circumstance. However, nowadays many people merely rely on their own two hands to work and on their own minds to do this and that, and they seldom give any consideration to these questions: Does practicing this way conform to God’s will? Would God be happy if I did it this way? Would God trust me if I did it this way? Would I be putting the truth into practice if I did it this way? If God hears of this matter, would He be able to say, “You have done this correctly and suitably. Keep it up”? Are you able to carefully examine every matter you encounter? Can you be serious and meticulous about each of them? Or are you able to ponder whether God despises the way you are doing it, how everyone else feels about your methods, and whether you are doing it based on your own will or to satisfy your own desires…? You have to put more thought into it and seek more, and your mistakes will become smaller and smaller. Doing things in this manner will prove that you are a person who genuinely seeks the truth and that you are one who reveres God, because you are doing things in accordance with the direction that the truth requires.

If a believer’s actions are out of touch with the truth, then he is the same as an unbeliever. This is the type of person who does not have God in his heart, and who leaves God, and such a person is like a hired worker in God’s family who does some odd jobs for his master, receives a little compensation, and then leaves. This is simply not a person who believes in God. Previously, there was mention of what you can do to gain God’s approval. Approval from God is the first thing you should think about and work for; it should be the principle and scope of your practice. The reason you should determine whether what you are doing is in line with the truth is that if it is in line with the truth, then it certainly conforms with God’s will. It is not that you should measure whether the matter is right or wrong, or if it accords with everyone else’s tastes, or if it is in line with your own desires; rather, you should determine whether it is in accordance with the truth, and whether or not it benefits the work and interests of the church. If you give consideration to these things, then you will be more and more in line with God’s will when you do things. If you do not consider these aspects, and merely rely on your own will when doing things, then you are guaranteed to do them incorrectly, because the will of man is not the truth and, of course, is incompatible with God. If you wish to be approved by God, then you must practice according to the truth rather than according to your own will. Some people engage in certain private matters in the name of fulfilling their duties. Their brothers and sisters then see this as inappropriate, and reproach them for it, but these people do not accept the blame. They think that because it was a personal matter that did not involve the church’s work, finances, or people, it therefore does not count as violating the scope of the truth, and God should not interfere in this matter. Some things might seem to you to be private matters that do not involve any principle or truth. However, looking at the thing you did, you were being very selfish in that you gave no consideration to the work of God’s family or how what you did would affect it; you were only considering your own benefit. This already involves the propriety of the saints, as well as issues to do with a person’s humanity. Even though what you were doing did not involve the interests of the church, nor did it involve the truth, engaging in a private matter while claiming to be performing your duty is not in line with the truth. Regardless of what you are doing, how big or small a matter is, and whether you are doing it to fulfill your duty in God’s family or for your own private reasons, you must consider whether what you are doing conforms with God’s will, as well as whether it is something that a person with humanity should do. If you seek the truth like that in everything you do, then you are a person who truly believes in God. If you devoutly treat every matter and every truth in this way, then you will be able to achieve changes in your disposition. Some people think that when they are doing something personal, they can just ignore the truth, do it as they wish, and do it in whatever way makes them happy and in whatever manner is advantageous to them. They do not give the slightest consideration to how it might affect God’s family, nor do they consider whether or not what they are doing befits saintly propriety. Finally, once they are finished with the matter, they grow dark inside and feel uncomfortable, though they do not know why. Is this retribution not deserved? If you do things that are not approved by God, then you have offended God. If someone does not love the truth, and frequently does things based on their own will, then they will frequently offend God. Such people are ordinarily not approved by God in what they do, and if they do not repent, then punishment will not be very far off.

Excerpted from “Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How much truth do you understand? How much do you ultimately put into practice? Whom do you love more, God or yourself? Do you give more often, or receive more often? On how many occasions when your intent was wrong have you forsaken your old self and satisfied the will of God? Just these few questions will baffle many people. For most people, even if they realize that their intent is wrong, they still knowingly do wrong, and they are nowhere near forsaking their own flesh. Most people allow sin to run rampant within them, allowing sin to direct their every action. They are unable to overcome their sins, and they continue to live in sin. Having arrived at this current stage, who does not know how many evil deeds they have done? If you say you do not know, then you are lying through your teeth. To speak frankly, it is all an unwillingness to forsake your old self. What is the use of saying so many repentant “words from the heart” that are worthless? Does this help you grow in your life? It can be said that to know yourself is your full-time work. I perfect people through their submission and their practice of God’s words. If you only wear God’s word as you would wear your clothes, just to look smart and snazzy, are you not deceiving yourself and others? If all you have is talk and you never put it into practice, what will you attain?

Many people can talk a bit about practice and they can talk about their personal impressions, but the majority of it is the illumination gained from the words of others. It does not at all include anything from their own personal practices, nor does it include what they see from their experiences. I have dissected this issue earlier; do not think that I know nothing. You are merely a paper tiger, yet you speak of conquering Satan, of bearing victorious testimonies, and of living out God’s image? This is all nonsense! Do you think that all the words spoken by God today are for you to admire? Your mouth speaks of forsaking your old self and putting truth into practice, yet your hands are carrying out other deeds and your heart is plotting other schemes—what kind of a person are you? Why are your heart and your hands not one and the same? So much preaching has become empty words; is this not heart-breaking? If you are unable to put God’s word into practice, it proves that you have not yet entered into the way that the Holy Spirit works, you have not yet had the work of the Holy Spirit in you, and you have not yet had His guidance. If you say that you are only able to understand the word of God but are unable to put it into practice, then you are a person who does not love the truth. God does not come to save this kind of person. Jesus suffered enormous agony when He was crucified in order to save the sinners, to save the poor, and to save all those humble people. His crucifixion served as a sin offering. If you cannot practice God’s word, then you should leave as soon as you can; do not linger in God’s house as a freeloader. Many people even find it difficult to stop themselves from doing things that clearly resist God. Are they not asking for death? How can they speak of entering God’s kingdom? Would they have the audacity to see God’s face? Eating food that God provides you with, doing crooked things that oppose God, being malicious, insidious, and scheming, even while God allows you to enjoy the blessings He has bestowed upon you—do you not feel them burning your hands when you receive them? Do you not feel your face turning red? Having done something in opposition to God, having carried out schemes to “go rogue,” do you not feel frightened? If you feel nothing, how can you speak of any future? There was already no future for you long ago, so what greater expectations can you still have? If you say something shameless yet feel no reproach, and your heart has no awareness, then does it not mean that you have already been abandoned by God? Speaking and acting indulgently and unrestrainedly has become your nature; how can you ever be perfected by God like this? Would you be able to walk the world over? Who would be convinced by you? Those who know your true nature would keep their distance. Is this not God’s punishment? All in all, if there is only talk and no practice, there is no growth. Though the Holy Spirit may be working on you while you speak, if you do not practice, the Holy Spirit shall stop working. If you continue to go on like this, how can there be any talk of the future or giving your entire being to God’s work? You can only speak of offering your entire being, yet you have not given your true love to God. All He receives from you is verbal devotion; He is not given your intention to practice the truth. Could this be your actual stature? If you were to continue on like this, when would you be perfected by God? Do you not feel anxious over your dark and gloomy future? Do you not feel that God has lost hope in you? Do you not know that God desires to perfect more and newer people? Could old things hold their own? You are not paying attention to God’s words today: Are you waiting for tomorrow?

Excerpted from “A Person Who Attains Salvation Is One Who Is Willing to Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who genuinely believe in God are those who are willing to put God’s word into practice and are willing to practice the truth. People who are truly able to stand firm in their testimony to God are also those who are willing to put His word into practice and can genuinely stand on the side of the truth. People who resort to trickery and injustice all lack the truth, and they all bring shame to God. Those who cause disputes in the church are Satan’s lackeys, they are the embodiment of Satan. Such people are so malicious. Those who have no discernment and are incapable of standing on the side of the truth all harbor evil intentions and tarnish the truth. More than that, they are the archetypal representatives of Satan. They are beyond redemption, and shall naturally be eliminated. God’s family does not allow those who do not practice the truth to remain, nor does it allow to remain those who deliberately dismantle the church. However, now is not the time to do the work of expulsion; such people will simply be exposed and eliminated in the end. No more useless work is to be expended on these people; those who belong to Satan cannot stand on the side of the truth, whereas those who seek the truth can. People who do not practice the truth are unworthy of hearing the way of the truth and unworthy of bearing witness to the truth. The truth is simply not for their ears; rather, it is directed at those who practice it. Before every person’s end is revealed, those who disturb the church and interrupt God’s work will first be left aside for now, to be dealt with later. Once the work is complete, these people will each be exposed, and then they will be eliminated. For the time being, while the truth is being provided, they will be ignored. When the whole truth is revealed to humanity, those people should be eliminated; that will be the time when all people will be classed according to their kind. The petty tricks of those without discernment will lead to their destruction at the hands of the wicked, they will be lured away by them, never to return. And such treatment is what they deserve, because they do not love the truth, because they are incapable of standing on the side of the truth, because they follow evil people and stand on the side of evil people, and because they collude with evil people and defy God. They know perfectly well that what those evil people radiate is evil, yet they harden their hearts and turn their backs on the truth to follow them. Are these people who do not practice the truth but who do destructive and abominable things not all committing evil? Although there are those among them who style themselves as kings and others who follow them, are their God-defying natures not all the same? What excuse can they have to claim that God does not save them? What excuse can they have to claim that God is not righteous? Is it not their own evil that is destroying them? Is it not their own rebelliousness that is dragging them down into hell? People who practice the truth will, in the end, be saved and made perfect because of the truth. Those who do not practice the truth will, in the end, bring destruction upon themselves because of the truth. These are the ends that await those who practice the truth and those who do not.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

26. The Principles of Entering the Reality of God’s Words

(1) One should be able to put the truth into practice, no matter how shallow or deep their understanding of it. As one delves ever deeper into the truth, they come naturally to live out the reality of God’s words;

(2) When one has understood the truth in their practice and experience of God’s words, and when they see that all God requires of man is practical, they come naturally to love practicing the truth;

(3) One can gain the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit through the frequent practice and experience of God’s words and, when practicing the truth, they feel peace and release in their soul;

(4) When those who often practice the truth live out the reality of God’s words, they know clearly in their hearts that they do, and those who understand the truth can also see clearly that they do.

Relevant Words of God:

God is a practical God: All of His work is practical, all of the words He speaks are practical, and all of the truths He expresses are practical. Everything that is not His words is vacuous, non-existent, and unsound. Today, the Holy Spirit is to guide people into the words of God. If people are to pursue entry into reality, then they must seek reality, and know reality, after which they must experience reality, and live out reality. The more that people know reality, the more they are able to discern whether the words of others are real; the more people know reality, the fewer notions they have; the more people experience reality, the more they know the deeds of the God of reality, and the easier it is for them to break free from their corrupt, satanic dispositions; the more reality people have, the more they know God and the more they detest the flesh and love the truth; and the more reality people have, the closer they come to the standards of God’s requirements. People who are gained by God are those who are possessed of reality, who know reality, and who have come to know God’s real deeds through experiencing reality. The more you cooperate with God in a practical way and discipline your body, the more you will acquire the work of the Holy Spirit, the more you will gain reality, and the more you will be enlightened by God, and thus the greater your knowledge of God’s real deeds will become. If you are able to live in the present light of the Holy Spirit, then the present path to practice will become clearer to you, and you will be more able to separate yourself from the religious notions and old practices of the past. Today reality is the focus: The more reality people have, the clearer their knowledge of the truth, and the greater their understanding of God’s will. Reality can overcome all letters and doctrines, it can overcome all theory and expertise, and the more reality people focus on, the more they truly love God, and hunger and thirst for His words. If you always focus on reality, then your philosophy for living, religious notions, and natural character will naturally be expunged following the work of God. Those who do not pursue reality, and have no knowledge of reality, are likely to pursue that which is supernatural, and they will be easily tricked. The Holy Spirit has no means of working in such people, and so they feel vacant, and that their lives have no meaning.

Excerpted from “How to Know Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God does not require of people the mere ability to talk about reality; that would be too easy, would it not? Why, then, does God speak of entry into life? Why does He talk about transformation? If people are capable only of empty talk about reality, then can they achieve a transformation in their disposition? The good soldiers of the kingdom are not trained to be a group of people who can only talk about reality or boast; rather, they are trained to live out God’s words at all times, to remain unyielding no matter what setbacks they face, and to live constantly in accordance with God’s words and not to return to the world. This is the reality of which God speaks; this is God’s requirement of man. Thus, do not regard the reality spoken of by God as being overly simple. Mere enlightenment from the Holy Spirit does not equal the possession of reality. Such is not the stature of man—it is the grace of God, to which man contributes nothing. Each person must endure Peter’s sufferings, and, even more, possess Peter’s glory, which they live out after they have gained the work of God. Only this can be called reality. Do not think that you possess reality just because you can talk about it; that is a fallacy. Such thoughts do not accord with God’s will and have no actual significance. Do not say such things in the future—extinguish such sayings! All those with a false understanding of God’s words are unbelievers. They do not have any real knowledge, much less any real stature; they are ignorant people who lack reality. In other words, all those who live outside of the essence of God’s words are unbelievers. Those deemed unbelievers by people are beasts in the eyes of God, and those deemed unbelievers by God are people who do not have God’s words as their life. It can therefore be said that those who do not possess the reality of God’s words and who fail to live His words out are unbelievers. God’s intention is to cause everyone to live out the reality of His words—not merely to have everyone talk about reality, but, more than that, to enable everyone to live out the reality of His words. The reality that man perceives is too superficial; it has no value and cannot fulfill God’s will. It is too lowly and not even worthy of mention. It lacks too much and falls far too short of the standards of God’s requirements. You will each be subjected to a major inspection to see who among you merely know how to talk about your understanding without being able to point out the path, as well as to discover who among you are useless pieces of trash. Remember this from now on! Do not speak of empty knowledge; only talk about the path of practice and about reality. Transition from real knowledge to real practice, and then transition from practice to real living out. Do not lecture others, and do not talk about real knowledge. If your understanding is a path, then let your words go free upon it; if it is not, then please shut your mouth and stop talking! What you say is useless. You speak of understanding in order to deceive God and make others envy you. Is that not your ambition? Are you not deliberately toying with others? Is there any value in this? If you talk about understanding after you have experienced it, you will not be seen as boasting. Otherwise, you are someone who spits out arrogant words. There are many things in your actual experience that you cannot overcome, and you cannot rebel against your own flesh; you are always doing whatever you want, never satisfying God’s will—yet you still have the gall to talk about theoretical understanding. You are shameless! You still are so bold as to speak of your understanding of God’s words. How impudent of you! Orating and boasting have become your very nature, and you have become accustomed to doing so. Whenever you wish to speak, you do so with ease, but when it comes to practicing, you indulge in ornamentation. Is this not a way to fool others? You may be able to trick men, but God cannot be deceived. Men are unaware and have no discernment, but God is serious about such matters, and He will not spare you. Your brothers and sisters might advocate for you, praising your understanding and admiring you, but if you possess no reality, the Holy Spirit will not spare you. Perhaps the practical God will not seek your faults, but God’s Spirit will ignore you, and that will be difficult enough for you to bear. Do you believe this? Talk more about the reality of practice; have you forgotten already? Talk more about practical paths; have you forgotten already? “Offer fewer lofty theories and worthless, inflated talk; it is best to begin practice starting now.” Have you forgotten these words? Do you not understand at all? Do you have no comprehension of God’s will?

Excerpted from “Only Putting the Truth Into Practice Is Possessing Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People’s pursuit of entry into life is based upon the words of God. Previously, it was said that everything is accomplished because of His words, but no one saw this fact. If you enter into experiencing the current step, all will be clear to you, and you will be building a good foundation for future trials. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words. When God says He will begin to chastise people, accept His chastisement. When God asks people to die, accept that trial. If you are always living within His newest utterances, God’s words will perfect you in the end. The more you enter into God’s words, the more quickly you will be perfected. Why, in fellowship after fellowship, do I ask you to know and enter into God’s words? Only when you pursue and experience in God’s words, and enter into the reality of His words, does the Holy Spirit have the opportunity to work in you. Therefore, you are all participants in every method by which God works, and whatever the degree of your suffering, in the end you will all receive a “souvenir.” In order to attain your final perfection, you must enter into all of God’s words. The Holy Spirit’s perfection of people is not unilateral; He requires people’s cooperation, He needs everyone to consciously cooperate with Him. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words—this will be more beneficial to your life. Everything is for the sake of achieving a change in your disposition. When you enter into God’s words, your heart will be moved by Him, and you will be capable of knowing everything that God wishes to achieve in this step of His work, and you will have the resolution to achieve it. During the time of chastisement, there were those who believed that this was a method of work, and did not believe in God’s words. As a result, they did not undergo refinement, and emerged from the time of chastisement without gaining or understanding anything. There were some who truly entered into these words without a shred of doubt, who said that the words of God are the infallible truth and that humanity should be chastised. They struggled therein for a period of time, letting go of their future and their destiny, and when they emerged, their dispositions had undergone some change, and they had gained a deeper understanding of God. Those who emerged from chastisement all felt the loveliness of God and realized that this step of work embodied God’s great love descending into them, that it was the conquest and salvation of God’s love. They also said that God’s thoughts are always good, and that everything God does in man comes from love, not hate. Those who did not believe in God’s words, who did not look to His words, did not undergo refinement during the time of chastisement, and as a result, the Holy Spirit was not with them, and they gained nothing. For those who entered the time of chastisement, although they did undergo refinement, the Holy Spirit was working hidden inside them, and their life disposition was changed as a result. Some seemed, to all outward appearances, very positive, filled with good cheer all day, but they did not enter into the state of the refinement of God’s words and so did not change at all, which was the consequence of not believing in God’s words. If you do not believe in God’s words, then the Holy Spirit will not work in you. God appears to all those who believe in His words, and those who believe in and accept His words will be able to gain His love!

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Gaining knowledge of practicality and a thorough understanding of God’s work—these are both seen in His words, and it is only through these utterances that you can gain enlightenment. You therefore should do more to equip yourself with God’s words. Communicate your understanding of God’s words in fellowship, and in this way, you can enlighten others and give them a way out—this is a practical path. Before God arranges an environment for you, you each must first equip yourself with His words. This is something that everyone should do; it is an urgent priority. First, reach a point where you know how to eat and drink of God’s word. For anything that you are unable to do, search His words for a path of practice, and scan these utterances for any issues you do not understand or any difficulties you might have. Make God’s words your supply, and allow them to assist you in resolving your practical difficulties and problems; also allow His words to become your help in life. These things will require effort on your part. In eating and drinking of God’s word, you must achieve results; you must be able to quiet your heart before Him, and you must practice in accordance with His utterances whenever you encounter any issues. When you have not encountered any issues, you should just concern yourself with eating and drinking of His word. Sometimes you may pray and contemplate God’s love, share in fellowship your understanding of His words, and communicate about the enlightenment and illumination you experience within yourself and the reactions you have had while reading these utterances. Moreover, you can give people a way out. Only this is practical. The goal of doing this is to allow God’s words to become your practical supply.

Over the course of a day, how many hours do you spend in which you are genuinely before God? How much of your day is actually given to God? How much is given to the flesh? Having one’s heart always oriented toward God is the first step to being on the right track of being perfected by Him. If you can devote your heart, body, and all of your genuine love to God, place them before Him, be completely obedient toward Him, and be absolutely considerate of His will—not for the flesh, not for family, and not for your own personal desires, but for the interests of God’s household, taking God’s word as the principle and foundation in everything—then by doing so, your intentions and your perspectives will all be in the right place, and you will then be a person before God who receives His praise. The people God likes are those who are absolute toward Him; they are the ones who can be devoted solely to Him. Those whom God loathes are the ones who are half-hearted toward Him and who rebel against Him. He loathes those who believe in Him and always want to enjoy Him while yet being unable to completely expend themselves for His sake. He loathes those who say they love Him but who rebel against Him in their hearts; He loathes those who use eloquent, flowery words to engage in deception. Those who are not genuinely dedicated to God or who have not truly submitted before Him are treacherous and overly arrogant by nature. Those who cannot be genuinely submissive in front of the normal, practical God are even more arrogant, and they especially are the dutiful progeny of the archangel. People who truly expend themselves for God lay out their entire being before Him; they genuinely submit to all of His utterances, and are able to put His words into practice. They make God’s words the foundation of their existence, and they are able to search earnestly within God’s words to find out which parts to practice. Such are people who truly live before God. If what you do is beneficial for your life, and through the eating and drinking of His words you can meet your inner needs and inadequacies so that your life disposition is transformed, then this will satisfy God’s will. If you act in accordance with God’s requirements, and if you do not satisfy the flesh but instead satisfy His will, then in this you will have entered the reality of His words. When talking about entering the reality of God’s words more realistically, it means you can perform your duty and meet God’s requirements. Only these sorts of practical actions can be called entering the reality of His words. If you are able to enter this reality, then you will possess the truth. This is the beginning of entering reality; you must first undertake this training, and only then will you be able to enter even deeper realities. Consider how to keep the commandments and how to be loyal in front of God; do not constantly think about when you will be able to enter the kingdom. If your disposition does not change, then whatever you think of will be useless! To enter the reality of God’s words, you must first get to where all of your ideas and thoughts are for God—this is the barest necessity.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In summary, taking Peter’s path in one’s faith means to walk the path of pursuing the truth, which is also the path of truly getting to know oneself and changing one’s disposition. Only by walking the path of Peter will one be on the path of being perfected by God. One must be clear on how, exactly, to walk Peter’s path, as well as how to put it into practice. First, one must put aside one’s own intentions, improper pursuits, and even family and all things of one’s own flesh. One must be wholeheartedly devoted; that is, one must completely devote oneself to the word of God, focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, concentrate on the search for the truth and the search for God’s intentions in His words, and try to grasp God’s will in everything. This is the most fundamental and vital method of practice. This was what Peter did after seeing Jesus, and it is only by practicing in this way that one can achieve the best results. Wholehearted devotion to the words of God primarily involves seeking the truth, seeking God’s intentions within His words, focusing on grasping the will of God, and understanding and obtaining more truth from God’s words. When reading His words, Peter was not focused on understanding doctrines, much less was he focused on obtaining theological knowledge; instead, he concentrated on comprehending the truth and grasping God’s will, as well as achieving an understanding of His disposition and His loveliness. Peter also attempted to understand the various corrupt states of man from God’s words, as well as man’s corrupt nature and actual shortcoming, thus meeting all aspects of God’s requirements of man in order to satisfy Him. Peter had so many correct practices that abided by the words of God; this was most in line with God’s will, and it was the best way a person could cooperate while experiencing God’s work. When experiencing the hundreds of trials from God, Peter examined himself strictly against every word of God’s judgment of man, every word of God’s revelation of man, and every word of His demands of man, and strived to fathom the meaning of those words. He tried in earnest to ponder and memorize every word that Jesus said to him, and achieved very good results. Through this manner of practicing, he was able to achieve an understanding of himself from God’s words, and he not only came to understand the various corrupt states of man, but also came to understand man’s essence, nature, and various shortcomings. This is what it means to truly understand oneself. From God’s words, Peter not only achieved a true understanding of himself, but from the things expressed in God’s words—God’s righteous disposition, what He has and is, God’s will for His work, His demands of mankind—from these words he came to know God completely. He came to know God’s disposition, and His essence; he came to know and understand what God has and is, as well as God’s loveliness and God’s demands for man. Although God did not speak back then as much as He does today, results in these aspects were nevertheless achieved in Peter. This was a rare and precious thing. Peter went through hundreds of trials, but did not suffer in vain. He not only came to understand himself from the words and the work of God, but he also came to know God. In addition, he particularly focused on God’s requirements of mankind within His words. In whichever aspects man should satisfy God to be in line with God’s will, Peter was able to put forth great effort in these aspects and achieve full clarity; this was extremely beneficial with regard to his own entry. No matter what God spoke of, as long as those words could become life and are the truth, Peter was able to carve them into his heart to ponder and appreciate them frequently. After hearing the words of Jesus, he was able to take them to heart, which shows that he was especially focused on God’s words, and he truly achieved results in the end. That is, he was able to freely put the words of God into practice, accurately practice the truth and be in line with God’s will, act entirely in accordance with God’s intention, and give up his own personal opinions and imaginations. In this way, Peter entered into the reality of God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Entering into the truth reality is not a simple matter. The key is to focus on seeking the truth and putting the truth into practice. You have to hold these things in your heart every day. Regardless of what problems you face, do not always protect your own interests; rather, learn to seek the truth and self-reflect. No matter what corruptions are revealed in you, you cannot let them go unchecked; it is best if you can reflect upon and recognize your corrupt essence. If, in everyday situations, your thoughts dwell on how to resolve your corrupt disposition, how to practice the truth, and what the truth principles are, then you are capable of learning how to use the truth to resolve your problems in accordance with God’s words. In doing so, you will gradually enter reality. If your mind is filled with thoughts of how to attain a higher position, or what to do in front of others to get them to admire you, then you are on the wrong path. It means you are doing things for Satan; you are rendering service. If your mind is filled with thoughts of how to change so that you will be more and more like a human, be in line with God’s intentions, be capable of submitting to Him and revering Him, and show restraint and accept His scrutiny in everything you do, then your condition will get better and better. This is what it means to be one who lives before God. As such, there are two paths: One merely emphasizes behavior, fulfilling one’s own ambitions, desires, intents, and plans; this is living before Satan and living under its domain. The other path emphasizes how to satisfy God’s will, enter truth reality, submit to God, and have no misconceptions or disobedience toward Him, so that one reveres God and performs one’s duty well. This is what it means to live before God.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Possess Normal Humanity” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

With each truth, people should seek, contemplate, and investigate what the inner meaning of that truth is, how to practice that aspect of the truth, and how to enter into it. These are things people should do. Of the various aspects of the truth one should now possess in believing in God, you understand only literal meanings, doctrine, and external appearances; you do not understand the essence of the truth, as you have not experienced it. For example: There is much truth in the realm of performing one’s duty and in the realm of loving God, and people must understand much truth if they wish to know themselves. There is also much truth that must be understood in the significance and mystery of the incarnation. How people should conduct themselves, for instance; how they should worship God; how they should obey God; what they should do to conform with God’s will; how they should serve God—all of these particulars contain much truth. How do you think about or contemplate the truth in these various aspects of the truth? There is very deep truth in each of them that people must experience. If you speak only of the words on the surface, but never go deep inside these things to contemplate and experience them, you will forever live atop the surface of words, and you will never change.

Excerpted from “Only to Pursue the Truth Is Truly to Believe in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people equip themselves with the truth to help others and to serve God, and to lead the church properly. Is this view correct? Irrespective of how many messages you have heard or what your plans are, let Me tell you what is most critical and which view is the most correct: Whatever duty you perform, and whether or not you are a leader, you must first check yourself against God’s words and implement them within yourself. Do not treat these words as a tool to do work or as things you have accumulated while working. If you succeed in all of this, then you will surely be able to do your work well. If you always want to measure other people against these words, carry them out on other people, or regard them as capital for your own work, then you are in trouble; it means you are walking the path of Paul. This is the absolute truth. Because you have this view, you undoubtedly treat these words as doctrine and theory, and you wish to disseminate them and do the work—and this is a very dangerous thing. If you measure yourself against God’s words, and start by putting them into practice yourself, then the first one to change and attain entry will be you. Only if you yourself gain something will you have the stature, qualifications, and ability to do well in the work you must do. If you are without stature, have no experience, and have not gained entry, then you are working blindly, and are running about blindly, and there is no real outcome to this. Whichever aspect of the truth reality you have heard, if you hold yourself up against it, implement these words in your own life, and incorporate them into your own practice, then you will definitely gain something, and you are bound to change. If you simply stuff these words into your belly and memorize them in your brain, then you will never change. Whilst listening to the sermons, you should ponder thusly: “What sort of state are these words referring to? What aspect of essence are they referring to? In what matters should I apply this aspect of the truth? Whenever I do something related to this aspect of the truth, am I practicing in accordance with it? And when I’m putting it into practice, is my state in keeping with these words? If not, then should I seek, fellowship, or wait?” Do you practice in this manner in your lives? If you do not, then your life is without God and without the truth. You live according to letters and doctrines or according to your own interests, confidence, and enthusiasm. Those who do not possess the truth as reality are those who have no reality, and people who do not have God’s words as their reality are people who have not entered His words. Do you understand what I am saying? It is best if you are, but regardless of what your understanding of them is, and of how much you have comprehended of what you have heard, the crucial thing is that you are able to introduce what you have grasped into your life and put it into practice. Only then will your stature be able to grow, and only then will changes occur in your disposition.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In believing in God, if people desire transformation of their disposition, then they must not detach themselves from real life. In real life, you must know yourself, forsake yourself, practice the truth, as well as learn the principles, common sense, and rules of self-conduct in all things before you are able to achieve gradual transformation. If you only focus on the theoretical knowledge and only live among religious ceremonies without going deep into reality, without entering into real life, then you will never enter into reality, you will never know yourself, the truth, or God, and you will forever be blind and ignorant. God’s work of saving people is not to allow them to live normal human lives after a short period of time, nor is it to transform their erroneous notions and doctrines. Rather, His purpose is to change people’s old dispositions, to change the entirety of their old way of life, and to change all of their outdated ways of thinking and mental outlook. Focusing only on church life will not change people’s old life habits or change the old ways in which they have lived for a long time. No matter what, people must not become detached from real life. God asks that people live out normal humanity in real life, not just in church life; that they live out the truth in real life, not just in church life; and that they fulfill their functions in real life, not just in church life. To enter into reality, one must turn everything toward real life. If, in believing in God, people cannot come to know themselves through entry into real life, and if they cannot live out normal humanity in real life, then they will become failures. Those who disobey God are all people who cannot enter into real life. They are all people who speak of humanity, but live out the nature of demons. They are all people who speak of the truth, but live out doctrines instead. Those who cannot live out the truth in real life are those who believe in God, but are detested and rejected by Him. You have to practice your entry in real life, know your own deficiencies, disobedience, and ignorance, and know your abnormal humanity and weaknesses. That way, your knowledge will be integrated into your actual condition and difficulties. Only this kind of knowledge is real and can allow you to truly grasp your own condition and achieve dispositional transformation.

Excerpted from “Discussing Church Life and Real Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

27. The Principles of Living by God’s Words

(1) It is necessary to practice and experience God’s words and to come to know them. To do so is to know how to apply God’s words in real life and how to live by them;

(2) It is necessary to seek the truth in all issues. When one uses the truth to resolve problems, they have a path on which to practice and enter, and they will not stray from God’s words;

(3) It is necessary to view people and things in light of God’s words, and to come to understand the truth and act with principle. Doing so brings the words of God into real life;

(4) Amidst trials and tribulations, one must constantly pray to God and wait for Him. With the enlightenment and guidance of His words, there is a path to follow.

Relevant Words of God:

When people understand the truth, and live with it as their life, what life does this refer to? It refers to their ability to base how they live on God’s words; it means they have real knowledge of God’s words and a genuine understanding of the truth. When people possess this new life within them, the way they live is established upon a foundation of God’s word the truth, and they are living within the realm of the truth. People’s life is all about coming to know and experience the truth, and with this as its foundation, not surpassing that scope; this is the life that is being referred to when speaking of gaining the truth life. For you to live with the truth as your life, it is not the case that the life of truth is inside you, nor is it the case that if you possess the truth as your life, you become the truth, and your internal life becomes the life of truth; less still can it be said that you are the truth life. Ultimately, your life is still the life of a human. It is just that a human can live by God’s words, possess knowledge of the truth, and understand it to an in-depth degree; this understanding cannot be taken away from you. You experience and understand these things fully, feeling that they are so good and precious, and you come to accept them as the basis for your life; moreover, you live in reliance on these things, and no one can change that: This, then, is your life. That is, your life only contains these things—understanding, experience, and insights of the truth—and no matter what you do, you will base the way you live on them, and you will not go beyond this scope or past these borders; this is precisely the sort of life you will have. The ultimate objective of God’s work is for people to have this kind of life.

Excerpted from “Do You Know What the Truth Really Is?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God has given His life and what He has and is to people so that they can live them out, so that they can transform what God has and is and the truth He bestows upon them into the direction and the path for them to live, into their very life, so that they may live by this life. So, can we say that God has bestowed His life on people freely, thus making it become their life? Then what is it that people have obtained from God? God’s expectation? God’s promise? Or what? What they have obtained from God are not empty words, but God’s life! In addition to bestowing life upon people, the one requirement He has for you is that you take this life of God, turn it into your own life, and live it out. When God sees you living this life out, He feels satisfied. This is God’s only requirement. Thus, what humans obtain from God is priceless, and, while God is bestowing this most priceless of things upon humanity, God gains nothing; the greatest beneficiary is humankind. While accepting God’s words as their life, people also come to understand the truth, gain the principles of what it is to be human, grow the roots they need to be human, and gain the direction they need to follow to be human. They are no longer deceived and bound by Satan, no longer deceived and used by evil people, and no longer polluted or seduced by evil trends. Humans live free between heaven and earth, and they are liberated. They are able to live genuinely under God’s dominion, no longer to suffer harm by any evil or dark forces. That is, while they are living out this life, they no longer experience any pain, but instead live happily and without hardship; they live freely and have a normal relationship with God. They can no longer rebel against God or oppose Him; rather, they can live genuinely under God’s sovereignty. They live a right and proper life, from the inside out, and become authentic humans.

Excerpted from “Man Is the Greatest Beneficiary of God’s Management Plan” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The purpose of people understanding and practicing the truth is for them to live out the truth, and make the truths they understand and are able to put into practice their life. What does it mean to make them your life? It means that they become the foundation and source of your actions, your life, your behavior, and your existence—they change the way you live. What did people live by before? Whether they had faith or not, they did not live by the words of God or the truth. Is that the way in which a created being should live? What does God ask of man? (That people live by His words.) Living by God’s words—this is the goal that people who truly believe in Him should have; it is how a created being should live. In the eyes of God, such people are true created beings. Thus, you must regularly ponder which of your words, which of your actions, and which of the principles of your behavior, the aims of your existence, and the ways in which you conduct yourself are compatible with God, which are in line with what God asks of you, and which bear no relation to the words and requirements of God. If you often contemplate these things, you will gradually achieve entry. If you do not ponder these things, then there is no use merely making superficial efforts; going through the motions, following rules, and engaging in ceremony will ultimately bring you nothing. So just what is faith in God? Faith in God is actually the process of changing from a human being corrupted by Satan, to what is, in the eyes of God, a true created being. When someone is now reliant on Satan’s disposition and nature to live, are they a created being whom God is satisfied with in His eyes? You say you believe in God, you acknowledge God, you acknowledge God’s sovereignty and acknowledge that God gives you everything, but do you live out God’s words? Do you live in accordance with God’s requirements? Do you follow the way of God? Is a created being such as you able to come before God and live together with God? Do you have a God-fearing heart? Is what you live out and the path you walk compatible with God? (No.) So what is the meaning of your belief in God now? Have you entered onto the right track? Your following God, your belief in and acknowledgment of God’s name and acknowledgment of God as your Creator and as your Sovereign is only a formality and a lip service. You have not, however, accepted in essence God’s sovereignty or God’s orchestrations, and you cannot be wholly compatible with God. That is, the meaning of your belief in God has not entirely been realized. Although you believe in God, you have not cast off your corruption and attained salvation, and you have not entered into the practical side of belief in God. Looking at it this way, belief in God is not a simple thing.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Whether the words spoken by God be plain or profound in outward appearance, they are all truths indispensable to man as he enters into life; they are the fount of living waters that enables man to survive in both spirit and flesh. They provide what man needs to stay alive; the principles and creed for conducting his daily life; the path he must take to salvation, as well as its goal and direction; every truth that he should possess as a created being before God; and every truth about how man obeys and worships God. They are the guarantee that ensures man’s survival, they are man’s daily bread, and they are also the sturdy support that enables man to be strong and stand up. They are rich in the truth reality with which created mankind lives out normal humanity, rich in the truth by which mankind breaks free from corruption and eludes Satan’s snares, rich in the tireless teaching, exhortation, encouragement, and solace that the Creator gives to created humanity. They are the beacon that guides and enlightens men to understand all that is positive, the guarantee which ensures that men will live out and come into possession of all that is righteous and good, the criterion by which all people, events, and objects are measured, and also the navigation marker that leads men toward salvation and the path of light. Only in the practical experience of God’s words can man be supplied with the truth and with life; only herein can man come to understand what is normal humanity, what is a meaningful life, what is a genuine created being, what is real obedience to God; only herein can man come to understand how he should care for God, how to fulfill the duty of a created being, and how to possess the likeness of a real man; only herein can man come to understand what is meant by genuine faith and genuine worship; only herein can man come to understand who is the Ruler of the heavens and earth and all things; only herein can man come to understand the means by which the One who is the Master of all creation rules over, leads, and provides for creation; and only herein can man come to understand and grasp the means by which the One who is the Master of all creation exists, becomes manifest, and works. Separated from the real experience of God’s words, man has no real knowledge of or insight into God’s words and the truth. Such a man is a downright living corpse, a consummate shell, and all knowledge relating to the Creator has nothing whatsoever to do with him. In God’s eyes, such a man has never believed in Him, nor has he ever followed Him, and so God recognizes him neither as His believer nor as His follower, even less as a genuine created being.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What God requires is a singular love from man; what He requires is that man be occupied by His words and by a heart full of love for Him. To live within the words of God, to search within His words for that which they should seek, to love God for His words, to run for His words, to live for His words—these are the goals that man should strive to achieve. Everything must be built on God’s words; only then will man be able to meet God’s requirements. If man is not equipped with the words of God, then he is nothing but a maggot possessed by Satan! Weigh this: How much of the word of God has taken root inside of you? In which things are you living in accordance with His words? In which things have you not been living in accordance with them? If God’s words have not completely taken hold of you, then what exactly occupies your heart? In your everyday life, are you being controlled by Satan, or are you being occupied by the words of God? Are His words the foundation upon which your prayers are based? Have you come out of your negative state through the enlightenment of the words of God? To take God’s words as the foundation of your existence—this is what everyone should enter into. If His words are not present in your life, then you are living under the influence of darkness, you are rebelling against God, you are resisting Him, and you are dishonoring His name. Such people’s belief in God is pure mischief and disturbance. How much of your life has been lived in accordance with His words? How much of your life has not been lived in accordance with His words? How much of what the word of God has required of you has been fulfilled in you? How much has been lost in you? Have you looked closely at such things?

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you can often eat and drink the words of God and be attentive to His will and put His words into practice, then you belong to God, and you are a person who lives within His words. Are you willing to escape from the domain of Satan and live in the light of God? If you live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will have an opportunity to perform His work; if you live under Satan’s influence, then you will give the Holy Spirit no such opportunity. The work that the Holy Spirit performs on men, the light that He shines on them, and the confidence that He gives to them last for only a moment; if people are not careful and do not pay attention, then the work of the Holy Spirit will pass them by. If men live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will be with them and perform work on them. If men do not live within the words of God, then they live in Satan’s bonds. If men live with corrupt dispositions, then they do not have the presence or the work of the Holy Spirit. If you live within the boundaries of the words of God, and if you live in the state that God requires, then you are one who belongs to Him, and His work will be performed on you; if you are not living within the boundaries of God’s requirements, but living instead under the domain of Satan, then you are decidedly living within Satan’s corruption. Only by living within the words of God and giving your heart to Him can you meet His requirements; you must do as God says, making His utterances the foundation of your existence and the reality of your life; only then will you belong to God. If you actually practice in accordance with God’s will, He will perform work on you, and you will then live under His blessings, in the light of His countenance; you will grasp the work that the Holy Spirit performs and feel the joy of God’s presence.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Believers in God should, at the very least, be well-behaved on the outside; most important of all is to be possessed of the words of God. No matter what, you can never turn away from His words. Knowing God and fulfilling His intentions are all achieved through His words. In future, every nation, denomination, religion, and sector will be conquered through God’s words. God will speak directly, and all people will hold the words of God in their hands, and by means of this, humanity will be perfected. Within and without, the words of God pervade throughout: Humanity will speak God’s words with their mouths, practice in accordance with God’s words, and keep the words of God within, remaining steeped in God’s words both inside and out. Thus will humanity be perfected. Those who fulfill the intentions of God and are able to bear witness to Him, these are the people who possess the words of God as their reality.

Entering into the Age of Word—the Age of Millennial Kingdom—is the work that is being accomplished today. From now on, practice engaging in fellowship about the words of God. Only by means of eating and drinking as well as experiencing the words of God will you be able to live out the words of God. You must produce some practical experience in order to convince others. If you cannot live out the reality of God’s words, no one will be persuaded! All those who are used by God can live out the reality of God’s words. If you cannot produce this reality and bear testimony to God, this shows that the Holy Spirit has not worked in you, and that you have not been perfected. This is the importance of the words of God. Do you have a heart that thirsts for the words of God? Those who thirst for the words of God thirst for truth, and only people such as this are blessed by God. In the future, there are many more words that God will say to all religions and all denominations. He first speaks and utters His voice among you to make you complete before moving on to speak and utter His voice among the Gentiles to conquer them. Through His words, all will be sincerely and utterly convinced. Through the words of God and His revelations, man’s corrupt disposition diminishes, he gains the appearance of a man, and his rebellious disposition lessens. The words work upon man with authority and conquer man within the light of God. The work that God does in the present age, as well as the turning points of His work, can all be found within His words. If you do not read His words, you will understand nothing. Through your own eating and drinking His words, and through engaging in fellowship with your brothers and sisters and your actual experiences, you will gain the full knowledge of God’s words. Only then will you be able to truly live out their reality.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must first resolve all the difficulties within yourself by relying on God. Put an end to your degenerate disposition and become able to truly understand your own condition and know how you should act; continue to fellowship about anything you do not understand. It is unacceptable for a person not to know themselves. Heal your own sickness first, and, by eating and drinking My words more often and contemplating them, live your life and do your deeds on the basis of My words; whether you are at home or elsewhere, you should allow God to wield power within you. Cast off the flesh and naturalness. Always let God’s words have dominion within you. There is no need to worry that your life is not changing; with time, you will come to feel your disposition has changed a great deal. Before, you were eager to be in the limelight, you either obeyed no one or were ambitious, self-righteous, or prideful—these are things you will gradually be rid of. If you wish to cast them off right now, that is not possible! This is because your old self will not allow others to touch it, so deep are its roots. So, you must make a subjective effort, positively and actively obey the work of the Holy Spirit, use your will to cooperate with God, and be willing to put My words into practice. … Do not be self-righteous; take the strengths of others to offset your own deficiencies, watch how others live by God’s words; and see whether their lives, actions, and speech are worth emulating. If you regard others as less than you, you are self-righteous, conceited, and of benefit to no one. What is vital now is to focus on life, to eat and drink more of My words, to experience My words, to know My words, to make My words truly become your life—these are the main things. If someone cannot live by God’s words, can their life mature? No, it cannot. You must live by My words at all times and have My words as the code of conduct for life, so that you will feel that acting by that code is what God takes joy in, and acting elsewise is what God hates; and slowly, you will come to walk on the right track.

Excerpted from “Chapter 22” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If one can satisfy God while fulfilling one’s duty, is principled in one’s words and actions, and can enter truth reality in every aspect of the truth, then one is a person who is perfected by God. It can be said that the work and the words of God have been completely effective for such people, that God’s words have become their life, they have obtained the truth, and they are able to live in accordance with God’s words. After this, the nature of their flesh—that is, the very foundation of their original existence—will shake apart and collapse. After people possess God’s words as their life, they will become new people. If the words of God become their life, if the vision of God’s work, His requirements of humanity, His revelations to humans, and the standards for a true life that God requires them to meet become their life, if they live according to these words and truths, then they are perfected by the words of God. Such people are reborn, and have become new people through God’s words. This is the path by which Peter pursued the truth; it was the path of being perfected, perfected by God’s words, and gaining life from the words of God. The truth expressed by God became his life, and only then did he become a person who obtained the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people have a genuine understanding of God’s disposition, and can give heartfelt praise to His holiness and righteousness, then it means they truly know Him and possess the truth; only then do they live in the light. Only once a person’s view of the world and of life changes does one undergo a fundamental transformation. When one has a life goal and comports oneself according to the truth, when one submits absolutely to God and lives by His words, when one feels peaceful and illuminated to the depths of one’s soul, when one’s heart is free of darkness, and when one can live entirely free and unrestrained in God’s presence, only then does one lead a genuine human life, and only then has one become a person who possesses the truth. In addition, all the truths in your possession have come from God’s words and from God Himself. The Ruler of the entire universe and all things—God Most High—approves of you as a real person living a true human life. What could be more meaningful than God’s approval? This is what it means to be in possession of the truth. In today’s world that is dominated by Satan, and for all the thousands of years of history, who among all of humanity has obtained life? No one. This is because humans are all people who have resisted God. Everything by which they have lived their lives and survived came from Satan and was accepted from Satan, and is in exact opposition to God’s words. Thus, humans are beings who resist God and who suffer His curses, so they have no life to speak of. Even though they want to “leave their mark,” “have their names passed down for a hundred generations,” “enjoy eternal glory,” and “have an everlasting name,” all those things are devilish words. The fact is, they were cursed by God early on, never to be reincarnated. The words of the famous, whoever these people are, fundamentally do not hold with God, and all are punished in the eighteenth level of hell after they die. Only God is the truth. God controls the heavens and earth and everything in them, and rules over all. Not to believe in God and not to submit to God is to be unable to obtain the truth. If you live in accordance with God’s words, then in the depths of your heart, you will feel brightened at ease, and you will also enjoy an incomparable sweetness. When that happens, you will have truly obtained life.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

28. The Principles of Accepting the Judgment and Chastisement of God’s Words

(1) It is necessary to acknowledge that God’s words are unequivocally the truth. They are the reality of positive things, whether or not they accord with human notions. Though the sky may fall, God’s words remain unchanging;

(2) No matter how harsh or piercing the disclosures and judgment of God’s words, as long as they accord with fact in some measure, one should accept and obey them and seek the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit;

(3) Regardless of the trials and refinement one experiences, they should pray to God and seek the truth, practice according to God’s words, and stand firm in their testimony, thereby humiliating Satan;

(4) Upon being pruned and dealt with, one should learn to submit to it and accept it, and should then self-reflect and seek the truth to resolve their problems and be purified of corruption.

Relevant Words of God:

Before man was redeemed, many of Satan’s poisons had already been planted within him and, after thousands of years of being corrupted by Satan, he has within him an established nature that resists God. Therefore, when man has been redeemed, it is nothing more than a case of redemption in which man is bought at a high price, but the poisonous nature within him has not been eliminated. Man that is so defiled must undergo a change before becoming worthy to serve God. By means of this work of judgment and chastisement, man will fully come to know the filthy and corrupt essence within his own self, and he will be able to change completely and become clean. Only in this way can man become worthy to return before the throne of God. All the work done this day is so that man can be made clean and be changed; through judgment and chastisement by the word, as well as through refinement, man can purge away his corruption and be made pure. Rather than deeming this stage of work to be that of salvation, it would be more apt to say it is the work of purification. In truth, this stage is that of conquest as well as the second stage in the work of salvation. It is through judgment and chastisement by the word that man arrives at being gained by God, and it is through the use of the word to refine, judge, and disclose that all of the impurities, notions, motives, and individual aspirations within man’s heart are completely revealed. For all that man may have been redeemed and forgiven of his sins, it can only be considered as God not remembering the transgressions of man and not treating man in accordance with his transgressions. However, when man, who lives in a body of flesh, has not been set free from sin, he can only continue to sin, endlessly revealing his corrupt satanic disposition. This is the life that man leads, an endless cycle of sinning and being forgiven. The majority of mankind sin in the day only to confess in the evening. This way, even though the sin offering is forever effective for man, it will not be able to save man from sin. Only half the work of salvation has been completed, for man still has a corrupt disposition. For instance, when people realized that they were descended from Moab, they brought forth words of complaint, ceased to pursue life, and became utterly negative. Does this not show that humanity is still unable to fully submit under the dominion of God? Is this not precisely their corrupt satanic disposition? When you were not being subjected to chastisement, your hands were raised higher than all others, even that of Jesus. And you cried out in a loud voice: “Be a beloved son of God! Be an intimate of God! We would rather die than bow down to Satan! Revolt against the old Satan! Revolt against the great red dragon! May the great red dragon fall abjectly from power! May God make us complete!” Your cries were louder than all others. But then came the time of chastisement and, once again, the corrupt disposition of humanity was revealed. Then, their cries ceased, and their resolution failed. This is the corruption of man; running deeper than sin, it is something planted by Satan and deeply rooted within man. It is not easy for man to become aware of his sins; he has no way of recognizing his own deeply rooted nature, and he must rely on judgment by the word in order to achieve this result. Only thus can man gradually be changed from this point onward.

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Christ of the last days uses a variety of truths to teach man, to expose the substance of man, and to dissect the words and deeds of man. These words comprise various truths, such as man’s duty, how man should obey God, how man should be loyal to God, how man ought to live out normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the substance of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, the words that expose how man spurns God are spoken in regard to how man is an embodiment of Satan, and an enemy force against God. In undertaking His work of judgment, God does not simply make clear the nature of man with a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes over the long term. All these different methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth of which man is utterly bereft. Only methods such as these can be called judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced about God, and moreover gain true knowledge of God. What the work of judgment brings about is man’s understanding of the true face of God and the truth about his own rebelliousness. The work of judgment allows man to gain much understanding of the will of God, of the purpose of God’s work, and of the mysteries that are incomprehensible to him. It also allows man to recognize and know his corrupt essence and the roots of his corruption, as well as to discover the ugliness of man. These effects are all brought about by the work of judgment, for the essence of this work is actually the work of opening up the truth, the way, and the life of God to all those who have faith in Him. This work is the work of judgment done by God. If you do not regard these truths as important, if you think of nothing but how to avoid them, or how to find a new way out that does not involve them, then I say you are a grievous sinner. If you have faith in God, yet seek not the truth or the will of God, nor love the way that brings you closer to God, then I say that you are one who is trying to evade judgment, and that you are a puppet and a traitor who flees from the great white throne. God will not spare any of the rebellious who escape from under His eyes. Such men shall receive even more severe punishment. Those who come before God to be judged, and have moreover been purified, shall forever live in the kingdom of God. Of course, this is something that belongs to the future.

Excerpted from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today God judges you, chastises you, and condemns you, but you must know that the point of your condemnation is for you to know yourself. He condemns, curses, judges, and chastises so that you might know yourself, so that your disposition might change, and, moreover, so that you might know your worth, and see that all of God’s actions are righteous and in accordance with His disposition and the requirements of His work, that He works in accordance with His plan for man’s salvation, and that He is the righteous God who loves, saves, judges, and chastises man. If you only know that you are of lowly status, that you are corrupt and disobedient, but do not know that God wishes to make plain His salvation through the judgment and chastisement that He does in you today, then you have no way of gaining experience, much less are you capable of continuing forward. God has not come to kill or destroy, but to judge, curse, chastise, and save. Until His 6,000-year management plan comes to a close—before He reveals the outcome of each category of man—God’s work on earth will be for the sake of salvation; its purpose is purely to make those who love Him complete—thoroughly so—and to bring them into submission under His dominion. No matter how God saves people, it is all done by making them break away from their old satanic nature; that is, He saves them by having them seek life. If they do not do so, then they will have no way to accept God’s salvation. Salvation is the work of God Himself, and the seeking for life is something that man must take on in order to accept salvation. In the eyes of man, salvation is the love of God, and the love of God cannot be chastisement, judgment, and curses; salvation must contain love, compassion, and, moreover, words of solace, as well as boundless blessings bestowed by God. People believe that when God saves man, He does so by moving them with His blessings and grace, so that they can give their hearts to God. That is to say, His touching man is His saving them. This sort of salvation is done by striking a deal. Only when God grants them a hundredfold will man come to submit before God’s name and strive to do well for Him and bring Him glory. This is not what God intends for mankind. God has come to work on earth in order to save corrupt mankind; there is no falsehood in this. If there were, He would certainly not have come to do His work in person. In the past, His means of salvation involved showing the utmost love and compassion, such that He gave His all to Satan in exchange for the whole of mankind. The present is nothing like the past: The salvation bestowed upon you today occurs at the time of the last days, during the classification of each according to kind; the means of your salvation is not love or compassion, but chastisement and judgment, in order that man may be more thoroughly saved. Thus, all that you receive is chastisement, judgment, and merciless smiting, but know this: In this heartless smiting there is not the slightest punishment. Regardless of how harsh My words might be, what befall you are but a few words that might appear utterly heartless to you, and no matter how angry I might be, what rain upon you are still words of teaching, and I do not mean to harm you or put you to death. Is this not all fact? Know that nowadays, whether it be righteous judgment or heartless refinement and chastisement, everything is for the sake of salvation. Regardless of whether today each is classified according to kind or the categories of man are laid bare, the purpose of all of God’s words and work is to save those who truly love God. Righteous judgment is brought to purify man, and heartless refinement is done to cleanse them; harsh words or chastening are both done to purify and are for the sake of salvation.

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People cannot change their own disposition; they must undergo the judgment and chastisement, and suffering and refinement, of God’s words, or being dealt with, disciplined, and pruned by His words. Only then can they achieve obedience and faithfulness to God, and no longer be perfunctory toward Him. It is under the refinement of God’s words that people’s dispositions change. Only through the exposure, judgment, discipline, and dealing of His words will they no longer dare to act rashly but instead will become steady and composed. The most important point is that they are able to submit to God’s current words, and to His work, even if it is not in line with human notions, they are able to put these notions aside and willingly submit.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you wish to be purified of corruption and undergo a change in your life disposition, then you must have a love for the truth and the ability to accept the truth. What does it mean to accept the truth? Accepting the truth indicates that no matter what sort of corrupt disposition you have, or which of the great red dragon’s poisons are in your nature, you acknowledge it when it is revealed by God’s words, and submit to these words; you accept them unconditionally, without making any excuses or trying to pick and choose, and you come to know yourself based on what He says. This is what it means to accept God’s words. No matter what He says, no matter how much His utterances might pierce your heart, and no matter what words He uses, you can accept them as long as what He says is the truth, and you can acknowledge them as long as they conform to reality. You can submit to God’s words regardless of how deeply you understand them, and you accept and submit to the light that is revealed by the Holy Spirit and fellowshiped by your brothers and sisters. When such a person has pursued the truth to a certain point, he can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of his disposition. Even if those who do not love the truth may be of decent humanity, when it comes to the truth, they are muddleheaded and do not take it seriously. Though they may be capable of a few good deeds, and can expend of themselves for God, and are capable of renunciation, they cannot achieve a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When receiving the judgment of God’s words, we must not fear suffering, nor should we be afraid of pain, and much less should we fear that God’s words will pierce our hearts. We should read more of His utterances about how He judges and chastises us and exposes our corrupt essences. We must read them and hold ourselves up to them more. Do not compare others to them—we must compare ourselves against them. We are not lacking in any single one of these things; we can all square with them. If you do not believe it, go experience it yourself. After reading God’s words, some people are incapable of applying them to themselves; they think that parts of these words are not about them, but are instead about other people. For example, when God exposes people as sluts and whores, some sisters feel that because they have been unerringly faithful to their husbands, such words must not be in reference to them; some sisters feel that since they are unmarried and have never had sex, such words must not be about them, either. Some brothers feel that these words are only aimed at women, and have nothing to do with them; some people believe that such words of God are too unpleasant-sounding, and refuse to accept them. There are even people who say that in some instances, God’s words are wrong. Is this the right attitude to have toward God’s words? People are incapable of reflecting upon themselves based on God’s words. Here, “sluts” and “whores” refer to people’s corruption of promiscuity. Whether man or woman, married or not married, everyone is possessed of the corruption of promiscuity—so how can it have nothing to do with you? God’s words expose people’s corrupt dispositions; whether male or female, one’s level of corruption is the same. Is this not fact? Prior to doing anything else, we have to realize that we must accept every one of the words spoken by God, whether these utterances are pleasant-sounding or not and whether they give us a bitter feeling or a sweet one. Such is the attitude we should have toward God’s words. What sort of attitude is this? Is it a devout attitude, a patient attitude, or an attitude of embracing suffering? I tell you that it is not any of these. In our faith, we must firmly maintain that God’s words are the truth. Since they are indeed the truth, we should accept them rationally. Whether or not we are able to recognize or admit it, our first attitude toward God’s words should be one of absolute acceptance. Every single line of God’s words pertains to a specific state. That is, none of the lines of His utterances are about external appearances, much less about external rules or a simple form of behavior in people. They are not like that. If you see every line uttered by God as being about a simple kind of human behavior or external appearance, then you have no spiritual understanding and you do not understand what the truth is. God’s words are profound. How are they profound? Everything that God says, everything that He reveals, is about people’s corrupt dispositions, and essential and deep-rooted things within their lives. They are essential things, not external appearances, and particularly not external behaviors. Viewing people from their external appearance, they might all seem to be fine. Why, then, does God say that some people are evil spirits and some are unclean spirits? This is a matter that is not visible to you. Thus, you cannot rely on appearance or what you see from the outside to hold up to God’s words. After being fellowshiped to thusly, have you experienced a change in your attitude toward God’s words? No matter how great or small the change, the next time you read such words, you at least will not try to reason with God. You will not say, “God’s words are really hard to listen to; I’m not going to read this page. I’ll just skip over it! Let me search for something to read about blessings and promises, so as to find some comfort.” You must not pick and choose what you read like that.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man’s corrupt disposition hides within their every thought and idea, within the motives behind their every action; it hides in every viewpoint man has about anything and within every opinion, understanding, viewpoint and desire they have in their approach to all God does. It is concealed within these things. And what does God do? How does God approach these things of man? He arranges environments to expose you. He will not only expose you, but He will also judge you. When you reveal your corrupt disposition, when you have thoughts and ideas that defy God, when you have states and viewpoints that contend with God, when you have states whereby you misunderstand God, or resist and oppose Him, God will rebuke you, judge you and chastise you, and He will sometimes even punish you and discipline you. What is the aim of disciplining and rebuking you? It is to make you understand that what you think are the notions of man, and that they are wrong; your motivations are born of Satan, they originate from human will, they do not represent God, they are incompatible with God, they cannot fulfill God’s intentions, they are disgusting and hateful to God, they incite His wrath, and even arouse His cursing. After realizing this, you are able to change your motivations. And how are they changed? First of all, you must submit to the way God treats you, and submit to the environments and people, matters, and things that He sets out for you; do not pick holes, do not make objective excuses, and do not shirk your responsibilities. Secondly, seek the truth that people should practice and enter when God does what He does. God asks that you understand these things. He wants you to recognize your corrupt dispositions and satanic essence, for you to be able to submit to the environments He arranges for you and, ultimately, for you to be able to practice what He requires of you in accordance with His will, and to be able to meet His will. Then you will have passed the test.

Excerpted from “Only If One Is Truly Obedient Can They Have True Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man lives amid the flesh, which means he lives in a human hell, and without God’s judgment and chastisement, man is as filthy as Satan. How could man be holy? Peter believed that chastisement and judgment by God were man’s best protection and greatest grace. Only through chastisement and judgment by God could man awaken and hate the flesh, hate Satan. God’s strict discipline frees man from the influence of Satan, frees him from his own little world, and allows him to live in the light of God’s presence. There is no better salvation than chastisement and judgment! Peter prayed, “O God! As long as You chastise and judge me, I will know that You have not left me. Even if You do not give me joy or peace, and make me live in suffering, and inflict countless chastenings on me, as long as You do not leave me, my heart will be at ease. Today, Your chastisement and judgment have become my best protection and my greatest blessing. The grace You give me protects me. The grace You bestow upon me today is a manifestation of Your righteous disposition, and is chastisement and judgment; moreover, it is a trial, and, more than that, it is a life of suffering.” Peter was able to put aside the pleasures of the flesh and seek a deeper love and greater protection, because he had gained so much grace from God’s chastisement and judgment. In his life, if man wishes to be cleansed and achieve changes in his disposition, if he wishes to live out a life of meaning and fulfill his duty as a creature, then he must accept God’s chastisement and judgment, and must not allow God’s discipline and God’s smiting to depart from him, in order that he may free himself from the manipulation and influence of Satan, and live in the light of God. Know that God’s chastisement and judgment is the light, and the light of man’s salvation, and that there is no better blessing, grace or protection for man. Man lives under the influence of Satan, and exists in the flesh; if he is not cleansed and does not receive God’s protection, then man will become ever more depraved. If he wishes to love God, then he must be cleansed and saved. Peter prayed, “God, when You treat me kindly I am delighted, and feel comfort; when You chastise me, I feel even greater comfort and joy. Although I am weak, and endure untold suffering, although there are tears and sadness, You know that this sadness is because of my disobedience, and because of my weakness. I weep because I cannot satisfy Your desires, I feel sorrow and regret because I am insufficient for Your requirements, but I am willing to attain this realm, I am willing to do all I can to satisfy You. Your chastisement has brought me protection, and has given me the best salvation; Your judgment eclipses Your tolerance and patience. Without Your chastisement and judgment, I would not enjoy Your mercy and lovingkindness. Today, I see all the more that Your love has transcended the heavens and excelled above all other things. Your love is not just mercy and lovingkindness; even more than that, it is chastisement and judgment. Your chastisement and judgment have given me so much. Without Your chastisement and judgment, not a single person would be cleansed, and not a single person would be able to experience the love of the Creator. Though I have endured hundreds of trials and tribulations, and have even come close to death, they have allowed me to truly know You and gain supreme salvation. If Your chastisement, judgment and discipline were to depart from me, then I would live in darkness, under the domain of Satan. What benefits does the flesh of man have? If Your chastisement and judgment were to leave me, it would be as if Your Spirit had forsaken me, as if You were no longer with me. If that were so, how could I go on living? If You give me sickness and take my freedom, I can continue living, but if Your chastisement and judgment were to ever leave me, I would have no way to go on living. If I were without Your chastisement and judgment, I would have lost Your love, a love that is too deep for me to put into words. Without Your love, I would live under the domain of Satan, and would be unable to see Your glorious face. How could I continue living? I could not endure such darkness, such a life. Having You with me is like seeing You, so how could I leave You? I implore You, I beg You not to take my greatest comfort from me, even if it is just a few words of reassurance. I have enjoyed Your love, and today I cannot be away from You; how could I not love You? I have shed many tears of sorrow because of Your love, yet I have always felt that a life such as this is more meaningful, more able to enrich me, more able to change me, and more able to allow me to attain the truth that should be possessed by the creatures.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you suffer a little constraint or hardship, it is good for you; if you were given an easy time of it you would be ruined, and then how could you be protected? Today, it is because you are chastised, judged, and cursed that you are given protection. It is because you have suffered much that you are protected. If not, you would have long since fallen into depravity. This is not making things difficult for you intentionally—man’s nature is hard to change, and it must be thus for their dispositions to be changed. Today, you do not even possess the conscience or sense that Paul possessed, nor do you even have his self-awareness. You always have to be pressured, and you always have to be chastised and judged in order to awaken your spirits. Chastisement and judgment are what is best for your life. And when necessary, there must also be the chastisement of the facts coming upon you; only then will you fully submit. Your natures are such that without chastisement and cursing, you would be unwilling to bow your heads, unwilling to submit. Without the facts before your eyes, there would be no effect. You are too lowly and worthless in character! Without chastisement and judgment, it would be difficult for you to be conquered, and hard for your unrighteousness and disobedience to be overcome. Your old nature is so deeply rooted. If you were placed upon the throne, you would have no idea of heaven’s height and earth’s depth, much less of where you were headed. You do not even know where you came from, so how could you know the Lord of creation? Without the timely chastisement and curses of today, your final day would have long since arrived. That is to say nothing of your fate—would not that be even more in imminent danger? Without this timely chastisement and judgment, who knows how arrogant you would grow, or how depraved you would become. This chastisement and judgment have brought you to today, and they have preserved your existence. If you were still “educated” using the same methods as those of your “father,” who knows what realm you would enter into! You have absolutely no ability to control and reflect upon yourselves. For people like you, if you just follow and obey without causing any interference or disruptions, My aims will be achieved. Should you not do better in accepting the chastisement and judgment of today? What other choices do you have?

Excerpted from “Practice (6)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As I judge you thus today, what degree of understanding will you have in the end? You will say that although your status is not high, you have nonetheless enjoyed the elevation of God. Because you are of lowly birth you do not have status, but you gain status because God elevates you—this is something He bestowed upon you. Today you are able to personally receive God’s training, His chastisement, and His judgment. This, even more so, is His elevation. You are able to personally receive His purification and burning. This is God’s great love. Through the ages there has not been a single person who has received His purification and burning, and not a single person has been able to be perfected by His words. God is now speaking with you face to face, purifying you, revealing your inner rebelliousness—this truly is His elevation. What abilities do people have? Whether they are the sons of David or the descendants of Moab, in sum, people are created beings who have nothing worthy of boasting about. Since you are God’s creatures, you must perform the duty of a creature. There are no other requirements of you. This is how you should pray: “Oh God! Whether I have status or not, I now understand myself. If my status is high it is because of Your elevation, and if it is low it is because of Your ordination. Everything is in Your hands. I have neither any choices, nor any complaints. You ordained that I would be born in this country and among this people, and all that I should do is to be completely obedient under Your dominion because everything is within what You have ordained. I do not give thought to status; after all, I am but a creature. If You place me in the bottomless pit, in the lake of fire and brimstone, I am nothing but a creature. If You use me, I am a creature. If You perfect me, I am yet a creature. If You do not perfect me, I will still love You because I am no more than a creature. I am nothing more than a minuscule creature created by the Lord of creation, just one among all created humans. It was You who created me, and now You have once again placed me in Your hands to do with me as You will. I am willing to be Your tool and Your foil because everything is what You have ordained. No one can change it. All things and all events are in Your hands.” When the time comes that you will no longer give thought to status, then you will break free from it. Only then will you be able to confidently and boldly seek, and only then can your heart become free of any constraints. Once people have been extricated from these things, then they will have no more concerns.

Excerpted from “Why Are You Unwilling to Be a Foil?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you are someone who pursues being made perfect, then you will have borne testimony, and you will say: “In this step-by-step work of God, I have accepted God’s work of chastisement and judgment, and though I have endured great suffering, I have come to know how God makes man perfect, I have gained the work done by God, I have had the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and His chastisement has saved me. His righteous disposition has come upon me and brought me blessings and grace; it is His judgment and chastisement that has protected and purified me. If I had not been chastised and judged by God, and if the harsh words of God had not come upon me, I could not have known God, and nor could I have been saved. Today I see: As a creature, not only does one enjoy all things made by the Creator, but, more importantly, all creatures should enjoy the righteous disposition of God and His righteous judgment, because God’s disposition is worthy of man’s enjoyment. As a creature that has been corrupted by Satan, one should enjoy God’s righteous disposition. In His righteous disposition there is chastisement and judgment, and, moreover, there is great love. Although I am incapable of completely gaining God’s love today, I have had the good fortune to see it, and in this I have been blessed.” This is the path walked by those who experience being made perfect, and this is the knowledge of which they speak. Such people are the same as Peter; they have the same experiences as Peter. Such people are also those who have gained life, who possess the truth. When they experience until the very end, during God’s judgment they will surely completely rid themselves of the influence of Satan, and be gained by God.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do you understand now what is judgment and what is truth? If you do, then I exhort you to submit obediently to being judged, otherwise you shall never have the opportunity to be commended by God or to be brought by Him into His kingdom. Those who only accept judgment but can never be purified, that is, those who flee amidst the work of judgment, shall forever be detested and rejected by God. Their sins are more numerous, and more grievous, than those of the Pharisees, for they have betrayed God and are rebels against God. Such people who are not worthy even to do service shall receive more severe punishment, a punishment that is, moreover, everlasting. God shall not spare any traitor who once evinced loyalty with words but then betrayed Him. People such as these shall receive retribution through punishment of the spirit, soul, and body. Is this not precisely a revelation of the righteous disposition of God? Is this not God’s purpose in judging man, and revealing him? God consigns all who perform all kinds of wicked deeds during the time of judgment to a place infested with evil spirits, and lets these evil spirits destroy their fleshly bodies as they wish, and those people’s bodies emit the stench of corpses. Such is their fitting retribution. God writes down in their record books each and every one of the sins of those disloyal false believers, false apostles, and false workers; then, when the time is right, He casts them amidst the unclean spirits, letting these unclean spirits defile their entire bodies at will, so that they may never be reincarnated and never again see the light. Those hypocrites who do service for a time but are incapable of remaining loyal to the end are numbered by God among the wicked, so that they fall into cahoots with the wicked and become part of their disorderly rabble; in the end, God shall annihilate them. God casts aside and takes no notice of those who have never been loyal to Christ or have never contributed anything of their strength, and at the changing of the age He shall annihilate them all. They shall no longer exist on earth, much less gain passage into the kingdom of God. Those who have never been sincere to God, but are forced by circumstance into dealing with Him perfunctorily, are numbered among those who do service for His people. Only a small number of such people will survive, while the majority shall perish along with those who render service that is not up to standard. Ultimately, God shall bring into His kingdom all those who are of the same mind as God, the people and the sons of God, and those predestined by God to be priests. They will be the distillation of God’s work. As for those who cannot be classed in any of the categories set by God, they shall be numbered among the unbelievers—and you can surely imagine what their outcome shall be. I have already said to you all that I should say; the road that you select is your choice alone. What you should understand is this: The work of God never waits for any that cannot keep pace with Him, and the righteous disposition of God shows no mercy to any man.

Excerpted from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

29. The Principles of Accepting Being Pruned and Dealt With

(1) To accept being pruned and dealt with is to submit to God’s judgment and chastisement, which means submitting to the truth. If one can accept pruning and dealing, they are capable of true repentance;

(2) One must pray to God when they are pruned and dealt with, and they should accept and submit to it, no matter to what degree it accords with the facts. This is the best opportunity to know oneself;

(3) All pruning and dealing is judgment and chastisement through the advent of facts; it is God’s special love. One must accept and submit to it, and they will surely benefit from it;

(4) To be pruned and dealt with is the greatest lesson in life entry. One must engage in self-reflection and come to forsake themselves, practicing the truth and submitting to God.

Relevant Words of God:

Christ of the last days uses a variety of truths to teach man, to expose the substance of man, and to dissect the words and deeds of man. These words comprise various truths, such as man’s duty, how man should obey God, how man should be loyal to God, how man ought to live out normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the substance of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, the words that expose how man spurns God are spoken in regard to how man is an embodiment of Satan, and an enemy force against God. In undertaking His work of judgment, God does not simply make clear the nature of man with a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes over the long term. All these different methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth of which man is utterly bereft. Only methods such as these can be called judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced about God, and moreover gain true knowledge of God. What the work of judgment brings about is man’s understanding of the true face of God and the truth about his own rebelliousness. The work of judgment allows man to gain much understanding of the will of God, of the purpose of God’s work, and of the mysteries that are incomprehensible to him. It also allows man to recognize and know his corrupt essence and the roots of his corruption, as well as to discover the ugliness of man. These effects are all brought about by the work of judgment, for the essence of this work is actually the work of opening up the truth, the way, and the life of God to all those who have faith in Him. This work is the work of judgment done by God. If you do not regard these truths as important, if you think of nothing but how to avoid them, or how to find a new way out that does not involve them, then I say you are a grievous sinner. If you have faith in God, yet seek not the truth or the will of God, nor love the way that brings you closer to God, then I say that you are one who is trying to evade judgment, and that you are a puppet and a traitor who flees from the great white throne. God will not spare any of the rebellious who escape from under His eyes. Such men shall receive even more severe punishment. Those who come before God to be judged, and have moreover been purified, shall forever live in the kingdom of God. Of course, this is something that belongs to the future.

Excerpted from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you believe in God, then you must obey God, put the truth into practice, and fulfill all of your duties. Additionally, you must understand the things you should experience. If you only experience being dealt with, being disciplined, and being judged, if you are only able to enjoy God but remain unable to feel when God is disciplining you or dealing with you—this is unacceptable. Perhaps in this instance of refinement, you are able to stand your ground, but this is still not enough; you must still keep marching forward. The lesson of loving God never stops and has no end. People see believing in God as something that is extremely simple, but once they gain some practical experience, they then realize that belief in God is not as simple as people imagine. When God works to refine man, man suffers. The greater a person’s refinement, the greater their love of God will be, and the more of God’s might will be revealed in them. Conversely, the less refinement a person receives, the less their love of God will grow, and the less God’s might will be revealed in them. The greater such a person’s refinement and pain and the more torment they experience, the deeper their love of God will grow, the more genuine their faith in God will become, and the more profound their knowledge of God will be. In your experiences, you will see people who suffer greatly as they are refined, who are dealt with and disciplined much, and you will see that it is those people who have a deep love for God and a more profound and penetrating knowledge of God. Those who have not experienced being dealt with have but a superficial knowledge, and they can only say: “God is so good, He bestows grace upon people so that they can enjoy Him.” If people have experienced being dealt with and disciplined, then they are able to speak about the true knowledge of God. So the more wondrous God’s work in man is, the more valuable and significant it is. The more impenetrable it is to you and the more incompatible it is with your notions, the more God’s work is able to conquer you, gain you, and make you perfect. How great is the significance of God’s work! If God did not refine man in this way, if He did not work according to this method, then His work would be ineffectual and without significance. It was said in the past that God would select and gain this group, and make them complete in the last days; in this, there is extraordinary significance. The greater the work He carries out within you, the deeper and purer your love for God. The greater the work of God, the more man is able to grasp something of His wisdom and the deeper is man’s knowledge of Him.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People cannot change their own disposition; they must undergo the judgment and chastisement, and suffering and refinement, of God’s words, or being dealt with, disciplined, and pruned by His words. Only then can they achieve obedience and faithfulness to God, and no longer be perfunctory toward Him. It is under the refinement of God’s words that people’s dispositions change. Only through the exposure, judgment, discipline, and dealing of His words will they no longer dare to act rashly but instead will become steady and composed. The most important point is that they are able to submit to God’s current words, and to His work, even if it is not in line with human notions, they are able to put these notions aside and willingly submit.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God has many means of perfecting man. He employs all manner of environments to deal with the corrupt disposition of man, and uses various things to lay man bare; in one regard, He deals with man, in another He lays man bare, and in another He reveals man, digging out and revealing the “mysteries” in the depths of man’s heart, and showing man his nature by revealing many of his states. God perfects man through many methods—through revelation, through dealing with man, through man’s refinement, and chastisement—so that man may know that God is practical.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God works in every single person, and no matter what His method is, what kind of people, matters, and things He makes use of in His service, or what kind of tone His words have, He only has one end goal: saving you. Before saving you, He needs to transform you, so how could you not suffer a bit? You are going to have to suffer. This suffering can involve many things. Sometimes God raises up the people, matters, and things around you so that you can come to know yourself, or else you might be directly dealt with, pruned, and exposed. Just like someone on an operating table—you have to undergo some pain for a good outcome. If every time you are pruned and dealt with, and every time He raises up people, matters, and things, it arouses your feelings and gives you a boost, then this is correct, and you will have stature and will enter truth reality. If, every time you are pruned and dealt with, and every time God raises up your environment, you feel no pain or discomfort whatsoever, and feel nothing at all, and if you do not come before God to seek His will, neither praying nor seeking the truth, then you really are so numb! If a person is too numb, and is never spiritually aware, then God will have no way to work on them. He will say, “This person is overly numb, and has been corrupted too deeply. Look at everything that I have done, and all the efforts I have made; I have done so many things on him—but I still cannot move his heart or awaken his spirit. This person will be in trouble; he is not easy to save.” If God arranges certain environments, people, matters, and things for you, if He prunes and deals with you and if you learn lessons from this, if you have learned to come before God, learned to seek the truth, and, unknowingly, are enlightened and illuminated and attain the truth, if you have experienced a change in these environments, reaped rewards, and made progress, if you begin to have a little comprehension of God’s will and you cease to complain, then all of this will mean that you have stood firm in the midst of the trials of these environments, and have withstood the test. As such, you will have gotten through this ordeal. How will God regard those who withstand the test? God will say that they have a true heart, that they can endure this kind of suffering and that, deep down, they love the truth and want the truth. If God has this kind of assessment of you, are you not then someone with stature? Do you not then have life? And how is this life attained? Is it bestowed by God? This is God, personally carrying a bowl of food over to you and holding it right up to your mouth to feed you, and once you have eaten, you feel satiated and can stand strong. This is how you must view and comprehend these things; this is how to submit to everything that comes from God. This is the sort of mindset and attitude you must possess, and you must learn to seek the truth. You should not be constantly looking for external causes or blaming others for your troubles or finding faults with people; you must have a clear understanding of God’s will. From the outside, some people might seem to have opinions about you or prejudices against you, but you should not see things that way. If you see things from an erroneous standpoint, the only thing you will do is make excuses, and you will not be able to attain anything. You should see things objectively and justly; in that way, you will seek the truth and understand God’s intention. Once your viewpoint and state of mind are rectified, you will be able to attain the truth. So, why do you not just do it? Why do you resist? If you stopped resisting, you would gain the truth. If you resist, you will not gain anything, and you will also hurt God’s feelings and disappoint Him. How will God be disappointed? It is tantamount to your pushing away the bowl of food that God Himself has brought to you to feed you from in person. You say that you are not hungry and that you do not need it; God tries again and again to encourage you to eat, but you still do not want it. You would rather go hungry. You think that you are satiated, when actually, you have absolutely nothing. People like this are very self-righteous, and are the most impoverished and pitiful of people.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the matter of pruning and dealing, what is the most fundamental thing people should realize? Pruning and dealing are things that must be faced to fulfill their duties up to standard, and a necessary part of the process of receiving salvation. Everyone has to face it. Is pruning and dealing with someone something that involves their future and fate? (No.) Then is pruning and dealing with someone condemning them, or something else? (It’s helping people enter into principle.) That’s right. That’s the most correct understanding of it. Pruning and dealing with someone is a kind of discipline, a kind of chastening, but it’s also a form of helping people. Pruning and dealing allows you to alter your incorrect pursuit in time. It allows you to recognize your own problems in time, and allows you to recognize the corrupt dispositions you expose in time. No matter what, pruning and dealing helps you perform your duties better, it allows you to fulfill your duties according to principles, it allows you to gain salvation in time, it saves you from going astray in time, and it also prevents you from causing catastrophes.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

Some people, after having been pruned and dealt with, think to themselves, “What happened is not just my fault, so how come all the responsibility has been pushed onto me? Why doesn’t anyone around speak on my behalf? They let me bear all the responsibility on my own. It just goes to show, ‘Everyone reaps the benefits but only one person takes the blame.’ I’m so unlucky! How is it that all these bad things keep happening to me, and good things never do?” What kind of emotion is this? This is resistance. Even though, on the surface, such people have nodded their heads, admitted that they were wrong, and accepted responsibility, in their hearts they still complain: “They can deal with me if they must, but what they said was so harsh; they criticized me in front of all those people. I feel mortified. They would not even treat me like a human being! I just made a small mistake; that’s all. Why do they have to keep going on and on about it?” Such people resist, reject, stubbornly cause confrontations, are unreasonable, and make excuses. With such emotions and thoughts, one cannot possess a genuinely submissive attitude.

Submission is the most difficult lesson to learn. When something is in line with your notions, you accept it and submit to it; you feel pretty good, thinking that it is very in line with your taste when it is to your advantage. Once you begin submitting, everything starts to go smoothly for you; deep down, you feel steadfast, peaceful, blameless, happy, and joyful. However, being submissive when things do not conform to your notions is as hard to swallow for you as gulping down sand; it is upsetting, distressing, and painful. You have your reasons, but you cannot voice them, and you have to hold in your emotions. You feel completely wronged, but have no one to tell about it. “What He said is right. His position is higher than mine. So how can I not listen? I might as well accept it. I need to be more careful next time and not stick my neck out anymore. Nothing good comes from sticking your neck out. Whoever takes a step forward gets dealt with. I won’t move forward again; I’ll just let things proceed naturally, and keep as low a profile as possible. Submitting is not easy. It’s so hard! The flame of my enthusiasm has been doused by a bucket of cold water. You can’t blame me for this; I started out all innocent and open, but then I kept being dealt with. I don’t want to be this sort of person anymore; conducting myself like that is exhausting. I will just take a step back from now on, and not reveal to anyone how I feel internally anymore or tell anyone who asks; I’ll just hold it all in.” What sort of an attitude is this? This is just going from one extreme to the other. What is the ultimate goal of making a person learn how to be submissive? No matter how much injustice you have suffered, how much sweat and effort you have put in, or how much your reputation, vanity, and honor have been damaged, these things are, in fact, secondary; the most important thing is to turn your state around. What state? Whether people are in a state whereby they make mistakes or in a state whereby they do not make mistakes, they usually harbor a kind of hardness and rebelliousness in the depths of their hearts. Moreover, a sort of human logical thinking exists within them that says, “As long as my actions and intentions are right, You should not deal with me, and it is okay for me not to submit.” They do not mention whether what they have done conforms to the truth or what consequences it leads to. They believe, “As long as I have a good heart and don’t have malicious intentions, You should accept me.” This is human reasoning, is it not? This is human reasoning, and there is no submission. You regard your own reasoning as the truth and treat the truth as superfluous. You think that only that which accords with your own reasoning is the truth, and that anything at odds with your own reasoning is not the truth. Anyone who thinks this way is most absurd, arrogant, and self-righteous. What kind of states can lessons in submission help people to resolve? To achieve submission, do they need a certain level of rationality? Regardless of whether we have done right or wrong in a matter, as long as God is dissatisfied, we should listen to God and use God’s words as the standard. This would be rational, right? This is the sense that human beings should possess; it is the first thing they should equip themselves with. We should not take into account how much we have suffered, what our intentions and purposes were, or what our reasons were at the time. Since God is not satisfied and we have not met God’s requirements, and given that God is the truth, we must listen to God and not try to reason with Him or argue. If you possess such rationality, you will be able to submit; that is, if, regardless of your circumstances, you neither rebel against God nor reject His requirements of you, and if you do not analyze whether His requirements are right or wrong, then your human state of hardness and rebelliousness and your propensity to reason your way out will be resolved. Do these states not exist within everyone? These states often emerge in people, and they think, “As long as my way accords with logical thinking, Your way should not be right, so it’s reasonable and fair for me to not obey You.” This is a common state for people, but if you are equipped with this sort of rationality, you will be able to effectively resolve this kind of state in part.

Excerpted from “The Five States Necessary to Be on the Right Track in One’s Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When the time comes for dealing and pruning, people’s initial response is not to listen, from the perspective of a created being, to what God is saying or what His requirements are, nor what the human problems, states, or dispositions God reveals are, nor how man should accept, regard, or submit to these things. Such things are not on people’s minds. No matter how God speaks to people or how He guides them, if His tone or manner of speech is not in line with their expectations—if their sentiments, self-esteem, and human weakness are not considered—then people get notions, and they do not want to treat God as God, nor themselves as created beings. The biggest problem here is that when God delivers good times and smooth sailing, people are willing to act as created beings, but when God presents adversity in order to discipline and reveal people, to have them learn a lesson, and to let them understand the truth and know His will—at these times, people turn their backs on Him at once and no longer desire to be created beings. When a person does not want to be a created being, then, from that perspective and that position, will they be able to submit to God? Will they be able to accept the identity and essence of God? They will not. When the times of good moods, fine states, and enthusiasm—those times when people want to be confidants of God—give way to times when people want to abandon Him in the face of dealing and pruning, of environments laid out by God, what a dramatic change it is. What, exactly, is the truth of this matter? What is it that people should know? Should a person, as a created being, not know what type of attitude they should have toward God? What are the principles that need to be followed? As a person—a corrupt human being—what perspective and position should one adopt toward everything God gives man and the environments He arranges? How should people view God’s dealing and pruning of them? Should people not ponder such matters? (Yes.) People should reflect on such things as these. No matter when and no matter how a person treats God, the identity of man does not, in fact, change; people are always created beings. If you are not reconciled to your status as a created being, it means that you are rebellious and far from changing your disposition, far from fearing God and shunning evil. If you are reconciled to your place as a created being, then what sort of attitude should you have toward God? At the very least, you must be possessed of this one thing: unconditional submission. That means knowing, at any given time, what God does is never wrong, and if wrongs occur, it is people who have erred. Regardless of the environments that crop up—especially in the face of adversity, and especially when God reveals or exposes people—the first thing one should do is to come before God to reflect, examining their words and deeds and their corrupt essence, instead of examining and judging God to decide if what He says and does is right or wrong. If you stay in your proper position, you should know exactly what it is you ought to be doing. People have a corrupt disposition and do not understand the truth. This is not such a big problem. But when people have a corrupt disposition and do not understand the truth, yet still do not seek the truth—now they have a real problem. You have a corrupt disposition, you do not understand the truth, and you would judge God arbitrarily, regarding or interacting with Him as your mood or emotions dictate. But if you do not seek and practice the truth, things are not going to be so simple. Not only will you not be able to submit to God, but you could find yourself at odds with Him, misunderstanding and complaining about Him, judging Him, and even scolding and rejecting Him in your heart, saying that He is not righteous, that not everything He does is necessarily right. Is it not dangerous that you may yet give rise to such things? (It is.) It is very dangerous. Not seeking the truth can cost one their life—at any time and at any place. However exuberant your emotions, aspirations, desires, or ideals are at present, and however much you love God in your heart at this moment, it is all temporary.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

On first coming to the church and taking up their duties, and before having been dealt with or pruned, everyone is as prickly as a pear, wanting to have the final say on things. They think to themselves: “Now that I believe in God, I have rights and freedom in the church, so I’ll act as I see fit.” Eventually, once they have undergone a round of being dealt with and pruned and have been disciplined, and once the truth has been fellowshiped to them and they have listened to sermons, they no longer dare to behave in this way. Actually, they have not been entirely grounded; they merely know a bit about how things work and have a smidgeon of sense. When others say things that are warranted, they can acknowledge their correctness, and though they may not understand those things well, they can accept them. Are they not then much more grounded than they were? That they are able to accept these things demonstrates that their behavior has undergone some changes. How have these changes come about? They have arisen due to the exhortation and prompting, as well as the comfort, of God’s words. Sometimes, such people need some discipline, to be dealt with and pruned, as well as some fellowship on principles, telling them that a thing must be done a certain way and cannot be done otherwise. “The truth must be accepted. It’s right there on display. Who would dare object to it?” they wonder. In God’s house, God is great, the truth is great, and the truth reigns; this theoretical foundation has shaken some people awake and allowed some people to understand what having faith in God is all about. Take someone who was originally barbaric and dissolute, completely unrestrained, and ignorant of rules, of belief in God, of God’s house, and of the principles of performing one’s duty in God’s house: When such a person—who knows nothing—comes to God’s house with good intentions and enthusiasm, brimming with great aspirations and hopes, and is there prompted and exhorted, watered and fed, and dealt with and pruned by God’s words, and is chastened, disciplined, tried, and refined, time and time again, then, gradually, some changes will occur in that person’s humanity. What changes are those? He comes to understand something of the principles of human conduct, and comes to know that, in the past, he rather lacked human likeness; he was barbaric, arrogant, and too big for his britches; he spoke and acted without principles, and did not know to seek the truth; he thought having faith in God was a simple matter of doing whatever God asks and going wherever He says, with a barbarous vigor; and, furthermore, such a person believed that this was loyalty and love for God. Now, this person denies all those things and knows that they are the behaviors of Satan, and that God’s believers should heed His words and honor the truth as great, yielding to its sovereignty in all things. In short, in theory and in the depths of their hearts, all people have understood, acknowledged, and accepted that these words are correct—that they are the truth, the reality of positive things—regardless of how deeply these words have taken root in their hearts and no matter how great a role these words have played. Afterward, after undergoing a degree of intangible chastening and discipline, a measure of true faith arises in their consciousness. From their initial vague imaginings of God to the feeling that they have now—that there is a God, and that He is quite real—once people have had these feelings in their faith in God, then their thoughts and viewpoints, ways of looking at things, and moral standards, as well as their ways of thinking, will gradually begin to change.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Can you just begin practicing straightaway after gaining some understanding of a matter? You cannot begin practicing immediately. While you are possessed of understanding, others prune you and deal with you, and then your environment compels you and forces you to act in accordance with the truth principles. Sometimes people are unwilling to go through this, saying, “Why can’t I do it that way? Do I have to do it this way?” Others say, “If you believe in God, then you should do it this way. Doing it this way is in accordance with truth.” When people reach a certain point at which they have experienced some trials and ended up understanding God’s will and some truths, then they will be somewhat happy and willing to act in accordance with the truth principles. At the outset, people are reluctant to practice the truth. Take devotedly fulfilling one’s duties as an example: You have some understanding of fulfilling your duties and being devoted to God, and you also understand the related truths, but when will you be able to completely devote yourself to God? When will you be able to fulfill your duties in both name and deed? This will require a process. During this process, you could suffer many hardships. Some people might deal with you, and others might criticize you. Everyone’s eyes will be fixed on you, and only then will you begin to realize that you are in the wrong and that you are actually the one who has done poorly, that lacking devotion in the fulfillment of your duty is unacceptable, and that you must not be careless or perfunctory. The Holy Spirit will enlighten you from within, and reproach you when you make a mistake. During this process, you will understand some things about yourself, and will know that you are too impure, you harbor too many personal motives, and have too many immoderate desires when fulfilling your duties. Once you have understood the essence of these things, you can come before God in prayer and truly repent; in this way, you can be cleansed of those impurities. If, in this manner, you frequently seek the truth to resolve your own practical problems, you will gradually set foot upon the right path of faith. The more someone’s corrupt disposition is purified, the more their life disposition will transform.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people become passive after being pruned and dealt with; they lose all energy to perform their duties, and end up losing their loyalty as well. Why is this? It is partly due to their lack of awareness of the essence of their actions, and this leads to their not being able to submit to being pruned and dealt with. This is determined by their nature that is arrogant and conceited, and that has no love for the truth. It is also partly due to their not understanding what the significance of being pruned and dealt with is. People all believe that being pruned and dealt with means that their outcomes have been determined. As a result, they mistakenly believe that if they possess some loyalty to God, then they should not be dealt with and pruned; and, if they are dealt with, then this is not indicative of God’s love and righteousness. Such misunderstanding causes many people to dare not be “loyal” to God. Actually, when all is said and done, it is because they are overly deceitful; they do not want to suffer hardship. They just want to obtain blessings the easy way. People are not aware of God’s righteousness. It is not that He has not done anything righteous or that He is not doing anything righteous; it is simply that people never believe that what God does is righteous. In human eyes, if God’s work does not conform to their human desires, or if it is not in line with what they expected, then He must not be righteous. However, people never know that their actions are inappropriate and do not conform to the truth, nor do they ever realize that their actions resist God. If God never dealt with or pruned people for their transgressions, or reproached them for their mistakes, but instead was calm and gentle with them, never offending them or exposing their scars, and if He allowed them to dine and enjoy their time with Him, then people would never complain about God or judge Him to be unrighteous; rather, they would hypocritically claim that He was very righteous. Do such people know God? Can their thoughts be completely attuned to His? How can such people cause Him to stop worrying? People have no inkling that when God judges, prunes, and deals with humans, He is trying to purify and transform their life dispositions so that they can succeed in submitting to Him and loving Him; they simply do not believe that God is righteous. As soon as He becomes slightly reproachful or deals with people a little bit, they grow negative and weak, and start to complain about Him. They refuse to believe that God looks at how people express themselves after they have transformed; they simply have no interest in changing. If you continue in this state, you will be deceived by your notions, and will be unable to be purified or perfected.

Excerpted from “The Implications of God’s Determination of People’s Outcomes Based on Performance” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people believe that after experiencing God’s judgment and chastisement and being dealt with and pruned by Him, or once their true colors have been revealed, it means their outcomes are set in stone. Most people cannot see past this; they get stuck on it and do not know how to move forward. Ordinarily, when they have yet to be dealt with and pruned and have not suffered any setbacks, they feel that they should pursue the truth and satisfy God’s will in their faith. However, as soon as they take a bit of a blow or any difficulties arise, out comes their betraying nature. This is disgusting to see. Afterward, they, too, feel it disgusting, and ultimately delimit their own end, saying, “It’s all over for me! If I’m capable of doing such things, doesn’t that mean I’m done for? God will never save me.” Many people are in this state. It could even be said that everyone is like this. Why do people delimit themselves thus? It proves that they still do not understand God’s intention to save mankind. Being dealt with just once leads to your taking a long hiatus from pursuing the truth; making just one minor mistake stops you from fulfilling your duty; even just a minor scenario can lead you to get stuck. It is as if people are only enthusiastic when they feel they are flawless and without blemish, yet when they discover they are overly corrupt, they do not have the heart to continue pursuing the truth. Many people have spoken words of frustration and negativity such as, “It’s definitely over for me; there’s no way I can be saved. Even if God forgives me, I can’t forgive myself; I can never change.” People do not understand God’s will, which shows they still do not know His work. In fact, during their normal entry, humans do sometimes reveal some corrupt dispositions, their actions are tainted, they take no responsibility, they have no loyalty, and they are careless and perfunctory—and this is all very natural; these are part of an inevitable pattern. Without such things being revealed, how could they be called corrupted humans? If humankind were not corrupt, then there would be no significance in God’s work of salvation. At present, the situation is that people lack the truth; they do not really know themselves and their states are not clear to them, so they need to be exposed and put in the spotlight. Enlightenment will only come when people are exposed, for they are all numb and dull-witted, and unless this sort of work is done, they will not change.

Excerpted from “One Must Understand That There Are Similarities and Differences Among People’s Natures” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Having failed and fallen down multiple times is not a bad thing; nor is being exposed. Whether you have been dealt with, pruned, or been exposed, you must remember this at all times: Being exposed does not mean that you are being condemned. Being exposed is a good thing; it is the best opportunity for you to get to know yourself. It can bring your life experience a change of gears. Without it, you will possess neither the opportunity, the condition, nor the context to be able to reach an understanding of the truth of your corruption. If you can come to know the things inside you, all those aspects hidden deep within you that are hard to recognize and difficult to unearth, then this is a good thing. Becoming able to truly know yourself is the best opportunity for you to mend your ways and become a new person; it is the best opportunity for you to obtain new life. Once you truly know yourself, you will be able to see that when the truth becomes one’s life, it is a precious thing indeed, and you will thirst for the truth and enter into the reality. This is such a great thing! If you can grab this opportunity and earnestly reflect upon yourself and gain a genuine knowledge of yourself whenever you fail or fall down, then in the midst of negativity and weakness, you will be able to stand back up. Once you have crossed this threshold, you will then be able to take a big step forward and enter truth reality.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

30. The Principles of Undergoing Trials and Refinement

(1) Trials and refinement are all part of God’s plan. They are His love, and within them are His will and His demands. This is the greatest lesson;

(2) When undergoing trials, no matter how much corruption is exposed in a person, and no matter how many times they fail and fall down, they must never resent God, but should know themselves and repent sincerely;

(3) Trials and refinement are the greatest lesson in changing one’s disposition. If one can pray to God and rely on Him, seek the truth, and undergo hardship willingly, they will assuredly be able to stand firm;

(4) Seek the truth and try to grasp God’s will in all matters amidst trials, and you will not fall into darkness, but will assuredly be guided by God’s word and see the path of light.

Relevant Words of God:

In their belief in God, what people seek is to obtain blessings for the future; this is their goal in their faith. All people have this intent and hope, but the corruption in their nature must be resolved through trials. In whichever aspects you are not purified, these are the aspects in which you must be refined—this is God’s arrangement. God creates an environment for you, forcing you to be refined there so that you can know your own corruption. Ultimately, you reach a point at which you would rather die and give up your schemes and desires, and submit to God’s sovereignty and arrangement. Therefore, if people do not have several years of refinement, if they do not endure a certain amount of suffering, they will not be able to rid themselves of the bondage of corruption of the flesh in their thoughts and in their hearts. In whichever aspects you are still subject to Satan’s bondage, and in whichever aspects you still have your own desires and your own demands, these are the aspects in which you should suffer. Only through suffering can lessons be learned, which means being able to gain truth, and understand God’s will. In fact, many truths are understood by experiencing painful trials. Nobody can comprehend God’s will, recognize God’s almightiness and wisdom, or appreciate God’s righteous disposition when in a comfortable and easy environment or when circumstances are favorable. That would be impossible!

Excerpted from “How One Should Satisfy God Amidst Trials” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Faced with man’s state and man’s attitude toward God, God has done new work, allowing man to possess both knowledge of and obedience toward Him, and both love and testimony. Thus, man must experience God’s refinement of him, as well as His judgment, dealing and pruning of him, without which man would never know God and would never be capable of truly loving and bearing witness to Him. God’s refinement of man is not merely for the sake of a one-sided effect, but for the sake of a multi-faceted effect. Only in this way does God do the work of refinement in those who are willing to seek the truth, in order that their resolve and love be made perfect by God. To those who are willing to seek the truth and who yearn for God, nothing is more meaningful, or of greater assistance, than refinement such as this. God’s disposition is not so easily known or understood by man, for God, in the end, is God. Ultimately, it is impossible for God to have the same disposition as man, and thus it is not easy for man to know His disposition. The truth is not inherently possessed by man, and is not easily understood by those who have been corrupted by Satan; man is devoid of the truth, and of the resolve to put the truth into practice, and if he does not suffer and is not refined or judged, then his resolve will never be made perfect. For all people, refinement is excruciating, and very difficult to accept—yet it is during refinement that God makes plain His righteous disposition to man, and makes public His requirements for man, and provides more enlightenment, and more actual pruning and dealing; through the comparison between the facts and the truth, He gives man a greater knowledge of himself and the truth, and gives man a greater understanding of God’s will, thus allowing man to have a truer and purer love of God. Such are God’s aims in carrying out refinement. All the work that God does in man has its own aims and significance; God does not do meaningless work, and nor does He do work that is without benefit to man. Refinement does not mean removing people from before God, and nor does it mean destroying them in hell. Rather, it means changing man’s disposition during refinement, changing his intentions, his old views, changing his love for God, and changing his whole life. Refinement is a real test of man, and a form of real training, and only during refinement can his love serve its inherent function.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God works to refine man, man suffers. The greater a person’s refinement, the greater their love of God will be, and the more of God’s might will be revealed in them. Conversely, the less refinement a person receives, the less their love of God will grow, and the less God’s might will be revealed in them. The greater such a person’s refinement and pain and the more torment they experience, the deeper their love of God will grow, the more genuine their faith in God will become, and the more profound their knowledge of God will be. In your experiences, you will see people who suffer greatly as they are refined, who are dealt with and disciplined much, and you will see that it is those people who have a deep love for God and a more profound and penetrating knowledge of God. Those who have not experienced being dealt with have but a superficial knowledge, and they can only say: “God is so good, He bestows grace upon people so that they can enjoy Him.” If people have experienced being dealt with and disciplined, then they are able to speak about the true knowledge of God. So the more wondrous God’s work in man is, the more valuable and significant it is. The more impenetrable it is to you and the more incompatible it is with your notions, the more God’s work is able to conquer you, gain you, and make you perfect. How great is the significance of God’s work! If God did not refine man in this way, if He did not work according to this method, then His work would be ineffectual and without significance. It was said in the past that God would select and gain this group, and make them complete in the last days; in this, there is extraordinary significance. The greater the work He carries out within you, the deeper and purer your love for God. The greater the work of God, the more man is able to grasp something of His wisdom and the deeper is man’s knowledge of Him. During the last days, six thousand years of God’s plan for management will come to an end. Can it really end easily? Once He conquers mankind, will His work be over? Can it be so simple? People indeed imagine that it is as simple as this, but what God does is not so simple. No matter what part of God’s work you care to mention, it all is unfathomable to man. If you were able to fathom it, then God’s work would be without significance or value. The work done by God is unfathomable; it is completely counter to your notions, and the more irreconcilable it is with your notions, the more it shows that God’s work is meaningful; if it were compatible with your notions, then it would be meaningless. Today, you feel that God’s work is so wondrous, and the more wondrous you feel it is, the more you feel that God is unfathomable, and you see how great God’s deeds are. If He only did some superficial, perfunctory work to conquer man and did nothing else afterward, then man would be incapable of beholding the significance of God’s work. Although you are receiving a little refinement now, it is of great benefit to your growth in life; so it is of the utmost necessity for you to undergo such hardship. Today, you are receiving a little refinement, but afterward you will truly be able to behold the deeds of God, and ultimately you will say: “God’s deeds are so wondrous!” These will be the words in your heart. Having experienced God’s refinement for a while (the trial of the service-doers and the time of chastisement), some people ultimately said: “Believing in God is really difficult!” The fact that they used the words, “really difficult,” shows that God’s deeds are unfathomable, that God’s work is possessed of great significance and value, and that His work is highly worthy of being treasured by man. If, after I have done so much work, you had not the slightest knowledge, then could My work still have value? It will make you say: “Service to God is really difficult, the deeds of God are so wondrous, and God truly is wise! God is so lovely!” If, after undergoing a period of experience, you are able to say such words, then this proves that you have gained God’s work in you.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The greater God’s refinement, the more people’s hearts are able to love God. The torment in their hearts is of benefit to their lives, they are more able to be at peace before God, their relationship with God is closer, and they are better able to see God’s supreme love and His supreme salvation. Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times, and Job underwent several trials. If you wish to be made perfect by God, you too must undergo refinement hundreds of times; only if you go through this process and rely upon this step will you be able to satisfy God’s will and be made perfect by God. Refinement is the best means by which God makes people perfect; only refinement and bitter trials can bring out the true love for God in people’s hearts. Without hardship, people lack true love for God; if they are not tested within, if they are not truly subjected to refinement, then their hearts will always be floating around outside. Having been refined to a certain point, you will see your own weaknesses and difficulties, you will see how much you are lacking and that you are unable to overcome the many problems you encounter, and you will see how great is your disobedience. Only during trials are people able to truly know their real states; trials make people better able to be perfected.

During his lifetime, Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times and underwent many painful ordeals. This refinement became the foundation of his supreme love of God, and the most significant experience of his entire life. That he was able to possess a supreme love of God was, in one sense, because of his resolve to love God; more importantly, however, it was because of the refinement and suffering that he underwent. This suffering became his guide on the path of loving God, and the thing that was most memorable to him. If people do not undergo the pain of refinement when loving God, then their love is full of impurities and their own preferences; love such as this is full of the ideas of Satan, and fundamentally incapable of satisfying God’s will. Having the resolve to love God is not the same as truly loving God. Even though all that they think of in their hearts is for the sake of loving and satisfying God, and even though their thoughts seem to be entirely devoted to God and devoid of any human ideas, yet when their thoughts are brought before God, He does not commend or bless such thoughts. Even when people have fully understood all truths—when they have come to know them all—this cannot be said to be a sign of loving God, it cannot be said that these people actually love God. Despite having understood many truths without undergoing refinement, people are incapable of putting these truths into practice; only during refinement can people understand the real meaning of these truths, only then can people genuinely appreciate their inner meaning. At that time, when they try again, they are able to put the truths into practice properly, and in accordance with God’s will; at that time, their human ideas are lessened, their human corruption is reduced, and their human emotions are diminished; only at that time is their practice a true manifestation of the love of God. The effect of the truth of the love of God is not achieved through spoken knowledge or mental willingness, and nor can it be achieved simply by understanding that truth. It requires that people pay a price, that they undergo much bitterness during refinement, and only then will their love become pure and after God’s own heart.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whenever you encounter things that do not fit with your notions and that require you to put yourself aside, those things are your trials. Before God’s will is revealed, everyone goes through a rigorous test and an immense trial. Can you fathom this? When God wants to try people, He always allows them to make their choices before the actual truth has been revealed. This means that when God is subjecting man to trials, He will never tell you the truth; this is the manner in which people are exposed. This is one way that God carries out His work, to see whether you know the God of today, as well as whether you possess any reality.

Excerpted from “Only Putting the Truth Into Practice Is Possessing Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

While undergoing trials, it is normal for people to be weak, or to have negativity within them, or to lack clarity on God’s will or their path for practice. But in any case, you must have faith in God’s work, and not deny God, just like Job. Although Job was weak and cursed the day of his own birth, he did not deny that all things in human life were bestowed by Jehovah, and that Jehovah is also the One to take them all away. No matter how he was tested, he maintained this belief. In your experience, no matter what refinement you undergo through God’s words, what God requires of mankind, in brief, is their faith and their love for Him. What He perfects by working in this way is people’s faith, love, and aspirations. God does the work of perfection on people, and they cannot see it, cannot feel it; under such circumstances, your faith is required. People’s faith is required when something cannot be seen by the naked eye, and your faith is required when you cannot let go of your own notions. When you do not have clarity about God’s work, what is required of you is to have faith and to take a firm stance and stand witness. When Job reached this point, God appeared to him and spoke to him. That is, it is only from within your faith that you will be able to see God, and when you have faith God will perfect you. Without faith, He cannot do this. God will bestow upon you whatever you hope to gain. If you do not have faith, then you cannot be perfected and you will be unable to see God’s actions, much less His omnipotence. When you have faith that you will see His actions in your practical experience, then God will appear to you, and He will enlighten and guide you from within. Without that faith, God will be unable to do that. If you have lost hope in God, how will you be able to experience His work? Therefore, only when you have faith and you do not harbor doubts toward God, only when you have true faith in Him no matter what He does, will He enlighten and illuminate you through your experiences, and only then will you be able to see His actions. These things are all achieved through faith. Faith comes only through refinement, and in the absence of refinement, faith cannot develop. What does this word, “faith,” refer to? Faith is the genuine belief and the sincere heart that humans should possess when they cannot see or touch something, when God’s work does not align with human notions, when it is beyond human reach. This is the faith that I speak of. People are in need of faith during times of hardship and refinement, and faith is something that is followed by refinement; refinement and faith cannot be separated. No matter how God works, and no matter your environment, you are able to pursue life and seek the truth, and seek knowledge of God’s work, and have an understanding of His actions, and you are able to act according to the truth. Doing so is what it is to have true faith, and doing so shows that you have not lost faith in God. You can only have true faith in God if you are able to persist in pursuing the truth through refinement, if you are able to truly love God and do not develop doubts about Him, if no matter what He does you still practice the truth to satisfy Him, and if you are able to seek in the depths for His will and be considerate of His will. In the past, when God said that you would reign as a king, you loved Him, and when He openly showed Himself to you, you pursued Him. But now God is hidden, you cannot see Him, and troubles have come upon you—do you then now lose hope in God? So, you must at all times pursue life and seek to satisfy God’s will. This is called genuine faith, and this is the truest and most beautiful kind of love.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Belief in God requires obedience to Him and experience of His work. God has done so much work—it could be said that for people it is all perfection, refinement, and even more, chastisement. There has not been a single step of God’s work that has been in line with human notions; what people have enjoyed is God’s stern words. When God comes, people should enjoy His majesty and His wrath. However, no matter how stern His words may be, He comes to save and perfect mankind. As creatures, people should fulfill the duties that they ought to, and stand witness for God in the midst of refinement. In every trial they should uphold the witness that they should bear, and do so resoundingly for the sake of God. A person who does this is an overcomer. No matter how God refines you, you remain full of confidence and never lose confidence in Him. You do what man should do. This is what God requires of man, and man’s heart should be able to fully return to Him and turn toward Him in every passing moment. This is an overcomer. Those whom God refers to as “overcomers” are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an “overcomer.”

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For every step of God’s work, there is a way that people should cooperate. God refines people so that they have confidence as they undergo refinements. God perfects people so that they have confidence to be perfected by God and are willing to accept His refinements and to be dealt with and pruned by God. The Spirit of God works within people to bring them enlightenment and illumination, and to have them cooperate with Him and practice. God does not speak during refinements. He does not utter His voice, but still, there is work that people should do. You should uphold what you already have, you should still be able to pray to God, be close to God, and stand witness before God; in this way you will fulfill your own duty. All of you should see clearly from God’s work that His trials of people’s confidence and love require that they pray more to God, and that they more often savor God’s words before Him. If God enlightens you and has you understand His will, and yet you do not put any of this into practice, you will gain nothing. When you put God’s words into practice, you should still be able to pray to Him, and when you savor His words you should come before Him and seek and be full of confidence in Him, with no trace of feeling disheartened or cold. Those who do not put God’s words into practice are full of energy during gatherings, but fall into darkness when they return home. There are some who do not even want to gather together. So, you must clearly see what duty it is that people should fulfill. You may not know what God’s will actually is, but you can perform your duty, you can pray when you should, you can put the truth into practice when you should, and you can do what people ought to do. You can uphold your original vision. In this way, you will be more able to accept God’s next step of work. When God works in a hidden way, it is a problem if you do not seek. When He speaks and preaches during assemblies, you listen with enthusiasm, but when He does not speak you lack energy and draw back. What kind of person acts in this way? This is someone who just follows wherever the herd goes. They have no stance, no testimony, and no vision! Most people are like this. If you continue on that way, one day when you come upon a great trial, you will fall into punishment. Having a stance is very important in God’s process of perfecting people. If you do not doubt a single step of God’s work, if you fulfill man’s duty, if you sincerely uphold what God has you put into practice, that is, you remember God’s exhortations, and no matter what He does in the present day you do not forget His exhortations, if you have no doubt about His work, maintain your stance, uphold your testimony, and are victorious every step of the way, then in the end you will be perfected by God and be made into an overcomer. If you are able to stand firm through every step of God’s trials, and if you can still stand firm at the very end, then you are an overcomer, you are someone who has been perfected by God.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you do not know God’s disposition, then you will inevitably fall during trials, because you are unaware of how God makes people perfect, by what means He makes them perfect, and when God’s trials come upon you and they do not match your notions, you will be unable to stand firm. God’s true love is His entire disposition, and when God’s entire disposition is shown to people, what does this bring to your flesh? When God’s righteous disposition is shown to people, their flesh will inevitably suffer much pain. If you do not suffer this pain, then you cannot be made perfect by God, nor will you be able to devote true love to God. If God makes you perfect, He will surely show His entire disposition to you. From the time of creation until today, God has never shown His entire disposition to man—but during the last days He reveals it to this group of people whom He has predestined and selected, and by making people perfect, He lays bare His dispositions, through which He makes complete a group of people. Such is God’s true love for people. Experiencing God’s true love requires that people endure extreme pain, and pay a high price. Only after this will they be gained by God and be able to give their true love back to God, and only then will God’s heart be satisfied. If people wish to be made perfect by God, and if they wish to do His will, and fully give their true love to God, then they must experience much suffering and many torments from their circumstances, to suffer pain worse than death. Ultimately they will be forced to give their true heart back to God. Whether or not someone truly loves God is revealed during hardship and refinement. God purifies people’s love, and this is also only achieved amid hardship and refinement.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The purpose of the work of refinement is primarily to perfect people’s faith. In the end, what is achieved is that you want to leave but, at the same time, you cannot; some people are still able to have faith even when they are bereft of the tiniest shred of hope; and people no longer have hope at all regarding their own future prospects. Only at this time will God’s refinement be finished. Man still has not reached the stage of hovering between life and death, and they have not tasted death, so the process of refinement is not yet finished. Even those who were at the step of the service-doers were not refined to the utmost. Job underwent extreme refinement, and he had nothing to rely on. People must undergo refinements to the point that they have no hope and nothing to rely on—only this is true refinement. During the time of the service-doers, if your heart was always quiet before God, and if no matter what He did and no matter what His will for you was, you always obeyed His arrangements, then at the end of the road you would understand everything that God had done. You undergo the trials of Job, and at the same time you undergo the trials of Peter. When Job was tested, he stood witness, and in the end, Jehovah was revealed to him. Only after he stood witness was he worthy of seeing the face of God. Why is it said: “I hide from the land of filth but show Myself to the holy kingdom”? That means that only when you are holy and stand witness can you have the dignity to see the face of God. If you cannot stand witness for Him, you do not have the dignity to see His face. If you retreat or make complaints against God in the face of refinements, thus failing to stand witness for Him and becoming Satan’s laughing stock, then you will not gain the appearance of God. If you are like Job, who in the midst of trials cursed his own flesh and did not complain against God, and was able to detest his own flesh without complaining or sinning through his words, then you will be standing witness. When you undergo refinements to a certain degree and can still be like Job, utterly obedient in front of God and without other requirements of Him or your own notions, then God will appear to you. Now God does not appear to you because you have so many of your own notions, personal prejudices, selfish thoughts, individual requirements and fleshly interests, and you are not worthy of seeing His face. Were you to see God, you would measure Him through your own notions and, in so doing, He would be nailed to the cross by you. If many things come upon you that do not align with your notions but yet you are able to put them aside and gain knowledge of God’s actions from these things, and if in the midst of refinements you reveal your heart of love for God, then this is standing witness. If your home is peaceful, you enjoy comforts of the flesh, no one is persecuting you, and your brothers and sisters in the church obey you, can you display your heart of love for God? Can this situation refine you? It is only through refinement that your love for God can be shown, and it is only through things occurring that do not align with your notions that you can be perfected. With the service of many contrary and negative things, and by employing all sorts of Satan’s manifestations—its actions, its accusations, its disturbances and deceptions—God shows you Satan’s hideous face clearly, and thereby perfects your ability to distinguish Satan, that you may hate Satan and forsake it.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of you are in the midst of trial and refinement. How should you love God during refinement? Having experienced refinement, people are able to offer true praise to God, and amidst refinement, they can see that they are very much lacking. The greater your refinement, the more you are able to renounce the flesh; the greater people’s refinement, the greater their love for God. This is what you should understand. Why must people be refined? What effect does it aim to achieve? What is the significance of God’s work of refinement in man? If you truly seek God, then having experienced His refinement to a certain point you will feel that it is extremely good, and of the utmost necessity. How should man love God during refinement? By using the resolve to love God to accept His refinement: During refinement you are tormented inside, as if a knife were being twisted in your heart, yet you are willing to satisfy God using your heart, which loves Him, and you are unwilling to care for the flesh. This is what is meant by practicing the love of God. You hurt inside, and your suffering has reached a certain point, yet you are still willing to come before God and pray, saying: “O God! I cannot leave You. Although there is darkness within me, I wish to satisfy You; You know my heart, and I would that You invest more of Your love within me.” This is practice during refinement. If you use the love of God as the foundation, refinement can bring you closer to God and make you more intimate with God. Since you believe in God, you must hand over your heart before God. If you offer up and lay your heart before God, then during refinement it will be impossible for you to deny God, or leave God. In this way your relationship with God will become ever closer and ever more normal, and your communion with God will become ever more frequent. If you always practice in this way, then you will spend more time in God’s light and more time under the guidance of His words. There will also be more and more changes in your disposition, and your knowledge will increase day by day. When the day comes that God’s trials suddenly befall you, you will not only be able to stand by God’s side, but will also be able to bear testimony to God. At that time, you will be like Job, and like Peter. Having borne testimony to God you will truly love Him, and will gladly lay down your life for Him; you will be God’s witness, and one who is beloved by God. Love that has experienced refinement is strong, not weak. Regardless of when or how God subjects you to His trials, you are able to lay down your concerns about whether you live or die, to gladly cast aside everything for God, and to happily endure anything for God—thus your love will be pure and your faith real. Only then will you be someone who is truly loved by God, and who has truly been made perfect by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

31. The Principles of Undergoing Persecution and Tribulations

(1) Know that God’s wisdom is built atop Satan’s wiles, and persecution and tribulations occur with God’s permission. They serve to expose and perfect man;

(2) The experience of having been persecuted and subjected to tribulations enables one to see clearly the demonic essence and hideous countenance of the great red dragon, Satan, and thereby to know God’s holiness and righteousness;

(3) Through persecution and tribulation, one gains a glimpse of their own timidity, deficiency, and vulnerability, the shame of which awakens them to the fact that without the truth, one is stranded;

(4) Persecution and tribulations are uniquely capable of exposing and eliminating people. They can also perfect those who genuinely love God in hating Satan and forsaking the great red dragon, as well as in praising God’s righteousness and holiness.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mat 10:28).

“He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it” (Mat 10:39).

Relevant Words of God:

As believers in God, each of you should appreciate how you have truly gained the utmost exaltation and salvation by receiving the work of God in the last days and the work of His plan that He does in you today. God has made this group of people the sole focus of His work throughout all the universe. He has sacrificed all His heart’s blood for you; He has reclaimed and given to you all the work of the Spirit throughout the universe. That is why you are the fortunate ones. Moreover, He has shifted His glory from Israel, His chosen people, onto you, and He shall make the purpose of His plan fully manifest through this group. Therefore, you are the ones who will receive the inheritance of God, and even more than this, you are the heirs to God’s glory. Perhaps you all remember these words: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” You have all heard these words before, yet none of you understood their true meaning. Today, you are profoundly aware of their true significance. These words shall be fulfilled by God during the last days, and they shall be fulfilled in those who have been brutally persecuted by the great red dragon in the land where it lies coiled. The great red dragon persecutes God and is the enemy of God, and so, in this land, those who believe in God are thus subjected to humiliation and oppression, and these words are fulfilled in you, this group of people, as a result. Because it is embarked upon in a land that opposes God, all of God’s work faces tremendous obstacles, and accomplishing many of His words takes time; thus, people are refined as a result of God’s words, which is also part of suffering. It is tremendously difficult for God to carry out His work in the land of the great red dragon—but it is through this difficulty that God does one stage of His work, making manifest His wisdom and His wondrous deeds, and using this opportunity to make this group of people complete. It is through people’s suffering, through their caliber, and through all the satanic dispositions of the people of this filthy land that God does His work of purification and conquest, so that, from this, He may gain glory, and so that He may gain those who will bear witness to His deeds. Such is the entire significance of all the sacrifices that God has made for this group of people. That is, it is through those who oppose Him that God does the work of conquest, and only thus can the great power of God be made manifest. In other words, only those in the unclean land are worthy of inheriting the glory of God, and only this can highlight the great power of God. That is why it is from the unclean land, and from those who live in the unclean land, that the glory of God is gained. Such is the will of God. Jesus’ stage of work was the same: He could only gain glory among those Pharisees who persecuted Him; if not for the persecution of the Pharisees and the betrayal of Judas, Jesus would not have been ridiculed or slandered, much less crucified, and thus could not have gained glory. Where God works in each age, and where He does His work in the flesh, is where He gains glory and where He gains those He intends to gain. This is the plan of God’s work, and this is His management.

Excerpted from “Is the Work of God As Simple As Man Imagines?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When I formally begin My work, all people move as I move, such that people throughout the universe occupy themselves in step with Me, there is “jubilation” across the universe, and man is spurred onward by Me. In consequence, the great red dragon itself is whipped into a state of frenzy and bewilderment by Me, and it serves My work, and, despite being unwilling, it is unable to follow its own desires, but is left with no choice but to submit to My control. In all of My plans, the great red dragon is My foil, My enemy, and also My servant; as such, I have never relaxed My “requirements” of it. Therefore, the final stage of the work of My incarnation is completed in its household. In this way, the great red dragon is more able to do service for Me properly, through which I will conquer it and complete My plan.

Excerpted from “Chapter 29” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God intends to use a portion of the work of evil spirits to perfect a portion of humanity, enabling these people to see completely through the devils’ iniquities, that all humanity may truly know their “ancestors.” Only in this way can humans break completely free, not only forsaking the posterity of the devils, but even the devils’ ancestors. This is God’s true purpose in utterly defeating the great red dragon, to make it so that all humanity knows the great red dragon’s true form, to tear its mask off fully and to look upon its true form. This is what God wants to achieve, it is the final goal of all the work He has done on earth, and it is what He aims to accomplish in all humanity. This is known as mobilizing all things to serve God’s purpose.

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

My work among the group of people of the last days is an unprecedented enterprise, and thus, so that My glory may fill the cosmos, all people must suffer the last hardship for Me. Do you understand My will? This is the final requirement I make of man, which is to say, I hope that all people can bear strong, resounding testimony to Me before the great red dragon, that they can offer themselves up for Me a final time, and fulfill My requirements one last instance. Can you truly do this? You were incapable of satisfying My heart in the past—could you break this pattern in the final instance? I give people the chance to reflect; I let them ponder carefully before finally giving Me an answer—is it wrong to do this? I wait for man’s response, I await his “letter of reply”—do you have the faith to fulfill My requirements?

Excerpted from “Chapter 34” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It was previously said that these people are the progeny of the great red dragon. In fact, to be clear, they are the embodiment of the great red dragon. When God forces them to the end of the road and slaughters them, then—without a doubt—the spirit of the great red dragon has no further chance to work in them. In this way, when people walk to the end of the road is also when the great red dragon ends up dead. It can be said that it is using death to repay God’s “great kindness”—which is the aim of God’s work in the nation of the great red dragon. When people are ready to sacrifice their lives, everything becomes trifling, and no one can get the better of them. What could be more important than life? Thus, Satan becomes incapable of doing any more in people, there is nothing it can do with man. Although, in the definition of the “flesh” it is said that the flesh is corrupted by Satan, if people truly give themselves over, and are not driven by Satan, then no one can get the better of them—and at this moment, the flesh will perform its another function, and begin to formally receive the direction of the Spirit of God. This is a necessary process, it must happen step-by-step; if not, God would have no means of working in the stubborn flesh. Such is the wisdom of God.

Excerpted from “Chapter 36” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Regardless of how “powerful” Satan is, regardless of how audacious and ambitious it is, regardless of how great is its ability to inflict damage, regardless of how wide-ranging are the techniques with which it corrupts and lures man, regardless of how clever are the tricks and schemes with which it intimidates man, regardless of how changeable is the form in which it exists, it has never been able to create a single living thing, has never been able to set down laws or rules for the existence of all things, and has never been able to rule and control any object, whether animate or inanimate. Within the cosmos and the firmament, there is not a single person or object that was born from it, or exists because of it; there is not a single person or object that is ruled by it, or controlled by it. On the contrary, it not only has to live under the dominion of God, but, moreover, must obey all of God’s orders and commands. Without God’s permission, it is difficult for Satan to touch even a drop of water or grain of sand upon the land; without God’s permission, Satan is not even free to move the ants about upon the land, let alone mankind, who was created by God. In the eyes of God, Satan is inferior to the lilies on the mountain, to the birds flying in the air, to the fish in the sea, and to the maggots on the earth. Its role among all things is to serve all things, and work for mankind, and serve God’s work and His plan of management. Regardless of how malicious its nature, and how evil its essence, the only thing it can do is to dutifully abide by its function: being of service to God, and providing a counterpoint to God. Such is the substance and position of Satan. Its essence is unconnected to life, unconnected to power, unconnected to authority; it is merely a plaything in God’s hands, just a machine in service to God!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You should not be afraid of this and that; no matter how many difficulties and dangers you might face, you are capable of remaining steady before Me, unobstructed by any hindrance, so that My will may be carried out unimpeded. This is your duty; otherwise, I shall bring My wrath upon you, and with My hand I shall…. You will then endure endless mental suffering. You must endure all; for Me, you must be ready to relinquish everything you possess and do everything you can to follow Me, and be ready to expend your all. Now is the time that I shall test you: Will you offer your loyalty to Me? Can you loyally follow Me to the end of the road? Be not afraid; with My support, who could ever block this road? Remember this! Do not forget! All that occurs is by My good intention, and everything is under My observation. Can you follow My word in all that you say and do? When the trials of fire come upon you, will you kneel down and call out? Or will you cower, incapable of moving forward?

You must possess My courage within you, and you must have principles when it comes to facing relatives who do not believe. For My sake, however, you also must not yield to any dark forces. Rely on My wisdom to walk the perfect way; do not allow any of Satan’s conspiracies to take hold. Put all your efforts into placing your heart before Me, and I shall comfort you and bring you peace and happiness. Do not strive to be a certain way in front of other people; does making Me satisfied not carry more value and weight? In satisfying Me, will you not be even further filled with eternal and lifelong peace and happiness? Your current suffering indicates just how great your future blessings will be; they are indescribable. You know not the greatness of the blessings that you shall have; you could not even dream of it. Today it has become real; so very real! This is not so far away—can you see it? Every last bit of this is within Me; how bright is the road ahead! Wipe away your tears, and feel no more pain or sorrow. All things are arranged by My hands, and My goal is to soon make you the overcomers and to bring you into glory alongside Me. For all that happens to you, you should be correspondingly grateful and full of praise; that will bring Me deep satisfaction.

The transcendent life of Christ has already appeared; there is nothing for you to be afraid of. Satans are under our feet, and their time will not last much longer. Awaken! Cast away the world of licentiousness; free yourself from the abyss of death! Be loyal to Me no matter what, and bravely advance; I am your rock of strength, so rely on Me!

from “Chapter 10” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people do not have any confidence, it is not easy for them to continue down this path. Everyone can now see that God’s work does not conform in the slightest with people’s notions. God has done so much work and spoken so many words, which are completely out of line with human notions. Thus, people must have the confidence and willpower to be able to stand by what they have already seen and what they have gained from their experiences. No matter what God does in people, they must uphold what they themselves possess, be sincere in front of God, and remain devoted to Him to the very end. This is mankind’s duty. People must uphold that which they should do. Belief in God requires obedience to Him and experience of His work. God has done so much work—it could be said that for people it is all perfection, refinement, and even more, chastisement. There has not been a single step of God’s work that has been in line with human notions; what people have enjoyed is God’s stern words. When God comes, people should enjoy His majesty and His wrath. However, no matter how stern His words may be, He comes to save and perfect mankind. As creatures, people should fulfill the duties that they ought to, and stand witness for God in the midst of refinement. In every trial they should uphold the witness that they should bear, and do so resoundingly for the sake of God. A person who does this is an overcomer. No matter how God refines you, you remain full of confidence and never lose confidence in Him. You do what man should do. This is what God requires of man, and man’s heart should be able to fully return to Him and turn toward Him in every passing moment. This is an overcomer. Those whom God refers to as “overcomers” are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an “overcomer.” If your pursuit is excellent when God blesses you, but you retreat without His blessings, is this purity? Since you are certain that this way is true, you must follow it until the end; you must maintain your devotion to God. Since you have seen that God Himself has come to the earth to perfect you, you should give your heart entirely to Him. If you can still follow Him no matter what He does, even if He determines an unfavorable outcome for you at the very end, this is maintaining your purity in front of God. Offering a holy spiritual body and a pure virgin to God means keeping a sincere heart in front of God. For mankind, sincerity is purity, and the ability to be sincere toward God is maintaining purity. This is what you should put into practice. When you ought to pray, you pray; when you ought to gather together in fellowship, you do so; when you ought to sing hymns, you sing hymns; and when you ought to forsake the flesh, you forsake the flesh. When you perform your duty, you do not muddle through it; when you are faced with trials you stand firm. This is devotion to God. If you do not uphold what people should do, then all of your previous suffering and resolutions have been futile.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Right now, those visions and those truths that you understand are laying a foundation for your future experiences; in the future tribulation you will all have practical experience of these words. Later, when trials come upon you and you undergo the tribulation, you will think of the words you say today, which are: “No matter what tribulation, trials, or great disasters I encounter, I must satisfy God.” Think about the experiences of Peter and then the experiences of Job—you will be galvanized by today’s words. Only in this way can your faith be inspired. At that time, Peter said that he was not worthy of receiving God’s judgment and chastisement, and when the time comes you will also be willing to have all people see God’s righteous disposition through you. You will readily accept His judgment and chastisement, and His judgment, chastisement, and curse will be a comfort to you. Now, it is simply not acceptable for you to not be equipped with the truth. Without it, not only will you be unable to stand firm in the future, but you might not be capable of experiencing the current work. If this is the case, will you not be one of those cast out and punished? Right now, there have not been any facts that have come upon you, and I have supplied you in whichever aspects you are lacking; I speak from every aspect. You have not endured much suffering; you just take what is available without having paid any kind of price, and, more than that, you do not have your own genuine experiences or insights. So, what you understand is not your true statures. You are limited to understanding, knowledge, and seeing, but you have not reaped much of a harvest. If I never paid any mind to you but had you undergo experiences in your own home, you would have scurried back out into the great wide world long ago. The path that you walk in the future will be a course of suffering, and if you successfully walk this current stretch of the path, then you will have testimony when you undergo the greater tribulation in the future. If you understand the significance of human life and have taken the right path of human life, and if in the future you submit to His designs without any complaints or choices no matter how God deals with you, and if you do not make any demands of God, then in this way you will be a person of value. Right now, you have not undergone tribulation, so you can obey anything without differentiation. You say that however God leads, that way is fine, and that you would submit to all of His orchestrations. Whether God chastises or curses you, you will be willing to satisfy Him. Having said that, what you say now does not necessarily represent your stature. What you are willing to do now cannot show that you are capable of following until the end. When great tribulations come upon you or when you undergo some persecution or coercion or even greater trials, then you will not be able to say those words. If you can have that kind of understanding then and you stand firm, this will be your stature. What was Peter like at that time? Peter said: “Lord, I will sacrifice my life for You. If You would have me die, I will die!” That was the way he prayed at the time. He also said: “Even if others do not love You, I must love You until the end. I will follow You at all times.” That is what he said at the time, but as soon as trials came upon him, he fell apart and wept. You all know that Peter denied the Lord three times, do you not? There are many people who will weep and show human weakness when trials come upon them. You are not the master of yourself. In this, you cannot control yourself. Maybe today you are doing really well, but that is because you have a suitable environment. If that changes tomorrow, you will show your cowardice and incompetence, your despicableness and unworthiness. Your “manliness” will have long since come to nothing, and at times you may even cast your task to one side and walk away. This shows that what you understood at the time was not your actual stature. One must look at a person’s actual stature to see whether they truly love God, whether they are able to really submit to God’s design, and whether they are able to put all of their strength into achieving what God requires; and whether they remain loyal to God and give the best of all things to God, even if it means sacrificing their own life.

Excerpted from “How You Should Walk the Final Stretch of the Path” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, most people do not have that knowledge. They believe that suffering is without value, they are renounced by the world, their home life is troubled, they are not beloved of God, and their prospects are bleak. The suffering of some people reaches an extreme, and their thoughts turn to death. This is not true love for God; such people are cowards, they have no perseverance, they are weak and powerless! God is eager for man to love Him, but the more man loves Him, the greater man’s suffering, and the more man loves Him, the greater man’s trials. If you love Him, then every kind of suffering will befall you—and if you do not, then perhaps everything will go smoothly for you and all will be peaceful around you. When you love God, you will feel that much around you is insurmountable, and because your stature is too small you will be refined; moreover, you will be incapable of satisfying God, and you will always feel that God’s will is too lofty, that it is beyond the reach of man. Because of all this you will be refined—because there is much weakness within you, and much that is incapable of satisfying the will of God, you will be refined internally. Yet you must clearly see that purification is only achieved through refinement. Thus, during these last days you must bear testimony to God. No matter how great your suffering, you should walk until the very end, and even at your last breath, still you must be faithful to God and at the mercy of God; only this is truly loving God, and only this is the strong and resounding testimony. When you are tempted by Satan, you should say: “My heart belongs to God, and God has already gained me. I cannot satisfy you—I must devote my all to satisfying God.” The more you satisfy God, the more God blesses you and the greater the strength of your love for God; so, too, will you have faith and resolve, and will feel that nothing is more worthy or significant than a life spent loving God. It can be said that man has but to love God to be without sorrow. Although there are times when your flesh is weak and you are beset by many real troubles, during these times you will truly rely on God, and within your spirit you will be consoled, and you will feel certainty, and that you have something to depend upon. In this way, you will be able to overcome many environments, and so you will not complain about God because of the anguish that you suffer. Instead, you will want to sing, dance, and pray, to assemble and commune, to give thought to God, and you will feel that all the people, matters, and things around you that are organized by God are fitting. If you do not love God, all that you look upon will be irksome to you and nothing will be pleasing to your eyes; in your spirit you will not be free but downtrodden, your heart will always complain about God, and you will always feel that you suffer so much torment, and that it is so unjust. If you do not pursue for the sake of happiness, but in order to satisfy God and to not be accused by Satan, then such pursuit will give you great strength to love God. Man is able to carry out all that is spoken by God, and all that he does is able to satisfy God—this is what it means to be possessed of reality. Pursuing the satisfaction of God is using your love for God to put His words into practice; regardless of the time—even when others are without strength—inside of you there is still a heart which loves God, which profoundly yearns for and misses God. This is real stature. Just how great your stature is depends on how great your love for God is, on whether you are able to stand fast when tested, whether you are weak when a certain environment comes upon you, and whether you can stand your ground when your brothers and sisters reject you; the arrival of the facts will show just what your love for God is like. It can be seen from much of God’s work that God really does love man, though the eyes of man’s spirit have yet to be completely opened and he is unable to clearly see much of the work of God and His will, nor the many things which are lovely about God; man has too little true love for God. You have believed in God throughout all this time, and today God has cut off all means of escape. Realistically speaking, you have no choice but to take the right path, the right path that you have been led onto by the harsh judgment and supreme salvation of God. Only after experiencing hardship and refinement does man know that God is lovely. Having experienced up until today, it can be said that man has come to know part of God’s loveliness, but this is still not enough, because man is so lacking. Man must experience more of God’s wondrous work, and more of all the refinement of suffering arranged by God. Only then can man’s life disposition be changed.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must remember that these words have now been spoken: Later on, you will experience greater tribulation and greater suffering! To be perfected is not a simple or easy thing. At the very least you must possess the faith of Job, or maybe even greater faith than his. You should know that the trials in the future will be greater than the trials of Job, and that you must still undergo long-term chastisement. Is this a simple thing? If your caliber cannot be improved, if your capacity for understanding is lacking, and if you know too little, then at that time you will not have any testimony, but will instead become a joke, a plaything for Satan. If you cannot hold on to the visions now, then you have no foundation at all, and in the future you will be discarded! No stretch of the path is easy to walk, so do not take this lightly. Carefully weigh this now and make preparations so that you may properly walk the final stretch of this path. This is the path that must be walked in the future, the path that all people must walk. You must not let this knowledge go unheeded; do not think that what I say to you is all a waste of breath. The day will come when you will put it all to good use—My words cannot be spoken in vain. This is the time to equip yourself, the time to pave the way for the future. You should prepare the path that you should later walk; you should be worried and anxious about how you will be able to stand firm in the future, and prepare well for your future path. Do not be gluttonous and lazy! You must do absolutely everything you can to make the best use of your time, so that you may gain everything that you need. I am giving you everything so that you can understand. You have seen with your own eyes that in less than three years, I have said so many things and done so much work. One reason that I have been working in this way is because people are lacking so much, and another reason is because time is too short; there cannot be any further delays. You imagine that people must first achieve perfect internal clarity before they can bear witness and be utilized—but would that not be too slow? So, for how long will I have to accompany you? If you would have Me accompany you until I am old and gray, that would be impossible! By undergoing greater tribulation, genuine understanding within all people will be achieved. These are the steps of the work. Once you fully understand the visions fellowshiped today and you attain genuine stature, then whatever hardships you undergo in the future will not overwhelm you, and you will be able to withstand them. When I have completed this last step of work and finished uttering the last words, in the future people will need to walk their own path. This will fulfill the words spoken before: The Holy Spirit has a commission for every single person, and work to do in every single person. In the future, everyone will walk the path that they should walk, led by the Holy Spirit. Who will be able to care for others when undergoing tribulation? Each individual has their own suffering, and each has their own stature. No one’s stature is the same as anyone else’s. Husbands will not be able to care for their wives, or parents for their children; no one will be able to care for anyone else. It will not be like now, when mutual care and support are still possible. That will be a time when every type of person is exposed. That is, when God smites the shepherds, then the sheep of the flock will be scattered, and at that time you will not have any true leader. The people will be divided—it will not be like now, when you can come together as a congregation. In the future, those who do not have the work of the Holy Spirit will show their true colors. Husbands will sell out their wives, wives will sell out their husbands, children will sell out their parents, and parents will persecute their children—the human heart is beyond fathoming! All that can be done is for one to hold on to what one has, and to properly walk the final stretch of the path. Right now, you do not see this clearly; you are all short-sighted. It is no easy thing to successfully experience this step of work.

Excerpted from “How You Should Walk the Final Stretch of the Path” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man will be fully made complete in the Age of Kingdom. After the work of conquest, man will be subjected to refinement and tribulation. Those who can overcome and stand testimony during this tribulation are the ones who will ultimately be made complete; they are the overcomers. During this tribulation, man is required to accept this refinement, and this refinement is the last instance of God’s work. It is the last time that man will be refined prior to the conclusion of all the work of God’s management, and all those who follow God must accept this final test, and they must accept this last refinement. Those who are beset by tribulation are without the work of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God, but those who have been truly conquered and who truly seek after God will ultimately stand fast; they are the ones who are possessed of humanity, and who truly love God. No matter what God does, these victorious ones will not be bereft of the visions and will still put the truth into practice without failing in their testimony. They are the ones who will finally emerge from the great tribulation. Even though those who fish in troubled waters can still freeload today, no one is able to escape the final tribulation, and no one can escape the final test. For those who overcome, such tribulation is a tremendous refinement; but for those who fish in troubled waters, it is the work of complete elimination. No matter how they are tried, the allegiance of those who have God in their heart remains unchanged; but for those who do not have God in their heart, once the work of God is not advantageous to their flesh, they change their view of God, and even depart from God. Such are those who will not stand fast in the end, who only seek God’s blessings and have no desire to expend themselves for God and dedicate themselves to Him. Such base people will all be expelled when God’s work comes to an end, and they are unworthy of any sympathy. Those without humanity are incapable of truly loving God. When the environment is safe and secure, or there are profits to be made, they are totally obedient toward God, but once that which they desire is compromised or finally refuted, they immediately revolt. Even in the space of just one night, they may go from a smiling, “kind-hearted” person to an ugly-looking and ferocious killer, suddenly treating their benefactor of yesterday as their mortal enemy, without rhyme or reason. If these demons are not cast out, these demons that would kill without blinking an eye, will they not become a hidden danger? The work of saving man is not achieved following the completion of the work of conquest. Although the work of conquest has come to an end, the work of purifying man has not; such work will only be finished once man has been wholly purified, once those who truly submit to God have been made complete, and once those disguisers who are without God in their heart have been purged. Those who do not satisfy God in the final stage of His work will be completely eliminated, and those who are eliminated are of the devil. As they are incapable of satisfying God, they are rebellious against God, and even though these people follow God today, this does not prove that they are those who will finally remain. In the words that “those who follow God to the end will receive salvation,” the meaning of “follow” is to stand firm in the midst of tribulation. Today, many believe that following God is easy, but when God’s work is about to end, you will know the true meaning of “follow.” Just because you are still able to follow God today after being conquered, this does not prove that you are one of those who will be made perfect. Those who are unable to endure the trials, who are incapable of being victorious amid tribulation will, ultimately, be incapable of standing fast, and so will be unable to follow God to the very end. Those who truly follow God are able to withstand the test of their work, whereas those who do not truly follow God are incapable of withstanding any of God’s trials. Sooner or later they will be expelled, while the overcomers will remain in the kingdom. Whether or not man truly seeks God is determined by the test of his work, that is, by God’s trials, and has nothing to do with the decision by man himself. God does not reject any person on a whim; all that He does can utterly convince man. He does not do anything that is invisible to man, or any work that cannot convince man. Whether man’s belief is true or not is proved by the facts and cannot be decided by man. That “wheat cannot be made into tares, and tares cannot be made into wheat” is without doubt. All those who truly love God will ultimately remain in the kingdom, and God will not mistreat anyone who truly loves Him. Based on their different functions and testimonies, the overcomers within the kingdom will serve as priests or followers, and all those who are victorious amid tribulation will become the body of priests within the kingdom. The body of priests will be formed when the work of the gospel throughout the universe has come to an end. When that time comes, that which should be done by man will be the performance of his duty within the kingdom of God, and his living together with God within the kingdom. In the body of priests there will be chief priests and priests, and the remainder will be the sons and people of God. This is all determined by their testimonies to God during tribulation; they are not titles that are given on a whim. Once man’s status has been established, the work of God will cease, for each is classed according to kind and returned to their original position, and this is the mark of the accomplishment of God’s work, it is the final outcome of the work of God and the practice of man, and it is the crystallization of the visions of God’s work and the cooperation of man. In the end, man will find repose in the kingdom of God, and God, too, will return to His dwelling place to rest. This will be the final outcome of 6,000 years of cooperation between God and man.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The kingdom is expanding in humanity’s midst, it is forming in humanity’s midst, and it is standing up in humanity’s midst; there is no force that can destroy My kingdom. Of My people who are in the kingdom of today, which of you is not a human being among human beings? Which of you lies outside the human condition? When My new starting point is announced to the multitude, how will humanity react? You have seen with your own eyes the state of humankind; surely you do not still harbor hopes of enduring forever in this world? I am now walking abroad amongst My people and I live in their midst. Today, those who bear genuine love for Me—such people are blessed. Blessed are those who submit to Me, they will surely stay in My kingdom. Blessed are those who know Me, they will surely wield power in My kingdom. Blessed are those who seek after Me, they will surely escape from Satan’s bonds and enjoy My blessings. Blessed are those who are able to forsake themselves, they will surely enter into My possession and inherit My kingdom’s bounty. Those who run around for Me I will remember, those who make expenditures for Me I will joyfully embrace, and to those who make offerings to Me I will grant enjoyments. Those who find enjoyment in My words I will bless; they will surely be the pillars that hold up the ridgepole in My kingdom, they will surely have matchless abundance in My house, and no one can compare with them. Have you ever accepted the blessings that you were given? Have you ever sought the promises that were made for you? You will surely, under the guidance of My light, break through the stranglehold of the forces of darkness. You will surely not, in the midst of darkness, lose the light guiding you. You will surely be the master of all creation. You will surely be an overcomer before Satan. You will surely, at the downfall of the kingdom of the great red dragon, stand up amid the myriad throngs to bear witness to My victory. You will surely stand firm and unwavering in the land of Sinim. Through the sufferings you endure, you will inherit My blessings, and will surely radiate My glory throughout the entire universe.

Excerpted from “Chapter 19” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

32. The Principles of Overcoming Satan’s Temptations

(1) When tempted by Satan, one should quickly pray and seek the truth. Do not respond or make a choice in haste, lest you fall into temptation;

(2) One must read many of God’s words regularly, and understand and master the means and principles by which Satan’s temptations are overcome. Doing so is of enormous benefit in overcoming Satan’s temptations;

(3) It is necessary to see clearly that what underlies the war in the spiritual realm is Satan’s wager with God in making accusations against His chosen people. Only by standing witness does one meet with God’s approval;

(4) It is necessary to have staunch faith that God’s word is the truth and that the devilish words of Satan remain forever fallacies. Only thus can one strike back at Satan with the truth and humiliate it.

Relevant Words of God:

The building of the kingdom is aimed directly at the spiritual realm. That is, the state of battle of the spiritual realm is made plain directly among all My people, and this suffices to show that not only within the church, but also and more so in the Age of Kingdom, every person is constantly at war. Despite their physical bodies, the spiritual realm is revealed directly, and they come in contact with the life of the spiritual realm. Thus, when you begin to be faithful, you must prepare properly for the next part of My work. You should give over the entirety of your heart; only then can you satisfy My heart. I care nothing for what happened previously in the church; today, it is in the kingdom. In My plan, Satan has, all along, been stalking behind each step and, as the foil of My wisdom, has always been trying to find ways and means to disrupt My original plan. Yet could I succumb to its deceitful schemes? Everything in heaven and on earth serves Me; could the deceitful schemes of Satan be any different? This is precisely where My wisdom intersects; it is precisely that which is wondrous about My deeds, and it is the principle of operation for My entire management plan. During the era of the building of the kingdom, still I do not avoid the deceitful schemes of Satan, but continue to do the work I must. Among the universe and all things, I have chosen the deeds of Satan as My foil. Is this not a manifestation of My wisdom? Is this not precisely that which is wondrous about My work?

Excerpted from “Chapter 8” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Everything that God does is necessary and possessed of extraordinary significance, for all that He does in man concerns His management and the salvation of mankind. Naturally, the work that God did in Job is no different, even though Job was perfect and upright in the eyes of God. In other words, regardless of what God does or the means by which He does it, regardless of the cost, regardless of His objective, the purpose of His actions does not change. His purpose is to work God’s words into man, as well as God’s requirements and will for man; in other words, it is to work into man all that God believes to be positive in accordance with His steps, enabling man to understand God’s heart and comprehend God’s essence, and allowing man to obey God’s sovereignty and arrangements, thus allowing man to attain fear of God and shunning of evil—all of this is one aspect of God’s purpose in all He does. The other aspect is that, because Satan is the foil and service object in God’s work, man is often given to Satan; this is the means God uses to allow people to see in Satan’s temptations and attacks the wickedness, ugliness, and contemptibility of Satan, thus causing people to hate Satan and be able to know and recognize that which is negative. This process allows them to gradually free themselves from Satan’s control and accusations, interference, and attacks—until, thanks to God’s words, their knowledge and obedience of God, and their faith in God and fear of Him, they triumph over the attacks and accusations of Satan; only then will they have been completely delivered from the domain of Satan. People’s deliverance means that Satan has been defeated, it means that they are no longer the food in Satan’s mouth—instead of swallowing them, Satan has relinquished them. This is because such people are upright, because they have faith, obedience, and fear toward God, and because they completely break with Satan. They bring shame upon Satan, they make a coward of Satan, and they utterly defeat Satan. Their conviction in following God, and obedience to and fear of God defeat Satan, and make Satan completely give them up. Only people such as this have truly been gained by God, and it is this which is God’s ultimate objective in saving man. If they wish to be saved, and wish to be completely gained by God, then all those who follow God must face temptations and attacks both great and small from Satan. Those who emerge from these temptations and attacks and are able to fully defeat Satan are those who have been saved by God. This is to say, those who have been saved unto God are those who have undergone God’s trials, and who have been tempted and attacked by Satan an untold number of times. Those who have been saved unto God understand God’s will and requirements, and are able to acquiesce to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and they do not forsake the way of fearing God and shunning evil amid Satan’s temptations. Those who are saved unto God possess honesty, they are kindhearted, they differentiate between love and hate, they have a sense of justice and are rational, and they are able to care for God and treasure all that is of God. Such people are not bound, spied upon, accused, or abused by Satan; they are completely free, they have been completely liberated and released. Job was just such a man of freedom, and this is precisely the significance of why God had handed him over to Satan.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people have yet to be saved, their lives are often interfered with, and even controlled by, Satan. In other words, people who have not been saved are prisoners to Satan, they have no freedom, they have not been relinquished by Satan, they are not qualified or entitled to worship God, and they are closely pursued and viciously attacked by Satan. Such people have no happiness to speak of, they have no right to a normal existence to speak of, and moreover they have no dignity to speak of. Only if you stand up and do battle with Satan, using your faith in God and obedience to, and fear of God as the weapons with which to fight a life-and-death battle with Satan, such that you fully defeat Satan and cause it to turn tail and become cowardly whenever it sees you, so that it completely abandons its attacks and accusations against you—only then will you be saved and become free. If you are determined to fully break with Satan, but are not equipped with the weapons that will help you defeat Satan, then you will still be in danger; as time goes on, when you have been so tortured by Satan that there is not an ounce of strength left in you, yet you have still been unable to bear testimony, have still not completely freed yourself of Satan’s accusations and attacks against you, then you will have little hope of salvation. In the end, when the conclusion of God’s work is proclaimed, you will still be in the grip of Satan, unable to free yourself, and thus you will never have a chance or hope. The implication, then, is that such people will be completely in Satan’s captivity.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When Job first underwent his trials, he was stripped of all his property and all of his children, but he did not fall down or say anything that was a sin against God as a result. He had overcome the temptations of Satan, and he had overcome his material assets, his offspring and the trial of losing all his worldly possessions, which is to say he was able to obey God as He took things away from him and he was also able to offer thanks and praise to God because of what God did. Such was Job’s conduct during Satan’s first temptation, and such was also Job’s testimony during the first trial of God. In the second trial, Satan stretched forth its hand to afflict Job, and although Job experienced pain greater than he had ever felt before, still his testimony was enough to leave people astounded. He used his fortitude, conviction, and obedience to God, as well as his fear of God, to once more defeat Satan, and his conduct and his testimony were once more approved of and favored by God. During this temptation, Job used his actual conduct to proclaim to Satan that the pain of the flesh could not alter his faith and obedience to God or take away his devotion to God and fear of God; he would not renounce God or give up his own perfection and uprightness because he faced death. Job’s determination made a coward of Satan, his faith left Satan timorous and trembling, the intensity with which he fought against Satan during their life-and-death battle bred in Satan a deep hatred and resentment; his perfection and uprightness left Satan with nothing more it could do to him, such that Satan abandoned its attacks on him and gave up its accusations against Job that it had laid before Jehovah God. This meant that Job had overcome the world, he had overcome the flesh, he had overcome Satan, and he had overcome death; he was completely and utterly a man who belonged to God. During these two trials, Job stood firm in his testimony, actually lived out his perfection and uprightness, and broadened the scope of his living principles of fearing God and shunning evil. Having undergone these two trials, there was born in Job a richer experience, and this experience made him more mature and seasoned, it made him stronger, and of greater conviction, and it made him more confident of the rightness and worthiness of the integrity to which he held firm. Jehovah God’s trials of Job gave him a deep understanding and sense of God’s concern for man, and allowed him to sense the preciousness of God’s love, from which point consideration toward and love for God were added into his fear of God. The trials of Jehovah God not only did not alienate Job from Him, but brought his heart closer to God. When the fleshly pain endured by Job reached its peak, the concern that he felt from Jehovah God gave him no choice but to curse the day of his birth. Such conduct was not long-planned, but a natural revelation of the consideration for and love for God from within his heart, it was a natural revelation that came from his consideration for and love for God. This is to say, because he loathed himself, and he was unwilling to, and could not stand to torment God, thus his consideration and love reached the point of selflessness. At this time, Job elevated his long-standing adoration and yearning for God and devotion to God to the level of consideration and loving. At the same time, he also elevated his faith and obedience to God and fear of God to the level of consideration and loving. He did not allow himself to do anything that would cause harm to God, he did not permit himself any conduct that would hurt God, and did not allow himself to bring any sorrow, grief, or even unhappiness upon God for his own reasons. In God’s eyes, although Job was still the same Job as before, Job’s faith, obedience, and fear of God had brought God complete satisfaction and enjoyment. At this time, Job had attained the perfection that God had expected him to attain; he had become someone truly worthy of being called “perfect and upright” in God’s eyes. His righteous deeds allowed him to overcome Satan and to stand fast in his testimony to God. So, too, his righteous deeds made him perfect, and allowed the value of his life to be elevated and transcend more than ever, and they also made him the first person to no longer be attacked and tempted by Satan. Because Job was righteous, he was accused and tempted by Satan; because Job was righteous, he was handed over to Satan; and because Job was righteous, he overcame and defeated Satan, and stood firm in his testimony. Henceforth Job became the first man who would never again be handed over to Satan, he truly came before the throne of God and lived in the light, under the blessings of God without the spying or ruination of Satan…. He had become a true man in the eyes of God; he had been set free …

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job had suffered the ravages of Satan, yet still he did not forsake the name of Jehovah God. His wife was the first to step out and, playing the role of Satan in a form that is visible to the eyes of man, attacked Job. The original text describes it thus: “Then said his wife to him, Do you still retain your integrity? curse God, and die” (Job 2:9). These were the words spoken by Satan in the guise of man. They were an attack, and an accusation, as well as enticement, a temptation, and slander. Having failed in attacking Job’s flesh, Satan then directly attacked Job’s integrity, wishing to use this to make Job give up his integrity, renounce God, and no longer go on living. So, too, did Satan wish to use such words to tempt Job: If Job forsook the name of Jehovah, then he need not endure such torment; he could free himself from the torment of the flesh. Faced with the advice of his wife, Job reprimanded her by saying, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Job had long known these words, but at this time the truth of Job’s knowledge of them was proven.

When his wife advised him to curse God and die, her meaning was: “Your God treats you thus, so why not curse Him? What are you doing still living? Your God is so unfair to you, yet still you say ‘blessed be the name of Jehovah.’ How could He bring disaster upon you when you bless His name? Hurry up and forsake the name of God, and follow Him no more. Then, your troubles will be over.” At this moment, there was produced the testimony that God wished to see in Job. No ordinary person could bear such testimony, nor do we read of it in any of the stories of the Bible—but God had seen it long before Job spoke these words. God merely wished to use this opportunity to allow Job to prove to all that God was right. Faced with the advice of his wife, Job not only did not give up his integrity or renounce God, but he also said to his wife: “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” Do these words carry great weight? Here, there is only one fact capable of proving the weight of these words. The weight of these words is that they are approved of by God in His heart, they are what was desired by God, they are what God wanted to hear, and they are the outcome that God yearned to see; these words are also the marrow of Job’s testimony. In this, Job’s perfection, uprightness, fear of God, and shunning of evil were proven. The preciousness of Job lay in how, when he was tempted, and even when his whole body was covered with sore boils, when he endured the utmost torment, and when his wife and kinfolk advised him, he still uttered such words. To put it in another way, in his heart he believed that, no matter what temptations, or however grievous the tribulations or torment, even if death was to come upon him, he would not renounce God or spurn the way of fearing God and shunning evil. You see, then, that God held the most important place in his heart, and that there was only God in his heart. It is because of this that we read such descriptions of him in the Scriptures as: In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Not only did he not sin with his lips, but in his heart he did not complain about God. He did not say hurtful words about God, nor did he sin against God. Not only did his mouth bless the name of God, but in his heart he also blessed the name of God; his mouth and heart were as one. This was the true Job seen by God, and this was the very reason why God treasured Job.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job’s faith, obedience, and his testimony to overcoming Satan have been a source of huge help and encouragement to people. In Job, they see hope for their own salvation, and see that through faith, and obedience to and fear of God, it is entirely possible to defeat Satan, to prevail over Satan. They see that as long as they acquiesce to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and as long as they possess the determination and faith not to forsake God after having lost everything, then they can bring shame and defeat upon Satan, and they see that they need only possess the determination and perseverance to stand firm in their testimony—even if it means losing their lives—for Satan to be cowed and beat a hasty retreat. Job’s testimony is a warning to later generations, and this warning tells them that if they do not defeat Satan, then they will never be able to rid themselves of the accusations and interference of Satan, nor will they ever be able to escape the abuse and attacks of Satan. Job’s testimony has enlightened later generations. This enlightenment teaches people that only if they are perfect and upright will they be able to fear God and shun evil; it teaches them that only if they fear God and shun evil can they bear strong and resounding testimony to God; only if they bear strong and resounding testimony to God can they never be controlled by Satan and live under the guidance and protection of God—only then will they have been truly saved. Job’s personality and his life’s pursuit should be emulated by everyone who pursues salvation. That which he lived out during his whole life and his conduct during his trials is a precious treasure to all those who pursue the way of fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Peter was faithful to Me for many years, yet he never grumbled nor had any complaint; even Job was not his equal, and, throughout the ages, the saints have all fallen far short of Peter. He not only sought to know Me, but also came to know Me during a time when Satan was enacting its deceitful schemes. This led Peter to serve Me for many years, always in line with My will, and for this reason, he was never exploited by Satan. Peter drew lessons from the faith of Job, yet also clearly perceived Job’s shortcomings. Although Job had been of great faith, he lacked knowledge of matters in the spiritual realm, so he said many words that did not correspond to reality; this shows that Job’s knowledge was shallow and incapable of perfection. Therefore, Peter focused always on gaining a sense of the spirit, and always paid attention to observing the dynamics of the spiritual realm. As a result, he not only was able to ascertain something of My wishes, but also had a modicum of knowledge of the deceitful schemes of Satan. Because of this, his knowledge of Me grew to be greater than anyone else’s throughout the ages.

From Peter’s experience, it is not hard to see that if humans wish to know Me, they must focus on giving careful consideration within their spirits. I do not ask that you “dedicate” a certain amount to Me externally; this is of secondary concern. If you do not know Me, then all the faith, love, and loyalty of which you speak are but illusions; they are froth, and you are sure to become someone who makes great boasts before Me but does not know himself. As such, you will once more be ensnared by Satan and unable to extricate yourself; you will become a son of perdition and an object of destruction. However, if you are cold and uncaring toward My words, then you undoubtedly oppose Me. This is fact, and you would do well to look through the gate of the spiritual realm at the many and varied spirits that have been chastised by Me. Which of them, faced with My words, was not passive, uncaring, and unaccepting? Which of them was not cynical about My words? Which of them did not try to find fault with My words? Which of them did not use My words as “defensive weapons” with which to “protect” themselves? They did not use the contents of My words as a way to know Me, but merely as toys to play with. In this, were they not resisting Me directly? Who are My words? Who is My Spirit? I have asked you such questions so many times, yet have you ever gotten any higher and clear insights about them? Have you ever truly experienced them? I remind you once again: If you do not know My words, nor accept them, nor put them into practice, then you will inevitably become objects of My chastisement! You will surely become victims of Satan!

Excerpted from “Chapter 8” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God said, “The state of battle of the spiritual realm is made plain directly among all My people,” He meant that when people embark on the right track and begin to know God, not only is each person tempted internally by Satan, but they may also be tempted by Satan in the church itself. However, this is a path that everyone must take, so no one need be alarmed. Satan’s temptation may come in several forms. Someone may neglect or forsake what God says, and might say negative things to dampen other people’s positivity; however, such a person will usually not win others to their side. This is difficult to discern. The main reason for this is: Such a person might still be proactive in attending meetings, but they are unclear about visions. If the church does not guard against them, then the entire church could be swayed by their negativity into responding tepidly to God, and thereby not paying attention to God’s words—and this would mean falling straight into Satan’s temptation. Such a person might not rebel against God directly, but because they cannot fathom God’s words and do not know God, they may go so far as to complain or have a heart full of resentment. They might say God has abandoned them and they are therefore incapable of receiving enlightenment and illumination. They may wish to leave, but they are slightly afraid, and they might say that God’s work does not come from God but is instead the work of evil spirits.

Why does God mention Peter so often? And why does He say that even Job did not come close to being his equal? Saying so not only causes people to pay attention to Peter’s deeds, but also has them set aside all the examples they have in their hearts, as even the example of Job—who had the greatest faith—will not do. Only in this way can a better result be achieved, wherein people are able to cast aside everything in an effort to imitate Peter, and, in doing so, advance a step in their knowledge of God. God shows people the path of practice that Peter took to know God, and the goal of doing so is to give people a point of reference. God then goes on to predict one of the ways in which Satan will tempt humans when He says, “However, if you are cold and uncaring toward My words, then you undoubtedly oppose Me. This is fact.” In these words, God foretells the crafty schemes Satan will try to use; they stand as a warning. It is not possible that everyone could be indifferent to God’s words, yet nonetheless, some people will be taken captive by this temptation. Therefore, at the end, God reiterates with emphasis, “If you do not know My words, nor accept them, nor put them into practice, then you will inevitably become objects of My chastisement! You will surely become victims of Satan!” This is God’s counsel to humanity—yet in the end, as God foretold, a portion of people will inevitably fall victim to Satan.

Excerpted from “Chapter 8” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Mat 4:8–11 Again, the devil takes Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to Him, All these things will I give You, if You will fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus to him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve. Then the devil leaves Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

The devil Satan, having failed at its previous two ploys, tried yet another: It showed all the kingdoms in the world and their glory to the Lord Jesus and asked Him to worship it. What can you see about the true features of the devil from this situation? Is the devil Satan not absolutely shameless? (Yes.) How is it shameless? All things were created by God, and yet Satan turned around and showed all things to God, saying, “Look at the wealth and glory of all of these kingdoms. If You worship me I’ll give them all to You.” Is this not a complete role reversal? Is Satan not shameless? God made all things, but did He make all things for His own enjoyment? God gave everything to mankind, but Satan wanted to seize it all and having seized it all, it told God, “Worship me! Worship me and I’ll give this all to You.” This is the ugly face of Satan; it is absolutely shameless! Satan does not even know the meaning of the word “shame.” This is just another example of its evil. It does not even know what shame is. Satan clearly knows that God created all things and that He manages and has dominion over all things. All things belong not to man, and much less to Satan, but to God, and yet the devil Satan brazenly said that it would give all things to God. Is this not another example of Satan once again acting absurdly and shamelessly? This causes God to hate Satan even more, does it not? Yet no matter what Satan tried, was the Lord Jesus fooled? What did the Lord Jesus say? (“You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”) Do these words have a practical meaning? (Yes.) What sort of practical meaning? We see Satan’s evil and shamelessness in its speech. So if man worshiped Satan, what would be the outcome? Would they obtain the wealth and glory of all of the kingdoms? (No.) What would they obtain? Would mankind become just as shameless and laughable as Satan? (Yes.) They would be no different from Satan then. Therefore, the Lord Jesus said these words, which are important for each and every human being: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” This means that except for the Lord, except for God Himself, if you served another, if you worshiped the devil Satan, then you would wallow in the same filth as Satan. You would then share Satan’s shamelessness and its evil, and just like Satan you would tempt God and attack God. Then what would the outcome be for you? You would be loathed by God, struck down by God, destroyed by God. After Satan had tempted the Lord Jesus several times without success, did it try again? Satan did not try again and then it left. What does this prove? It proves that Satan’s evil nature, its malice, and its absurdity and preposterousness are not worth even mentioning in the face of God. The Lord Jesus defeated Satan with only three sentences, after which it scurried away with its tail between its legs, too ashamed to show its face, and it never again tempted the Lord Jesus. Since the Lord Jesus had defeated this temptation of Satan, He could now easily continue the work that He had to do and the tasks that lay before Him. Would everything that the Lord Jesus did and said in this situation carry any practical meaning for each and every human being if it were applied to the present day? (Yes.) What sort of practical meaning? Is defeating Satan an easy thing to do? Must people have a clear understanding of Satan’s evil nature? Must people have an accurate understanding of Satan’s temptations? (Yes.) When you experience Satan’s temptations in your own life, if you were able to see through to Satan’s evil nature, would you not be able to defeat it? If you knew about Satan’s absurdity and preposterousness, would you still stand on Satan’s side and attack God? If you understood how Satan’s malice and shamelessness are being revealed through you—if you clearly recognized and understood these things—would you still attack and tempt God in this way? (No, we would not.) What would you do? (We would rebel against Satan and cast it aside.) Is that an easy thing to do? It is not easy. To do this, people must frequently pray, they must often place themselves before God and examine themselves. And they must let God’s discipline and His judgment and chastisement come upon them. Only in this way will people gradually extricate themselves from Satan’s deception and control.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

On earth, all manner of evil spirits are forever on the prowl for a place to rest, and are endlessly searching for human corpses that can be consumed. My people! You must remain within My care and protection. Never be dissolute! Never behave recklessly! You should offer up your loyalty in My house, and only with loyalty can you mount a countercharge against the devil’s trickery. Under no circumstances should you behave as you did in the past, doing one thing in front of Me and another behind My back; if you act this way, then you are already beyond redemption. Have I not uttered more than enough words such as these? It is precisely because humanity’s old nature is incorrigible that I have had to give people repeated reminders. Do not get bored! All that I say is for the sake of ensuring your destiny! A foul and filthy place is precisely what Satan needs; the more hopelessly irredeemable and the more dissolute you are, refusing to submit to restraint, then the more those unclean spirits will avail themselves of any opportunity to infiltrate you. If you have gotten to this point, then your loyalty will be nothing but idle chatter, without any reality to it whatsoever, and the unclean spirits will gulp down your resolution and transform it into disobedience and satanic plots to be used to disrupt My work. From there, you could be smitten by Me at any time. No one understands the gravity of this situation; people all simply turn a deaf ear to what they hear, and are not the least bit cautious. I remember not what was done in the past; are you actually still waiting for Me to be lenient toward you by “forgetting” once more? Though humans have opposed Me, I will not hold it against them, for they are too small of stature, and so I have not made overly high demands of them. All I require is that they not be dissolute, and that they submit to restraint. Surely it is not beyond your capacity to meet this one stipulation, is it?

Excerpted from “Chapter 10” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men and the interference of men. Behind every step of work that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle. For example, if you are prejudiced toward your brothers and sisters, you will have words that you want to say—words that you feel may be displeasing to God—but if you do not say them, you will feel internal discomfort, and at this moment, a battle will commence within you: “Do I speak or not?” This is the battle. Thus, in everything you encounter there is a battle, and when there is a battle within you, thanks to your actual cooperation and actual suffering, God works within you. Ultimately, you are able to put the matter aside inside of you and the anger is naturally extinguished. Such is the effect of your cooperation with God. Everything people do requires them to pay a certain price in their efforts. Without actual hardship, they cannot satisfy God; they do not even come close to satisfying God, and they are just spouting empty slogans! Can these empty slogans satisfy God? When God and Satan do battle in the spiritual realm, how should you satisfy God, and how should you stand firm in your testimony to Him? You should know that everything that happens to you is a great trial and the time when God needs you to bear testimony. Though they may seem unimportant from the outside, when these things happen they show whether or not you love God. If you do, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony to Him, and if you have not put the love of Him into practice, this shows you are not someone who puts the truth into practice, that you are without the truth, and without life, that you are chaff! Everything that happens to people happens when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Though nothing major is happening to you at the moment and you do not bear great testimony, every detail of your daily life is a matter of testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony. Although you have no insight and your caliber is poor, through God’s perfection of you, you are able to satisfy Him and be mindful of His will, showing others what great work He has done in people of the poorest caliber. When people come to know God and become overcomers before Satan, loyal to God to a great extent, then none has more backbone than this group of people, and this is the greatest testimony. Although you are incapable of doing great work, you are able to satisfy God. Others cannot put aside their notions, but you can; others cannot bear testimony to God during their actual experiences, but you can use your actual stature and actions to repay God’s love and bear resounding testimony to Him. Only this counts as actually loving God. If you are incapable of this, then you do not bear testimony among your family members, among your brothers and sisters, or before the people of the world. If you cannot bear testimony before Satan, Satan will laugh at you, it will treat you as a joke, as a plaything, it will often make a fool of you and drive you insane. In the future, great trials may befall you—but today, if you love God with a true heart, and if, regardless of how great the trials ahead, irrespective of what happens to you, you are able to stand firm in your testimony and are able to satisfy God, then your heart will be comforted, and you will be unafraid no matter how great the trials you encounter in the future. You cannot see what will happen in the future; you can only satisfy God in today’s circumstances. You are incapable of doing any great work and should focus on satisfying God by experiencing His words in real life, and bear strong and resounding testimony that brings shame upon Satan. Although your flesh will remain unsatisfied and will have suffered, you will have satisfied God and brought shame upon Satan. If you always practice in this way, God will open up a path before you. When, one day, a great trial comes, others will fall down, but you will still be able to stand firm: Because of the price you have paid, God will protect you so you can stand firm and not fall down. If, ordinarily, you are able to put the truth into practice and satisfy God with a heart that truly loves Him, then God will surely protect you during future trials. Though you are foolish and of little stature and poor caliber, God will not discriminate against you. It depends on whether your intentions are right. Today, you are able to satisfy God, in which you are attentive to the smallest detail, you satisfy God in all things, you have a heart that truly loves God, you give your true heart to God, and although there are some things that you cannot understand, you can come before God to rectify your intentions and seek God’s will, and you do everything needed to satisfy God. Perhaps your brothers and sisters will abandon you, but your heart will be satisfying God, and you will not covet the pleasures of the flesh. If you always practice in this way, you will be protected when great trials come upon you.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What kinds of trials are you able to endure now? Do you dare say that you already have a foundation? Can you remain standing when you face testing? Can you be victorious over, for example, tests of environment, tests of status or reputation, marital tests, or financial tests? (We can be victorious over some of them.) There are several levels of testing; over which level can you be victorious? Maybe you don’t fear when you hear about someone’s arrest, and maybe you don’t fear when you see someone else arrested, or when you see someone else cruelly tortured, but when you yourself are arrested, when you personally face this sort of environment, can you remain standing? Is this not a great test? For example, you know someone of decent humanity with enthusiastic faith in God, who has given up his home and occupation and suffered much. One day he is suddenly arrested and sentenced, and later you get word that he was beaten to death. Is this a test for you? How would you feel about it in the midst of such a test? How would you get through it? Would you seek truth in the face of such an event? How do you seek truth, and how do you ensure that you can stand through this test, understand God’s intention, and obtain truth through this test? Have you thought about these things? Is it easy to be victorious over such a test? Is this not a special event? How do you get through special events or events that go against ordinary conventions? How can you smoothly pass through this sort of test without any complaint, without any sort of conception about God’s work? Is this not something with which you should be equipped for the pursuit of truth? Then, at what level of stature are you now? Over what level of test are you able to be victorious? Do you confidently know within your heart? If you do not, then it’s difficult to answer those questions. Just now you said, “We can be victorious over some of them.” This is muddled speaking. You must be clear about your level of stature and what truths you have been equipped with. You must know over what tests you can be victorious and which trials you can accept. You must know which truths you should have to face which trials and which truths you should pursue in order to be a person who satisfies God. You must be well aware of these things. When some matters and things confront you that are routine, that people often encounter, that are often spoken of, and which a person’s thought is prepared for, you can be victorious over those that accord relatively strongly with the conceptions and imagination of man. But, if you encounter some event that does not conform to your notions and imaginings, then how do you get through it? How should you equip yourself with truth, and what types of truth should you be equipped with in order to smoothly pass through that event? Is this something that should be sought? What are some of the common tests you experience? Position, reputation, relations with the opposite sex—basically they are all these common ones. For these commonly experienced tests, at your current stature, through which of these tests can you master yourselves and perform your duty well, without doing anything in violation of truth, without doing anything interrupting or disruptive, without doing anything in resistance or disobedience to God, without doing anything that hurts God’s heart? Is there a path of practice for this? On one hand, be introspective and examine yourself and see whether there is anything within you that resists God. Additionally, you also must often seek truth and see whether your actions accord with truth, God’s intention, and God’s requirements. You must see whether your actions show consideration for God’s intention and whether they put truth into practice. You must achieve both of these aspects: You must achieve entry into both the active and passive aspects. In this way, a person can perform his duty well.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

During the work of God’s abiding provision and support of man, He tells the entirety of His will and requirements to man, and shows His deeds, disposition, and what He has and is to man. The objective is to equip man with stature, and to allow man to gain various truths from God while following Him—truths that are the weapons given to man by God with which to fight Satan. Thus equipped, man must face God’s tests. God has many means and avenues for testing man, but every one of them requires the “cooperation” of God’s enemy: Satan. This is to say, having given man the weapons with which to do battle with Satan, God hands man over to Satan and allows Satan to “test” man’s stature. If man can break out from Satan’s battle formations, if he can escape Satan’s encirclement and still live, then man will have passed the test. But if man fails to leave Satan’s battle formations, and submits to Satan, then he will not have passed the test. Whatever aspect of man God examines, the criteria for His examination are whether or not man stands firm in his testimony when attacked by Satan, and whether or not he has forsaken God and surrendered and submitted to Satan while ensnared by Satan. It may be said that whether or not man can be saved depends on whether he can overcome and defeat Satan, and whether or not he can gain freedom depends on whether he is able to lift up, on his own, the weapons given to him by God to overcome Satan’s bondage, making Satan completely abandon hope and leave him alone. If Satan abandons hope and relinquishes someone, this means that Satan will never again try to take this person from God, will never again accuse and interfere with this person, will never again wantonly torture or attack them; only someone such as this will truly have been gained by God. This is the entire process by which God gains people.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

33. The Principles of Forsaking the Great Red Dragon

(1) Only by being persecuted and put through tribulations can one see clearly the great red dragon’s hideous countenance and its evil, reactionary essence, and hate it from their heart;

(2) It is necessary to recognize that all of the great red dragon’s theories, such as atheism, materialism, and evolution, are evil and reactionary and perverse;

(3) It is necessary to see clearly that the myriad fallacies and poisons of the great red dragon have deceived and corrupted the people of China such that they are hideously ugly and have now become demons and beasts;

(4) To forsake the great red dragon, it is necessary to understand a great deal of the truth, be able to see through the great red dragon’s wiles, and humiliate Satan with the true testimony of experience.

Relevant Words of God:

The manifestations of the great red dragon are resistance to Me, lack of understanding and comprehension of the meanings of My words, frequent persecution of Me, and seeking to use schemes to interrupt My management. Satan is manifested as follows: struggling with Me for power, wanting to possess My chosen people, and releasing negative words to deceive My people. The manifestations of the devil (those who do not accept My name, who do not believe, are all devils) are as follows: coveting the pleasures of the flesh, indulging in evil lusts, living in bondage to Satan, some resisting Me and some supporting Me (but not proving they are My beloved sons). The manifestations of the archangel are as follows: speaking insolently, being ungodly, often adopting My tone to lecture people, focusing only on outwardly imitating Me, eating what I eat and using what I use; in short, wanting to be on equal footing with Me, being ambitious but lacking My caliber and not having My life, and being a piece of waste. Satan, the devil, and the archangel are all typical demonstrations of the great red dragon, so those who are not predestined and chosen by Me are all the offspring of the great red dragon: This is absolutely how it is! These are all My enemies. (However, Satan’s disruptions are excluded. If your nature is My quality, no one can change it. Because now you still live in the flesh, occasionally you will be faced with Satan’s temptations—this is inevitable—but you must always be careful.) Therefore, I will abandon all the offspring of the great red dragon outside of My firstborn sons. Their nature can never change—it is the quality of Satan. It is the devil that they manifest, and it is the archangel that they live out. This is completely true. The great red dragon I speak of is not a big red dragon; rather it is the evil spirit in opposition to Me, for which the “great red dragon” is a synonym. So, all the spirits other than the Holy Spirit are evil spirits, and can also be said to be the offspring of the great red dragon. This should all be crystal clear to everyone.

Excerpted from “Chapter 96” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

China is the most backward of all countries; it is the land where the great red dragon lies coiled, it has the most people who worship idols and engage in sorcery, the most temples, and it is a place in which filthy demons reside. You were born of it, you have been educated by it and steeped in its influence; you have been corrupted and tortured by it, but after being awoken you forsake it and are completely gained by God. This is the glory of God, and this is why this stage of work has great significance. God has done work of such great scale, has spoken so many words, and He will ultimately completely gain you—this is one part of the work of God’s management, and you are the “victory spoils” of God’s battle with Satan. The more you understand the truth and the better your life of the church is, the more the great red dragon is brought to its knees. These are all matters of the spiritual world—they are the battles of the spiritual world, and when God is victorious, Satan shall be shamed and fall down. This stage of God’s work has tremendous significance. God does work on such a grand scale and completely saves this group of people so you can escape from the influence of Satan, live in the holy land, live in God’s light, and have the light’s leadership and guidance. Then there is meaning to your life. What you eat and wear is different from unbelievers; you enjoy the words of God and lead a life of meaning—and what do they enjoy? They enjoy only their “ancestral heritage” and their “national spirit.” They have not the slightest vestige of humanity! Your clothes, words, and actions are all different from theirs. Ultimately, you will completely escape from the filth, no longer be ensnared in the temptation of Satan, and gain God’s daily provision. You should always be cautious. Though you live in a filthy place, you are untainted with filth and can live alongside God, receiving His great protection. God has chosen you from among all on this yellow land. Are you not the most blessed people? You are a created being—you should of course worship God and pursue a life of meaning. If you do not worship God but live within your filthy flesh, then are you not just a beast in human attire? Since you are a human being, you should expend yourself for God and endure all suffering! You should gladly and assuredly accept the little suffering you are subjected to today and live a meaningful life, like Job and Peter. In this world, man wears the devil’s clothing, eats food from the devil, and works and serves under the devil’s thumb, becoming completely trampled in its filth. If you do not grasp the meaning of life or obtain the true way, then what significance is there in living like this? You are people who pursue the right path, those who seek improvement. You are people who rise up in the nation of the great red dragon, those whom God calls righteous. Is that not the most meaningful life?

Excerpted from “Practice (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From top to bottom and from beginning to end, Satan has been disrupting the work of God and acting in opposition to Him. All this talk of “ancient cultural heritage,” valuable “knowledge of ancient culture,” “teachings of Taoism and Confucianism,” and “Confucian classics and feudal rites” has taken man into hell. Advanced modern-day science and technology, as well as highly developed industry, agriculture, and business are nowhere to be seen. Rather, all it does is emphasize the feudal rites propagated by the “apes” of ancient times in order to deliberately disrupt, oppose, and dismantle the work of God. Not only has it continued to afflict man until this day, but it even wants to swallow[1] man whole. The transmission of the moral and ethical teachings of feudalism and the passing down of the knowledge of ancient culture have long infected humanity, turning them into devils big and small. Few are those who would gladly receive God, few who would jubilantly welcome His coming. The face of all humanity is filled with murderous intent, and in every place, a killing breath pervades the air. They seek to cast God out from this land; with knives and swords in hand, they arrange themselves in battle formation to “annihilate” God. All across this land of the devil, where man is constantly taught there is no God, idols are spread, and the air above is permeated by a nauseating odor of burning paper and incense, so thick as to be suffocating. It is like the stench of sludge that wafts up with the writhing of the poisonous serpent, so much so that one cannot keep from vomiting. Besides this, there can faintly be heard the sound of evil demons chanting scriptures, a sound which seems to be coming from faraway in hell, so much so that one cannot keep from shivering. Everywhere in this land are placed idols of all colors of the rainbow, turning the land into a world of sensual delights, while the king of devils keeps laughing wickedly, as if its dastardly plot has succeeded. Meanwhile, man remains completely oblivious, and nor has he any inkling that the devil has already corrupted him to the point where he has become senseless and hangs his head in defeat. It wishes, in one fell swoop, to wipe out everything about God, and once again to defile and assassinate Him; it is intent upon tearing down and disrupting His work. How can it allow God to be of equal status? How can it tolerate God “interfering” with its work among men on earth? How can it allow God to unmask its hideous face? How can it allow God to put its work in disarray? How can this devil, apoplectic with rage, allow God to have control over its imperial court on the earth? How can it willingly bow down to His superior might? Its hideous countenance has been revealed for what it is, so that one knows not whether to laugh or cry, and it is truly difficult to speak of. Is this not its substance? With an ugly soul, it still believes that it is beautiful beyond belief. This gang of accomplices in crime![2] They come down into the mortal realm to indulge in pleasures and cause a commotion, stirring things up so much that the world becomes a fickle and inconstant place and the heart of man is filled with panic and unease, and they have toyed with man so much that his appearance has become that of an inhuman beast of the field, supremely ugly, and from which the last trace of the original holy man has been lost. Furthermore, they even wish to assume sovereign power on earth. They impede the work of God so much that it can barely inch forward, and they close man off as tightly as walls of copper and steel. Having committed so many grievous sins and caused so many disasters, are they still expecting something other than chastisement? Demons and evil spirits have been running amok on earth for a time, and have sealed off both the will and the painstaking effort of God so tightly that they are impenetrable. Truly, this is a mortal sin! How can God not feel anxious? How can God not feel wrathful? They have gravely hindered and opposed the work of God: How rebellious! Even those demons, big and small, behave like jackals at the heels of the lion, and follow the evil current, contriving disturbances as they go. Knowing the truth, they deliberately oppose it, these sons of rebellion! It is as if, now that their king of hell has ascended to the kingly throne, they have become smug and complacent, treating all others with contempt. How many among them seek the truth and follow righteousness? They are all beasts, no better than pigs and dogs, at the head of a gang of stinking flies, wagging their heads in smug self-congratulation and stirring up all kinds of trouble,[3] in the middle of a dung heap. They believe that their king of hell is the greatest king of all, little knowing that they themselves are no more than stinking flies. And yet, they take advantage of the power of the pigs and dogs they have for parents to malign the existence of God. As diminutive flies, they believe their parents to be as large as toothed whales.[4] Little do they know that, while they themselves are tiny, their parents are unclean pigs and dogs hundreds of millions of times larger than they. Unaware of their own lowliness, they rely on the stench of putrefaction exuded by those pigs and dogs to run amok, vainly thinking to procreate future generations, oblivious to shame! With green wings upon their backs (this refers to their claiming to believe in God), they are full of themselves and boast everywhere of their own beauty and allure, while they secretly fling the impurities on their own bodies onto man. Furthermore, they are exceedingly pleased with themselves, as if they can use a pair of rainbow-colored wings to conceal their own impurities, and by these means they bring their oppression to bear on the existence of the true God (this refers to what goes on behind the scenes in the religious world). How would man know that, as enchantingly beautiful as the wings of a fly may be, the fly itself is after all no more than a tiny creature, with a belly full of filth and a body covered with germs? On the strength of the pigs and dogs they have for parents, they run amok across the land (this refers to the way in which the religious officials who persecute God rely on the strong backing of the government of the nation to rebel against the true God and the truth), unrestrained in their savagery. It is as if the ghosts of the Jewish Pharisees have returned along with God to the nation of the great red dragon, back to their old nest. They have begun yet another round of persecution, picking up their work of several thousand years ago. This group of degenerates is sure to perish on earth in the end! It would appear that, after several millennia, the unclean spirits have become even more crafty and sly. They are constantly thinking of ways to undermine the work of God in secret. With tricks and wiles galore, they wish to reenact in their homeland the tragedy of several thousand years ago, goading God nearly to the point of crying out. He can hardly keep Himself from returning to the third heaven to annihilate them. For man to love God, he must grasp His will, know His joys and sorrows, and understand what it is that He abhors. Doing this will spur on even more the entry of man. The faster man’s entry, the sooner God’s will is satisfied, the more clearly man sees through the king of devils, and the closer he draws to God, so that His desire may be brought to fruition.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I have said so many times that God’s work of the last days is done in order to alter each person’s spirit, to change each person’s soul, such that their heart, which has suffered great trauma, is reformed, thus rescuing their soul, which has been so profoundly harmed by evil; it is in order to awaken people’s spirits, to thaw their cold hearts, and allow them to be rejuvenated. This is God’s greatest will. Put aside talk of how lofty or profound man’s life and experiences are; when people’s hearts have been awakened, when they have been roused from their dreams and know full well the harm wrought by the great red dragon, the work of God’s ministry will have been completed. The day that God’s work is finished is also the day when man officially starts on the correct path of belief in God. At this time, God’s ministry will have come to an end: The work of God become flesh will have completely finished, and man will officially begin to perform the duty that he ought to perform—he will perform his ministry. These are the steps of God’s work. Thus, you should grope for your path to entry upon the foundation of knowing these things. All of this is what you should understand. Man’s entry will only improve when changes have occurred deep within his heart, for God’s work is the complete salvation of man—man who has been redeemed, who still lives under the forces of darkness, and who has never roused himself—from this gathering place of demons; it is so that man may be freed of millennia of sin, and be beloved of God, completely striking down the great red dragon, establishing God’s kingdom, and bringing rest to God’s heart sooner; it is to give vent, without reservation, to the hate that swells your breast, to eradicate those moldy germs, to allow you to leave this life that is no different from that of an ox or horse, to no longer be a slave, to no longer be freely trampled upon or ordered about by the great red dragon; you will no longer be of this failed nation, will no longer belong to the heinous great red dragon, and you will no longer be enslaved by it. The demons’ nest will surely be torn to pieces by God, and you will stand beside God—you belong to God, and do not belong to this empire of slaves. God has long since loathed this dark society to His very bones. He gnashes His teeth, eager to plant His feet upon this wicked, heinous old serpent, so that it may never rise again, and will never again abuse man; He will not excuse its actions in the past, He will not tolerate its deceit of man, and He will settle the score for every one of its sins throughout the ages. Not in the slightest will God let this ringleader of all evil[5] off the hook, He will utterly destroy it.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (8)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In many places, God has prophesied that He will be gaining a group of overcomers in the land of Sinim. Since it is in the world’s East that overcomers are to be gained, so the place where God sets foot in His second incarnation is without a doubt the land of Sinim, the exact spot where the great red dragon lies coiled. There, God will gain the descendants of the great red dragon so that it is thoroughly defeated and shamed. God is going to awaken these people, heavily burdened with suffering, to rouse them till they are fully awake, and to make them walk out of the fog and reject the great red dragon. They will wake from their dream, recognize the substance of the great red dragon, become able to give their whole heart to God, rise up from the oppression of the dark forces, stand up in the East of the world, and become proof of God’s victory. Only in this way will God gain glory.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (6)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For thousands of years this has been the land of filth. It is unbearably dirty, misery abounds, ghosts run rampant everywhere, tricking and deceiving, making groundless accusations,[6] being ruthless and vicious, trampling this ghost town and leaving it littered with dead bodies; the stench of decay covers the land and pervades the air, and it is heavily guarded.[7] Who can see the world beyond the skies? The devil tightly trusses all of man’s body, it veils both his eyes, and seals his lips firmly shut. The king of devils has rampaged for several thousand years, right up until today, when it still keeps a close watch on the ghost town, as if it were an impenetrable palace of demons; this pack of watchdogs, meanwhile, stare with glaring eyes, deeply fearful that God will catch them unawares and wipe them all out, leaving them without a place of peace and happiness. How could the people of a ghost town such as this ever have seen God? Have they ever enjoyed the dearness and loveliness of God? What appreciation have they of the matters of the human world? Who of them can understand God’s eager will? Small wonder, then, that God incarnate remains completely hidden: In a dark society such as this, where the demons are merciless and inhumane, how could the king of devils, who kills people without batting an eye, tolerate the existence of a God who is lovely, kind, and also holy? How could it applaud and cheer the arrival of God? These lackeys! They repay kindness with hate, they have long since disdained God, they abuse God, they are savage in the extreme, they have not the slightest regard for God, they plunder and pillage, they have lost all conscience, they go against all conscience, and they tempt the innocent into senselessness. Forefathers of the ancient? Beloved leaders? They all oppose God! Their meddling has left all beneath heaven in a state of darkness and chaos! Religious freedom? The legitimate rights and interests of citizens? They are all tricks for covering up sin! Who has embraced the work of God? Who has laid down their life or shed blood for the work of God? For generation after generation, from parents to children, enslaved man has unceremoniously enslaved God—how could this not incite fury? Thousands of years of hate are concentrated in the heart, millennia of sinfulness are inscribed upon the heart—how could this not inspire loathing? Avenge God, completely snuff out His enemy, do not allow it to run rampant any longer, and do not permit it to kick up as much trouble as it wishes anymore! Now is the time: Man has long since gathered all his strength, he has devoted all his efforts and paid every price for this, to tear off the hideous face of this demon and allow people, who have been blinded, and who have endured every manner of suffering and hardship, to rise up from their pain and turn their backs on this evil old devil. Why put up such an impenetrable obstacle to the work of God? Why employ various tricks to deceive God’s folk? Where is the true freedom and the legitimate rights and interests? Where is the fairness? Where is the comfort? Where is the warmth? Why use deceitful schemes to trick God’s people? Why use force to suppress the coming of God? Why not allow God to freely roam upon the earth that He created? Why hound God until He has nowhere to rest His head? Where is the warmth among men? Where is the welcome among people? Why cause such desperate yearning in God? Why make God call out again and again? Why force God to worry for His beloved Son? In this dark society, why do its sorry guard dogs not allow God to freely come and go among the world which He created? Why does man not understand, man who lives amid pain and suffering? For your sakes, God has endured great torment, with great pain He has bestowed His beloved Son, His flesh and blood, to you—so why do you still turn a blind eye? In full view of everyone, you reject the arrival of God, and refuse God’s friendship. Why are you so unconscionable? Are you willing to endure the injustices in a dark society such as this? Why, instead of filling your bellies with millennia of enmity, do you stuff yourselves with the king of devils’ “shit”?

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (8)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How great are the obstacles to God’s work? Has anyone ever known? With people encaged by deep-seated superstitious colorings, who is capable of knowing God’s true face? With this backward cultural knowledge so shallow and absurd, how could they fully understand the words spoken by God? Even when they are spoken to face to face, and nourished mouth to mouth, how could they understand? Sometimes it is as if God’s words have fallen on deaf ears: People have not the slightest reaction, they wag their heads and understand nothing. How could this not be worrisome? This “distant,[8] ancient cultural history and cultural knowledge” has nurtured such a worthless group of people. This ancient culture—precious heritage—is a pile of junk! It became an everlasting shame long ago, and is not worth mentioning! It has taught people the tricks and techniques of opposing God, and the “ordered, gentle guidance”[9] of the national education has made people even more disobedient to God. Each part of God’s work is extremely difficult, and every step of His work upon earth has been distressing to God. How hard His work on earth is! The steps of God’s work on earth involve great hardship: For man’s weakness, deficiencies, childishness, ignorance, and everything of man, God makes meticulous plans and thoughtful considerations. Man is like a paper tiger that one dare not bait or provoke; at the merest touch he bites back, or else falls down and loses his way, and it is as if, at the slightest loss of concentration, he relapses, or else ignores God, or runs to his pigs and dogs of parents to indulge in the impure things of their bodies. What a great hindrance! At practically every step of His work, God is subjected to temptation, and at almost every step God risks great danger. His words are sincere and honest, and without malice, yet who is willing to accept them? Who is willing to fully submit? It breaks God’s heart. He toils day and night for man, He is beset by anxiety for man’s life, and He sympathizes with man’s weakness. He has endured many twists and turns in each step of His work, for every word that He speaks; He is ever between a rock and a hard place, and thinks of man’s weakness, disobedience, childishness, and vulnerability … around the clock over and over again. Who has ever known this? Who can He confide in? Who would be able to understand? Ever does He loathe the sins of man, and the lack of backbone, the spinelessness of man, and ever does He worry for the vulnerability of man, and contemplate the path that lies ahead of man. Always, as He observes the words and deeds of man, is He filled with mercy, and anger, and always does the sight of these things bring pain to His heart. The innocent, after all, have grown numb; why must God always make things difficult for them? Feeble man is utterly bereft of perseverance; why should God always have such unabating anger toward him? Weak and powerless man no longer has the slightest vitality; why should God always chide him for his disobedience? Who can withstand the threats of God in heaven? Man, after all, is fragile, and in desperate straits, God has pushed His anger deep into His heart, so that man may slowly reflect upon himself. Yet man, who is in grave trouble, has not the slightest appreciation of God’s will; man has been trampled underfoot by the old king of devils, yet he is completely unaware, he always sets himself against God, or else he is neither hot nor cold toward God. God has spoken so many words, yet who has ever taken them seriously? Man does not understand God’s words, yet he remains unperturbed, and without yearning, and has never truly known the essence of the old devil. People live in Hades, in hell, but believe they live in the palace of the seabed; they are persecuted by the great red dragon, yet think themselves to be “favored”[10] by the country; they are ridiculed by the devil yet think they enjoy the superlative artistry of the flesh. What a bunch of dirty, lowly wretches they are! Man has met with misfortune, but he does not know it, and in this dark society he suffers mishap after mishap,[11] yet never has he woken up to this. When will he rid himself of his self-kindness and slavish disposition? Why is he so uncaring of God’s heart? Does he quietly condone this oppression and hardship? Does he not wish for the day when he can change darkness into light? Does he not wish to once more remedy the injustices toward righteousness and truth? Is he willing to watch and do nothing as people forsake the truth and twist the facts? Is he happy to keep enduring this maltreatment? Is he willing to be a slave? Is he willing to perish at the hands of God together with the slaves of this failed state? Where is your resolve? Where is your ambition? Where is your dignity? Where is your integrity? Where is your freedom? Are you willing to lay down your entire life[12] for the great red dragon, the king of devils? Are you happy to let it torture you to death? The face of the deep is chaotic and dark, while the common folk, suffering such affliction, cry to Heaven and complain to earth. When will man be able to hold his head up high? Man is scrawny and emaciated, how could he contend with this cruel and tyrannical devil? Why does he not give his life to God as soon as he can? Why does he still waver? When can he finish God’s work? Thus aimlessly bullied and oppressed, his whole life will ultimately have been spent in vain; why is he in such a hurry to arrive, and such a rush to depart? Why does he not keep something precious to give to God? Has he forgotten the millennia of hate?

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (8)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Knowledge of ancient culture and history spanning several thousand years has closed off man’s thinking and notions and his mental outlook so tightly as to render them impervious and non-biodegradable.[13] People live in the eighteenth circle of hell, where, just as if they have been banished by God into the dungeons, the light may never be seen. Feudal thinking has so oppressed people that they can barely breathe and are suffocating. They have not the slightest jot of strength to resist; all they do is endure and endure in silence…. Never has anyone dared to struggle or stand up for righteousness and justice; people simply live a life worse than an animal’s, under the blows and abuse of feudal ethics, day after day, and year after year. They have never thought to seek out God to enjoy happiness in the human world. It is as if people have been beaten down to the point where they are like the fallen leaves of autumn, withered, desiccated, and yellow-brown. People have long since lost their memory; they live helpless in the hell which is called the human world, waiting for the coming of the last day so that they may perish together with this hell, as if the last day that they yearn for is the day when man shall enjoy restful peace. Feudal ethics have taken the life of man into “Hades,” further weakening man’s power to resist. All sorts of oppression push man, step by step, to fall deeper into Hades, farther and farther away from God, until today he has become a complete stranger to God and makes haste to avoid Him when they meet. Man does not heed Him and leaves Him standing alone to one side, as if man has never known Him, has never seen Him before. Yet God has been waiting for man all through the long journey of human life, never hurling His irrepressible fury toward him, merely waiting quietly, without a word, for man to repent and start anew. God long ago came into the human world to share the sufferings of the human world with man. In all the years that He has lived with man, no one has discovered His existence. God only endures in silence the misery of shabbiness in the human world while carrying out the work He brought in person. He continues to endure for the sake of the will of God the Father and for the sake of the needs of mankind, undergoing sufferings never before experienced by man. In man’s presence He has quietly waited upon him, and in man’s presence He has humbled Himself, for the sake of God the Father’s will and also for the sake of the needs of mankind. Knowledge of ancient culture has surreptitiously stolen man from the presence of God and turned him over to the king of devils and its progeny. The Four Books and Five Classics[a] have taken man’s thinking and notions into another age of rebellion, causing him to give even greater adulation than before to those who compiled the Book/Classic of Documents, and as a result to further exacerbate his notions about God. Unbeknownst to man, the king of devils heartlessly cast God out from his heart and then occupied it itself with triumphant glee. Since that time, man became possessed of an ugly and wicked soul and of the countenance of the king of devils. A hatred of God filled his chest, and the spiteful malice of the king of devils spread within man day after day until he was utterly consumed. Man no longer had the least bit of freedom and had no way of breaking free from the toils of the king of devils. He had no choice but to be taken captive on the spot, to surrender and fall down in submission in its presence. Long ago, when man’s heart and soul was still in its infancy, the king of devils planted in it the seed of the tumor of atheism, teaching him such fallacies as “study science and technology; realize the Four Modernizations; and there is no such thing as God in the world.” Not only that, it shouts out at every opportunity: “Let us rely on our industrious labor to build a beautiful homeland,” asking each and every person to be prepared from childhood to render faithful service to their country. Man, unwitting, was brought into its presence, where it unhesitatingly arrogated all the credit (meaning the credit belonging to God for holding all of mankind in His hands) unto itself. Never did it have any sense of shame. Moreover, it shamelessly seized God’s people and dragged them back into its house, where it leaped like a mouse onto the table and had man worship it as God. What a desperado! It cries out scandalous, shocking things, such as: “There is no such thing as God in the world. The wind comes from transformations according to natural laws; rain comes when water vapor, meeting with cold temperatures, condenses into drops that fall to earth; an earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the earth due to geological changes; drought is due to dryness in the air caused by nucleonic disruption on the sun’s surface. These are natural phenomena. Where, in all this, is there an act of God?” There are even those who shout out statements like the following, statements that should not be given voice: “Man evolved from apes in the ancient past, and the world today comes from a succession of primitive societies starting from approximately an eon ago. Whether a country flourishes or declines rests entirely in the hands of its people.” In the background, it makes man hang it on the wall or place it on the table to pay homage and make offerings to it. At the same time that it cries out, “There is no God,” it sets itself up as God, with summary roughness pushing God out of the bounds of the earth, while standing in God’s place and taking up the role of the king of devils. How utterly lost to reason! It makes one hate it to the very bone. It seems that God and it are sworn enemies, and the two cannot coexist. It schemes to chase God away while it roams free, outside the reach of law.[14] Such a king of devils it is! How can its existence be tolerated? It will not rest until it has made a mess of God’s work and left it all in a complete shambles,[15] as if it wants to oppose God to the bitter end, until either the fish dies or the net breaks, deliberately setting itself against God and pressing in ever closer. Its hideous face having long since been completely unmasked, it is now bruised and battered[16] and in a sorry condition, yet still it will not relent in its hatred of God, as if only by devouring God in one mouthful will it be able to relieve the hatred pent up in its heart. How can we tolerate it, this enemy of God! Only its eradication and complete extermination will bring our life’s wish to fruition. How can it be allowed to continue running rampant? It has corrupted man to such a degree that man does not know the heavensun, and has become deadened and devoid of feeling. Man has lost normal human reason. Why not offer up our whole being to destroy it and burn it up to eliminate all worries for the future and allow the work of God to sooner reach unprecedented splendor? This gang of scoundrels has come into the world of men and reduced it to turmoil. They have brought all of humanity to the edge of a precipice, secretly planning to push them over to be dashed to pieces so that they may then devour their corpses. They vainly hope to break up God’s plan and enter into a match with Him, staking everything on a single throw of the dice.[17] That is by no means easy! The cross has been prepared, after all, for the king of devils, who is guilty of the most heinous crimes. God does not belong to the cross. He has already tossed it aside for the devil. God has long before now emerged victorious and no longer feels sorrow over the sins of mankind, but will bring salvation to all mankind.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do you truly hate the great red dragon? Do you truly, sincerely hate it? Why have I asked you so many times? Why do I keep asking you this question, again and again? What image is there of the great red dragon in your hearts? Has it really been removed? Do you truly not consider it to be your father? All people should perceive My intention in My questions. It is not to provoke the anger of the people, nor to incite rebellion among man, nor that man may find his own way out, but is to allow all people to liberate themselves from the bondage of the great red dragon. Yet no one should be anxious. All will be accomplished by My words; no man may partake, and no man can do the work that I will carry out. I will wipe clean the air of all lands and eradicate all trace of the demons on earth. I have already begun, and I will commence the first step of My work of chastisement in the dwelling place of the great red dragon. Thus it can be seen that My chastisement has befallen the entire universe, and that the great red dragon and all kinds of unclean spirits will be powerless to escape My chastisement, for I look upon all lands. When My work on earth is completed, that is, when the era of judgment comes to an end, I will formally chastise the great red dragon. My people will surely see My righteous chastisement of the great red dragon, will surely pour forth praise because of My righteousness, and will surely forever extol My holy name because of My righteousness. Hence you will formally perform your duty, and will formally praise Me throughout the lands, forever and ever!

When the era of judgment reaches its peak, I will not hasten to conclude My work, but will integrate into it the evidence of the era of chastisement and allow this evidence to be seen by all My people; in this will be borne greater fruit. This evidence is the means by which I chastise the great red dragon, and I will cause My people to behold it with their own eyes so that they will know more of My disposition. The time when My people enjoy Me is when the great red dragon is chastised. Causing the people of the great red dragon to rise up and revolt against it is My plan, and this is the method by which I make perfect My people, and it is a great opportunity for all My people to grow in life.

Excerpted from “Chapter 28” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God intends to use a portion of the work of evil spirits to perfect a portion of humanity, enabling these people to see completely through the devils’ iniquities, that all humanity may truly know their “ancestors.” Only in this way can humans break completely free, not only forsaking the posterity of the devils, but even the devils’ ancestors. This is God’s true purpose in utterly defeating the great red dragon, to make it so that all humanity knows the great red dragon’s true form, to tear its mask off fully and to look upon its true form. This is what God wants to achieve, it is the final goal of all the work He has done on earth, and it is what He aims to accomplish in all humanity. This is known as mobilizing all things to serve God’s purpose.

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To bear testimony to God and to shame the great red dragon, one must have a principle, and one must meet a condition: One must love God in their heart and enter into His words. If you do not enter into the words of God, then you will have no way of shaming Satan. Through growth in your life, you renounce the great red dragon and bring utter humiliation upon it; only this is truly to shame the great red dragon. The more you are willing to put the words of God into practice, the greater the proof of your love of God and your loathing of the great red dragon; the more you obey the words of God, the greater the proof of your longing for the truth. People who do not long for the words of God are people without life. Such people are those outside the words of God, who belong to religion. People who truly believe in God have a more profound knowledge of God’s words through eating and drinking His words. If you do not long for the words of God, then you cannot truly eat and drink His words, and if you have no knowledge of the words of God, then you have no means of testifying to God or satisfying God.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know the Work of God Today May Serve God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, you can seek to be made perfect or seek changes in your external humanity and improvements in your caliber, but of principal importance is that you can understand that everything that God does today has meaning and is of benefit: It enables you who are born in a land of filth to escape the filth and shake it off, it enables you to overcome the influence of Satan, and leave behind the dark influence of Satan. By focusing on these things, you are protected in this land of filth. Ultimately, what testimony will you be asked to give? You are born in a land of filth but are able to become holy, never again to be sullied by filth, to live under the domain of Satan but divest yourself of Satan’s influence, to be neither possessed nor harassed by Satan, and to live in the hands of the Almighty. This is the testimony, and the proof of victory in the battle with Satan. You are able to forsake Satan, you no longer reveal satanic dispositions in what you live out, but instead live out that which God required that man attain when He created man: normal humanity, normal sense, normal insight, normal resolve to love God, and loyalty to God. Such is the testimony borne by a creature of God. You say, “We are born in a land of filth, but because of God’s protection, because of His leadership, and because He has conquered us, we have rid ourselves of the influence of Satan. That we can obey today is also the effect of being conquered by God, and it is not because we are good, or because we naturally loved God. It is because God chose us, and predestined us, that we have been conquered today, are able to bear testimony to Him, and can serve Him; so, too, it is because He chose us and protected us, that we have been saved and delivered from the domain of Satan, and can leave behind the filth and be purified in the nation of the great red dragon.” In addition, what you live out externally will show that you are possessed of normal humanity, there is sense to what you say, and you live out the likeness of a normal person. When others see you, you should not cause them to say, “Is this not the image of the great red dragon?” The sisters’ conduct is unbecoming of a sister, the brothers’ conduct is unbecoming of a brother, and you have none of the decorum of the saints. Then people would say, “No wonder God said they are the descendants of Moab, He was totally right!” If people look at you and say, “Though God said you are the descendants of Moab, what you are living out has proven that you have left behind the influence of Satan; although those things are still inside you, you are able to turn your backs on them, this shows that you have been completely conquered,” you who have been conquered and saved will say, “It is true that we are the descendants of Moab, but we have been saved by God, and although the descendants of Moab in the past were forsaken and cursed, and exiled among Gentiles by the people of Israel, today God has saved us. It is true that we are the most corrupt of all people—this was decreed by God, this is fact, and it is undeniable by all. But today we have escaped that influence. We detest our ancestor, we are willing to turn our backs on our ancestor, to utterly forsake it and obey all of God’s arrangements, acting according to God’s will and achieving His requirements of us, and attaining the satisfaction of God’s will. Moab betrayed God, he did not act according to God’s will, and he was hated by God. But we should be caring of God’s heart, and today, since we understand God’s will, we cannot betray God, and must renounce our old ancestor!” Previously I spoke of renouncing the great red dragon, and today, it is mainly about the renouncement of people’s old ancestor. This is one testimony of people’s conquest, and regardless of how you enter today, your testimony in this area must not be lacking.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

1. “Swallow” refers to the vicious behavior of the king of devils, which ravishes people in their entirety.

2. “Accomplices in crime” are of the same ilk as “a band of hoodlums.”

3. “Stirring up all kinds of trouble” refers to how people who are demonic run riot, obstructing and opposing the work of God.

4. “Toothed whales” is used mockingly. It is a metaphor for how flies are so small that pigs and dogs appear as big as whales to them.

5. “Ringleader of all evil” refers to the old devil. This phrase expresses extreme dislike.

6. “Making groundless accusations” refers to the methods by which the devil harms people.

7. “Heavily guarded” indicates that the methods by which the devil afflicts people are especially vicious, and control people so much that they have no room to move.

8. “Distant” is used mockingly.

9. “Ordered, gentle guidance” is used mockingly.

10. “Favored” is used to mock people who seem wooden and have no self-awareness.

11. “Suffers mishap after mishap” indicates that the people were born in the land of the great red dragon, and they are unable to hold their heads up high.

12. “Lay down your entire life” is meant in a derogatory sense.

13. “Non-biodegradable” is intended as satire here, meaning that people are rigid in their knowledge, culture, and spiritual outlook.

14. “Roams free, outside the reach of law” indicates that the devil goes berserk and runs amok.

15. “A complete shambles” refers to how the devil’s violent behavior is unbearable to see.

16. “Bruised and battered” refers to the ugly face of the king of devils.

17. “Staking everything on a single throw of the dice” means placing all one’s money on a single bet in hopes of winning in the end. This is a metaphor for the devil’s sinister and nefarious schemes. The expression is used mockingly.

a. The Four Books and Five Classics are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China.

34. The Principles of Breaking Free of Satan’s Influence

(1) It is necessary to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, to attain true knowledge of the truth and essence of one’s own corruption, and to hate and forsake Satan from the bottom of one’s heart;

(2) It is necessary to focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, to seek the truth in all matters, to reflect on one’s expressions of corruption, and to become capable of practicing the truth and submitting to God;

(3) It is necessary to be equipped with the truth to discern the great red dragon, antichrists, false leaders, evil spirits, and evil people, and to ensure one does not fall victim to Satan’s deception;

(4) It is necessary to accept all of the truth, and, by knowing God truly, to develop a new outlook on life and on values, thereby becoming a person who loves God and submits to Him.

Relevant Words of God:

If you wish to be praised by God, then you must first escape from Satan’s dark influence, opening your heart to God and turning it toward Him completely. Would God praise the things you are doing now? Have you turned your heart to God? Have the things you have done been what God requires of you? Are they in line with the truth? Examine yourself at all times and concentrate on the eating and drinking of God’s words; lay out your heart before Him, love Him with sincerity, and devotedly expend yourself for God. People who do this will surely receive God’s praise.

All those who believe in God, yet do not pursue the truth, have no way of escaping from Satan’s influence. All those who do not live their lives with honesty, who behave one way in front of others but another way behind their backs, who give the appearance of humility, patience, and love though their essence is insidious, cunning, and without loyalty to God—such people are typical representatives of those who live under the influence of darkness; they are the ilk of the serpent. Those who only ever believe in God for their own benefit, who are self-righteous and haughty, who show off, and who protect their own status are people who love Satan and oppose the truth. These people resist God and belong entirely to Satan. Those who are not attentive to God’s burdens, who do not serve God wholeheartedly, who are always concerned with their own self-interests and the interests of their families, who are unable to abandon everything to expend themselves for God, and who never live by His words are people outside of His words. Such people cannot receive God’s praise.

When God created men, it was so that they could enjoy His abundance and genuinely love Him; in this way, men would live in His light. Today, as for all those who cannot love God, are not attentive to His burdens, are unable to give their hearts fully to Him, are not able to take His heart as their own, and cannot shoulder His burdens as their own—God’s light does not shine upon any such men, and they therefore are all living under the influence of darkness. They are on a path that is diametrically opposed to God’s will, and there is not a shred of truth in anything they do. They are wallowing in the mire with Satan; they are people who live under the influence of darkness. If you can often eat and drink the words of God and be attentive to His will and put His words into practice, then you belong to God, and you are a person who lives within His words. Are you willing to escape from the domain of Satan and live in the light of God? If you live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will have an opportunity to perform His work; if you live under Satan’s influence, then you will give the Holy Spirit no such opportunity. The work that the Holy Spirit performs on men, the light that He shines on them, and the confidence that He gives to them last for only a moment; if people are not careful and do not pay attention, then the work of the Holy Spirit will pass them by. If men live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will be with them and perform work on them. If men do not live within the words of God, then they live in Satan’s bonds. If men live with corrupt dispositions, then they do not have the presence or the work of the Holy Spirit. If you live within the boundaries of the words of God, and if you live in the state that God requires, then you are one who belongs to Him, and His work will be performed on you; if you are not living within the boundaries of God’s requirements, but living instead under the domain of Satan, then you are decidedly living within Satan’s corruption. Only by living within the words of God and giving your heart to Him can you meet His requirements; you must do as God says, making His utterances the foundation of your existence and the reality of your life; only then will you belong to God. If you actually practice in accordance with God’s will, He will perform work on you, and you will then live under His blessings, in the light of His countenance; you will grasp the work that the Holy Spirit performs and feel the joy of God’s presence.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All those who live under the influence of darkness are those who live amid death, those who are possessed by Satan. Without being saved by God and judged and chastised by God, people are unable to escape the influence of death; they cannot become the living. These “dead men” cannot bear testimony to God, and nor can they be used by God, much less enter the kingdom. God wants the testimony of the living, not the dead, and He asks that the living, not the dead, work for Him. “The dead” are those who oppose and rebel against God; they are those who are numb in spirit and do not understand God’s words; they are those who do not put the truth into practice and have not the slightest loyalty to God, and they are those who live under the domain of Satan and are exploited by Satan. The dead manifest themselves by standing in opposition to the truth, by rebelling against God, and by being lowly, contemptible, malicious, brutish, deceitful, and insidious. Even if such people eat and drink the words of God, they are unable to live out the words of God; though they are alive, they are just walking, breathing corpses. The dead are totally incapable of satisfying God, much less of being utterly obedient to Him. They can only deceive Him, blaspheme against Him, and betray Him, and all that they bring forth by the way they live reveals the nature of Satan. If people wish to become living beings and to bear testimony to God, and to be approved of by God, then they must accept God’s salvation; they must gladly submit to His judgment and chastisement and must gladly accept the pruning of God and being dealt with by Him. Only then will they be able to put all of the truths required by God into practice, and only then will they gain God’s salvation and truly become living beings. The living are saved by God; they have been judged and chastised by God, they are willing to devote themselves and are happy to lay down their lives for God, and they would gladly dedicate their whole lives to God. Only when the living bear testimony to God can Satan be shamed; only the living can spread the gospel work of God, only the living are after God’s heart, and only the living are real people. Originally the man made by God was alive, but because of Satan’s corruption man lives amid death and lives under the influence of Satan, and so, in this way, people have become the spiritless dead, they have become enemies who oppose God, they have become the tools of Satan, and they have become the captives of Satan. All the living people created by God have become dead people, and so God has lost His testimony, and He has lost mankind which He created and which is the only thing that has His breath. If God is to take back His testimony and take back those who were made by His own hand but who have been taken captive by Satan, then He must resurrect them so that they become living beings, and He must reclaim them so that they live in His light. The dead are those who have no spirit, those who are numb in the extreme and who oppose God. They are foremost those who do not know God. These people have not the slightest intention of obeying God; they only rebel against Him and oppose Him and have not the slightest loyalty. The living are those whose spirits have been reborn, who know to obey God, and who are loyal to God. They are possessed of the truth, and of testimony, and these people alone are pleasing to God in His house.

Excerpted from “Are You Someone Who Has Come to Life?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The stage of the last days, in which man is to be conquered, is the last stage in the battle with Satan, and it is also the work of man’s complete salvation from the domain of Satan. The inner meaning of man’s conquest is the return of the embodiment of Satan—man who has been corrupted by Satan—to the Creator following his conquest, through which he will forsake Satan and completely return to God. In this way, man will have been completely saved. And so, the work of conquest is the last work in the battle against Satan and the final stage in God’s management for the sake of Satan’s defeat. Without this work, the full salvation of man would ultimately be impossible, the utter defeat of Satan would also be impossible, and mankind would never be able to enter the wonderful destination, or get free from Satan’s influence. Consequently, the work of salvation of man cannot be concluded before the battle with Satan is concluded, for the core of the work of God’s management is for the sake of mankind’s salvation. Earliest mankind was in the hands of God, but because of Satan’s temptation and corruption, man was bound up by Satan and fell into the hands of the evil one. Thus, Satan became the object to be defeated in the work of God’s management. Because Satan took possession of man, and because man is the capital which God uses to carry out all management, if man is to be saved, then he must be snatched back from the hands of Satan, which is to say that man must be taken back after having been held captive by Satan. Thus, Satan must be defeated through changes in man’s old disposition, changes which restore man’s original sense of reason. In this way, man, who has been taken captive, can be snatched back from the hands of Satan. If man is freed from the influence and bondage of Satan, then Satan will be shamed, man will ultimately be taken back, and Satan will be defeated. And because man has been freed from the dark influence of Satan, man will become the spoils of this entire battle, and Satan will become the object to be punished once the battle has finished, after which the entire work of mankind’s salvation will have been completed.

Excerpted from “Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the influence of darkness? This so-called “influence of darkness” is the influence of Satan’s deception, corruption, binding, and controlling of people; the influence of Satan is an influence that has an aura of death. All those who live under the domain of Satan are doomed to perish.

How can you escape from the influence of darkness after gaining faith in God? Once you have sincerely prayed to God, you turn your heart to Him completely, at which point your heart is moved by God’s Spirit. You grow willing to give yourself to Him completely, and at this moment, you will have escaped from the influence of darkness. If everything man does is that which pleases God and in line with His requirements, then he is someone who lives within the words of God and under His care and protection. If people cannot practice the words of God, if they are always attempting to fool Him, acting in a perfunctory manner toward Him, and not believing in His existence—then these are all people living under the influence of darkness. Men who have not received God’s salvation are living under the domain of Satan; that is, they all live under the influence of darkness. Those who do not believe in God are living under the domain of Satan. Even those who believe in God’s existence might not necessarily be living in His light, for those who believe in Him may not actually be living within His words nor be able to submit to God. Man is limited to believing in God, and because he does not have knowledge of God, he is still living within the old rules, among dead words, with a life that is dark and uncertain, neither fully purified by God nor completely gained by Him. Therefore, while it goes without saying that those who do not believe in God are living under the influence of darkness, even those who do believe in God may still be under its influence, for they lack the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who have not received God’s grace or mercy and those who cannot see the work of the Holy Spirit are all living under the influence of darkness; and most of the time, so are people who merely enjoy the grace of God yet do not know Him. If a man believes in God yet spends most of his life living under the influence of darkness, then this man’s existence has lost its meaning—and what need is there to mention people who do not believe that God exists?

All those who cannot accept God’s work, or who accept God’s work but are unable to meet His demands, are people living under the influence of darkness. Only those who pursue the truth and are capable of meeting God’s demands will receive blessings from Him, and only they will escape from the influence of darkness. Those who have not been released, who are always controlled by certain things, and who are unable to give their hearts to God are people under Satan’s bondage who live within an aura of death. Those who are unfaithful to their own duties, who are unfaithful to God’s commission, and who fail to perform their functions at the church are people living under the influence of darkness. Those who deliberately disturb the church life, who intentionally sow discord between their brothers and sisters, or who form cliques are people who live deeper still under the influence of darkness, in Satan’s bondage. Those who have an abnormal relationship with God, who always have extravagant desires, who always want to gain an advantage, and who never seek transformation in their dispositions are people who live under the influence of darkness. Those who are always sloppy and never serious in their practice of the truth, and who do not seek to meet the will of God, seeking instead only to satisfy their own flesh, are also people who are living under the influence of darkness, shrouded by death. Those who engage in crookedness and deception when working for God, who deal with God in a perfunctory manner, who cheat God, and who always make plans for themselves are people living under the influence of darkness. All those who cannot sincerely love God, who do not pursue the truth, and who do not focus on transforming their dispositions are people living under the influence of darkness.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To escape from the influence of darkness, you must first be loyal to God and eager at heart to pursue the truth; only then can you have a correct state. Living in a correct state is the prerequisite for escaping from the influence of darkness. Not having a correct state is not being loyal to God, and not being eager at heart to seek the truth; and escaping from the influence of darkness is out of the question. My words are the basis of man’s escape from dark influences, and people who cannot practice in accordance with My words will not be able to escape from the bonds of the influence of darkness. To live in a correct state is to live under the guidance of the words of God, to live in a state of loyalty to God, to live in a state of seeking the truth, to live in the reality of sincerely expending oneself for God’s sake, and to live in a state of genuinely loving God. Those who live in these states and within this reality will slowly transform as they enter into the depth of the truth, and they will transform as the work goes deeper; and in the end, they will certainly become people who are gained by God and who love God genuinely. Those who have escaped from the influence of darkness can gradually ascertain God’s will and gradually come to understand it, eventually becoming confidants of God. They not only harbor no notions about God and do not rebel against Him, but they also detest even more those notions and rebellion that possessed them before, and genuine love for God arises in their hearts. People who are unable to escape from the influence of darkness are all completely occupied with the flesh and full of rebellion; their hearts are filled with human notions and philosophies for living, as well as their own intentions and deliberations. What God requires is a singular love from man; what He requires is that man be occupied by His words and by a heart full of love for Him. To live within the words of God, to search within His words for that which they should seek, to love God for His words, to run for His words, to live for His words—these are the goals that man should strive to achieve. Everything must be built on God’s words; only then will man be able to meet God’s requirements. If man is not equipped with the words of God, then he is nothing but a maggot possessed by Satan! Weigh this: How much of the word of God has taken root inside of you? In which things are you living in accordance with His words? In which things have you not been living in accordance with them? If God’s words have not completely taken hold of you, then what exactly occupies your heart? In your everyday life, are you being controlled by Satan, or are you being occupied by the words of God? Are His words the foundation upon which your prayers are based? Have you come out of your negative state through the enlightenment of the words of God? To take God’s words as the foundation of your existence—this is what everyone should enter into. If His words are not present in your life, then you are living under the influence of darkness, you are rebelling against God, you are resisting Him, and you are dishonoring His name. Such people’s belief in God is pure mischief and disturbance. How much of your life has been lived in accordance with His words? How much of your life has not been lived in accordance with His words? How much of what the word of God has required of you has been fulfilled in you? How much has been lost in you? Have you looked closely at such things?

Escaping from the influence of darkness requires both the work of the Holy Spirit and man’s dedicated cooperation. Why do I say that man is not on the right track? People who are on the right track can first give their hearts to God. This is a task that takes a very long time to enter into, for humankind has always lived under the influence of darkness, and has been under Satan’s bondage for thousands of years. Therefore, this entry cannot be achieved in a mere day or two. I raised this issue today so that men can gain a grasp of their own state; once man can discern what the influence of darkness is and what it means to live in the light, then entry becomes much easier. This is because you must know what Satan’s influence is before you can escape from it; only after that will you have a way to cast it off. As for what to do thereafter, that is humans’ own business. Enter into everything from a positive aspect, and never wait passively. Only in this way can you be gained by God.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to obtain salvation, then the first test you must pass is to learn how to defeat Satan and how to overcome and triumph over hostile forces and interference from the outside world. Once you possess stature and sufficient truth to persevere to the end in a battle against Satan’s forces, and have defeated them, then—and only then—can you pursue the truth steadily, and only then can you step steadfastly and without mishap upon the path of pursuing the truth and being granted salvation. If you cannot pass this test, then it can be said that you are in great danger, and you are liable to be captured by an antichrist and come to live under Satan’s influence. It is possible that there are currently some among you who hinder and trip people who are pursuing the truth, and they are those people’s enemies. Do you accept this? There are those who do not dare to face this fact, nor do they dare to accept it as fact. In reality, these things do indeed exist in the church; it is just that people cannot discern them. If you cannot pass this test—the test of antichrists, then you are either deceived and controlled by antichrists or made to suffer, tortured, pushed out, suppressed, and abused by them. Ultimately, your measly little life will not withstand for long, and will wither; you will no longer have faith in God, and you will leave Him, saying, “God isn’t even righteous; where is God? There is no righteousness or light in this world, and there’s no such thing as God’s salvation of humanity. We might as well pass our days going to work and making money!” You deny God and no longer believe that He exists; any hope that you will obtain salvation is entirely gone. So, if you want to get to where you can be granted salvation, the first test you must pass is one of being able to see through Satan, and you must also have the courage to stand up and expose and forsake Satan. Where, then, is Satan? Satan is at your side and all around you; it might even be living inside your heart. If you are living within Satan’s disposition, it can be said that you belong to Satan. You cannot see or touch the Satan of the spiritual realm, but the Satan that exists in practical life is everywhere. Any person who detests the truth is evil, and any leader or worker who does not accept the truth is an antichrist and an evil person. Are such people not living Satans? These people might be the very ones you worship and look up to; they could be the people who lead you or the people you have long hoped for, admired, trusted and relied upon in your hearts. In fact, however, they are roadblocks standing in your way and hindering you from obtaining salvation; they are antichrists. They can take control of your life and the path you walk, and they can ruin your chance to be granted salvation. If you fail to identify them and see through them, then at any moment, you could plummet into their traps or be captured and taken away by them. Thus, you are in great danger.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

Man’s flesh is of Satan, it is full of rebellious dispositions, it is deplorably filthy, and it is something unclean. People covet the enjoyment of the flesh too much and there are too many manifestations of the flesh; this is why God despises man’s flesh to a certain extent. When people cast off the filthy, corrupt things of Satan, they gain God’s salvation. But if they still do not divest themselves of filth and corruption, then they are still living under the domain of Satan. People’s conniving, deceitfulness, and crookedness are all things of Satan. God’s salvation of you is to extricate you from these things of Satan. God’s work cannot be wrong; it is all done in order to save people from darkness. When you have believed to a certain point and can divest yourself of the corruption of the flesh, and are no longer shackled by this corruption, will you not have been saved? When you live under Satan’s domain you are incapable of manifesting God, you are something filthy, and cannot receive God’s inheritance. Once you have been cleansed and made perfect, you will be holy, you will be a normal person, and you will be blessed by God and delightful to God.

Excerpted from “Practice (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man lives amid the flesh, which means he lives in a human hell, and without God’s judgment and chastisement, man is as filthy as Satan. How could man be holy? Peter believed that chastisement and judgment by God were man’s best protection and greatest grace. Only through chastisement and judgment by God could man awaken and hate the flesh, hate Satan. God’s strict discipline frees man from the influence of Satan, frees him from his own little world, and allows him to live in the light of God’s presence. There is no better salvation than chastisement and judgment! Peter prayed, “O God! As long as You chastise and judge me, I will know that You have not left me. Even if You do not give me joy or peace, and make me live in suffering, and inflict countless chastenings on me, as long as You do not leave me, my heart will be at ease. Today, Your chastisement and judgment have become my best protection and my greatest blessing. The grace You give me protects me. The grace You bestow upon me today is a manifestation of Your righteous disposition, and is chastisement and judgment; moreover, it is a trial, and, more than that, it is a life of suffering.” Peter was able to put aside the pleasures of the flesh and seek a deeper love and greater protection, because he had gained so much grace from God’s chastisement and judgment. In his life, if man wishes to be cleansed and achieve changes in his disposition, if he wishes to live out a life of meaning and fulfill his duty as a creature, then he must accept God’s chastisement and judgment, and must not allow God’s discipline and God’s smiting to depart from him, in order that he may free himself from the manipulation and influence of Satan, and live in the light of God. Know that God’s chastisement and judgment is the light, and the light of man’s salvation, and that there is no better blessing, grace or protection for man. Man lives under the influence of Satan, and exists in the flesh; if he is not cleansed and does not receive God’s protection, then man will become ever more depraved. If he wishes to love God, then he must be cleansed and saved. Peter prayed, “God, when You treat me kindly I am delighted, and feel comfort; when You chastise me, I feel even greater comfort and joy. Although I am weak, and endure untold suffering, although there are tears and sadness, You know that this sadness is because of my disobedience, and because of my weakness. I weep because I cannot satisfy Your desires, I feel sorrow and regret because I am insufficient for Your requirements, but I am willing to attain this realm, I am willing to do all I can to satisfy You. Your chastisement has brought me protection, and has given me the best salvation; Your judgment eclipses Your tolerance and patience. Without Your chastisement and judgment, I would not enjoy Your mercy and lovingkindness. Today, I see all the more that Your love has transcended the heavens and excelled above all other things. Your love is not just mercy and lovingkindness; even more than that, it is chastisement and judgment. Your chastisement and judgment have given me so much. Without Your chastisement and judgment, not a single person would be cleansed, and not a single person would be able to experience the love of the Creator. Though I have endured hundreds of trials and tribulations, and have even come close to death, they have allowed me to truly know You and gain supreme salvation. If Your chastisement, judgment and discipline were to depart from me, then I would live in darkness, under the domain of Satan. What benefits does the flesh of man have? If Your chastisement and judgment were to leave me, it would be as if Your Spirit had forsaken me, as if You were no longer with me. If that were so, how could I go on living? If You give me sickness and take my freedom, I can continue living, but if Your chastisement and judgment were to ever leave me, I would have no way to go on living. If I were without Your chastisement and judgment, I would have lost Your love, a love that is too deep for me to put into words. Without Your love, I would live under the domain of Satan, and would be unable to see Your glorious face. How could I continue living? I could not endure such darkness, such a life. Having You with me is like seeing You, so how could I leave You? I implore You, I beg You not to take my greatest comfort from me, even if it is just a few words of reassurance. I have enjoyed Your love, and today I cannot be away from You; how could I not love You? I have shed many tears of sorrow because of Your love, yet I have always felt that a life such as this is more meaningful, more able to enrich me, more able to change me, and more able to allow me to attain the truth that should be possessed by the creatures.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man’s entire life is lived under the domain of Satan, and there is not a single person who can free themselves from the influence of Satan on their own. All live in a filthy world, in corruption and emptiness, without the slightest meaning or value; they live such carefree lives for the flesh, for lust, and for Satan. There is not the slightest value to their existence. Man is incapable of finding the truth that will free him from the influence of Satan. Even though man believes in God and reads the Bible, he does not understand how to free himself of the control of Satan’s influence. Throughout the ages, very few people have discovered this secret, very few have grasped it. As such, even though man detests Satan, and detests the flesh, he does not know how to rid himself of the ensnaring influence of Satan. Today, are you not still under the domain of Satan? You do not regret your disobedient acts, and much less do you feel that you are filthy and disobedient. After opposing God, you even have peace of mind and feel great tranquility. Is your tranquility not because you are corrupt? Does this peace of mind not come from your disobedience? Man lives in a human hell, he lives under the dark influence of Satan; across the land, ghosts live together with man, encroaching upon the flesh of man. On earth, you do not live in a beautiful paradise. The place where you are is the realm of the devil, a human hell, a netherworld. If man is not cleansed, then he is of the filth; if he is not protected and cared for by God, then he is still a captive of Satan; if he is not judged and chastised, then he will have no means of escaping the oppression of the dark influence of Satan. The corrupt disposition that you show forth and the disobedient behavior that you live out are sufficient to prove that you are still living under the domain of Satan. If your mind and thoughts have not been cleansed, and your disposition has not been judged and chastised, then your entire being is still controlled by the domain of Satan, your mind is controlled by Satan, your thoughts are manipulated by Satan, and your entire being is controlled by the hands of Satan. Do you know just how far you are, now, from the standards of Peter? Do you possess that caliber? How much do you know of the chastisement and judgment of today? How much do you possess of that which Peter came to know? If, today, you are unable to know, will you be able to achieve this knowledge in the future? Someone as lazy and cowardly as you is simply incapable of knowing chastisement and judgment. If you pursue the peace of the flesh, and the pleasures of the flesh, then you will have no means of being cleansed, and in the end you will be returned to Satan, for what you live out is Satan, and it is the flesh. As things stand today, many people do not pursue life, which means that they do not care about being cleansed, or about entering into a deeper life experience. That being so, how can they be made perfect? Those who do not pursue life have no opportunity to be made perfect, and those who do not pursue a knowledge of God, who do not pursue changes in their disposition, are incapable of escaping Satan’s dark influence. They are not serious about their knowledge of God and about their entry into changes in their disposition, just like those who believe in religion, who merely follow ceremony and attend regular services. Is that not a waste of time? If, in man’s belief in God, he is not serious about matters of life, does not pursue entry into the truth, does not pursue changes in his disposition, much less pursue a knowledge of the work of God, then he cannot be made perfect. If you wish to be made perfect, then you must understand God’s work. In particular, you must understand the significance of His chastisement and judgment, and why this work is carried out upon man. Are you able to accept? During chastisement of this kind, are you able to achieve the same experiences and knowledge as Peter? If you pursue knowledge of God and of the work of the Holy Spirit, and if you pursue changes in your disposition, then you have the opportunity to be made perfect.

For those who are to be made perfect, this step of work of being conquered is indispensable; only once man has been conquered can he experience the work of being made perfect. There is no great value to only performing the role of being conquered, which will not render you fit for use by God. You will have no means of playing your part in spreading the gospel, for you do not pursue life, and do not pursue change and renewal in yourself, and so you have no actual experience of life. During this step-by-step work, you once acted as a service-doer and as a foil, but if ultimately you do not pursue to be Peter, and your pursuit is not according to the path by which Peter was made perfect, then, naturally, you will not experience changes in your disposition. If you are someone who pursues being made perfect, then you will have borne testimony, and you will say: “In this step-by-step work of God, I have accepted God’s work of chastisement and judgment, and though I have endured great suffering, I have come to know how God makes man perfect, I have gained the work done by God, I have had the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and His chastisement has saved me. His righteous disposition has come upon me and brought me blessings and grace; it is His judgment and chastisement that has protected and purified me. If I had not been chastised and judged by God, and if the harsh words of God had not come upon me, I could not have known God, and nor could I have been saved. Today I see: As a creature, not only does one enjoy all things made by the Creator, but, more importantly, all creatures should enjoy the righteous disposition of God and His righteous judgment, because God’s disposition is worthy of man’s enjoyment. As a creature that has been corrupted by Satan, one should enjoy God’s righteous disposition. In His righteous disposition there is chastisement and judgment, and, moreover, there is great love. Although I am incapable of completely gaining God’s love today, I have had the good fortune to see it, and in this I have been blessed.” This is the path walked by those who experience being made perfect, and this is the knowledge of which they speak. Such people are the same as Peter; they have the same experiences as Peter. Such people are also those who have gained life, who possess the truth. When they experience until the very end, during God’s judgment they will surely completely rid themselves of the influence of Satan, and be gained by God.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

35. The Principles of Possessing True Faith

(1) True faith comes from experiencing and understanding God’s words, and is built on the foundation of understanding the truth and knowing God’s work;

(2) It is necessary to be diligent in reading God’s words; to accept and submit to God’s judgment and chastisement, as well as being pruned and dealt with by Him; and to come to know His righteous disposition;

(3) It is necessary to fulfill your allotted duty; to be able to accept and practice the truth, and become an honest person; and to come to submit to all that God arranges;

(4) In all matters, pray and seek the truth, genuinely commune with God, and be able to understand the truth, seeing God’s actions and that His word accomplishes all.

Relevant Words of God:

When Moses struck the rock, and the water bestowed by Jehovah sprang forth, it was because of his faith. When David played the lyre in praise of Me, Jehovah—with his heart filled with joy—it was because of his faith. When Job lost his livestock that filled the mountains and untold masses of wealth, and his body became covered in sore boils, it was because of his faith. When he could hear the voice of Me, Jehovah, and see the glory of Me, Jehovah, it was because of his faith. That Peter could follow Jesus Christ was down to his faith. That he could be nailed to the cross for My sake and give glorious testimony was also down to his faith. When John saw the glorious image of the Son of man, it was down to his faith. When he saw the vision of the last days, it was all the more because of his faith. The reason why the so-called multitudes of the Gentile nations have obtained My revelation, and have come to know that I have returned in the flesh to do My work among man, is also because of their faith. All those who are smitten by My harsh words and yet are brought solace by them and are saved—have they not done so because of their faith? People have received so much because of their faith, and it is not always a blessing. They may not receive the kind of happiness and joy that David felt, or have water bestowed by Jehovah as Moses did. For example, Job was blessed by Jehovah because of his faith, but he also suffered disaster. Whether you are blessed or suffer disaster, both are blessed events. Without faith, you would not be able to receive this work of conquest, much less see Jehovah’s deeds displayed before your eyes today. You would not be able to see, much less would you be able to receive. These scourges, these calamities, and all the judgments—if they did not befall you, would you be able to see Jehovah’s deeds today? Today, it is faith that allows you to be conquered, and it is being conquered that allows you to believe in Jehovah’s every deed. It is only because of faith that you receive such chastisement and judgment. Through this chastisement and judgment, you are conquered and perfected. Without the kind of chastisement and judgment you are receiving today, your faith would be in vain, because you would not know God; no matter how much you believed in Him, your faith would remain but an empty expression ungrounded in reality. It is only after you receive this work of conquest, work which makes you completely obedient, that your faith becomes true, and reliable, and your heart turns toward God. Even if you suffer great judgment and curse because of this word, “faith,” you nonetheless have true faith and you receive the truest, most real, and most precious thing. This is because it is only in the course of judgment that you see the final destination of God’s creations; it is in this judgment that you see that the Creator is to be loved; it is in such work of conquest that you behold the arm of God; it is in this conquest that you come to fully understand human life; it is in this conquest that you gain the right path of human life and come to understand the true meaning of “man”; it is only in this conquest that you see the righteous disposition of the Almighty and His beautiful, glorious countenance; it is in this work of conquest that you learn of man’s origin and understand all mankind’s “immortal history”; it is in this conquest that you come to comprehend mankind’s ancestors and the origin of mankind’s corruption; it is in this conquest that you receive joy and comfort as well as endless chastening, discipline, and words of reproach from the Creator to the mankind He created; it is in this work of conquest that you receive blessings, as well as the calamities that are man’s due…. Is this not all because of your little bit of faith? And did your faith not grow after you gained these things? Have you not gained a tremendous amount?

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The utmost faith and love are required from us in this stage of work. We may stumble from the slightest carelessness, for this stage of work is different from all the previous ones: What God is perfecting is mankind’s faith, which is both invisible and intangible. What God does is convert words to faith, to love, and to life. People must reach a point where they have endured hundreds of refinements and possess faith greater than Job’s. They must endure incredible suffering and all manner of torture without ever leaving God. When they are obedient unto death, and have great faith in God, then this stage of God’s work is complete.

Excerpted from “The Path … (8)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

While undergoing trials, it is normal for people to be weak, or to have negativity within them, or to lack clarity on God’s will or their path for practice. But in any case, you must have faith in God’s work, and not deny God, just like Job. Although Job was weak and cursed the day of his own birth, he did not deny that all things in human life were bestowed by Jehovah, and that Jehovah is also the One to take them all away. No matter how he was tested, he maintained this belief. In your experience, no matter what refinement you undergo through God’s words, what God requires of mankind, in brief, is their faith and their love for Him. What He perfects by working in this way is people’s faith, love, and aspirations. God does the work of perfection on people, and they cannot see it, cannot feel it; under such circumstances, your faith is required. People’s faith is required when something cannot be seen by the naked eye, and your faith is required when you cannot let go of your own notions. When you do not have clarity about God’s work, what is required of you is to have faith and to take a firm stance and stand witness. When Job reached this point, God appeared to him and spoke to him. That is, it is only from within your faith that you will be able to see God, and when you have faith God will perfect you. Without faith, He cannot do this. God will bestow upon you whatever you hope to gain. If you do not have faith, then you cannot be perfected and you will be unable to see God’s actions, much less His omnipotence. When you have faith that you will see His actions in your practical experience, then God will appear to you, and He will enlighten and guide you from within. Without that faith, God will be unable to do that. If you have lost hope in God, how will you be able to experience His work? Therefore, only when you have faith and you do not harbor doubts toward God, only when you have true faith in Him no matter what He does, will He enlighten and illuminate you through your experiences, and only then will you be able to see His actions. These things are all achieved through faith. Faith comes only through refinement, and in the absence of refinement, faith cannot develop. What does this word, “faith,” refer to? Faith is the genuine belief and the sincere heart that humans should possess when they cannot see or touch something, when God’s work does not align with human notions, when it is beyond human reach. This is the faith that I speak of. People are in need of faith during times of hardship and refinement, and faith is something that is followed by refinement; refinement and faith cannot be separated. No matter how God works, and no matter your environment, you are able to pursue life and seek the truth, and seek knowledge of God’s work, and have an understanding of His actions, and you are able to act according to the truth. Doing so is what it is to have true faith, and doing so shows that you have not lost faith in God. You can only have true faith in God if you are able to persist in pursuing the truth through refinement, if you are able to truly love God and do not develop doubts about Him, if no matter what He does you still practice the truth to satisfy Him, and if you are able to seek in the depths for His will and be considerate of His will. In the past, when God said that you would reign as a king, you loved Him, and when He openly showed Himself to you, you pursued Him. But now God is hidden, you cannot see Him, and troubles have come upon you—do you then now lose hope in God? So, you must at all times pursue life and seek to satisfy God’s will. This is called genuine faith, and this is the truest and most beautiful kind of love.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the past, people would all come before God to make their resolutions, and they would say: “Even if no one else loves God, I must love Him.” But now, refinement comes upon you, and since this does not align with your notions, you lose faith in God. Is this genuine love? You have read many times about the deeds of Job—have you forgotten about them? True love can only take shape from within faith. You develop real love for God through the refinements you undergo, and it is through your faith that you are able to be considerate of God’s will in your practical experiences, and it is also through faith that you forsake your own flesh and pursue life; this is what people should do. If you do this, then you will be able to see God’s actions, but if you lack faith, then you will be unable to see God’s actions or to experience His work. If you want to be used and perfected by God, then you must be possessed of everything: the will to suffer, faith, endurance, obedience, and the ability to experience the work of God, grasp His will, be considerate of His sorrow, and so forth. Perfecting a person is not easy, and every single refinement that you experience requires your faith and love. If you want to be perfected by God, it is not enough to merely rush ahead on the path, nor is it enough to merely expend yourself for God. You must possess many things to be able to become someone who is perfected by God. When you face suffering, you must be able to lay aside concern for the flesh and to not make complaints against God. When God hides Himself from you, you must be able to have the faith to follow Him, to maintain your previous love without allowing it to falter or dissipate. No matter what God does, you must submit to His design and be prepared to curse your own flesh rather than make complaints against Him. When you are faced with trials, you must satisfy God, though you may weep bitterly or feel reluctant to part with some beloved object. Only this is true love and faith. No matter what your actual stature is, you must first possess both the will to suffer hardship and true faith, and you must also have the will to forsake the flesh. You should be willing to endure personal hardships and suffer losses to your personal interests in order to satisfy God’s will. You must also be capable of feeling regret about yourself in your heart: In the past, you were unable to satisfy God, and now, you can regret yourself. You must not be lacking in any of these regards—it is through these things that God will perfect you. If you cannot meet these criteria, then you cannot be perfected.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job had never seen God, but he was able to stay true to his faith, which no other person was able to do. Why could other people not do that? It is because God did not speak to Job or appear to him, and if he had not truly believed, he could not have gone on, nor could he have held fast to the way of fearing God and shunning evil. Is this not true? How do you feel when you read of Job saying these words? Do you feel that Job’s perfection and uprightness, and his righteousness before God, are true, and not an exaggeration on the part of God? Even though God treated Job the same as other people and did not appear or speak to him, Job still held firm to his integrity, still believed in God’s sovereignty, and, furthermore, he frequently offered burnt offerings and prayed before God as a result of his fear of offending God. In Job’s ability to fear God without having seen God, we see how much he loved positive things, and how firm and real his faith was. He did not deny the existence of God because God was hidden from him, nor did he lose his faith and forsake God because he had never seen Him. Instead, amid God’s hidden work of ruling all things, he had realized the existence of God, and felt the sovereignty and power of God. He did not give up on being upright because God was hidden, nor did he forsake the way of fearing God and shunning evil because God had never appeared to him. Job had never asked that God openly appear to him to prove His existence, for he had already beheld God’s sovereignty among all things, and he believed that he had gained the blessings and graces that others had not gained. Although God remained hidden to him, Job’s faith in God was never shaken. Thus, he harvested what none other had: God’s approval and God’s blessing.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Almighty God, the Head of all things, wields His kingly power from His throne. He rules over the universe and all things, and He is in the act of guiding us on the whole earth. We shall at every moment be close to Him, and come before Him in quietness, never missing a single moment, and with lessons for us to learn at all times. Everything, from the surrounding environment to people, affairs, and things, all exist by permission of His throne. Do not on any account let grievances arise in your heart, or God will not bestow His grace upon you. When sickness befalls, this is God’s love, and surely His kind intentions are harbored within. Though your body may undergo a bit of suffering, entertain no ideas from Satan. Praise God in the midst of illness and enjoy God in the midst of your praise. Do not lose heart in the face of illness, keep seeking again and again and do not give up, and God will illuminate you with His light. How was Job’s faith? Almighty God is an all-powerful physician! To dwell in sickness is to be sick, but to dwell in the spirit is to be well. So long as you still have one breath, God will not let you die.

We have within us the resurrected life of Christ. Undeniably, we lack faith in the presence of God: Would that God would put true faith within us. Sweet indeed is the word of God! God’s word is potent medicine! It puts to shame the devils and Satan! Grasping God’s word gives us support. His word acts fast to save our hearts! It dispels all things and sets all at peace. Faith is like a single log bridge: Those who cling abjectly to life will have difficulty in crossing it, but those who are ready to sacrifice themselves can pass over, sure of foot and worry-free. If man harbors timid and fearful thoughts, it is because Satan has fooled them, afraid that we will cross the bridge of faith to enter into God. Satan is trying in every way possible to send us its thoughts. We should at every moment pray for God to illuminate us with His light, at every moment rely on God to purge Satan’s poison from within us, practice within our spirit at every moment how to come close to God, and let God have dominion over our whole being.

from “Chapter 6” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is manifested in those with true faith in God? They believe in His words and are able to live out the reality of His words in their lives. They believe in the existence and sovereignty of God, and not only do they believe in these things, but they are also able to abide by this law in their everyday lives, and constantly seek, obey, and await the sovereignty and orchestrations of God. They do not go ahead and do things their own way, they are not hell-bent on getting what they themselves want, and they do not question the existence and sovereignty of God or complain about and misinterpret God as soon as their wishes are not fulfilled by God. When the truths or the words of God that you believe in and acknowledge become your reality, and they guide your thoughts, your ideas, your life, and the direction of your entire life’s path, you then become capable of true faith in God. Only when you are possessed of true faith born of true belief and true obedience will your faith be true faith in God! This is how people acquire true faith.

Excerpted from “Only If One Is Truly Obedient Can They Have True Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People who have experienced and undergone God’s words appreciate what each of them refers to, how God works in people, and how God’s words are fulfilled and come true. These people have come to appreciate the details of such things by practical experience. They know how God rules man and guides man; they even know such detailed things as how God disciplines people in a given matter; how, in real life, God provides people with what they should understand each day; and how He guides people, in all things, to experience His words and attain an understanding of the truth and knowledge of God. They can speak of these detailed processes. They have no lofty doctrine or pretty words, but everything they say is real, and accords with the truth. That is, those words they speak are learned from experience, experienced from reality and from their lives, and everything they say is real, practical, and has a basis; it is not based on empty imaginings. When you ask these people precisely where or who God is, although they might not be able to give you a particularly detailed description, they will use the language of experience to tell you why God is the truth and why God is the way. They will use facts and their own, personal experiences to tell you what the essence of God is and where He is, and they will use their practical experience to testify to the deeds of God; to testify to the fact that God is the truth, the way, and the life; and to testify to how God rules the fate of man, and how He guides people in their daily lives, leading them to safe passage through difficulties in every matter. Is this not quite authentic? Do such people not have faith in God? What foundation is their faith built on? They have seen with their eyes, heard with their ears, encountered with their persons, and experienced with their bodies what it is to be stirred by God, and His guidance, and even His reproach and discipline. So, too, have they experienced the sovereignty and orchestration of God. They have experienced how God uses His words to encourage, exhort, comfort, and guide people when they are weak. They have experienced how God disciplines people and how He judges and chastises them when they are rebellious against Him, and which of His words they have heard, and which they have experienced. They have also experienced how, when an issue befalls a person, and they are bewildered and at a loss, not knowing what to do, they come before God to pray and search, and what sort of enlightenment He gives them, and what sort of guidance and support, to lead them to an understanding of the principles of practice in such a matter. Are these not the most precious of all things gained by people in experiencing God’s work? With these things, you will have true faith in God, and, with true faith, you will truly believe in Him.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

At the moment, you are very enthusiastic about performing your duty, but does enthusiasm necessarily mean you have faith? Is true faith one of its components? Are there states in it that are impulsive, a fleeting burst of enthusiasm? What does a heart of faith fear most? What it fears most is the advent of reality; what it fears most is refinement. So, what kind of refinement can demonstrate that someone has true faith? What should you possess that can show God your true faith and enable you to rely on that faith to live before God, to obey and follow Him? What must you possess to be able to submit to God’s orchestrations, such that they are not difficulties to you, no matter what He does, and no matter what kind of difficulties, tribulations or afflictions befall you—even those that concern your destiny and prospects—and to prove that you are possessed of true faith? That is, when God tests you, when He places you in an environment, when He tries you and refines you, when He takes things from you, and when what He does is at odds with your notions, what are the things you can live out and possess to prove your faith is true and that you are possessed of true faith? At the very least, you must truly understand that all matters and things, and the destiny of man, are controlled by God in His hand, that in them all are His orchestrations and arrangements, and that they are not man’s to decide, nor his to calculate or plan. Understand these things first of all. This is one aspect of the manifestation of true faith in a person. What other things and truths must you possess to prove you have true faith? (To have seen the hand of God while undergoing trials and refinement; to have seen that all God does is good, and is all for the sake of changing and purifying us. All of it is salvation.) That is one part. As far as people are concerned, all God does is in order to cleanse and save them, and it all contains truth, and benefits them. So, have you experienced these things? At the moment, do you merely know of them, or have you already experienced part of them? The extent of your experience is the extent of faith you possess. The amount of judgment, chastisement, trials and refinement you have experienced engenders a corresponding amount of faith in you. Faith comes from experience. It is achieved through understanding the truth, and it arises from knowing God; it does not come from studying theology. If what comes out of your mouth is what you have heard from other people, that is not necessarily your real experience or your true faith. You have to experience these things personally; you yourself must gain them, verifying that “This is done by God. Such is the sovereignty of God, and such are the orchestrations and arrangements of God.” This alone is your own true stature, and the source of your true faith. If your experiences have not reached this level—if all you do is listen to others, and think their words are right and the truth, and you accept whatever you hear, merely accepting it yet not having seen it, nor having undergone it—then this is not your true faith. It may well be the true faith of other people, but it is not yours. How far have you gotten so far? You are able to preach, and you are able to use these words and correct doctrines to support and help others, and provide for them—but, as you have provided for them, have you ever thought of whether these things are able to provide for you? When, one day, you encounter the same such difficulties—the same trials as Job encountered, for example—will you be able to choose the way of fearing God and shunning evil, as Job did? (We would not.) At the moment, you are incapable of that, and this is a problem. Merely to believe in God without experiencing His work will not do; it is incapable of giving rise to true faith.

Excerpted from “What Must Be Possessed to Achieve True Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people do not have any confidence, it is not easy for them to continue down this path. Everyone can now see that God’s work does not conform in the slightest with people’s notions. God has done so much work and spoken so many words, which are completely out of line with human notions. Thus, people must have the confidence and willpower to be able to stand by what they have already seen and what they have gained from their experiences. No matter what God does in people, they must uphold what they themselves possess, be sincere in front of God, and remain devoted to Him to the very end. This is mankind’s duty. People must uphold that which they should do. Belief in God requires obedience to Him and experience of His work. God has done so much work—it could be said that for people it is all perfection, refinement, and even more, chastisement. There has not been a single step of God’s work that has been in line with human notions; what people have enjoyed is God’s stern words. When God comes, people should enjoy His majesty and His wrath. However, no matter how stern His words may be, He comes to save and perfect mankind. As creatures, people should fulfill the duties that they ought to, and stand witness for God in the midst of refinement. In every trial they should uphold the witness that they should bear, and do so resoundingly for the sake of God. A person who does this is an overcomer. No matter how God refines you, you remain full of confidence and never lose confidence in Him. You do what man should do. This is what God requires of man, and man’s heart should be able to fully return to Him and turn toward Him in every passing moment. This is an overcomer. Those whom God refers to as “overcomers” are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an “overcomer.”

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

36. The Principles of Following Christ

(1) It is necessary to know that only Christ of the last days can purify and save people and that He is the practical God. Only thus can the vague God be dispelled from one’s heart;

(2) It is necessary to accept all of the truth expressed by Christ, to practice and experience God’s words, and to fulfill your duty. Only by doing so is one a follower of Christ;

(3) Only by undergoing the judgment of Christ’s words and submitting to all of His work can one know that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life;

(4) It is necessary to make Christ foremost in your heart; only in doing so does one exalt God as great. Worship no man and follow no man; exalt and testify to Christ alone.

Relevant Words of God:

Christ of the last days uses a variety of truths to teach man, to expose the substance of man, and to dissect the words and deeds of man. These words comprise various truths, such as man’s duty, how man should obey God, how man should be loyal to God, how man ought to live out normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the substance of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, the words that expose how man spurns God are spoken in regard to how man is an embodiment of Satan, and an enemy force against God. In undertaking His work of judgment, God does not simply make clear the nature of man with a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes over the long term. All these different methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth of which man is utterly bereft. Only methods such as these can be called judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced about God, and moreover gain true knowledge of God. What the work of judgment brings about is man’s understanding of the true face of God and the truth about his own rebelliousness. The work of judgment allows man to gain much understanding of the will of God, of the purpose of God’s work, and of the mysteries that are incomprehensible to him. It also allows man to recognize and know his corrupt essence and the roots of his corruption, as well as to discover the ugliness of man. These effects are all brought about by the work of judgment, for the essence of this work is actually the work of opening up the truth, the way, and the life of God to all those who have faith in Him. This work is the work of judgment done by God. If you do not regard these truths as important, if you think of nothing but how to avoid them, or how to find a new way out that does not involve them, then I say you are a grievous sinner. If you have faith in God, yet seek not the truth or the will of God, nor love the way that brings you closer to God, then I say that you are one who is trying to evade judgment, and that you are a puppet and a traitor who flees from the great white throne. God will not spare any of the rebellious who escape from under His eyes. Such men shall receive even more severe punishment. Those who come before God to be judged, and have moreover been purified, shall forever live in the kingdom of God. Of course, this is something that belongs to the future.

Excerpted from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Christ of the last days brings life, and brings the enduring and everlasting way of truth. This truth is the path by which man gains life, and it is the only path by which man shall know God and be approved by God. If you do not seek the way of life provided by Christ of the last days, then you shall never gain the approval of Jesus, and shall never be qualified to enter the gate of the kingdom of heaven, for you are both a puppet and prisoner of history. Those who are controlled by regulations, by letters, and shackled by history will never be able to gain life nor gain the perpetual way of life. This is because all they have is turbid water which has been clung to for thousands of years instead of the water of life that flows from the throne. Those who are not supplied with the water of life will forever remain corpses, playthings of Satan, and sons of hell. How, then, can they behold God? If you only try to hold on to the past, only try to keep things as they are by standing still, and do not try to change the status quo and discard history, then will you not always be against God? The steps of God’s work are vast and mighty, like surging waves and rolling thunders—yet you sit passively awaiting destruction, clinging to your folly and doing nothing. In this way, how can you be considered someone who follows the footsteps of the Lamb? How can you justify the God that you hold on to as a God who is always new and never old? And how can the words of your yellowed books carry you across into a new age? How can they lead you to seek the steps of God’s work? And how can they take you up to heaven? What you hold in your hands are letters that can provide but temporary solace, not truths that are capable of giving life. The scriptures you read can only enrich your tongue and are not words of philosophy that can help you know human life, much less the paths that can lead you to perfection. Does this discrepancy not give you cause for reflection? Does it not make you realize the mysteries contained within? Are you capable of delivering yourself to heaven to meet God on your own? Without the coming of God, can you take yourself into heaven to enjoy family happiness with God? Are you still dreaming now? I suggest, then, that you stop dreaming and look at who is working now—look to see who is now carrying out the work of saving man during the last days. If you do not, you shall never gain the truth, and shall never gain life.

Excerpted from “Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Of principal importance in following God is that everything should be according to the words of God today: Whether you are pursuing entry into life or the fulfillment of God’s will, everything should be centered around the words of God today. If what you commune and pursue are not centered around the words of God today, then you are a stranger to the words of God, and totally bereft of the work of the Holy Spirit. What God wants are people who follow His footsteps. No matter how wonderful and pure what you understood before is, God does not want it, and if you are unable to put aside such things, then they will be a tremendous obstacle to your entry in the future. All those who are able to follow the present light of the Holy Spirit are blessed. The people of ages past also followed the footsteps of God, yet they could not follow until today; this is the blessing of the people of the last days. Those who can follow the present work of the Holy Spirit, and who are able to follow the footsteps of God, such that they follow God wherever He leads them—these are people who are blessed by God. Those who do not follow the present work of the Holy Spirit have not entered into the work of God’s words, and no matter how much they work, or how great their suffering, or how much they run about, none of it means anything to God, and He will not commend them. Today, all those who follow the present words of God are in the stream of the Holy Spirit; those who are strangers to the words of God today are outside of the stream of the Holy Spirit, and such people are not commended by God.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Regardless of how numerous your notions and imaginings about God’s work are, and regardless of how you previously acted according to your own will and rebelled against God, if you truly pursue the truth, and accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, and accept being pruned and dealt with by God’s words; if, in everything He orchestrates, you are able to follow the way of God, obey God’s words, seek His will, practice in accordance with His words and His will, are able to seek to submit, and can put all your own will, desires, considerations, motivations, and antagonism to God aside—only then are you following God! You say you follow God, but all you do, you do according to your own will. In everything you do, you have your own aims, your own plans; you do not leave it up to God. Is God still your God, then? If God is not your God, then, when you say you follow God, are these not empty words? Are such words not an attempt to fool people? You say you follow God, but all your actions and behaviors, your outlook on life, your values, and the attitude and principles with which you approach and handle matters all come from Satan—you handle all this entirely in accordance with the principles and logic of Satan. So, do you follow God?

… The simplest way to describe belief in God is trusting there is a God, and, on this foundation, following Him, obeying Him, accepting His dominion, orchestrations, and arrangements, listening to His words, living in accordance with His words, doing everything according to His words, being a true created being, and fearing Him and shunning evil; only this is true belief in God. This is what it means to follow God. You say you follow God, but, in your heart, you do not accept God’s words, and you do not accept His dominion, orchestrations, and arrangements. If you always have notions of what God does, and you always misunderstand what He does, and complain about it; if you are always dissatisfied, and you always measure and approach what He does using your own notions and imaginings; if you always have your own understandings—this will cause trouble. You are not experiencing God’s work, and you have no way to follow Him truly. Such is not belief in God.

Excerpted from “Belief in Religion Will Never Lead to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Peter followed Jesus for a number of years and saw much in Him that was not in other people. After following Him for a year, Peter was chosen by Jesus from among the twelve disciples. (Of course, Jesus did not speak this aloud, and others were not aware of it at all.) In life, Peter measured himself by everything Jesus did. Most notably, the messages that Jesus preached were etched in his heart. He was utterly dedicated and loyal to Jesus, and he never spoke any grievances against Him. As a result, he became Jesus’ faithful companion everywhere He went. Peter observed Jesus’ teachings, His gentle words, what He took for His food, His clothing, His shelter, and how He traveled. He emulated Jesus in every regard. He was never self-righteous, but cast off all that was outdated, following Jesus’ example in both word and deed. It was then that Peter felt that the heavens and earth and all things were in the hands of the Almighty and that, for this reason, he was without personal choice. Peter also assimilated all that Jesus was and used it as an example. Jesus’ life shows that He was not self-righteous in what He did; instead of bragging about Himself, He moved people with love. Various things showed what Jesus was, and for this reason, Peter emulated everything about Him. Peter’s experiences gave him an increasing sense of the loveliness of Jesus, and he said such things as, “I have searched for the Almighty throughout the universe, and I have seen the wonders of the heavens and earth and all things, and I thus have gained a profound sense of the Almighty’s loveliness. However, I had never had genuine love in my own heart, and I had never seen the loveliness of the Almighty with my own eyes. Today, in the eyes of the Almighty, I have been looked upon with favor by Him, and I have finally felt God’s loveliness. I have finally discovered that it is not just God’s having created all things that makes humanity love Him; in my daily life, I have found His boundless loveliness. How could it possibly be limited to what can be seen right now?” As time passed, much that was lovely also emerged in Peter. He grew very obedient to Jesus, and of course, he also suffered quite a few setbacks. When Jesus took him to preach at various locations, Peter always humbled himself and listened to Jesus’ sermons. He never became arrogant because of his years of following Jesus. After being told by Jesus that the reason He had come was to be crucified so that He could finish His work, Peter often felt anguish in his heart and would weep alone in secret. Nevertheless, that “unfortunate” day finally arrived. After Jesus was arrested, Peter wept alone in his fishing boat and said many prayers for this. But in his heart, he knew that this was the will of God the Father, and that no one was able to change it. He remained anguished and teary-eyed only because of his love. This is a human weakness, of course. Thus, when he learned that Jesus would be nailed to the cross, he asked Jesus, “After You leave, will You return to be among us and watch over us? Will we still be able to see You?” Although these words were very naive and full of human notions, Jesus knew the bitterness of Peter’s suffering, so through His love He was considerate of Peter’s weakness: “Peter, I have loved you. Do you know that? Although there is no reason behind what you say, the Father has promised that after My resurrection, I will appear to people for 40 days. Do you not believe that My Spirit will frequently bestow grace upon you all?” Though Peter felt somewhat comforted by this, he still felt that there was one thing missing, and so, after being resurrected, Jesus appeared to him openly for the first time. In order to prevent Peter from continuing to cling to his notions, however, Jesus declined the lavish meal that Peter had prepared for Him, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. From that moment on, Peter finally had a deeper understanding of the Lord Jesus and loved Him even more. After His resurrection, Jesus frequently appeared to Peter. He appeared to Peter three more times after the forty days were up and He had ascended to heaven. Each appearance was right when the work of the Holy Spirit was about to be completed and new work was about to be begun.

Throughout his life, Peter fished for a living but, more than that, he lived to preach. In his later years, he wrote the first and second epistles of Peter, as well as several letters to the church of Philadelphia of that time. The people of this period were profoundly touched by him. Instead of lecturing people using his own credentials, he provided them with a suitable supply of life. He never forgot Jesus’ teachings before He left, and was inspired by them throughout his life. While following Jesus, he resolved to repay the Lord’s love with his death and to follow His example in all things. Jesus agreed to this, so when Peter was 53 years old (more than 20 years after Jesus’ departure), Jesus appeared to him to help fulfill his aspiration. In the seven years following that, Peter spent his life getting to know himself. One day, at the end of these seven years, he was crucified upside down, thus bringing his extraordinary life to an end.

Excerpted from “On the Life of Peter” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you have experienced up to a certain day, you will feel that the more normal God’s incarnation, humanity, all that He has and what He reveals, the greater our salvation, and the more normal they are, the more they are what we need. If God’s incarnation were supernatural, then even though we on earth may have been chosen and saved by God, not one of us would be able to attain full salvation. It is precisely because of God’s humility and hiddenness, because of the normality and practicality of this seemingly unremarkable God, that mankind has the chance of salvation. Because in people there is disobedience and the essence of corrupt satanic dispositions, all kinds of notions, misunderstandings, and antagonism toward God are produced; it is even the case that, as a result of these notions, people often proudly or self-confidently deny this Christ, and deny His normal humanity—this is a big mistake. If you wish to attain full salvation, if you wish to receive God’s salvation, and the judgment and chastisement of God, you must first put aside your various notions and erroneous definitions about Christ and His normal humanity, you must put aside your various insights and opinions about Christ, and you must think of a way to accept all that comes from Him. Only then will the words He speaks and the truths He expresses gradually find entry into your heart and become your life. If you wish to follow Him, you should accept all that is associated with Him; you ought not to stand against Him, using your notions to always misunderstand Him, and you ought not to cling to your own notions and constantly misunderstand and doubt Him, or even resist and oppose Him. With such an attitude, you can only hurt yourself; it is not of the slightest benefit to you.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In your words and behavior are revealed elements of your unbelief in Christ. Unbelief pervades the motives and objectives of all you do. Even the character of your gaze contains the unbelief in Christ. It can be said that minute by minute, each of you harbors the elements of unbelief. This means that, at every moment, you are in danger of betraying Christ, for the blood that runs through your body is infused with unbelief in the incarnate God. Therefore, I say that the footprints you leave on the path of faith in God are not real; as you walk the path of faith in God, you do not plant your feet firmly upon the ground—you are merely going through the motions. You never fully believe the word of Christ and are incapable of immediately putting it into practice. This is the reason you do not have faith in Christ. Always having notions about Him is another reason you do not have faith in Him. Forever being skeptical about the work of Christ, letting the word of Christ fall on deaf ears, having an opinion on whatever work is done by Christ and not being able to correctly understand this work, struggling to put aside your notions no matter what explanation you receive, and so on—these are all the elements of unbelief mingled within your hearts. Though you follow the work of Christ and never fall behind, there is too much rebellion mixed in your hearts. This rebellion is an impurity in your belief in God. Perhaps you do not think this is the case, but if you are incapable of recognizing your intentions from within this, then you are bound to be among those who perish, for God perfects only those who truly believe in Him, not those who are skeptical of Him, and least of all those who reluctantly follow Him despite never having believed that He is God.

Some people do not rejoice in the truth, much less judgment. Instead, they rejoice in power and riches; such people are called power seekers. They search only for those denominations in the world with influence, and they search only for pastors and teachers that come from seminaries. Though they have accepted the way of truth, they are only half-believing; they are incapable of giving all of their hearts and minds, their mouths speak of expending themselves for God, but their eyes are focused on the great pastors and teachers, and they do not spare Christ a second glance. Their hearts are fixated upon fame, fortune, and glory. They think it out of the question that such a meager person could be capable of conquering so many, that one so unremarkable could perfect man. They think it out of the question that these nobodies among the dust and dunghills are the people chosen by God. They believe that if such people were the objects of God’s salvation, then heaven and earth would be turned upside down, and all people would laugh themselves silly. They believe that if God chose such nobodies to be perfected, then those great men would become God Himself. Their perspectives are tainted with unbelief; more than not believing, they are simply preposterous beasts. For they value only status, prestige, and power, and they esteem only large groups and denominations. They have not the slightest regard for those led by Christ; they are simply traitors who have turned their backs on Christ, on truth, and on life.

What you admire is not the humility of Christ, but those false shepherds of prominent standing. You do not adore the loveliness or wisdom of Christ, but those libertines who wallow in the filth of the world. You laugh at the pain of Christ who has no place to lay His head, but you admire those corpses that hunt for offerings and live in debauchery. You are not willing to suffer alongside Christ, but you gladly throw yourself into the arms of those reckless antichrists, though they only supply you with flesh, words, and control. Even now, your heart still turns toward them, toward their reputation, toward their status, toward their influence. And yet you continue to hold an attitude whereby you find the work of Christ hard to swallow and you are unwilling to accept it. This is why I say that you lack the faith to acknowledge Christ. The reason you have followed Him to this day is only because you had no other option. A series of lofty images are forever towering in your heart; you cannot forget their every word and deed, nor their influential words and hands. They are, in your heart, forever supreme and forever heroes. But this is not so for the Christ of today. He is forever insignificant in your heart, and forever undeserving of reverence. For He is far too ordinary, has far too little influence, and is far from lofty.

In any case, I say that all those who do not value the truth are nonbelievers and traitors to the truth. Such men shall never receive the approval of Christ. Have you now identified how much unbelief is within you, and how much betrayal of Christ you have? I exhort you thus: Since you have chosen the way of truth, then you should devote yourself wholeheartedly; do not be ambivalent or half-hearted. You should understand that God does not belong to the world nor any one person, but to all those who truly believe in Him, all those who worship Him, and all those who are devoted and faithful to Him.

Excerpted from “Are You a True Believer in God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You long for God to delight in you, yet you are far from God. What is the matter here? You accept only His words, but not His dealing or His pruning, much less are you able to accept His every arrangement, to have complete faith in Him. What, then, is the matter here? In the final analysis, your faith is an empty eggshell, one that could never produce a chick. For your faith has not brought you the truth or given you the life, but has instead given you an illusory sense of sustenance and hope. It is this sense of sustenance and hope that is your aim in believing in God, not the truth and the life. Thus do I say that the course of your faith in God has been none other than trying to curry the favor of God through servility and shamelessness, and can in no way be deemed true faith. How could a chick be born of faith such as this? In other words, what can faith such as this accomplish? The purpose of your faith in God is to use Him to achieve your own aims. Is this not further a fact of your offense against the disposition of God? You believe in the existence of the God in heaven and deny that of the God on earth, yet I do not recognize your views; I commend only those people who keep their feet on the ground and serve the God on earth, but never those who never acknowledge the Christ who is on earth. No matter how loyal such people are to the God in heaven, in the end they will not escape My hand that punishes the wicked. These people are the wicked; they are the evil ones who oppose God and have never gladly obeyed Christ. Of course, their number includes all those who do not know and, further, do not acknowledge Christ. Do you believe that you can act as you please toward Christ as long as you are loyal to the God in heaven? Wrong! Your ignorance of Christ is ignorance of the God in heaven. No matter how loyal you are to the God in heaven, it is merely empty talk and pretense, for the God on earth is not only instrumental in man receiving the truth and more profound knowledge, but more than that is instrumental in the condemnation of man and afterward in seizing the facts to punish the wicked. Have you understood the beneficial and harmful outcomes here? Have you experienced them? I wish for you one day soon to understand this truth: To know God, you must know not only the God in heaven but, even more importantly, the God on earth. Do not get your priorities confused or allow the secondary to supersede the principal. Only in this way can you truly build a good relationship with God, become closer to God, and bring your heart closer to Him. If you have been of the faith for many years and have long associated with Me, yet remain distant from Me, then I say it must be that you often offend the disposition of God, and your end will be very difficult to reckon. If the many years of association with Me have not only failed to change you into a person possessed of humanity and the truth, but, moreover, have ingrained your evil ways into your nature, and you not only have twice as much arrogance as before, but your misunderstandings of Me have also multiplied, such that you come to regard Me as your little sidekick, then I say that your affliction is no longer skin deep but has penetrated to your very bones. All that remains is for you to wait for your funeral arrangements to be made. You need not beseech Me then to be your God, for you have committed a sin deserving of death, an unforgivable sin. Even if I could have mercy on you, the God in heaven will insist on taking your life, for your offense against the disposition of God is no ordinary problem, but one of a very grave nature. When the time comes, do not blame Me for not telling you beforehand. It all comes back to this: When you associate with Christ—the God on earth—as an ordinary person, that is, when you believe that this God is nothing but a person, it is then that you shall perish. This is My only admonishment to you all.

Excerpted from “How to Know the God on Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who wish to gain life without relying on the truth spoken by Christ are the most ridiculous people on earth, and those who do not accept the way of life brought by Christ are lost in fantasy. And so I say that those who do not accept Christ of the last days shall forever be loathed by God. Christ is man’s gateway to the kingdom during the last days, and there are none who can go around Him. None may be perfected by God except through Christ. You believe in God, and so you must accept His words and obey His way. You cannot only think of gaining blessings while being incapable of receiving the truth and incapable of accepting the provision of life. Christ comes during the last days so that all those who truly believe in Him may be provided with life. His work is for the sake of concluding the old age and entering the new one, and His work is the path that must be taken by all those who would enter the new age. If you are incapable of acknowledging Him, and instead condemn, blaspheme, or even persecute Him, then you are bound to burn for eternity and shall never enter the kingdom of God. For this Christ is Himself the expression of the Holy Spirit, the expression of God, the One whom God has entrusted to do His work on earth. And so I say that if you cannot accept all that is done by Christ of the last days, then you blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The retribution to be had by those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit is self-evident to all. I also tell you that if you resist Christ of the last days, if you spurn Christ of the last days, there will be no one else to bear the consequences on your behalf. Furthermore, from this day onward you will not have another chance to gain the approval of God; even if you try to redeem yourself, you will never again behold the face of God. For what you resist is not a man, what you spurn is not some puny being, but Christ. Do you know what the consequences of this will be? You will not have made a small mistake, but committed a heinous crime. And so I advise everyone not to bare your fangs before the truth, or make careless criticisms, for only the truth can bring you life, and nothing except the truth can allow you to be reborn and behold the face of God again.

Excerpted from “Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

37. The Principles of Standing Firm in One’s Testimony

(1) It is necessary to focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, to have genuine knowledge of God’s work, and to have vision as a foundation. Only thus will one have true faith when facing trials and tribulations;

(2) Only with the faith of Job can one endure the suffering of trials, preferring to be cursed oneself rather than to blame and betray God;

(3) When faced with trials and tribulations, one must be quiet before God, seek the guidance of His words, and learn to rely on Him. Only then can one stand firm;

(4) No matter how Satan deceives you, tempts you, or persecutes you, if you are able to pray to God and give up your life, you will be capable of submission and loyalty to God.

Relevant Words of God:

Belief in God requires obedience to Him and experience of His work. God has done so much work—it could be said that for people it is all perfection, refinement, and even more, chastisement. There has not been a single step of God’s work that has been in line with human notions; what people have enjoyed is God’s stern words. When God comes, people should enjoy His majesty and His wrath. However, no matter how stern His words may be, He comes to save and perfect mankind. As creatures, people should fulfill the duties that they ought to, and stand witness for God in the midst of refinement. In every trial they should uphold the witness that they should bear, and do so resoundingly for the sake of God. A person who does this is an overcomer. No matter how God refines you, you remain full of confidence and never lose confidence in Him. You do what man should do. This is what God requires of man, and man’s heart should be able to fully return to Him and turn toward Him in every passing moment. This is an overcomer. Those whom God refers to as “overcomers” are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an “overcomer.” If your pursuit is excellent when God blesses you, but you retreat without His blessings, is this purity? Since you are certain that this way is true, you must follow it until the end; you must maintain your devotion to God. Since you have seen that God Himself has come to the earth to perfect you, you should give your heart entirely to Him. If you can still follow Him no matter what He does, even if He determines an unfavorable outcome for you at the very end, this is maintaining your purity in front of God. Offering a holy spiritual body and a pure virgin to God means keeping a sincere heart in front of God. For mankind, sincerity is purity, and the ability to be sincere toward God is maintaining purity. This is what you should put into practice. When you ought to pray, you pray; when you ought to gather together in fellowship, you do so; when you ought to sing hymns, you sing hymns; and when you ought to forsake the flesh, you forsake the flesh. When you perform your duty, you do not muddle through it; when you are faced with trials you stand firm. This is devotion to God. If you do not uphold what people should do, then all of your previous suffering and resolutions have been futile.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Bearing a resounding witness for God primarily relates to whether or not you have an understanding of the practical God, and to whether or not you are able to submit before this person who is not only ordinary, but normal, and submit even unto death. If, by way of this submission, you truly bear witness for God, that means you have been obtained by God. If you can submit unto death and, before Him, be free of complaints, not make judgments, not slander, not have any notions, and not have any ulterior motives, then in this way God will gain glory. Submission before a regular person who is looked down upon by man, and being able to submit unto death without any notions—this is true testimony. The reality that God requires people to enter into is that you are able to obey His words, put them into practice, bow down in front of the practical God and know your own corruption, open up your heart in front of Him, and, ultimately, be gained by Him through these words of His. God gains glory when these utterances conquer you and make you fully obedient to Him; through this, He shames Satan and completes His work. When you do not have any notions about the practicality of God incarnate—that is, when you have stood firm in this trial—then you have borne this witness well. If there comes a day when you have a full understanding of the practical God and can submit unto death like Peter did, then you will be gained and perfected by God. Anything God does that is not in line with your notions is a trial for you. If God’s work were in line with your notions, it would not require you to suffer or be refined. It is because His work is so practical and not in line with your notions that it requires you to let go of such notions. This is why it is a trial for you. It is because of God’s practicality that all people are in the midst of trials; His work is practical, not supernatural. By fully understanding His practical words and His practical utterances without any notions, and being able to genuinely love Him as His work grows ever more practical, you will be gained by Him. The group of people whom God will gain are those who know God; that is, those who know His practicality. Furthermore, they are those who are able to submit to God’s practical work.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The last step of testimony is testimony of whether or not you are able to be made perfect—which is to say, having understood all of the words spoken from the mouth of God incarnate, you come to possess knowledge of God and become certain about Him, you live out all the words from God’s mouth, and achieve the conditions God asks of you—the style of Peter and faith of Job—such that you can obey unto death, give yourself over entirely to Him, and ultimately achieve an image of a person that is up to standard, which means the image of someone who has been conquered and made perfect after experiencing God’s judgment and chastisement. This is the ultimate testimony—it is the testimony that ought to be borne by one who is ultimately made perfect. These are the two steps of testimony you should bear, and they are interrelated, each indispensable. But there is one thing you must know: The testimony I require of you today is not directed at the people of the world, nor any single individual, but at that which I ask of you. It is measured by whether you are able to satisfy Me, and whether you are able to completely meet the standards of My requirements of each one of you. This is what you should understand.

Excerpted from “Practice (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does it mean to stand firm in one’s testimony? Some people say they just follow as they do now and do not concern themselves with whether they are capable of gaining life; they do not pursue life, but they do not withdraw, either. They acknowledge only that this stage of work is carried out by God. Is this not failing in their testimony? Such people do not even bear testimony of being conquered. Those who have been conquered follow regardless of all else and are able to pursue life. They not only believe in the practical God, but also know to follow all of God’s arrangements. Such are those who bear testimony. Those who do not bear testimony have never pursued life and are still following by muddling along. You may follow, but this does not mean you have been conquered, for you have no understanding of God’s work today. Certain conditions must be met in order to be conquered. Not all who follow have been conquered, for in your heart you understand nothing of why you must follow the God of today, nor do you know how you have made it to today, who has supported you up until today. Some people’s practice of faith in God is always muddle-headed and confused; thus, following does not necessarily mean you have testimony. What is exactly true testimony? The testimony spoken of here has two parts: One is testimony of having been conquered, and the other is testimony of having been made perfect (which, naturally, will be the testimony following the greater trials and the tribulations of the future). In other words, if you are able to stand firm during tribulations and trials, then you will have borne the second step of testimony. What is crucial today is the first step of testimony: being able to stand firm during every instance of the trials of chastisement and judgment. This is testimony of being conquered. That is because now is the time of conquest. (You should know that now is the time of God’s work on earth; the incarnate God’s main work on earth is conquering this group of people on earth who follow Him through judgment and chastisement.) Whether or not you are capable of bearing testimony of being conquered not only depends on whether you are able to follow to the very end, but, more importantly, on whether, as you experience each step of God’s work, you are capable of the true understanding of God’s chastisement and judgment, and on whether you truly perceive all of this work. You will not be able to slip through by merely following to the very end. You must be able to willingly surrender during every instance of chastisement and judgment, must be capable of truly understanding each step of work you experience, and must be able to attain knowledge of, and obedience to God’s disposition. This is the ultimate testimony of being conquered, which you are required to bear. Testimony of being conquered primarily refers to your knowledge of the incarnation of God. Crucially, this step of testimony is to the incarnation of God. It matters not what you do or say before the people of the world or those who wield power; what matters above all is whether you are able to obey all of the words from God’s mouth and all of His work. Therefore, this step of testimony is directed at Satan and all enemies of God—the demons and hostiles who do not believe that God will become flesh a second time and come to do even greater work, and furthermore, do not believe in the fact of God’s return to the flesh. In other words, it is directed at all the antichrists—all the enemies who do not believe in the incarnation of God.

Excerpted from “Practice (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You undergo the trials of Job, and at the same time you undergo the trials of Peter. When Job was tested, he stood witness, and in the end, Jehovah was revealed to him. Only after he stood witness was he worthy of seeing the face of God. Why is it said: “I hide from the land of filth but show Myself to the holy kingdom”? That means that only when you are holy and stand witness can you have the dignity to see the face of God. If you cannot stand witness for Him, you do not have the dignity to see His face. If you retreat or make complaints against God in the face of refinements, thus failing to stand witness for Him and becoming Satan’s laughing stock, then you will not gain the appearance of God. If you are like Job, who in the midst of trials cursed his own flesh and did not complain against God, and was able to detest his own flesh without complaining or sinning through his words, then you will be standing witness. When you undergo refinements to a certain degree and can still be like Job, utterly obedient in front of God and without other requirements of Him or your own notions, then God will appear to you. Now God does not appear to you because you have so many of your own notions, personal prejudices, selfish thoughts, individual requirements and fleshly interests, and you are not worthy of seeing His face. Were you to see God, you would measure Him through your own notions and, in so doing, He would be nailed to the cross by you. If many things come upon you that do not align with your notions but yet you are able to put them aside and gain knowledge of God’s actions from these things, and if in the midst of refinements you reveal your heart of love for God, then this is standing witness.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job’s faith, obedience, and his testimony to overcoming Satan have been a source of huge help and encouragement to people. In Job, they see hope for their own salvation, and see that through faith, and obedience to and fear of God, it is entirely possible to defeat Satan, to prevail over Satan. They see that as long as they acquiesce to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and as long as they possess the determination and faith not to forsake God after having lost everything, then they can bring shame and defeat upon Satan, and they see that they need only possess the determination and perseverance to stand firm in their testimony—even if it means losing their lives—for Satan to be cowed and beat a hasty retreat. Job’s testimony is a warning to later generations, and this warning tells them that if they do not defeat Satan, then they will never be able to rid themselves of the accusations and interference of Satan, nor will they ever be able to escape the abuse and attacks of Satan. Job’s testimony has enlightened later generations. This enlightenment teaches people that only if they are perfect and upright will they be able to fear God and shun evil; it teaches them that only if they fear God and shun evil can they bear strong and resounding testimony to God; only if they bear strong and resounding testimony to God can they never be controlled by Satan and live under the guidance and protection of God—only then will they have been truly saved. Job’s personality and his life’s pursuit should be emulated by everyone who pursues salvation. That which he lived out during his whole life and his conduct during his trials is a precious treasure to all those who pursue the way of fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Without the words of God as your reality, you have no real stature. When the time comes to be tried, you will certainly fall, and then your true stature will be revealed. But those who regularly seek to enter into reality shall, when beset by trials, come to understand the purpose of God’s work. One who is possessed of conscience, and who thirsts for God, should take practical action to repay God for His love. Those who are not possessed of reality cannot stand firm in the face of even trivial matters. Such is the difference between those with real stature and those without. Why is it that, though they both eat and drink the words of God, some are able to stand firm amid trials, while others flee? The obvious difference is that some lack real stature; they do not have the words of God to serve as their reality, and His words have not taken root within them. As soon as they are tried, they reach the end of their path. Why is it, then, that some are able to stand firm amid trials? It is because they understand the truth and have a vision, and they understand God’s will and His requirements, and thus they are able to stand firm through trials. This is real stature, and this, too, is life. Some may also read the words of God, but do not put them into practice, do not take them seriously; those who do not take them seriously place no importance on practice. Those who do not have the words of God to serve as their reality are without real stature, and such people cannot stand firm through trials.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men and the interference of men. Behind every step of work that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle. For example, if you are prejudiced toward your brothers and sisters, you will have words that you want to say—words that you feel may be displeasing to God—but if you do not say them, you will feel internal discomfort, and at this moment, a battle will commence within you: “Do I speak or not?” This is the battle. Thus, in everything you encounter there is a battle, and when there is a battle within you, thanks to your actual cooperation and actual suffering, God works within you. Ultimately, you are able to put the matter aside inside of you and the anger is naturally extinguished. Such is the effect of your cooperation with God. Everything people do requires them to pay a certain price in their efforts. Without actual hardship, they cannot satisfy God; they do not even come close to satisfying God, and they are just spouting empty slogans! Can these empty slogans satisfy God? When God and Satan do battle in the spiritual realm, how should you satisfy God, and how should you stand firm in your testimony to Him? You should know that everything that happens to you is a great trial and the time when God needs you to bear testimony. Though they may seem unimportant from the outside, when these things happen they show whether or not you love God. If you do, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony to Him, and if you have not put the love of Him into practice, this shows you are not someone who puts the truth into practice, that you are without the truth, and without life, that you are chaff! Everything that happens to people happens when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Though nothing major is happening to you at the moment and you do not bear great testimony, every detail of your daily life is a matter of testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony. Although you have no insight and your caliber is poor, through God’s perfection of you, you are able to satisfy Him and be mindful of His will, showing others what great work He has done in people of the poorest caliber. When people come to know God and become overcomers before Satan, loyal to God to a great extent, then none has more backbone than this group of people, and this is the greatest testimony. Although you are incapable of doing great work, you are able to satisfy God. Others cannot put aside their notions, but you can; others cannot bear testimony to God during their actual experiences, but you can use your actual stature and actions to repay God’s love and bear resounding testimony to Him. Only this counts as actually loving God. If you are incapable of this, then you do not bear testimony among your family members, among your brothers and sisters, or before the people of the world. If you cannot bear testimony before Satan, Satan will laugh at you, it will treat you as a joke, as a plaything, it will often make a fool of you and drive you insane. In the future, great trials may befall you—but today, if you love God with a true heart, and if, regardless of how great the trials ahead, irrespective of what happens to you, you are able to stand firm in your testimony and are able to satisfy God, then your heart will be comforted, and you will be unafraid no matter how great the trials you encounter in the future. You cannot see what will happen in the future; you can only satisfy God in today’s circumstances. You are incapable of doing any great work and should focus on satisfying God by experiencing His words in real life, and bear strong and resounding testimony that brings shame upon Satan. Although your flesh will remain unsatisfied and will have suffered, you will have satisfied God and brought shame upon Satan. If you always practice in this way, God will open up a path before you. When, one day, a great trial comes, others will fall down, but you will still be able to stand firm: Because of the price you have paid, God will protect you so you can stand firm and not fall down. If, ordinarily, you are able to put the truth into practice and satisfy God with a heart that truly loves Him, then God will surely protect you during future trials. Though you are foolish and of little stature and poor caliber, God will not discriminate against you. It depends on whether your intentions are right. Today, you are able to satisfy God, in which you are attentive to the smallest detail, you satisfy God in all things, you have a heart that truly loves God, you give your true heart to God, and although there are some things that you cannot understand, you can come before God to rectify your intentions and seek God’s will, and you do everything needed to satisfy God. Perhaps your brothers and sisters will abandon you, but your heart will be satisfying God, and you will not covet the pleasures of the flesh. If you always practice in this way, you will be protected when great trials come upon you.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For every step of God’s work, there is a way that people should cooperate. God refines people so that they have confidence as they undergo refinements. God perfects people so that they have confidence to be perfected by God and are willing to accept His refinements and to be dealt with and pruned by God. The Spirit of God works within people to bring them enlightenment and illumination, and to have them cooperate with Him and practice. God does not speak during refinements. He does not utter His voice, but still, there is work that people should do. You should uphold what you already have, you should still be able to pray to God, be close to God, and stand witness before God; in this way you will fulfill your own duty. All of you should see clearly from God’s work that His trials of people’s confidence and love require that they pray more to God, and that they more often savor God’s words before Him. If God enlightens you and has you understand His will, and yet you do not put any of this into practice, you will gain nothing. When you put God’s words into practice, you should still be able to pray to Him, and when you savor His words you should come before Him and seek and be full of confidence in Him, with no trace of feeling disheartened or cold. Those who do not put God’s words into practice are full of energy during gatherings, but fall into darkness when they return home. There are some who do not even want to gather together. So, you must clearly see what duty it is that people should fulfill. You may not know what God’s will actually is, but you can perform your duty, you can pray when you should, you can put the truth into practice when you should, and you can do what people ought to do. You can uphold your original vision. In this way, you will be more able to accept God’s next step of work. When God works in a hidden way, it is a problem if you do not seek. When He speaks and preaches during assemblies, you listen with enthusiasm, but when He does not speak you lack energy and draw back. What kind of person acts in this way? This is someone who just follows wherever the herd goes. They have no stance, no testimony, and no vision! Most people are like this. If you continue on that way, one day when you come upon a great trial, you will fall into punishment. Having a stance is very important in God’s process of perfecting people. If you do not doubt a single step of God’s work, if you fulfill man’s duty, if you sincerely uphold what God has you put into practice, that is, you remember God’s exhortations, and no matter what He does in the present day you do not forget His exhortations, if you have no doubt about His work, maintain your stance, uphold your testimony, and are victorious every step of the way, then in the end you will be perfected by God and be made into an overcomer. If you are able to stand firm through every step of God’s trials, and if you can still stand firm at the very end, then you are an overcomer, you are someone who has been perfected by God.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When he was being chastised by God, Peter prayed, “O God! My flesh is disobedient, and You chastise me and judge me. I rejoice in Your chastisement and judgment, and even if You do not want me, in Your judgment I behold Your holy and righteous disposition. When You judge me, so that others may behold Your righteous disposition in Your judgment, I feel content. If it can express Your disposition and allow Your righteous disposition to be seen by all creatures, and if it can make my love for You more pure, that I can attain the likeness of one who is righteous, then Your judgment is good, for such is Your gracious will. I know that there is still much in me that is rebellious, and that I am still not fit to come before You. I wish for You to judge me even more, whether through a hostile environment or great tribulations; no matter what You do, to me it is precious. Your love is so profound, and I am willing to lay myself at Your mercy without the slightest complaint.” This is Peter’s knowledge after he experienced the work of God, and it is also a testimony to his love of God. … Near the end of his life, after he had been made perfect, Peter said, “O God! If I were to live a few more years, I would wish to achieve a purer and deeper love of You.” When he was about to be nailed to the cross, in his heart he prayed, “O God! Your time has now arrived; the time You prepared for me has arrived. I must be crucified for You, I must bear this testimony to You, and I hope that my love can satisfy Your requirements, and that it can become purer. Today, to be able to die for You, and be nailed to the cross for You, is comforting and reassuring to me, for nothing is more gratifying to me than to be able to be crucified for You and satisfy Your wishes, and to be able to give myself to You, to offer up my life to You. O God! You are so lovely! Were You to allow me to live, I would be even more willing to love You. As long as I am alive, I will love You. I wish to love You more deeply. You judge me, and chastise me, and try me because I am not righteous, because I have sinned. And Your righteous disposition becomes more apparent to me. This is a blessing to me, for I am able to love You more deeply, and I am willing to love You in this way even if You do not love me. I am willing to behold Your righteous disposition, for this makes me more able to live out a life of meaning. I feel that my life now is more meaningful, for I am crucified for Your sake, and it is meaningful to die for You. Yet still I do not feel satisfied, for I know too little of You, I know that I cannot completely fulfill Your wishes, and have repaid You too little. In my life, I have been incapable of returning my entirety to You; I am far from that. As I look back at this moment, I feel so indebted to You, and I have but this moment to make up for all of my mistakes and all the love that I have not repaid You.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, you should be aware of how to be conquered, and of how people conduct themselves after they have been conquered. You may say you have been conquered, but can you obey unto death? You must be able to follow to the very end regardless of whether there are any prospects, and you must not lose faith in God regardless of the environment. Ultimately, you must achieve two aspects of testimony: the testimony of Job—obedience unto death; and the testimony of Peter—the supreme love of God. In one respect, you must be like Job: He lost all material possessions, and was beset by the pain of the flesh, yet he did not forsake the name of Jehovah. This was Job’s testimony. Peter was able to love God unto death. When he was put on the cross and faced his death, he still loved God; he did not think of his own prospects or pursue beautiful hopes or extravagant thoughts, and he sought only to love God and to obey all of God’s arrangements. Such is the standard you must achieve before you can be considered to have borne testimony, before you become someone who has been made perfect after having been conquered.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

38. The Principles of Choosing a Path in One’s Faith

(1) It is necessary to seek to submit to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to attain the work of the Holy Spirit, and to practice and experience God’s words. Only thus can one set foot upon the right track of believing in God;

(2) It is necessary to know that Christ alone is the truth, the way, and the life. Follow Christ alone; it is never in error to practice according to His words;

(3) It is necessary to emulate Peter by engaging in frequent self-reflection and working toward self-knowledge, seeking to love God with one’s heart, and requiting God’s love by means of practical action;

(4) It is necessary to gain an accurate grasp of God’s will in accordance with His current words, and to seek to understand the truth and come to know God. Only thus can one follow the way of God.

Relevant Words of God:

Most people believe in God for the sake of their future destination, or for temporary enjoyment. For those who have not undergone any dealing, they believe in God in order to enter into heaven, in order to gain rewards. They do not believe in God in order to be made perfect, or to perform the duty of a creature of God. Which is to say that most people do not believe in God in order to fulfill their responsibilities, or to complete their duty. Rarely do people believe in God in order to lead meaningful lives, nor are there those who believe that, since man is alive, he should love God because it is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth to do so, and is the natural vocation of man. In this way, although different people each pursue their own goals, the aim of their pursuit and the motivation behind it are all alike, and, what is more, for most of them the objects of their worship are much the same. Over the last several thousand years, many believers have died, and many have died and been born again. It is not just one or two people who seek after God, nor even one or two thousand, yet most of these people pursue for the sake of their own prospects or their glorious hopes for the future. Those who are devoted to Christ are few and far between. Many devout believers have still died ensnared in their own nets, and the number of people who have been victorious, moreover, is pifflingly small. To this day, the reasons why people fail, or the secrets of their victory, are still unknown to them. Those who are obsessed with seeking after Christ have still not had their moment of sudden insight, they have not gotten to the bottom of these mysteries, because they simply do not know. Though they make painstaking efforts in their pursuit, the path they walk is the path of failure once walked by their predecessors, and not the path of success. In this way, regardless of how they seek, do they not walk the path that leads to darkness? Is what they gain not bitter fruit? It is hard enough to predict whether the people who emulate those who succeeded in times past will ultimately come to fortune or calamity. How much worse are the odds, then, for the people who seek by following in the footsteps of those who failed? Do they not stand an even greater chance of failure? What value is there to the path they walk? Are they not wasting their time? Irrespective of whether people succeed or fail in their pursuit, there is, in short, a reason why they do so, and it is not the case that their success or failure is determined by seeking however they please.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The most fundamental requirement of man’s belief in God is that he have an honest heart, and that he fully devote himself, and truly obey. What is hardest for man is to provide his whole life in exchange for true belief, through which he can gain the entire truth, and fulfill his duty as a creature of God. This is what is unattainable by those who fail, and it is even more unattainable by those who cannot find Christ. Because man is not good at wholly devoting himself to God, because man is not willing to perform his duty to the Creator, because man has seen the truth but avoids it and walks his own path, because man always seeks by following the path of those who have failed, because man always defies Heaven, thus, man always fails, is always taken in by Satan’s trickery, and is ensnared in his own net. Because man does not know Christ, because man is not adept at understanding and experiencing the truth, because man is too worshipful of Paul and too covetous of heaven, because man is always demanding that Christ obey him and ordering God about, thus those great figures and those who have experienced the vicissitudes of the world are still mortal, and still die amid God’s chastisement. All I can say of such people is that they die a tragic death, and that the consequence for them—their death—is not without justification. Is their failure not even more intolerable to the law of Heaven? The truth comes from the world of man, yet the truth among man is passed on by Christ. It originates from Christ, that is, from God Himself, and this is not something man is capable of. Yet Christ provides only the truth; He does not come to decide whether man will be successful in his pursuit of the truth. Thus it follows that success or failure in the truth is all down to man’s pursuit. Man’s success or failure in the truth has never had anything to do with Christ, but is instead determined by his pursuit. Man’s destination and his success or failure cannot be heaped upon the head of God, so that God Himself is made to bear it, because this is not a matter for God Himself, but is directly related to the duty that the creatures of God should perform. Most people do have a little knowledge of the pursuit and destination of Paul and Peter, yet people know nothing more than the outcomes of Peter and Paul, and are ignorant of the secret behind Peter’s success, or the deficiencies that led to Paul’s failure. And so, if you are completely incapable of seeing through to the essence of their pursuit, then the pursuit of most of you will still fail, and even if a small number of you will be successful, still they will not be the equal of Peter. If the path of your pursuit is the right one, then you have a hope of success; if the path you tread in pursuit of the truth is the wrong one, then you will forever be incapable of success, and will meet the same end as Paul.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Peter was a man who was made perfect. Only after experiencing chastisement and judgment, and thus gaining a pure love for God, was he fully made perfect; the path he walked was the path of being made perfect. Which is to say that, from the very beginning, the path that Peter walked was the right one, and his motivation for believing in God was the right one, and so he became someone who was made perfect and he trod a new path that man had never walked upon before. However, the path that Paul had walked upon since the beginning was the path of opposition to Christ, and it was only because the Holy Spirit wished to use him, and to take advantage of his gifts and all his merits for His work, that he worked for Christ for several decades. He was merely someone who was used by the Holy Spirit, and he was not used because Jesus looked favorably upon his humanity, but because of his gifts. He was able to work for Jesus because he was struck down, not because he was happy to do so. He was able to do such work because of the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the work he did by no means represented his pursuit, or his humanity. The work of Paul represented the work of a servant, which is to say that he did the work of an apostle. Peter, though, was different: He also did some work; it was not as great as the work of Paul, but he worked whilst pursuing his own entry, and his work was different from the work of Paul. Peter’s work was the performance of the duty of a creature of God. He did not work in the role of an apostle, but worked whilst pursuing the love for God. The course of Paul’s work also contained his personal pursuit: His pursuit was for the sake of nothing more than his hopes for the future, and his desire for a good destination. He did not accept refinement during his work, nor did he accept pruning and dealing. He believed that as long as the work he did satisfied God’s desire, and all that he did was pleasing to God, then a reward ultimately awaited him. There were no personal experiences in his work—it was all for its own sake, and not carried out amid the pursuit of change. Everything in his work was a transaction, it contained none of the duty or submission of a creature of God. During the course of his work, there occurred no change in Paul’s old disposition. His work was merely of service to others, and was incapable of bringing about changes in his disposition. Paul carried out his work directly, without having been made perfect or dealt with, and he was motivated by reward. Peter was different: He was someone who had undergone pruning and dealing and had undergone refinement. The aim and motivation of the work of Peter were fundamentally different to those of Paul. Although Peter did not do a large amount of work, his disposition underwent many changes, and what he sought was the truth, and real change. His work was not carried out simply for the sake of the work itself. Although Paul did much work, it was all the work of the Holy Spirit, and even though Paul cooperated in this work, he did not experience it. That Peter did much less work was only because the Holy Spirit did not do that much work through him. The quantity of their work did not determine whether they were made perfect; the pursuit of one was in order to receive rewards, and that of the other was in order to achieve an ultimate love for God, and fulfill his duty as a creature of God, to the extent that he could live out a lovely image in order to satisfy God’s desire. Externally they were different, and so too were their essences different. You cannot determine who of them was made perfect based on how much work they did. Peter sought to live out the image of one who loves God, to be someone who obeyed God, to be someone who accepted dealing and pruning, and to be someone who fulfilled his duty as a creature of God. He was able to devote himself to God, to put the entirety of himself in the hands of God, and obey Him until death. That was what he resolved to do and, moreover, that was what he achieved. This is the fundamental reason why finally his end was different to that of Paul. The work that the Holy Spirit did in Peter was to make him perfect, and the work that the Holy Spirit did in Paul was to use him. That is because their natures and their views toward pursuit were not the same. Both had the work of the Holy Spirit. Peter applied this work to himself, and also provided it to others; Paul, meanwhile, only provided the entirety of the work of the Holy Spirit to others, and gained nothing from it himself. In this way, after he had experienced the work of the Holy Spirit for so many years, the changes in Paul were close to non-existent. He still remained almost in his natural state, and he was still the Paul of before. It was merely that after enduring the hardship of many years of work, he had learned how to “work,” and had learned endurance, but his old nature—his highly competitive and mercenary nature—still remained. After working for so many years, he did not know his corrupt disposition, nor had he rid himself of his old disposition, and it was still clearly visible in his work. In him there was merely more work experience, but such little experience alone was incapable of changing him and could not alter his views about existence or the significance of his pursuit. Though he worked many years for Christ, and never again persecuted the Lord Jesus, in his heart there was no change in his knowledge of God. This means that he did not work in order to devote himself to God, but rather he was compelled to work for the sake of his future destination. For, in the beginning, he persecuted Christ, and did not submit to Christ; he was inherently a rebel who deliberately opposed Christ, and someone who had no knowledge of the work of the Holy Spirit. When his work was almost concluded, still he did not know the work of the Holy Spirit, and merely acted of his own accord pursuant to his own character, without paying the slightest attention to the will of the Holy Spirit. And so his nature was in enmity to Christ and did not obey the truth. Someone like this, who had been forsaken by the work of the Holy Spirit, who did not know the work of the Holy Spirit, and who also opposed Christ—how could such a person be saved? Whether or not man can be saved does not depend on how much work he does, or how much he devotes, but is instead determined by whether or not he knows the work of the Holy Spirit, whether or not he can put the truth into practice, and whether or not his views toward pursuit are in conformity with the truth.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Peter was made perfect through experiencing dealing and refinement. He said, “I must satisfy God’s desire at all times. In all that I do I only seek to satisfy God’s desire, and whether I am chastised, or judged, still I am happy to do so.” Peter gave his all to God, and his work, words, and entire life were all for the sake of loving God. He was someone who sought holiness, and the more he experienced, the greater was his love for God deep within his heart. Paul, meanwhile, did only outward work, and though he also worked hard, his labors were for the sake of doing his work properly and thus gaining a reward. Had he known that he would receive no reward, he would have given up his work. What Peter cared about was the true love within his heart, and that which was practical and could be achieved. He did not care about whether he would receive a reward, but about whether his disposition could be changed. Paul cared about working ever harder, he cared about outward work and devotion, and about the doctrines not experienced by normal people. He cared nothing for changes deep within him nor for the true love for God. The experiences of Peter were in order to achieve true love and true knowledge of God. His experiences were in order to gain a closer relationship to God, and to have a practical living out. The work of Paul was done because of that entrusted to him by Jesus, and in order to obtain the things that he longed for, yet these were unrelated to his knowledge of himself and God. His work was solely for the sake of escaping chastisement and judgment. What Peter sought was pure love, and what Paul sought was the crown of righteousness. Peter experienced many years of the work of the Holy Spirit, and had a practical knowledge of Christ, as well as a profound knowledge of himself. And so, his love of God was pure. Many years of refinement had elevated his knowledge of Jesus and life, and his love was an unconditional love, it was a spontaneous love, and he asked for nothing in return, nor did he hope for any benefits. Paul worked for many years, yet he did not possess a great knowledge of Christ, and his knowledge of himself was also pitiably small. He simply had no love for Christ, and his work and the course that he ran were in order to obtain the final laurel. What he sought was the finest crown, not the purest love. He did not seek actively, but passively; he was not performing his duty, but was compelled in his pursuit after having been seized by the work of the Holy Spirit. And so, his pursuit does not prove that he was a qualified creature of God; it was Peter who was a qualified creature of God who performed his duty. Man thinks that all those who make a contribution to God should receive a reward, and that the greater the contribution, the more it is taken for granted that they should receive God’s favor. The essence of man’s viewpoint is transactional, and he does not actively seek to perform his duty as a creature of God. For God, the more that people seek a true love for God and complete obedience to God, which also means seeking to perform their duty as a creature of God, the more they are able to gain God’s approval. God’s viewpoint is to demand that man recover his original duty and status. Man is a creature of God, and so man should not overstep himself by making any demands of God, and should do nothing more than perform his duty as a creature of God. The destinations of Paul and Peter were measured according to whether they could perform their duty as creatures of God, and not according to the size of their contribution; their destinations were determined according to that which they sought from the beginning, not according to how much work they did, or other people’s estimation of them. And so, seeking to actively perform one’s duty as a creature of God is the path to success; seeking the path of the true love for God is the most correct path; seeking changes in one’s old disposition, and seeking the pure love for God, is the path to success. Such a path to success is the path of the recovery of the original duty as well as the original appearance of a creature of God. It is the path of recovery, and it is also the aim of all of God’s work from beginning to end. If the pursuit of man is tainted with personal extravagant demands and irrational longings, then the effect that is achieved will not be changes in man’s disposition. This is at odds with the work of recovery. It is undoubtedly not work done by the Holy Spirit, and so this proves that pursuit of this kind is not approved of by God. What significance has a pursuit that is not approved of by God?

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work done by Paul was exhibited before man, but as for how pure his love for God was and how much He loved God deep down in his heart—these things man cannot see. Man can only behold the work that he did, from which man knows that he was surely used by the Holy Spirit, and so man thinks that Paul was better than Peter, that his work was greater, for he was able to provide to the churches. Peter only looked to his personal experiences and gained but a few people during his occasional work. From him there are but a few little-known epistles, but who knows how great was his love for God deep within his heart? Day in, day out, Paul worked for God: As long as there was work to be done, he did it. He felt that in this way he would be able to gain the crown, and could satisfy God, yet he did not seek ways to change himself through his work. Anything in Peter’s life that did not satisfy God’s desire made him feel uneasy. If it did not satisfy God’s desire, then he would feel remorseful, and would look for a suitable way by which he could strive to satisfy God’s heart. In even the smallest and most inconsequential aspects of his life, still he required himself to satisfy God’s desire. He was no less exacting when it came to his old disposition, ever rigorous in his requirements of himself to progress deeper into the truth. Paul sought only superficial reputation and status. He sought to show himself off before man, and did not seek to make any deeper progress in life entry. What he cared about was doctrine, not reality. Some people say, “Paul did so much work for God, why was he not remembered by God? Peter carried out but a little work for God, and did not make a great contribution to the churches, so why was he made perfect?” Peter loved God to a certain point, which was required by God; only such people as this have testimony. And what of Paul? To what degree did Paul love God? Do you know? What was Paul’s work done for? And what was Peter’s work done for? Peter did not do much work, but do you know what was deep within his heart? The work of Paul pertained to the provision to the churches, and the support of the churches. What Peter experienced were changes in his life disposition; he experienced the love for God. Now that you know the differences in their essences, you can see who, ultimately, truly believed in God, and who did not truly believe in God. One of them truly loved God, and the other did not truly love God; one underwent changes in his disposition, and the other did not; one served humbly, and was not easily noticed by people, and the other was worshiped by people, and was of great image; one sought holiness, and the other did not, and though he was not impure, he was not possessed of a pure love; one was possessed of true humanity, and the other was not; one was possessed of the sense of a creature of God, and the other was not. Such are the differences in the essences of Paul and Peter. The path that Peter walked was the path of success, which was also the path of achieving the recovery of normal humanity and the recovery of the duty of a creature of God. Peter represents all those who are successful. The path walked by Paul was the path of failure, and he represents all those who only submit and expend themselves superficially, and do not genuinely love God. Paul represents all those who do not possess the truth. In his belief in God, Peter sought to satisfy God in everything, and sought to obey all that came from God. Without the slightest complaint, he was able to accept chastisement and judgment, as well as refinement, tribulation and going without in his life, none of which could alter his love for God. Was this not the ultimate love for God? Was this not the fulfillment of the duty of a creature of God? Whether in chastisement, judgment, or tribulation, you are always capable of achieving obedience unto death, and this is what should be achieved by a creature of God, this is the purity of the love for God. If man can achieve this much, then he is a qualified creature of God, and there is nothing which better satisfies the desire of the Creator. Imagine that you are able to work for God, yet you do not obey God, and are incapable of truly loving God. In this way, not only will you not have fulfilled the duty of a creature of God, but you will also be condemned by God, for you are someone who does not possess the truth, who is incapable of obeying God, and who is disobedient to God. You only care about working for God, and do not care about putting the truth into practice or knowing yourself. You do not understand or know the Creator, and do not obey or love the Creator. You are someone who is innately disobedient to God, and so such people are not beloved by the Creator.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When man measures others, he does so according to their contribution. When God measures man, He does so according to man’s nature. Among those who seek life, Paul was someone who did not know his own substance. He was by no means humble or obedient, nor did he know his essence, which was in opposition to God. And so, he was someone who had not undergone detailed experiences, and was someone who did not put the truth into practice. Peter was different. He knew his imperfections, weaknesses, and his corrupt disposition as a creature of God, and so he had a path of practice through which to change his disposition; he was not one of those who only had doctrine but possessed no reality. Those who change are new people who have been saved, they are those who are qualified in pursuing the truth. People who do not change belong to those who are naturally obsolete; they are those who have not been saved, that is, those who are detested and rejected by God. They will not be remembered by God no matter how great their work. When you compare this with your own pursuit, whether you are ultimately the same kind of person as Peter or Paul should be self-evident. If there is still no truth in what you seek, and if even today you are still as arrogant and insolent as Paul, and are still as glib and boastful as him, then you are without doubt a degenerate who fails. If you seek the same as Peter, if you seek practices and true changes, and are not arrogant or willful, but seek to perform your duty, then you will be a creature of God who can achieve victory.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What path are you all walking now? If it is not on the same level as Peter’s in terms of seeking life, understanding yourself, and knowing God, then you are not walking the path of Peter. These days, most people are in this sort of state: “In order to gain blessings, I must expend myself for God and pay a price for Him. In order to gain blessings, I must abandon everything for God; I must complete what He has entrusted me with, and perform my duty well.” This is dominated by the intention to gain blessings, which is an example of expending oneself entirely for the purpose of obtaining rewards from God and gaining a crown. Such people do not have the truth in their hearts, and surely their understanding merely consists of a few words of doctrine which they show off everywhere they go. Theirs is the path of Paul. The faith of such people is an act of constant toil, and deep down they feel that the more they do, the more it will prove their loyalty to God; that the more they do, the more He will certainly be satisfied; and that the more they do, the more they will deserve to be granted a crown before God, and will certainly receive the greatest blessings in His house. They think that if they can endure suffering, preach, and die for Christ, if they can sacrifice their own lives, and if they can complete all of the duties with which God has entrusted them, then they will be among God’s most blessed—those who gain the greatest blessings—and will then be certain to be granted crowns. This is precisely what Paul imagined and what he sought; it is the exact path that he walked, and it was under the guidance of such thoughts that he worked to serve God. Do those thoughts and intentions not originate from a satanic nature? It is just like worldly humans, who believe that while on earth they must pursue knowledge, and that only after obtaining it can they stand out from the crowd, become officials, and have status; they think that once they have status, they can realize their ambitions and bring their homes and businesses up to certain levels. Do not all unbelievers walk this path? Those who are dominated by this satanic nature can only be like Paul in their faith: “I must cast off everything to expend myself for God; I must be faithful before Him, and eventually, I will receive the most magnificent crown and the greatest blessings.” This is the same attitude as that of worldly people who pursue worldly things; they are no different at all, and are subject to the same nature. When people have this sort of satanic nature, out in the world, they will seek to obtain knowledge, status, learning, and to stand out from the crowd; in God’s house, they will seek to expend themselves for God, be faithful, and eventually to obtain crowns and great blessings. If, after becoming believers in God, people do not possess the truth and have not undergone a change in their dispositions, then this is certainly the path they will be on. This is a reality that no one can deny, and it is a path that is diametrically opposed to that of Peter. Which path are you all currently on? Though you may not have planned to take the path of Paul, your nature has ruled that you walk this way, and you are going in that direction in spite of yourself. Though you want to set foot upon the path of Peter, if you are not clear on how to do that, then you will take the path of Paul involuntarily: This is the reality of the situation.

How exactly should one walk the path of Peter these days? If you are unable to distinguish between the paths of Peter and Paul, or if you are not at all familiar with them, then no matter how much you claim to be walking Peter’s path, those are just empty words. You need to first have a clear idea of what the path of Peter is and what the path of Paul is. If you truly understand that Peter’s path is the path of life, and the only path to perfection, only then will you be capable of knowing and grasping the truths and specific ways of taking his path. If you do not understand Peter’s path, then the path you take will definitely be that of Paul, for there will be no other path for you; you will have no choice. People who do not possess the truth and have no resolve will find it difficult to walk the path of Peter. It can be said that God has now revealed to you the path to salvation and perfection. This is God’s grace and elevation, and it is He who guides you onto the path of Peter. Without God’s guidance and enlightenment, no one would be able to take Peter’s path; the only choice would be to go down the path of Paul, following in Paul’s footsteps to destruction. Back then, Paul did not feel it was wrong to walk down that path; he fully believed that it was correct. He did not possess the truth, and he especially did not undergo a change in disposition. He believed too much in himself, and felt that there was not the slightest issue with going that way. He continued onward, full of confidence and with the utmost self-assurance. By the end, he never came to his senses; he still thought that to him to live was Christ. As such, Paul continued down that path to the very end, and by the time he was ultimately punished, it was all over for him. Paul’s path did not involve coming to know himself, much less seeking a change in disposition. He never analyzed his own nature, nor did he gain any knowledge of what he was; he simply knew that he was the chief culprit in the persecution of Jesus. He had not had the slightest understanding of his own nature, and after finishing his work, Paul actually felt that he was Christ and should be rewarded. The work that Paul did was merely service rendered for God. For Paul personally, though he received some revelations from the Holy Spirit, he had no truth or life at all. He was not saved by God; he was punished by God. Why is it said that Peter’s path is the path to perfection? It is because, in Peter’s practice, he placed particular emphasis on life, on seeking to know God, and on knowing himself. Through his experience of God’s work, he came to know himself, gained an understanding of man’s corrupt states, learned of his own shortcomings, and discovered the most valuable thing that people should pursue. He was able to sincerely love God, he learned how to repay God, he gained some truth, and he possessed the reality that God requires. From all the things that Peter said during his trials, it can be seen that he was indeed the one with the most understanding of God. Because he came to understand so much truth from God’s words, his path grew brighter and brighter, and more and more in alignment with God’s will. If Peter had not possessed this truth, then the path he took could not have been so correct.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

All that Peter sought was after God’s heart. He sought to fulfill God’s desire, and regardless of the suffering and adversity, still he was willing to fulfill God’s desire. There is no greater pursuit by a believer in God. What Paul sought was tainted by his own flesh, by his own notions, and by his own plans and schemes. He was by no means a qualified creature of God, was not someone who sought to fulfill God’s desire. Peter sought to submit to God’s orchestrations, and although the work he did was not great, the motivation behind his pursuit and the path that he walked were right; though he was not able to gain many people, he was able to pursue the way of truth. Because of this it can be said that he was a qualified creature of God. Today, even if you are not a worker, you should be able to perform the duty of a creature of God and seek to submit to all of God’s orchestrations. You should be able to obey whatever God says, and experience all manner of tribulations and refinement, and though you are weak, in your heart you should still be able to love God. Those who take responsibility for their own life are willing to perform the duty of a creature of God, and such people’s viewpoint about pursuit is the right one. These are the people that God needs. If you did much work, and others gained your teachings, but you yourself did not change, and did not bear any testimony, or have any true experience, such that at the end of your life, still none of what you have done bears testimony, then are you someone who has changed? Are you someone who pursues the truth? At the time, the Holy Spirit used you, but when He used you, He used the part of you that could be used to work, and He did not use the part of you that could not be used. If you sought to change, then you would gradually be made perfect during the process of being used. Yet the Holy Spirit accepts no responsibility for whether or not you will ultimately be gained, and this depends on the manner of your pursuit. If there are no changes in your personal disposition, then that is because your viewpoint toward pursuit is wrong. If you are granted no reward, then that is your own problem, and because you yourself have not put the truth into practice and are unable to fulfill God’s desire. And so, nothing is of greater importance than your personal experiences, and nothing is more critical than your personal entry! Some people will end up saying, “I’ve done so much work for You, and though I may not have made any celebrated achievements, still I have been diligent in my efforts. Can’t You just let me into heaven to eat the fruit of life?” You must know what kind of people I desire; those who are impure are not permitted to enter into the kingdom, those who are impure are not permitted to besmirch the holy ground. Though you may have done much work, and worked for many years, in the end if you are still deplorably filthy, then it will be intolerable to the law of Heaven that you wish to enter My kingdom! From the foundation of the world until today, never have I offered easy access to My kingdom to those who curry favor with Me. This is a heavenly rule, and no one can break it! You must seek life. Today, those who will be made perfect are the same kind as Peter: They are those who seek changes in their own disposition, and who are willing to bear testimony to God and perform their duty as a creature of God. Only people such as this will be made perfect. If you only look to rewards, and do not seek to change your own life disposition, then all your efforts will be in vain—this is an unalterable truth!

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From the difference in the essences of Peter and Paul you should understand that all those who do not pursue life labor in vain! You believe in God and follow God, and so in your heart you must love God. You must cast aside your corrupt disposition, you must seek to fulfill God’s desire, and you must perform the duty of a creature of God. Since you believe in and follow God, you should offer everything to Him, and should not make personal choices or demands, and you should achieve the fulfillment of God’s desire. Since you were created, you should obey the Lord that created you, for you are inherently without dominion over yourself, and have no ability to control your own destiny. Since you are a person who believes in God, you should seek holiness and change. Since you are a creature of God, you should adhere to your duty, and keep your place, and you must not overstep your duty. This is not to constrain you, or to suppress you through doctrine, but is instead the path through which you can perform your duty, and it can be achieved—and should be achieved—by all those who do righteousness. If you compare the essences of Peter and Paul, then you will know how you should seek. Of the paths walked by Peter and Paul, one is the path of being made perfect, and one is the path of elimination; Peter and Paul represent two different paths. Though each received the work of the Holy Spirit, and each gained the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit, and each accepted that which had been entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus, the fruit borne in each was not the same: One truly bore fruit, and the other did not. From their essences, the work that they did, that which was outwardly expressed by them, and their final ends, you should understand which path you should take, which path you should choose to walk upon. They walked two clearly different paths. Paul and Peter, they were the quintessence of each path, and so from the very start they were held up to typify these two paths. What are the key points of Paul’s experiences, and why did he not make it? What are the key points of Peter’s experiences, and how did he experience being made perfect? If you compare what they each cared about, then you will know what exact kind of person God wants, what the will of God is, what the disposition of God is, what kind of person will ultimately be made perfect, and also what kind of person will not be made perfect; you will know what the disposition is of those who will be made perfect, and what the disposition is of those who will not be made perfect—these issues of essence can be seen in the experiences of Peter and Paul. God created all things, and so He makes all creation come under His dominion and submit to His dominion; He will command all things, so that all things are in His hands. All of God’s creation, including animals, plants, mankind, the mountains and rivers, and the lakes—all must come under His dominion. All things in the skies and on the ground must come under His dominion. They cannot have any choice and must all submit to His orchestrations. This was decreed by God, and it is the authority of God. God commands everything, and orders and ranks all things, with each classed according to kind, and allotted their own position, according to God’s will. No matter how great it is, no thing can surpass God, all things serve the mankind created by God, and no thing dares to disobey God or make any demands of God. Therefore man, as a creature of God, must also perform the duty of man. Regardless of whether he is the lord or caretaker of all things, no matter how high man’s status among all things, still he is but a small human being under the dominion of God, and is no more than an insignificant human being, a creature of God, and he will never be above God. As a creature of God, man should seek to perform the duty of a creature of God, and seek to love God without making other choices, for God is worthy of man’s love. Those who seek to love God should not seek any personal benefits or seek that which they personally long for; this is the most correct means of pursuit. If what you seek is the truth, if what you put into practice is the truth, and if what you attain is a change in your disposition, then the path that you tread is the right one. If what you seek is the blessings of the flesh, and what you put into practice is the truth of your own notions, and if there is no change in your disposition, and you are not at all obedient to God in the flesh, and you still live in vagueness, then what you seek will surely take you to hell, for the path that you walk is the path of failure. Whether you will be made perfect or eliminated depends on your own pursuit, which is also to say that success or failure depends on the path that man walks.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

39. The Principles of Walking the Path of Peter

(1) Peter loved the truth, and he loved hearing the Lord Jesus’ sermons. He focused on putting the Lord’s words into practice and experiencing them, and was scrupulously practical and realistic in all matters;

(2) Peter focused on self-knowledge and was able to reflect on his own expressions of corruption with true remorse. He hated the flesh and could repent sincerely;

(3) Peter sought to love God and saw much in Jesus that was lovable. Over time, Jesus grew more lovable to him, and Peter became one who loves God;

(4) Peter felt reverence for God. He could feel the greatest remorse for even the slightest mote of rebelliousness, and he pursued the truth. In the end, he achieved submission unto death, and the greatest love for God;

(5) It was not until Peter underwent the hundreds of trials of his last seven years that he achieved the greatest love for God and submission unto death, offering his resounding testimony.

Relevant Words of God:

In summary, taking Peter’s path in one’s faith means to walk the path of pursuing the truth, which is also the path of truly getting to know oneself and changing one’s disposition. Only by walking the path of Peter will one be on the path of being perfected by God. One must be clear on how, exactly, to walk Peter’s path, as well as how to put it into practice. First, one must put aside one’s own intentions, improper pursuits, and even family and all things of one’s own flesh. One must be wholeheartedly devoted; that is, one must completely devote oneself to the word of God, focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, concentrate on the search for the truth and the search for God’s intentions in His words, and try to grasp God’s will in everything. This is the most fundamental and vital method of practice. This was what Peter did after seeing Jesus, and it is only by practicing in this way that one can achieve the best results. Wholehearted devotion to the words of God primarily involves seeking the truth, seeking God’s intentions within His words, focusing on grasping the will of God, and understanding and obtaining more truth from God’s words. When reading His words, Peter was not focused on understanding doctrines, much less was he focused on obtaining theological knowledge; instead, he concentrated on comprehending the truth and grasping God’s will, as well as achieving an understanding of His disposition and His loveliness. Peter also attempted to understand the various corrupt states of man from God’s words, as well as man’s corrupt nature and actual shortcoming, thus meeting all aspects of God’s requirements of man in order to satisfy Him. Peter had so many correct practices that abided by the words of God; this was most in line with God’s will, and it was the best way a person could cooperate while experiencing God’s work. When experiencing the hundreds of trials from God, Peter examined himself strictly against every word of God’s judgment of man, every word of God’s revelation of man, and every word of His demands of man, and strived to fathom the meaning of those words. He tried in earnest to ponder and memorize every word that Jesus said to him, and achieved very good results. Through this manner of practicing, he was able to achieve an understanding of himself from God’s words, and he not only came to understand the various corrupt states of man, but also came to understand man’s essence, nature, and various shortcomings. This is what it means to truly understand oneself. From God’s words, Peter not only achieved a true understanding of himself, but from the things expressed in God’s words—God’s righteous disposition, what He has and is, God’s will for His work, His demands of mankind—from these words he came to know God completely. He came to know God’s disposition, and His essence; he came to know and understand what God has and is, as well as God’s loveliness and God’s demands for man. Although God did not speak back then as much as He does today, results in these aspects were nevertheless achieved in Peter. This was a rare and precious thing. Peter went through hundreds of trials, but did not suffer in vain. He not only came to understand himself from the words and the work of God, but he also came to know God. In addition, he particularly focused on God’s requirements of mankind within His words. In whichever aspects man should satisfy God to be in line with God’s will, Peter was able to put forth great effort in these aspects and achieve full clarity; this was extremely beneficial with regard to his own entry. No matter what God spoke of, as long as those words could become life and are the truth, Peter was able to carve them into his heart to ponder and appreciate them frequently. After hearing the words of Jesus, he was able to take them to heart, which shows that he was especially focused on God’s words, and he truly achieved results in the end. That is, he was able to freely put the words of God into practice, accurately practice the truth and be in line with God’s will, act entirely in accordance with God’s intention, and give up his own personal opinions and imaginations. In this way, Peter entered into the reality of God’s words. Peter’s service came in line with God’s will primarily because he had done this.

If one can satisfy God while fulfilling one’s duty, is principled in one’s words and actions, and can enter truth reality in every aspect of the truth, then one is a person who is perfected by God. It can be said that the work and the words of God have been completely effective for such people, that God’s words have become their life, they have obtained the truth, and they are able to live in accordance with God’s words. After this, the nature of their flesh—that is, the very foundation of their original existence—will shake apart and collapse. After people possess God’s words as their life, they will become new people. If the words of God become their life, if the vision of God’s work, His requirements of humanity, His revelations to humans, and the standards for a true life that God requires them to meet become their life, if they live according to these words and truths, then they are perfected by the words of God. Such people are reborn, and have become new people through God’s words. This is the path by which Peter pursued the truth; it was the path of being perfected, perfected by God’s words, and gaining life from the words of God. The truth expressed by God became his life, and only then did he become a person who obtained the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What Peter sought was to come to know himself and see what had been revealed in him through the refinement of God’s words and within the various trials that God provided for him. When he truly came to understand himself, Peter realized just how deeply corrupt humans are, how worthless and unworthy of serving God they are, and that they do not deserve to live before Him. Peter then fell prostrate before God. Ultimately, he thought, “Knowing God is the most precious thing! If I died before knowing Him, it would be such a pity; I feel that knowing God is the most important, most meaningful thing there is. If man does not know God, then he does not deserve to live and has no life.” By the time Peter’s experience had reached this point, he had come to know his own nature and gained a relatively good understanding of it. Although he perhaps would not have been able to explain it as clearly as people would nowadays, Peter had indeed reached this state. Therefore, pursuing life and attaining perfection by God requires knowing one’s own nature from within God’s utterances, as well as comprehending the aspects of one’s nature and accurately describing it in words, speaking clearly and plainly. Only this is truly knowing yourself, and you will have attained the result God requires. If your knowledge has not yet reached this point, but you claim to know yourself and say that you have gained life, then are you not simply bragging? You do not know yourself, nor do you know what you are in front of God, whether you have truly met the standards of being human, or how many satanic elements you still have within you. You are still unclear about who you belong to, and you do not even have any self-knowledge—so how can you possess reason in front of God? When Peter was pursuing life, he focused on understanding himself and transforming his disposition over the course of his trials, and he strove to know God, and in the end, he thought, “People must seek an understanding of God in life; knowing Him is the most critical thing. If I do not know God, then I cannot rest in peace when I die. Once I know Him, if God then has me die, then I will still feel most gratified to do so; I will not complain in the slightest, and my entire life will have been fulfilled.” Peter was not able to gain this level of understanding or reach this point immediately after he had begun to believe in God; he first had to undergo a great many trials. His experience had to reach a certain milestone, and he had to completely understand himself, before he could sense the value of knowing God. Therefore, the path Peter took was one of gaining life and of being perfected; this was the aspect upon which his specific practice was primarily focused.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Peter was of good caliber, but his circumstances were not like those of Paul: His parents persecuted Me, they were demons that had been possessed by Satan and, as a result, they taught nothing of God to Peter. Peter was clever, gifted, and doted on by his parents from a young age. Yet as an adult, he became their enemy because he never stopped pursuing the knowledge of Me, and subsequently turned his back on them. This was because, above all else, he believed that heaven and earth and all things are in the hands of the Almighty and that all positive things come from God and are directly issued from Him without being processed by Satan. The contradistinction of Peter’s parents gave him a greater knowledge of My lovingkindness and mercy, thus heightening his desire to seek Me. He focused not just on eating and drinking My words, but, moreover, on grasping My will, and was ever vigilant in his heart. As a result, he was always sensitive in his spirit, and hence he was after My own heart in all he did. He maintained a constant focus on the failures of people in the past to spur himself on, profoundly fearful of becoming ensnared in failure. So, too, did he concentrate on assimilating the faith and love of all those who had loved God throughout the ages. In this way—not only in negative aspects, but much more importantly, in positive aspects—he grew more quickly, such that his knowledge became the greatest of all in My presence. It is not difficult to imagine, then, how he put everything he had in My hands, how he even surrendered making decisions about food, clothing, sleeping and where he lived, and instead enjoyed My riches upon the basis of satisfying Me in all things. I subjected him to countless trials—trials, naturally, that left him half-dead—but amidst these hundreds of trials, he never once lost faith in Me or felt disappointed in Me. Even when I said I had forsaken him, still he was not discouraged, and continued to love Me in a practical way and in accordance with past principles of practice. I told him that I would not praise him even though he loved Me, that I would ultimately cast him into Satan’s hands. But amid such trials, trials that did not come upon his flesh, but were of words, he still prayed to Me and said, “O God! Among heaven and earth and all things, is there any human, any creature, or any thing that is not in the hands of You, the Almighty? When You are merciful toward me, my heart greatly rejoices with Your mercy. When You judge me, unworthy though I may be, I gain a greater sense of the unfathomableness of Your deeds, because You are filled with authority and wisdom. Though my flesh suffers hardship, my spirit is comforted. How could I not give praise to Your wisdom and deeds? Even if I were to die after knowing You, how could I not do so gladly and happily? Almighty One! Do You really not wish to let me see You? Am I really unfit to receive Your judgment? Could it be that there is something in me You do not wish to see?” During such trials, even though Peter was not able to accurately grasp My will, it was evident that he was proud and honored to be used by Me (even though he received My judgment so that humanity might see My majesty and wrath), and that he was not distressed by these trials. Because of his loyalty before Me, and because of My blessing of him, he has been an exemplar and model to man for thousands of years. Is this not precisely what you should emulate?

Excerpted from “Chapter 6” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man lives amid the flesh, which means he lives in a human hell, and without God’s judgment and chastisement, man is as filthy as Satan. How could man be holy? Peter believed that chastisement and judgment by God were man’s best protection and greatest grace. Only through chastisement and judgment by God could man awaken and hate the flesh, hate Satan. God’s strict discipline frees man from the influence of Satan, frees him from his own little world, and allows him to live in the light of God’s presence. There is no better salvation than chastisement and judgment! Peter prayed, “O God! As long as You chastise and judge me, I will know that You have not left me. Even if You do not give me joy or peace, and make me live in suffering, and inflict countless chastenings on me, as long as You do not leave me, my heart will be at ease. Today, Your chastisement and judgment have become my best protection and my greatest blessing. The grace You give me protects me. The grace You bestow upon me today is a manifestation of Your righteous disposition, and is chastisement and judgment; moreover, it is a trial, and, more than that, it is a life of suffering.” Peter was able to put aside the pleasures of the flesh and seek a deeper love and greater protection, because he had gained so much grace from God’s chastisement and judgment. In his life, if man wishes to be cleansed and achieve changes in his disposition, if he wishes to live out a life of meaning and fulfill his duty as a creature, then he must accept God’s chastisement and judgment, and must not allow God’s discipline and God’s smiting to depart from him, in order that he may free himself from the manipulation and influence of Satan, and live in the light of God. Know that God’s chastisement and judgment is the light, and the light of man’s salvation, and that there is no better blessing, grace or protection for man. Man lives under the influence of Satan, and exists in the flesh; if he is not cleansed and does not receive God’s protection, then man will become ever more depraved. If he wishes to love God, then he must be cleansed and saved. Peter prayed, “God, when You treat me kindly I am delighted, and feel comfort; when You chastise me, I feel even greater comfort and joy. Although I am weak, and endure untold suffering, although there are tears and sadness, You know that this sadness is because of my disobedience, and because of my weakness. I weep because I cannot satisfy Your desires, I feel sorrow and regret because I am insufficient for Your requirements, but I am willing to attain this realm, I am willing to do all I can to satisfy You. Your chastisement has brought me protection, and has given me the best salvation; Your judgment eclipses Your tolerance and patience. Without Your chastisement and judgment, I would not enjoy Your mercy and lovingkindness. Today, I see all the more that Your love has transcended the heavens and excelled above all other things. Your love is not just mercy and lovingkindness; even more than that, it is chastisement and judgment. Your chastisement and judgment have given me so much. Without Your chastisement and judgment, not a single person would be cleansed, and not a single person would be able to experience the love of the Creator. Though I have endured hundreds of trials and tribulations, and have even come close to death, they have allowed me to truly know You and gain supreme salvation. If Your chastisement, judgment and discipline were to depart from me, then I would live in darkness, under the domain of Satan. What benefits does the flesh of man have? If Your chastisement and judgment were to leave me, it would be as if Your Spirit had forsaken me, as if You were no longer with me. If that were so, how could I go on living? If You give me sickness and take my freedom, I can continue living, but if Your chastisement and judgment were to ever leave me, I would have no way to go on living. If I were without Your chastisement and judgment, I would have lost Your love, a love that is too deep for me to put into words. Without Your love, I would live under the domain of Satan, and would be unable to see Your glorious face. How could I continue living? I could not endure such darkness, such a life. Having You with me is like seeing You, so how could I leave You? I implore You, I beg You not to take my greatest comfort from me, even if it is just a few words of reassurance. I have enjoyed Your love, and today I cannot be away from You; how could I not love You? I have shed many tears of sorrow because of Your love, yet I have always felt that a life such as this is more meaningful, more able to enrich me, more able to change me, and more able to allow me to attain the truth that should be possessed by the creatures.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Anything in Peter’s life that did not satisfy God’s desire made him feel uneasy. If it did not satisfy God’s desire, then he would feel remorseful, and would look for a suitable way by which he could strive to satisfy God’s heart. In even the smallest and most inconsequential aspects of his life, still he required himself to satisfy God’s desire. He was no less exacting when it came to his old disposition, ever rigorous in his requirements of himself to progress deeper into the truth. … In his belief in God, Peter sought to satisfy God in everything, and sought to obey all that came from God. Without the slightest complaint, he was able to accept chastisement and judgment, as well as refinement, tribulation and going without in his life, none of which could alter his love for God. Was this not the ultimate love for God? Was this not the fulfillment of the duty of a creature of God? Whether in chastisement, judgment, or tribulation, you are always capable of achieving obedience unto death, and this is what should be achieved by a creature of God, this is the purity of the love for God. If man can achieve this much, then he is a qualified creature of God, and there is nothing which better satisfies the desire of the Creator. Imagine that you are able to work for God, yet you do not obey God, and are incapable of truly loving God. In this way, not only will you not have fulfilled the duty of a creature of God, but you will also be condemned by God, for you are someone who does not possess the truth, who is incapable of obeying God, and who is disobedient to God. You only care about working for God, and do not care about putting the truth into practice or knowing yourself. You do not understand or know the Creator, and do not obey or love the Creator. You are someone who is innately disobedient to God, and so such people are not beloved by the Creator.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During his time following Jesus, Peter formed many opinions of Him and always judged Him from his own perspective. Although Peter had a certain degree of understanding of the Spirit, his understanding was somewhat unclear, which is why he said: “I must follow he who is sent by the heavenly Father. I must acknowledge he who is chosen by the Holy Spirit.” He did not understand the things Jesus did and lacked clarity about them. After following Him for some time, Peter grew interested in what He did and said, and in Jesus Himself. He came to feel that Jesus inspired both affection and respect; he liked to associate with Him and stay beside Him, and listening to Jesus’ words rendered him supply and aid. During the time he followed Jesus, Peter observed and took to heart everything about His life: His actions, words, movements, and expressions. He gained a deep understanding that Jesus was not like ordinary men. Although His human appearance was exceedingly normal, He was full of love, compassion, and tolerance for man. Everything He did or said was of great aid to others, and Peter saw and gained things he had never before seen nor possessed from Jesus. He saw that although Jesus had neither a grand stature nor any unusual humanity, He had a truly extraordinary and uncommon air about Him. Although Peter couldn’t fully explain it, he could see that Jesus acted differently from everyone else, for the things He did were very different from that of normal men. From his time in contact with Jesus, Peter also saw that His character was different from that of an ordinary man. He always acted steadily and never with haste, never exaggerated nor underplayed a subject, and He conducted His life in a way that revealed a character which was both normal and admirable. In conversation, Jesus spoke plainly and with grace, communicating always in a cheerful yet serene manner—and yet never did He lose His dignity while carrying out His work. Peter saw that Jesus was sometimes taciturn, while other times He spoke incessantly. Sometimes He was so happy that He appeared like a frisking and frolicking dove, and other times He was so sad that He did not talk at all, appearing laden with grief as though He were a worn and weary mother. At times He was filled with anger like a brave soldier charging off to kill an enemy or, on some occasions, He even resembled a roaring lion. Sometimes He laughed; other times He prayed and wept. No matter how Jesus acted, Peter grew to have boundless love and respect for Him. Jesus’ laughter filled him with happiness, His sorrow plunged him into grief, His anger frightened him, while His mercy, forgiveness, and the strict demands He made of people made him come to truly love Jesus and develop a true reverence and longing for Him. Of course, it was not until after Peter had lived alongside Jesus for a number of years that he gradually came to realize all of this.

Excerpted from “How Peter Came to Know Jesus” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What did Peter regret the most? Not long after Peter had said “You are the Son of the living God,” Jesus posited another question to Peter (although it is not recorded in the Bible this way). Jesus asked him: “Peter! Have you ever loved Me?” Peter understood what He meant, and said: “Lord! I once loved the Father in heaven, but I admit I have never loved You.” Jesus then said: “If people do not love the Father in heaven, how can they love the Son on earth? And if people do not love the Son sent by God the Father, how can they love the Father in heaven? If people truly love the Son on earth, then they truly love the Father in heaven.” When Peter heard these words, he realized what he had been lacking. He always felt remorse to the point of tears over his words “I once loved the Father in heaven, but I have never loved You.” After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, he felt even more remorse and grief over these words. Recalling his past work and his present stature, he would often come before Jesus in prayer, always feeling regret and indebted due to having not met God’s will and not measuring up to God’s standards. These issues became his biggest burden. He said: “One day I will dedicate to You everything I have and everything I am, and I will give You whatever is most valuable.” He said: “God! I have only one faith and only one love. My life is worth nothing, and my body is worth nothing. I have only one faith and only one love. I have faith in You in my mind and love for You in my heart; these two things only have I to give to You, and nothing else.” Peter was greatly encouraged by Jesus’ words, because before Jesus was crucified, He had told Peter: “I am not of this world, and you too are not of this world.” Later, when Peter reached a point of great pain, Jesus reminded him: “Peter, have you forgotten? I am not of the world, and it was only for My work that I departed earlier. You too are not of the world, have you really forgotten? I have told you twice, do you not remember?” Hearing this, Peter said: “I have not forgotten!” Jesus then said: “You once spent a happy time gathered with Me in heaven and a period of time by My side. You miss Me, and I miss you. Although the creations are not worth mentioning in My eyes, how can I not love one who is innocent and lovable? Have you forgotten My promise? You must accept My commission on earth; you must fulfill the task I entrusted to you. One day I will certainly lead you to be by My side.” After hearing this, Peter became even more encouraged and received even greater inspiration, such that when he was on the cross, he was able to say: “God! I cannot love You enough! Even if You ask me to die, I still cannot love You enough. Wherever You send my soul, whether or not You fulfill Your past promises, whatever You do afterward, I love You and believe in You.” What he held onto was his faith, and true love.

Excerpted from “How Peter Came to Know Jesus” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Peter was faithful to Me for many years, yet he never grumbled nor had any complaint; even Job was not his equal, and, throughout the ages, the saints have all fallen far short of Peter. He not only sought to know Me, but also came to know Me during a time when Satan was enacting its deceitful schemes. This led Peter to serve Me for many years, always in line with My will, and for this reason, he was never exploited by Satan. Peter drew lessons from the faith of Job, yet also clearly perceived Job’s shortcomings. Although Job had been of great faith, he lacked knowledge of matters in the spiritual realm, so he said many words that did not correspond to reality; this shows that Job’s knowledge was shallow and incapable of perfection. Therefore, Peter focused always on gaining a sense of the spirit, and always paid attention to observing the dynamics of the spiritual realm. As a result, he not only was able to ascertain something of My wishes, but also had a modicum of knowledge of the deceitful schemes of Satan. Because of this, his knowledge of Me grew to be greater than anyone else’s throughout the ages.

Excerpted from “Chapter 8” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During his lifetime, Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times and underwent many painful ordeals. This refinement became the foundation of his supreme love of God, and the most significant experience of his entire life. That he was able to possess a supreme love of God was, in one sense, because of his resolve to love God; more importantly, however, it was because of the refinement and suffering that he underwent. This suffering became his guide on the path of loving God, and the thing that was most memorable to him. If people do not undergo the pain of refinement when loving God, then their love is full of impurities and their own preferences; love such as this is full of the ideas of Satan, and fundamentally incapable of satisfying God’s will. Having the resolve to love God is not the same as truly loving God. Even though all that they think of in their hearts is for the sake of loving and satisfying God, and even though their thoughts seem to be entirely devoted to God and devoid of any human ideas, yet when their thoughts are brought before God, He does not commend or bless such thoughts. Even when people have fully understood all truths—when they have come to know them all—this cannot be said to be a sign of loving God, it cannot be said that these people actually love God. Despite having understood many truths without undergoing refinement, people are incapable of putting these truths into practice; only during refinement can people understand the real meaning of these truths, only then can people genuinely appreciate their inner meaning. At that time, when they try again, they are able to put the truths into practice properly, and in accordance with God’s will; at that time, their human ideas are lessened, their human corruption is reduced, and their human emotions are diminished; only at that time is their practice a true manifestation of the love of God. The effect of the truth of the love of God is not achieved through spoken knowledge or mental willingness, and nor can it be achieved simply by understanding that truth. It requires that people pay a price, that they undergo much bitterness during refinement, and only then will their love become pure and after God’s own heart. In His requirement that man love Him, God does not demand that man love Him using passion or his own will; only through loyalty and the use of the truth to serve Him can man truly love Him.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All that Peter sought was after God’s heart. He sought to fulfill God’s desire, and regardless of the suffering and adversity, still he was willing to fulfill God’s desire. There is no greater pursuit by a believer in God. What Paul sought was tainted by his own flesh, by his own notions, and by his own plans and schemes. He was by no means a qualified creature of God, was not someone who sought to fulfill God’s desire. Peter sought to submit to God’s orchestrations, and although the work he did was not great, the motivation behind his pursuit and the path that he walked were right; though he was not able to gain many people, he was able to pursue the way of truth. Because of this it can be said that he was a qualified creature of God. Today, even if you are not a worker, you should be able to perform the duty of a creature of God and seek to submit to all of God’s orchestrations. You should be able to obey whatever God says, and experience all manner of tribulations and refinement, and though you are weak, in your heart you should still be able to love God. Those who take responsibility for their own life are willing to perform the duty of a creature of God, and such people’s viewpoint about pursuit is the right one. These are the people that God needs. If you did much work, and others gained your teachings, but you yourself did not change, and did not bear any testimony, or have any true experience, such that at the end of your life, still none of what you have done bears testimony, then are you someone who has changed? Are you someone who pursues the truth? At the time, the Holy Spirit used you, but when He used you, He used the part of you that could be used to work, and He did not use the part of you that could not be used. If you sought to change, then you would gradually be made perfect during the process of being used. Yet the Holy Spirit accepts no responsibility for whether or not you will ultimately be gained, and this depends on the manner of your pursuit. If there are no changes in your personal disposition, then that is because your viewpoint toward pursuit is wrong. If you are granted no reward, then that is your own problem, and because you yourself have not put the truth into practice and are unable to fulfill God’s desire. And so, nothing is of greater importance than your personal experiences, and nothing is more critical than your personal entry! Some people will end up saying, “I’ve done so much work for You, and though I may not have made any celebrated achievements, still I have been diligent in my efforts. Can’t You just let me into heaven to eat the fruit of life?” You must know what kind of people I desire; those who are impure are not permitted to enter into the kingdom, those who are impure are not permitted to besmirch the holy ground. Though you may have done much work, and worked for many years, in the end if you are still deplorably filthy, then it will be intolerable to the law of Heaven that you wish to enter My kingdom! From the foundation of the world until today, never have I offered easy access to My kingdom to those who curry favor with Me. This is a heavenly rule, and no one can break it! You must seek life. Today, those who will be made perfect are the same kind as Peter: They are those who seek changes in their own disposition, and who are willing to bear testimony to God and perform their duty as a creature of God. Only people such as this will be made perfect. If you only look to rewards, and do not seek to change your own life disposition, then all your efforts will be in vain—this is an unalterable truth!

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

40. The Principles of Attaining God’s Salvation

(1) It is necessary to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, His pruning and dealing, and His trials and refinement, and to come to know His righteous disposition, thus giving rise to reverence for God in your heart;

(2) It is necessary to be able to accept the truth as you eat and drink of God’s words, and to practice the truth, thus gaining the work of the Holy Spirit, coming to understand the truth and enter reality;

(3) It is necessary to establish a normal relationship with God. Be able to pray to Him and commune with Him in His words, and make Him foremost in your heart, there reigning as King;

(4) Be able to discern false leaders, antichrists, and every sort of heresy and fallacy, and become able to submit and testify to Christ. Only by doing so can one be saved.

Relevant Words of God:

The work of the last days is to speak words. Great changes can be effected in man by means of words. The changes now effected in these people upon their accepting these words are much greater than those effected in people upon their accepting the signs and wonders of the Age of Grace. For, in the Age of Grace, the demons were cast out from man with the laying on of hands and prayer, but the corrupt dispositions within man still remained. Man was healed of his sickness and forgiven his sins, but as for just how man was to be purged of the corrupt satanic dispositions within him, this work had yet to be done. Man was only saved and forgiven his sins for his faith, but the sinful nature of man was not extirpated and still remained within him. The sins of man were forgiven through the agency of the incarnate God, but this did not mean that man no longer had sin within him. The sins of man could be forgiven through the sin offering, but as for just how man can be made to sin no more, and how his sinful nature may be extirpated completely and transformed, he has no way of solving this problem. The sins of man were forgiven, and this is because of the work of God’s crucifixion, but man continued to live within his corrupt satanic disposition of old. This being so, man must be completely saved from his corrupt satanic disposition, so that his sinful nature may be completely extirpated, never to develop again, thus enabling the disposition of man to be transformed. This would require man to grasp the path of growth in life, to grasp the way of life, and to grasp the way to change his disposition. Furthermore, it would require man to act in accordance with this path, so that his disposition may gradually be changed and he may live under the shining of the light, so that all that he does may be in accord with the will of God, so that he may cast away his corrupt satanic disposition, and so that he may break free from Satan’s influence of darkness, thereby emerging fully from sin. Only then will man receive complete salvation. At the time that Jesus was doing His work, man’s knowledge of Him was still vague and unclear. Man always believed Him to be the son of David, and proclaimed Him to be a great prophet, the benevolent Lord who redeemed man’s sins. Some, on the strength of their faith, were healed just from touching the edge of His garment; the blind could see and even the dead could be restored to life. However, man was unable to discover the corrupt satanic disposition deeply rooted within himself, neither did he know how to cast it away. Man received much grace, such as the peace and happiness of the flesh, the faith of one member bringing blessing on an entire family, the healing of sickness, and so on. The rest were the good deeds of man and his godly appearance; if someone could live on the basis of these, they were considered an acceptable believer. Only believers of this kind could enter heaven after death, which meant that they were saved. But, in their lifetime, these people did not understand at all the way of life. All they did was to commit sins and then confess their sins in a constant cycle without any path to change their disposition: Such was the condition of man in the Age of Grace. Has man received complete salvation? No! Therefore, after that stage of work was finished, there still remained the work of judgment and chastisement. This stage is to make man pure by means of the word, and thereby give him a path to follow. This stage would not be fruitful or meaningful if it continued with the casting out of demons, for it would fail to extirpate man’s sinful nature, and man would come to a standstill at the forgiveness of his sins. Through the sin offering, man has been forgiven his sins, for the work of the crucifixion has already come to an end and God has prevailed over Satan. But the corrupt disposition of man still remaining within him, man can still sin and resist God, and God has not gained mankind. That is why in this stage of work God uses the word to expose the corrupt disposition of man, causing him to practice in accordance with the right path. This stage is more meaningful than the previous one, as well as more fruitful, for now it is the word that directly supplies man’s life and enables the disposition of man to be completely renewed; it is a much more thorough stage of work. Therefore, the incarnation in the last days has completed the significance of God’s incarnation and completely finished God’s management plan for man’s salvation.

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The significance of belief in God is to be saved, so what does being saved mean? “Being saved,” “breaking away from the dark influence of Satan”—people talk about these topics often, but they do not know what being saved means. What does being saved mean? It relates to God’s will. Simply speaking, to be saved means you can keep on living, and that you are brought back to life. So before that, are you dead? You can speak, and you can breathe, so how can you be said to be dead? (The spirit is dead.) Why is it said that people are dead if their spirit is dead? What is the basis for this saying? Under whose domain do people live before they have attained salvation? (Under the domain of Satan.) And what do people rely on to live under Satan’s domain? They rely on their satanic nature and corrupt dispositions to live. When a person lives by these things, is their whole being—their flesh, and all other aspects such as their soul and their thought—alive or dead? From God’s point of view, they are dead. On the surface, you appear to be breathing and thinking, but everything you are constantly thinking about is evil; you think about things that are in defiance of God and in rebellion against God, things that God detests, hates, and condemns. In God’s eyes, all these things not only belong to the flesh, but they entirely belong to Satan and to devils. So what are people in God’s eyes? Are they humans? No, they are not. God sees them as devils, as animals, and as Satans, living Satans! People live by the things and the essence of Satan, and in God’s eyes, they themselves are living Satans wearing human flesh. God defines such people as walking corpses; as dead people. God does His current work of salvation to take such people—these walking corpses who live by their corrupt satanic dispositions and by their corrupt satanic essence—He takes these so-called dead people and turns them into the living. This is what it means to be saved.

The point of believing in God is to attain salvation. Being saved means that you turn from a dead person into a living person. The implication of this is that your breath is revived, and you are alive; you are able to know God, and you are able to bow down to worship Him. In your heart you have no further resistance against God; you no longer defy Him, attack Him, or rebel against Him. Only people like these are genuinely alive in God’s eyes. If someone just says they acknowledge God, are they then one of the living or not? (No, they aren’t.) So what kind of people are the living? What sort of reality do the living possess? At the very least, the living can speak human language. What is that? It means the words they utter involve ideas, thoughts, and discernment. What things do the living frequently think about and do? They are able to engage in human activities and fulfill their duties. What is the nature of what they do and say? It is that everything they reveal, everything they think, and everything they do is done with the nature of fearing God and shunning evil. To put it more aptly, as one of the living, your every deed and every thought are not condemned by God or detested and rejected by God; rather, they are approved and commended by God. This is what the living do, and it is also what the living should do.

Excerpted from “Only If One Is Truly Obedient Can They Have True Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people wish to become living beings and to bear testimony to God, and to be approved of by God, then they must accept God’s salvation; they must gladly submit to His judgment and chastisement and must gladly accept the pruning of God and being dealt with by Him. Only then will they be able to put all of the truths required by God into practice, and only then will they gain God’s salvation and truly become living beings. The living are saved by God; they have been judged and chastised by God, they are willing to devote themselves and are happy to lay down their lives for God, and they would gladly dedicate their whole lives to God. Only when the living bear testimony to God can Satan be shamed; only the living can spread the gospel work of God, only the living are after God’s heart, and only the living are real people. Originally the man made by God was alive, but because of Satan’s corruption man lives amid death and lives under the influence of Satan, and so, in this way, people have become the spiritless dead, they have become enemies who oppose God, they have become the tools of Satan, and they have become the captives of Satan. All the living people created by God have become dead people, and so God has lost His testimony, and He has lost mankind which He created and which is the only thing that has His breath. If God is to take back His testimony and take back those who were made by His own hand but who have been taken captive by Satan, then He must resurrect them so that they become living beings, and He must reclaim them so that they live in His light. The dead are those who have no spirit, those who are numb in the extreme and who oppose God. They are foremost those who do not know God. These people have not the slightest intention of obeying God; they only rebel against Him and oppose Him and have not the slightest loyalty. The living are those whose spirits have been reborn, who know to obey God, and who are loyal to God. They are possessed of the truth, and of testimony, and these people alone are pleasing to God in His house.

Excerpted from “Are You Someone Who Has Come to Life?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In their faith, if people wish to attain salvation, the crux of the matter is whether they are God-fearing and whether He has a place in their hearts. If your heart is incapable of living before Him, or if there is no normal relationship between you and God, then you will never be saved. Your path to salvation will be blocked; you will have reached a dead end. Your belief in God will be useless if it exists in name only, and it will not matter how much doctrine you are able to speak, how much you have suffered, or how great your natural gifts are. God will say, “Depart from Me, you evildoer.” You will have been classed as an evildoer. You have no connection to God; He is not your Ruler, He is not your Creator, He is not your God, He is not the One you worship, and He is not the One you follow. You follow Satan and demons. You are your own lord. Ultimately, people like you will be eliminated, detested, rejected, and punished by God. He does not save such people. Only when people accept that God is their Lord and Ruler, only when they accept that He is the truth and the source of man’s way and life, and only when all that they do and the path that they walk are connected to the truth, to God, to submission before Him, and to following His way—only then will they be saved. Otherwise, they shall be condemned by God. Is it alright for people to hope to just get lucky? Is it okay for them to always cling to their own notions? Is it okay for them to constantly hold on to vague and abstract imaginings? (No.) Do not think you can just get lucky; if you want to attain salvation in your faith in God, there is no other path to take. …

What impassions you after having listened to these sermons does not matter; when all is said and done, the only right path is the path that makes you fear God and shun evil. If you believe in God but your faith has nothing to do with Him, if He is not your Lord and not your Creator, if you do not accept that He is the Ruler of your fate, do not submit to all that is set out for your by Him, do not accept the fact that He is the truth, then your dream of salvation is in tatters. If you walk this path, then you are on the path of destruction. Suppose what you focus on, pursue, and pray and supplicate for each day gives you an increasing sense that you should submit to the Creator, that God is your Lord. And suppose you gladly accept and obey His sovereignty and orchestration for you, submitting to what God arranges for you ever more gladly, your state becoming increasingly normal, your relationship with God becoming ever closer, your love for Him ever purer, and you then have ever fewer extravagant desires, complaints, and misunderstandings toward God, you commit less and less evil, increasingly shunning it, and your fear of God becomes ever more genuine. Now what would this mean? It would mean that you have set foot upon the path of salvation.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man’s flesh is of Satan, it is full of rebellious dispositions, it is deplorably filthy, and it is something unclean. People covet the enjoyment of the flesh too much and there are too many manifestations of the flesh; this is why God despises man’s flesh to a certain extent. When people cast off the filthy, corrupt things of Satan, they gain God’s salvation. But if they still do not divest themselves of filth and corruption, then they are still living under the domain of Satan. People’s conniving, deceitfulness, and crookedness are all things of Satan. God’s salvation of you is to extricate you from these things of Satan. God’s work cannot be wrong; it is all done in order to save people from darkness. When you have believed to a certain point and can divest yourself of the corruption of the flesh, and are no longer shackled by this corruption, will you not have been saved? When you live under Satan’s domain you are incapable of manifesting God, you are something filthy, and cannot receive God’s inheritance. Once you have been cleansed and made perfect, you will be holy, you will be a normal person, and you will be blessed by God and delightful to God.

Excerpted from “Practice (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man lives amid the flesh, which means he lives in a human hell, and without God’s judgment and chastisement, man is as filthy as Satan. How could man be holy? Peter believed that chastisement and judgment by God were man’s best protection and greatest grace. Only through chastisement and judgment by God could man awaken and hate the flesh, hate Satan. God’s strict discipline frees man from the influence of Satan, frees him from his own little world, and allows him to live in the light of God’s presence. There is no better salvation than chastisement and judgment! Peter prayed, “O God! As long as You chastise and judge me, I will know that You have not left me. Even if You do not give me joy or peace, and make me live in suffering, and inflict countless chastenings on me, as long as You do not leave me, my heart will be at ease. Today, Your chastisement and judgment have become my best protection and my greatest blessing. The grace You give me protects me. The grace You bestow upon me today is a manifestation of Your righteous disposition, and is chastisement and judgment; moreover, it is a trial, and, more than that, it is a life of suffering.” Peter was able to put aside the pleasures of the flesh and seek a deeper love and greater protection, because he had gained so much grace from God’s chastisement and judgment. In his life, if man wishes to be cleansed and achieve changes in his disposition, if he wishes to live out a life of meaning and fulfill his duty as a creature, then he must accept God’s chastisement and judgment, and must not allow God’s discipline and God’s smiting to depart from him, in order that he may free himself from the manipulation and influence of Satan, and live in the light of God. Know that God’s chastisement and judgment is the light, and the light of man’s salvation, and that there is no better blessing, grace or protection for man. Man lives under the influence of Satan, and exists in the flesh; if he is not cleansed and does not receive God’s protection, then man will become ever more depraved. If he wishes to love God, then he must be cleansed and saved.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Everything that God does is necessary and possessed of extraordinary significance, for all that He does in man concerns His management and the salvation of mankind. Naturally, the work that God did in Job is no different, even though Job was perfect and upright in the eyes of God. In other words, regardless of what God does or the means by which He does it, regardless of the cost, regardless of His objective, the purpose of His actions does not change. His purpose is to work God’s words into man, as well as God’s requirements and will for man; in other words, it is to work into man all that God believes to be positive in accordance with His steps, enabling man to understand God’s heart and comprehend God’s essence, and allowing man to obey God’s sovereignty and arrangements, thus allowing man to attain fear of God and shunning of evil—all of this is one aspect of God’s purpose in all He does. The other aspect is that, because Satan is the foil and service object in God’s work, man is often given to Satan; this is the means God uses to allow people to see in Satan’s temptations and attacks the wickedness, ugliness, and contemptibility of Satan, thus causing people to hate Satan and be able to know and recognize that which is negative. This process allows them to gradually free themselves from Satan’s control and accusations, interference, and attacks—until, thanks to God’s words, their knowledge and obedience of God, and their faith in God and fear of Him, they triumph over the attacks and accusations of Satan; only then will they have been completely delivered from the domain of Satan. People’s deliverance means that Satan has been defeated, it means that they are no longer the food in Satan’s mouth—instead of swallowing them, Satan has relinquished them. This is because such people are upright, because they have faith, obedience, and fear toward God, and because they completely break with Satan. They bring shame upon Satan, they make a coward of Satan, and they utterly defeat Satan. Their conviction in following God, and obedience to and fear of God defeat Satan, and make Satan completely give them up. Only people such as this have truly been gained by God, and it is this which is God’s ultimate objective in saving man. If they wish to be saved, and wish to be completely gained by God, then all those who follow God must face temptations and attacks both great and small from Satan. Those who emerge from these temptations and attacks and are able to fully defeat Satan are those who have been saved by God. This is to say, those who have been saved unto God are those who have undergone God’s trials, and who have been tempted and attacked by Satan an untold number of times. Those who have been saved unto God understand God’s will and requirements, and are able to acquiesce to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and they do not forsake the way of fearing God and shunning evil amid Satan’s temptations. Those who are saved unto God possess honesty, they are kindhearted, they differentiate between love and hate, they have a sense of justice and are rational, and they are able to care for God and treasure all that is of God. Such people are not bound, spied upon, accused, or abused by Satan; they are completely free, they have been completely liberated and released. Job was just such a man of freedom, and this is precisely the significance of why God had handed him over to Satan.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job’s faith, obedience, and his testimony to overcoming Satan have been a source of huge help and encouragement to people. In Job, they see hope for their own salvation, and see that through faith, and obedience to and fear of God, it is entirely possible to defeat Satan, to prevail over Satan. They see that as long as they acquiesce to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and as long as they possess the determination and faith not to forsake God after having lost everything, then they can bring shame and defeat upon Satan, and they see that they need only possess the determination and perseverance to stand firm in their testimony—even if it means losing their lives—for Satan to be cowed and beat a hasty retreat. Job’s testimony is a warning to later generations, and this warning tells them that if they do not defeat Satan, then they will never be able to rid themselves of the accusations and interference of Satan, nor will they ever be able to escape the abuse and attacks of Satan. Job’s testimony has enlightened later generations. This enlightenment teaches people that only if they are perfect and upright will they be able to fear God and shun evil; it teaches them that only if they fear God and shun evil can they bear strong and resounding testimony to God; only if they bear strong and resounding testimony to God can they never be controlled by Satan and live under the guidance and protection of God—only then will they have been truly saved. Job’s personality and his life’s pursuit should be emulated by everyone who pursues salvation. That which he lived out during his whole life and his conduct during his trials is a precious treasure to all those who pursue the way of fearing God and shunning evil.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people have yet to be saved, their lives are often interfered with, and even controlled by, Satan. In other words, people who have not been saved are prisoners to Satan, they have no freedom, they have not been relinquished by Satan, they are not qualified or entitled to worship God, and they are closely pursued and viciously attacked by Satan. Such people have no happiness to speak of, they have no right to a normal existence to speak of, and moreover they have no dignity to speak of. Only if you stand up and do battle with Satan, using your faith in God and obedience to, and fear of God as the weapons with which to fight a life-and-death battle with Satan, such that you fully defeat Satan and cause it to turn tail and become cowardly whenever it sees you, so that it completely abandons its attacks and accusations against you—only then will you be saved and become free. If you are determined to fully break with Satan, but are not equipped with the weapons that will help you defeat Satan, then you will still be in danger; as time goes on, when you have been so tortured by Satan that there is not an ounce of strength left in you, yet you have still been unable to bear testimony, have still not completely freed yourself of Satan’s accusations and attacks against you, then you will have little hope of salvation. In the end, when the conclusion of God’s work is proclaimed, you will still be in the grip of Satan, unable to free yourself, and thus you will never have a chance or hope. The implication, then, is that such people will be completely in Satan’s captivity.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What are the conditions a person must meet in order to receive salvation? First of all, they must possess the ability to identify satanic antichrists; they must have this aspect of the truth. It is only by possessing this aspect of the truth that they can genuinely believe in God and refrain from worshiping or following man; only people who can identify antichrists have the ability to truly believe in God and follow and bear witness to Him. In order to identify antichrists, people must first learn to see people and things with complete clarity and understanding; they must be able to perceive the essence of antichrists, and they must see through all of their conspiracies, tricks, inner motivations, and objectives. If you can do this, then you can stand firm. If you want to obtain salvation, then the first test you must pass is to learn how to defeat Satan and how to overcome and triumph over hostile forces and interference from the outside world. Once you possess stature and sufficient truth to persevere to the end in a battle against Satan’s forces, and have defeated them, then—and only then—can you pursue the truth steadily, and only then can you step steadfastly and without mishap upon the path of pursuing the truth and being granted salvation. If you cannot pass this test, then it can be said that you are in great danger, and you are liable to be captured by an antichrist and come to live under Satan’s influence. It is possible that there are currently some among you who hinder and trip people who are pursuing the truth, and they are those people’s enemies. Do you accept this? There are those who do not dare to face this fact, nor do they dare to accept it as fact. In reality, these things do indeed exist in the church; it is just that people cannot discern them. If you cannot pass this test—the test of antichrists, then you are either deceived and controlled by antichrists or made to suffer, tortured, pushed out, suppressed, and abused by them. Ultimately, your measly little life will not withstand for long, and will wither; you will no longer have faith in God, and you will leave Him, saying, “God isn’t even righteous; where is God? There is no righteousness or light in this world, and there’s no such thing as God’s salvation of humanity. We might as well pass our days going to work and making money!” You deny God and no longer believe that He exists; any hope that you will obtain salvation is entirely gone. So, if you want to get to where you can be granted salvation, the first test you must pass is one of being able to see through Satan, and you must also have the courage to stand up and expose and forsake Satan. Where, then, is Satan? Satan is at your side and all around you; it might even be living inside your heart. If you are living within Satan’s disposition, it can be said that you belong to Satan. You cannot see or touch the Satan of the spiritual realm, but the Satan that exists in practical life is everywhere. Any person who detests the truth is evil, and any leader or worker who does not accept the truth is an antichrist and an evil person. Are such people not living Satans? These people might be the very ones you worship and look up to; they could be the people who lead you or the people you have long hoped for, admired, trusted and relied upon in your hearts. In fact, however, they are roadblocks standing in your way and hindering you from obtaining salvation; they are antichrists. They can take control of your life and the path you walk, and they can ruin your chance to be granted salvation. If you fail to identify them and see through them, then at any moment, you could plummet into their traps or be captured and taken away by them. Thus, you are in great danger.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

After being corrupted by Satan, man became a beast. His thoughts were filled with evil and filth, without good or holiness. Is this not Satan? You have experienced much of God’s work, yet you have not changed or been cleansed. You still live under the domain of Satan, and still do not submit to God. This is someone who has been conquered but has not been made perfect. And why is it said that such a person has not been made perfect? It is because this person does not pursue life or a knowledge of God’s work, and covets nothing more than the pleasures of the flesh and momentary comfort. As a result, there are no changes in their life disposition, and they have not regained the original appearance of man as created by God. Such people are the walking corpses, they are the dead ones that have no spirit! Those who do not pursue a knowledge of matters in the spirit, who do not pursue holiness, and who do not pursue living out the truth, who are content only to be conquered on the negative side, and who cannot live by God’s words and become holy humans—these are people who have not been saved. For, if he is without the truth, man is unable to stand fast during God’s trials; only those who can stand fast during God’s trials are the ones who have been saved. What I want are people like Peter, people who pursue being made perfect. Today’s truth is given to those who yearn for and seek it. This salvation is granted to those who yearn to be saved by God, and is not only meant to be gained by you. Its purpose is that you may be gained by God; you gain God in order that God may gain you. Today I have spoken these words to you, and you have heard them, and you should practice according to these words. In the end, the time when you put these words into practice will be the moment when I have gained you through these words; at the same time, you will have also gained these words, which is to say, you will have gained this supreme salvation. Once you are made clean, you will have become a real human being. If you are incapable of living out the truth, or of living out the likeness of one who has been made perfect, then it can be said that you are not a human, but a walking corpse, a beast, because you are without the truth, which is to say that you are without the breath of Jehovah, and thus you are a dead person that has no spirit! Although it is possible to bear testimony after being conquered, what you gain is but a little salvation, and you have not become a living being possessed of a spirit. Although you have experienced chastisement and judgment, your disposition is not renewed or changed as a result; you are still your old self, you still belong to Satan, and you are not someone who has been cleansed. Only those who have been made perfect are of value, and only people such as this have gained a true life.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

41. The Principles of Attaining Compatibility With God

(1) It is necessary to accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, and to become purified of one’s corrupt disposition. Only thus is it guaranteed that they will no longer disobey or resist God;

(2) It is necessary to pursue the truth and come to understand its various aspects. Only thus is it guaranteed that one’s views on things conform to those of Christ and do not conflict with them;

(3) It is necessary to submit to all of God’s words. Even when one does not understand them, they must learn to seek submission to the truth, to guarantee they are not disobeying or resisting God;

(4) It is necessary to accept being perfected by Christ, and to achieve a change in one’s life disposition. Only thus can one submit to Christ absolutely and become one who testifies to Him.

Relevant Words of God:

I have done much work among man, during which time I have also expressed many words. These words are all for the sake of man’s salvation and were expressed so that man might become compatible with Me. However, I have gained only a few people on earth who are compatible with Me, and so I say that man does not treasure My words—it is because man is not compatible with Me. In this way, the work I do is not merely so that man can worship Me; more importantly, it is so that man can be compatible with Me. Man has been corrupted and lives in Satan’s trap. All people live in the flesh, live in selfish desires, and there is not a single one among them who is compatible with Me. There are those who say that they are compatible with Me, but such people all worship vague idols. Although they acknowledge My name as holy, they tread a path that runs contrary to Me, and their words are full of arrogance and self-confidence. This is because, at root, they are all against Me and incompatible with Me. Every day, they seek traces of Me in the Bible and find “suitable” passages at random which they read endlessly and recite as scriptures. They do not know how to be compatible with Me nor what it means to be against Me. They merely read scriptures blindly. Within the Bible, they constrain a vague God that they have never seen, and are incapable of seeing, and take it out to look at at their leisure. They believe in My existence only within the scope of the Bible, and they equate Me with the Bible; without the Bible there is no Me, and without Me there is no Bible. They pay no heed to My existence or actions, but instead devote extreme and special attention to each and every word of Scripture. Many more even believe that I should not do anything I wish to do unless it is foretold by Scripture. They attach too much importance to Scripture. It can be said that they see words and expressions as too important, to the extent that they use verses from the Bible to measure every word I say and to condemn Me. What they seek is not the way of compatibility with Me or the way of compatibility with the truth, but the way of compatibility with the words of the Bible, and they believe that anything that does not conform to the Bible is, without exception, not My work. Are such people not the dutiful descendants of the Pharisees? The Jewish Pharisees used the law of Moses to condemn Jesus. They did not seek compatibility with the Jesus of that time, but diligently followed the law to the letter, to the extent that—after having charged Him with not following the law of the Old Testament and not being the Messiah—they ultimately nailed the innocent Jesus to the cross. What was their substance? Was it not that they didn’t seek the way of compatibility with the truth? They obsessed over each and every word of Scripture while paying heed neither to My will nor to the steps and methods of My work. They were not people who sought the truth, but people who rigidly clung to words; they were not people who believed in God, but people who believed in the Bible. Essentially, they were watchdogs of the Bible. In order to safeguard the interests of the Bible, to uphold the dignity of the Bible, and to protect the reputation of the Bible, they went so far as to nail the merciful Jesus to the cross. This they did merely for the sake of defending the Bible, and for the sake of maintaining the status of each and every word of the Bible in people’s hearts. So they preferred to forsake their future and the sin offering to condemn Jesus, who did not conform to the doctrine of Scripture, to death. Were they not all lackeys to each and every word of Scripture?

And what of people today? Christ has come to release the truth, yet they would rather expel Him from this world so that they may gain entry into heaven and receive grace. They would rather completely deny the coming of the truth in order to safeguard the interests of the Bible, and they would rather nail the Christ returned to flesh to the cross again in order to ensure the everlasting existence of the Bible. How can man receive My salvation when his heart is so malicious and his nature so antagonistic toward Me? I live among man, yet man does not know of My existence. When I shine My light upon man, he still remains ignorant of My existence. When I unleash My wrath upon man, he denies My existence with even greater vigor. Man searches for compatibility with words and compatibility with the Bible, yet not a single person comes before Me to seek the way of compatibility with the truth. Man looks up to Me in heaven and devotes particular concern to My existence in heaven, yet no one cares about Me in the flesh, for I who live among man am simply too insignificant. Those who only seek compatibility with the words of the Bible and who only seek compatibility with a vague God are a wretched sight to Me. That is because what they worship are dead words, and a God that is capable of giving them untold treasures; what they worship is a God that would lay Himself at the mercy of man—a God who does not exist. What, then, can such people gain from Me? Man is simply too lowly for words. Those who are against Me, who make limitless demands of Me, who have no love of the truth, who are rebellious toward Me—how could they be compatible with Me?

Those who are against Me are those who are not compatible with Me. Such is also the case among those who do not love the truth. Those who rebel against Me are even more against Me and incompatible with Me. I deliver into the hands of the evil one all those who are not compatible with Me, and I relinquish them to the corruption of the evil one, give them free rein to reveal their maleficence, and ultimately hand them over to the evil one to be devoured. I care not how many worship Me, which is to say, I care not how many people believe in Me. All that concerns Me is how many are compatible with Me. That is because all those who are not compatible with Me are evil ones who betray Me; they are My enemies, and I shall not “enshrine” My enemies in My home. Those who are compatible with Me shall forever serve Me in My home, and those who go against Me shall forever suffer My punishment. Those who only care about the words of the Bible and are concerned neither with the truth nor with seeking My footsteps—they are against Me, for they limit Me according to the Bible, constrain Me within the Bible, and so are blasphemous in the extreme toward Me. How could such people come before Me? They pay no heed to My deeds, or My will, or the truth, but instead obsess over words—words that kill. How could such people be compatible with Me?

Excerpted from “You Should Seek the Way of Compatibility With Christ” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I have expressed so many words, and have also expressed My will and disposition, yet even so, people are still incapable of knowing Me and believing in Me. Or, it could be said, people are still incapable of obeying Me. Those who live within the Bible, those who live within the law, those who live on the cross, those who live according to doctrine, those who live amid the work I do today—who among them is compatible with Me? You only think of receiving blessings and rewards, but have never spared a thought as to how to actually be compatible with Me, or to how to prevent yourselves from being against Me. I am so disappointed in you, for I have given you so much, yet I have gained so little from you. Your deception, your arrogance, your greed, your extravagant desires, your betrayal, your disobedience—which of these could escape My notice? You are slipshod with Me, you fool Me, you insult Me, you wheedle Me, you exact Me and extort Me for sacrifices—how could such maleficence elude My punishment? All this evildoing is proof of your enmity against Me and is proof of your incompatibility with Me. Each of you believes yourself to be so compatible with Me, but if that were the case, then to whom would such irrefutable evidence apply? You believe yourselves to possess the utmost sincerity and loyalty toward Me. You think that you are so kindhearted, so compassionate, and have devoted so much to Me. You think that you have done more than enough for Me. But have you ever held this up against your actions? I say you are plenty arrogant, plenty greedy, plenty perfunctory; the tricks with which you fool Me are plenty clever, and you have plenty of contemptible intentions and contemptible methods. Your loyalty is too meager, your earnestness too paltry, and your conscience even more lacking. There is too much maliciousness in your hearts, and no one is spared from your malice, not even Me. You shut Me out for the sake of your children, or your husband, or your own self-preservation. Instead of caring about Me, you care about your family, your children, your status, your future, and your own gratification. When have you ever thought of Me as you spoke or acted? On frigid days, your thoughts turn to your children, your husband, your wife, or your parents. On blistering days, I hold no place in your thoughts, either. When you perform your duty, you are thinking of your own interests, of your own personal safety, of the members of your family. What have you ever done that was for Me? When have you ever thought of Me? When have you ever devoted yourself, at any cost, to Me and My work? Where is the evidence of your compatibility with Me? Where is the reality of your loyalty to Me? Where is the reality of your obedience to Me? When have your intentions not been for the sake of gaining My blessings? You fool and deceive Me, you play with the truth, you conceal the existence of the truth, and betray the essence of the truth. What awaits you in the future by going against Me in this way? You merely seek compatibility with a vague God, and merely seek a vague belief, yet you are not compatible with Christ. Will not your maleficence beget the same retribution as that deserved by the wicked? At that time, you will realize that no one who is incompatible with Christ can escape the day of wrath, and you will discover what kind of retribution shall be wrought upon those who are against Christ. When that day comes, your dreams of being blessed for your belief in God and of gaining entry into heaven shall all be shattered. It shall not be so, however, for those who are compatible with Christ. Though they have lost so much, though they have suffered much hardship, they shall receive all of the inheritance I bequeath to mankind. Ultimately, you will understand that I alone am the righteous God, and that I alone am capable of taking mankind into his beautiful destination.

Excerpted from “You Should Seek the Way of Compatibility With Christ” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Prior to contact with Christ, you may believe your disposition to have been entirely transformed, that you are a loyal follower of Christ, that no one is more worthy of receiving the blessings of Christ than you—and that, having traveled many roads, done much work, and brought forth much fruit, you will surely be one of those who ultimately receive the crown. Yet there is one truth that you may not know: The corrupt disposition of man and his rebelliousness and resistance are exposed when he sees Christ, and the rebelliousness and resistance exposed at this time are more absolutely and completely exposed than at any other. It is because Christ is the Son of man—a Son of man who possesses normal humanity—that man neither honors nor respects Him. It is because God lives in the flesh that the rebelliousness of man is brought to light so thoroughly and in such vivid detail. So I say that the coming of Christ has unearthed all the rebelliousness of mankind and has thrown the nature of mankind into sharp relief. This is called “luring a tiger down the mountain” and “luring a wolf out of its cave.” Dare you presume to say that you are loyal to God? Dare you presume to say that you show absolute obedience to God? Dare you presume to say that you are not rebellious? Some will say: “Whenever God sets me up in a new environment, I invariably submit without a murmur, and furthermore I entertain no notions about God.” Some will say: “Whatever God tasks me with I do to the best of my ability and am never remiss.” In that case, I ask you this: Can you be compatible with Christ when you live alongside Him? And how long will you be compatible with Him? One day? Two days? One hour? Two hours? Your faith may well be commendable, but you do not have much in the way of steadfastness. Once you are really living with Christ, your self-righteousness and self-importance will be exposed through your words and actions, bit-by-bit, and so too will your overweening desires, your disobedient mindset and discontent naturally be revealed. Finally, your arrogance will become ever greater, until you are as much at odds with Christ as water is with fire, and then your nature will be completely exposed. At that time, your notions can no longer be covered up, your complaints, too, will naturally come out, and your debased humanity will be completely exposed. Even then, however, you still refuse to acknowledge your own rebelliousness, believing instead that a Christ such as this is not easy for man to accept, that He is too exacting of man, and that you would wholly submit if He were a kinder Christ. You believe that your rebelliousness is justified, that you only rebel against Him when He pushes you too far. Never once have you considered that you do not look upon Christ as God, that you lack the intent to obey Him. Rather, you stubbornly insist that Christ work in accordance with your own wishes, and as soon as He does a single thing that is at odds with your own thinking, you believe that He is not God but a man. Are there not many among you who have contended with Him in this way? Who is it, after all, that you believe in? And in what way do you seek?

Excerpted from “Those Who Are Incompatible With Christ Are Surely Opponents of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You always wish to see Christ, but I urge you not to hold yourselves in such high esteem; anyone may see Christ, but I say no one is fit to see Christ. Because the nature of man brims with evil, arrogance, and rebelliousness, at the moment you see Christ, your nature will destroy you and condemn you to death. Your association with a brother (or a sister) may not show much about you, but it is not so simple when you associate with Christ. At any time, your notions may take root, your arrogance begin to sprout, and your rebelliousness bear figs. How can you with such humanity be fit to associate with Christ? Are you truly able to treat Him as God every moment of every day? Will you truly have the reality of submission to God? You worship the lofty God within your hearts as Jehovah while regarding the visible Christ as a man. Your sense is too inferior and your humanity too debased! You are incapable of always looking upon Christ as God; only occasionally, when it takes your fancy, do you grab hold of Him and worship Him as God. This is why I say you are not believers of God, but a posse of accomplices who fight against Christ. Even men who show kindness to others are repaid, and yet Christ, who has done such work among you, has received neither man’s love nor his recompense and submission. Is this not something heartrending?

It may be that in all your years of faith in God, you have never cursed anyone or committed a bad deed, yet in your association with Christ, you cannot speak the truth, act honestly, or obey the word of Christ; in that case, I say that you are the most sinister and malicious person in the world. You may be exceptionally amiable and devoted toward your relatives, friends, wife (or husband), sons and daughters, and parents, and never take advantage of others, but if you are incapable of compatibility with Christ, if you are unable to interact in harmony with Him, then even if you expend your all in relief to your neighbors or take meticulous care of your father, mother, and members of your household, I would say that you are still wicked, and moreover one full of cunning tricks. Do not think yourself compatible with Christ simply because you get along with others or do a few good deeds. Do you think that your charitable intent can finagle the blessings of Heaven? Do you think that doing a few good deeds is a substitute for your obedience? Not one of you is able to accept being dealt with and pruned, and you all find it difficult to embrace the normal humanity of Christ, notwithstanding which you are constantly trumpeting your obedience to God. Such faith as yours will bring down a fitting retribution. Stop indulging in fanciful illusions and wishing to see Christ, for you are too little in stature, so much so that you are not even worthy of seeing Him. When you are completely purged of your rebelliousness, and are capable of being in harmony with Christ, at that moment God will naturally appear to you. If you go to see God without having undergone pruning or judgment, then you shall surely become an opponent of God and are destined for destruction. The nature of man is inherently hostile to God, for all men have been subjected to Satan’s most profound corruption. If man tries to associate with God from the midst of his own corruption, it is certain that nothing good can come of this; his actions and words will surely expose his corruption at every turn, and in associating with God his rebelliousness will be revealed in its every aspect. Unknowingly, man comes to oppose Christ, to deceive Christ, and to forsake Christ; when this happens, man will be in an even more precarious state and, should this continue, he shall become the object of punishment.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are Incompatible With Christ Are Surely Opponents of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You should all now look into yourselves as quickly as you can, to see how much betrayal of Me remains within you. I am eagerly awaiting your response. Do not be perfunctory in dealing with Me. I never play games with people. If I say I will do something then I will certainly do it. I hope each of you will be someone who takes My words seriously, and not think as if they were science fiction. What I want is concrete action from you, not your imaginings. Next, you must answer My questions, which are as follows: 1. If you are truly a service-doer, can you render service to Me loyally, without any element of laxness or negativity? 2. If you discover I have never appreciated you, will you still be able to stay and render lifelong service to Me? 3. If I am still very cold to you despite you having expended much effort, will you be able to continue working for Me in obscurity? 4. If, after you have made expenditures for Me, I do not satisfy your petty demands, will you become disheartened and disappointed with Me, or even become furious and shout abuse? 5. If you have always been very loyal, with much love for Me, yet you suffer the torment of illness, poverty, and the abandonment of your friends and relatives, or if you endure any other misfortunes in life, will your loyalty and love for Me still continue? 6. If none of what you have imagined in your heart matches what I have done, how will you walk your future path? 7. If you do not receive any of the things you hoped to receive, can you continue to be My follower? 8. If you have never understood the purpose and significance of My work, can you be an obedient person who does not arbitrarily make judgments and draw conclusions? 9. Can you treasure all the words I have said and all the work I have done while I have been together with mankind? 10. Are you able to be My loyal follower, willing to endure a lifetime of suffering for Me, though you do not receive anything? 11. For My sake, are you able to forgo considering, planning, or preparing for your future path of survival? These questions represent My final requirements of you, and I hope all of you can give Me answers. If you have fulfilled one or two things these questions ask of you, then you must continue to strive. If you cannot accomplish a single one of these requirements, you are surely the type of person that will be cast into hell. To such people, I need not say anything more, for they are surely not people who can accord with Me. How could I keep someone in My home who could betray Me under any circumstance?

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Currently, there are many truths that man does not understand. What does it mean that man does not understand? It means that humanity, which is corrupt, has views and opinions that, in many respects, do not accord with the views and opinions of God incarnate; it means that the principles and foundation from which man deals with many things do not accord with those of God incarnate. And where is the root of this problem? What factor is affecting relations between God and mankind? It is mankind’s corrupt disposition. That is, mankind still stands on the side of Satan; man lives in reliance upon Satan’s poison, and it is Satan’s disposition and essence that people manifest in the way they live. God’s essence is truth; it is immutable. So, who is it who must change in order to achieve accord with God? (Mankind.) Of course it is mankind; this is unequivocal. How is mankind to change, then? They must come before God and accept the truth; accepting the truth is man’s only path toward attaining accord with God in how He sees things and in the principles by which He acts. Once you set foot upon this path, the attitude and the manner in which you see things, the principles by which you act, and everything else will gradually begin to accord with God. In this way, the barriers between you and God will become ever fewer, there will be no more contradictions, and your attempts to subject God to study will also become fewer and fewer.

Excerpted from “It Is Important to Rectify Relations Between Man and God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When you have understood the truth and entered the truth reality, you have gained the truth, and can be saved. Only those who have been saved are true creatures of God, and the ones who are praised by God. What God wants is people’s heart—but if they don’t understand the truth, and have not gained the truth, can they give their heart to God? Is it easy for them to give their heart to God? (No.) Can such people be compatible with God? The outpourings of their notions, corruption, rebelliousness, and resistance are ubiquitous. When you are with God, when you are carrying something out, if you have not gained the truth, have not entered the truth reality, and have no grasp of principle, though, on the outside, there may be no outpouring of a corrupt disposition in your words, actions, and thoughts, what lies in the deep recesses of your heart is hostile to God, and you are incapable of being compatible with God. Thus, the only path to salvation and being compatible with God is to pursue the truth and gain the truth; there is no second path to choose from. Some people have believed in God for many years, they have forsaken much, made much effort, given many alms and offerings. Can all this stand in the stead of understanding and gaining the truth? (No.)

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Understand and Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In seeking to change your disposition, you must reach a certain stage in your understanding of yourself whereby you can discover the satanic poisons that lie within your own nature. You must know what it means to defy God, as well as what it means to rebel against God, and you must learn how to conduct yourself in conformity with the truth in all matters. You must also gain some understanding of God’s will and His requirements of humanity. You must be possessed of conscience and reason before God, you must not speak boastfully or cheat God, and you must no longer do anything to resist God. As such, you will have changed your disposition. Those whose dispositions have transformed feel reverence for God deep in their hearts, and their rebelliousness against God gradually lessens. Moreover, in the fulfilling of their duties, they no longer need others to worry about them, nor does the Holy Spirit always need to do disciplining work on them. They basically can submit to God, and the truth is present in their views on things. This all amounts to having become compatible with God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

42. The Principles of God’s Perfection of Man

(1) God only perfects those who truly love and pursue the truth, with heartfelt love for God. One who does not love God in their heart can never be perfected;

(2) God perfects people with His righteous disposition as expressed through His words, and, in them, man is made to know himself, thus giving rise to true repentance and transformation;

(3) God perfects people through judgment and chastisement, pruning and dealing with them, and through trials and refinement, leading man to knowledge of God and effecting a change in his disposition;

(4) In order to satisfy God, sincerely expend yourself for Him, do your utmost to perform the duty of a created being, and pursue the truth, coming to act in accordance with the principles.

Relevant Words of God:

God now wants to gain a certain group of people, a group consisting of those who strive to cooperate with Him, who can obey His work, who believe the words God speaks to be true, and who can put God’s requirements into practice; they are those who have true understanding in their hearts, they are the ones who can be perfected, and they will inevitably be able to walk the path of perfection. Those who cannot be perfected are people without a clear understanding of God’s work, who do not eat and drink of God’s words, who pay no attention to His words, and who are without any love for God in their hearts. Those who doubt God incarnate, are always uncertain about Him, never treat His words seriously and always deceive Him are people who resist God and belong to Satan; there is no way to perfect such people.

If you wish to be perfected, then you must first be favored by God, for He perfects those whom He favors and who are after His own heart. If you wish to be after God’s own heart, then you must have a heart that obeys His work, you must strive to pursue the truth, and you must accept God’s scrutiny in all things.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God works in those who pursue and treasure His words. The more you treasure God’s words, the more His Spirit will work in you. The more a person treasures God’s words, the greater their chance of being perfected by God. God perfects those who truly love Him, and He perfects those whose hearts are at peace before Him. To treasure all of God’s work, to treasure God’s enlightenment, to treasure God’s presence, to treasure God’s care and protection, to treasure how God’s words become your reality and provide for your life—all this accords best with God’s heart. If you treasure God’s work, that is, if you treasure all the work that He has done upon you, then He will bless you and cause all that is yours to multiply. If you do not treasure God’s words, He will not work in you, but He will only grant you paltry grace for your faith, or bless you with scant wealth and your family with scant safety. You should strive to make God’s words your reality, and be able to satisfy Him and be after His own heart; you should not merely strive to enjoy His grace. Nothing is more important for believers than to receive God’s work, gain perfection, and become those who do God’s will. This is the goal you should pursue.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, God has officially begun the perfection of man. To be made perfect, people must undergo the revelation, judgment, and chastisement of His words, they must experience the trials and refinement of His words (such as the trial of the service-doers), and they must be able to withstand the trial of death. What this means is that amidst the judgment, chastisement, and trials of God, those who truly abide by God’s will are able to praise God from deep within their hearts, and to utterly obey God and forsake themselves, thus loving God with a heart that is sincere, undivided, and pure; such is a perfect person, and it is precisely the work that God intends to do, and the work that He shall accomplish.

Excerpted from “On the Steps of God’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the last days, God principally uses the word to make man perfect. He does not use signs and wonders to oppress man, or convince man; this cannot make plain the power of God. If God only showed signs and wonders, then it would be impossible to make plain the reality of God, and thus impossible to make man perfect. God does not make man perfect by signs and wonders, but uses the word to water and shepherd man, after which is achieved the complete obedience of man and man’s knowledge of God. This is the aim of the work He does and the words He speaks. God does not use the method of showing signs and wonders to make man perfect—He uses words, and uses many different methods of work to make man perfect. Whether it be the refinement, dealing, pruning, or provision of words, God speaks from many different perspectives to make man perfect, and to give man a greater knowledge of the work, wisdom and wondrousness of God. … I have previously said that a group of overcomers are gained from the East, overcomers who come from amid the great tribulation. What is meant by these words? They mean that these people who have been gained only truly obeyed after undergoing judgment and chastisement, and dealing and pruning, and all kinds of refinement. The belief of these people is not vague and abstract, but real. They have not seen any signs and wonders, or any miracles; they do not speak of abstruse letters and doctrines, or profound insights; instead they have reality, and the words of God, and a true knowledge of the reality of God. Is such a group not more capable of making plain the power of God?

Excerpted from “All Is Achieved by the Word of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

By what means is God’s perfection of man accomplished? It is accomplished by means of His righteous disposition. God’s disposition primarily consists of righteousness, wrath, majesty, judgment, and curse, and He perfects man primarily by means of His judgment. Some people do not understand, and ask why it is that God is only able to make man perfect through judgment and curse. They say, “If God were to curse man, wouldn’t man die? If God were to judge man, wouldn’t man be condemned? Then how can he still be made perfect?” Such are the words of people who do not know the work of God. What God curses is the disobedience of man, and what He judges are the sins of man. Although He speaks harshly and relentlessly, He reveals all that is within man, revealing through these stern words that which is substantive within man, yet through such judgment, He gives man a profound knowledge of the substance of the flesh, and thus man submits before God. The flesh of man is of sin and of Satan, it is disobedient, and it is the object of God’s chastisement. Thus, in order to allow man to know himself, the words of God’s judgment must befall him and there must be employed every kind of refinement; only then can God’s work be effective.

From the words spoken by God it can be seen that He has already condemned the flesh of man. Are these words, then, not words of cursing? The words spoken by God reveal man’s true colors, and through such revelation he is judged, and when he sees that he is unable to satisfy God’s will, inside he feels grief and remorse, he feels that he is so indebted to God, and cannot attain to God’s will. There are times when the Holy Spirit disciplines you from within, and this discipline comes from God’s judgment; there are times when God reproaches you and hides His face from you, when He pays you no heed and does not work within you, soundlessly chastising you in order to refine you. God’s work in man is primarily in order to make plain His righteous disposition. What testimony does man ultimately bear to God? Man testifies that God is the righteous God, that His disposition is righteousness, wrath, chastisement, and judgment; man testifies to the righteous disposition of God. God uses His judgment to make man perfect, He has loved man, and saved man—but how much is contained within His love? There is judgment, majesty, wrath, and curse. Though God cursed man in the past, He did not completely cast man into the bottomless pit, but used that means to refine man’s faith; He did not put man to death, but acted in order to make man perfect. The substance of the flesh is that which is of Satan—God said it exactly right—but the facts carried out by God are not completed according to His words. He curses you so that you might love Him, and so that you might know the substance of the flesh; He chastises you so that you might be awakened, to allow you to know the deficiencies within you, and to know man’s utter unworthiness. Thus, God’s curses, His judgment, and His majesty and wrath—they are all in order to make man perfect. All that God does today, and the righteous disposition that He makes plain within you—it is all in order to make man perfect. Such is the love of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The greater God’s refinement, the more people’s hearts are able to love God. The torment in their hearts is of benefit to their lives, they are more able to be at peace before God, their relationship with God is closer, and they are better able to see God’s supreme love and His supreme salvation. Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times, and Job underwent several trials. If you wish to be made perfect by God, you too must undergo refinement hundreds of times; only if you go through this process and rely upon this step will you be able to satisfy God’s will and be made perfect by God. Refinement is the best means by which God makes people perfect; only refinement and bitter trials can bring out the true love for God in people’s hearts. Without hardship, people lack true love for God; if they are not tested within, if they are not truly subjected to refinement, then their hearts will always be floating around outside. Having been refined to a certain point, you will see your own weaknesses and difficulties, you will see how much you are lacking and that you are unable to overcome the many problems you encounter, and you will see how great is your disobedience. Only during trials are people able to truly know their real states; trials make people better able to be perfected.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If many things come upon you that do not align with your notions but yet you are able to put them aside and gain knowledge of God’s actions from these things, and if in the midst of refinements you reveal your heart of love for God, then this is standing witness. If your home is peaceful, you enjoy comforts of the flesh, no one is persecuting you, and your brothers and sisters in the church obey you, can you display your heart of love for God? Can this situation refine you? It is only through refinement that your love for God can be shown, and it is only through things occurring that do not align with your notions that you can be perfected. With the service of many contrary and negative things, and by employing all sorts of Satan’s manifestations—its actions, its accusations, its disturbances and deceptions—God shows you Satan’s hideous face clearly, and thereby perfects your ability to distinguish Satan, that you may hate Satan and forsake it.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The Holy Spirit has a path to walk in each person, and gives each person the opportunity to be perfected. Through your negativity you are made to know your own corruption, and then by throwing off negativity you will find a path to practice; these are all ways in which you are perfected. Further, through the continuous guidance and illumination of some positive things inside of you, you will proactively fulfill your function, grow in insight and gain discernment. When your conditions are good, you are especially willing to read the word of God, and especially willing to pray to God, and can relate the sermons you hear to your own state. At such times God enlightens and illuminates you within, making you realize some things of the positive aspect. This is how you are perfected in the positive aspect. In negative states, you are weak and passive; you feel that you do not have God in your heart, yet God illuminates you, helping you find a path to practice. Coming out of this is attainment of perfection in the negative aspect. God can perfect man in both positive and negative aspects. It depends on whether you are able to experience, and on whether you pursue being perfected by God. If you truly seek being perfected by God, then the negative cannot make you suffer loss, but can bring you things that are more real, and can make you more able to know that which is lacking within you, more able to grasp your real state, and see that man has nothing, and is nothing; if you do not experience trials, you do not know, and will always feel that you are above others and better than everyone else. Through all this you will see that all that came before was done by God and protected by God. Entry into trials leaves you without love or faith, you lack prayer and are unable to sing hymns, and without realizing it, in the midst of this you come to know yourself. God has many means of perfecting man. He employs all manner of environments to deal with the corrupt disposition of man, and uses various things to lay man bare; in one regard, He deals with man, in another He lays man bare, and in another He reveals man, digging out and revealing the “mysteries” in the depths of man’s heart, and showing man his nature by revealing many of his states. God perfects man through many methods—through revelation, through dealing with man, through man’s refinement, and chastisement—so that man may know that God is practical.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is a rule to God’s perfection of people, which is that He enlightens you by using a desirable part of you so that you have a path to practice and can separate yourself from all negative states, helping your spirit attain release, and making you more able to love Him. In this way, you are able to throw off the corrupt disposition of Satan. You are artless and open, willing to know yourself and to put truth into practice. God will certainly bless you, so when you are weak and negative, He enlightens you doubly, helping you know yourself more, be more willing to repent for yourself, and be more able to practice the things that you should practice. Only in this way can your heart be peaceful and at ease. A person who ordinarily pays attention to knowing God, who pays attention to knowing himself, who pays attention to his own practice, will be able to frequently receive God’s work, as well as His guidance and enlightenment. Even though such a person may be in a negative state, he is able to turn things around immediately, whether due to the action of conscience or the enlightenment from God’s word. The change of a person’s disposition is always achieved when he knows his own actual state and the disposition and work of God. A person who is willing to know himself and open himself up will be able to carry out truth. This kind of person is a person who is loyal to God, and a person who is loyal to God has understanding of God, whether this understanding be deep or shallow, meager or plentiful. This is God’s righteousness, and it is something that people attain; it is their own gain. A person who has knowledge of God is one who has a basis, who has vision. This kind of person is certain about God’s flesh, and is certain about God’s word and God’s work. Regardless of how God works or speaks, or how other people cause disturbance, he can stand his ground, and stand witness for God. The more a person is this way, the more he can carry out the truth that he understands. Because he is always practicing God’s word, he obtains more understanding of God, and possesses the resolve to forever stand witness for God.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God intends to use a portion of the work of evil spirits to perfect a portion of humanity, enabling these people to see completely through the devils’ iniquities, that all humanity may truly know their “ancestors.” Only in this way can humans break completely free, not only forsaking the posterity of the devils, but even the devils’ ancestors. This is God’s true purpose in utterly defeating the great red dragon, to make it so that all humanity knows the great red dragon’s true form, to tear its mask off fully and to look upon its true form. This is what God wants to achieve, it is the final goal of all the work He has done on earth, and it is what He aims to accomplish in all humanity. This is known as mobilizing all things to serve God’s purpose.

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During the stage of God perfecting mankind, it is impossible that the number of people will continue to grow—it will only shrink. It is only through these refinements that people can be perfected. Being dealt with, disciplined, tested, chastised, cursed—can you withstand all of this? When you see a church with a particularly good situation, where the sisters and brothers are all seeking with great energy, you yourself feel encouraged. When the day comes that they have all left, some of them no longer believe, some have left to do business or get married, and some have joined the religion; will you be able to stand firm then? Will you be able to remain unaffected within? God’s perfection of mankind is not such a simple thing! He utilizes many things to refine people. People see these as methods, but in God’s original intention these are not methods at all, but facts. In the end, when He has refined people to a certain point and they no longer have any complaints, this stage of His work will be complete. The great work of the Holy Spirit is to perfect you, and when He does not work and hides Himself, it is even more for the purpose of perfecting you, and in particular in this way it can be seen whether people have love for God, whether they have true confidence in Him. When God speaks plainly, there is no need for you to search; it is only when He is concealed that you need to search and feel your way through. You should be able to fulfill the duty of a created being, and no matter what your future outcome and your destination may be, you should be able to pursue knowledge and love for God during the years you are alive, and no matter how God treats you, you should be able to avoid complaining. There is one condition for the Holy Spirit to work within people. They must thirst and seek and not be half-hearted or doubtful about God’s actions, and they must be able to uphold their duty at all times; only in this way can they gain the work of the Holy Spirit. In each step of God’s work, what is required of mankind is enormous confidence and coming before God to seek—only through experience can people discover how lovable God is and how the Holy Spirit works in people. If you do not experience, if you do not feel your way through that, if you do not seek, then you will gain nothing. You must feel your way through your experiences, and only through your experiences can you see God’s actions and recognize His wondrousness and unfathomableness.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All those who are willing to be made perfect have the chance to be made perfect, so everyone must relax: In the future you will all enter the destination. But if you are unwilling to be made perfect, and are unwilling to enter the wonderful realm, then that is your own problem. All those who are willing to be made perfect and are loyal to God, all those who obey, and all those who faithfully perform their function—all such people can be made perfect. Today, all those who do not loyally perform their duty, all those who are not loyal to God, all those who do not submit to God, particularly those who have received the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit but do not put it into practice—all such people are unable to be made perfect. All those who are willing to be loyal and obey God can be made perfect, even if they are a little ignorant; all those who are willing to pursue can be made perfect. There is no need to worry about this. As long as you are willing to pursue in this direction, you can be made perfect. I am unwilling to forsake or eliminate any of those among you, but if man does not strive to do well, then you are only ruining yourself; it is not Me that eliminates you, but you yourself. If you yourself do not strive to do well—if you are lazy, or do not perform your duty, or are not loyal, or do not pursue the truth and always do as you please, if you behave recklessly, fight for your own fame and fortune, and are unscrupulous in your dealings with the opposite sex, then you will bear the burden of your own sins; you are not worthy of anyone’s pity. My intention is for all of you to be made perfect, and at the very least be conquered, so that this stage of work may be successfully completed. God’s wish is for every person to be made perfect, to be ultimately gained by Him, to be completely cleansed by Him, and to become people He loves. It matters not whether I say you are backward or of poor caliber—this is all fact. My saying this does not prove that I intend to forsake you, that I have lost hope in you, much less that I am unwilling to save you. Today I have come to do the work of your salvation, which is to say that the work I do is a continuation of the work of salvation. Every person has the chance to be made perfect: Provided that you are willing, provided that you pursue, in the end you will be able to achieve this result, and not one of you will be forsaken. If you are of poor caliber, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your poor caliber; if you are of high caliber, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your high caliber; if you are ignorant and illiterate, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your illiteracy; if you are literate, My requirements of you will be in accordance with the fact that you are literate; if you are elderly, My requirements of you will be in accordance with your age; if you are capable of providing hospitality, My requirements of you will be in accordance with this capability; if you say you cannot offer hospitality, and can only perform a certain function, whether it be spreading the gospel, or taking care of the church, or attending to other general affairs, My perfection of you will be in accordance with the function that you perform. Being loyal, obeying to the very end, and seeking to have supreme love for God—this is what you must accomplish, and there are no better practices than these three things. Ultimately, man is required to achieve these three things, and if he can achieve them, then he will be made perfect. But, above all, you must truly pursue, you must actively press onward and upward, and not be passive in that regard. I have said that every person has the chance to be made perfect and is capable of being made perfect, and this holds true, but you do not try to be better in your pursuit. If you do not achieve these three criteria, then in the end you must be eliminated. I want everyone to catch up, I want everyone to have the work and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and be able to obey to the very end, because this is the duty that each of you should perform. When you have all performed your duty, you will all have been made perfect, you will also have resounding testimony. All those who have testimony are those who have been victorious over Satan and gained God’s promise, and they are the ones who will remain to live in the wonderful destination.

Excerpted from “Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those that God intends to perfect will all receive His blessings and His inheritance. That is, they take in what God has and is so that it becomes what they have within; they have all the words of God wrought into them; whatever God is, you are able to take it all in exactly as is, and thereby live out the truth. This is the kind of person who is perfected by God and who is gained by God. Only someone such as this is eligible to receive the blessings bestowed by God:

1. Gaining the whole of God’s love.

2. Acting in accordance with the will of God in all things.

3. Gaining the guidance of God, living in the light of God, and gaining God’s enlightenment.

4. Living out on earth the image that God loves; loving God truly as Peter did, crucified for God and worthy to die in recompense for God’s love; having the same glory as Peter.

5. Being beloved, respected, and admired by everyone on earth.

6. Overcoming every aspect of the bondage of death and Hades, giving no opportunity for Satan to do its work, being possessed by God, living within a fresh and lively spirit, and not growing weary.

7. Having an ineffable sense of elation and excitement at all times throughout life, as if one has beheld the arrival of the day of God’s glory.

8. Winning glory together with God and having a countenance that resembles God’s beloved saints.

9. Becoming that which God loves on earth, that is, a beloved son of God.

10. Changing form and ascending with God to the third heaven and transcending the flesh.

Excerpted from “Promises to Those Who Have Been Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

43. The Principles of Seeking to Be Perfected

(1) It is necessary to hand one’s heart over to God, to devote oneself entirely to God and expend oneself for Him, to read His words in earnest, and to commune with Him in His words;

(2) Sincerely expend yourself for God and, in performing your duty, seek the truth to address your corrupt disposition. Cooperate with others in harmony, and perform your duty satisfactorily;

(3) Accept being judged, chastised, pruned, and dealt with in God’s words, and put a thorough end to lies, falsity, trickery, and perfunctory, slipshod work. Be an honest person;

(4) In every sort of trial, seek the truth, address notions and corruption, learn to show consideration for God’s will, and come truly to submit to God.

Relevant Words of God:

Man will be fully made complete in the Age of Kingdom. After the work of conquest, man will be subjected to refinement and tribulation. Those who can overcome and stand testimony during this tribulation are the ones who will ultimately be made complete; they are the overcomers. During this tribulation, man is required to accept this refinement, and this refinement is the last instance of God’s work. It is the last time that man will be refined prior to the conclusion of all the work of God’s management, and all those who follow God must accept this final test, and they must accept this last refinement. Those who are beset by tribulation are without the work of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God, but those who have been truly conquered and who truly seek after God will ultimately stand fast; they are the ones who are possessed of humanity, and who truly love God. No matter what God does, these victorious ones will not be bereft of the visions and will still put the truth into practice without failing in their testimony. They are the ones who will finally emerge from the great tribulation. Even though those who fish in troubled waters can still freeload today, no one is able to escape the final tribulation, and no one can escape the final test. For those who overcome, such tribulation is a tremendous refinement; but for those who fish in troubled waters, it is the work of complete elimination. … The work of saving man is not achieved following the completion of the work of conquest. Although the work of conquest has come to an end, the work of purifying man has not; such work will only be finished once man has been wholly purified, once those who truly submit to God have been made complete, and once those disguisers who are without God in their heart have been purged. Those who do not satisfy God in the final stage of His work will be completely eliminated, and those who are eliminated are of the devil. As they are incapable of satisfying God, they are rebellious against God, and even though these people follow God today, this does not prove that they are those who will finally remain. In the words that “those who follow God to the end will receive salvation,” the meaning of “follow” is to stand firm in the midst of tribulation. Today, many believe that following God is easy, but when God’s work is about to end, you will know the true meaning of “follow.” Just because you are still able to follow God today after being conquered, this does not prove that you are one of those who will be made perfect. Those who are unable to endure the trials, who are incapable of being victorious amid tribulation will, ultimately, be incapable of standing fast, and so will be unable to follow God to the very end. Those who truly follow God are able to withstand the test of their work, whereas those who do not truly follow God are incapable of withstanding any of God’s trials. Sooner or later they will be expelled, while the overcomers will remain in the kingdom. Whether or not man truly seeks God is determined by the test of his work, that is, by God’s trials, and has nothing to do with the decision by man himself. God does not reject any person on a whim; all that He does can utterly convince man. He does not do anything that is invisible to man, or any work that cannot convince man. Whether man’s belief is true or not is proved by the facts and cannot be decided by man. That “wheat cannot be made into tares, and tares cannot be made into wheat” is without doubt. All those who truly love God will ultimately remain in the kingdom, and God will not mistreat anyone who truly loves Him. Based on their different functions and testimonies, the overcomers within the kingdom will serve as priests or followers, and all those who are victorious amid tribulation will become the body of priests within the kingdom. The body of priests will be formed when the work of the gospel throughout the universe has come to an end. When that time comes, that which should be done by man will be the performance of his duty within the kingdom of God, and his living together with God within the kingdom. In the body of priests there will be chief priests and priests, and the remainder will be the sons and people of God. This is all determined by their testimonies to God during tribulation; they are not titles that are given on a whim. Once man’s status has been established, the work of God will cease, for each is classed according to kind and returned to their original position, and this is the mark of the accomplishment of God’s work, it is the final outcome of the work of God and the practice of man, and it is the crystallization of the visions of God’s work and the cooperation of man. In the end, man will find repose in the kingdom of God, and God, too, will return to His dwelling place to rest. This will be the final outcome of 6,000 years of cooperation between God and man.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God does the work of judgment and chastisement so that man may gain knowledge of Him, and for the sake of His testimony. Without His judgment of man’s corrupt disposition, man could not possibly know His righteous disposition, which brooks no offense, and nor would man be able to turn his old knowledge of God into a new one. For the sake of His testimony, and for the sake of His management, He makes His entirety public, thus enabling man, through His public appearance, to arrive at knowledge of God, to be transformed in his disposition, and to bear resounding testimony to God. The transformation of the disposition of man is achieved through many different kinds of God’s work; without such changes in his disposition, man would be unable to bear testimony to God and to be after God’s heart. The transformation of man’s disposition signifies that man has freed himself from Satan’s bondage and from the influence of darkness, and has truly become a model and specimen of God’s work, a witness of God, and one who is after God’s heart. Today, God incarnate has come to do His work on earth, and He requires that man achieve knowledge of Him, obedience to Him, testimony to Him, to know His practical and normal work, to obey all of His words and work which do not accord with the notions of man, and to bear testimony to all the work He does to save man, as well as all the deeds He accomplishes to conquer man. Those who bear testimony to God must have knowledge of God; only this kind of testimony is accurate and real, and only this kind of testimony can shame Satan. God uses those who have come to know Him through undergoing His judgment and chastisement, dealing and pruning, to bear testimony to Him. He uses those who have been corrupted by Satan to bear testimony to Him, and so too does He use those whose disposition has changed, and who have thus gained His blessings, to bear testimony to Him. He does not need man to praise Him with his mouth, nor does He need the praise and testimony of the ilk of Satan, who have not been saved by Him. Only those who know God are qualified to bear testimony to Him, and only those who have been transformed in their disposition are qualified to bear testimony to Him. God will not allow man intentionally to bring shame upon His name.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The reason why those who truly testify of God are able to give a resounding testimony to Him is because their testimony rests upon the foundation of the true knowledge and true yearning for God. Such testimony is not offered according to an emotional impulse, but according to their knowledge of God and His disposition. Because they have come to know God, they feel that they must surely testify of God and make all those who yearn for God know God, and be aware of God’s loveliness and His realness. Like people’s love for God, their testimony is spontaneous; it is real and has real significance and worth. It is not passive or hollow and meaningless. The reason only those who truly love God have the most value and meaning in their lives, the reason only they truly believe in God, is that these people are able to live in God’s light and are able to live for God’s work and management. It is because they do not live in darkness, but live in the light; they do not live meaningless lives, but lives that have been blessed by God. Only those who love God are able to testify of God, only they are God’s witnesses, only they are blessed by God, and only they are able to receive God’s promises. Those who love God are God’s intimates; they are the people beloved by God, and they can enjoy blessings together with God. Only people such as this will live to eternity, and only they will forever live under God’s care and protection. God is for people to love, and He is worthy of all people’s love, but not all people are capable of loving God, and not all people can testify of God and hold power with God. Because they are able to testify of God and devote all their efforts to God’s work, those who truly love God can walk anywhere beneath the heavens without anyone daring to oppose them, and they can wield power on earth and rule all the people of God. These people have come together from across the world. They speak different languages and have different skin colors, but their existence has the same meaning; they all have a heart that loves God, they all bear the same testimony, and have the same resolve, and the same wish. Those who love God can walk freely throughout the world, and those who testify of God can travel across the universe. These people are beloved by God, they are blessed by God, and they will forever live within His light.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What I want are people like Peter, people who pursue being made perfect. Today’s truth is given to those who yearn for and seek it. This salvation is granted to those who yearn to be saved by God, and is not only meant to be gained by you. Its purpose is that you may be gained by God; you gain God in order that God may gain you. Today I have spoken these words to you, and you have heard them, and you should practice according to these words. In the end, the time when you put these words into practice will be the moment when I have gained you through these words; at the same time, you will have also gained these words, which is to say, you will have gained this supreme salvation. Once you are made clean, you will have become a real human being. If you are incapable of living out the truth, or of living out the likeness of one who has been made perfect, then it can be said that you are not a human, but a walking corpse, a beast, because you are without the truth, which is to say that you are without the breath of Jehovah, and thus you are a dead person that has no spirit! Although it is possible to bear testimony after being conquered, what you gain is but a little salvation, and you have not become a living being possessed of a spirit. Although you have experienced chastisement and judgment, your disposition is not renewed or changed as a result; you are still your old self, you still belong to Satan, and you are not someone who has been cleansed. Only those who have been made perfect are of value, and only people such as this have gained a true life.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

To seek to be made perfect by God, one must first understand what it means to be perfected by Him, as well as what conditions one must meet in order to be perfected. Once one has a grasp of such matters, then one must search for a path of practice. To be perfected, one must be of a certain quality. Many people are not innately of high enough quality, in which case you must pay a price and work hard subjectively. The worse your quality, the more subjective effort you must put in. The greater your understanding of God’s words and the more you put them into practice, the more quickly you can set foot upon the path of perfection. Through prayer, you can be made perfect in the area of prayer; you can also be perfected by eating and drinking of the words of God, grasping their essence, and living out their reality. By experiencing God’s words on a daily basis, you should come to know what is lacking in yourself; moreover, you should recognize your fatal flaw and your weaknesses, and pray and supplicate to God. By doing so, you will gradually be made perfect. The path to perfection is: praying; eating and drinking of God’s words; grasping the essence of God’s words; gaining entry to the experience of God’s words; coming to know what is lacking in yourself; submitting to God’s work; being mindful of God’s burden and forsaking the flesh through your love for God; and joining in frequent fellowship with your brothers and sisters, which can enrich your experiences. Whether it be communal life or your personal life, and whether it be large assemblies or small ones, they can all allow you to acquire experience and receive training so that your heart can be quiet before God and return to Him. All of this is part of the process of being made perfect. Experiencing the words of God, as mentioned earlier, means being able actually to taste them and allowing yourself to live them out, so that you will gain greater faith and love for God. In this manner, you will gradually shed your corrupt, satanic disposition; free yourself of improper motivations; and live out the likeness of a normal person. The greater the love for God within you—which is to say, the more of you that has been made perfect by God—the less you will be possessed by Satan’s corruption. Through your practical experiences, you will gradually set foot upon the path of perfection. Thus, if you wish to be made perfect, then it is especially important to be mindful of the will of God and to experience His words.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Are you truly willing to be perfected? If you are truly willing to be perfected by God, then you will have the courage to cast aside your flesh, you will be able to carry out God’s words, and you will not be passive or weak. You will be able to obey all that comes from God, and all of your actions, whether done in public or in private, will be presentable to God. If you are an honest person, and practice the truth in all things, then you will be perfected. Those deceitful people who act one way in front of others and another way behind their backs are not willing to be perfected. They are all sons of perdition and destruction; they belong not to God but to Satan. They are not the kind of people chosen by God! If your actions and behavior cannot be presented before God or looked upon by the Spirit of God, this is proof that there is something wrong with you. Only if you accept the judgment and chastisement of God, and care about the transformation of your disposition, will you be able to set foot upon the path to being perfected. If you are truly willing to be perfected by God and to do the will of God, then you should obey all of God’s work, without a single word of complaint, without presuming to evaluate or to judge the work of God. These are the minimal requirements for being perfected by God. The necessary requirement for those who seek to be perfected by God is this: Act with a heart that loves God in all things. What does it mean to act with a heart that loves God? It means that all of your actions and behavior can be presented before God. And because you have the right intentions, whether your actions are right or wrong, you are not afraid to show them to God or to your brothers and sisters, and you dare to swear an oath before God. You must present your every intention, thought, and idea before God for His scrutiny; if you practice and enter in this way, then progress in your life will be swift.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to be used and perfected by God, then you must be possessed of everything: the will to suffer, faith, endurance, obedience, and the ability to experience the work of God, grasp His will, be considerate of His sorrow, and so forth. Perfecting a person is not easy, and every single refinement that you experience requires your faith and love. If you want to be perfected by God, it is not enough to merely rush ahead on the path, nor is it enough to merely expend yourself for God. You must possess many things to be able to become someone who is perfected by God. When you face suffering, you must be able to lay aside concern for the flesh and to not make complaints against God. When God hides Himself from you, you must be able to have the faith to follow Him, to maintain your previous love without allowing it to falter or dissipate. No matter what God does, you must submit to His design and be prepared to curse your own flesh rather than make complaints against Him. When you are faced with trials, you must satisfy God, though you may weep bitterly or feel reluctant to part with some beloved object. Only this is true love and faith. No matter what your actual stature is, you must first possess both the will to suffer hardship and true faith, and you must also have the will to forsake the flesh. You should be willing to endure personal hardships and suffer losses to your personal interests in order to satisfy God’s will. You must also be capable of feeling regret about yourself in your heart: In the past, you were unable to satisfy God, and now, you can regret yourself. You must not be lacking in any of these regards—it is through these things that God will perfect you. If you cannot meet these criteria, then you cannot be perfected.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What Peter sought was to come to know himself and see what had been revealed in him through the refinement of God’s words and within the various trials that God provided for him. When he truly came to understand himself, Peter realized just how deeply corrupt humans are, how worthless and unworthy of serving God they are, and that they do not deserve to live before Him. Peter then fell prostrate before God. Ultimately, he thought, “Knowing God is the most precious thing! If I died before knowing Him, it would be such a pity; I feel that knowing God is the most important, most meaningful thing there is. If man does not know God, then he does not deserve to live and has no life.” By the time Peter’s experience had reached this point, he had come to know his own nature and gained a relatively good understanding of it. Although he perhaps would not have been able to explain it as clearly as people would nowadays, Peter had indeed reached this state. Therefore, pursuing life and attaining perfection by God requires knowing one’s own nature from within God’s utterances, as well as comprehending the aspects of one’s nature and accurately describing it in words, speaking clearly and plainly. Only this is truly knowing yourself, and you will have attained the result God requires. If your knowledge has not yet reached this point, but you claim to know yourself and say that you have gained life, then are you not simply bragging? You do not know yourself, nor do you know what you are in front of God, whether you have truly met the standards of being human, or how many satanic elements you still have within you. You are still unclear about who you belong to, and you do not even have any self-knowledge—so how can you possess reason in front of God? When Peter was pursuing life, he focused on understanding himself and transforming his disposition over the course of his trials, and he strove to know God, and in the end, he thought, “People must seek an understanding of God in life; knowing Him is the most critical thing. If I do not know God, then I cannot rest in peace when I die. Once I know Him, if God then has me die, then I will still feel most gratified to do so; I will not complain in the slightest, and my entire life will have been fulfilled.” Peter was not able to gain this level of understanding or reach this point immediately after he had begun to believe in God; he first had to undergo a great many trials. His experience had to reach a certain milestone, and he had to completely understand himself, before he could sense the value of knowing God. Therefore, the path Peter took was one of gaining life and of being perfected; this was the aspect upon which his specific practice was primarily focused.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

At present, what you should chiefly seek is to be perfected by God in all things, and to be perfected by God through all people, matters, and things with which you are faced, so that more of what God is will be wrought into you. You must first receive the inheritance of God on earth; only then will you become eligible to inherit more, and greater, blessings from God. These are all things that you should seek, and which you should understand before all else. The more you seek to be perfected by God in all things, the more you will be able to see the hand of God in all things, as a result of which you will, through different perspectives and in different matters, actively seek to enter into the being of God’s word and enter into the reality of His word. You cannot be content with such passive states as merely not committing sins, or having no notions, no philosophy for living, and no human will. God perfects man in a multitude of ways; in all matters lies the possibility of being perfected, and He can perfect you not only in positive terms but also in negative terms, to make what you gain more abundant. Every single day there are opportunities to be perfected and occasions to be gained by God. After experiencing thus for a time, you will be greatly changed, and will naturally understand many things of which you were previously ignorant. There will be no need for instruction from others; unbeknownst to you, God will enlighten you, so that you will receive enlightenment in all things and enter into all your experiences in detail. God will surely guide you so that you veer not to left or right, and you will thus set foot upon path to being perfected by Him.

Excerpted from “Promises to Those Who Have Been Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Being perfected by God cannot be limited to perfection by eating and drinking God’s word. Such experiencing would be too one-sided, it would include too little, and could only restrict people to a very small scope. This being so, people would lack much of the spiritual nourishment they require. If you wish to be perfected by God, you must learn how to experience in all matters, and be able to gain enlightenment in everything that happens to you. Whether it be good or bad, it should bring you benefit, and should not make you negative. Regardless, you should be able to consider things while standing on the side of God, and not analyze or study them from the perspective of man (this would be a deviation in your experience). If you experience thus, then your heart will be filled with the burdens of your life; you will live constantly in the light of God’s countenance, not readily deviating in your practice. Such people have a bright future ahead of them. There are so many opportunities to be perfected by God. It all rests on whether you are someone who truly loves God and whether you possess the resolve to be perfected by God, to be gained by God, and to receive His blessings and inheritance. Mere resolve is not enough; you must have much knowledge, else you will always be deviating in your practice. God is willing to perfect each and every one of you. As it stands now, although most people have already accepted the work of God for a very long time, they have limited themselves to merely basking in the grace of God, and are only willing to allow God to give them a little comfort of the flesh, yet are unwilling to receive more, and higher, revelations. This shows that the heart of man is still always on the outside. Even though the work of man, his service, and his heart of love for God have fewer impurities, as far as his inner substance and his backward thinking are concerned, man still constantly seeks the peace and enjoyment of the flesh, and cares nothing for what the conditions for and purposes of God perfecting man may be. And so, the lives of most people are still vulgar and decadent. Their lives have not changed in the slightest; they simply do not regard faith in God as a matter of importance, it is as if they just have faith for the sake of others, going through the motions and getting by any old how, adrift in a purposeless existence. Few are those who are able to seek to enter into the word of God in all things, gaining more and richer things, becoming people of greater wealth in the house of God today, and receiving more of God’s blessings. If you seek to be perfected by God in all things, and are able to receive what God has promised on earth, if you seek to be enlightened by God in all things and do not let the years slip idly by, this is the ideal path to enter actively. Only thus will you become worthy and eligible to be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Promises to Those Who Have Been Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Eating and drinking of God’s words, practicing prayer, accepting God’s burden, and accepting the tasks He entrusts to you—all of this is so that there may be a path before you. The more the burden of God’s entrustment weighs on you, the easier it will be for you to be perfected by Him. Some are unwilling to coordinate with others in service to God, even when they have been called upon; these are lazy people who wish only to revel in comfort. The more you are asked to serve in coordination with others, the more experience you will gain. Due to having more burdens and experiences, you will gain more opportunities to be perfected. Therefore, if you can serve God with sincerity, then you will be mindful of God’s burden; as such, you will have more opportunities to be perfected by God. It is just such a group of people that is currently being perfected. The more the Holy Spirit touches you, the more time you will devote to being mindful of God’s burden, the more you will be perfected by God, and the more you will be gained by Him—until, in the end, you will become a person whom God uses. At present, there are some who carry no burdens for the church. These people are slack and sloppy, and only care about their own flesh. Such people are extremely selfish, and they are also blind. If you cannot see this matter clearly, you will not carry any burden. The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden He will entrust to you. The selfish are unwilling to suffer such things; they are unwilling to pay the price, and, as a result, they will miss opportunities to be perfected by God. Are they not doing themselves harm? If you are someone who is mindful of God’s will, then you will develop a true burden for the church. In fact, instead of calling this a burden you bear for the church, it would be better to call it a burden you bear for your own life’s sake, because the purpose of this burden you develop for the church is to have you use such experiences to be perfected by God. Therefore, whoever carries the greatest burden for the church, whoever carries a burden for entering into life—they will be the ones who are perfected by God. Have you seen this clearly? If the church you are with is scattered like sand, but you are neither worried nor anxious, and you even turn a blind eye when your brothers and sisters are not normally eating and drinking of God’s words, then you are not carrying any burdens. Such people are not the kind in whom God delights. The kind of people in whom God delights hunger and thirst for righteousness and are mindful of God’s will. Thus, you should become mindful of God’s burden, here and now; you should not wait for God to reveal His righteous disposition to all humanity before growing mindful of God’s burden. Would it not be too late by then? Now is a good opportunity to be perfected by God. If you allow this chance to slip through your fingers, you will regret it for the rest of your life, just as Moses was unable to enter the good land of Canaan and regretted it for the rest of his life, dying with remorse. Once God has revealed His righteous disposition to all peoples, you will be filled with regret. Even if God does not chastise you, you will chastise yourself out of your own remorse. Some are not convinced by this, but if you do not believe it, just wait and see. There are some people whose sole purpose is to fulfill these words. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of these words?

If you do not seek out opportunities to be perfected by God, and if you do not strive to be ahead of the pack in your seeking of perfection, then you will ultimately be filled with remorse. The best opportunity to attain perfection is the present; now is an extremely good time. If you do not earnestly seek to be perfected by God, once His work has concluded, it will be too late—you will have missed the opportunity. No matter how great your aspirations, if God is no longer performing work, then regardless of the effort you put in, you will never be able to attain perfection. You must seize this opportunity and cooperate while the Holy Spirit does His great work. If you miss this chance, you will not be given another one, no matter what efforts you make. Some of you cry, “God, I am willing to be mindful of Your burden, and I am willing to satisfy Your will!” However, you have no path on which to practice, so your burdens will not last. If you have a path ahead, then you will gain experience one step at a time, and your experience will be structured and organized. After one burden has been completed, another will be given to you. As your life experience deepens, your burdens, too, will grow more profound. Some people only carry a burden when touched by the Holy Spirit; after a period of time, once they no longer have a path on which to practice, they stop carrying any burdens. You cannot develop burdens simply by eating and drinking of God’s words. By understanding many truths, you will gain discernment, learn to solve problems using the truth, and gain a more precise understanding of God’s words and God’s will. With these things, you will develop burdens to carry, and only then will you be able to perform work properly. If you have a burden but do not have a clear understanding of the truth, then that will not do, either; you must experience God’s words in person and know how to practice them. Only after you yourself have entered reality will you be able to provide for others, lead others, and be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who have been made perfect not only possess normal humanity, but are possessed of truths that exceed the measures of conscience, that are higher than the standards of conscience; they not only use their conscience to pay back God’s love, but, more than that, they have known God, and have seen that God is lovely, and worthy of man’s love, and that there is so much to love in God; man cannot help but love Him! The love for God of those who have been made perfect is in order to fulfill their own personal aspirations. Theirs is a spontaneous love, a love that asks for nothing in return, and which is not a transaction. They love God because of nothing other than their knowledge of Him. Such people care not whether God bestows graces upon them, and are content with nothing more than to satisfy God. They do not strike bargains with God, nor do they measure their love of God by conscience: “You have given to me, thus I love You in return; if You do not give to me, then I have nothing for You in return.” Those who have been made perfect always believe that: “God is the Creator, and He carries out His work upon us. Since I have this opportunity, condition, and qualification to be made perfect, my pursuit should be to live out a life of meaning, and I should satisfy Him.” It is just like that which was experienced by Peter: When he was at his weakest, he prayed to God and said, “O God! Regardless of the time or place, You know that I always remember You. No matter the time or place, You know that I want to love You, but my stature is too small, I am too weak and powerless, my love is too limited, and my sincerity toward You is too meager. Compared to Your love, I am simply unfit to live. I wish only that my life is not in vain, and that I can not only repay Your love, but, moreover, that I can devote all I have to You. If I can satisfy You, then as a creature, I shall have peace of mind, and will ask for nothing more. Although I am weak and powerless now, I will not forget Your exhortations, and I will not forget Your love. Now I am doing nothing more than repaying Your love. O God, I feel awful! How can I give back the love in my heart to You, how can I do all I can, and be able to fulfill Your wishes, and be able to offer all that I have to You? You know the weakness of man; how can I be worthy of Your love? O God! You know I am of small stature, that my love is too meager. How can I do the best that I can in this kind of environment? I know I should repay Your love, I know that I should give all that I have to You, but today my stature is too small. I ask that You give me strength and confidence, so that I will be more able to possess a pure love to devote to You, and more able to devote all that I have to You; not only will I be able to repay Your love, but I will be more able to experience Your chastisement, judgment and trials, and even more severe curses. You have allowed me to behold Your love, and I am incapable of not loving You, and though I am weak and powerless today, how could I forget You? Your love, chastisement and judgment have all caused me to know You, yet I also feel incapable of fulfilling Your love, for You are so great. How can I devote all that I have to the Creator?” Such was Peter’s request, yet his stature was too inadequate. At this moment, he felt as if a knife were being twisted in his heart. He was in agony; he knew not what to do under such conditions. Yet he still continued to pray: “O God! Man is of childish stature, his conscience is feeble, and the only thing I can achieve is to repay Your love. Today, I know not how to satisfy Your desires, and I only wish to do all I can, give all I have, and devote all I have to You. Regardless of Your judgment, regardless of Your chastisement, regardless of what You bestow upon me, regardless of what You take away from me, make me free from the slightest complaint toward You. Many times, when You chastised me and judged me, I grumbled to myself, and was incapable of achieving purity, or of fulfilling Your wishes. My repayment of Your love was born out of compulsion, and at this moment I hate myself even more.” It was because he sought a purer love of God that Peter prayed in this way. He was seeking, and entreating, and, furthermore, he was recriminating himself, and confessing his sins to God. He felt indebted to God, and felt hatred of himself, yet he was also somewhat sad and passive. He always felt thus, as if he was not good enough for God’s wishes, and unable to do his best. Under such conditions, Peter still pursued the faith of Job. He saw how great had been the faith of Job, for Job had seen that everything he had was bestowed by God, and it was natural for God to take everything from him, that God would give to whomever He wished—such was the righteous disposition of God. Job had no complaints, and could still praise God. Peter also knew himself, and in his heart he prayed, “Today I should not be content with repaying Your love using my conscience and with however much love I give back to You, because my thoughts are too corrupt, and because I am incapable of seeing You as the Creator. Because I am still unfit to love You, I must cultivate the ability to devote all that I have to You, which I would do willingly. I must know all that You have done, and have no choice, and I must behold Your love, and be able to speak Your praises and extol Your holy name, so that You may gain great glory through me. I am willing to stand fast in this testimony to You. O God! Your love is so precious and beautiful; how could I wish to live in the hands of the evil one? Was I not made by You? How could I live under the domain of Satan? I would prefer that my entire being live amid Your chastisement. I am unwilling to live under the domain of the evil one. If I can be made pure, and can devote my all to You, I am willing to offer up my body and mind to Your judgment and chastisement, for I detest Satan, and am unwilling to live under its domain. Through Your judgment of me, You show forth Your righteous disposition; I am happy, and have not the slightest complaint. If I am able to perform the duty of a creature, I am willing that my entire life be accompanied by Your judgment, through which I will come to know Your righteous disposition, and will rid myself of the influence of the evil one.” Peter always prayed thus, always sought thus, and he reached a, relatively speaking, high realm. Not only was he able to repay God’s love, but, more importantly, he also fulfilled his duty as a creature. Not only was he not accused by his conscience, but he was also able to transcend the standards of conscience. His prayers continued to go up before God, such that his aspirations were ever higher, and his love of God was ever greater. Though he suffered agonizing pain, still he did not forget to love God, and still he sought to attain the ability to understand God’s will. In his prayers he uttered the following words: “I have accomplished nothing more than the repayment of Your love. I have not borne testimony to You before Satan, have not freed myself from the influence of Satan, and still live amid the flesh. I wish to use my love to defeat Satan, to shame it, and thus satisfy Your desire. I wish to give my entirety to You, to not give the slightest bit of myself to Satan, for Satan is Your enemy.” The more he sought in this direction, the more he was moved, and the higher his knowledge of these matters. Without realizing it, he came to know that he should free himself of the influence of Satan, and should completely return himself to God. Such was the realm he attained. He was transcending the influence of Satan, and ridding himself of the pleasures and enjoyments of the flesh, and was willing to experience more profoundly both God’s chastisement and His judgment. He said, “Even though I live amid Your chastisement, and amid Your judgment, regardless of the hardship that entails, still I am unwilling to live under the domain of Satan, still I am unwilling to suffer Satan’s trickery. I take joy from living amid Your curses, and am pained by living amid the blessings of Satan. I love You by living amid Your judgment, and this brings me great joy. Your chastisement and judgment is righteous and holy; it is in order to cleanse me, and even more, it is to save me. I would prefer to spend my entire life amid Your judgment so that I may be under Your care. I am unwilling to live under Satan’s domain for a single moment; I wish to be cleansed by You; even if I suffer hardship, I am unwilling to be exploited and tricked by Satan. I, this creature, should be used by You, possessed by You, judged by You, and chastised by You. I should even be cursed by You. My heart rejoices when You are willing to bless me, for I have seen Your love. You are the Creator, and I am a creature: I should not betray You and live under the domain of Satan, nor should I be exploited by Satan. I should be Your horse, or ox, instead of living for Satan. I’d rather live amid Your chastisement, without physical bliss, and this would bring me enjoyment even if I were to lose Your grace. Though Your grace is not with me, I enjoy being chastised and judged by You; this is Your best blessing, Your greatest grace. Though You are always majestic and wrathful toward me, still I am incapable of leaving You, and still I cannot love You enough. I’d prefer to live in Your home, I’d prefer to be cursed, chastised, and smitten by You, and am unwilling to live under the domain of Satan, nor am I willing to rush about and busy myself only for the flesh, and much less am I willing to live for the flesh.” Peter’s love was a pure love. This is the experience of being made perfect, and is the highest realm of being made perfect; there is no life that is more meaningful.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If, in man’s belief in God, he is not serious about matters of life, does not pursue entry into the truth, does not pursue changes in his disposition, much less pursue a knowledge of the work of God, then he cannot be made perfect. If you wish to be made perfect, then you must understand God’s work. In particular, you must understand the significance of His chastisement and judgment, and why this work is carried out upon man. Are you able to accept? During chastisement of this kind, are you able to achieve the same experiences and knowledge as Peter? If you pursue knowledge of God and of the work of the Holy Spirit, and if you pursue changes in your disposition, then you have the opportunity to be made perfect.

For those who are to be made perfect, this step of work of being conquered is indispensable; only once man has been conquered can he experience the work of being made perfect. There is no great value to only performing the role of being conquered, which will not render you fit for use by God. You will have no means of playing your part in spreading the gospel, for you do not pursue life, and do not pursue change and renewal in yourself, and so you have no actual experience of life. During this step-by-step work, you once acted as a service-doer and as a foil, but if ultimately you do not pursue to be Peter, and your pursuit is not according to the path by which Peter was made perfect, then, naturally, you will not experience changes in your disposition. If you are someone who pursues being made perfect, then you will have borne testimony, and you will say: “In this step-by-step work of God, I have accepted God’s work of chastisement and judgment, and though I have endured great suffering, I have come to know how God makes man perfect, I have gained the work done by God, I have had the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and His chastisement has saved me. His righteous disposition has come upon me and brought me blessings and grace; it is His judgment and chastisement that has protected and purified me. If I had not been chastised and judged by God, and if the harsh words of God had not come upon me, I could not have known God, and nor could I have been saved. Today I see: As a creature, not only does one enjoy all things made by the Creator, but, more importantly, all creatures should enjoy the righteous disposition of God and His righteous judgment, because God’s disposition is worthy of man’s enjoyment. As a creature that has been corrupted by Satan, one should enjoy God’s righteous disposition. In His righteous disposition there is chastisement and judgment, and, moreover, there is great love. Although I am incapable of completely gaining God’s love today, I have had the good fortune to see it, and in this I have been blessed.” This is the path walked by those who experience being made perfect, and this is the knowledge of which they speak. Such people are the same as Peter; they have the same experiences as Peter. Such people are also those who have gained life, who possess the truth. When they experience until the very end, during God’s judgment they will surely completely rid themselves of the influence of Satan, and be gained by God.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people set foot on the path to perfection, their old dispositions are capable of change. Further, their lives continue to grow, and they gradually enter more deeply into the truth. They are able to loathe the world and all those who do not pursue the truth. They especially loathe themselves, but more than that, they clearly know themselves. They are willing to live by the truth and they make it their goal to pursue the truth. They are unwilling to live within the thoughts generated by their own brains, and they feel loathing for man’s self-righteousness, haughtiness, and self-conceit. They speak with a strong sense of propriety, handle things with discernment and wisdom, and are loyal and obedient to God. If they experience an instance of chastisement and judgment, not only do they not become passive or weak, but they are grateful for this chastisement and judgment from God. They believe that they cannot be without God’s chastisement and judgment, that it protects them. They do not pursue a faith of peace and joy and of seeking bread to satisfy hunger. Neither do they pursue fleeting fleshly enjoyments. This is what occurs in those who are perfected.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If one can satisfy God while fulfilling one’s duty, is principled in one’s words and actions, and can enter truth reality in every aspect of the truth, then one is a person who is perfected by God. It can be said that the work and the words of God have been completely effective for such people, that God’s words have become their life, they have obtained the truth, and they are able to live in accordance with God’s words. After this, the nature of their flesh—that is, the very foundation of their original existence—will shake apart and collapse. After people possess God’s words as their life, they will become new people. If the words of God become their life, if the vision of God’s work, His requirements of humanity, His revelations to humans, and the standards for a true life that God requires them to meet become their life, if they live according to these words and truths, then they are perfected by the words of God. Such people are reborn, and have become new people through God’s words. This is the path by which Peter pursued the truth; it was the path of being perfected, perfected by God’s words, and gaining life from the words of God. The truth expressed by God became his life, and only then did he become a person who obtained the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

II. On the Principles of Knowing Oneself

44. The Principles of Knowing Oneself Through Self-Reflection

(1) It is necessary to use every sentence of God’s words, in which He judges and exposes man, as the basis for frequent self-reflection. One should strive to measure themselves against each line of His words;

(2) In all matters, reflect on whether there are expressions of your corruption in your words, behavior, or manner, or in your thoughts or ideas; and on whether they accord with the truth or offend God’s disposition;

(3) It is necessary that one seize their transgressions and expressions of corruption when reflecting on themselves, that they may come to know their nature essence and see how pitiful they are;

(4) When faced with being pruned and dealt with, with trials and refinement, or with failures and setbacks, one should pray to God all the more and learn to submit to the truth and forsake the flesh. One must never rationalize;

(5) To use false leaders’ and antichrists’ experiences of failing and falling down in order to reflect on oneself is the best training; it redoubles the lessons one is taught.

Relevant Words of God:

Man’s corrupt disposition stems from his being poisoned and trampled upon by Satan, from the egregious harm that Satan has inflicted upon his thinking, morality, insight, and sense. It is precisely because the fundamental things of man have been corrupted by Satan, and are utterly unlike how God originally created them, that man opposes God and does not understand the truth. Thus, changes in man’s disposition should begin with changes in his thinking, insight, and sense that will change his knowledge of God and his knowledge of the truth. Those who were born in the most deeply corrupted of all lands are even more ignorant of what God is, or what it means to believe in God. The more corrupted people are, the less they know the existence of God, and the poorer their sense and insight. The source of man’s opposition and rebelliousness against God is his corruption by Satan. Because of Satan’s corruption, man’s conscience has grown numb; he is immoral, his thoughts are degenerate, and he has a backward mental outlook. Before he was corrupted by Satan, man naturally followed God and obeyed His words after hearing them. He was naturally of sound sense and conscience, and of normal humanity. After being corrupted by Satan, man’s original sense, conscience, and humanity grew dull and were impaired by Satan. Thus, he has lost his obedience and love toward God. Man’s sense has become aberrant, his disposition has become the same as that of an animal, and his rebelliousness toward God is ever more frequent and grievous. Yet man still neither knows nor recognizes this, and merely opposes and rebels blindly. Man’s disposition is revealed in expressions of his sense, insight, and conscience; because his sense and insight are unsound, and his conscience has grown supremely dull, thus his disposition is rebellious against God. If man’s sense and insight cannot change, then changes in his disposition are out of the question, as is conforming to God’s will. If man’s sense is unsound, then he cannot serve God and is unfit for use by God. “Normal sense” refers to obeying and being faithful to God, to yearning for God, to being absolute toward God, and to having a conscience toward God. It refers to being of one heart and mind toward God, and not deliberately opposing God. Having an aberrant sense is not like this. Since man was corrupted by Satan, he has come up with notions about God, and he has had no loyalty to God or yearning for Him, to say nothing of a conscience toward God. Man deliberately opposes God and passes judgments on Him, and, furthermore, hurls invective at Him behind His back. Man passes judgment on God behind His back, with clear knowledge that He is God; man has no intention of obeying God, and merely makes blind demands and requests of Him. Such people—people who have aberrant sense—are incapable of knowing their own despicable behavior or of regretting their rebelliousness. If people are capable of knowing themselves, then they have regained a little of their sense; the more rebellious against God people who cannot yet know themselves are, the less are they sound of sense.

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The key to achieving a change in disposition is to know one’s own nature, and this must happen in accordance with revelations from God. Only in God’s word can one know one’s own hideous nature, recognize in one’s own nature Satan’s various poisons, realize that one is foolish and ignorant, and recognize the weak and negative elements in one’s nature. After these are fully known, and you are truly able to hate yourself and forsake the flesh, consistently carry out God’s word, and have the will to absolutely submit to the Holy Spirit and to the word of God, then you will have embarked on the path of Peter.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To know yourself, you must know your own expressions of corruption, your own vital weaknesses, your disposition, and your nature essence. You must also know, down to the very last detail, those things that are revealed in your daily life—your motives, your perspectives, and your attitude about every single thing—whether you are at home or out, when you are in gatherings, when you are eating and drinking of the words of God, or in every single issue you encounter. Through these things you must come to know yourself. To know yourself on a deeper level, you must integrate God’s words; only by knowing yourself based on His words can you achieve results. When receiving the judgment of God’s words, we must not fear suffering, nor should we be afraid of pain, and much less should we fear that God’s words will pierce our hearts. We should read more of His utterances about how He judges and chastises us and exposes our corrupt essences. We must read them and hold ourselves up to them more. Do not compare others to them—we must compare ourselves against them. We are not lacking in any single one of these things; we can all square with them. If you do not believe it, go experience it yourself. After reading God’s words, some people are incapable of applying them to themselves; they think that parts of these words are not about them, but are instead about other people. For example, when God exposes people as sluts and whores, some sisters feel that because they have been unerringly faithful to their husbands, such words must not be in reference to them; some sisters feel that since they are unmarried and have never had sex, such words must not be about them, either. Some brothers feel that these words are only aimed at women, and have nothing to do with them; some people believe that such words of God are too unpleasant-sounding, and refuse to accept them. There are even people who say that in some instances, God’s words are wrong. Is this the right attitude to have toward God’s words? People are incapable of reflecting upon themselves based on God’s words. Here, “sluts” and “whores” refer to people’s corruption of promiscuity. Whether man or woman, married or not married, everyone is possessed of the corruption of promiscuity—so how can it have nothing to do with you? God’s words expose people’s corrupt dispositions; whether male or female, one’s level of corruption is the same. Is this not fact? Prior to doing anything else, we have to realize that we must accept every one of the words spoken by God, whether these utterances are pleasant-sounding or not and whether they give us a bitter feeling or a sweet one. Such is the attitude we should have toward God’s words. What sort of attitude is this? Is it a devout attitude, a patient attitude, or an attitude of embracing suffering? I tell you that it is not any of these. In our faith, we must firmly maintain that God’s words are the truth. Since they are indeed the truth, we should accept them rationally. Whether or not we are able to recognize or admit it, our first attitude toward God’s words should be one of absolute acceptance. Every single line of God’s words pertains to a specific state. That is, none of the lines of His utterances are about external appearances, much less about external rules or a simple form of behavior in people. They are not like that. If you see every line uttered by God as being about a simple kind of human behavior or external appearance, then you have no spiritual understanding and you do not understand what the truth is. God’s words are profound. How are they profound? Everything that God says, everything that He reveals, is about people’s corrupt dispositions, and essential and deep-rooted things within their lives. They are essential things, not external appearances, and particularly not external behaviors.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people are to understand themselves, they must understand their true states. The most important aspect of understanding one’s own state is to have a grasp on one’s own thoughts and ideas. In every time period, people’s thoughts have been controlled by one major thing. If you can grasp your thoughts, you can grasp the things that are behind them. People cannot control their thoughts and ideas. However, you do need to know where these thoughts and ideas come from, what the motives behind them are, how these thoughts and ideas are produced, what controls them, and what their nature is. After your disposition has transformed, your thoughts and ideas, the desires your heart seeks after, and your viewpoints about pursuit—which have been produced from the parts of you that have transformed—will be different. Those thoughts and ideas that originate from the parts of you that have not changed, the things that you do not understand clearly, and the things which you have not replaced with the experiences of truth are filthy, dirty, and ugly. People nowadays, who have experienced God’s work for several years, have some sense and awareness of these matters. Those who have experienced God’s work for a short period of time do not yet understand these matters; they are still unclear. They do not know where their Achilles’ heel is or in what areas it is easy that they will fall. You do not currently know what kind of a person you are, and though other people can see to some extent what kind of a person you are, you cannot sense it. You cannot clearly distinguish your ordinary thoughts or intents, and you do not have a clear understanding of what the essence of these matters is. The deeper you understand an aspect, the more you will transform in that aspect; as such, the things you do will be in accordance with the truth, you will be able to meet God’s requirements, and you will be closer to the will of God. Only by seeking in this way can you obtain results.

Excerpted from “People Who Make Constant Demands of God Are the Least Reasonable People” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is there to knowing yourself? First, you must know what disposition you reveal in your words and deeds. Sometimes it is arrogance, sometimes it is craftiness, and sometimes it is evil. Also, when you encounter problems, you have to know whether your motives fail to be in line with God’s will or accord with the truth. You must also know whether your attitude toward your duty is one of shouldering a burden or of being devoted, and whether you are sincere in expending yourself for God or if your doing so is transactional. You must also know whether you have extravagant demands of God, whether you have a heart of submission, and whether you are able to seek the truth in the face of the environments, people, events, and things that God orchestrates. Know, too, whether you are someone who loves the truth, what sort of humanity you have, and whether you possess a conscience and reason, whether you exist within a state of rationalizing and bargaining when you encounter issues, or can seek the truth and let go of your own notions and imaginings, your ambitions, desires, and plans, and whether you are one who seeks the truth. Yet another aspect of knowing yourself is understanding your character, knowing whether you are an upright person and whether you have a conscience and a kind heart. In your approach to every type of environment, person, event, and thing, you can see your own character, and you can come to know whether you are someone who loves the truth and has genuine faith in God. Look also at what sort of attitude you have in issues directly related to God: how He is referred to, His names, His incarnation—are you reverent and do you submit? What else would you say there is? (Knowing the measure of our caliber.) (Understanding our outlook on life, our values, and what we live by. Knowing what our pursuit is, what path we are walking.) These are all things that people should understand. All in all, knowing yourself in every aspect is essentially this: knowing your caliber, knowing your personality, knowing whether you love the truth or not, knowing the path that you are walking, knowing your outlook on life and your values, and knowing every type of attitude you have toward God. All these things are included.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (2)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To know ourselves is to know what things there are in our thoughts and viewpoints that oppose God, that are not at all compatible with the truth, and that do not contain the truth. Man’s arrogance, self-righteousness, lies, and deceit, for instance, are aspects within a corrupt disposition that are easy for people to know. You can come to some knowledge of them simply by fellowshiping the truth a few times, or by fellowshiping often, or by having your state pointed out by your brothers and sisters. In addition, everyone possesses arrogance and deceitfulness, though to varying degrees. However, people’s thoughts and viewpoints are not easy to know; they are not as easy as knowing people’s dispositions. These are deep-rooted things. Therefore, when you have achieved a little change in your behavior and outward conduct, there are still many aspects of your thinking, notions, viewpoints, and the education of traditional culture you have received which are against God and which you have not yet unearthed. These are the deep-seated things that lead to our enmity toward God. Therefore, when God does something that does not conform to your notions, or something that differs from what you imagine God to do, you will resist and oppose it. You will not understand why God has acted so, and, though you know there is truth in everything God does and you may wish to submit, you will find yourself unable to do so. Why can you not submit? Why such resistance and opposition? The reason is that there are some things within man’s thoughts and views that are hostile to God, and that are hostile to the principles by which He acts and to His essence. These thoughts and views are difficult for man to know.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Every single thing that exists in our hearts is in opposition to God. This includes the things we think are good, and even those we already believe to be positive. We have listed these things as truths, as part of normal humanity, and as positive things; however, from God’s perspective, they are things that He loathes. The gulf between what we think and the truth spoken by God is immeasurable. Hence, we must know ourselves. From our ideas, viewpoints, and actions to the cultural education we have received, each thing is worth delving deep into and thoroughly dissecting. Some of these things come from social environments, some come from families, some come from school education, and some come from books. Some also come from our imaginations and notions. These sorts of things are the most frightening, for they bind and control our words and actions, dominate our minds, and guide our motives, intentions, and goals in what we do. If we do not unearth these things, we will never fully accept God’s words within us, and we will never accept God’s requirements without reservation and put them into practice. As long as you harbor your own ideas and viewpoints, and convictions of things that you believe to be correct, you will never fully or unreservedly accept God’s words, nor will you practice them in their original form; you will surely only put them into practice after first processing them in your mind. This will be how you do things, and it will also be the way in which you help others: You may still fellowship on God’s words, but you will always have your own impurities mixed in, and you will think that this is what it means to practice the truth, that you have understood the truth, and that you have it all. Is man’s state not pitiful? Is it not scary? A word or two cannot suffice to tell these things in their entirety, or to make them plain. There are, of course, many other things in life, such as the more than one hundred poisons of Satan summarized earlier. You have understood the words, but how do you measure yourselves against them? Have you ever engaged in self-reflection? Do you not also have a share in these poisons? They reflect how you think, too, do they not? When you are doing things, do you not also rely on these poisons? You must dig deep into your personal experience, and measure it against those words. If we only casually read or glance over that list of Satan’s poisons and then put it down, just mindlessly reading over God’s words, unable to connect them to reality or see our real states and merely adhering to the letter and the rules of God’s words in our practice while assuming that we are practicing the truth—is it as simple as that? People are living things: They all have thoughts, and the artifacts within their thoughts take root in their hearts. When a person takes action, these artifacts are sure to emerge, for they have already become that person’s life. Therefore, in each thing you do, there is a point of view and a principle that govern how you do it, that steer your course. When you act, you will know whether or not such things exist inside you. Now, of course, as you examine your thoughts and views, you feel as if nothing there is hostile to God; you feel you are honest and loyal, more than willing to do your duty, capable of making sacrifices and expending yourself for God, and that you are quite strong in every area. Yet, were God to test your mettle, or have you undertake a task, or were God to do something that befell you, how would you handle that? At such a time, your thoughts and views would surge implacably outward, as if floodgates had been breached; they would be beyond your control—out of your hands—and, hate them as you will, they would surge outward all the same, a surge of things that are all resistant to God. When you say, “Why couldn’t I do anything about it? I don’t want to resist God, so why would I? I don’t want to pass judgment on God, and I don’t want to have notions about what He does, so how could I have such notions?”—that is when you should endeavor to know yourself, to examine what there is inside you that resists God, and what inside you is hostile and antagonistic to the work He is currently doing.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The key to self-reflection and knowing yourself is this: The more you feel that in certain areas you have done well or have done the right thing, and the more you think you can satisfy God’s will or are able to boast in certain areas, then the more it is worth it for you to know yourself in those areas and the more it is worth it for you to dig deep into them to see what impurities exist in you, as well as what things in you cannot satisfy God’s will. Let us take Paul as an example. Paul was especially knowledgeable, and he suffered a lot in his preaching work. He was especially adored by many. As a result, after completing much work, he assumed there would be a crown set aside for him. This caused him to go farther and farther down the wrong path, until finally he was punished by God. If, at the time, he had reflected upon himself and dissected himself, then he would not have thought that. In other words, Paul had not focused on seeking the truth in the words of the Lord Jesus; he had only believed in his own notions and imaginings. He had thought that as long as he did a few good things and exhibited good behavior, he would be praised and rewarded by God. In the end, his own notions and imagination blinded his spirit and covered his true face. However, people did not know this, and without God’s bringing this to light, they continued to set Paul as a standard to reach for, an example to live by, and regarded him as the one they longed to be like and as the object of their pursuit, and as someone to be emulated. This story about Paul serves as a warning for everyone who believes in God, which is that whenever we feel we have done especially well, or believe that we are especially gifted in some respect, or think that we do not need to change or need to be dealt with in some respect, we should strive to reflect on and know ourselves better in that respect; this is crucial. This is because you certainly have not unearthed, paid attention to, or dissected the aspects of yourself which you believe to be good, in order to see whether or not they actually contain anything that resists God.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Regardless of time or place, and whatever our environment, we are able to know ourselves, to dissect and delve into ourselves—and we are able to treat these matters as our first priority. If we do, we will certainly reap reward, and we will certainly make gradual progress in the matter of knowing ourselves, and, as we do, we will be able to practice the truth, have more and more truth, and the reality of God’s words will come ever more to be our life. However, if you have no entry at all into the matter of knowing yourself, then your practice of the truth will be false, for you will be hoodwinked by many external phenomena. Perhaps you feel your behavior has improved, that you are gentler than before, more considerate of others, more tolerant and patient of others, more forgiving of others; so you think you are already a great, flawless specimen, possessed of normal humanity. However, from God’s perspective, you remain very far from His standards and requirements. This demonstrates we do not know at which times we are truly practicing the truth, and at which times we are not practicing it at all, but have merely changed a bit in our external behaviors. There are now many people who think their church life is quite normal, that they are able to get along with their brothers and sisters with mutual tolerance and on the best of terms. They think they can get along with anyone, without quarreling, and that, whatever happens, they can exercise patience and take the correct approach. They think their spiritual life, too, is especially normal, and they are diligent in their reading of God’s words, and have a heart of reverence for Him—yet their views on many matters remain antithetical to the truth and hostile to God. This suffices to show that they have not yet obtained the truth. Therefore, in the matter of knowing every aspect of ourselves, we must seek the truth, and seek to deepen our self-knowledge.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter which aspect of the truth one pursues, whether it be aspiring to be honest, or training oneself to submit to God, or whether it be engaging amicably with one’s brothers and sisters, or living out normal humanity, one can embrace its practice each day of their life, with each truth touching on the issue of self-knowledge. Does aspiring to be honest not have something to do with knowing oneself? You will not aspire to be honest until you have come to know your own deceit and dishonesty. When you come to know you have failed to obey God, you will then practice obedience to Him, or seek out what one must do to obey Him. If you do not know yourself, any talk of your aspiring to be honest or submitting to God rings hollow, for man’s disposition is corrupt, and no aspect of the truth is easy to practice, and each aspect is practiced within man’s corrupt disposition. In your practice of any aspect of the truth, your corrupt disposition will certainly rear its head, thwarting your aspiration to be honest, obstructing your submission to God, and inhibiting your patience and tolerance for your brothers and sisters. If you do not recognize it, dissect it, and unearth it, but rely on your imaginings to practice the truth, then your practice will not be a true one. Therefore, no matter which aspect of the truth one is practicing, or what one is doing, they must first know themselves. To know yourself is to know your every word and deed, your every movement and action; it is to know your mind and thoughts, your motives, and your notions and imaginings; it is even to know your philosophies for living that are of the world, and the various toxins of Satan within you, as well as the knowledge and education you acquired in school. All these things must be dissected. Though a person may have done a great number of good works since coming to faith in God, many matters may yet be opaque to them, and less still may they have come to an understanding of the truth—yet, because of their many good works, they feel they have already come to live in God’s words, and have submitted to Him, and have quite satisfied His will. This is because when no adverse circumstances arise, you do whatever you are told; you have no qualms about performing any duty, and you do not resist. When you are told to spread the gospel, it is a hardship you can bear, and you offer no complaint, and when you are told to run here and there, or to do manual labor, you do so. Because of these displays, you feel you are one who submits to God and a true pursuer of the truth. Yet were one to question you more deeply and ask, “Are you an honest person? Are you a person who genuinely submits to God? A person with a changed disposition?” then, thus questioned, thus held up against the truth for scrutiny, you—and, it may be said, anyone at all—would be found wanting, and neither is any person able truly to practice according to the truth. Therefore, when the root of all man’s acts and deeds, as well as the essence and nature of his actions, are held up against the truth, all are condemned. What is the reason for this? It is that man does not know himself; he always believes in God in his own way, performs his duty in his own way, and serves God in his own way. What is more, he feels he is full of faith and reason, and, in the end, he feels he has gained much. Without his knowing it, he comes to feel he is already acting in line with God’s will and has satisfied it completely, and that he has already met God’s requirements and is following His will. If this is how you feel, or if, in your several years of belief in God, you feel you have reaped some gains, then all the more should you come back before God to reflect on yourself. You should look at the path you have walked over your years of faith and see whether all your actions and behavior before God have been entirely after His heart, what you do that resists God, what you do that is able to satisfy God, and whether what you do meets God’s requirements and can be entirely in accord with His will—you should be clear on all these things.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God can perfect man in both positive and negative aspects. It depends on whether you are able to experience, and on whether you pursue being perfected by God. If you truly seek being perfected by God, then the negative cannot make you suffer loss, but can bring you things that are more real, and can make you more able to know that which is lacking within you, more able to grasp your real state, and see that man has nothing, and is nothing; if you do not experience trials, you do not know, and will always feel that you are above others and better than everyone else. Through all this you will see that all that came before was done by God and protected by God. Entry into trials leaves you without love or faith, you lack prayer and are unable to sing hymns, and without realizing it, in the midst of this you come to know yourself. God has many means of perfecting man. He employs all manner of environments to deal with the corrupt disposition of man, and uses various things to lay man bare; in one regard, He deals with man, in another He lays man bare, and in another He reveals man, digging out and revealing the “mysteries” in the depths of man’s heart, and showing man his nature by revealing many of his states. God perfects man through many methods—through revelation, through dealing with man, through man’s refinement, and chastisement—so that man may know that God is practical.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

On one hand, during God’s trials man comes to know his deficiencies and to see that he is insignificant, contemptible, and lowly, that he has nothing and is nothing; on the other hand, during His trials God creates different environments for man that make man more able to experience the loveliness of God. Although the pain is great, and sometimes insurmountable—even reaching the level of crushing grief—having experienced it, man sees how lovely God’s work in him is, and only upon this foundation is there born in man true love for God. Today man sees that with the grace, love, and mercy of God alone, he is incapable of truly knowing himself, and much less is he able to know the substance of man. Only through both the refinement and judgment of God, and during the process of refinement itself, can man know his deficiencies, and know that he has nothing.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Having failed and fallen down multiple times is not a bad thing; nor is being exposed. Whether you have been dealt with, pruned, or been exposed, you must remember this at all times: Being exposed does not mean that you are being condemned. Being exposed is a good thing; it is the best opportunity for you to get to know yourself. It can bring your life experience a change of gears. Without it, you will possess neither the opportunity, the condition, nor the context to be able to reach an understanding of the truth of your corruption. If you can come to know the things inside you, all those aspects hidden deep within you that are hard to recognize and difficult to unearth, then this is a good thing. Becoming able to truly know yourself is the best opportunity for you to mend your ways and become a new person; it is the best opportunity for you to obtain new life. Once you truly know yourself, you will be able to see that when the truth becomes one’s life, it is a precious thing indeed, and you will thirst for the truth and enter into the reality. This is such a great thing! If you can grab this opportunity and earnestly reflect upon yourself and gain a genuine knowledge of yourself whenever you fail or fall down, then in the midst of negativity and weakness, you will be able to stand back up. Once you have crossed this threshold, you will then be able to take a big step forward and enter truth reality.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

45. The Principles of Reflecting on Transgressions

(1) When one commits a transgression, let them not abandon themselves to despair, but understand that it is God’s will to save people to the greatest possible extent. True repentance is what matters most;

(2) When one discovers a transgression, they must pray to God and, in light of His words, reflect on and come to know the transgression’s essence and origin, coming to abhor themselves, and thus becoming able to repent;

(3) Grab hold of the essence and origin of a transgression and resolve it with the truth. Let practicing the truth replace transgression, lest you fall into your old ways and offend God’s disposition;

(4) Do not suffer being constrained by your past transgressions. As long as you pursue the truth, repent sincerely, and act in accordance with the principles as you perform your duty, you are still eligible to be saved by God.

Relevant Words of God:

For a long time, people who believe in God have all been earnestly hoping for a beautiful destination, and all of God’s believers hope that good fortune will suddenly come to them. They all hope that before they know it, they will find themselves peacefully seated at one place or another in heaven. But I say that these people, with their lovely thoughts, have never known whether they are qualified to receive such good fortune that falls down from heaven or even to sit on a seat there. You, at present, have a good knowledge of yourselves, yet you still hope to escape the disasters of the last days and the hand of the Almighty when He punishes the evil ones. It seems as though having sweet dreams and wanting things just how they like is a common feature of all people whom Satan has corrupted, and not some stroke of genius by any lone individual. Even so, I still wish to put an end to these extravagant desires of yours, as well as your eagerness to gain blessings. Given that your transgressions are numerous, and that the fact of your rebelliousness is ever-growing, how can these things fit with your lovely blueprints for the future? If you want to make mistakes as you please, with nothing holding you back, yet at the same time you still want your dreams to come true, then I urge you to continue in your stupor and never wake up—for yours is an empty dream and in the presence of the righteous God, He will not make an exception for you. If you simply want your dreams to come true, then never dream; rather, forever face the truth and the facts. This is the only way that you can be saved. What, in concrete terms, are the steps of this method?

First, take a look at all your transgressions, and examine any behavior and thoughts you have that do not conform to the truth.

This is one thing that you can do easily, and I believe that all intelligent people are able to do this. However, those who never know what is meant by transgression and truth are the exception, because on a fundamental level, they are not intelligent people. I am talking to people who have been approved by God, are honest, have not seriously violated any administrative decrees, and can easily discern their own transgressions. Though this one thing I require of you is easy to accomplish, it is not the only thing that I require of you. No matter what, I hope that you will not laugh in private at this requirement, and especially that you will not look down on it or take it lightly. You should treat it seriously, and not dismiss it.

Secondly, for each of your transgressions and disobediences, you should look for a corresponding truth, and then use these truths to resolve those issues. After that, replace your transgressive acts and disobedient thoughts and acts with the practice of the truth.

Thirdly, you should be an honest person, not someone who is always being clever and constantly deceitful. (Here I am asking you again to be an honest person.)

If you can accomplish all three of these things, then you are one of the fortunate—a person whose dreams come true and who receives good fortune. Perhaps you will treat these three unappealing requirements seriously, or perhaps you will treat them irresponsibly. Whichever, My purpose is to fulfill your dreams and put your ideals into practice, not to make fun of you or to make a fool out of you.

Excerpted from “Transgressions Will Lead Man to Hell” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The more transgressions you commit, the fewer opportunities you will have to obtain a good destination. Conversely, the fewer transgressions you make, the better your chances become of being praised by God. If your transgressions increase to the point that it is impossible for Me to forgive you, then you will have utterly wasted your chances of being forgiven. As such, your destination will not be above, but below. If you do not believe Me, then be bold and do wrong, and see what that gets you. If you are a person whose practice of the truth is very earnest, then you surely will have an opportunity to be forgiven for your transgressions, and you will disobey less and less frequently. If you are a person who is unwilling to practice the truth, then your transgressions before God will surely increase in number and you will disobey more and more frequently, until you reach the limit, which will be the time of your total destruction. This will be when your pleasant dream of receiving blessings will be ruined. Do not regard your transgressions as the mere mistakes of an immature or foolish person; do not use the excuse that you did not practice the truth because your poor caliber had made it impossible to do so. Moreover, do not simply regard the transgressions you have committed as the acts of someone who did not know any better. If you are good at forgiving yourself and treating yourself with generosity, then I say you are a coward who will never gain the truth, nor will your transgressions ever cease to haunt you; they will keep you from ever meeting the demands of the truth, and cause you to forever remain a loyal companion of Satan. My advice to you is still this: Do not pay attention only to your destination while failing to notice your hidden transgressions; take transgressions seriously, and do not overlook any of them out of concern for your destination.

Excerpted from “Transgressions Will Lead Man to Hell” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The fact is that every person, to a greater or lesser extent, has transgressed. When you do not know something is a transgression, you regard it with a hazy state of mind, or perhaps you still cling to your own opinions, practices, and ways of understanding—but, one day, whether through fellowship with your brothers and sisters or by God’s revelation, you learn this thing is a transgression, an offense against God. What will your attitude be then? Will you still be holding on, reasoning, arguing, hewing to your own ideas, believing that what you are doing accords with the truth? This involves your attitude toward God. With what attitude did David regard his transgressions? Remorse—he would no longer commit them. So, what did he do? He prayed asking God to punish him: “If I make this mistake again, may God punish me and cause me to die!” Such was his resolve; that was true remorse. Can ordinary people achieve this? For ordinary people, it is good if they do not try to argue or tacitly admit responsibility, and, in their hearts, they yet think: “I hope no one brings this up again. I’d be humiliated.” Is this true remorse? To be truly remorseful, you must discard your past evil, put it down, and not do such a thing again. Well, what should be done, then? Will it work just to discard the evil, not to do that thing and not to think of it? What is your attitude toward God? What approach will you take to God exposing you now? (We will accept God’s punishment.) Accepting God’s punishment, His judgment and chastisement—that is one part of it. The other part is accepting God’s scrutiny while you accept His punishment. When you have accepted both parts, how will your resolve be? When you encounter such circumstances and such matters in the future, what will you do? Without true remorse, one cannot discard an evil, and anywhere, at any time, they could go back to their same old way, doing the same bad thing, committing the same transgression, making the same mistake over and over and over again. This reveals man’s attitude toward the truth and toward God. What, then, can someone do to cast off a transgression completely? Practice the truth? One must have the correct attitude toward the truth. And what attitude should someone have and how should they practice to demonstrate their correct attitude toward the truth? What will you do if you fall into temptation when you come across this issue again? Two words: “Stay away!” At the same time, one must set one’s resolve to be punished by God if one makes the same sort of mistake again. To do so is to hate the thing from the bottom of one’s heart, to see it as the most abhorrent thing, an evil thing, a thing that offends God, an eternal stain. The Bible says: “A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Pro 22:3). That is not simplicity—it is stupidity, plain and simple. “Stay away”—how is that as a way to practice? (It is good.) Yet are there times when one cannot stay away? What will you do then? You must pray earnestly to God in your heart, and ask Him to orchestrate things. Some trials are also temptations. Why does God allow such things to befall you? They do not happen by chance; they are God trying and testing you. Does it not speak of man’s attitude toward God that you turn your back on the circumstances He arranges for you and the trials He gives you, and have an attitude of impertinence, and neither pray nor seek, nor search in those circumstances and trials for the path of practice? There are those who say: “I haven’t had such thoughts, and I don’t have that intention.” If you are without intention, then what is your attitude toward God? Some attitudes are deliberate and intended, while some are unintentional—what is yours? Is one who is impertinent and does not take God seriously someone who loves the truth? It is established that one who treats the truth and God as children’s games, as empty air, is not someone who loves the truth.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Some people love the truth, and thus have the strength to pursue the truth. You must be capable of making sacrifices; when faced with something that concerns your own interests, you must be able to put it aside. If you cannot, then how great is your strength to pursue the truth, really? If you cannot put aside your own interests when faced with such things—if you are always selfish, if your mind is always turned in a moment of weakness, and you think to yourself, “This is of no benefit to me, I’ll get nothing for all my efforts, I’ll just do it like this”—then you will surely go astray, and even if you do not commit evil, neither will you be practicing the truth. You do not pursue the truth, nor do you put it into practice, and you have no love for positive things; as a result, when encountering something that has to do with your own reputation and interests, you grow negative and only pay attention to what people think of you and how you can benefit. You do not self-reflect in the least about why you are capable of such negativity or why you have chosen prestige and self-interests over all else. What exactly is the problem here? It is a transgression not to practice according to the truth when an issue arises; if, when a second issue arises, you still do not practice according to the truth, choosing not to put the truth into practice in order to protect your interests and safeguard all aspects of yourself, your transgressions will thus multiply, and what will be your final end? It is clear to see: All these transgressions of yours, along with your choices, your pursuits, and your subjective desires, as well as the directions and paths you choose when taking action—all these things, taken as a whole, mean you ought to end up in hell. Is this not an important matter? Taken together, all these transgressions amount to an evil deed. Some people ponder the problems they encounter in detail; others do not ponder them at all, nor do they pray, and when their pursuits or choices are deviant or go against the truth, they do not come before God, but regard their problems with a hard heart and choose to flee, thinking, “I have escaped the eyes of men, and I don’t see God around. I don’t care whether God knows what I’ve done. As long as my interests are preserved, then the problem’s been handled well enough for me. In all things, my personal interests come first.” In the end, rather than following the way of God or defending the interests of God’s house, they choose to safeguard themselves. Is this not a transgression? It is clear to see that this is a transgression, indeed.

Excerpted from “The Most Important Part of Believing in God Is Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sometimes, after finishing a job, you feel a little uneasy in your heart. On closer inspection, you find that there is indeed a problem. It must be amended, after which you will feel at ease. Your unease proves there is a problem on which you need to spend extra time and to which you must pay closer attention. This is a serious, responsible attitude toward performing one’s duty. When one can be serious, responsible, dedicated, and hard-working, the work will be done properly. Sometimes, you do not have such a heart, and you cannot find or discover a mistake that is clear as day. Were one to have such a heart, then, with the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they would be able to identify the issue. But if the Holy Spirit guided you and gave you such awareness, allowing you to sense that something is wrong, yet you did not have such a heart, you would still be incapable of identifying the problem. So, what does this show? It shows that it is very important that people cooperate; their hearts are very important, and where they direct their thoughts and intentions is very important. God scrutinizes and can see what people hold in their hearts as they perform their duty, and how much energy they exert. It is crucial that people put all their heart and strength into what they do. Cooperation, too, is a crucial component. Only if people strive to have no regrets about the duties they have completed and the things they have done, and not to be in debt to God, will they be acting with all their heart and strength. If, today, you do not give all your heart and strength, then, when something goes wrong later, and there are consequences, will it not be too late for regrets? You will be forever indebted; it will be a stain on you! A stain in the performance of one’s duty is a transgression. You must therefore strive to do properly the share of things you must and ought to do, with all your heart and strength. Those things must not be done carelessly or perfunctorily; you must not have any regrets. In this way, the duties you perform at this time shall be remembered by God. Those things remembered by God are good deeds. What, then, are the things that are not remembered? They are transgressions. People might not accept that they are evil deeds if they were described thus presently, but, if a day comes when there are serious consequences to these things, and they become a negative influence, then you will sense that these things are not mere behavioral transgressions, but evil deeds. When you realize this, you will be regretful, and think to yourself: I should have chosen an ounce of prevention! With a little more thought and effort, I wouldn’t have this problem. Nothing will wipe this eternal stain from your heart, and it would cause trouble if it should leave you in permanent debt. So, today, every time you perform your duty, or accept a commission, you must strive to do it with all your strength and all your heart. You must do it such that you are free of guilt and regret, so that it is remembered by God, and is a good deed. Do not act carelessly and perfunctorily, with one eye open and the other closed; you will regret it, and be unable to make amends. It will constitute transgression, and ultimately, in your heart, there will always be guilt, indebtedness, and accusation. Which of these two paths is best? Which path is the right way? Performing your duty with all your heart and strength, and preparing and accumulating good deeds, without any regrets. Do not let your transgressions accumulate, regret them, and fall into debt. What happens when a person has committed too many transgressions? They are accruing God’s anger at them in His presence! If you transgress ever more, and God’s wrath toward you grows ever greater, then, ultimately, you shall be punished.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Some people who have committed a small transgression wonder: “Has God exposed me and cast me out? Will He strike me down?” This time, God has come to work not in order to smite people, but to save them to the greatest extent possible. Who is entirely free of error? If everyone were struck down, then how could it be “salvation”? Some transgressions are done on purpose, while others are done involuntarily. If you are able to change after you recognize the transgressions you commit involuntarily, would God strike you down before you changed? Can God save people that way? That is not how He works! Regardless of whether you transgress involuntarily or out of a rebellious nature, you must remember that, once the transgression has been committed, you must hurry up and wake up to reality, and press onward; no matter what situation arises, you must press onward. The work God is doing is that of salvation, and He will not casually strike down the people He wants to save. Regardless of the degree to which you are capable of transforming, even if God struck you down in the end, it would certainly be righteous for Him to do so; and when the time came, He would make you understand. Right now, you should care about striving for the truth, focusing on life entry, and seeking to fulfill your duty properly. There is no mistake in this! Ultimately, no matter how God treats you, it is always righteous; you should not doubt this and you do not need to worry. Even if you cannot understand God’s righteousness at the moment, there will come a day when you will be convinced. God does His work in the light and justly; He openly makes everything known. If you apply careful contemplation to this subject, you will come to the conclusion that God’s work is saving people and transforming their dispositions. Since His work is the work of transforming people’s dispositions, if people do not reveal their corruption, then nothing can be done, and nothing will be achieved. If, after people have revealed their corruption, they do not repent in the least, and act still as they have, then they will offend God’s disposition. God will carry out different degrees of retribution on people, and they will pay the price for their transgressions. On occasion, you unconsciously become dissolute, and God points it out to you, prunes you, and deals with you. If you change for the better, God will not hold you accountable. This is the normal process of a disposition transforming, and the true significance of the work of salvation is manifest in this process. This is the key!

Excerpted from “God’s Will Is to Save People to the Greatest Extent Possible” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As previously mentioned, events of the past can be wiped clean at a stroke; the future can be made to supersede the past; God’s tolerance is as boundless as the sea. Yet there are also principles to these words. It is not the case that God will wipe clean any sin you have committed, no matter how great. All the work of God has principles. In the past, an administrative decree was set that addresses this issue—God forgives and pardons all sins one commits before accepting His name, and there is a system to address those who continue to sin after having entered the church: One who commits a minor sin is given the chance to repent, while repeat offenders are expelled. God has always tolerated people to the greatest extent possible in His work, and, in this, it can be seen that God’s work is truly the work of saving people. However, if, in this final stage of work, you yet commit unpardonable sins, then you are truly irredeemable, and you cannot change. God has a process for purifying and changing people’s dispositions. In the process of constant expression and transformation of people’s corrupt natures, God achieves His aim of salvation. Some people think: “Since it is my nature, I will expose it as much as possible, and after it is exposed, I will know it and put the truth into practice.” Is this process necessary? If you are truly one who puts the truth into practice, and see some of others’ various struggles in yourself, then you will do to avoid the same behaviors in yourself. Is this not an indirect transformation? Sometimes, it occurs to you to do something, but, before you do, you realize that it is wrong, and you forsake it. Does this not also result in your being saved? The practice of each truth is a process. When one has just begun their practice, accuracy and freedom from mistakes are impossible, as is a practice uncontaminated by one’s own will. There remain several matters you handle entirely according to your own will, but, having been dealt with and pruned, you will ultimately come to practice entirely according to God’s will and words. This is transformation.

Excerpted from “God’s Will Is to Save People to the Greatest Extent Possible” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As long as you have a shred of hope, now, then whether or not God remembers past events, what mentality should you maintain? “I must seek a change in my disposition, seek to know God, never again be fooled by Satan, and never again do anything that would bring shame to God’s name.” What key areas determine whether people can be saved and whether they have any hope? The crux of the matter is, after listening to a sermon, whether or not you can understand the truth, whether or not you can put the truth into practice, and whether or not you can change. These are the key areas. If you only feel remorse, and when you do things you just do whatever you want, in the same old ways, not only not seeking the truth, still clinging to old views and old practices, and not only being utterly without understanding, but instead getting worse and worse, then you will be without hope, and should be written off. The more you understand God, the more you understand yourself and the more thorough an understanding you have of your own nature, the more you will be able to master yourself. After you have summed up your experience, you will never again fail in this matter. In actual fact, everyone has blemishes, it is just that they are not held accountable. Everyone has them—some have small ones, and some have large ones; some speak plainly, and some are secretive. Some people do things that others know about, while some people do things without others knowing about it. There are blemishes on everyone, and they all reveal certain corrupt dispositions, like arrogance or self-righteousness; or else they make some transgressions, or some mistakes or errors in their work, or they are slightly rebellious. These are all pardonable things, as they are things that no corrupted person can avoid. However, once you have understood the truth, you should avoid them, and it will then no longer be necessary to always be troubled by things that happened in the past. Instead, the fear is that you will still not change even after having understood, that you will continue to do things even when you know they are wrong, and that you will continue to act a certain way even after being told that it is wrong. Such people are beyond redemption.

Excerpted from “To Serve God One Should Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man must know his corrupt disposition. He must have knowledge of his nature, of what he has done and the path he has taken, or of his transgressions and mistakes—he must dissect them. Moreover, man must see clearly why he is capable of such things, and what the nature of doing such things is. He must also understand what precisely God intends for man. Man may feel guilty, indebted or indicted for mistakes he has made, but is it right if he is always stuck in a negative state? Is this kind of approach or having such thoughts correct? Does it accord with the truth? Does it accord with God’s will? Has your state truly emerged from this? Has it truly been remedied? Or does that past matter still affect your current practice or the path you are walking—does it cast its pall? If you often feel its effect, this shows that the matter has not been entirely resolved in your heart, and that you have not come to know its essence or have not derived from it the lesson you should. This is not only an issue of not knowing God—it is something to which man’s nature or essence gives rise. What problem is it now pressing to consider? It is how to walk the path ahead—that chapter is over. God treats man’s expressions of corruption according to whether man is ultimately able to accept the truth and resolve his corruption. Moreover, people are the descendants of Satan, and their nature essence is the same whether or not they have offended God’s disposition. It may have happened to be that you did something, yet another person just did not have the chance to do it. And since you who did the thing, you must be clear in your heart about the attitude you should adopt before God, the answers you ought to submit before Him, and what He wants. When you understand these things completely and regard them with complete clarity, pursue as you ought to, and do not be influenced and constrained by that thing, but take the path ahead as you ought to do—leave it behind you once and for all, then perform your duty as you ought. In one regard, performing your duty now is a way to atone for past transgressions. This is the negative regard, and though it is not very desirable, it is the minimum acceptable mindset you should have. In another regard, you must be proactive, and say: “Whatever I did in the past, I now understand God’s will and the truth. I should do my utmost to offer up all I’m capable of—to offer it to God. I should fulfill my responsibilities well and do my duty well. That’s what a created being should do.” You must enter via the positive regard. No matter whether you have notions about God or you offend His disposition by exposing your corruption, you must reflect on yourself and seek the truth. Learn your lesson, and do not let that negative thing from the past influence you. Leave it behind you, once and for all.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Due to having been corrupted by Satan, people are liable to reveal their corruption in the course of God’s work, and they are also liable to commit some transgressions. However, at the same time, God’s work still achieves some results in them. If God did not give any thought to results, and only looked at the human nature being revealed, then that could not be called saving people. The result of salvation is principally manifested in people’s fulfilling of their duties and putting the truth into practice. God looks at how many achievements they have made in these areas, and then at the extent of their transgressions; both factors contribute to determining their outcomes and whether or not they will remain. For instance, in the past, some people revealed a great deal of corruption and cared a great deal about the flesh; they were not willing to expend themselves for God, nor did they uphold the interests of God’s house. However, after listening to sermons for several years, they have undergone real change. They know to reach toward the truth principles in the fulfilling of their duties, and they achieve more and more results. They can also stand on the side of God in all things and do their utmost to uphold the work of God’s house. This is what is meant by transforming one’s life disposition, and it is this transformation that God wants. Also, some people, when notions occurred to them, used to like to spread them around, but now when they have some notions, they are able to seek the truth and be submissive without spreading their notions or doing anything against God. Has a transformation happened there? Some people, as soon as they were dealt with and pruned by someone, would immediately resist; however, when that happens to them now, they are able to know themselves and accept it. Afterward, they undergo some actual transformation. Is this not an effect? However, no matter how great your transformation is, your nature cannot be changed all at once. It is impossible to be completely free of transgressions. If someone embarks upon the right track of belief in God, and knows to seek the truth in all things, then even if they show a bit of disobedience, they will be conscious of it at the time. This awareness can bring them immediate transformation, and their conditions will get better and better. They may commit a transgression once or twice, but not over and over again. This is what transformation is. This kind of transformation means that someone who has experienced God’s work can put more truth into practice and can do some of what God requires. Such a person will commit fewer and fewer transgressions and be disobedient with less and less severity. From this it becomes evident that God’s work has taken effect; what He wants is this sort of expression in people, showing that these results have been achieved in them. Accordingly, the way God handles people’s outcomes or how He treats someone is absolutely righteous, reasonable, and fair. You need only put all your efforts into expending yourself for Him, boldly and assuredly practice the truth that you should practice, without hesitation, and God will not treat you unfairly. Think about it: Can those who put the truth into practice be punished by God? Many people are always suspicious of His righteous disposition, afraid that they will still be punished even if they put the truth into practice; they are always afraid that even if they show loyalty, He will not see it. Such people have no knowledge of God’s righteous disposition.

Excerpted from “The Implications of God’s Determination of People’s Outcomes Based on Performance” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

46. The Principles of Reflecting on Whether One’s Disposition Has Changed

(1) Reflect on whether your attempts to be an honest person have been effective, on whether lies and deceit still remain in you, on whether you are loyal while performing your duty, and on whether you can act according to the principles;

(2) Reflect on whether your points of view on things, your outlook on life, and your values accord with the truth; on how many of satanic philosophies and laws you have purged from yourself; and on whether or not you have undergone a transformation;

(3) Reflect on whether you are possessed of Job’s faith, able to fear God and shun evil, and on whether you know and love God truly;

(4) Reflect on whether you are one who practices the truth and genuinely submits to God, and on whether, amid trials, you are capable of overcoming Satan, standing firm in your testimony, and satisfying God.

Relevant Words of God:

The transformation of the disposition of man is achieved through many different kinds of God’s work; without such changes in his disposition, man would be unable to bear testimony to God and to be after God’s heart. The transformation of man’s disposition signifies that man has freed himself from Satan’s bondage and from the influence of darkness, and has truly become a model and specimen of God’s work, a witness of God, and one who is after God’s heart. Today, God incarnate has come to do His work on earth, and He requires that man achieve knowledge of Him, obedience to Him, testimony to Him, to know His practical and normal work, to obey all of His words and work which do not accord with the notions of man, and to bear testimony to all the work He does to save man, as well as all the deeds He accomplishes to conquer man. Those who bear testimony to God must have knowledge of God; only this kind of testimony is accurate and real, and only this kind of testimony can shame Satan. God uses those who have come to know Him through undergoing His judgment and chastisement, dealing and pruning, to bear testimony to Him. He uses those who have been corrupted by Satan to bear testimony to Him, and so too does He use those whose disposition has changed, and who have thus gained His blessings, to bear testimony to Him. He does not need man to praise Him with his mouth, nor does He need the praise and testimony of the ilk of Satan, who have not been saved by Him. Only those who know God are qualified to bear testimony to Him, and only those who have been transformed in their disposition are qualified to bear testimony to Him. God will not allow man intentionally to bring shame upon His name.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does a transformation in disposition mean? It happens when a lover of the truth, while experiencing God’s work, accepts the judgment and chastisement of His words and undergoes all manner of suffering and refinement. Such a person is cleansed of the satanic poisons within him, and completely breaks free of his corrupt dispositions, so that he can submit to God’s words and all of His orchestrations and arrangements, never again to rebel against Him or resist Him. This is a transformation in disposition. … A transformation in disposition means that a person, because he loves and can accept the truth, finally comes to know his disobedient nature that is in opposition to God; he understands that man is corrupted too deeply, he recognizes man’s absurdness and deceitfulness, he recognizes man’s poorness and pitifulness, and finally comes to understand man’s nature essence. Knowing all this, he becomes able to deny and forsake himself completely, live by God’s word, and practice the truth in all things. This is someone who knows God; this is someone whose disposition has transformed.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Transformation in disposition mainly refers to the transformation of a person’s nature. The things of a person’s nature cannot be seen from external behaviors; they are directly related to the worth and significance of his existence. That is, they directly involve a person’s outlook on life and his values, the things in the depths of his soul, and his essence. If a person cannot accept the truth, he will undergo no transformation in these aspects. Only by experiencing God’s work, fully entering the truth, changing one’s values and one’s outlooks on existence and life, aligning one’s views with God’s, and becoming capable of completely submitting to and being devoted to God, can one’s disposition be said to have transformed. You may appear to put forth some effort, you may be resilient in the face of hardship, you may be able to carry out work arrangements from the Above, or you may be able to go wherever you are told to go, but these are but minor changes of behavior and are not enough to count as the transformation of your disposition. You may be able to run down many paths, suffer many hardships, and endure great humiliation; you may feel very close to God, and the Holy Spirit may do some work on you. However, when God asks you to do something that does not conform to your notions, you still might not submit; rather, you might look for excuses, rebelling against and resisting God, even to the point that you criticize and protest against Him. This would be a serious problem! It would show that you still have a nature that resists God, and that you have not undergone any transformation whatsoever. Some people go so far as to judge God, saying that He is not righteous. They even entertain notions about God, and are even able to debate with God or make demands of Him: “God should do this thing openly so as to give everyone a chance to assess the rights and wrongs of the matter.” The fact that human beings are capable of such actions proves that they are demons resisting God. Their natures will never transform. This kind of person should be abandoned. Only those who can accept the truth, and who, when they do not know God’s work, can seek, investigate, and come to understand the truth, and become able to submit to the work of God, only this kind of person has the hope of coming into possession of the truth and attaining a transformation in their dispositions. In your experience, there are some normal states that need to be distinguished. Perhaps you cry bitterly when you pray, or perhaps you feel a great amount of love for God in your heart and you feel close to God. This is simply the state you are in when the Holy Spirit works in you, but you are still not one who loves God, you are still not one who possessed the truth, and even less so are you one whose disposition has been transformed.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Transformation in one’s disposition is not a change in behavior, nor is it a feigned outward change or a temporary alteration made out of zeal; rather, it is a genuine transformation of disposition that brings about a change in behavior. Such a change in behavior is not the same as changes exhibited in a person’s outward behavior and actions. Transformation of disposition means that you have understood and experienced the truth, and that the truth has become your life. In the past, you understood the truth of this matter, but you were unable to put it into practice; truth was merely a doctrine to you that did not stick. Now that your disposition has transformed, you not only understand truth, but you also practice in accordance with it. You are now able to let go of the things you were fond of in the past, the things you used to be willing to do, your imaginings, and your notions. You are now able to let go of the things you were not able to let go of in the past. This is transformation of disposition, and it is also the process of transforming your disposition.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In seeking to change your disposition, you must reach a certain stage in your understanding of yourself whereby you can discover the satanic poisons that lie within your own nature. You must know what it means to defy God, as well as what it means to rebel against God, and you must learn how to conduct yourself in conformity with the truth in all matters. You must also gain some understanding of God’s will and His requirements of humanity. You must be possessed of conscience and reason before God, you must not speak boastfully or cheat God, and you must no longer do anything to resist God. As such, you will have changed your disposition. Those whose dispositions have transformed feel reverence for God deep in their hearts, and their rebelliousness against God gradually lessens. Moreover, in the fulfilling of their duties, they no longer need others to worry about them, nor does the Holy Spirit always need to do disciplining work on them. They basically can submit to God, and the truth is present in their views on things. This all amounts to having become compatible with God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Changes in disposition have a characteristic, which is being able to submit to what is right and in line with the truth. No matter who gives you suggestions—whether they are young or old, whether you get along well, and whether the relationship between you is good or bad—as long as they say something that is correct and in line with the truth, and also is beneficial to the work of God’s house, then you can listen, adopt it, and accept it, and not be impacted by any other factors. This is the first aspect of that characteristic. First of all, you can accept the truth, as well as things that are correct and in line with the truth. Another aspect is being able to seek the truth whenever you encounter a problem. You must not only be able to accept the truth; you must also be able to seek it. For example, if you encounter a new problem that no one can fathom, then you can seek the truth and see what you should do or practice to bring the matter in line with the truth principles and meet God’s requirements. Yet another aspect is gaining the ability to be considerate of God’s will. How should you be considerate of His will? This depends on what duty you are performing and what requirements He has of it. You must grasp this principle: Carry out your duty according to God’s requirements, and fulfill it to His satisfaction. You must also understand God’s will and what the desired result of your duty is, and you must be able to act with responsibility and faithfulness. All of these are ways to be considerate of God’s will. If you do not know how to be considerate of God’s will in the thing that you are currently doing, then you must do some seeking in order to accomplish that and to satisfy Him. If you can put these three principles into practice, measure how well you are actually living by them, and find a path of practice, then you will be handling matters in a principled manner.

Excerpted from “Only by Putting the Truth Into Practice Can One Cast off the Shackles of a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In pursuing a change in your disposition, you must understand what has nothing to do with dispositional change and is not within its realm, but is external good behavior, what God means when He talks about changes in disposition, and what in people God wants to change. People must understand these things. What you think is a change in disposition and what God says is a change in disposition are two different things, two paths. The one you have in your mind will not, in the end, meet God’s will. What God says is a change in disposition is when a person, by means of practicing the truth and by means of being judged and chastised, being dealt with and pruned, and being tried and refined by God, achieves an understanding of God’s will and of the truth principles, and lives out according to the truth principles, until they achieve submission and have a heart of reverence for God, have no misunderstandings of God, and have true knowledge of God, and worship Him truly. What God speaks of is that which has to do with a person’s disposition; what, then, do people mean when they speak of changes in disposition? They mean that one’s behavior has gotten better, that one appears guileless and well regulated, that their speech is civilized, and that they pay heed to their conscience in their relations with others and have moral standards. Is there a difference between this and what God says? Whether in relating to people or things, all of your impetus, the principles behind your actions, and your standards for evaluation must accord with the truth and you have to seek the truth principles. Only thus can a change in disposition be achieved. If you always use behavioral standards as a measure and always focus on outward changes in behavior, but do not seek the truth to resolve your own corrupt disposition, then you cannot achieve knowledge of God’s righteousness and holiness, in which case, how will you develop a true heart of reverence for God? If a person cannot fear God and shun evil, then, no number of good behaviors means that they can truly submit to God. Therefore, as many good behaviors one has, it does not mean there has been a change in one’s disposition.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Possess Normal Humanity” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People can behave well, but that does not necessarily mean they are possessed of the truth. Having fervor can only make them abide by doctrine and follow rules; those who are without the truth have no way of resolving essential problems, nor can doctrine take the truth’s place. People who have experienced a change in their dispositions are different; they have understood the truth, they are discerning on all issues, they know how to act in accordance with God’s will, how to act in accordance with the truth principle, and how to act to satisfy God, and they understand the nature of the corruption they exhibit. When their own ideas and notions are revealed, they are able to be discerning and forsake the flesh. This is how a change in disposition is expressed. The main thing about people who have undergone a change in disposition is that they have come to clearly understand the truth, and when carrying things out, they put the truth into practice with relative accuracy and they do not exhibit corruption as often. Generally, those whose dispositions have transformed appear to be particularly reasonable and discerning, and due to their understanding of the truth, they do not exhibit as much self-righteousness or arrogance. They can see through and discern much of the corruption that has been revealed in them, so they do not give rise to arrogance. They are able to have a measured grasp on what man’s place is, on how to behave reasonably, on how to be dutiful, on what to say and what not to say, and on what to say and what to do to which people. This is why it is said that people like these are relatively reasonable. Those who have undergone a change in their dispositions truly live out a human likeness, and they possess the truth. They are always able to speak and see things in accordance with the truth, and they are principled in everything they do; they are not subject to the influence of any person, matter, or thing, and they all have their own views and can uphold the truth principle. Their dispositions are relatively stable, they do not blow hot and cold, and no matter what their circumstances, they understand how to do their duties properly and how to behave to God’s satisfaction. Those whose dispositions have actually changed are not focused on what to do to make themselves look good on a superficial level; they have gained internal clarity on what to do to satisfy God. Therefore, from the outside, they may not seem to be so enthusiastic or to have done anything very great, but everything they do is meaningful, is valuable, and yields practical results. Those whose dispositions have changed are certain to possess a lot of truth, and this can be confirmed by their perspectives on things and their principled actions. Those who do not possess the truth have absolutely not achieved any change in disposition. A change in disposition does not mean having a mature and seasoned humanity; it primarily refers to instances in which some of the satanic poisons within a person’s nature change as a result of attaining knowledge of God and an understanding of the truth. That is to say, those satanic poisons are cleansed, and the truth expressed by God takes root within such people, becomes their life, and becomes the very foundation of their existence. Only then do they become new people and, as such, experience a transformation of disposition. A transformation in disposition does not mean that people’s outer dispositions are meeker than before, that they used to be arrogant but now can communicate reasonably, or that they used to listen to no one but now can listen to others; such external changes cannot be said to be transformations in disposition. Of course, transformations in disposition do include such states and expressions, but the most crucial ingredient is that internally, their life has changed. The truth expressed by God becomes their very life, the satanic poisons within have been eliminated, and their perspectives have completely changed—and none of them is in line with that of the world. These people can see the schemes and poisons of the great red dragon clearly for what they are; they have grasped the true essence of life. Thus, their life values have changed, and this is the most fundamental sort of transformation, as well as the essence of a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between External Changes and Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Achieving transformation in one’s disposition is not a simple matter; it does not mean just having a few changes in behavior, gaining some knowledge of the truth, being able to talk a bit about one’s experience with every aspect of the truth, or changing some or becoming a little obedient after being disciplined. These things do not constitute transformation in one’s life disposition. Why do I say this? Though you may have changed somewhat, you are still not truly putting the truth into practice. Perhaps because you are in a suitable environment for a while, and a favorable situation, or your current circumstances have compelled you, you behave in this way. In addition, when your state of mind is stable and the Holy Spirit is at work, you are able to practice. If you were undergoing trials, and suffering through them like Job did, or like Peter whom God asked to die, would you be able to say, “Even if I died after getting to know You, it would be alright”? Transformation in disposition does not happen overnight, and once you understand the truth you cannot necessarily put it into practice within every environment. This involves man’s nature. Sometimes it might seem as though you are putting the truth into practice, but in reality, the nature of your actions does not show that you are doing so. Many people have certain outward behaviors, such as being able to cast aside their families and careers and fulfill their duties, and therefore they believe they are practicing the truth. However, God does not recognize that they are practicing the truth. If everything you do has a personal motive behind it and is adulterated, then you are not practicing the truth; you are simply exhibiting superficial conduct. Strictly speaking, your conduct will probably be condemned by God; it will not be praised or remembered by Him. Dissecting this further, you are doing evil and your conduct is in opposition to God. From the outside, you are not interrupting or disturbing anything and you have not done real damage or violated any truth. It appears to be logical and reasonable, yet the essence of your actions pertains to doing evil and resisting God. Therefore, you should determine whether there has been a change in your disposition and whether you are putting the truth into practice by looking at the motives behind your actions in light of God’s words. It does not depend on a human view of whether your actions conform to the human imagination and human intentions, or whether they are suited to your taste; such things are not important. Rather, it depends on God saying whether or not you are conforming to His will, whether or not your actions possess truth reality, and whether or not they meet His requirements and standards. Only measuring yourself against God’s requirements is accurate. Transformation in disposition and putting the truth into practice are not as simple and easy as people imagine. Do you understand this now? Do you have any experience with this? When it comes to a problem’s essence, you might not understand it; your entry has been overly superficial. You run about all day long, from dawn until dusk, rising early and going to bed late, yet you have not achieved transformation in your life disposition, and you cannot grasp what such a transformation involves. This means your entry is too shallow, does it not? Regardless of how long you have believed in God, you might not sense the essence and deep things to do with achieving transformation in disposition. Can it be said that your disposition has changed? How do you know whether God praises you or not? At the very least, you will feel exceptionally steadfast regarding everything that you do, and you will feel the Holy Spirit guiding and enlightening you and working in you while you are fulfilling your duties, doing any work in God’s house, or ordinarily. Your conduct will fit hand-in-hand with God’s words, and once you have gained a certain degree of experience, you will feel that how you acted in the past was relatively suitable. If, however, after gaining experience for a period of time, you feel that some of the things you did in the past were not suitable, and you are dissatisfied with them, and feel that indeed there was no truth in the things you did, then this proves that everything you did was done in resistance to God. It is evidence that your service was full of rebelliousness, resistance, and human ways of acting.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What was the basis on which people used to live? All people live for themselves. Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost—this is the summation of human nature. People believe in God for their own sakes; they abandon things, expend themselves for Him, and are faithful to Him, but still they do all these things for their own sakes. In sum, it is all done for the purpose of gaining blessings for themselves. In society, everything is done for personal benefit; believing in God is solely done to gain blessings. It is for the sake of gaining blessings that people forsake everything and can withstand much suffering: This is all empirical evidence of man’s corrupt nature. However, those who have undergone a change in disposition are different; they believe that how to live meaningfully, how to fulfill a person’s duties in order to be worthy of being called human, how to worship God, and how to satisfy and submit to God—all of this—is the foundation of what it means to be human, and is an obligation that is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth. Otherwise, they would not be worthy of being called human; their lives would be empty and meaningless. They feel that people should live in order to satisfy God, to perform their duties well, and to live lives of meaning, so that even when it is their time to die, they will feel content and not have the slightest regret, and that they have not lived in vain. In comparing these two different situations, one can see that the latter is one of a person whose disposition has transformed, and because his life disposition has transformed, his outlook on life has certainly changed, too. Now having different values, he will never again live for himself, and he will never again believe in God for the purpose of gaining blessings. Such a person will be able to say, “If I die after having gotten to know God, then what is death to me? If I can know God, then I will be able to live a meaningful life, and then I will not have lived in vain, nor will I die with any regrets; I will have no complaints.” Is this not a changed outlook on life? Therefore, the main cause of a change in one’s life disposition is possessing the truth within and having knowledge of God; one’s outlook on life is therefore changed, and one’s values are different from before. The transformation starts from within, and from one’s life; it is certainly not a mere external change. Some new believers, after they have begun to believe in God, leave the secular world behind. When they later encounter unbelievers, these believers have little to say, and they rarely contact their unbelieving relatives and friends. The unbelievers say, “This person has changed.” The believer then thinks, “My disposition really has transformed; these unbelievers are saying I’ve changed.” Has such a person’s disposition, in fact, actually transformed? What he manifests are merely external changes. There has been no real change in his life, and his satanic nature remains rooted within him, completely untouched. Sometimes, people are gripped by fervor because of the work of the Holy Spirit; some external changes might occur, and they might do a few good deeds. However, this is not the same as achieving a transformation of disposition. If you do not possess the truth and your view of things has not changed, even to the point of being no different from that of unbelievers, and if your values and outlook on life have not altered, either, and if you do not even have reverence for God—which is the very least that you should possess—then you are nowhere close to having achieved a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between External Changes and Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the pursuit of change in one’s life disposition, the path of practice is simple. If, in your practical experience, you are able to follow the current words of the Holy Spirit and experience God’s work, then your disposition is capable of change. If you follow whatever the Holy Spirit says, and seek whatever the Holy Spirit says, then you are someone who obeys Him, and there will be a change in your disposition. People’s dispositions change with the current words of the Holy Spirit; if you always cling to your old experiences and rules of the past, then your disposition cannot change. If the Holy Spirit’s words of today ask that all people enter into a life of normal humanity but you remain fixated on external things, and are confused about reality and do not take it seriously, then you are someone who has failed to keep up with the work of the Holy Spirit, someone who has not entered upon the path of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Whether or not your disposition can change depends upon whether or not you keep up with the Holy Spirit’s current words and whether or not you have true knowledge. This is unlike what you understood before. The change in your disposition that you understood before was that you, who are quick to judge, have ceased to speak thoughtlessly through God’s discipline; but that is just one aspect of the change. Right now, the most critical point is following the guidance of the Holy Spirit: Follow whatever God says, and obey whatever He says. People cannot change their own disposition; they must undergo the judgment and chastisement, and suffering and refinement, of God’s words, or being dealt with, disciplined, and pruned by His words. Only then can they achieve obedience and faithfulness to God, and no longer be perfunctory toward Him. It is under the refinement of God’s words that people’s dispositions change. Only through the exposure, judgment, discipline, and dealing of His words will they no longer dare to act rashly but instead will become steady and composed. The most important point is that they are able to submit to God’s current words, and to His work, even if it is not in line with human notions, they are able to put these notions aside and willingly submit. In the past, talk of changes in disposition mainly referred to being able to forsake oneself, to allowing the flesh to suffer, disciplining one’s body, and ridding oneself of fleshly preferences—which is one kind of change in disposition. Today, everyone knows that the real expression of change in disposition is obeying the current words of God and truly knowing His new work. In this way, people’s prior understanding of God, which was colored by their own notions, can be expunged, and they can attain true knowledge of and obedience to God—only this is a genuine expression of a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you wish to be purified of corruption and undergo a change in your life disposition, then you must have a love for the truth and the ability to accept the truth. What does it mean to accept the truth? Accepting the truth indicates that no matter what sort of corrupt disposition you have, or which of the great red dragon’s poisons are in your nature, you acknowledge it when it is revealed by God’s words, and submit to these words; you accept them unconditionally, without making any excuses or trying to pick and choose, and you come to know yourself based on what He says. This is what it means to accept God’s words. No matter what He says, no matter how much His utterances might pierce your heart, and no matter what words He uses, you can accept them as long as what He says is the truth, and you can acknowledge them as long as they conform to reality. You can submit to God’s words regardless of how deeply you understand them, and you accept and submit to the light that is revealed by the Holy Spirit and fellowshiped by your brothers and sisters. When such a person has pursued the truth to a certain point, he can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of his disposition. Even if those who do not love the truth may be of decent humanity, when it comes to the truth, they are muddleheaded and do not take it seriously. Though they may be capable of a few good deeds, and can expend of themselves for God, and are capable of renunciation, they cannot achieve a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Changing man’s disposition starts with knowledge of his essence and through changes in his thinking, nature, and mental outlook—through fundamental changes. Only in this way will true changes be achieved in the disposition of man. Man’s corrupt disposition stems from his being poisoned and trampled upon by Satan, from the egregious harm that Satan has inflicted upon his thinking, morality, insight, and sense. It is precisely because the fundamental things of man have been corrupted by Satan, and are utterly unlike how God originally created them, that man opposes God and does not understand the truth. Thus, changes in man’s disposition should begin with changes in his thinking, insight, and sense that will change his knowledge of God and his knowledge of the truth.

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In believing in God, if people desire transformation of their disposition, then they must not detach themselves from real life. In real life, you must know yourself, forsake yourself, practice the truth, as well as learn the principles, common sense, and rules of self-conduct in all things before you are able to achieve gradual transformation. If you only focus on the theoretical knowledge and only live among religious ceremonies without going deep into reality, without entering into real life, then you will never enter into reality, you will never know yourself, the truth, or God, and you will forever be blind and ignorant. God’s work of saving people is not to allow them to live normal human lives after a short period of time, nor is it to transform their erroneous notions and doctrines. Rather, His purpose is to change people’s old dispositions, to change the entirety of their old way of life, and to change all of their outdated ways of thinking and mental outlook. Focusing only on church life will not change people’s old life habits or change the old ways in which they have lived for a long time. No matter what, people must not become detached from real life. God asks that people live out normal humanity in real life, not just in church life; that they live out the truth in real life, not just in church life; and that they fulfill their functions in real life, not just in church life. To enter into reality, one must turn everything toward real life. If, in believing in God, people cannot come to know themselves through entry into real life, and if they cannot live out normal humanity in real life, then they will become failures. Those who disobey God are all people who cannot enter into real life. They are all people who speak of humanity, but live out the nature of demons. They are all people who speak of the truth, but live out doctrines instead. Those who cannot live out the truth in real life are those who believe in God, but are detested and rejected by Him. You have to practice your entry in real life, know your own deficiencies, disobedience, and ignorance, and know your abnormal humanity and weaknesses. That way, your knowledge will be integrated into your actual condition and difficulties. Only this kind of knowledge is real and can allow you to truly grasp your own condition and achieve dispositional transformation.

Excerpted from “Discussing Church Life and Real Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people experience until the day their outlook on life and the meaning, the basis of their existence have entirely changed, when they have been altered to their very bones and have become someone else, is this not incredible? This is a great change, an earth-shattering change. Only when you become disinterested in the fame and fortune, status, money, pleasure, power and glory of the world, and can easily forgo them, will you have the likeness of a human being. Those who will ultimately be made complete are a group such as this; they live for the truth, live for God, and live for that which is just. This is the likeness of a true human being.

Excerpted from “One Must Understand That There Are Similarities and Differences Among People’s Natures” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

47. The Principles of Real Self-Knowledge

(1) If you self-reflect and understand yourself and measure yourself according to the judgments and revelations of God’s words, then you will be able to see your own ugliness and evil;

(2) Self-knowledge that comes from the exposure of one’s corrupt disposition amid trials and refinement, as well as while one is being pruned and dealt with, is truest, and, through it, one can be utterly convinced;

(3) When suffering setbacks, examine clearly what is causing you to fail and fall, as well as what constraint of yours has yielded such a consequence. Be able to see your nature and essence;

(4) The easiest way to see clearly your nature essence, and the parts of your corrupt disposition that are revealed, is to reflect on the path you walk and on what motivates you to perform your duty.

Relevant Words of God:

After several thousand years of corruption, man is numb and dull-witted; he has become a demon that opposes God, to the extent that man’s rebelliousness toward God has been documented in the books of history, and even man himself is incapable of giving a full account of his rebellious behavior—for man has been profoundly corrupted by Satan, and has been led astray by Satan such that he knows not where to turn. Even today, man still betrays God: When man sees God, he betrays Him, and when he cannot see God, so too does he betray Him. There are even those who, having witnessed God’s curses and God’s wrath, still betray Him. And so I say that man’s sense has lost its original function, and that man’s conscience, too, has lost its original function. The man that I look upon is a beast in human attire, he is a venomous snake, and no matter how pitiable he tries to appear before My eyes, I will never be merciful toward him, for man has no grasp of the difference between black and white, of the difference between truth and non-truth. Man’s sense is so benumbed, yet still he wishes to gain blessings; his humanity is so ignoble yet still he wishes to possess the sovereignty of a king. Who could he be the king of, with sense such as that? How could he with such a humanity sit atop a throne? Man truly has no shame! He is a conceited wretch! For those of you who wish to gain blessings, I suggest you first find a mirror and look at your own ugly reflection—do you have what it takes to be a king? Do you have the face of one who could gain blessings? There has not been the slightest change in your disposition and you have not put any of the truth into practice, yet still you wish for a wonderful tomorrow. You are deluding yourself! Born into such a filthy land, man has been severely blighted by society, he has been influenced by feudal ethics, and he has been taught at “institutes of higher learning.” The backward thinking, corrupt morality, mean view on life, despicable philosophy for living, utterly worthless existence, and depraved lifestyle and customs—all of these things have severely intruded upon man’s heart, and severely undermined and attacked his conscience. As a result, man is ever more distant from God, and ever more opposed to Him. Man’s disposition becomes more vicious by the day, and there is not a single person who will willingly give up anything for God, not a single person who will willingly obey God, nor, moreover, a single person who will willingly seek the appearance of God. Instead, under the domain of Satan, man does nothing but pursue pleasure, giving himself over to the corruption of the flesh in the land of mud. Even when they hear the truth, those who live in darkness give no thought to putting it into practice, nor are they inclined to seek out God even if they have beheld His appearance. How could a mankind so depraved have any chance of salvation? How could a mankind so decadent live in the light?

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If your self-knowledge only involves the cursory recognition of superficial things—if you merely say that you are arrogant and self-righteous, that you rebel against and resist God—then this is not true knowledge, but doctrine. You must integrate the facts into this: You must bring to light the motivations within you for fellowship and dissection in whichever aspects you hold fallacious views or misguided opinions. Only this is truly possessing knowledge. You must focus on knowing your motivations and the source of your essence. You should not gain understanding from your actions alone; you must grasp the crux of it and resolve the root of the problem. Once a period of time has gone by, you must reflect on yourself, and summarize which problems you have resolved, which still remain, and how they should be addressed. So, too, must you seek the truth. You must not always let others lead you; you must have your own path for entry into life. You must frequently examine yourself: what are the things you are doing wrong and are at odds with the truth, which of your words and motivations are wrong, what dispositions you are revealing. If this is how you consistently enter in, and you make strict demands of yourself, then slowly but surely, you will gain more understanding in this regard; ultimately, you will tie it all together and see that you are simply no good. When the day comes that you truly possess such knowledge, you will no longer be capable of arrogance. What is crucial right now? After fellowship and dissection, people are aware of and know about these things, but they still don’t know themselves. Some say: “How could I not know myself? I’m aware of the matters I reveal arrogance in.” If you are aware, then how are you not aware that your disposition is arrogant? Why are there times when you seek personal advancement, when you crave status and distinction? This means your arrogant nature has not been eradicated! Thus, change must start from the motivations, views, and opinions behind your actions. Do you acknowledge that much of what people say is barbed and venomous, that there is an element of arrogance in their tone? Their words carry their motivations and personal opinions; this can be seen from what they say. There are those who have a certain manner of speaking and expression when they don’t betray arrogance, but their presentation shifts when their arrogance shows itself—the ugly face of Satan has shown itself. Everyone harbors motivations. Take those who are crafty: They always whisper and squint their eyes while speaking; there are motivations contained in this. Some people speak in a low voice, furtively; their words contain schemes, but they give nothing away in tone or countenance. Such people are even more treacherous, and are very difficult to save.

Excerpted from “How to Cross Into the New Age” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You are now somewhat able to recognize the corrupt disposition you reveal—which corrupt things you are still liable to reveal, which things you are still liable to do. All this, you know. Yet the most difficult thing is being able to control yourselves. You do not know when you will do something or what grave things you are capable of doing. Perhaps there are things that you thought you would never do or words you thought you would never say, but in a given time or environment, you indeed did or said them. People are not able to control these unexpected things. How can this be? It is because people do not thoroughly understand their nature and essence; their knowledge of it is insufficiently deep, so putting the truth into practice is very strenuous for them. For example, some people are quite deceitful, dishonest in word and deed, yet if you ask them in what regard their corruption is most severe, they will say, “I am a little deceitful.” They will merely say they are a little deceitful, but they do not say that their nature itself is deceit, and they do not say that they are a deceitful person. They do not see their own nature all that deeply, and do not look at it as something as serious, nor as thoroughly, as others. Others see that this person is so deceitful and so crooked, that there is fraud in their every word, that their words and actions are never honest—but they cannot see so deeply into themselves. Any knowledge they happen to have is merely superficial. Whenever they speak and act, they reveal something in their nature, yet they are unaware of this. They think they are being honest in what they are doing and that he is doing things in accordance with truth. That is to say, people have an overly superficial understanding of their own nature, and there is a huge discrepancy between this and God’s words of judgment and revelation. This is not a mistake in what God reveals, but rather is humans’ lack of profound understanding of their own nature. People do not have a fundamental or essential understanding of themselves; instead, they focus on and devote their energy to their actions and outward expressions. Even if someone occasionally said something about understanding themselves, it would not be very profound. No one has ever thought that they are this type of person or have this type of nature due to having done this type of thing or having revealed something. God has revealed the nature and essence of humanity, but humans understand that their way of doing things and their way of speaking are flawed and defective; therefore, it is a strenuous task for people to put truth into practice. People think that their mistakes are merely momentary manifestations that are revealed carelessly rather than being revelations of their nature. People who think this way cannot put the truth into practice, because they are not able to accept truth as truth and do not thirst after truth; therefore, when putting truth into practice, they only perfunctorily follow the rules. People do not view their own nature as being too corrupt, and believe that they are not so bad that they should be destroyed or punished. They think that it is not a big deal to lie occasionally, and consider themselves to be much better than they were in the past; in fact, however, they are nowhere close to being up to standard, because people only have some actions that do not outwardly violate truth, when they are not actually putting truth into practice.

Excerpted from “Understanding One’s Nature and Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To allow people to know themselves, God uses many different methods. He allows people to gradually come to know themselves through experience. Whether He uses trials, judgment or chastisement, in words or in facts, God allows people to constantly experience, to experience the judgment, chastisement and discipline of God’s words, and to experience the enlightenment and illumination of God’s words. At the same time, He allows people to recognize their own corruption, rebelliousness, and nature. So what is God’s ultimate goal in doing this? It is to allow every person experiencing God’s work to know what man is. What does “what man is” include? It includes allowing people to recognize their own identity, position, duty, and responsibility. It is to let you know who man is and who you are yourself. This is the ultimate goal of God’s allowing people to know themselves.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

The key to achieving a change in disposition is to know one’s own nature, and this must happen in accordance with revelations from God. Only in God’s word can one know one’s own hideous nature, recognize in one’s own nature Satan’s various poisons, realize that one is foolish and ignorant, and recognize the weak and negative elements in one’s nature. After these are fully known, and you are truly able to hate yourself and forsake the flesh, consistently carry out God’s word, and have the will to absolutely submit to the Holy Spirit and to the word of God, then you will have embarked on the path of Peter.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To know yourself, you must know your own expressions of corruption, your own vital weaknesses, your disposition, and your nature essence. You must also know, down to the very last detail, those things that are revealed in your daily life—your motives, your perspectives, and your attitude about every single thing—whether you are at home or out, when you are in gatherings, when you are eating and drinking of the words of God, or in every single issue you encounter. Through these things you must come to know yourself. To know yourself on a deeper level, you must integrate God’s words; only by knowing yourself based on His words can you achieve results.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When reading God’s words, Peter was not focused on understanding doctrines, much less was he focused on obtaining theological knowledge; instead, he concentrated on comprehending the truth and grasping God’s will, as well as achieving an understanding of His disposition and His loveliness. Peter also attempted to understand the various corrupt states of man from God’s words, as well as man’s corrupt nature and actual shortcoming, thus meeting all aspects of God’s requirements of man in order to satisfy Him. Peter had so many correct practices that abided by the words of God; this was most in line with God’s will, and it was the best way a person could cooperate while experiencing God’s work. When experiencing the hundreds of trials from God, Peter examined himself strictly against every word of God’s judgment of man, every word of God’s revelation of man, and every word of His demands of man, and strived to fathom the meaning of those words. He tried in earnest to ponder and memorize every word that Jesus said to him, and achieved very good results. Through this manner of practicing, he was able to achieve an understanding of himself from God’s words, and he not only came to understand the various corrupt states of man, but also came to understand man’s essence, nature, and various shortcomings. This is what it means to truly understand oneself.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What Peter sought was to come to know himself and see what had been revealed in him through the refinement of God’s words and within the various trials that God provided for him. When he truly came to understand himself, Peter realized just how deeply corrupt humans are, how worthless and unworthy of serving God they are, and that they do not deserve to live before Him. Peter then fell prostrate before God. Ultimately, he thought, “Knowing God is the most precious thing! If I died before knowing Him, it would be such a pity; I feel that knowing God is the most important, most meaningful thing there is. If man does not know God, then he does not deserve to live and has no life.” By the time Peter’s experience had reached this point, he had come to know his own nature and gained a relatively good understanding of it. Although he perhaps would not have been able to explain it as clearly as people would nowadays, Peter had indeed reached this state. Therefore, pursuing life and attaining perfection by God requires knowing one’s own nature from within God’s utterances, as well as comprehending the aspects of one’s nature and accurately describing it in words, speaking clearly and plainly. Only this is truly knowing yourself, and you will have attained the result God requires. If your knowledge has not yet reached this point, but you claim to know yourself and say that you have gained life, then are you not simply bragging? You do not know yourself, nor do you know what you are in front of God, whether you have truly met the standards of being human, or how many satanic elements you still have within you. You are still unclear about who you belong to, and you do not even have any self-knowledge—so how can you possess reason in front of God? When Peter was pursuing life, he focused on understanding himself and transforming his disposition over the course of his trials, and he strove to know God, and in the end, he thought, “People must seek an understanding of God in life; knowing Him is the most critical thing. If I do not know God, then I cannot rest in peace when I die. Once I know Him, if God then has me die, then I will still feel most gratified to do so; I will not complain in the slightest, and my entire life will have been fulfilled.” Peter was not able to gain this level of understanding or reach this point immediately after he had begun to believe in God; he first had to undergo a great many trials. His experience had to reach a certain milestone, and he had to completely understand himself, before he could sense the value of knowing God. Therefore, the path Peter took was one of gaining life and of being perfected; this was the aspect upon which his specific practice was primarily focused.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How do you understand human nature? Understanding your nature actually means dissecting the depths of your soul; it involves what is in your life. It is the logic of Satan and the viewpoints of Satan by which you have been living; that is, it is the life of Satan that you have been living by. Only by unearthing the deep-down parts of your soul can you understand your nature. How can these things be unearthed? They cannot be unearthed or dissected through a mere one or two events; many times, after you are finished doing something, you still have not come to an understanding. It could take three or five years before you are able to gain even a tiny bit of realization and understanding. In many situations, you must self-reflect and come to know yourself, and only when you practice digging deep will you see results. As your understanding of the truth grows more and more profound, you will gradually come to know your own nature essence through self-reflection and self-knowledge. In order to know your nature, you must accomplish a few things. First, you must have a clear understanding of what you like. This does not refer to what you like to eat or wear; rather, it means the kinds of things you enjoy, the things you envy, the things you worship, the things you seek, and the things you pay attention to in your heart, the types of people you enjoy coming into contact with, the type of things you like to do, and the types of people you idolize in your heart. For example, most people like people of great standing, people who are elegant in their speech and deportment, or like those who speak with eloquent flattery or those who put on an act. The aforementioned is about what people they like to interact with. As for the things people enjoy, these include being willing to do certain things that are easy to do, enjoying doing things that others think are good and that would cause people to sing praises and give compliments. In people’s natures, there is a common characteristic of the things they like. That is, they like people, events, and things that others are envious of due to outward appearances, they like people, events, and things that look beautiful and luxurious, and they like people, events and things that make others worship them due to appearances. These things that people are fond of are great, dazzling, gorgeous, and grand. People all worship these things. It can be seen that people do not possess any of the truth, nor do they have the likeness of genuine human beings. There is not the slightest degree of significance in worshiping these things, yet people still like them. These things that people like seem especially good to those who do not believe in God, and they are especially willing to pursue these things. … To aspire to these things is to wallow in the mire with the worldly people. This is detested by God. It lacks truth, it lacks humanity, and it is satanic. This is what it is to unearth a person’s nature from within their preferences. People’s preferences can be seen in the way they dress: Some people are willing to wear attention-grabbing, colorful clothing, or bizarre outfits. They will carry accessories no one else has carried before, and they love things that can attract the opposite sex. That they wear these clothes and accessories shows the preference they have for these things in their lives and deep within their hearts. The things they like are not dignified or decent. They are not the things of a truly genuine person. In their like of them, there is unrighteousness. Their outlook is precisely the same as that of worldly people. One cannot see the least truth in them. Therefore, what you like, what you focus on, what you worship, what you envy, and what you think about in your heart every day are all representative of your nature. It is enough to prove that your nature is fond of unrighteousness, and in serious situations, your nature is evil and incurable. You should analyze your nature in this way; that is, examine what you are fond of and what you forsake in your life. You might be good to someone for a time, but this does not prove that you are fond of them. What you are truly fond of is precisely what is in your nature; even if your bones were broken, you would still enjoy it and could never forsake it. This is not easy to change. Take finding a partner, for example. If a woman really fell in love with someone, then no one would be able to stop her. Even if her legs were broken, she would still want to be with him; she would want to marry him even if it meant she had to die. How can this be? It is because no one can change what people have deep inside of themselves. Even if a person died, his soul would still like the same things; these are the things of human nature, and they represent a person’s essence. The things people are fond of contain some unrighteousness. Some are obvious in their fondness for those things, while some are not; some have a strong liking for them, while others do not; some people have self-control, while others cannot control themselves. Some people are liable to sink into the dark things, which proves that they do not possess even a shred of life. If people are able to not be occupied and constrained by those things, it proves that their dispositions have been transformed a little and that they have a little stature. Some people understand some truths and feel that they have life and that they love God. In fact, it is still too early, and undergoing transformation in one’s disposition is not a simple matter. Is one’s nature easy to understand? Even if you understood it a little, it would not be easy to change. This is an area of difficulty for people. Regardless of how people, matters, or things around you may change and regardless of how the world may be turned upside down, if the truth is guiding you from within, if it has taken root within you and God’s words guide your life, your preferences, your experiences and your existence, at that point you will have truly transformed. Now this so-called transformation is just people cooperating a little and having a little bit of enthusiasm and faith, but this cannot be considered transformation and it does not prove that people have life; it is just people’s preferences—nothing more.

In addition to unearthing the things people are fond of in their natures, other aspects pertaining to their natures also need to be unearthed. For example, people’s viewpoints on things, people’s methods and goals in life, people’s life values and views on life, as well as views on all things relating to truth. These are all things deep within people’s souls and they have a direct relationship with the transformation of disposition. What, then, is the life view of corrupt humankind? It can be said to be this: “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” People all live for themselves; to put it more distinctly, they are living for the flesh. They are living just to put food in their mouths. How does this existence differ from that of the animals? There is no value whatsoever in living like this, let alone any meaning. One’s life view is about what you rely on to live in the world, what you live for, and how you live—and these are all things to do with the essence of human nature. Through dissecting people’s natures, you will see that people are all resisting God. They are all devils and there is no genuinely good person. Only by dissecting people’s natures can you truly know the essence and corruption of man and understand what people actually belong to, what people truly lack, what they should be equipped with, and how they should live out a human likeness. Truly dissecting a person’s nature is not easy, and cannot be done without experiencing God’s words or having true experiences.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When it comes to knowing man’s nature, the most important thing is to see it from the perspective of man’s world view, life view, and values. Those who are of the devil all live for themselves. Their life view and maxims mainly come from Satan’s sayings, such as, “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” The words spoken by those devil kings, great ones, and philosophers of the earth have become man’s very life. In particular, most of the words of Confucius, who is touted by Chinese people to be a “sage,” have become man’s life. There are also the famous proverbs of Buddhism and Taoism, and the oft-quoted classic sayings of various famous figures; these are all outlines of Satan’s philosophies and Satan’s nature. They are also the best illustrations and explanations of Satan’s nature. These poisons that have been infused into the heart of man all come from Satan; not the least bit of them comes from God. Such devilish words are also in direct opposition to God’s word. It is absolutely clear that the realities of all positive things come from God, and all those negative things that poison man come from Satan. Therefore, you can discern a person’s nature and to whom he belongs from his life view and values. Satan corrupts people through the education and influence of national governments and of the famous and great. Their devilish words have become man’s life nature. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost” is a well-known satanic saying that has been instilled into everyone, and that has become man’s life. There are other words of philosophies for living that are also like this. Satan uses each nation’s fine traditional culture to educate people, causing mankind to fall into and be engulfed by a boundless abyss of destruction, and in the end people are destroyed by God because they serve Satan and resist God. Imagine asking someone who has been active in society for decades the following question: “Given that you have lived in the world for so long and achieved so much, what are the main famous sayings that you live by?” He might say, “The most important one is, ‘Officials do not make things difficult for those who bear gifts, and those who do not flatter accomplish nothing.’” Are these words not representative of that person’s nature? Unscrupulously using any means to obtain position has become his nature, and being an official is what gives him life. There are still many satanic poisons in people’s lives, in their conduct and behavior; they possess almost no truth at all. For example, their philosophies for living, their ways of doing things, and their maxims are all filled with the poisons of the great red dragon, and they all come from Satan. Thus, all things that flow through people’s bones and blood are all things of Satan. All of those officials, those who hold power, and those who are accomplished have their own paths and secrets to success. Are such secrets not perfectly representative of their nature? They have done such big things in the world, and no one can see through the schemes and intrigues that lay behind them. This shows just how insidious and venomous their nature is. Mankind has been profoundly corrupted by Satan. Satan’s venom flows through the blood of every person, and it can be seen that man’s nature is corrupt, evil, and reactionary, filled by and immersed in the philosophies of Satan—it is, in its entirety, a nature that betrays God. This is why people resist God and stand in opposition to God. Man can easily come to know himself if his nature can be dissected in this way.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How can you tell what a person’s essence is? You cannot tell what a person’s nature essence is when they do either nothing or when they do something trivial. These are shown in what they regularly reveal, in the motives behind their actions, in the intents behind what they do, in the desires they harbor, and in the path they walk. Even more importantly, these things are shown in how they react when they encounter an environment arranged by God, when they encounter something personally done to them by God, when they are tried and refined, or are dealt with and pruned, or else when God personally illuminates and guides them. What does all of this relate to? It relates to a person’s actions, the way they live, and the principles by which they conduct themselves. It also relates to the direction and goals of their pursuit, and the means by which they pursue. In other words, it relates to the path this person takes, how they live, what they live by, and what the basis of their existence is.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Nowadays, most people have a very superficial understanding of themselves. They have not come to clearly know the things that are part of their nature at all. They only have knowledge of a few of their corrupt states, the things they are likely to do, or a few of their shortcomings, and this makes them believe that they know themselves. If, furthermore, they abide by a few rules, ensure that they do not make mistakes in certain areas, and manage to avoid committing certain transgressions, they then consider themselves to possess reality in their belief in God and assume that they will be saved. This is completely human imagination. If you abide by those things, will you really become able to refrain from committing any transgressions? Will you have attained a true change in disposition? Will you really be living out the likeness of a human being? Can you genuinely satisfy God that way? Absolutely not, this is for sure. Belief in God works only when one has high standards and has attained the truth and some transformation in one’s life disposition. So, if people’s knowledge of themselves is too shallow, they will find it impossible to solve problems, and their life dispositions simply will not change. It is necessary to know oneself on a profound level, which means knowing one’s own nature: what elements are included in that nature, how these things originated, and where they came from. Moreover, are you actually able to hate these things? Have you seen your own ugly soul and your evil nature? If you are truly able to see the truth about yourself, then you will start to loathe yourself. When you loathe yourself and then practice God’s word, you will be able to forsake the flesh and have the strength to carry out truth without difficulty. Why do many people follow their fleshly preferences? Because they consider themselves to be pretty good, feeling that their actions are right and justified, that they have no faults, and even that they are entirely in the right, they are therefore capable of acting with the assumption that justice is on their side. When one recognizes what one’s true nature is—how ugly, how despicable, and how pitiful—then one is not overly proud of oneself, not so wildly arrogant, and not so pleased with oneself as before. Such a person feels, “I must be earnest and down to earth, and practice some of God’s word. If not, then I will not measure up to the standard of being human, and will be ashamed to live in God’s presence.” One then truly sees oneself as paltry, as truly insignificant. At this time, it becomes easy for one to carry out truth, and one will appear to be somewhat like a human should be. Only when people truly loathe themselves are they able to forsake the flesh. If they do not loathe themselves, they will be unable to forsake the flesh. Truly hating oneself comprises a few things: First, knowing one’s own nature; and second, seeing oneself as needy and pitiful, seeing oneself to be extremely small and insignificant, and seeing one’s own pitiful and dirty soul. When one fully sees what one truly is, and this outcome is achieved, one then truly gains knowledge of oneself, and it can be said that one has come to know oneself fully. Only then can one truly hate oneself, going so far as to curse oneself, and truly feel that one has been corrupted profoundly by Satan such that one does not even resemble a human being. Then, one day, when the threat of death appears, such a person will think, “This is God’s righteous punishment. God is indeed righteous; I really should die!” At this point, he will not lodge a complaint, much less blame God, simply feeling that he is so needy and pitiful, so filthy and corrupt that he should be wiped out by God, and a soul like his is not fit to live on earth. At this point, this person will not resist God, much less betray God. If one does not know oneself, and still considers oneself to be pretty good, then when death comes knocking, this person will think, “I have done so well in my faith. How hard I have sought! I have given so much, I have suffered so much, yet ultimately, God is now asking me to die. I don’t know where God’s righteousness is. Why is He asking me to die? If even a person like me has to die, then who will be saved? Won’t the human race come to an end?” First of all, this person has notions about God. Secondly, this person is complaining, and not showing any submission whatsoever. This is just like Paul: When he was about to die, he did not know himself, and by the time God’s punishment was nigh, it was too late to repent.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The more capable you are of discovering your own corruption, the more accurate this discovery, and the more you can know your own essence, then the more likely it is you will be saved and the closer you will come to salvation; the more incapable you are of discovering your problems, the more you think you are a good person, a pretty great person, then the further you are away from the path to salvation, and you are still in great danger. Anyone who spends all day parading themselves—flaunting their accomplishments, saying they are silver-tongued, reasonable, that they understand the truth, can practice the truth, and are capable of making sacrifices—is of especially small stature. What kind of person has greater hope of salvation, and is capable of walking the path of salvation? Those who truly know their corrupt disposition. The more profound their knowledge, the closer they come to salvation. Knowing your corrupt disposition, knowing that you are nothing, useless, that you are a living Satan—when you truly know your essence, this is not a serious problem. This is a good thing, not a bad thing. Is there anyone who becomes more negative the more they know themselves, thinking to themselves: “It’s all over, the judgment and chastisement of God has befallen me, it is punishment and retribution, God doesn’t want me and I have no hope of salvation”? Will these people have such illusions? In fact, the more people recognize how hopeless they are, the greater the hope for them; they should not be negative and they should not give up. Knowing yourself is a good thing—it is the path that must be taken to salvation. If you are utterly insensible of your own corrupt disposition and of your essence, which is multifarious in its opposition to God, and if you have not yet any plans to change, then you are in trouble; such people have already grown numb, they are dead. Can the dead be brought back to life? They are already dead—they cannot.

Excerpted from “Only When You Know Yourself Can You Pursue the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Among those who seek life, Paul was someone who did not know his own substance. He was by no means humble or obedient, nor did he know his essence, which was in opposition to God. And so, he was someone who had not undergone detailed experiences, and was someone who did not put the truth into practice. Peter was different. He knew his imperfections, weaknesses, and his corrupt disposition as a creature of God, and so he had a path of practice through which to change his disposition; he was not one of those who only had doctrine but possessed no reality. Those who change are new people who have been saved, they are those who are qualified in pursuing the truth. People who do not change belong to those who are naturally obsolete; they are those who have not been saved, that is, those who are detested and rejected by God. They will not be remembered by God no matter how great their work. When you compare this with your own pursuit, whether you are ultimately the same kind of person as Peter or Paul should be self-evident. If there is still no truth in what you seek, and if even today you are still as arrogant and insolent as Paul, and are still as glib and boastful as him, then you are without doubt a degenerate who fails. If you seek the same as Peter, if you seek practices and true changes, and are not arrogant or willful, but seek to perform your duty, then you will be a creature of God who can achieve victory. Paul did not know his own essence or corruption, much less did he know his own disobedience. He never mentioned his despicable defiance of Christ, nor was he overly regretful. He only offered a brief explanation and, deep down in his heart, he did not completely submit to God. Though he fell on the road to Damascus, he did not look deep within himself. He was content merely to keep working, and he did not consider knowing himself and changing his old disposition to be the most crucial of issues. He was satisfied with merely speaking the truth, with providing to others as a salve for his own conscience, and with no longer persecuting Jesus’ disciples to console himself and forgive himself for his past sins. The goal that he pursued was nothing more than a future crown and transitory work, the goal he pursued was abundant grace. He did not seek sufficient truth, nor did he seek to progress deeper into the truth which he had previously not understood. His knowledge of himself can therefore be said to be false, and he did not accept chastisement or judgment. That he was able to work does not mean he possessed a knowledge of his own nature or essence; his focus was on outward practices only. What he strived for, moreover, was not change, but knowledge. His work was completely the result of the appearance of Jesus on the road to Damascus. It was not something he had resolved to do originally, nor was it work that occurred after he had accepted the pruning of his old disposition. No matter how he worked, his old disposition did not change, and so his work did not atone for his past sins but merely played a certain role among the churches of the time. For someone such as this, whose old disposition did not change—that is to say, who did not gain salvation, and was even more without the truth—he was absolutely incapable of becoming one of those accepted by the Lord Jesus.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

48. The Principles of True Repentance

(1) Accept and submit to God’s judgment and chastisement. Come to see the truth of your corruption, purify your corrupt disposition, and live out a human likeness;

(2) When you have committed a transgression, be capable of knowing yourself through self-reflection, and be able to seek the truth and act according to the principles. Achieve genuine change, thus becoming one who truly submits to God;

(3) Be able to practice and experience God’s words, cast off falsehood and disguise, and lie and deceive no longer; rather, perform your duty well out of loyalty, and become an honest person;

(4) Experience God’s judgment, chastisement, trials, and refinement, come to know His righteous disposition, and be able to fear God, shun evil, and live before Him.

Relevant Words of God:

Everyone has at some time opposed God and everyone has at some time rebelled against God. However, if you willingly obey the incarnate God, and from this point satisfy God’s heart with your loyalty, practice the truth that you ought, perform your duty as you ought, and keep the regulations that you ought, then you are one who is willing to cast away your rebelliousness to satisfy God and one who can be perfected by God. Should you stubbornly refuse to see your errors and have no intention of repenting yourself, should you persist in your rebellious conduct without the least intention of cooperating with God and satisfying Him, then such an obstinate and incorrigible person as you will certainly be punished and will certainly never be one to be perfected by God. This being so, you are the enemy of God today and tomorrow you will also be the enemy of God, and so too will you remain the enemy of God the day after; you will forever be an opponent of God and the enemy of God. In that case, how could God possibly let you off? It is in the nature of man to oppose God, but man must not seek out on purpose the “secret” of opposing God just because changing his nature is an insurmountable task. If that were the case, then you had better walk away before it were too late, lest your chastisement in the future become more severe, and lest your brutish nature erupt and become ungovernable, until your fleshly body were terminated by God in the end. You believe in God to receive blessings; but if in the end only misfortune befell you, would not that be a shame? I urge you, you had better make another plan. Anything that you can do would be better than believing in God: Surely it cannot be that there is just this one path. Would you not go on surviving if you did not seek the truth? Why must you be at odds with God in this way?

Excerpted from “All People Who Do Not Know God Are People Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every person, in the course of living their life of faith in God, has done things that resist and deceive God. Some misdeeds need not be recorded as an offense, but some are unforgivable; for there are many deeds that violate the administrative decrees, which offend the disposition of God. Many who are concerned about their own fates may ask what these deeds are. You should know that you are arrogant and haughty by nature, and unwilling to submit to the facts. For this reason, I shall tell you bit by bit after you have reflected upon yourselves. I exhort you to get a better understanding of the content of the administrative decrees, and to make an effort to know the disposition of God. If not, you will find it difficult to keep your lips sealed, your tongues will wag too freely with high-sounding talk, and you will unwittingly offend the disposition of God and fall into the darkness, losing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the light. Because you are unprincipled in your actions, because you do and say that which you should not, you shall receive a fitting retribution. You should know that though you are unprincipled in word and deed, God is highly principled in both. The reason you receive retribution is because you have offended God, not a person. If, in your life, you commit many offenses against the disposition of God, then you are bound to become a child of hell. To man it may appear that you have only committed a few deeds that are at odds with the truth, and nothing more. Are you aware, however, that in the eyes of God you are already someone for whom there is no more sin offering? Because you have violated the administrative decrees of God more than once and have, moreover, shown no sign of repentance, there is no other recourse but for you to plunge into hell, where God punishes man.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For a long time, people who believe in God have all been earnestly hoping for a beautiful destination, and all of God’s believers hope that good fortune will suddenly come to them. They all hope that before they know it, they will find themselves peacefully seated at one place or another in heaven. But I say that these people, with their lovely thoughts, have never known whether they are qualified to receive such good fortune that falls down from heaven or even to sit on a seat there. You, at present, have a good knowledge of yourselves, yet you still hope to escape the disasters of the last days and the hand of the Almighty when He punishes the evil ones. It seems as though having sweet dreams and wanting things just how they like is a common feature of all people whom Satan has corrupted, and not some stroke of genius by any lone individual. Even so, I still wish to put an end to these extravagant desires of yours, as well as your eagerness to gain blessings. Given that your transgressions are numerous, and that the fact of your rebelliousness is ever-growing, how can these things fit with your lovely blueprints for the future? If you want to make mistakes as you please, with nothing holding you back, yet at the same time you still want your dreams to come true, then I urge you to continue in your stupor and never wake up—for yours is an empty dream and in the presence of the righteous God, He will not make an exception for you. If you simply want your dreams to come true, then never dream; rather, forever face the truth and the facts. This is the only way that you can be saved. What, in concrete terms, are the steps of this method?

First, take a look at all your transgressions, and examine any behavior and thoughts you have that do not conform to the truth.

This is one thing that you can do easily, and I believe that all intelligent people are able to do this. However, those who never know what is meant by transgression and truth are the exception, because on a fundamental level, they are not intelligent people. I am talking to people who have been approved by God, are honest, have not seriously violated any administrative decrees, and can easily discern their own transgressions. Though this one thing I require of you is easy to accomplish, it is not the only thing that I require of you. No matter what, I hope that you will not laugh in private at this requirement, and especially that you will not look down on it or take it lightly. You should treat it seriously, and not dismiss it.

Secondly, for each of your transgressions and disobediences, you should look for a corresponding truth, and then use these truths to resolve those issues. After that, replace your transgressive acts and disobedient thoughts and acts with the practice of the truth.

Thirdly, you should be an honest person, not someone who is always being clever and constantly deceitful. (Here I am asking you again to be an honest person.)

If you can accomplish all three of these things, then you are one of the fortunate—a person whose dreams come true and who receives good fortune. Perhaps you will treat these three unappealing requirements seriously, or perhaps you will treat them irresponsibly. Whichever, My purpose is to fulfill your dreams and put your ideals into practice, not to make fun of you or to make a fool out of you.

Excerpted from “Transgressions Will Lead Man to Hell” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The fact is that every person, to a greater or lesser extent, has transgressed. When you do not know something is a transgression, you regard it with a hazy state of mind, or perhaps you still cling to your own opinions, practices, and ways of understanding—but, one day, whether through fellowship with your brothers and sisters or by God’s revelation, you learn this thing is a transgression, an offense against God. What will your attitude be then? Will you still be holding on, reasoning, arguing, hewing to your own ideas, believing that what you are doing accords with the truth? This involves your attitude toward God. With what attitude did David regard his transgressions? Remorse—he would no longer commit them. So, what did he do? He prayed asking God to punish him: “If I make this mistake again, may God punish me and cause me to die!” Such was his resolve; that was true remorse. Can ordinary people achieve this? For ordinary people, it is good if they do not try to argue or tacitly admit responsibility, and, in their hearts, they yet think: “I hope no one brings this up again. I’d be humiliated.” Is this true remorse? To be truly remorseful, you must discard your past evil, put it down, and not do such a thing again. Well, what should be done, then? Will it work just to discard the evil, not to do that thing and not to think of it? What is your attitude toward God? What approach will you take to God exposing you now? (We will accept God’s punishment.) Accepting God’s punishment, His judgment and chastisement—that is one part of it. The other part is accepting God’s scrutiny while you accept His punishment. When you have accepted both parts, how will your resolve be? When you encounter such circumstances and such matters in the future, what will you do? Without true remorse, one cannot discard an evil, and anywhere, at any time, they could go back to their same old way, doing the same bad thing, committing the same transgression, making the same mistake over and over and over again. This reveals man’s attitude toward the truth and toward God. What, then, can someone do to cast off a transgression completely? Practice the truth? One must have the correct attitude toward the truth. And what attitude should someone have and how should they practice to demonstrate their correct attitude toward the truth? What will you do if you fall into temptation when you come across this issue again? Two words: “Stay away!” At the same time, one must set one’s resolve to be punished by God if one makes the same sort of mistake again. To do so is to hate the thing from the bottom of one’s heart, to see it as the most abhorrent thing, an evil thing, a thing that offends God, an eternal stain. The Bible says: “A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Pro 22:3). That is not simplicity—it is stupidity, plain and simple. “Stay away”—how is that as a way to practice? (It is good.) Yet are there times when one cannot stay away? What will you do then? You must pray earnestly to God in your heart, and ask Him to orchestrate things. Some trials are also temptations. Why does God allow such things to befall you? They do not happen by chance; they are God trying and testing you. Does it not speak of man’s attitude toward God that you turn your back on the circumstances He arranges for you and the trials He gives you, and have an attitude of impertinence, and neither pray nor seek, nor search in those circumstances and trials for the path of practice? There are those who say: “I haven’t had such thoughts, and I don’t have that intention.” If you are without intention, then what is your attitude toward God? Some attitudes are deliberate and intended, while some are unintentional—what is yours? Is one who is impertinent and does not take God seriously someone who loves the truth? It is established that one who treats the truth and God as children’s games, as empty air, is not someone who loves the truth.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Some people follow their own wills when they act. They violate the principles and admit only that they are arrogant, that they made a mistake only because they do not have the truth. In their hearts, they even complain, “No one else sticks their neck out, just me—and in the end, I get stuck with the responsibility. That’s dumb of me. I won’t do the same thing next time, sticking my neck out. Birds that stick their necks out get shot!” What do you think of this attitude? Is it an attitude of repentance? (No.) What attitude is it? Through the mistake they make, they become slippery and deceitful—a fall in the pit, a gain in your wit, so to speak. “I’m lucky that didn’t lead to a disaster. If I caused a disaster, I’d go to hell and be destroyed. I have to be more careful in the future.” They do not seek the truth, using their pettiness and cunning schemes to handle and treat the matter. Can they gain the truth in this way? They cannot—they do not know to repent. The first thing to be done when repenting is to know the thing you have done and to understand where you have erred, the essence of the problem, and the disposition you have revealed; reflect on these things and accept them, then practice according to the truth. This is the attitude of repentance. If, on the other hand, your way of considering the issue is more slippery than before, and your techniques are more clever and concealed, and you have more methods to deal with it, then the problem is not quite as simple as being deceitful. You are using underhanded means and you have secrets you will not divulge, and what you are doing is evil. God sees you as overly hard and evil, one who superficially admits that they have erred and accepts being dealt with and pruned, yet who is without even the least bit of a repentant attitude. This is because, in the aftermath of the event or while it is happening, you do not practice according to the truth at all, nor do you seek it. Your attitude is one of using Satan’s methods, techniques and philosophies to resolve or sidestep the problem, to wrap it up in a neat package so that others can see no trace of the problem, nor see the package’s seams—and, in the end, you feel you are quite smart. These are the things God sees, rather than your having truly reflected, repented, and confessed your sin in the face of the matter that has befallen you, then going on to seek the truth and practicing according to the truth. Your attitude is not one of seeking the truth or of practicing the truth, nor is it one of submission to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, but one of using Satan’s techniques and methods to resolve your problem. You give others a false impression and resist being exposed by God, and you are confrontational and defensive regarding the circumstances that God has orchestrated for you. This means your heart is more closed than before. If you are more closed to God, can you still live in the light, with peace and joy? No longer—you have shunned the truth and shunned God. Is such a state prevalent in people? “I was dealt with this time. Next time, I’ve got to be more careful, and smarter. Being smart is the foundation of life—and people who aren’t smart are dummies.” If you are always guiding and goading yourself so, will you ever get anywhere? Will you be able to gain the truth? If an issue befalls you and you can seek the truth, then you can understand an aspect of the truth and gain that aspect of the truth. What can be achieved by understanding the truth? When you understand an aspect of the truth, you understand an aspect of God’s will, and you understand why God visited this thing on you, why He would make such a demand of you, why He would orchestrate circumstances to chasten and discipline you so, why He would use this matter to discipline you, and why you have fallen down, failed, and been exposed in this matter. If you can understand these things, you will be able to pursue the truth and will achieve life entry. If you cannot understand these things and do not accept these facts, but insist on opposition and resistance, on using your own techniques to cover up after yourself, on facing all others and facing God with a false countenance, then you will be forever unable to gain the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people have, in the past, revealed certain dispositions of an antichrist: They were wanton and arbitrary, it was always their way or the highway. But through being dealt with and pruned, through brothers and sisters sharing fellowship with them, through being reallocated or replaced, by suffering some major setbacks, being negative for a time and then thinking, “No matter what, I still have to prioritize fulfilling my duty properly. I am walking the path of the antichrist, but I haven’t been classed as one, so I must be good in my belief, I must pursue in earnest. There’s nothing wrong with the path of pursuing the truth,”—bit-by-bit, they turn themselves around, and then they repent. There are good manifestations in them, they seek the truth principles when performing their duty, and seek the truth principles when engaging with others, too. In every regard, they are heading in a better direction. Have they not then changed? This is turning from walking the path of the antichrist to walking the path of practicing and pursuing the truth. There is hope for them, they have a chance, they can turn themselves around. Can you class such people as antichrists because they once exhibited some manifestations of an antichrist or walked the path of the antichrists? No. Antichrists do not repent, they have no shame and, furthermore, their dispositions are fierce and evil, and they detest the truth to an extreme degree. What does their extreme detestation determine? That they can never repent. If they detest the truth to such a degree, can they practice the truth, and are they able to repent? Impossible. If there is one thing for certain about people who are able to repent, it is that they have made mistakes but are able to accept the judgment and chastisement of God, are able to accept the truths spoken by God, and are able to try as hard as they can to cooperate, taking the words of God as their own personal maxims, and making God’s words into the reality of their lives. They accept the truth, and deep down, they do not detest it. Is this not the difference? Antichrists, on the other hand, do not listen to anyone, they do not trust that the truth is the truth, and they do not acknowledge that the words of God are the truth.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Nowadays, most people have a very superficial understanding of themselves. They have not come to clearly know the things that are part of their nature at all. They only have knowledge of a few of their corrupt states, the things they are likely to do, or a few of their shortcomings, and this makes them believe that they know themselves. If, furthermore, they abide by a few rules, ensure that they do not make mistakes in certain areas, and manage to avoid committing certain transgressions, they then consider themselves to possess reality in their belief in God and assume that they will be saved. This is completely human imagination. If you abide by those things, will you really become able to refrain from committing any transgressions? Will you have attained a true change in disposition? Will you really be living out the likeness of a human being? Can you genuinely satisfy God that way? Absolutely not, this is for sure. Belief in God works only when one has high standards and has attained the truth and some transformation in one’s life disposition. So, if people’s knowledge of themselves is too shallow, they will find it impossible to solve problems, and their life dispositions simply will not change. It is necessary to know oneself on a profound level, which means knowing one’s own nature: what elements are included in that nature, how these things originated, and where they came from. Moreover, are you actually able to hate these things? Have you seen your own ugly soul and your evil nature? If you are truly able to see the truth about yourself, then you will start to loathe yourself. When you loathe yourself and then practice God’s word, you will be able to forsake the flesh and have the strength to carry out truth without difficulty. Why do many people follow their fleshly preferences? Because they consider themselves to be pretty good, feeling that their actions are right and justified, that they have no faults, and even that they are entirely in the right, they are therefore capable of acting with the assumption that justice is on their side. When one recognizes what one’s true nature is—how ugly, how despicable, and how pitiful—then one is not overly proud of oneself, not so wildly arrogant, and not so pleased with oneself as before. Such a person feels, “I must be earnest and down to earth, and practice some of God’s word. If not, then I will not measure up to the standard of being human, and will be ashamed to live in God’s presence.” One then truly sees oneself as paltry, as truly insignificant. At this time, it becomes easy for one to carry out truth, and one will appear to be somewhat like a human should be. Only when people truly loathe themselves are they able to forsake the flesh. If they do not loathe themselves, they will be unable to forsake the flesh. Truly hating oneself comprises a few things: First, knowing one’s own nature; and second, seeing oneself as needy and pitiful, seeing oneself to be extremely small and insignificant, and seeing one’s own pitiful and dirty soul. When one fully sees what one truly is, and this outcome is achieved, one then truly gains knowledge of oneself, and it can be said that one has come to know oneself fully. Only then can one truly hate oneself, going so far as to curse oneself, and truly feel that one has been corrupted profoundly by Satan such that one does not even resemble a human being. Then, one day, when the threat of death appears, such a person will think, “This is God’s righteous punishment. God is indeed righteous; I really should die!” At this point, he will not lodge a complaint, much less blame God, simply feeling that he is so needy and pitiful, so filthy and corrupt that he should be wiped out by God, and a soul like his is not fit to live on earth. At this point, this person will not resist God, much less betray God. If one does not know oneself, and still considers oneself to be pretty good, then when death comes knocking, this person will think, “I have done so well in my faith. How hard I have sought! I have given so much, I have suffered so much, yet ultimately, God is now asking me to die. I don’t know where God’s righteousness is. Why is He asking me to die? If even a person like me has to die, then who will be saved? Won’t the human race come to an end?” First of all, this person has notions about God. Secondly, this person is complaining, and not showing any submission whatsoever. This is just like Paul: When he was about to die, he did not know himself, and by the time God’s punishment was nigh, it was too late to repent.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Have you figured out a pattern of how the Holy Spirit works? The Holy Spirit usually works on those whose hearts are honest, and He works when people get into trouble and are seeking the truth. God will not pay heed to those who have no shred of human reason or conscience. If someone is very honest but, for a period of time, his heart is turned away from God, he has no desire to improve, he falls into a negative state and does not come out of it, when he does not pray or seek the truth to resolve his state, and he does not cooperate, then the Holy Spirit will not work in him during such occasional darkening of his state or his temporary degeneration. How, then, can someone without the consciousness of humanity be worked in by the Holy Spirit? That is even more impossible. What, then, should such people do? Is there a way for them to follow? They must genuinely repent and be honest people. How can one be an honest person? First, your heart must open up to God, and you must seek truth from God; once you understand the truth, you must then practice it. You must then submit to God’s arrangements and allow God to take charge of you. Only in this way will you be praised by God. You must first set aside your own prestige and vanity, and forgo your own interests. Try to set them aside first of all, and once you have set them aside, put your entire body and soul into your duty and into the work of testifying for God, and then see how God guides you, see whether peace and joy arise within you, whether you have this confirmation. You must first genuinely repent, surrender yourself, open your heart to God, and set aside the things that you treasure. If you continue to hold on to them while making requests of God, will you be able to gain the work of the Holy Spirit? The work of the Holy Spirit is conditional, and God is a God who hates evil and who is holy. If people always hold on to these things, constantly closing themselves off to God and rejecting God’s work and guidance, then God will stop working on them. It is not that God must work within every person, or that He will force you to do this or that. He does not coerce you. The work of evil spirits is to force humans to do this and that, and even to possess and control people. The Holy Spirit works especially gently; He moves you, and you do not feel it. You simply feel as though you have unconsciously come to understand or realize something. This is how the Holy Spirit moves people, and, if they submit, they will find themselves able to truly repent.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

While following God, because of their foolishness and ignorance and due to their various corrupt dispositions, people often reveal themselves to be disobedient, and they misunderstand or even resent God. They go astray, and some even become negative and slacken in their work, resenting God and losing their faith. Disobedient behaviors often arise over various stages of people’s lives. They have God in their hearts and know He is at work, yet they sometimes cannot get their heads around that fact. Though they are able to submit superficially, they simply cannot accept it deep down. What makes it evident that deep down they cannot accept it? One way this manifests is that, despite knowing everything, they are simply unable to put aside what they have done and come before God to admit to their mistakes and say, “God, I was wrong. I won’t act like that anymore. I will seek Your will and do as You’d have me do. I didn’t use to heed You; I was immature, disobedient, and foolish. I know that now.” With what attitude do people admit to their mistakes? (They want to make a turnaround.) If people have conscience and sense, and yearn for the truth, yet they never know to make a turnaround in their mistakes, believing instead that the past is past and feeling certain that they are never wrong, then what sort of disposition does this show? What sort of behavior? What is the essence of such behavior? Such people are hardened and, come what may, that is the path they will follow. God does not like such people. What did Jonah say when he first expressed God’s words to the Ninevites? (“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” [Jonah 3:4].) How did the Ninevites react to these words? As soon as they saw that God was going to destroy them, they took up sackcloth and ashes, and hastened to confess their sins to Him. This is what it means to repent. Such repentance presents man with an enormous opportunity. What opportunity is that? It is the opportunity to keep on living. Without such repentance, it would be hard for you to continue forward, whether in your performance of duty or in your search for salvation. At every stage—whether when God is disciplining or chastening you, or when He is reminding and exhorting you—as long as a conflict has occurred between you and God, yet you continue to cling to your own ideas, viewpoints, and attitudes, then even though your steps are headed forward, the conflict between you and God, your misunderstandings and resentment of Him, and your rebelliousness will not be rectified, and, if you do not make a turnaround, then God, for His part, will eliminate you. Though you have not let go of the duty at hand, and are able to uphold it, and though you have accepted God’s commission and are loyal to it, there will forever remain by you the knot of the dispute that has arisen between you and God. If you do not untie it, or let go of it, and instead continue to believe that God is mistaken and that you have been wronged, then this means you have not made a turnaround. Why does God place such importance on making a turnaround for people? With what attitude should a created being regard the Creator? An attitude that acknowledges that the Creator is right, no matter what He does. If you do not acknowledge this, that the Creator is the truth, the way, and the life will be but hollow words to you. If they are but hollow words to you, will God still be able to save you? He will not. You would be unqualified; God does not save people like you. There are some who say, “God asks that people be repentant, and that they know to make a turnaround. Well, in many things, I haven’t made a turnaround. Do I still have time to do it?” Yes, there is still time. Additionally, some say, “In what things do I have to make a turnaround? Things in the past are gone and forgotten.” If your disposition does not change even for a single day, and if even a single day goes by without your coming to know what in your actions does not accord with the truth and what cannot accord with God, then that knot that exists between you and God has not yet been untied; the matter has not been resolved, nor has it passed. This disposition is within you; this idea, viewpoint, and attitude is inside you. As soon as the right circumstances appear, this viewpoint of yours will once again emerge, and your conflict with God will flare up. Thus, though you may not rectify the past, you must rectify things that will happen in the future. How are they to be rectified? You must make a turnaround and put aside your ideas and intentions. Once you have this intent, yours will naturally also be an attitude of submission. However, to speak a bit more precisely, this actually refers to people making a turnaround in their attitude toward God, the Creator; it is a recognition and affirmation of the fact that the Creator is the truth, the way, and the life. If you can turn yourself around, this demonstrates that you can put aside those things you think are right, or those things that mankind—which is corrupt—thinks collectively to be right; and, instead, you are acknowledging that God’s words are the truth and positive things. If you can have this attitude, it proves your recognition of the identity of the Creator and of His essence. This is how God views the issue, and He therefore considers it especially important.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When the king of Nineveh heard this news, he arose from his throne, took off his robe, dressed himself in sackcloth and sat in ashes. He then proclaimed that no one in the city would be allowed to taste anything, and that no sheep, oxen or any other livestock would be allowed to graze or drink water. Man and livestock alike were to don sackcloth, and the people were to make earnest entreaties to God. The king also proclaimed that every one of them would turn away from their evil ways and forsake the violence in their hands. Judging from this series of actions, the king of Nineveh had true repentance in his heart. This series of actions he took—arising from his throne, casting off his king’s robe, wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes—tells people that the king of Nineveh was laying aside his royal status and donning sackcloth alongside the common people. This is to say that the king of Nineveh did not occupy his royal post to continue his evil way or the violence in his hands after hearing the announcement from Jehovah God; rather, he laid aside the authority he held and repented before Jehovah God. At this moment the king of Nineveh was not repenting as a king; he had come before God to repent and confess his sins as an ordinary subject of God. Moreover, he also told the entire city to repent and confess their sins before Jehovah God in the same manner as he had; additionally, he had a specific plan for how to do so, as seen in the scriptures: “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: … and cry mightily to God: yes, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.” As the city’s ruler, the king of Nineveh possessed supreme status and power, and could do anything he wished to. When faced with Jehovah God’s announcement, he could have ignored the matter or simply repented and confessed his sins alone; as for whether or not the people in the city chose to repent, he could have completely ignored the matter. However, the king of Nineveh did not do this at all. Not only did he arise from his throne, wear sackcloth and ashes and repent and confess his sins before Jehovah God, but he also ordered all people and livestock within the city to do the same. He even ordered the people to “cry mightily to God.” Through this series of actions, the king of Nineveh truly accomplished that which a ruler should. His series of actions is one that was difficult for any king in human history to achieve, and indeed, no other king achieved these things. These actions can be called unprecedented in human history, and they are worthy of being both commemorated and imitated by mankind. Since the dawn of man, every king had led his subjects to resist and oppose God. No one had ever led his subjects to entreat God to seek redemption for their wickedness, receive Jehovah God’s pardon and avoid imminent punishment. The king of Nineveh, however, was able to lead his subjects to turn to God, to leave their respective evil ways behind and abandon the violence in their hands. Furthermore, he was also able to put aside his throne, and in return, Jehovah God had a change of mind and felt regret, retracting His wrath and allowing the people of the city to survive, keeping them from destruction. The king’s actions can only be called a rare miracle in human history, and even a model example of corrupt humanity repenting and confessing their sins before God.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

This “evil way” does not refer to a handful of evil acts, but to the evil source from which people’s behavior springs. “Turning away from one’s evil way” means that those in question will never commit these actions again. In other words, they will never again behave in this evil way; the method, source, purpose, intent and principle of their actions have all changed; they will never again use those methods and principles to bring enjoyment and happiness to their hearts. The “abandon” in “abandon the violence in one’s hands” means to lay down or to cast aside, to fully break with the past and to never turn back. When the people of Nineveh abandoned the violence in their hands, this proved and represented their true repentance. God observes people’s outward appearances as well as their hearts. When God observed the true repentance in the hearts of the Ninevites without question and also observed that they had left their evil ways and abandoned the violence in their hands, He changed His heart. This is to say that these people’s conduct and behavior and various ways of doing things, as well as their true confession and repentance of sins in their hearts, caused God to change His heart, to change His intentions, to retract His decision and not to punish or destroy them. Thus, the people of Nineveh achieved a different outcome for themselves. They redeemed their own lives and at the same time won God’s mercy and tolerance, at which point God also retracted His wrath.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Regardless of how angry God had been with the Ninevites, as soon as they declared a fast and donned sackcloth and ashes, His heart began to soften and He began to change His mind. When He proclaimed to them that He would destroy their city—the moment prior to their confession and repentance for their sins—God was still angry with them. Once they had carried out a series of repentant acts, God’s anger for the people of Nineveh gradually transformed into mercy and tolerance for them. There is nothing contradictory about the coinciding revelation of these two aspects of God’s disposition in the same event. So, how should one understand and know this lack of contradiction? God expressed and revealed each of these two polar-opposite essences in turn as the people of Nineveh repented, allowing people to see the realness and the unoffendableness of God’s essence. God used His attitude to tell people the following: It is not that God does not tolerate people, or that He does not want to show mercy to them; rather, it is that they rarely truly repent to God, and it is rare that people truly turn away from their evil ways and abandon the violence in their hands. In other words, when God is angry with man, He hopes that man will be able to truly repent, and indeed He hopes to see man’s true repentance, in which case He will then liberally continue to bestow His mercy and tolerance upon man. This is to say that man’s evil conduct incurs God’s wrath, whereas God’s mercy and tolerance are bestowed upon those who listen to God and truly repent before Him, upon those who can turn away from their evil ways and abandon the violence in their hands. God’s attitude was very clearly revealed in His treatment of the Ninevites: God’s mercy and tolerance are not at all difficult to obtain, and what He requires is one’s true repentance. As long as people turn away from their evil ways and abandon the violence in their hands, God will change His heart and His attitude toward them.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

49. The Principles of Denying Oneself and Forsaking the Flesh

(1) It is necessary, on the basis of God’s words, to know one’s corrupt essence, and to see through to the truth that the flesh is controlled by satanic nature. In this way, one can truly abhor the flesh;

(2) The more a matter is deemed impossible by man, and the less it accords with his notions and imaginings, the more he ought to seek the truth, deny himself, and submit to God;

(3) No matter how correct human notions, imaginings, and feelings happen to be, they are not the truth, and no matter how little God’s words happen to accord with human notions, His words are the truth;

(4) It is necessary to seek the truth principle in all matters, to renounce one’s own convictions and views, and to forsake the flesh. Only thus can one practice the truth and live out a human likeness.

Relevant Words of God:

If people can truly see clearly the right path of human life, as well as the purpose of God’s management of mankind, they would not hold their individual future and destiny as a treasure in their heart. They then would no longer be interested in serving their parents, who are worse than pigs and dogs. Are man’s future and destiny not precisely the present-day so-called “parents” of Peter? They are just like man’s flesh and blood. Just what will the destination and future of the flesh be? Will it be to see God while still alive, or for the soul to meet God after death? Will the flesh end up tomorrow in a great furnace of tribulations, or in conflagration? Are not questions such as these concerned with whether man’s flesh will endure misfortune or suffer the biggest news with which anyone in this current stream who has a brain and is sensible is most concerned? (Here, suffering refers to receiving blessings; it means that future trials are beneficial for man’s destination. Misfortune refers to being unable to stand firm, or being deceived; or, it means that one will meet with unfortunate situations and lose one’s life in the midst of disaster, and that there is no suitable destination for one’s soul.) Though humans have sound reason, perhaps what they think does not entirely correspond to that with which their reason should be equipped. This is because they all are rather confused and follow things blindly. They should all have a thorough grasp of what they should enter into, and in particular, they should sort out what should be entered into during the tribulation (that is, during the refinement in the furnace), as well as what they should be equipped with during the trials of fire. Do not always serve your parents (meaning the flesh) who are like pigs and dogs and are even worse than ants and bugs. What is the point of agonizing over it, thinking so hard, and racking your brains? The flesh does not belong to you, but is in the hands of God, who not only controls you but also commands Satan. (This means that the flesh originally belongs to Satan. Because Satan is also in God’s hands, it can only be worded this way. This is because it is more persuasive to say it that way; it suggests that men are not entirely under Satan’s domain, but are in God’s hands.) You are living under the torment of the flesh—but does the flesh belong to you? Is it under your control? Why bother racking your brains over it? Why bother obsessively pleading with God for the sake of your putrid flesh, which has long been condemned, cursed, and defiled by unclean spirits? What need is there to always hold the associates of Satan so close to your heart? Do you not worry that the flesh could ruin your actual future, your wonderful hopes, and your life’s true destination?

Excerpted from “The Purpose of Managing Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you could comprehend thirty percent of the work of the last days (this mere thirty percent means comprehending the work of the Holy Spirit today as well as God’s work of the word in the last days), then you would not continue to “serve” or be “filial” to your flesh—a flesh that has been corrupt for many years—as is the case today. You ought to see clearly that humans have now advanced to an unprecedented state, and will no longer continue to roll forward like the wheels of history. Your moldy flesh has long been covered with flies, so how can it have the power to reverse the wheels of history that God has enabled to continue on to this day? How can it make the mutely ticking clock of the last days tick again, and keep its hands moving clockwise? How can it retransform the world that seems shrouded in dense fog? Can your flesh revive the mountains and rivers? Can your flesh, which has only a little function, really restore the sort of human world for which you have yearned? Can you truly educate your descendants to become “human beings”? Do you understand now? What exactly does your flesh belong to? God’s original intention for saving man, for perfecting man, and for transforming man was not to give you a beautiful homeland or to bring peaceful rest to man’s flesh; it was for the sake of His glory and His testimony, for mankind’s better enjoyment in the future, and so that they would soon be able to rest. Still, it was not for your flesh, for man is the capital of God’s management, and man’s flesh is merely an adjunct. (A man is an object with both spirit and body, whereas flesh is merely an item that decays. This means that flesh is a tool for use in the management plan.) You should know that God’s perfection, completion, and gaining of men bring nothing but swords and smiting upon their flesh, as well as endless suffering, conflagration, merciless judgment, chastisement, and curses, and boundless trials. Such is the inside story and truth of the work of managing man. However, all these things are directed at man’s flesh, and all of the arrows of hostility are mercilessly aimed toward man’s flesh (for man is innocent). All of this is for the sake of His glory and testimony, and for His management. This is because His work is not solely for the sake of mankind, but also for the entire plan, as well as to fulfill His original will when He created mankind. Therefore, perhaps ninety percent of what man experiences involves sufferings and trials of fire, and there are very few, or even none, of the sweet and happy days for which man’s flesh has yearned. Much less is man able to enjoy happy moments in the flesh, spending beautiful times with God. The flesh is filthy, so what man’s flesh sees or enjoys is nothing but God’s chastisement, which man finds unfavorable, as if it were lacking in normal sense. This is because God will manifest His righteous disposition, which is not favored by man, does not tolerate man’s offenses, and loathes enemies. God openly reveals His entire disposition by any means necessary, thereby concluding the work of His six-thousand-year battle with Satan—the work of the salvation of all of mankind, and the destruction of Satan of old!

Excerpted from “The Purpose of Managing Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Something happens that requires you to endure hardship, at which time you should understand what God’s will is and how you should be mindful of His will. You must not satisfy yourself: First put yourself to one side. Nothing is more abject than the flesh. You must seek to satisfy God, and you must fulfill your duty. With such thoughts, God will bring especial enlightenment to you in this matter, and your heart will also find comfort. Be it big or small, when something happens to you, you must first put yourself to one side and regard the flesh as the most lowly of all things. The more you satisfy the flesh, the more liberties it takes; if you satisfy it this time, next time it will ask for more. As this carries on, people come to love the flesh even more. The flesh always has extravagant desires; it always asks that you satisfy it and that you gratify it within, whether it be in the things you eat, what you wear, or in losing your temper, or pandering to your own weaknesses and laziness…. The more you satisfy the flesh, the greater its desires become and the more debauched the flesh becomes, until it gets to the point when people’s flesh harbors even deeper notions, and disobeys God, and exalts itself, and becomes doubtful about the work of God. The more you satisfy the flesh, the greater the weaknesses of the flesh; you will always feel that no one sympathizes with your weaknesses, you will always believe that God has gone too far, and you will say: “How could God be so harsh? Why won’t He give people a break?” When people satisfy the flesh and cherish it too much, then they ruin themselves. If you truly love God and do not satisfy the flesh, then you will see that everything God does is so right and so good, and that His curse of your rebelliousness and judgment of your unrighteousness is justified. There will be times when God chastens and disciplines you and raises up an environment to temper you, forcing you to come before Him—and you will always feel that what God is doing is wonderful. Thus you will feel as if there is not much pain, and that God is so lovely. If you pander to the weaknesses of the flesh and say that God goes too far, then you will always feel in pain, and will always be depressed, and you will be unclear about all of the work of God, and it will seem as if God is not sympathetic to man’s weakness at all and unaware of man’s difficulties. And thus you will always feel miserable and alone, as if you have suffered great injustice, and at this time you will begin to complain. The more you pander to the weaknesses of the flesh in this way, the more you will feel that God goes too far, until it gets so bad that you deny the work of God, and begin to oppose God, and become full of disobedience. Thus, you must rebel against the flesh, and not pander to it: “My husband (wife), children, prospects, marriage, family—none of them matter! In my heart there is only God, and I must try my best to satisfy God and not satisfy the flesh.” You must have this resolve. If you are always possessed of such resolve, then when you put the truth into practice and put yourself aside, you will be able to do so with but a little effort. It is said that there was once a farmer who saw a snake that was frozen stiff on the road. The farmer picked it up and held it to his breast, and after the snake was revived it bit the farmer to death. Man’s flesh is like the snake: Its substance is to harm their lives—and when it completely gets its own way, your life becomes forfeit. The flesh belongs to Satan. Within it are extravagant desires, it thinks only for itself, it wants to enjoy comfort and revel in leisure, wallowing in sloth and idleness, and having satisfied it to a certain point you will ultimately be eaten up by it. Which is to say, if you satisfy it this time, next time it will come asking for more. It always has extravagant desires and new demands, and takes advantage of your pandering to the flesh to make you cherish it even more and live among its comforts—and if you do not overcome it, you will ultimately ruin yourself. Whether you can gain life before God and what your ultimate end will be, depend on how you carry out your rebellion against the flesh. God has saved you and chosen you and predestined you, yet if today you are unwilling to satisfy Him, you are unwilling to put the truth into practice, you are unwilling to rebel against your own flesh with a heart that truly loves God, ultimately you will ruin yourself, and will thus endure extreme pain. If you always pander to the flesh, Satan will gradually swallow you up, and leave you without life, or the touch of the Spirit, until the day comes when you are completely dark inside. When you live in darkness, you will have been taken captive by Satan, you will no longer have God in your heart, and at that time you will deny God’s existence and leave Him. Thus, if people wish to love God, they must pay the price of pain and endure hardship. There is no need for external fervency and hardship, reading more and running about more; instead, they should put aside the things within them: the extravagant thoughts, personal interests, and their own considerations, notions, and intentions. Such is God’s will.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s dealing with people’s external disposition is also one part of His work; dealing with people’s external, abnormal humanity, for example, or their lifestyle and habits, their ways and customs, as well as their external practices and their fervency. But when He asks that people put the truth into practice and change their dispositions, what is primarily being dealt with are the intentions and notions within them. Only dealing with your external disposition is not hard; it’s like asking you not to eat the things you love, which is easy. That which touches upon the notions inside you, however, is not easy to let go of. It requires people to rebel against the flesh, and pay a price, and suffer before God. This is particularly so with people’s intentions. Since people began to believe in God, they have harbored many incorrect intentions. When you are not putting the truth into practice, you feel that all your intentions are correct, but when something happens to you, you will see that there are many incorrect intentions within you. Thus, when God makes people perfect, He causes them to realize that there are many notions within them that are obstructing their knowledge of God. When you recognize that your intentions are wrong, if you are able to stop practicing according to your notions and intentions, and are able to bear testimony to God, and stand firm in your position in all that happens to you, this proves that you have rebelled against the flesh. When you rebel against the flesh, there will inevitably be a battle within you. Satan will try and make people follow it, will try and make them follow the notions of the flesh and uphold the interests of the flesh—but God’s words will enlighten and illuminate people within, and at this time it is up to you whether you follow God or follow Satan. God asks people to put the truth into practice primarily to deal with the things inside them, to deal with their thoughts and notions that are not after God’s heart. The Holy Spirit touches people in their hearts and enlightens and illuminates them. So behind everything that happens is a battle: Every time people put the truth into practice, or put the love of God into practice, there is a great battle, and though all may seem well with their flesh, in the depths of their hearts a life-and-death battle will, in fact, be going on—and only after this intense battle, after a tremendous amount of reflection, can victory or defeat be decided. One does not know whether to laugh or cry. Because many of the intentions within people are wrong, or else because much of God’s work is at odds with their notions, when people put the truth into practice, a great battle is waged behind the scenes. Having put this truth into practice, behind the scenes, people will have shed countless tears of sadness before finally making up their mind to satisfy God. It is because of this battle that people endure suffering and refinement; this is true suffering. When the battle comes upon you, if you are able to truly stand on the side of God, you will be able to satisfy God. While practicing the truth, it is inevitable that one will suffer inside; if, when they put the truth into practice, everything within people were right, then they would not need to be made perfect by God, and there would be no battle, and they would not suffer. It is because there are many things within people that are not fit for use by God, and because there is much of the rebellious disposition of the flesh, that people need to learn the lesson of rebelling against the flesh more profoundly. This is what God calls the suffering that He asked man to undergo with Him. When you encounter difficulties, hurry up and pray to God: “O God! I wish to satisfy You, I wish to endure the final hardship to satisfy Your heart, and regardless of how great the setbacks I encounter, still I must satisfy You. Even if I have to give up my whole life, still I must satisfy You!” With this resolve, when you pray thus, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The pursuit of truth demands perseverance and determination. If you have failed to satisfy God’s will this time, then you must be able to loathe yourself and, deep down, be quietly determined to succeed the next time. If, this time, you were not mindful of God’s burden, then you should be determined to rebel against the flesh when facing the same obstacle in the future, and resolve to satisfy God’s will. This is how you will become praiseworthy. Some people do not even know if their own thoughts or ideas are correct; those people are fools! If you wish to subdue your heart and rebel against the flesh, you must first know whether your intentions are correct; only then can you subdue your heart. If you do not know whether your intentions are correct, can you possibly subdue your heart and rebel against the flesh? Even if you do rebel, you will do so in a confused manner. You should know how to rebel against your misguided intentions; this is what it means to rebel against the flesh. Once you recognize that your intentions, thoughts and ideas are wrong, you should quickly reverse course and walk the right path. Resolve this issue first, and train yourself to attain entry in this regard, because you know best whether you have the right intentions or not. Once your incorrect intentions are corrected and are now for God’s sake, then you will have attained the goal of subduing your heart.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When something happens to you that has no bearing on your notions, you are able to carry on eating and drinking the words of God and performing your duty as normal. But when something happens that conflicts with your notions, and goes beyond them, and that causes contradictions to arise, how do you resolve them? Do you give free rein to your notions and let them run their course, or do you deal with them, try to contain them, and forsake them? There are some people who have notions when they encounter an issue, who not only do not put them aside, but seek out others to spread them to. They look for a chance to give vent to these notions, so that others can have these notions, too. Some try to justify themselves: “You say that everything God does has meaning, but as far as I can tell, there is no meaning in what happened. This is at odds with the truth, and when I encounter things that are at odds with the truth, I have to say something, I have to stand up for righteousness!” Is such behavior appropriate? What should you do to follow the right path? There are some people with notions who think things over and realize that their relationship with God is not normal, that misunderstandings about God have arisen within them, and their having such notions is a serious problem. They think that, if their notions are not solved, they could be in a lot of danger, and they may become liable to resist, doubt, and even turn their back on God. They therefore pray to God, and put aside their notions. First they refute their own fallacious viewpoints, and then they seek the truth. As a result, as time goes by, though they may not have fully dissected their notions, or completely put them aside and resolved them, the truth directs their thoughts and behavior from within, and it also guides them in their performance of their duty, so their duty is not affected. It may be that a day comes when something happens to them and their notions are resolved. Is this not the correct way to practice? Some people may be somewhat disgruntled with an arrangement God has made for them, or with something God has done, which engenders notions in them, and they subsequently become apathetic about performing their duty, and do not perform it properly. They constantly exist in a kind of negative state, with resistance, dissatisfaction, and resentment in their hearts. Is such behavior correct? Are such things easy to solve? Say, for example, you think yourself very smart, and then I say you are foolish and do not understand spiritual matters. Hearing this makes you angry and antagonistic: “No one would dare say I do not understand spiritual matters. Today is the first time I’ve heard that. I cannot accept these words. Could I lead the church if I did not understand spiritual matters? Could I do such great work?” A conflict arises, yes? So what should be done? Is it easy for people to reflect on themselves when such things happen to them? What kind of people are able to reflect on themselves? People who accept and seek the truth. First, you must refute yourself. Even if you lack an accurate knowledge of yourself, and cannot sense whether you are right or wrong, or you have some degree of ignorance, as soon as you hear God say that you are foolish and do not understand spiritual matters, though you are not aware of it yourself, this is God’s definition regarding your nature essence—you must embrace these words as the truth, and apply them to yourself, even if you think differently. Afterward, while working and interacting with others, through comparing yourself with them, you see that not only do you not understand spiritual matters, but you are also very ignorant. Having discovered that you have a serious problem, are you not able to completely accept what God said? You must accept these words. First accept them as a rule, a definition, or a concept, and then think of a way to apply it to yourself in your actual life, think of a means to know and experience it. As time goes on, you will come to have the correct evaluation of yourself. Will you then still have misunderstandings about God? When there is no disagreement between you and God on this matter, will you still be capable of objecting to God’s assessment of you? You will accept it and cease to disobey. If you are able to accept the truth and fully understand this matter, you will take a step forward; if you do not accept it, you will forever remain stuck where you are, and will not make any progress. Is it important to accept the truth? (It is.) People must put aside their notions about God, and must not have any hostility or resistance toward His words; only this is an attitude of acceptance toward the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people give rise to misunderstandings and notions about God, they first must acknowledge that God is the truth and that people do not have the truth, and it is certainly they who are mistaken. Is this a kind of formality? If you only adopt this practice as a formality, superficially, then can you come to know your own mistakes? Never. It takes several steps. First, you must determine whether your actions are in line with principles. Do not look at your intents at first; there are times when your intents are correct but the principles you practice are wrong. Why do I say the principles you practice are wrong? You may have sought, but perhaps you have no understanding at all of what principles are; perhaps you have not sought at all, and have based your actions solely on your good intentions and enthusiasm, and on your imagination and experience, and you have therefore made a mistake. Can you imagine that? When you fail to anticipate something, you make a mistake—and have you not then been exposed? Once you are exposed, if you keep competing with God, then how are you mistaken? Your greatest mistake was not that you did something wrong and violated the principles, thereby causing a loss or other consequences, but that, having done something wrong, you yet persist and cannot acknowledge your error; you still resisted God with your notions and imaginings, denying that His work was right. This was your greatest and most serious mistake. Why would such a state in a person be one of resistance to God? Whether or not people recognize that everything God does and His sovereignty are right, and what their significance is, if they cannot first recognize that they themselves are wrong, then their state is one of resistance against God. What is to be done to rectify this state? Seeking God’s will, as has been mentioned, is not so practical for people. Some say, “If seeking isn’t so practical, then does that mean it isn’t necessary, and that there’s no need to seek what can be sought and understood? I can just skip that step.” Will this do? Is one who acts in this manner not beyond saving? Such people are really skewed and erroneous in their interpretations. Seeking God’s will is a somewhat roundabout task for people; if they wish to take a more realistic shortcut, then they should start by denying themselves, setting themselves aside, knowing that their actions are wrong and not in line with the truth, and then seeking the truth principle. These are the steps. They may seem simple, yet putting them into practice presents many difficulties, for humans have corrupt dispositions as well as all manner of imaginings, all manner of demands, and they have desires, as well, all of which interfere with people denying themselves and setting themselves down. These are not easy things to do.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

A problem or state can always be resolved with the truth, no matter what sort of problem or state it is. Regardless of what kind of problem you have, as long as you accept the truth and turn it from theory into your reality and practice it and enter it, then no matter what kind of person you are, you will undergo a transformation and growth. This is absolute; it is most definitely true. The emphasis lies in people’s hearts and their choices, and whether, when encountering a problem, they turn their backs on God or obey Him and submit to His words. It is also about whether people choose to satisfy their physical cravings when faced with something, or whether they can instead forsake their flesh and practice the truth, acting in line with God’s words. The main focus is on these things. As for those people who invariably choose to satisfy their flesh and fulfill their cravings, and follow their physical likes and desires, they can never experience the meaning or worth of practicing the truth. On the other hand, people who can forsake the flesh, let go of their own plans and desires, who can practice according to the truth and enter truth reality can gradually experience what it means to practice the truth, come to realize the fun and enjoyment of practicing the truth, and can, step by step, gain a sense of the significance of God’s words and what the meaning and value are in God’s requirement that humans behave this way. What is the outcome when people do this? It is that they enjoy positive things more and more, and gain an ever-stronger ability to discern negative things, toward which they also feel more and more hatred, disgust, and disdain. Once people have these states and expressions, their faith in God will grow greater. If they practice like this often, then they will loathe their own corruption, evil, arrogance, selfishness, disobedience, and resistance, and will give rise to hatred, disgust, and antipathy for their nature essence. Meanwhile, they will also feel dislike for any negative things around them with which they come in contact. They will give rise to these states. This is the effect achieved, on the one hand, in knowing themselves. On the other hand, while giving rise to this hatred and disgust, what changes do people have in their attitudes toward the truth? They begin to yearn to be able to have stature and sufficient willpower to practice the truth, and they hope to be able to enter truth reality, satisfy God’s will, and be a created being with conscience, with sense, and with truth reality. They also thirst to be able to submit to God, submit to all the environments God has arranged, and refrain from rebelling against Him; they wish to be able to satisfy God’s will.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth in Everything Can One Enter Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people’s knowledge of themselves is too shallow, they will find it impossible to solve problems, and their life dispositions simply will not change. It is necessary to know oneself on a profound level, which means knowing one’s own nature: what elements are included in that nature, how these things originated, and where they came from. Moreover, are you actually able to hate these things? Have you seen your own ugly soul and your evil nature? If you are truly able to see the truth about yourself, then you will start to loathe yourself. When you loathe yourself and then practice God’s word, you will be able to forsake the flesh and have the strength to carry out truth without difficulty. Why do many people follow their fleshly preferences? Because they consider themselves to be pretty good, feeling that their actions are right and justified, that they have no faults, and even that they are entirely in the right, they are therefore capable of acting with the assumption that justice is on their side. When one recognizes what one’s true nature is—how ugly, how despicable, and how pitiful—then one is not overly proud of oneself, not so wildly arrogant, and not so pleased with oneself as before. Such a person feels, “I must be earnest and down to earth, and practice some of God’s word. If not, then I will not measure up to the standard of being human, and will be ashamed to live in God’s presence.” One then truly sees oneself as paltry, as truly insignificant. At this time, it becomes easy for one to carry out truth, and one will appear to be somewhat like a human should be. Only when people truly loathe themselves are they able to forsake the flesh. If they do not loathe themselves, they will be unable to forsake the flesh. Truly hating oneself comprises a few things: First, knowing one’s own nature; and second, seeing oneself as needy and pitiful, seeing oneself to be extremely small and insignificant, and seeing one’s own pitiful and dirty soul. When one fully sees what one truly is, and this outcome is achieved, one then truly gains knowledge of oneself, and it can be said that one has come to know oneself fully. Only then can one truly hate oneself, going so far as to curse oneself, and truly feel that one has been corrupted profoundly by Satan such that one does not even resemble a human being. Then, one day, when the threat of death appears, such a person will think, “This is God’s righteous punishment. God is indeed righteous; I really should die!” At this point, he will not lodge a complaint, much less blame God, simply feeling that he is so needy and pitiful, so filthy and corrupt that he should be wiped out by God, and a soul like his is not fit to live on earth. At this point, this person will not resist God, much less betray God. If one does not know oneself, and still considers oneself to be pretty good, then when death comes knocking, this person will think, “I have done so well in my faith. How hard I have sought! I have given so much, I have suffered so much, yet ultimately, God is now asking me to die. I don’t know where God’s righteousness is. Why is He asking me to die? If even a person like me has to die, then who will be saved? Won’t the human race come to an end?” First of all, this person has notions about God. Secondly, this person is complaining, and not showing any submission whatsoever. This is just like Paul: When he was about to die, he did not know himself, and by the time God’s punishment was nigh, it was too late to repent.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

50. The Principles of Forsaking Oneself

(1) Accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and know your nature essence. Only with genuine self-knowledge can one forsake and curse themselves;

(2) To curse the flesh is essentially to curse Satan. If one does not practice the truth or love God, they should be cursed, as ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth;

(3) Only by truly knowing God can one genuinely abhor Satan. Curse yourself instead of casting blame on God, and stand firm in your testimony for the sake of His satisfaction;

(4) One who abhors the great red dragon truly is able to abhor and curse themselves, and thus can they forsake the great red dragon, coming truly to love and submit to God.

Relevant Words of God:

The work being done now is to cause people to forsake Satan, their old ancestor. All judgments by the word aim to expose humanity’s corrupt disposition and to enable people to understand the essence of life. These repeated judgments pierce people’s hearts. Each judgment directly relates to their fate and is meant to wound their hearts so that they can let go of all those things and thereby come to know life, know this filthy world, know God’s wisdom and almightiness, and also know mankind, which is corrupted by Satan. The more man receives this kind of chastisement and judgment, the more man’s heart can be wounded and the more his spirit can be awakened. Awakening the spirits of these extremely corrupted and most deeply deceived of people is the goal of this kind of judgment. Man has no spirit, that is, his spirit died long ago and he knows not that there is Heaven, knows not that there is a God, and certainly knows not that he is struggling in the abyss of death; how could he possibly know that he is living in this evil hell on earth? How could he possibly know that this putrid corpse of his has, through Satan’s corruption, fallen into Hades of death? How could he possibly know that everything on earth has long been ruined beyond repair by mankind? And how could he possibly know that the Creator has come to the earth today and is searching for a group of corrupt people whom He can save? Even after man experiences every possible refinement and judgment, his dull consciousness still barely stirs and indeed is virtually unresponsive. How degenerate is humanity! And though this kind of judgment is like the cruel hail that falls from the sky, it is of the greatest benefit to man. If not for judging people like this, there would be no result and it would be absolutely impossible to save people from the abyss of misery. If not for this work, it would be very difficult for people to emerge from Hades, because their hearts long ago died and their spirits long ago were trampled by Satan. Saving you who have sunk to the deepest depths of degeneration requires calling out to you strenuously, judging you strenuously; only then will it be possible to awaken your frozen hearts.

Excerpted from “Only the Perfected Can Live a Meaningful Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People have been so corrupted by Satan that they are not fully aware of their own true states. But to God, Satan’s venom is in every part of their bodies, even their marrow; as a result, the more profound God’s revelations, the more fearful people become, and thus are all people made to know Satan and see Satan in man, for they have been incapable of seeing Satan with their naked eyes. And since all has entered into reality, God exposes man’s nature—which is to say, He exposes the image of Satan—and thus allows man to behold the real, tangible Satan, all the better for them to know the practical God. God allows man to know Him in the flesh, and He gives form to Satan, allowing man to know the real, tangible Satan in the flesh of all people. The various states that are spoken of are all expressions of Satan’s deeds. And so, it may be said that all who are of the flesh are embodiments of Satan’s image. God is incompatible with His enemies—they are hostile to each other, and are two different forces; therefore, demons are forever demons, and God is forever God; they are as incompatible as fire and water, ever as separate as heaven and earth.

Excerpted from “Chapters 22 and 23” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Mankind is none other than My enemy. Mankind is the evil one that opposes and disobeys Me. Mankind is none other than the progeny of the evil one accursed by Me. Mankind is none other than the descendant of the archangel that betrayed Me. Mankind is none other than the legacy of the devil who, spurned by Me long ago, has been My irreconcilable enemy ever since. For the sky above all mankind is turbid and dark, without the slightest impression of clarity, and the human world is plunged into pitchy darkness, so that one living in it cannot even see his outstretched hand before his face or the sun when he lifts up his head. The road beneath his feet, muddy and rife with potholes, meanders tortuously; the whole land is littered with corpses. The dark corners are filled with the remains of the dead, and in the cool and shady corners crowds of demons have taken up residence. And everywhere in the world of men demons come and go in hordes. The progeny of all manner of beasts, covered in filth, are locked in pitched battle, the sound of which strikes terror to the heart. At such times, in such a world, such an “earthly paradise,” where does one go to seek out life’s felicities? Where could one go to find his life’s destination? Mankind, long since trampled under Satan’s feet, has from the first been an actor taking on Satan’s image—more than that, mankind is the embodiment of Satan, and serves as the evidence that bears witness to Satan, loud and clear. How can such a human race, such a bunch of degenerate scum, such offspring of this corrupt human family, bear witness to God? Whence comes My glory? Where can one begin to speak of My testimony? For the enemy that, having corrupted mankind, stands against Me, has already taken mankind—the mankind that I created long ago and that was filled with My glory and My living out—and soiled them. It has snatched away My glory, and all it has imbued man with is poison heavily laced with the ugliness of Satan, and juice from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Excerpted from “What It Means to Be a Real Person” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Nowadays, most people have a very superficial understanding of themselves. They have not come to clearly know the things that are part of their nature at all. They only have knowledge of a few of their corrupt states, the things they are likely to do, or a few of their shortcomings, and this makes them believe that they know themselves. If, furthermore, they abide by a few rules, ensure that they do not make mistakes in certain areas, and manage to avoid committing certain transgressions, they then consider themselves to possess reality in their belief in God and assume that they will be saved. This is completely human imagination. If you abide by those things, will you really become able to refrain from committing any transgressions? Will you have attained a true change in disposition? Will you really be living out the likeness of a human being? Can you genuinely satisfy God that way? Absolutely not, this is for sure. Belief in God works only when one has high standards and has attained the truth and some transformation in one’s life disposition. So, if people’s knowledge of themselves is too shallow, they will find it impossible to solve problems, and their life dispositions simply will not change. It is necessary to know oneself on a profound level, which means knowing one’s own nature: what elements are included in that nature, how these things originated, and where they came from. Moreover, are you actually able to hate these things? Have you seen your own ugly soul and your evil nature? If you are truly able to see the truth about yourself, then you will start to loathe yourself. When you loathe yourself and then practice God’s word, you will be able to forsake the flesh and have the strength to carry out truth without difficulty. Why do many people follow their fleshly preferences? Because they consider themselves to be pretty good, feeling that their actions are right and justified, that they have no faults, and even that they are entirely in the right, they are therefore capable of acting with the assumption that justice is on their side. When one recognizes what one’s true nature is—how ugly, how despicable, and how pitiful—then one is not overly proud of oneself, not so wildly arrogant, and not so pleased with oneself as before. Such a person feels, “I must be earnest and down to earth, and practice some of God’s word. If not, then I will not measure up to the standard of being human, and will be ashamed to live in God’s presence.” One then truly sees oneself as paltry, as truly insignificant. At this time, it becomes easy for one to carry out truth, and one will appear to be somewhat like a human should be. Only when people truly loathe themselves are they able to forsake the flesh. If they do not loathe themselves, they will be unable to forsake the flesh. Truly hating oneself comprises a few things: First, knowing one’s own nature; and second, seeing oneself as needy and pitiful, seeing oneself to be extremely small and insignificant, and seeing one’s own pitiful and dirty soul. When one fully sees what one truly is, and this outcome is achieved, one then truly gains knowledge of oneself, and it can be said that one has come to know oneself fully. Only then can one truly hate oneself, going so far as to curse oneself, and truly feel that one has been corrupted profoundly by Satan such that one does not even resemble a human being. Then, one day, when the threat of death appears, such a person will think, “This is God’s righteous punishment. God is indeed righteous; I really should die!” At this point, he will not lodge a complaint, much less blame God, simply feeling that he is so needy and pitiful, so filthy and corrupt that he should be wiped out by God, and a soul like his is not fit to live on earth. At this point, this person will not resist God, much less betray God. If one does not know oneself, and still considers oneself to be pretty good, then when death comes knocking, this person will think, “I have done so well in my faith. How hard I have sought! I have given so much, I have suffered so much, yet ultimately, God is now asking me to die. I don’t know where God’s righteousness is. Why is He asking me to die? If even a person like me has to die, then who will be saved? Won’t the human race come to an end?” First of all, this person has notions about God. Secondly, this person is complaining, and not showing any submission whatsoever. This is just like Paul: When he was about to die, he did not know himself, and by the time God’s punishment was nigh, it was too late to repent.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The key to achieving a change in disposition is to know one’s own nature, and this must happen in accordance with revelations from God. Only in God’s word can one know one’s own hideous nature, recognize in one’s own nature Satan’s various poisons, realize that one is foolish and ignorant, and recognize the weak and negative elements in one’s nature. After these are fully known, and you are truly able to hate yourself and forsake the flesh, consistently carry out God’s word, and have the will to absolutely submit to the Holy Spirit and to the word of God, then you will have embarked on the path of Peter. Without the grace of God, and without enlightenment and guidance from the Holy Spirit, it would be difficult to walk this path, because people do not possess truth and are unable to betray themselves.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s dealing with people’s external disposition is also one part of His work; dealing with people’s external, abnormal humanity, for example, or their lifestyle and habits, their ways and customs, as well as their external practices and their fervency. But when He asks that people put the truth into practice and change their dispositions, what is primarily being dealt with are the intentions and notions within them. Only dealing with your external disposition is not hard; it’s like asking you not to eat the things you love, which is easy. That which touches upon the notions inside you, however, is not easy to let go of. It requires people to rebel against the flesh, and pay a price, and suffer before God. This is particularly so with people’s intentions. Since people began to believe in God, they have harbored many incorrect intentions. When you are not putting the truth into practice, you feel that all your intentions are correct, but when something happens to you, you will see that there are many incorrect intentions within you. Thus, when God makes people perfect, He causes them to realize that there are many notions within them that are obstructing their knowledge of God. When you recognize that your intentions are wrong, if you are able to stop practicing according to your notions and intentions, and are able to bear testimony to God, and stand firm in your position in all that happens to you, this proves that you have rebelled against the flesh. When you rebel against the flesh, there will inevitably be a battle within you. Satan will try and make people follow it, will try and make them follow the notions of the flesh and uphold the interests of the flesh—but God’s words will enlighten and illuminate people within, and at this time it is up to you whether you follow God or follow Satan. God asks people to put the truth into practice primarily to deal with the things inside them, to deal with their thoughts and notions that are not after God’s heart. The Holy Spirit touches people in their hearts and enlightens and illuminates them. So behind everything that happens is a battle: Every time people put the truth into practice, or put the love of God into practice, there is a great battle, and though all may seem well with their flesh, in the depths of their hearts a life-and-death battle will, in fact, be going on—and only after this intense battle, after a tremendous amount of reflection, can victory or defeat be decided. One does not know whether to laugh or cry. Because many of the intentions within people are wrong, or else because much of God’s work is at odds with their notions, when people put the truth into practice, a great battle is waged behind the scenes. Having put this truth into practice, behind the scenes, people will have shed countless tears of sadness before finally making up their mind to satisfy God. It is because of this battle that people endure suffering and refinement; this is true suffering. When the battle comes upon you, if you are able to truly stand on the side of God, you will be able to satisfy God. While practicing the truth, it is inevitable that one will suffer inside; if, when they put the truth into practice, everything within people were right, then they would not need to be made perfect by God, and there would be no battle, and they would not suffer. It is because there are many things within people that are not fit for use by God, and because there is much of the rebellious disposition of the flesh, that people need to learn the lesson of rebelling against the flesh more profoundly. This is what God calls the suffering that He asked man to undergo with Him. When you encounter difficulties, hurry up and pray to God: “O God! I wish to satisfy You, I wish to endure the final hardship to satisfy Your heart, and regardless of how great the setbacks I encounter, still I must satisfy You. Even if I have to give up my whole life, still I must satisfy You!” With this resolve, when you pray thus, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony. Each time they put the truth into practice, each time they undergo refinement, each time they are tried, and each time God’s work comes upon them, people have to endure extreme pain. All of this is a test for people, and so within all of them there is a battle. This is the actual price that they pay. Reading more of God’s words and running about more is a portion of that price. It is what people ought to do, it is their duty, and the responsibility that they should fulfill, but people must put aside that within them which needs to be put aside. If you do not, then no matter how great your external suffering, no matter how much you run around, all will be in vain! Which is to say, only the changes within you can determine whether your external hardship is of value. When your internal disposition has changed and you have put the truth into practice, then all your external suffering will gain God’s approval; if there has been no change in your internal disposition, then no matter how much suffering you endure or how much you run about on the outside, there will be no approval from God—and hardship that is not confirmed by God is in vain. Thus, whether the price you have paid is approved by God is determined by whether or not there has been a change in you, and by whether or not you put the truth into practice and rebel against your own intentions and notions to attain the satisfaction of God’s will, the knowledge of God, and loyalty to God. No matter how much you run about, if you have never known to rebel against your own intentions, but only to seek external actions and fervency, and never pay any attention to your life, then your hardship will have been in vain. If, in a certain environment, you have something you want to say, but inside you feel that saying it is not right, that saying it does not benefit your brothers and sisters and may hurt them, then you will not say it, preferring to be pained within, for these words are incapable of meeting God’s will. At this time, there will be a battle inside you, but you will be willing to suffer pain and give up that which you love. You will be willing to endure this hardship to satisfy God, and although you will suffer pain inside, you will not pander to the flesh, and God’s heart shall have been satisfied, and so you will also be comforted inside. This is truly paying a price, and is the price desired by God. If you practice in this way, God will surely bless you; if you cannot achieve this, then no matter how much you understand, or how well you can speak, it will all be for nothing! If, on the road to loving God, you are able to stand on the side of God when He does battle with Satan, and you do not turn back to Satan, then you will have achieved the love of God, and you will have stood firm in your testimony.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

A problem or state can always be resolved with the truth, no matter what sort of problem or state it is. Regardless of what kind of problem you have, as long as you accept the truth and turn it from theory into your reality and practice it and enter it, then no matter what kind of person you are, you will undergo a transformation and growth. This is absolute; it is most definitely true. The emphasis lies in people’s hearts and their choices, and whether, when encountering a problem, they turn their backs on God or obey Him and submit to His words. It is also about whether people choose to satisfy their physical cravings when faced with something, or whether they can instead forsake their flesh and practice the truth, acting in line with God’s words. The main focus is on these things. As for those people who invariably choose to satisfy their flesh and fulfill their cravings, and follow their physical likes and desires, they can never experience the meaning or worth of practicing the truth. On the other hand, people who can forsake the flesh, let go of their own plans and desires, who can practice according to the truth and enter truth reality can gradually experience what it means to practice the truth, come to realize the fun and enjoyment of practicing the truth, and can, step by step, gain a sense of the significance of God’s words and what the meaning and value are in God’s requirement that humans behave this way. What is the outcome when people do this? It is that they enjoy positive things more and more, and gain an ever-stronger ability to discern negative things, toward which they also feel more and more hatred, disgust, and disdain. Once people have these states and expressions, their faith in God will grow greater. If they practice like this often, then they will loathe their own corruption, evil, arrogance, selfishness, disobedience, and resistance, and will give rise to hatred, disgust, and antipathy for their nature essence. Meanwhile, they will also feel dislike for any negative things around them with which they come in contact. They will give rise to these states. This is the effect achieved in knowing themselves.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth in Everything Can One Enter Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you really possess the truth within you, the path you walk will naturally be the correct path. Without the truth, it is easy to do evil, and you will do it despite yourself. For example, if arrogance and conceit existed within you, you would find it impossible to keep from defying God; you would feel compelled to defy Him. You would not do it on purpose; you would do it under the domination of your arrogant and conceited nature. Your arrogance and conceit would make you look down on God and see Him as being of no account; they would cause you to exalt yourself, constantly put yourself on display, and, finally, sit in God’s place and bear testimony for yourself. In the end, you would turn your own ideas, your own thinking, and your own notions into truths to be worshiped. See how much evil is done by people under the dominance of their arrogant and conceited nature! To resolve their evil acts, they must first resolve the problem of their nature. Without a change in disposition, it would not be possible to bring a fundamental resolution to this problem. When you have some understanding of God, when you can see your own corruption and recognize the contemptibility and ugliness of arrogance and conceit, you will then feel disgusted, sickened, and distressed. You will be able to consciously do some things to satisfy God and, in doing this, will feel at ease. You will be able to consciously bear witness for God and, in doing this, will feel enjoyment. You will consciously unmask yourself, exposing your own ugliness, and by doing this, you will feel good inside and feel yourself to be in an improved state of mind. Therefore, the first step of seeking a change in your disposition is to seek to understand God’s words and to enter into the truth. Only by understanding the truth can you attain discernment; only with discernment can you understand things thoroughly; only by understanding things thoroughly can you forsake the flesh and, step by step, be on the right track with your belief in God. This is connected with how resolute people are when pursuing the truth. If someone is truly resolved, then after six months or a year they will begin to be on the right track. Within three or five years, they will see results, and will feel that they are making progress in life. If you believe in God but do not pursue the truth, then you could believe for ten years without experiencing any change. In the end, you will think that this is precisely what it means to believe in God; you will think it is pretty much the same as how you were living in the world previously, and that being alive is meaningless. This truly shows that without the truth, life is empty. You may be able to speak some words of doctrine, but you will still feel uncomforted and uneasy. If people have some knowledge of God, know how to live a meaningful life, and can do some things that satisfy God, then they will feel that this is real life, that only by living in this way will their lives have meaning, and that they have to live this way in order to bring a little satisfaction to God and feel gratified. If they can consciously satisfy God, put the truth into practice, forsake themselves, abandon their own ideas, and be obedient and considerate toward God’s will—if they are able to do all these things consciously—then this is what it means to accurately put the truth into practice, and to genuinely put the truth into practice, and this is very unlike their previous reliance on their imaginations and their sticking to doctrines and rules. In actual fact, it is exhausting to do anything when they do not understand the truth, exhausting to adhere to doctrines and rules, and exhausting to have no goals and to be doing things blindly. Only with the truth can they be free—this is no lie—and with it, they can do things easily and happily. Those who possess this sort of state are people who possess the truth; they are the ones whose dispositions have been transformed.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

51. The Principles of Handling One’s Failures and Falls

(1) It is necessary to dissect and understand the origins of one’s failures and falls. One should see that people who have an arrogant nature, absurdities, and prejudices can do naught but fail and fall;

(2) It is necessary to know that in failures and falls lies God’s good will. These are the best opportunities to know oneself, and they often lead one to make a turnaround;

(3) In pursuing the truth, one must have resolve. Failing and falling are not to be feared. If one is constantly unable to accept or submit to the truth, they cannot be saved;

(4) One should extrapolate lessons from their failures, and seek the truth to rectify any transgressions. As long as one genuinely repents, they are bound to be saved by God.

Relevant Words of God:

God causes you to experience all manner of tempests, hardships, difficulties, and numerous failures and setbacks, so that, ultimately, in the course of experiencing these things, you come to discover that everything God says is correct, and that your beliefs, notions, imaginings, knowledge, philosophic theories, philosophies, what you have learned in the world and been taught by your parents are all wrong. They cannot lead you onto the right path in life, they cannot lead you to understand the truth and come before God, and the path you walk is the path of failure. This is what God will make you ultimately realize. For you, this is a necessary process, and what you should gain during the process of experiencing salvation. Yet it also saddens God: Because people are rebellious, and are possessed of corrupt dispositions, they must undergo this process and experience these setbacks. But if someone truly loves the truth, if they are truly willing to be saved by God, if they are willing to accept the various methods of God’s salvation—for example trials, discipline, judgment and chastisement—if they are determined to suffer thus, if they are willing to pay this price, God does not in fact wish for them to suffer so much hardship, nor does He wish them to undergo so many setbacks and failures. But people are too rebellious. They want to take the crooked path, they are willing to suffer these hardships. That is just the kind of thing man is, and God has no choice but to hand people over to Satan, and put them in various situations to constantly temper them, so that they gain all kinds of experiences and learn various lessons from these situations, and recognize the essence of all kinds of evil things. Afterward, they look back and discover that God’s words are the truth, they acknowledge that God’s words are the truth, that only God is the reality of all positive things, and that only God is the One who truly loves man, and no one is better to man than God, or more caring. To what extent are people tempered, ultimately? To the extent that you say, “I have experienced every kind of situation, and there is not a single situation, a single person, matter or object that can make me understand the truth, that can make me enjoy the truth, that can make me enter truth reality. I can only obediently practice according to God’s words, obediently stay in man’s place, abide by the status and duty of a created being, obediently accept the sovereignty and arrangements of God, and come before the Creator without any complaint or any choice, and without my own demands or desires.” When they have reached this level, people truly bow before God, and God need not create any more situations for them to experience. So which path do you wish to take? No one, in their subjective desires, wishes to suffer hardship, and no one wants to experience setbacks, failure, adversity, frustrations, and tempests. But there is no other way. The things inside man—his nature essence, his rebelliousness, his thoughts and perspectives—are too complicated; each day, they become mixed up and entwined inside you, and they roil within you. You enter little of the truth reality, you understand little of the truth, and you lack the power to overcome the essence of your corrupt disposition, your notions, and imaginings. You therefore have no choice but to accept the other approach: to constantly experience failure and frustration, and to constantly fall down, tossed around by hardship, roiling in the muck, until a day comes when you say, “I’m tired, I’m fed up, I don’t want to live like this. I don’t want to undergo these failures, I want to come before the Creator with obedience. I shall listen to God’s words, I shall do what He says. Only this is the right path in life.” Only on the day you fully admit defeat will you come before God. Do you come to know something of God’s disposition from this? What is God’s attitude toward man? No matter what God does, He wishes the best for man. No matter what environment He sets out or what He asks you to do, He always wishes to see the best outcome. Say you go through something and encounter setbacks and failure. God does not wish to see you fail and then think yourself finished, that you have been snatched by Satan, from which point you never find your feet again, and are plunged into dejection—God does not wish to see this outcome. What does God wish to see? You may have failed in this matter but you are able to seek the truth, to find the reason for your failure; you accept the fact of this failure and take something from it, you learn a lesson, you realize it was wrong to act that way, that only acting according to God’s words is right. You realize, “I am bad and I have corrupt satanic dispositions. There is rebelliousness in me, I am some way from the righteous people of whom God speaks, and I do not have a heart that fears God.” You realize a phenomenon, a true fact of the matter, and you understand things and grow up through this setback and failure. This is what God wishes to see. What does it mean to “grow up”? It means God is able to gain you, and you are able to attain salvation. It means you are able to enter truth reality, that you have come a step closer to setting foot on the path of fearing God and shunning evil. This is what God wishes to see. God acts with good intention, and His acts all contain His hidden love, which people often cannot appreciate. Man is narrow-minded and petty, and his heart is as narrow as the eye of a needle; when God does not acknowledge him or has no grace or blessings for him, he blames God. Yet God does not bicker with man; He lays out environments that let man know how grace and benefit are obtained, what grace means to man, and what man can draw from it. Say you liked to eat some good thing that God says is bad for your health when eaten in excess. You do not listen, but insist on eating it, and God allows you to make that choice freely. As a result, you get sick. After experiencing this several times, you come to understand that it is God’s words that are right, that all He says is true, and that you must practice according to His words. This is the correct path. And so what do these setbacks, failures and sorrows that people go through become? You appreciate God’s painstaking intention, and you also believe and are sure that God’s words are right; your faith in God grows. There is something else, too: Through experiencing this period of failure, you come to realize the veracity and accuracy of God’s words, you see that God’s words are the truth, and you understand the principle of practicing the truth. And so, it is good for people to experience failure—though it is also something painful, something that tempers them. But if being tempered thus ultimately makes you return before God, accept His words, and take them as the truth, then such tempering, setbacks and failures have not been experienced in vain. This is what God wishes to see.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Having failed and fallen down multiple times is not a bad thing; nor is being exposed. Whether you have been dealt with, pruned, or been exposed, you must remember this at all times: Being exposed does not mean that you are being condemned. Being exposed is a good thing; it is the best opportunity for you to get to know yourself. It can bring your life experience a change of gears. Without it, you will possess neither the opportunity, the condition, nor the context to be able to reach an understanding of the truth of your corruption. If you can come to know the things inside you, all those aspects hidden deep within you that are hard to recognize and difficult to unearth, then this is a good thing. Becoming able to truly know yourself is the best opportunity for you to mend your ways and become a new person; it is the best opportunity for you to obtain new life. Once you truly know yourself, you will be able to see that when the truth becomes one’s life, it is a precious thing indeed, and you will thirst for the truth and enter into the reality. This is such a great thing! If you can grab this opportunity and earnestly reflect upon yourself and gain a genuine knowledge of yourself whenever you fail or fall down, then in the midst of negativity and weakness, you will be able to stand back up. Once you have crossed this threshold, you will then be able to take a big step forward and enter truth reality.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Your many experiences of failure, of weakness, your times of negativity, can all be said to be God’s trials. This is because everything comes from God, and all things and events are in His hands. Whether you fail or whether you are weak and you stumble, it all rests on God and is within His grasp. From God’s perspective, this is a trial of you, and if you cannot recognize that, it will become temptation. There are two kinds of states that people should recognize: One comes from the Holy Spirit, and the likely source of the other is Satan. One is a state in which the Holy Spirit illuminates you and allows you to know yourself, to detest and feel regret about yourself and to be able to have genuine love for God, to set your heart on satisfying Him. The other is a state in which you know yourself, but you are negative and weak. It could be said that this state is God’s refinement, and also that it is Satan’s temptation. If you recognize that this is God’s salvation of you and if you feel that you are now deeply in His debt, and if from now on you try to repay Him and no longer fall into such depravity, if you put your effort into eating and drinking His words, and if you always consider yourself to be lacking, and have a heart of longing, then this is God’s trial. After the suffering has ended and you are once again moving forward, God will still lead, illuminate, enlighten, and nourish you. But if you do not recognize it and you are negative, simply abandoning yourself to despair, if you think in this way, then Satan’s temptation will have come upon you. When Job underwent trials, God and Satan were betting with each other, and God allowed Satan to afflict Job. Even though it was God testing Job, it was actually Satan that came upon him. For Satan, it was tempting Job, but Job was on God’s side. If that had not been the case, then Job would have fallen into temptation. As soon as people fall into temptation, they fall into danger. Undergoing refinement can be said to be a trial from God, but if you are not in a good state, it can be said to be temptation from Satan. If you are not clear about the vision, Satan will accuse you and obscure you in the aspect of vision. Before you know it, you will fall into temptation.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It has been said “He that follows to the end shall be saved,” but is this easy to put into practice? It is not, and some people are unable to follow to the end. Perhaps a time comes when they encounter trial, temptation, or pain, and they may fall, and be unable to move forward any longer. All the things that arise each day, big or small, that can shake your resolution, occupy your heart, or restrict your ability to do your duty and your forward progress require diligent treatment; they should be examined carefully and their truth sought. These are all things that happen within the realm of experience. Some people quit their duties when negativity befalls them, and are unable to crawl back to their feet after each setback. All these people are fools who do not love the truth, and they would not gain it with even a lifetime of faith. How could such fools follow to the end? If the same thing happens to you ten times, but you gain nothing from it, then you are a mediocre, useless person. Astute people and those of true caliber who understand spiritual matters are seekers of the truth; should something happen to them ten times, then, in perhaps eight of those cases, they would be able to gain some inspiration, learn some lesson, attain some enlightenment, and make some progress. When things befall a fool ten times—one who does not understand spiritual matters—not once will it benefit their life, not once will it change them, and not once will it cause them to understand their nature, and that is the end for them. Each time something happens to them, they fall down, and each time they fall down, they need someone else to support them and coax them; without support and coaxing, they cannot rise. If, each time something happens, they are in danger of falling, and if, each time, they are in danger of being degraded, is this not the end for them? Are there any other grounds for such useless people to be saved? God’s salvation of mankind is a salvation of those who love the truth, a salvation of the part of them with will and resolve, and the part of them that is their yearning for truth and righteousness in their heart. A person’s resolve is the part of them in their heart that yearns for righteousness, goodness, and truth, and is possessed of conscience. God saves this part of people, and through it, He changes their corrupt disposition, so that they may understand and gain the truth, so that their corruption may be cleansed, and their life disposition may be transformed. If you do not have these things within you, you cannot be saved. If, within you, there is no love for the truth or aspiration for righteousness and light; if, whenever you encounter evil, you have neither the will to cast off evil things nor the resolve to suffer hardship; if, moreover, your conscience is numb; if your faculty for receiving truth is also benumbed, and you are unattuned to the truth and to events that arise; and if you are undiscerning in all matters, and unable to handle or resolve things on your own, then there is no way to be saved. Such a person has nothing to recommend them, nothing worth working on. Their conscience is numb, their mind is muddied, and they do not love the truth, nor yearn for righteousness deep in their heart, and, no matter how clearly or transparently God speaks of the truth, they do not respond, as if they were already dead. Are things not over for them? A person with a breath left in them may be saved by artificial respiration, but, if they have already died and their soul has left, artificial respiration will do nothing. If, whenever you encounter a problem, you shrink from it and try to avoid it, this means you have not borne witness; as such, you can never be saved, and you are completely done for. When an issue befalls you, you must have a cool head and a correct approach, and you must make a choice. You should learn to use the truth to resolve the issue. At normal times, what is the use of understanding some truths? It is not to fill your belly, and it is not merely to give you something to say, nor is it to resolve the problems of others. More importantly, its use is to resolve your own problems, your own difficulties—only after you resolve your own difficulties can you resolve the difficulties of others. Why is it said that Peter is a fruit? Because there are things of worth in him, things worth perfecting; he was resolved to seek the truth and was firm of will; he had reason, was willing to suffer hardship, and loved the truth in his heart, and he did not let go of what came to pass. These are all strong points. If you have none of these strong points, it means trouble. You are incapable of experience and have none, and you cannot resolve the difficulties of others. This is because you do not know how to enter. You are confused when things befall you; you feel distressed, weep, become negative, run away, and, no matter what you do, you are unable to handle them correctly.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man must know his corrupt disposition. He must have knowledge of his nature, of what he has done and the path he has taken, or of his transgressions and mistakes—he must dissect them. Moreover, man must see clearly why he is capable of such things, and what the nature of doing such things is. He must also understand what precisely God intends for man. Man may feel guilty, indebted or indicted for mistakes he has made, but is it right if he is always stuck in a negative state? Is this kind of approach or having such thoughts correct? Does it accord with the truth? Does it accord with God’s will? Has your state truly emerged from this? Has it truly been remedied? Or does that past matter still affect your current practice or the path you are walking—does it cast its pall? If you often feel its effect, this shows that the matter has not been entirely resolved in your heart, and that you have not come to know its essence or have not derived from it the lesson you should. This is not only an issue of not knowing God—it is something to which man’s nature or essence gives rise. What problem is it now pressing to consider? It is how to walk the path ahead—that chapter is over. God treats man’s expressions of corruption according to whether man is ultimately able to accept the truth and resolve his corruption. Moreover, people are the descendants of Satan, and their nature essence is the same whether or not they have offended God’s disposition. It may have happened to be that you did something, yet another person just did not have the chance to do it. And since you who did the thing, you must be clear in your heart about the attitude you should adopt before God, the answers you ought to submit before Him, and what He wants. When you understand these things completely and regard them with complete clarity, pursue as you ought to, and do not be influenced and constrained by that thing, but take the path ahead as you ought to do—leave it behind you once and for all, then perform your duty as you ought. In one regard, performing your duty now is a way to atone for past transgressions. This is the negative regard, and though it is not very desirable, it is the minimum acceptable mindset you should have. In another regard, you must be proactive, and say: “Whatever I did in the past, I now understand God’s will and the truth. I should do my utmost to offer up all I’m capable of—to offer it to God. I should fulfill my responsibilities well and do my duty well. That’s what a created being should do.” You must enter via the positive regard. No matter whether you have notions about God or you offend His disposition by exposing your corruption, you must reflect on yourself and seek the truth. Learn your lesson, and do not let that negative thing from the past influence you. Leave it behind you, once and for all.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

We should resolve that no matter how serious our circumstances, no matter what kind of hardship befalls us, no matter how weak we are, or how negative, we must not lose faith in dispositional change, nor in the words spoken by God. God gave man a promise, and man must have the resolve and perseverance to receive this promise. God does not like cowards, God likes people with resolve. You may have revealed much corruption, you may have taken many a crooked path, or committed many a transgression, or previously defied God; alternatively, there may be blasphemy, or grumblings, or defiance toward God in some people’s hearts—but God does not look at these things, God only looks at whether someday they will change. In the Bible, there is a story about the return of the prodigal son. Why did the Lord Jesus tell such a parable? God’s will to save mankind is sincere. He gives people opportunities to repent and opportunities to change. During this process, He understands people and has a profound knowledge of their weaknesses and the extent of their corruption. He knows that they will stumble and fail. It is like when children learn to walk: No matter how strong your body, there will be times when you stumble, and times when you are tripped up. God understands each person as a mother understands her child. He understands each person’s difficulties, He understands each person’s weaknesses, and He understands, too, each person’s needs; He understands, moreover, what problems people will encounter in the process of entering dispositional change, what kinds of weaknesses they will suffer from, what kinds of failures will occur—God has a perfect understanding of this. Thus does God scrutinize the innermost heart of man. No matter how weak you are, as long as you do not forsake God’s name, as long as you do not leave God, and do not stray from this way, then you will always have the opportunity to achieve dispositional change. Our having the opportunity to achieve a change in our disposition means that we have hope of remaining, and our having hope of remaining means we have hope of God’s salvation.

Excerpted from “What Changes in Disposition Are, and the Path to Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

52. The Principles of Treating Oneself Properly

(1) It is necessary to engage in frequent self-reflection and know oneself in light of God’s words, and to see through to the truth of one’s own corruption and to one’s deficiencies. Only thus can one attain self-knowledge;

(2) Only by understanding the truth can one see clearly and know that they possess nothing at all and are naught but a poor soul, and only thus can one rid themselves of arrogance and self-righteousness;

(3) When faced with setbacks and failures, one should not abandon themselves to despair. Only by coming to know oneself through self-reflection and seeking to understand the truth can one treat themselves in the proper manner;

(4) Only by being judged, chastised, pruned, and dealt with by God’s words, causing one’s corrupt disposition to be purified, can one practice the truth and live out a human likeness.

Relevant Words of God:

When people are unable to view their practical problems correctly, this also affects their knowledge of God. Some people, upon realizing that they are of exceedingly poor caliber or that they have committed serious transgressions, abandon themselves to despair and lose confidence. They are no longer willing to suffer hardships in order to put the truth into practice, nor do they seek to transform their dispositions; they believe that they have never changed. Actually, changes have occurred in these people, but they themselves are not able to discover this fact. Instead, they merely focus on their faults, and are no longer willing to cooperate with God. This not only delays their normal entry, but also adds to their misconceptions about God. Even more so, it has an effect on their destinations. Therefore, this is an issue that you should consider very carefully so as to attain deeper entry and achieve the effects of transformation that you should achieve.

Some people, despite being in the midst of negativity, can still maintain an attitude of “being faithful till the end, no matter what the outcome,” when performing their duties. I say that this is change, yet you yourselves are unable to recognize it. Actually, if you examine yourself carefully, you will see that a part of your corrupt disposition has already changed; however, when you are constantly measuring yourself against the highest of standards, not only will you not be able to meet them, but you will even negate any changes you have already made within yourself. This is where people go astray. If you are truly someone who can tell right from wrong, then there is no harm in making yourself aware of the changes that have occurred within you; not only can you see them, but you can, moreover, find a path to practice going forward. When that happens, you will see that as long as you are hard-working, you still have hope; you will see that you are not irredeemable. Right now I tell you this: Those who can correctly view their problems have hope; they can come out from negativity.

You give up on the truth because you think you are already beyond saving, so you end up abandoning even the most fundamental truths. Perhaps it is not that you cannot put the truth into practice, but that you have discarded opportunities to do so. If you give up on the truth, can you still change? If you give up on the truth, where is the meaning in your belief in God? As has already been said, “Regardless of when it is done, seeking a change in disposition is never wrong.” Have you forgotten these words? Nevertheless, you feel that you are without hope. If you have lost your positive pursuits, will negative things not emerge? How, then, will you be able to refrain from being negative? Thus, I still say to you: You must view yourself correctly, and not give up on the truth.

from “View Yourself Correctly and Do Not Give Up on the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People reveal corrupt dispositions. This is a fact. No one can avoid or escape it; they must face this fact. Why is this so? Some say: “I’m always revealing my corrupt disposition. I can never change it. What’s there to do? Is this just the way I am? Does God dislike me, or hate me?” Is such an attitude correct? Is such thinking correct? That people have a corrupt disposition, and that they often reveal their corrupt disposition, does not mean that they are done for, incurable. That people frequently reveal a corrupt disposition proves their life is controlled by the corrupt disposition of Satan, and that their essence is the essence of Satan. People should acknowledge and accept this fact. There is a difference between the nature essence of man and the essence of God. What should they do after acknowledging this fact? When people betray a corrupt disposition; when they indulge in pleasures of the flesh and grow distant from God; or when God works in a way that is at odds with their own ideas, and complaints arise within them, they should make themselves aware at once that this is a problem, and a corrupt disposition; it is rebellion against God, opposition to God; it does not accord with the truth, and is anathema to God. When people realize these things, they should not complain, or become negative and idle, and less should they be upset; instead, they should become capable of more profound self-reflection and self-knowledge. In addition, they should become able to come before God proactively, and must not be passive. They should take it upon themselves to come before God to seek and accept God’s reproach and discipline, and should immediately turn their state around, such that they are able to practice according to the truth and the words of God, and can act according to the principles. In this way, your relationship with God will grow increasingly normal, as will the state within you. You will be able to identify corrupt dispositions, the essence of corruption, and the various ugly states of Satan with increasing clarity. No longer will you utter such foolish and childish words as “it was Satan interfering with me,” or “it was an idea Satan gave me.” Instead, you will have accurate knowledge of corrupt dispositions, of the essence of people’s opposition to God, and of the essence of Satan. You will have a more accurate way of treating these things, and these things will not constrain you. When you have revealed a bit of your corrupt disposition, or transgressed, or have done your duty perfunctorily, or when you often find yourself in a passive, negative state, you will not become weak or lose faith in God and in His salvation. You will not live amid such circumstances, but will face your own corrupt disposition correctly, and be capable of a normal spiritual life, and, when your corrupt disposition is revealed, you will immediately be able to reverse its course, live at once before God, and seek His discipline and reproach. You will not be controlled by your corrupt disposition, nor by the essence of Satan, by your various negative and passive states, but grow faith in the pursuit of truth, in salvation, and in accepting God’s judgment, chastisement, discipline, and reproach. In this way, will people not live freely? This is the path of practicing and gaining the truth, and so, too, is it the path of salvation. Corrupt dispositions have taken root deep within people; the essence and nature of Satan control their thoughts, behavior, and mentality; yet, in the presence of the truth, the work of God, and His salvation, none of this is of concern, and it presents no difficulties. Regardless of people’s corrupt dispositions, or the problems they have, or their constraints, there is a path they can take. There is a way of resolving these things, and there are corresponding truths with which to resolve them. Is there not thus hope for their salvation?

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Is it good or bad when people discover just how serious their problems are? It is good. The more capable you are of discovering your own corruption, the more accurate this discovery, and the more you can know your own essence, then the more likely it is you will be saved and the closer you will come to salvation; the more incapable you are of discovering your problems, the more you think you are a good person, a pretty great person, then the further you are away from the path to salvation, and you are still in great danger. Anyone who spends all day parading themselves—flaunting their accomplishments, saying they are silver-tongued, reasonable, that they understand the truth, can practice the truth, and are capable of making sacrifices—is of especially small stature. What kind of person has greater hope of salvation, and is capable of walking the path of salvation? Those who truly know their corrupt disposition. The more profound their knowledge, the closer they come to salvation. Knowing your corrupt disposition, knowing that you are nothing, useless, that you are a living Satan—when you truly know your essence, this is not a serious problem. This is a good thing, not a bad thing. Is there anyone who becomes more negative the more they know themselves, thinking to themselves: “It’s all over, the judgment and chastisement of God has befallen me, it is punishment and retribution, God doesn’t want me and I have no hope of salvation”? Will these people have such illusions? In fact, the more people recognize how hopeless they are, the greater the hope for them; they should not be negative and they should not give up. Knowing yourself is a good thing—it is the path that must be taken to salvation. If you are utterly insensible of your own corrupt disposition and of your essence, which is multifarious in its opposition to God, and if you have not yet any plans to change, then you are in trouble; such people have already grown numb, they are dead. Can the dead be brought back to life? They are already dead—they cannot.

Excerpted from “Only When You Know Yourself Can You Pursue the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How God treats people does not hinge on how old they are, what kind of environment they were born in, or how talented they are. Rather, He treats people based on their attitude toward the truth, and this attitude is related to their dispositions. If you have a correct attitude regarding the truth, one of acceptance and humility, then even if you are of poor caliber, God will still enlighten you and allow you to gain something. If you are of good caliber but are always arrogant, constantly thinking that you are right, and are unwilling to accept anything anyone else says and are always resisting it, then God will not work in you. He will say that this person has a bad disposition and is not worthy of receiving anything, and He will even take away what you once had. This is what is known as being exposed. You are clearly nothing, and inept at everything, yet you still think you are pretty good, can accomplish anything, and are better than everyone else in all respects. You never discuss your flaws or shortcomings in front of others, nor do you let them see your weaknesses and negativity. You are always feigning competence and giving others a false impression, making them think you are adept at everything, devoid of weaknesses, do not need any help, have no need to listen to others’ opinions, and do not need to learn from the strengths of others to make up for your own shortcomings, and trying to make them think you will always be better than everyone else. What kind of disposition is this? (Arrogance.) Such a person lives a pathetic life. Is he really rich? He is not rich; he neither learns nor accepts new things. Inside, he is very withered, limited, and impoverished. Such a person does not understand the principles behind anything, cannot grasp the principles, has no understanding of God’s will, and only knows to stick to the rules and expend a lot of effort on the literal meaning of His words. As a result, he achieves limited results. This sort of person has a bad disposition.

When you are coordinating with others to fulfill your duties, are you able to be open to differing opinions? Can you accept what others say? (I always used to cling to my own ideas, but after being exposed in situations arranged by God, I saw that when everyone got together and discussed things, we usually got things right, and many times it was my own personal perspective that had been wrong or shortsighted. I came to appreciate how important working in harmony with others is.) And what have you learned from this? Do you think anyone is perfect? No matter how strong people are, or how capable and talented, they still are not perfect. People must recognize this; it is a fact. This is also the most appropriate attitude of any who are correctly looking at their strengths and advantages or faults; this is the rationality that people should possess. With such rationality, you can properly deal with your own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of others, and this will enable you to work alongside them harmoniously. If you are armed with this aspect of the truth and can enter this aspect of the truth reality, then you can get along harmoniously with your brothers and sisters, drawing on each other’s strong points to offset any weaknesses you have. In this way, no matter what duty you are performing or what you are doing, you will always get better at it and have God’s blessing. If you always think you are pretty good and that others are worse by comparison, and if you always want to have the final say, then this will be troublesome. Someone might say something correct, but you think, “Even though what he said was right, if I agree with him, what will the others think of me? Won’t that mean I’m not as good as he? I can’t agree with him. I’ll have to find a way to keep the others from knowing I am following his advice, and make them think I’m doing it my way; then they’ll have a high opinion of me.” If this is how you always deal with other people, can you call it a harmonious cooperation? What will the side effects be? As time goes by, everyone will be able to see right through you. People will say you are too crafty, that you do not act in accordance with the truth, and that you are dishonest. Everyone will detest you, and you will be very liable to be forsaken. How does God regard someone whom everyone forsakes? God detests him, too. Why does He detest this kind of person? Such a person’s efforts to fulfill his duty might be honest, but what sort of approach is this? God detests it. The disposition such a person has revealed before God, everything in his heart and mind, and all of his intentions are loathsome to God; God finds them disgusting and evil. Using extremely undesirable methods and tricks to achieve one’s own goals and to gain the admiration of others is the sort of behavior that God detests.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Possess Normal Humanity” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Let no person think of themselves as perfect, or distinguished and noble, or distinct from others; all this is brought about by man’s arrogant disposition and ignorance. Always to think oneself distinctive—this is an arrogant disposition; never being able to accept one’s shortcomings, and never being able to confront one’s mistakes and failures—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to be higher than oneself, or to be better than oneself—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to be superior or stronger than oneself—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to have better thoughts, suggestions, and views than oneself about a matter, and, when they do, becoming negative, not wishing to speak, feeling distressed and dejected, and becoming upset—all of this is caused by an arrogant disposition. An arrogant disposition can make you cherish your reputation, unable to accept others’ guidance, unable to confront your own shortcomings, and unable to accept your own failures and mistakes. More than that, when someone is better than you, it can cause hatred and jealousy to arise in your heart, and you can feel constrained, such that you do not wish to do your duty and become slipshod in performing it. An arrogant disposition can cause these behaviors and practices to arise in you. If you are able, little by little, to achieve breakthroughs in all these details, and gain understanding of them, and dig deeper into them; and if you are then able gradually to forsake these thoughts, these understandings, and even these behaviors, and are not constrained by them; and if, in performing your duty, you are able to find the right station for you, and act according to principles, and perform the duty you can and should perform; then, over time, you will be able to perform your duties better. This is entry into truth reality. If you can enter into truth reality, you will appear to others to have a human likeness, and people will say, “This person conducts themselves according to their station, and they are doing their duty in a grounded way. They do not rely on naturalness, on hot-bloodedness, or on their corrupt, satanic disposition to do their duty. They act with restraint, they have a heart that reveres God, they have love for truth, and their behavior and expressions reveal them to have forsaken their own flesh and preferences.” How wonderful it is to conduct oneself so! On the occasions when others bring up your shortcomings, you are not only able to accept them, but are optimistic, facing your shortcomings and flaws with poise. Your state of mind is quite normal, free of extremes, free of hot blood. Is this not what it is to have a human likeness? Only such people have good sense.

Excerpted from “The Principles That Should Guide One’s Conduct” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are those who say, “I’m a pretty good person; I haven’t done anything to resist God, and I’ve suffered a lot for Him. Why does He still prune me and deal with me so? Why doesn’t God ever acknowledge me or raise me up?” Still others say, “I’m a plain dealer; I’ve believed in God since I was in the womb, and I still believe in Him now. I’m so pure! I left my family and quit my job to expend myself for God, and I still think of how much God loves me. Now, God seems not to love people so much, and I feel left out in the cold, disappointed and dismayed with Him.” What are these people doing wrong? They have not remained in their proper place; they do not know who they are, and they feel always that they are estimable figures whom God should respect and raise up, or treasure and cherish. If people always have such misconceptions, such absurd and unreasonable demands, then it will lead to trouble. What, then, should people do, and how should they know and treat themselves, to be able to conform to the way God treats man, in order to resolve these difficulties and let go of these demands they make of God? Some people are made leaders by the house of God and carry out their work pretty well, without doing anything disruptive or troublesome; later, when God places them in a certain situation to expose them, and strips them of their leadership, they start trying to reason: “It is the false leaders and false workers and people who try to disrupt and disturb who should be replaced—why should I be replaced when I haven’t been disruptive or troublesome?” They feel put out. Why? They believe that this position is their due, that they should not have been replaced; they are qualified for it because of these things that are exhibited in them. Thus, it is their opinion that God has stripped them of this position when they were qualified to do it, and so they do not accept this—and there is thus born in them notions toward God’s actions. And at the genesis of these notions, they feel hard done by, and begin to complain: “Was it not said that there are principles for the election and elimination of leaders? It seems to me that there is no principle to what happened, God has made a mistake!” In short, as soon as God does something that harms their interests and which hurts their feelings, they start picking fault. Is this a problem? How can this problem be solved? You must know who you are. No matter what sort of gifts or strengths you have, nor how much skill or ability you have, nor even how much merit you have earned in God’s house, nor how much you have rushed about, nor how much capital you have accrued, these things are as nothing to God, and if they seem important from where you stand, then have there not again arisen misunderstandings and contradictions between you and God? How should this problem be resolved? You must shrink the distance between you and God, resolve these contradictions, and deny those things you think are right and to which you cling. In doing so, there will no longer be a distance between you and God, and you will stand properly in your station, and you will be able to submit, able to recognize that all God does is right, able to deny yourself and let go of yourself. You will no longer treat the merit you have earned as a sort of capital, nor will you try any longer to set conditions with God, or make demands of Him, or ask Him for reward. At this time, you will no longer have difficulties. Why do all man’s misconceptions of God arise? They arise because people do not know themselves in the slightest; to be precise, they do not know what sort of things they are in God’s eyes. They rate themselves too highly and estimate their position in God’s eyes too highly, and they see what they consider to be a person’s worth and capital as the standards by which God measures whether they will be saved. This is wrong. You must know what kind of place you have in God’s heart, and how it is appropriate for God to treat you. To know this is to conform to the truth and to be in accord with God’s views. When your practice and treatment of yourself accord with this knowledge, there will no longer be any contradiction between you and God. And when God again treats you in His manner, will you not be able to submit? You may feel some discomfort in your heart, or not understand these things and feel as if they are not as you wish, yet, because you will be equipped with these truths and understand these truths, and because you will be able to stand fast in your position, you will no longer fight against God, which means that those behaviors and practices of yours that would cause you to perish will cease to be. And will you not then be safe? Once you are safe, you will feel grounded, which is what it means to walk the path of Peter.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

53. The Principles of Rectifying Arrogance and Conceit

(1) It is necessary to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and to be able to see the hideous truth of one’s own corruption. In this way, one learns what sort of thing they are;

(2) It is necessary to accept being pruned and dealt with, as well as being tried and exposed, and to be able to see how vulnerable one is. In this way, one learns their true mettle;

(3) When one has experienced many failures and setbacks, and has found their root cause to be arrogance, they naturally comport themselves much better, and their manner grows more subdued;

(4) It is necessary to undergo God’s judgment and chastisement, to know His righteous disposition, and to give rise to reverence for Him. In this way, one can come to comport themselves well.

Relevant Words of God:

Since mankind was corrupted by Satan, their nature began to change and they gradually lost the sense of reason possessed by normal people. They now no longer act as human beings in the position of man; rather, they wish to surpass the status of man, and they yearn for something higher and greater. And what is this higher something? They wish to surpass God, to surpass the heavens, and to surpass all else. What is at the root of why people have become like this? When all is said and done, man’s nature is overly arrogant. “Arrogant” is a derogative term, and no one wants to have this term pinned to them. In fact, however, everyone is arrogant, and all corrupt humans have this essence. Some people say, “I’m not the least bit arrogant. I’ve never wanted to be the archangel, nor have I ever wanted to surpass God, or to surpass all else. I’ve always been someone who’s especially well-behaved and dutiful.” Not necessarily; these words are incorrect. Once people have grown arrogant in nature and essence, they become capable of doing things that disobey and resist God, things that do not heed His words, things that generate notions about Him, things that rebel against Him, and things that exalt and bear testimony to themselves. You say you are not arrogant, but suppose you were given a number of churches and allowed to lead them; suppose that I did not deal with you, and that no one in God’s family pruned you: After leading them a while, you would bring them to your feet and make them submit before you. And why would you do that? This would be determined by your nature; it would be none other than a natural revelation. You do not need to go out of your way to learn this, nor do you have to specially get others to teach it to you. You do not need to do any of this deliberately; this kind of situation comes about naturally to you: You make people submit before you, worship you, exalt you, testify about you, and listen to you in all things, and you do not allow them to go beyond your jurisdiction. Under your leadership, such situations occur naturally. And how do these situations come about? They are determined by man’s arrogant nature. The manifestation of arrogance is rebellion and resistance against God. When people are arrogant, self-important, and self-righteous, they tend to set up their own independent kingdoms and do things however they want. They also bring others into their own hands and draw them into their embraces. For people to be capable of doing such things, it means the essence of their arrogance has become that of the archangel. When their arrogance and self-importance reach a certain level, then that determines that they are the archangel and will put God aside. If you possess such an arrogant disposition, God will have no place in your heart.

Excerpted from “An Arrogant Nature Is the Root of Man’s Resistance to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Arrogance is the root of man’s corrupt disposition. The more arrogant people are, the more liable they are to resist God. How serious is this problem? Not only do people with arrogant dispositions consider everyone else beneath them, but, worst of all, they are even condescending toward God. Even though, externally, some people might appear to believe in God and follow Him, they do not treat Him as God at all. They always feel that they possess the truth and think the world of themselves. This is the essence and root of the arrogant disposition, and it comes from Satan. Therefore, the problem of arrogance must be resolved. Feeling that one is better than others—that is a trivial matter. The critical issue is that one’s arrogant disposition prevents one from submitting to God, His rule, and His arrangements; such a person always feels inclined to compete with God for power over others. This sort of person does not revere God in the slightest, to say nothing of loving God or submitting to Him. People who are arrogant and conceited, especially those who are so arrogant as to have lost their sense, cannot submit to God in their belief in Him, and even exalt and bear testimony for themselves. Such people resist God the most. If people wish to get to where they revere God, then they must first resolve their arrogant dispositions. The more thoroughly you resolve your arrogant disposition, the more reverence you will have for God, and only then can you submit to Him and be able to obtain the truth and know Him.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

If you really possess the truth within you, the path you walk will naturally be the correct path. Without the truth, it is easy to do evil, and you will do it despite yourself. For example, if arrogance and conceit existed within you, you would find it impossible to keep from defying God; you would feel compelled to defy Him. You would not do it on purpose; you would do it under the domination of your arrogant and conceited nature. Your arrogance and conceit would make you look down on God and see Him as being of no account; they would cause you to exalt yourself, constantly put yourself on display, and, finally, sit in God’s place and bear testimony for yourself. In the end, you would turn your own ideas, your own thinking, and your own notions into truths to be worshiped. See how much evil is done by people under the dominance of their arrogant and conceited nature! To resolve their evil acts, they must first resolve the problem of their nature. Without a change in disposition, it would not be possible to bring a fundamental resolution to this problem. When you have some understanding of God, when you can see your own corruption and recognize the contemptibility and ugliness of arrogance and conceit, you will then feel disgusted, sickened, and distressed. You will be able to consciously do some things to satisfy God and, in doing this, will feel at ease. You will be able to consciously bear witness for God and, in doing this, will feel enjoyment. You will consciously unmask yourself, exposing your own ugliness, and by doing this, you will feel good inside and feel yourself to be in an improved state of mind. Therefore, the first step of seeking a change in your disposition is to seek to understand God’s words and to enter into the truth. Only by understanding the truth can you attain discernment; only with discernment can you understand things thoroughly; only by understanding things thoroughly can you forsake the flesh and, step by step, be on the right track with your belief in God. This is connected with how resolute people are when pursuing the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people particularly idolize Paul. They like to go out and give speeches and do work, they like to attend gatherings and preach, and they like people listening to them, worshiping them, and revolving around them. They like to have status in the minds of others, and they appreciate it when others value the image they present. Let us analyze their nature from these behaviors: What is their nature? If they really behave like this, then it is enough to show that they are arrogant and conceited. They do not worship God at all; they seek a higher status and wish to have authority over others, to possess them, and to have status in their minds. This is the classic image of Satan. The aspects of their nature that stand out are arrogance and conceit, an unwillingness to worship God, and a desire to be worshiped by others. Such behaviors can give you a very clear view into their nature.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people say they don’t have a corrupt disposition, that they are not arrogant. What people are these? They are the most arrogant of all. In fact, they’re more arrogant and rebellious than anyone; the more someone says they are not corrupt, the more arrogant and self-righteous they are. Why are others able to know themselves, and take account of their state, yet you aren’t? Are you the exception? Are you a saint? Do you live in a vacuum? You do not acknowledge that humankind has been corrupted by Satan, that people have a corrupt disposition, and so you are the most rebellious and arrogant of all. According to you, there are lots and lots of good people in the world—so why is it full of darkness, full of filth and corruption, full of conflict? Why, in the world of man, does everyone take and steal from each other? Not even believers in God are any different: They are always struggling and fighting with one another. And where does this strife stem from? From arrogance. In sum, it is inseparable from arrogance, which is the essence of man’s corruption; it is the outpouring of the arrogance and rebelliousness of man’s nature. Why is it that people believe in God, yet are incapable of practicing the truth? Why is it that they believe in God, yet cannot be compatible with God? This is also determined by people’s arrogant nature. Humankind is always resisting and rebelling against God, and this is not because of God’s wrongdoing, it is not because God lacks truth, but because man has been too profoundly corrupted by Satan, and is too arrogant, too lacking in sense, does not accept, at all, the truth, and so man can never be compatible with God, and always stands against God, and pushes back against God. What point has the relationship between man and God now reached? Man has become the enemy of God, the antithesis of God. God expresses the truth to expose and save man, but man refuses to accept, and pays no heed. What God asks man to do, man does not do; what is loathsome and hateful to God, on the other hand, man does do. God is the truth, yet He is rejected by man. God judges and chastises the corrupt disposition of man, yet man remains incapable of recognition. Just how arrogant is man? Before, there were those who kept saying they would reign as king. This typifies arrogance, it is the corrupt disposition of man. God became flesh to save man, but in return for receiving God, people demanded living expenses, rewards, benedictions, and they even went about bragging about this, and saying that they were beloved of God, so that others would think highly of them. A small number were clearly aware that the One they received was God, yet demanded money from the churches in return. These arrogant people say that they don’t have a corrupt disposition, and that their belief is superior to anyone else’s, that they’re more devoted to God than anyone else, and act better than anyone else. Do you really act so well? If you are truly good, why are you liable to do arrogant things? And why are you incapable of doing humane things? Why is there nothing human about you? People’s arrogance is to the point that they want everything, but they do not want God, and they will do any sordid and contemptible thing, but they will not worship and obey God.

Excerpted from “An Arrogant Nature Is the Root of Man’s Resistance to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people who serve as leaders always want to try to be different, to be head and shoulders above the rest, and to figure out some new tricks that will make God see just how capable they really are. However, they do not focus on understanding the truth and entering the reality of God’s words; they are always trying to show off. Is this not precisely the revelation of an arrogant nature? Some even say, “If I do this, I’m sure it’ll make God very happy; He’ll really like it. This time I am going to get God to have a look; I’ll give Him a nice surprise.” As a result of this “surprise,” they lose the work of the Holy Spirit and get eliminated by God. Do not just rashly do whatever comes into your mind. How can things be okay if you do not consider the consequences of your actions? When you offend God’s disposition and violate His administrative decrees, and are subsequently eliminated, there will be nothing left for you to say. Regardless of your intent, and whether or not you do it deliberately, if you do not understand God’s disposition or His will, you will easily offend Him and be liable to violate His administrative decrees; this is something against which everyone should be on guard. Once you have seriously violated God’s administrative decrees or offended His disposition, He will give no consideration as to whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally. This is a matter that you need to see clearly. If you cannot understand this issue, then you are bound to cause problems. In serving God, people wish to make great strides, do great things, speak great words, perform great work, hold great meetings, and be great leaders. If you always have such grand ambitions, then you will violate God’s administrative decrees; people who do this will die quickly. If you are not well-behaved, devout, and prudent in your service to God, then sooner or later, you will offend His disposition.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Let no person think of themselves as perfect, or distinguished and noble, or distinct from others; all this is brought about by man’s arrogant disposition and ignorance. Always to think oneself distinctive—this is an arrogant disposition; never being able to accept one’s shortcomings, and never being able to confront one’s mistakes and failures—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to be higher than oneself, or to be better than oneself—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to be superior or stronger than oneself—this is caused by an arrogant disposition; never permitting others to have better thoughts, suggestions, and views than oneself about a matter, and, when they do, becoming negative, not wishing to speak, feeling distressed and dejected, and becoming upset—all of this is caused by an arrogant disposition. An arrogant disposition can make you cherish your reputation, unable to accept others’ guidance, unable to confront your own shortcomings, and unable to accept your own failures and mistakes. More than that, when someone is better than you, it can cause hatred and jealousy to arise in your heart, and you can feel constrained, such that you do not wish to do your duty and become slipshod in performing it. An arrogant disposition can cause these behaviors and practices to arise in you. If you are able, little by little, to achieve breakthroughs in all these details, and gain understanding of them, and dig deeper into them; and if you are then able gradually to forsake these thoughts, these understandings, and even these behaviors, and are not constrained by them; and if, in performing your duty, you are able to find the right station for you, and act according to principles, and perform the duty you can and should perform; then, over time, you will be able to perform your duties better. This is entry into truth reality. If you can enter into truth reality, you will appear to others to have a human likeness, and people will say, “This person conducts themselves according to their station, and they are doing their duty in a grounded way. They do not rely on naturalness, on hot-bloodedness, or on their corrupt, satanic disposition to do their duty. They act with restraint, they have a heart that reveres God, they have love for truth, and their behavior and expressions reveal them to have forsaken their own flesh and preferences.” How wonderful it is to conduct oneself so! On the occasions when others bring up your shortcomings, you are not only able to accept them, but are optimistic, facing your shortcomings and flaws with poise. Your state of mind is quite normal, free of extremes, free of hot blood. Is this not what it is to have a human likeness? Only such people have good sense.

Excerpted from “The Principles That Should Guide One’s Conduct” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People cannot change their own disposition; they must undergo the judgment and chastisement, and suffering and refinement, of God’s words, or being dealt with, disciplined, and pruned by His words. Only then can they achieve obedience and faithfulness to God, and no longer be perfunctory toward Him. It is under the refinement of God’s words that people’s dispositions change. Only through the exposure, judgment, discipline, and dealing of His words will they no longer dare to act rashly but instead will become steady and composed. The most important point is that they are able to submit to God’s current words, and to His work, even if it is not in line with human notions, they are able to put these notions aside and willingly submit.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you suffer a little constraint or hardship, it is good for you; if you were given an easy time of it you would be ruined, and then how could you be protected? Today, it is because you are chastised, judged, and cursed that you are given protection. It is because you have suffered much that you are protected. If not, you would have long since fallen into depravity. This is not making things difficult for you intentionally—man’s nature is hard to change, and it must be thus for their dispositions to be changed. Today, you do not even possess the conscience or sense that Paul possessed, nor do you even have his self-awareness. You always have to be pressured, and you always have to be chastised and judged in order to awaken your spirits. Chastisement and judgment are what is best for your life. And when necessary, there must also be the chastisement of the facts coming upon you; only then will you fully submit. Your natures are such that without chastisement and cursing, you would be unwilling to bow your heads, unwilling to submit. Without the facts before your eyes, there would be no effect. You are too lowly and worthless in character! Without chastisement and judgment, it would be difficult for you to be conquered, and hard for your unrighteousness and disobedience to be overcome. Your old nature is so deeply rooted. If you were placed upon the throne, you would have no idea of heaven’s height and earth’s depth, much less of where you were headed. You do not even know where you came from, so how could you know the Lord of creation? Without the timely chastisement and curses of today, your final day would have long since arrived. That is to say nothing of your fate—would not that be even more in imminent danger? Without this timely chastisement and judgment, who knows how arrogant you would grow, or how depraved you would become. This chastisement and judgment have brought you to today, and they have preserved your existence. If you were still “educated” using the same methods as those of your “father,” who knows what realm you would enter into! You have absolutely no ability to control and reflect upon yourselves. For people like you, if you just follow and obey without causing any interference or disruptions, My aims will be achieved. Should you not do better in accepting the chastisement and judgment of today? What other choices do you have?

Excerpted from “Practice (6)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

After humans are conquered by God, the basic attribute of the sense of reason they should be equipped with is to be sure not to speak arrogantly. They should assume a lowly status, “as dung upon the ground,” and say some things that are true; this would be best. Especially when bearing testimony for God, if you can say something of substance from the heart, with no empty or tall talk and no fictitious lies, then your disposition will have changed, and this is the change that should occur once you have been conquered by God. If you cannot possess even this amount of reason, then you are truly without any semblance of a human being. In the future, when all nations and regions have been conquered by God, if at a huge gathering in praise of God you begin to act arrogantly again, then you will be scrapped and eliminated. From now on, you must always behave properly, recognize your status and position, and not relapse into your old ways. Satan’s image most classically manifests in human arrogance and conceit. Unless you change this aspect of yourself, you will never have the likeness of a human, and you will always possess the visage of Satan. Merely having knowledge in this area will not be sufficient to attain a complete transformation; you will still need to endure multiple refinements. Without being dealt with and pruned, in the long run, you will still be in danger. In the future, when God’s chosen people around the world accept God’s work of the last days and say: “We have been enlightened long ago that God has gained a group of overcomers in China,” when you hear this, you will think: “We have nothing to brag about, all is given by God’s grace. We don’t deserve to be called overcomers.” But over time, as you start to see yourself being able to say something, and you start to hear that foreigners from here and there are gaining enlightenment, then you will ponder: “This is how the Holy Spirit enlightens, we know more than the foreigners, so we should be deemed overcomers!” You will silently permit this acknowledgment in your hearts now, and you will no doubt make a public acknowledgment later on. Humans cannot stand being praised and being tested by status. If you are always being praised, then you will be in danger. Those whose disposition has not changed cannot stand firm.

To keep from sliding back into your old ways, first you must recognize that your disposition has not yet changed and that your God-betraying nature is still deeply rooted within you. You are still at great risk of betraying God, and you face the constant possibility of perdition. There are three other major points: First, you have not yet come to know God; second, your disposition has not transformed; third, you have yet to attain a human likeness, and among people who are good, you occupy the bottom rung. Everyone should have a clear understanding of these points. People should all be prepared with a motto, and have it engraved or written down: “I am the devil,” or “I often fall into my old ways,” or “I’m always in danger,” or “I am the dung upon the ground.” Perhaps constantly exhorting yourself with such a motto will have some effect, but most importantly, you have to read more of God’s words and come to understand your nature. Only by achieving a real transformation will you be safe. Another thing is to never take the position of one who is a witness of God; you can only speak of personal experience. You may speak about how God saved you, fellowship about how you were conquered by God, and talk about what grace He bestowed upon you. Never forget that you are the most deeply corrupted of people; you are manure and garbage. Only through God have you been uplifted. Because you are the most corrupted and most filthy, you have been saved by God incarnate, and He has granted you such enormous grace. You therefore have nothing worth bragging about, and can only praise and thank God. Your salvation is purely due to God’s grace.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do not think that you are a natural-born prodigy, only slightly lower than the heavens but infinitely higher than the earth. You are far from being smarter than anyone else—and, it could even be said that it is simply adorable how much sillier you are than any of the people on earth who are possessed of reason, for you think too highly of yourself, and have never had a sense of inferiority, as if you can see through My actions down to the tiniest detail. In point of fact, you are someone who is fundamentally lacking in reason, because you have no idea of what I intend to do, and you are even less aware of what I am doing now. And so I say that you are not even the equal of an old farmer toiling on the land, a farmer who has not the faintest perception of human life and yet puts all his reliance on the blessings of Heaven as he cultivates the land. You do not spare a second’s thought to your life, you know nothing of renown, and still less do you have any self-knowledge. You are so “above it all”! … Let Me tell you one truth: Today it matters very little whether or not you have a heart of reverence; I am neither anxious nor worried about that. But I must also tell you this: You, this “person of talent,” who do not learn and remain ignorant, will ultimately be brought down by your self-admiring, petty cleverness—you will be the one who suffers and is chastised. I will not be so stupid as to accompany you as you continue to suffer in hell, for I am not the same kind as you. Do not forget that you are a created being that has been cursed by Me, and yet is also taught and saved by Me, and there is nothing in you that I would be reluctant to part with. At whatever time I do My work, I am never constrained by any person, occurrence, or object. My attitude and My view vis-à-vis mankind have always remained the same. I am not particularly well disposed toward you, because you are an appendage to My management, and far from being more special than any other being. This is My advice to you: You must remember, at all times, that you are nothing more than a creature of God! Although you may share your existence with Me, you should know your own identity; do not think too highly of yourself. Even if I do not rebuke you, or deal with you, but greet you with a smiling face, this is not enough to prove that you are of the same kind as Me. You—you should know yourself to be one who pursues the truth, not the truth itself! You must at all times be ready to change in accordance with My word. You cannot escape this. I urge you, during this precious time, when you have this rare opportunity, to try and learn something. Do not fool Me; I do not need you to use flattery to try and deceive Me. When you seek Me, it is not entirely for My sake, but rather for your own!

Excerpted from “Those Who Do Not Learn and Remain Ignorant: Are They Not Beasts?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people’s knowledge of themselves is too shallow, they will find it impossible to solve problems, and their life dispositions simply will not change. It is necessary to know oneself on a profound level, which means knowing one’s own nature: what elements are included in that nature, how these things originated, and where they came from. Moreover, are you actually able to hate these things? Have you seen your own ugly soul and your evil nature? If you are truly able to see the truth about yourself, then you will start to loathe yourself. When you loathe yourself and then practice God’s word, you will be able to forsake the flesh and have the strength to carry out truth without difficulty. Why do many people follow their fleshly preferences? Because they consider themselves to be pretty good, feeling that their actions are right and justified, that they have no faults, and even that they are entirely in the right, they are therefore capable of acting with the assumption that justice is on their side. When one recognizes what one’s true nature is—how ugly, how despicable, and how pitiful—then one is not overly proud of oneself, not so wildly arrogant, and not so pleased with oneself as before. Such a person feels, “I must be earnest and down to earth, and practice some of God’s word. If not, then I will not measure up to the standard of being human, and will be ashamed to live in God’s presence.” One then truly sees oneself as paltry, as truly insignificant. At this time, it becomes easy for one to carry out truth, and one will appear to be somewhat like a human should be. Only when people truly loathe themselves are they able to forsake the flesh. If they do not loathe themselves, they will be unable to forsake the flesh. Truly hating oneself comprises a few things: First, knowing one’s own nature; and second, seeing oneself as needy and pitiful, seeing oneself to be extremely small and insignificant, and seeing one’s own pitiful and dirty soul. When one fully sees what one truly is, and this outcome is achieved, one then truly gains knowledge of oneself, and it can be said that one has come to know oneself fully. Only then can one truly hate oneself, going so far as to curse oneself, and truly feel that one has been corrupted profoundly by Satan such that one does not even resemble a human being. Then, one day, when the threat of death appears, such a person will think, “This is God’s righteous punishment. God is indeed righteous; I really should die!” At this point, he will not lodge a complaint, much less blame God, simply feeling that he is so needy and pitiful, so filthy and corrupt that he should be wiped out by God, and a soul like his is not fit to live on earth. At this point, this person will not resist God, much less betray God. If one does not know oneself, and still considers oneself to be pretty good, then when death comes knocking, this person will think, “I have done so well in my faith. How hard I have sought! I have given so much, I have suffered so much, yet ultimately, God is now asking me to die. I don’t know where God’s righteousness is. Why is He asking me to die? If even a person like me has to die, then who will be saved? Won’t the human race come to an end?” First of all, this person has notions about God. Secondly, this person is complaining, and not showing any submission whatsoever. This is just like Paul: When he was about to die, he did not know himself, and by the time God’s punishment was nigh, it was too late to repent.

Excerpted from “To Know Oneself Is Primarily About Knowing Human Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God created man, breathed life into him, and also gave him some of His intelligence, His abilities, and what He has and is. After God gave man all of these things, man was able to do some things independently and think on his own. If what man comes up with and does is good in the eyes of God, then God accepts it and does not interfere. If what man does is right, God will let it stand. So, what does the phrase “whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof” indicate? It indicates that God did not see fit to alter any of the names given to the various living creatures. Whatever name Adam called a creature, God would say “So it is,” affirming the creature’s name. Did God express any opinion on the matter? No, He certainly did not. So, what do you gather from this? God gave man intelligence and man used his God-given intelligence to do things. If what man does is positive in the eyes of God, then it is affirmed, acknowledged, and accepted by God without any judgment or criticism. This is something no person or evil spirit, or Satan, can do. Do you see a revelation of God’s disposition here? Would a human being, a corrupted person, or Satan permit anyone else to do something in their name, right under their nose? Of course not! Would they fight over this position with that other person or other force that is different from them? Of course they would! If it were a corrupted person or Satan who was with Adam at that time, they would have certainly repudiated what Adam was doing. To prove that they have the ability to think independently and have their own unique insights, they would have absolutely denied everything Adam did: “You want to call it this? Well, I’m not going to call it this, I’m going to call it that; you called it Tom but I’m going to call it Harry. I have to show how clever I am.” What kind of nature is this? Is it not wildly arrogant? And what of God? Does He have such a disposition? Did God have any unusual objections to what Adam was doing? The answer is unequivocally no! Of the disposition God reveals, there is not the slightest hint of argumentativeness, arrogance, or self-righteousness. That much is clear here. This may appear to be a minor point, but if you do not understand God’s essence, if your heart does not try to figure out how God acts and what God’s attitude is, then you will not know God’s disposition or see the expression and revelation of God’s disposition.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I exhort you to get a better understanding of the content of the administrative decrees, and to make an effort to know the disposition of God. If not, you will find it difficult to keep your lips sealed, your tongues will wag too freely with high-sounding talk, and you will unwittingly offend the disposition of God and fall into the darkness, losing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the light. Because you are unprincipled in your actions, because you do and say that which you should not, you shall receive a fitting retribution. You should know that though you are unprincipled in word and deed, God is highly principled in both. The reason you receive retribution is because you have offended God, not a person. If, in your life, you commit many offenses against the disposition of God, then you are bound to become a child of hell. To man it may appear that you have only committed a few deeds that are at odds with the truth, and nothing more. Are you aware, however, that in the eyes of God you are already someone for whom there is no more sin offering? Because you have violated the administrative decrees of God more than once and have, moreover, shown no sign of repentance, there is no other recourse but for you to plunge into hell, where God punishes man. A small number of people, while following God, committed some deeds that violated principles, but after being dealt with and given guidance, they gradually discovered their own corruption, thereafter entered on the right track of reality, and they remain well-grounded today. Such people are those who shall remain in the end.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

54. The Principles of Resolving Negativity

(1) First, examine the circumstances that give rise to negativity: What activities cause it, what constraints lead to it, and what the resulting consequences are;

(2) It is necessary to understand the essence and origin of negativity, and to know the disposition to which it is related. Only by seeing the root problem can one truly know oneself;

(3) When faced with negativity, one should do the work of learning to know themselves. It is necessary to know the truths with which one must be equipped in order to eradicate the problem of negativity at its root;

(4) When one exists within a satanic disposition, negativity may arise at any time, thereby leading to rebellion and resistance against God. In all matters, one must seek the truth in order to rectify negativity.

Relevant Words of God:

Deep down, people harbor a few bad states—negativity, weakness, and depression or fragility; or a persistent base intent; or always being in the thrall of worrying about prestige, selfish desires, and their own benefits; or they think themselves of poor caliber and are in possession of certain negative states. When you live constantly within these states, it is very difficult for you to gain the work of the Holy Spirit. If you have difficulty gaining the Holy Spirit’s work, you will contain very few positive things within you, and it will be hard for you to gain the truth. People always rely on their willpower to exercise restraint, holding back in this way and that, but they still cannot free themselves from those negative or adverse states. Part of this is due to human reasons; people cannot find a path of practice that suits them. Another reason—and this, too, is a major one—is that people always fall into these negative, sinking, degenerate states, and the Holy Spirit does not work. Even if He occasionally gives them enlightenment, He does not do major work in them. Thus, it takes people great effort to take action, and it is difficult for them to see and understand anything. It is hard for you to obtain enlightenment and illumination, and very hard to have light, because too many negative and adverse things have occupied all the space within you. If one cannot be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and is unable to gain the work of the Holy Spirit, then one cannot leave these states or transform these negative states; the Holy Spirit does not work, and you cannot find a path forward. For both these reasons, it is difficult for you to attain a positive, normal state. Even though you can endure a lot and work hard at fulfilling your duties, and even though you have expended great effort and are able to abandon your home and occupation, and completely let go of everything, your inner state has still not actually changed. Too many entanglements still hold you captive from practicing the truth and from entering truth reality. Various things fill the space within you: Personal notions, imaginings, knowledge, and philosophies for living, as well as negative things, selfish desires and self-interests, concerns about prestige, and disputes with others. People have nothing positive within them. Their heads are full of negative and adverse thoughts; this is a fact that no one can deny. Their hearts have been filled and occupied by satanic things. If you do not eradicate these things, if you cannot free yourself of these states, if you cannot transform into the genuine likeness of a child—innocent, lively, guileless, authentic, and pure—and come into God’s presence, and if you do not come before Him, then it will be very difficult for you to gain the truth.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Everyone has times when they are passive, be they often or rare, serious or minor, be there an explicit fact that makes them passive, or not an explicit fact, but merely a few thoughts, ideas, opinions, imaginings and notions that plunge them into passivity. Whatever the case, whatever the situation or their state, as long as people live in a corrupt disposition, there will be times when they are plunged into certain passive states. Of course, if people have stature and pursue the truth, their passive state will be short-lived, and will gradually wane as their stature grows and they pursue the truth. If people do not pursue the truth, their passive states, passive moods, and passive thoughts and attitudes will grow ever more profuse, and there will be an increasing build-up and backlog of them. So it is very important to solve passivity. How you approach it is very important, too. No matter what, your approach to passivity should not involve passive methods, or a mood of resistance and confrontation; instead, you should deal with it by seeking the truth. The more certain areas are able to plunge you into passivity, and the more areas or matters arouse disobedience, dissatisfaction, grievances, and so on toward God, and lead you to raise a clamor against Him, the more you should come before God and search for the truth. If you are plunged into passivity because of a single thing, a single sentence, or a single idea or opinion, this proves that your knowledge of this matter is deviant, that you have notions, and imaginings, and that your view of this matter is surely incompatible with the truth. Such times require you to face the matter correctly, to strive to turn it around as early and promptly as possible, to not allow yourself to be hobbled and misled by these notions, and plunged into a state of disobedience, dissatisfaction, and grievances toward God. It is crucial that passivity be solved promptly and thoroughly. Of course, regardless of the means or method, the best approach is simply to seek the truth, read more of God’s words, and come before God to seek the enlightenment of God; at times, you may not be able to turn your views and ideas around immediately, but at the very least you will know you’re wrong, and that these thoughts of yours are deviant. The minimum effect that will be achieved is that these wrong views and ideas will not impact your devotion to performing your duty, will not affect your relationship with God, and will not stop you coming before God to pray and open your heart to Him; at the very least, these are the effects that need to be achieved. If you are plunged into passivity, and into a mood or state of disobedience, dissatisfaction, and grievances toward God, and no matter how you fellowship with others or try to ignore this, you do not wish to read the words of God or come before God to pray, then the problem will become a serious one. You say, “I did not delay in doing my duty, and I did so with a true heart, I would be devoted to the very end.” Is this statement true? If you have unresolved passivity, will it recede by itself? Can passivity disappear by itself? If you do not promptly search for the truth as a way of solving this passivity, it will keep developing, and can only become increasingly serious. Its consequences can only become more and more grave, it will not develop in a positive direction, but in a malignant one. And so, when passivity appears, you must seek the truth and resolve it as soon as possible. This issue is critical.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (17)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People will have been through many states before God judges and chastises them. For instance, there is a negative state often seen in people: They are negative when others perform their duties more productively than they; they are negative when others’ families are more united than theirs; they are negative when others’ conditions are better than theirs, or they are of higher caliber; and they are negative when made to wake a bit early, when their duties are tiring, and even when they are not. No matter what happens, they are negative. If these people put forth a special effort in seeking, and are particularly able to pay a price, and if they have some caliber and are able to do some degree of practical work, then the notions of others might cause them to say of these people, “It’s a shame that those people are always negative. Shouldn’t God show them a little partiality by not making them negative, and allow them to emerge from their negativity? How come God isn’t doing His work?” What does God do to such people? What is His attitude toward them? He does not discipline them, nor does He deal with them or prune them; He simply shelves them off to one side. What does this mean? It means that if you are always negative and never satisfied with anything God does, He will toss you somewhere and make you wait. The Holy Spirit does not do useless work. Some people say, “If God won’t do it, it means He isn’t loving!” That is not how God’s love is expressed. Negativity means there is a problem within people: They cannot accept the truth, and are constantly dissatisfied with all God does; moreover, they do not in the least seek the truth or put it into practice. Why would God remain responsive to such people? Are they not deaf to reason? What is God’s attitude toward those who are deaf to reason? He casts them aside and ignores them. You may act as you like, and you may believe if you wish to do so; if you believe and seek, you may obtain. God treats every person fairly. If your attitude is unaccepting of the truth and not one of submission, and if you do not conform to God’s requirements, then believe what you will; also, if you would rather leave, you may do so at once. If you do not wish to do your duty, then, whatever you do, do not make a disgraceful scene or put on airs, but leave at once, off to wherever you like. God does not urge such people to stay. That is His attitude. If you—who are clearly a created being—never wish to act like one, and instead always want to be an archangel, then can God pay attention to you? If you—who are clearly an ordinary person—always wish for special, preferential treatment, and to be a person of status and standing who excels over others in all things, then you are being unreasonable and lack sense. How does God see people who lack sense? What is His assessment of them? Such people are deaf to reason!

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The work that God performs in people is primarily to allow them to gain the truth; having you pursue life is for the sake of perfecting you, and this is all to make you suitable for God’s use. All you are pursuing now is hearing mysteries, listening to God’s words, feasting your eyes, and looking around to see if there is some novelty or trend, and thereby satisfying your curiosity. If this is the intention in your heart, then there is no way for you to meet God’s requirements. Those who do not pursue the truth cannot follow until the very end. Right now, it is not that God is not doing something, but rather that people are not cooperating with Him, because they are tired of His work. They only want to hear words that He speaks to bestow blessings, and they are unwilling to hear the words of His judgment and chastisement. What is the reason for this? The reason is that people’s desires to gain blessings have not been fulfilled and they therefore have become negative and weak. It is not that God purposely does not allow people to follow Him, nor is it that He is purposely delivering blows to mankind. People are negative and weak only because their intentions are improper. God is the God that gives man life, and He cannot bring man into death. People’s negativity, weaknesses, and backsliding are all caused by their own doing.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whether big or small matters come to pass, you are always negative and weak, and you bear no witness. What a person should do or cooperate with, you fail to, proving that neither God nor the truth is in your heart. Let us ignore, for the moment, how the work of the Holy Spirit moves people. By mere dint of their years of experience of God’s work, having heard so many truths, and with a bit of conscience and willed restraint, they should be able to meet the lowest standard, and not be as numb and weak as they are now. It is an incredible thing. It is clear you muddled through these last few years—had you not, why would you be as numb and sluggish as you are? The truth is that you have delimited yourself, thinking “I’m not okay—I’m too corrupt. That’s how it is, and I’ll just have to live with it!” You have not yet put effort into your pursuit, and you say, “That is my challenge. You may as well just send me home!” What is that but nonsense? It is simply avoiding and shirking responsibility! If you have a bit of conscience and reason, you should properly complete what you ought to do and your mission; being a deserter is a terrible thing and a betrayal of God. Pursuing the truth requires a firm will, and people who are too negative or weak will accomplish nothing. They will not be able to believe in God unto the end, and, if they wish to obtain the truth and achieve a change of disposition, they have less hope still. Only those who are resolved and pursue the truth can obtain it and be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People can refrain from becoming negative when they encounter difficulties or when they are pruned and dealt with, or when they fail and fall. What is the primary reason for this? It is that they are able to accept the truth. In being able to accept the truth, they stop being negative. If they do not accept the truth and they always harbor difficulties within themselves, and are always incapable of resolving them, they will always be negative; this has to do with their understanding of the truth. For some people who have become negative, when you fellowship with them, they say, “Don’t fellowship with me; I understand everything.” Do they really understand everything? If they did understand everything, would they still be negative? What does this understanding they mention entail? It is that they understand doctrines and they understand literal meanings. In actual fact, they do not understand the truth. Why are they able to accept doctrines, when they do not understand the truth? (They don’t experience God’s words; they don’t contemplate them, nor do they seek the truth; they don’t check their corrupt dispositions against it.) That is exactly what is going on. They do not take those doctrines that they understand and put them into practice or use them; they merely talk and preach about them to other people, and then they stop there. They themselves do not accept the truth, and in this way, they are unable to resolve their negative states, their weakness, their rebelliousness, their misconceptions, and their complaints. So, then, what is the best way to resolve the problems of being negative and regressing and abandoning themselves to despair? (Accepting the truth.) It is accepting the truth based on your understanding of it, and then entering truth reality. This is easily said, but upon entering it, difficulties are encountered, and this makes entry difficult. You must therefore genuinely understand what the truth is. If you always think you understand, but you are unable to resolve your difficulties, then this proves that you have not understood the truth. On the basis of the doctrines you understand, if you regard them as the truth and measure yourself against them, and practice them, then your difficulties will be resolved; it will not be a problem even when you are negative or weak, and you will not despair or come to a standstill. This is precisely the way of resolving negativity.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Passivity is something that is very difficult to avoid. Anyone can be passive. For some people it lasts a long time, for others, a short time. Some can speak of why they are passive, and some can’t, the reason being too minor, not worth mentioning, and yet still able to plunge them into passivity. Tiny, inconsequential things can make people passive and keep them down for two days, unable to eat, moping about, impervious to persuasion—in a word, unhappy. How can such matters be solved? If something is truly minor and inconsequential, and it is neither the case that you wish to speak of it, nor that others wish to know, then you should dispel it by yourself, and not go around spreading it to other people. When people can’t get to the bottom of something, they should at least make sure they don’t go around spreading it to other people. As long as you have a heart that fears God and you acknowledge that you are a follower of God, you must not deliberately do anything disruptive or that causes interruptions. This is one thing you must guarantee. If you have normal humanity and sense, you must not do this—unless, that is, you are psychotic, or have been possessed by a demon, and can’t help yourself; when the demon directs you to speak, you must speak, there’s nothing you can do, this is done by the evil spirit. As long as you have normal humanity, you should guarantee that you will do this. And even though you are passive, you should still have a little conscience, you should do your best, you should do as much as you can, as much as you are willing; only people with such a mentality can be considered to have conscience, and even though there is passivity within you, God will not split hairs or take it further. If you are willing to speak to others, and people are able to help you, that’s best; if you don’t wish to tell anyone else, then slowly deal with it by yourself. Communicate and search for an answer with God, and slowly change. If you are beset by very serious and major things that make you passive—if, for example, you feel that there is no hope for you after being replaced, or you are severely pruned and dealt with and have the sense that you have been cursed and condemned, or else a serious incident occurs in your family, and your family members and loved ones die, are taken by God, and these things plunge you into passivity, and you have certain misconceptions about God, and passivity, and feel aggrieved—then what should you do in such circumstances? This can be solved, too. Find a few people with stature and fellowship with them, telling them what’s in your heart. Even more important is to come before God and truthfully communicate and inform Him of all this passivity, weakness, and things you don’t understand and that are insurmountable—don’t hide them. There are some things that stick in your throat, that are unutterable to you: Do not speak of them to others, do not disrupt and harm others, but come before God to tell God. Why should you tell God? Certain words of passivity and weakness can hobble people. You must speak of them to God. Some people say, “If I tell God, will God not condemn me?” Have you not done many things that resist and are condemned by God? Does He care about this one thing? He does not. So God knows what you’re thinking, whether you speak of it or not. If you have nowhere to speak of it, or can’t find a suitable person of stature to tell, you’d best come before God and tell Him truthfully. You can tell God of your weaknesses, disobedience, and even your grievances. Even if you just want to let off a little steam, that’s fine too—God does not condemn this. Why is this not condemned by God? God knows people’s stature. He knows it even if you don’t tell Him. When you tell God, on the one hand this is an opportunity for you to obey God, a chance for you to lay yourself bare to God. On the other hand, it also indicates an attitude of obedience toward God. At the very least, you are showing God that your heart is open to Him; it’s just that you are weak, and are of insufficient stature to overcome this matter. That’s all it is. You have no intention of disobeying, your attitude is one of obedience; it’s just that your stature is too small, and this matter is too much for you to bear. When you completely open up and express yourself to God, though there is weakness and grievances in what you say—and, in particular, much that is passive and negative—there is one thing that is right. What is it? You admit that you are corrupt, you acknowledge that you are a creature of God, you do not deny the identity of God—the Creator, and that the relationship between you and God is that of created being and the Creator. When you entrust to God the things that are most difficult to overcome, the things that are most likely to make you weak, and tell God of everything that’s in your heart, then this shows the attitude you have. Some people say, “Telling God doesn’t solve my passivity, I still can’t overcome it.” Don’t worry—as time passes, God will make you stronger gradually, and no longer as weak as you were at the start. However weak and passive you are, however aggrieved and negative you’re feeling, tell it to God. Don’t treat God like a stranger; you can hide it from anyone, but don’t hide it from God, for God is the only One you can depend on, He is the only One who can save you. Only if people come before God will these things be solved. Relying on others is of no use. And so, when people encounter that which is most likely to make them weak and passive, the wisest of all are those who can come before God and rely on God. It is only the foolish who keep themselves farthest from God and hide themselves most from Him when major, crucial events arise and their need to confide in Him is greatest, brooding about these things in their hearts. And what happens as they keep brooding about them? These grievances become opposition, and opposition becomes resistance and a clamor against Him. These people become incompatible with God, and their relationship with God is completely broken. But when you encounter such weakness and passivity, you choose to still come before God, you accept God’s sovereignty over you, you accept His orchestrations and arrangements, yours is an attitude of obedience, and when God sees your sincerity and when He sees your weakness, He knows how to guide you, how to bring you out of weakness and passivity. And so, under God’s guidance, these things become triflingly easy; without you even realizing it, God helps you dispel them, you unconsciously find a way out, and unconsciously grow stronger, and are no longer weak. When you look back, you wonder how your weakness at that time could have been so childish. But that’s just how childish people are. Without God’s support, they will never be able to change from childishness and stupidity to maturity. Only when, in the course of experiencing these childish things, people gradually accept and submit to God’s sovereignty, and actively face these matters head on, searching for principle and the will of God—rather than it being the case that the more they encounter such things, the more they stray from God, the more they hide from God, and the more they resist and oppose God, and they neither say anything to God nor read His words, none of this being their state—only then will people become increasingly mature, and become more and more grown up.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (17)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

One state people often have is that they either only want to be blessed and receive the crown, or else—having experienced a few instances of failure—think it’s over for them, and that this was also determined by God. Both are wrong. If you can turn around in time, if you can change your mind, put aside the evil committed by your hands, return before God, confess and repent to God, acknowledge that your actions and the path you walk are wrong, admit your own failures, and practice according to the path indicated to you by God, without giving up no matter how tainted you are, then you’re doing the right thing. In the course of experiencing changes in their disposition and being saved, people will encounter many difficulties. They include being unable to submit to the situations laid forth by God, people’s own various thoughts, perspectives, imaginings, corrupt dispositions, knowledge, and gifts, or else their personal problems or faults. You must battle all manner of difficulties. And once you have overcome these myriad difficulties and states, when the battle in your heart has ended, you will possess the truth reality, you will have been unshackled, and thus will have been set free. One problem people often encounter during this process is that, prior to having identified problems in themselves, they think they’re better than everyone else, and will be blessed even if no one else is, just like Paul. When they discover problems, they think themselves nothing, that it’s all over for them. There are always two extremes. You must overcome these extremes: When you encounter a difficulty, even if you have already realized that this problem is utterly intractable, and will be extremely hard to fix, you are still able to properly face it, gnawing on it bit-by-bit, like ants eating a bone, and you turn this state around, come before God, and ask that God help you solve it; you must repent before God. Repenting is proof that you have a heart that accepts the truth and an attitude of obedience, which means there is hope. And if, in the midst of this, any difficulties appear, don’t be afraid. Hurry before God to pray; God is secretly watching and waiting for you, and as long as you do not depart from the setting, stream, and scope of His management work, there is hope, and you must not give up. If this is the normal outpouring of a corrupt disposition, then as long as you are willing to maintain your pursuit and make entry, a day will come when these problems are solved. You must have faith in this. God is the truth—need you fear that this little problem of yours cannot be solved? This can all be solved, so why be negative? God has not forsaken you, so why give up on yourself? You should not give up. In order to not be negative, and approach the problem in the correct way, people must be aware of certain normal laws for life entry, of its certain normal outpourings and manifestations, they should see their occasional negativity, weakness, and confusion as very normal, and be able to approach such things correctly. Sometimes the outpouring of their corrupt disposition is quite serious, and quite loathsome. In particular, there are times when people clearly know that they are being disciplined by God, in which case don’t be afraid: As long as God is disciplining you, as long as He is still caring for and protecting you, and is still working in you, and is always with you, this proves that God has not forsaken you. Even when there are times that you feel God has left you, and that you have been plunged into darkness, do not be afraid: As long as you are still living and not in hell, you still have a chance. But if you are like Paul, who ultimately testified that for him to live is Christ, it’s all over for you. What is the chance you have? It is that you are able to come before God, you can still pray to God and seek answers from Him, saying “O God! Would that You allow me to understand this aspect of the path of practice, and this aspect of the truth.” As long as you are thus qualified, you have hope of salvation, and will make it to the very end. Are these words clear enough? Are you still liable to be negative? When people understand God’s will, their path is a broad one. If they do not understand His will, it is narrow, there is darkness in their hearts, and they have no path to tread. Those who do not understand the truth are as follows: They are narrow-minded, they always split hairs, and they always complain about and misinterpret God—with the result that the further they walk, the more their path disappears. In fact, people don’t understand God. If God treated people as in their imagination, it would have long been over for the human race.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The people God saves are those who have been corrupted by Satan and thus came to have corrupt dispositions. They are not perfect people without the slightest blemish, nor are they people who live in a vacuum. For some, as soon as their corruption is revealed, they think, “Yet again, I’ve resisted God; I’ve believed in Him for so many years, but I still haven’t changed. God surely doesn’t want me anymore!” What sort of attitude is this? They have given up on themselves and think that God does not want them anymore. Is this not a case of misunderstanding God? When you are so negative, it is easiest for Satan to find chinks in your armor, and once it has succeeded, the consequences are unimaginable. Therefore, no matter how much difficulty you are in or how negative you are feeling, you must never give up! While people’s lives are developing and while they are being saved, they sometimes take the wrong path or go astray. They exhibit some immature states and behavior in their life for a while, or sometimes grow weak and negative, say the wrong things, slip and fall, or suffer a failure. From God’s point of view, such things are all normal, and He would not make a fuss over them. Seeing how profoundly corrupted they are, that they will never be able to satisfy God, brings pain to some people’s hearts, and people who are capable of such remorse are often the objects of God’s salvation. Those who do not feel they need salvation, who think they are already perfect, are not the ones who will be saved by God. Why am I telling you this? What I mean is that you must have faith: “Despite the fact that I am now weak, and that I have fallen down and failed, one day I will grow, one day I shall be able to satisfy God, understand the truth, and be saved.” You must have this faith. No matter what setbacks, difficulties, or failures and falls, you must not be negative; you must know what kind of people are saved by God. In addition, if you feel that you are unfit for salvation by God, if you occasionally have a state in which you feel you are loathsome or displeasing to God, or if there was a time in the past when you were wholly unapproved of or rejected by God, do not worry. You now know this, and so it is not too late; as long as you repent, God shall give you your chance at salvation.

Excerpted from “Entry Into Life Is Most Important to Faith in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The Holy Spirit has a path to walk in each person, and gives each person the opportunity to be perfected. Through your negativity you are made to know your own corruption, and then by throwing off negativity you will find a path to practice; these are all ways in which you are perfected. Further, through the continuous guidance and illumination of some positive things inside of you, you will proactively fulfill your function, grow in insight and gain discernment. When your conditions are good, you are especially willing to read the word of God, and especially willing to pray to God, and can relate the sermons you hear to your own state. At such times God enlightens and illuminates you within, making you realize some things of the positive aspect. This is how you are perfected in the positive aspect. In negative states, you are weak and passive; you feel that you do not have God in your heart, yet God illuminates you, helping you find a path to practice. Coming out of this is attainment of perfection in the negative aspect. God can perfect man in both positive and negative aspects. It depends on whether you are able to experience, and on whether you pursue being perfected by God. If you truly seek being perfected by God, then the negative cannot make you suffer loss, but can bring you things that are more real, and can make you more able to know that which is lacking within you, more able to grasp your real state, and see that man has nothing, and is nothing; if you do not experience trials, you do not know, and will always feel that you are above others and better than everyone else. Through all this you will see that all that came before was done by God and protected by God. Entry into trials leaves you without love or faith, you lack prayer and are unable to sing hymns, and without realizing it, in the midst of this you come to know yourself.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do not be a passive follower of God, and do not pursue that which makes you curious. Through being neither cold nor hot you will ruin yourself and delay your life. You must rid yourself of such passivity and inactivity, and become adept at pursuing positive things and overcoming your own weaknesses, so that you may gain the truth and live out the truth. There is nothing fearful about your weaknesses, and your shortcomings are not your biggest problem. Your biggest problem, and your greatest shortcoming, is your being neither hot nor cold and your lack of desire to seek the truth. The biggest problem with all of you is a cowardly mentality whereby you are happy with things as they are, and just passively wait. This is your greatest obstacle, and the greatest enemy to your pursuit of the truth.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If your heart truly is at peace before God, you will not be disturbed by anything going on in the outside world, or occupied by any person, event, or thing. If you have entry into this, then those negative states and all negative things—human notions, philosophies for living, abnormal relationships between people, and ideas and thoughts, and so forth—will naturally disappear. Because you are always pondering God’s words, and your heart is always drawing close to God and always being occupied with the current words of God, those negative things will fall away from you without you realizing it. When new and positive things occupy you, negative old things will have no place, so do not pay attention to those negative things. You need not make an effort to control them. You should focus on being at peace before God, eat, drink, and enjoy God’s words as much as you can, sing hymns in praise of God as much as you can, and let God have a chance to work on you, because God now wants to perfect humanity personally, and He wants to gain your heart; His Spirit moves your heart and if, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you come to live in God’s presence, you will satisfy God.

Excerpted from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now, you must pay no mind to negative things. First, put aside and disregard anything that makes you feel negative. When you are handling affairs, do so with a heart that searches and feels its way forward, a heart that submits to God. Whenever you discover a weakness within you but do not let it control you, and despite it, perform the functions that you ought to, you have made a positive step forward. For example, you older brothers and sisters have religious notions, yet you are able to pray, submit, eat and drink of the word of God, and sing hymns…. This is to say, you should devote yourselves with all the strength you can muster to whatever you are able to do, whatever functions you are able to perform. Do not wait passively. Being able to satisfy God in your performance of your duty is the first step. Then, once you are able to understand the truth and attain entry into the reality of God’s words, you will have been perfected by Him.

Excerpted from “On Everyone Performing Their Function” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people, despite being in the midst of negativity, can still maintain an attitude of “being faithful till the end, no matter what the outcome,” when performing their duties. I say that this is change, yet you yourselves are unable to recognize it. Actually, if you examine yourself carefully, you will see that a part of your corrupt disposition has already changed; however, when you are constantly measuring yourself against the highest of standards, not only will you not be able to meet them, but you will even negate any changes you have already made within yourself. This is where people go astray. If you are truly someone who can tell right from wrong, then there is no harm in making yourself aware of the changes that have occurred within you; not only can you see them, but you can, moreover, find a path to practice going forward. When that happens, you will see that as long as you are hard-working, you still have hope; you will see that you are not irredeemable. Right now I tell you this: Those who can correctly view their problems have hope; they can come out from negativity.

You give up on the truth because you think you are already beyond saving, so you end up abandoning even the most fundamental truths. Perhaps it is not that you cannot put the truth into practice, but that you have discarded opportunities to do so. If you give up on the truth, can you still change? If you give up on the truth, where is the meaning in your belief in God? As has already been said, “Regardless of when it is done, seeking a change in disposition is never wrong.” Have you forgotten these words? Nevertheless, you feel that you are without hope. If you have lost your positive pursuits, will negative things not emerge? How, then, will you be able to refrain from being negative? Thus, I still say to you: You must view yourself correctly, and not give up on the truth.

Excerpted from “View Yourself Correctly and Do Not Give Up on the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

55. The Principles of Preventing Absurdities

(1) Focus on eating and drinking of God’s words and seeking the truth, and do not try to explain God’s words with your thinking or imagination, but focus on practicing, experiencing, and understanding them;

(2) When you eat and drink of God’s words, redouble your efforts to seek and contemplate their actual meaning. Do not comb through them or take them out of context, but understand His will in speaking them;

(3) One should fellowship frequently with people who have a pure understanding of the truth. Only thus can one rid themselves of absurdities and prejudices, arriving at a pure understanding and knowledge;

(4) Submit to the shepherding and watering of the man whom the Holy Spirit uses. Come to a pure understanding of the truth, and learn to submit to it. Only thus can prejudices and absurdities be rectified.

Relevant Words of God:

As a believer in God, you should be loyal to none other than Him in all things, and be able to conform with His will in all things. Nevertheless, though everyone understands this message, because of the sundry difficulties of man—because of his ignorance, absurdity, and corruption, for example—these truths, which are the most apparent and basic of all, are not wholly evident in him, and so, before your end becomes set in stone, I ought first to tell you a few things that are of the utmost importance to you. Before I continue, you should first understand this: The words I speak are truths directed at all mankind; they are not addressed only to a specific person or type of person. Therefore, you should concentrate on understanding My words from the standpoint of the truth, and must have an attitude of undivided attention and sincerity; do not ignore a single word or truth that I speak, and do not treat all of the words I speak lightly. In your lives, I see that you have done much that is irrelevant to the truth, and so I expressly ask that you become servants of the truth, that you not be enslaved by wickedness and ugliness, and that you do not trample on the truth or defile any corner of the house of God. This is My admonition to you.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In My words, there are mysteries that are incomprehensible to man. Only those whom I love can express Me, and no others; this has been determined by Me, and no one can change it. My words are rich, comprehensive, and unfathomable. All should expend great effort on My words, try to ponder them often, and not omit a single word or sentence—otherwise, people will labor under error, and My words will be misunderstood.

Excerpted from “Chapter 119” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Coming to a genuine understanding of God’s words is no simple matter. Do not think this way: “I can interpret the literal meaning of God’s words, and everyone says my interpretation is good, and gives me a thumbs-up, so this means I understand God’s words.” That is not the same as understanding God’s words. If you have gained some light from within God’s utterances, and you have gotten a sense of the true meaning of His words; and if you can express the intention behind His words and what effect they will ultimately achieve, then once you have a clear understanding of all of these things, you can be considered to have some level of understanding of God’s words. Thus, understanding God’s words is not all that simple. Just because you can give a flowery explanation of the literal meaning of God’s words does not mean you understand them. No matter how much you can explain their literal meaning, your explanation is still based on human imagination and way of thinking. It is useless! How can you understand God’s words? The key is to seek the truth from within them; only in that way can you truly understand what He says. Whenever God speaks, He certainly does not speak in mere generalities. Each sentence He utters contains details that are certain to be revealed further in God’s words, and they may be expressed differently. Man cannot fathom the ways in which God expresses the truth. God’s utterances are very profound and cannot be fathomed with human way of thinking. People can discover the entire meaning of every aspect of the truth as long as they make an effort; if you do this, then as you experience them, what details remain will be filled in completely as the Holy Spirit enlightens you, thus giving you an understanding of these concrete states. One part is understanding God’s words and seeking their specific content through reading them. Another part is understanding the implications of God’s words through experiencing them and obtaining enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. It is primarily by these two means that a true understanding of God’s words is achieved. If you interpret His words literally, or through the lens of your own thinking or imagination, then your understanding of God’s words is not real no matter how eloquently you can interpret them. You might even take their meaning out of context and misinterpret them, and doing so is even more troublesome. Thus, the truth is primarily obtained by receiving enlightenment from the Holy Spirit through gaining knowledge of God’s words. Understanding the literal meaning of His words, or being able to explain them, does not count as having gained the truth. If you only needed to interpret the literal meaning of His words, then what would be the point of the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment? In that case, you would only need to have a certain level of education, and the uneducated would all be in quite a predicament. God’s work is not something that can be comprehended by the human brain. A true understanding of God’s words relies mainly on having enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; such is the process of gaining the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The most important parts of understanding the truth in God’s words are understanding God within His words, understanding human life within His words, and understanding all aspects of the truth within His words, such as the true understanding of oneself and discovering the meaning of human existence within God’s words. All truth is within God’s words. You cannot enter into the truth unless it is done through the words of God. The main outcome you must attain is to know what it is to possess understanding and knowledge of God’s words. With a real understanding of God’s words, you can then understand the truth. This is the most fundamental thing. Some people work and preach and, despite superficially appearing to be fellowshiping on God’s utterances, they are only discussing the literal meaning of His words, and nothing essential is mentioned. Their sermons are like teachings from a language textbook—arranged item by item and aspect by aspect, and when they are done, everyone sings praises, saying, “This person possesses reality. He preached so well and in such detail.” After such people are done preaching, they tell others to compile their sermons and send them out to everybody. In doing this, they have gotten to where they are deceiving others and all that they preach are fallacies. On the surface, it looks as though they are preaching only God’s words and their sermons conform to the truth. However, with more careful discernment, you will see that they are nothing but letters and doctrines and false reasoning along with some human imaginings and notions, as well as some things that delimit God. Does this kind of preaching not amount to an interruption of God’s work? This is service that resists God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the past, there were a lot of deviations and even absurdities in the ways people experienced. They simply did not understand the standards of God’s requirements, so there were many areas in which people’s experiences went awry. What God requires of man is for them to be able to live out normal humanity. For example, it is all right for people to follow modern conventions with regard to food and clothing, to wear a suit and a tie, to learn a bit about modern art, and in their spare time they can enjoy arts, culture and entertainment. They can take some memorable photos, they can read and gain some useful knowledge, and have a relatively good living environment. These are all things that befit a life of normal humanity, and yet people see them as things detested by God and they hold themselves back from doing them. Their practice consists of merely following a few rules, which leads to a life that is as dull as ditchwater and entirely devoid of meaning. In fact, God has never demanded that people do things in this way. People all wish to curtail their own dispositions, praying unceasingly within their spirits to be closer to God, their minds constantly mulling over what God intends, their eyes constantly observing this or that, in great fear that their connection to God will somehow be severed. These are all conclusions that people have come to on their own; they are rules set by people for themselves. If you do not know your own nature essence and you do not understand what level your own practice can reach, then you will have no way to be certain exactly what standards God requires of man, and neither will you have an accurate path of practice. Since you cannot understand what it is exactly that God requires of man, your mind is always churning, you rack your brains analyzing God’s intentions and fumble about searching for some way to be moved and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. As a result, you develop some ways of practice that you believe to be suitable. You simply have no idea what it is exactly that God requires of man; you just blithely carry out your own set of practices, caring little about the outcome and even less about whether there are deviations or errors in your practice. In this way, your practice naturally lacks accuracy and is unprincipled. What it particularly lacks are normal human reason and conscience, as well as God’s commendation and the corroboration of the Holy Spirit. It becomes entirely too easy to simply take your own road. This kind of practice is just following rules or intentionally taking up more of a burden in order to restrict yourself and control yourself. Yet you think that you have your practice down to a tee, not knowing that the majority of your practice consists of unnecessary processes or observances. There are many who practice like this for years with basically no change in their dispositions, no new understanding, and no new entry. They unknowingly recommit the same old mistakes and give full play to their brutish natures, even to the point where there are many times when they commit unreasonable, inhumane acts, and behave in ways that leave people scratching their heads and completely baffled. Could such people be said to have experienced dispositional transformation?

Excerpted from “Practice (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

While seeking entry, every matter must be investigated. All matters must be thoroughly contemplated in accordance with God’s word and the truth so that you know how to handle them in a way that conforms entirely with God’s will. Things that arise from your self-will can then be abandoned. You will know how to do things in accordance with God’s will, and will then go and do them; it will feel as though everything is taking its natural course, and it will seem exceedingly easy. This is how people who have the truth do things. You can then really show others that your disposition has changed, and they will see that you certainly have done some good deeds, that you do things according to principle, and that you do everything right. This is someone who understands the truth and who indeed has some human likeness. Sure enough, the word of God has reaped results in people. Once people truly understand the truth, they can discern their states of being, see to the bottom of complicated matters, and know the appropriate way to practice. If you do not understand the truth, you will not be able to discern your state of being. You will want to rebel against yourself but will have no idea how to do it or what you are rebelling against. You will want to abandon your self-will, but if you think that your self-will conforms to the truth, then how can you abandon it? You might even think that it is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and you will therefore refuse to abandon it no matter what. Thus, when people are not in possession of the truth, they are very liable to think that whatever arises from their self-will, their human impurities and good intentions, their humans’ muddleheaded love and human practices are correct, and that they conform to the truth. How, then, can you rebel against these things? If you do not understand the truth or know what it means to put the truth into practice, and if your eyes are clouded and you have no idea which way to turn and can therefore only do things based on what you think is right, then you will commit certain acts that will be off-track and erroneous. Some of these acts will be in keeping with the rules, some will arise from enthusiasm, and some will have originated with Satan and will cause disturbances. People who do not possess the truth act like this: a little to the left, and then a little to the right; correct one minute, and then deviating the next; with no accuracy at all. Those who do not possess the truth take an absurd view on things. As such, how can they handle matters properly? How can they resolve any problems? Understanding the truth is not an easy thing to do. Being able to comprehend God’s words depends on understanding the truth, and the truth that people are capable of understanding has its limits. Their understanding of God’s words will still be limited even if they believe in Him for their entire lives. Even those who are relatively experienced can, at best, get to where they can stop doing things that obviously resist God, stop doing things that are obviously evil, and stop doing things that do not benefit anyone. It is not possible for them to attain a state that has none of their self-will mixed in. This is because people think normal thoughts, and some of their thinking conforms to God’s words and belongs to an aspect of comprehension that cannot be classified as self-will. However, the key is to discern the parts of self-will that go against God’s words, against the truth, and against enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. You must therefore make an effort to know God’s words, and only by understanding the truth can you have discernment.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

56. The Principles of Addressing Notions and Imaginings

(1) It is necessary to establish that God alone is the truth, that the truth comes from His words, and that no matter how good human notions and imaginings happen to be, they remain naught but hollow doctrine;

(2) Human notions and imaginings are not at all in line with God’s words, and are incompatible with the essence of the truth. One who lives by them cannot be saved;

(3) The truth is the sole nemesis of notions. One must read more of God’s words and seek the truth; only thus can one be thoroughly rectified of human notions and imaginings;

(4) It is necessary to practice and experience God’s words, and to come to an understanding of the truth and a true knowledge of God. Only thus can one be completely rid of human notions and imaginings.

Relevant Words of God:

Know that you oppose God’s work, or use your own notions to measure the work of today, because you do not know the principles of God’s work, and because of your rash treatment of the work of the Holy Spirit. Your opposition to God and obstruction of the work of the Holy Spirit is caused by your notions and inherent arrogance. It is not because God’s work is wrong, but because you are naturally too disobedient. After finding their belief in God, some people cannot even say with certainty where man came from, yet they dare to make public speeches appraising the rights and wrongs of the Holy Spirit’s work. They even lecture the apostles who have the Holy Spirit’s new work, passing comment and speaking out of turn; their humanity is too low, and there is not the slightest sense in them. Will the day not come when such people are rejected by the work of the Holy Spirit, and burned by the fires of hell? They do not know the work of God, but instead criticize His work, and also try to instruct God how to work. How can such unreasonable people know God? Man comes to know God during the process of seeking and experiencing; it is not through criticizing at whim that man comes to know God through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The more accurate people’s knowledge of God becomes, the less they oppose Him. In contrast, the less people know of God, the more likely they are to oppose Him. Your notions, your old nature, and your humanity, character and moral outlook are the capital with which you resist God, and the more corrupted your morals, odious your qualities, and low your humanity, the more you are the enemy of God. Those who are possessed of strong notions and who have a self-righteous disposition are even more in enmity of God incarnate; such people are the antichrists. If your notions are not rectified, then they will always be against God; you will never be compatible with God, and will always be apart from Him.

Only by putting aside your old notions can you gain new knowledge, yet old knowledge is not necessarily equivalent to old notions. “Notions” refers to the things imagined by man that are at odds with reality. If the old knowledge was already outdated in the old age and stopped man from entering into the new work, then such knowledge is also a notion. If man is able to take the correct approach to such knowledge and can come to know God from several different aspects, combining the old and the new, then the old knowledge becomes an aid to man, and becomes the basis by which man enters the new age. … Man believes in his own imagined God in his mind, and does not seek the God of reality. If one person has one kind of belief, then among a hundred people there are a hundred kinds of belief. Man is possessed of such beliefs because he has not seen the reality of God’s work, because he has only heard it with his ears and has not beheld it with his eyes. Man has heard legends and stories—but rarely has he heard the knowledge of the facts of God’s work. Thus it is that people who have only been believers for a year come to believe in God through their own notions. The same is also true for those who have believed in God their entire lives. Those who cannot see the facts will never be able to escape from a faith in which they have notions about God. Man believes that he has freed himself from the bonds of his old notions, and has entered new territory. Does man not know that the knowledge of those who cannot see the true face of God is nothing but notions and hearsay? Man thinks that his notions are right and without error, and he thinks that these notions come from God. Today, when man witnesses the work of God, he lets loose notions that have built up over many years. The imaginings and ideas of the past have become an obstruction to the work of this stage, and it has become difficult for man to let go of such notions and to refute such ideas. The notions toward this step-by-step work of many of those who have followed God until today have become ever more grievous, and these people have gradually formed a stubborn enmity to the God incarnate. The source of this hatred lies in the notions and imaginings of man. The notions and imaginings of man have become the enemy of the work of today, work which is at odds with the notions of man. This has happened precisely because facts do not allow man to give free rein to his imagination, and, moreover, cannot be easily refuted by man, and the notions and imaginings of man do not brook the existence of facts, and, furthermore, because man does not give thought to the correctness and veracity of facts, and merely single-mindedly lets loose his notions and employs his own imagination. This can only be said to be the fault of the notions of man, and cannot be said to be a fault of the work of God. Man may imagine whatever he wishes, but he may not freely dispute any stage of God’s work or any bit of it; the fact of God’s work is inviolable by man.

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you use your own notions to measure and delimit God, as if God were an unchanging statue of clay, and if you completely delimit God within the parameters of the Bible and contain Him within a limited scope of work, then this proves that you have condemned God. Because the Jews in the age of the Old Testament took God to be an idol of fixed form that they held in their hearts, as if God could only be called the Messiah, and only He who was called the Messiah could be God, and because humanity served and worshiped God as if He were a (lifeless) clay statue, they nailed the Jesus of that time to the cross, sentencing Him to death—the guiltless Jesus was thus condemned to death. God was innocent of any offense, yet man refused to spare Him, and insisted on sentencing Him to death, and so Jesus was crucified. Man always believes that God is unchanging, and defines Him on the basis of one single book, the Bible, as though man has a perfect understanding of God’s management, as though man holds all that God does in the palm of his hand. People are absurd in the extreme, arrogant in the extreme, and they all have a flair for hyperbole. No matter how great your knowledge of God, I still say that you do not know God, that you are someone who opposes God the most, and that you have condemned God, because you are utterly incapable of obeying the work of God and walking the path of being made perfect by God. Why is God never satisfied with the actions of man? Because man does not know God, because he has too many notions, and because his knowledge of God in no way agrees with reality, but instead monotonously repeats the same theme without variation and uses the same approach for every situation. And so, having come to earth today, God is once more nailed to the cross by man.

Excerpted from “The Wicked Will Surely Be Punished” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Because there are always new developments in God’s work, there is work that becomes obsolete and old as new work arises. These different types of work, old and new, are not contradictory, but complementary; each step follows from the last. Because there is new work, the old things must, of course, be eliminated. For example, some of the long-established practices and habitual sayings of man, coupled with man’s many years of experience and teachings, have formed all manner and form of notions in the mind of man. That God has yet fully to reveal His true face and inherent disposition to man, along with the spread, over many years, of traditional theories from ancient times have been yet more propitious to man’s formation of such notions. It may be said that, over the course of man’s belief in God, the influence of various notions has led to the continual formation and evolution of all sorts of notional understandings of God in people, which has caused many religious people who serve God to become His enemies. So, the stronger people’s religious notions are, the more they oppose God, and the more they are the enemies of God. The work of God is always new and never old; it never forms doctrine, instead changing continually and being renewed to a greater or lesser extent. Working in this way is an expression of the inherent disposition of God Himself. It is also the inherent principle of God’s work, and one of the means by which God accomplishes His management. If God did not work in this way, man would not change or be able to know God, and Satan would not be defeated. Thus, in His work, changes continually occur that appear erratic, but which are actually periodic. The way in which man believes in God, however, is quite different. He clings to old, familiar doctrines and systems, and the older they are, the more palatable they are to him. How could the foolish mind of man, a mind that is as intransigent as stone, accept so much unfathomable new work and words of God? Man abhors the God who is always new and never old; he likes only the old God, who is long of tooth, white of hair, and stuck in place. Thus, because God and man each have their own likes, man has become the enemy of God. Many of these contradictions still exist even today, at a time when God has been doing new work for almost six thousand years. They are, then, beyond remedy. Perhaps it is because of the stubbornness of man, or the inviolability of God’s administrative decrees by any man—but those clergymen and women cling still to moldy old books and papers, while God carries on with His uncompleted work of management, as if He had no one by His side. Though these contradictions make enemies of God and man, and are even irresolvable, God pays them no heed, as if they were at once there and not there. Man, however, still sticks by his beliefs and notions, and never lets go of them. Yet one thing is self-evident: Even though man does not deviate from his stance, God’s feet are always moving, and He is always changing His stance according to the environment. In the end, it is man who will be defeated without a fight. God, meanwhile, is the greatest enemy of all His defeated foes, and is also the champion of mankind, defeated and undefeated alike. Who can compete with God and be victorious? Man’s notions seem to come from God because many of them were born in the wake of God’s work. However, God does not forgive man because of this, nor, moreover, does He pour praise on man for producing batch after batch of products “for God” in the wake of His work that are outside of His work. Instead, He is extremely disgusted by man’s notions and old, pious beliefs, and does not even have a mind to acknowledge the date on which these notions first emerged. He does not accept at all that these notions are caused by His work, for the notions of man are spread by man; their source is the thoughts and mind of man—not God, but Satan. God’s intention has always been for His work to be new and alive, not old and dead, and what He has man adhere to varies with the age and period, and is not everlasting and immutable. This is because He is a God who causes man to live and be new, rather than a devil who causes man to die and be old. Do you still not understand this? You have notions about God and are incapable of letting go of them because you are close-minded. It is not because there is too little sense within God’s work, nor because the work of God diverges from human wishes, nor, moreover, is it because God is always negligent in His duties. You cannot let go of your notions because you are too lacking in obedience, and because you have not the slightest likeness of a created being; it is not because God is making things difficult for you. You caused all of this, and it bears no relation at all to God; all suffering and misfortune is created by man. God’s thoughts are always good: He does not wish to cause you to produce notions, but wishes for you to change and be renewed as the ages pass. Yet you do not know what is good for you, and are always either scrutinizing or analyzing. It is not that God is making things difficult for you, but that you have no reverence for God, and your disobedience is too great. A tiny created being, daring to take some trivial part of that which was previously given by God, then turning around and using it to attack God—is this not the disobedience of man? Humans, it is fair to say, are utterly unqualified to express their views before God, and less still are they qualified to parade around their worthless, stinking, rotten, flowery language as they wish—to say nothing of those moldy notions. Are they not even more worthless?

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know the Work of God Today May Serve God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God becomes flesh and comes to work among men, all behold Him and hear His words, and all see the deeds that God works from within His body of flesh. At that moment, all man’s notions become foam. As for those who have seen God appearing in the flesh, they shall not be condemned if they willingly obey Him, whereas those who purposefully stand against Him shall be deemed an opponent of God. Such people are antichrists, enemies who willfully stand against God. Those who harbor notions regarding God but are still ready and willing to obey Him will not be condemned. God condemns man on the basis of man’s intentions and actions, never for his thoughts and ideas. If He were to condemn man on the basis of his thoughts and ideas, then not a single person would be able to escape from the wrathful hands of God. Those who willfully stand against the incarnate God shall be punished for their disobedience. With regard to these people that willfully stand against God, their opposition stems from the fact that they harbor notions about God, which leads them in turn into actions that disrupt God’s work. These people intentionally resist and destroy the work of God. They do not merely have notions about God, but they also engage in activities that disrupt His work, and for this reason people of this kind shall be condemned. Those who do not willfully disrupt God’s work shall not be condemned as sinners, because they are able to willingly obey and not engage in activities that cause disruption and disturbance. People like this shall not be condemned. However, when people have experienced God’s work for many years, if they continue to harbor notions about God and remain unable to know the work of the incarnate God, and if, no matter how many years they have experienced His work, they continue to be filled with notions about God and are still unable to come to know Him, then even if they do not engage in disruptive activities, their hearts are nevertheless filled with many notions about God, and even if these notions do not become apparent, people like this are of no help whatsoever to the work of God. They are unable to spread the gospel for God or stand witness to Him. People like this are good-for-nothings and imbeciles. Because they do not know God and are moreover wholly incapable of casting away their notions about Him, they are therefore condemned. It can be said like this: It is normal for novices in the faith to hold notions about God or to know nothing of Him, but for one who has believed in God for many years and experienced a good deal of His work, it would not be normal for such a person to continue to hold notions, and it would be even less normal for someone like this to have no knowledge of God. It is because this is not a normal state that they are condemned. These abnormal people are all garbage; they are the ones who oppose God the most and who have enjoyed the grace of God for nothing. All such people shall be eliminated in the end!

Excerpted from “All People Who Do Not Know God Are People Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You have believed in God for all these years, and though you understand some truths, inside each of you are your own interpretations, beliefs, and imaginings—and they all contravene and contradict the intentions of God and the truth. These things are people’s notions. Everything that is at odds with the truth belongs to the notions and imaginings of man. So how do the notions of man come about? There are many different causes. Partly it is the dissemination and inculcation of knowledge; so, too, is there the creeping influence of traditional culture and the impact of social trends and certain family teachings. Overall, man has been influenced and indoctrinated by the wicked society of Satan; this is the root cause of his notions.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People’s notions may have no effect on what they eat or how they sleep, and they may not impact their normal human lives, but they do exist in people’s minds and in their thoughts, they cling to people like a shadow, following them around all the time. Unless you constantly remove them, they will constantly control your behavior and thinking, they will control your judgment, they will control your knowledge of God, and they will control your relationship with God. Notions are a major problem. People having notions about God is like a wall standing between them and God, one that stops them from seeing the true face of God, that stops them from seeing the true disposition and true essence of God—for people live among their notions, and among their imaginings, and they use their notions to determine whether God is right or wrong, and to measure, condemn, and judge all that God does. What kind of state are people often plunged into by doing this? Can people truly submit to God when they live among their notions? Can they have true faith in God? No, they cannot. Even when they do submit a little, it is according to their own notions and imaginings. As soon as someone submits according to their notions and imaginings, it becomes tainted with personal things that are of Satan and the outside world, and that are at odds with the truth. The problem of people’s notions about God is a serious one; it is a major issue between man and God that urgently needs to be resolved. Everyone who comes before God brings notions, they bring all manner of suspicions about God. So, too, can it be said that they bring myriad misunderstandings about God in the face of all that God bestows upon them, in the face of His arrangements and orchestrations. And what kind of relationship with God are they then faced with? People constantly misunderstand God, they are constantly suspicious of God, and they constantly use their own standards to measure whether God is right or wrong, to measure each of His words and work. What is this behavior? They are rebelling against, opposing, condemning, blaspheming against, passing judgment on, competing with—and, in more serious cases, “dueling” with—God. At the most grievous extent, people’s notions render them incapable of accepting the true God Himself, of accepting and obeying the truth, and so they are liable to deny the existence of God and forsake the God they follow. This is a frightening problem.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people give rise to misunderstandings and notions about God, they first must acknowledge that God is the truth and that people do not have the truth, and it is certainly they who are mistaken. Is this a kind of formality? If you only adopt this practice as a formality, superficially, then can you come to know your own mistakes? Never. It takes several steps. First, you must determine whether your actions are in line with principles. Do not look at your intents at first; there are times when your intents are correct but the principles you practice are wrong. Why do I say the principles you practice are wrong? You may have sought, but perhaps you have no understanding at all of what principles are; perhaps you have not sought at all, and have based your actions solely on your good intentions and enthusiasm, and on your imagination and experience, and you have therefore made a mistake. Can you imagine that? When you fail to anticipate something, you make a mistake—and have you not then been exposed? Once you are exposed, if you keep competing with God, then how are you mistaken? Your greatest mistake was not that you did something wrong and violated the principles, thereby causing a loss or other consequences, but that, having done something wrong, you yet persist and cannot acknowledge your error; you still resisted God with your notions and imaginings, denying that His work was right. This was your greatest and most serious mistake. Why would such a state in a person be one of resistance to God? Whether or not people recognize that everything God does and His sovereignty are right, and what their significance is, if they cannot first recognize that they themselves are wrong, then their state is one of resistance against God. What is to be done to rectify this state? Seeking God’s will, as has been mentioned, is not so practical for people. Some say, “If seeking isn’t so practical, then does that mean it isn’t necessary, and that there’s no need to seek what can be sought and understood? I can just skip that step.” Will this do? Is one who acts in this manner not beyond saving? Such people are really skewed and erroneous in their interpretations. Seeking God’s will is a somewhat roundabout task for people; if they wish to take a more realistic shortcut, then they should start by denying themselves, setting themselves aside, knowing that their actions are wrong and not in line with the truth, and then seeking the truth principle. These are the steps. They may seem simple, yet putting them into practice presents many difficulties, for humans have corrupt dispositions as well as all manner of imaginings, all manner of demands, and they have desires, as well, all of which interfere with people denying themselves and setting themselves down. These are not easy things to do.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People’s notions must be resolved using the truth; they cannot be simply put aside with a man-made solution—it is not that easy. People have no commitment to righteous matters, but are liable to cling to notions or heretical and absurd things, which they find hard to put aside. What is the cause of this? It is because they have satanic corrupt dispositions. Whether people’s notions are large or small, serious or not, if they do not have a corrupt disposition, these notions are easy to solve. Notions, at the end of the day, are just a way of thinking. But because of people’s corrupt dispositions, such as hardness, wickedness and arrogance, notions become a fuse which causes people to resist, misinterpret, and even pass judgment on God. They might not say it, but their behavior shows that they resist and do not accept your perspective. Governed by a corrupt disposition, they cling to their notions—this is caused by their disposition. And so, as notions are solved, so too are people’s corrupt dispositions. If people’s corrupt dispositions are solved, then many of their immature, childish thoughts—even the notions that have already taken shape—are not an issue for them; they are just thoughts, and do not affect the performance of your duty, or your obedience to God. Notions and corrupt dispositions are connected. Sometimes a notion is in your heart, but it does not direct your actions. When it does not infringe upon your immediate interests, you ignore it. Ignoring it, however, does not mean there is not a corrupt disposition within your notion, and when something happens that is in conflict with your notions, you cling to them with a certain attitude, an attitude dominated by your disposition. This disposition could be hardness, it could be arrogance, and it could be viciousness; you shoot your mouth off to God, saying, “My point of view has been academically ratified many times. People have held such views for thousands of years, so why shouldn’t I? If You are not right, how can You still say it is the truth, and above all else? My perspective is the highest of all mankind!” One notion can lead to you behaving like this, to such bluster. What causes this? It is caused by corrupt dispositions. The relationship between notions and people’s corrupt dispositions is great, and their notions must be resolved. Once people’s notions about faith in God have been addressed, it becomes easy for them to submit to the work arrangements of the house of God, and so they perform their duty more smoothly, they are not side-tracked, they do not meddle or interrupt, and they do not do anything that brings shame upon God. If people’s notions and imaginings are not addressed, it becomes easy for them to do things that cause interruptions and interference. In more serious cases, people’s notions can produce in them all manner of resistance to the incarnation of God, which makes you question Christ and become unable to accept Him, whilst also affecting your acceptance of the truth and entry into truth reality. In even more serious cases, people’s various notions about the work of God cause them to deny the work of God, the ways in which God works, and the sovereignty and arrangements of God—in which case they have no hope of salvation whatsoever. No matter which aspect of God people have notions about, behind these notions lurk corrupt dispositions, which can cause these corrupt dispositions to become worse, giving people even more of a pretext to approach the work of God, God Himself, and the disposition of God using their own corrupt dispositions. And does this not encourage them to resist God with their corrupt dispositions? This is the consequence of notions for man.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s salvation of man is not just empty words. He expresses all these truths in order to address the things of corrupt mankind that are at odds with the truth—their notions, imaginings, knowledge, philosophies, traditional culture, etc.—and, by dissecting these things, to make man understand what constitutes positive things, what constitutes negative things, which things come from God, which things come from Satan, what the truth is, and what the philosophies and logic of Satan are. When people are able to see these things for what they really are, they will naturally choose to pursue the correct path of life, and they are able to practice the truth, to do as God asks, and discern negative things. This is what God asks of man, and so, too, is it the standard by which He perfects and saves people. Some people say, “God dissects man’s notions, but I have no notions. People who have notions are usually wily old foxes, or else theologians and hypocritical Pharisees. I’m not like that.” What is the problem here? They do not know themselves. No matter what is fellowshiped to them, they are incapable of applying it to themselves, thinking that they are not like that. This is ignorance, and they have no understanding of spiritual things. Are you able to think in this way? Today, most people do not think like that. They have heard many sermons, they sense that everyone has corruptions and notions that are passive and negative, and that there is nothing shameful in dissecting them; after dissecting them, furthermore, they believe that it will help others develop discernment, and they themselves will grow, and be able to understand the truth more quickly. For this reason they are all able to openly dissect themselves. Well, in that case, what is the aim of dissecting notions? It is to put aside these notions, to address misunderstandings between man and God, and then enable people to focus on what God asks of man, to know how to enter onto the path of salvation, and to know what to do to practice the truth. Ultimately, by continually practicing in this way, the intended effect is achieved: On the one hand, people will come to understand the will of God and become able to submit to God, and on the other, they will have the immunity to reject and resist many negative things, such as wicked notions and imaginings, and things that arise from knowledge. When faced with a religious intellectual, a theologian, or a religious pastor or elder, you can see through them as soon as you start to talk with them, and are able to use the truth to refute their myriad notions, imaginings, heresies, and fallacies. This shows that you are able to identify negative things, that you have understood some truths, that you are possessed of a certain stature, and so are not intimidated when faced with these religious leaders and figures. The knowledge, the learning, and the philosophies they talk about—even all of their ideologies and theories—are untenable, for you have seen through the letters and doctrine, the notions and imaginings, of religion, and the things of religion can deceive you no longer. But you are not there yet. When you encounter these religious fraudsters and Pharisees, or anyone with a little status, you are intimidated; you know what they are saying is wrong, that it consists of notions and imaginings, born of knowledge, but you do not know how to repudiate it, you do not know from where to start dissecting it, or which words to expose these people with. Does this not show that you still have not understood the truth? So you must equip yourselves with the truth and learn to dissect yourselves. When you have understood the truth, you will be able to see through other people, but if you do not understand the truth, you will never see through them. To see through people and things, you must understand the truth; without the truth as your foundation, as your life, you will not be able to deeply penetrate anything.

When people have resolved various notions and imaginings, they have knowledge and experience of God’s words, and at the same time they have also entered the reality of God’s words. In the process of entering the reality of God’s words, the various notions and imaginings that arise in people are resolved, one-by-one, and there is a change in people’s knowledge of God’s work, God’s essence, and the various attitudes God has toward people. How is this change brought about? It is brought about when people put aside their various notions and imaginings, when they put aside the various ideas and perspectives that come from knowledge, philosophy, traditional culture or the outside world, and instead accept the various points of view that come from God and that are connected to the truth. And so, when people accept the words of God as their life, they also enter into the reality of God’s words, and are able to regard and think about questions using the truth, and resolve issues using the truth; these are the changes that resolving notions brings to people’s lives and their existence. When people achieve such changes, their relationship with God becomes one of created beings and Creator. In relationships at this level, there is no competition, no temptation, and very little rebellion; people are much more obedient, understanding, worshipful, faithful, and honest toward God, and they truly fear God. But resolving people’s notions is a very painful process. People must deny themselves, they must put aside their notions, put aside the things they believe to be right, put aside the things that they cling to, put aside the things they have believed to be correct and which they have pursued and longed for their whole lives. This means that people must forsake themselves, must put aside the knowledge, philosophies—even their way of existence—that were learned from the world of Satan, and replace them with another way of living, the foundation and the root of existence of which is the truth. As such, people must endure great suffering. Such suffering may not be physical illness or the hardship and difficulties of daily life, but it may come from a change in all types of views of different things and of mankind in your heart, or it may even come from a change in the various aspects of the knowledge you have of God, which turns upside down your knowledge and view of the world, human existence, mankind, and even God.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When a notion appears, no matter what the notion is, first spend some time contemplating and analyzing it in your mind. Study whether it is right to think this. If you have a clear sense that to think such things is fallacious and wrong, that this is blasphemy against God, then waste no time in praying to God and asking for His enlightenment and guidance. Keep the matter in your mind, and then, during devotions, assembly, and the performance of your duty, gradually come to know and experience other related matters—and, while coming to know and experiencing such matters, focus on resolving your own notions. You can, of course, also conduct appropriate fellowships with other people, discussing topics in this area, striving to get help from them and find a solution in God’s words. Amidst the words of God and your own experiences, you will gradually attest that God was right to speak thus, which will be tremendously effective in helping you solve the issue of your own notions. And, because you accept and experience such words and work of God, and ultimately come to understand God’s will and acquire knowledge of God’s dispositions, you solve your notions and put them aside, and do not misinterpret God nor are wary of God, and do not make unreasonable demands of God. This is one kind of notion that can be solved.

There is another kind of notion that is hard to fix, and that people can’t solve. For notions that are hard to solve, there is one principle that people must follow. If you give vent to such notions, the fact is that this then becomes spreading notions. I have already fellowshiped the consequences and nature of spreading notions, and you should understand the essence of this issue, so it’s best if you weigh such things up by yourself, rather than making rash remarks out loud. If you say, “It’s hard for me to keep these things to myself, I can’t bear it,” then speak of them in your prayers with God. What should you say to God? Go ahead and say, “O God! These are the kinds of thoughts I’ve been having. I wish to put them aside, but I can’t. I know these things are blasphemous to You, and I beg for Your help and guidance, and ask that You discipline me, and use suitable means to expose me, making me realize that my notions are wrong. I will gladly accept any method You employ.” Instead of giving vent to such notions, which can disturb and beguile people, keep them to yourself. If you find it hard to keep them to yourself, then quietly murmur them to yourself. If that doesn’t work, you must speak of them in prayer and ask for God’s guidance and the enlightenment of His words to allow you to put these notions aside. Some people say, “If giving vent to these notions during assembly with brothers and sisters is spreading notions, then when I’m having a hard time keeping them to myself, is it OK to speak of them with family members?” If your family members are all brothers and sisters, and giving vent to these notions perturbs them, is this the right thing to do? If what you say has an adverse impact on people, if it is damaging, harmful, and beguiling to them, then whatever you do, don’t say it. You must pray, and ask God to solve this. As long as you have a heart that is pious and hungers for righteousness, your notions can be resolved. There is nothing God’s words cannot cure, no problem they cannot solve; what matters is if you are able to accept them, and are willing to put them into practice, and whether you are able to put your notions aside. If you believe that, then you should appeal to God about this in your prayers. If, despite all your entreaties, God does not enlighten you, does not allow you to understand anything clearly, yet in your heart and subconscious you unwittingly come to believe that this notion means nothing, and it ceases to perturb you, and though you don’t understand why God has acted thus, and God has not used clear words or clear truths to tell you why He has acted thus, has not clarified you as to His intentions, and allowed you to remedy your notion, the notion hasn’t taken shape in you, it doesn’t disturb your life, the path ahead of you, or your normal spiritual life—much less does it upset your normal relationship with God, and naturally also does not affect your duty—then has this notion basically been solved? This is the path of practice.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (16)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what God does, whether it is easy for you to accept, or difficult for you to accept and likely to cause notions in you, in sum, the identity of God does not change as a result; He shall always be the Creator, and you will always be a creature of God. If you can reject the limitations of any notion, and still maintain with God the relationship of a creature and the Creator, then you are a true creature of God. If you are able to not be influenced or disturbed by any notion, and are capable of true obedience from the depths of your heart, and if, regardless of whether your understanding of the truth is profound or shallow, you are able to put notions aside, and not be constrained by them, believing only that God is the truth, the way, and the life, that God will forever be God, and does not make mistakes, then you can be saved. In fact, everyone’s stature is limited. How many things can be packed into people’s minds? Are they able to know God? Can they fathom God? That’s wishful thinking! Do not forget: people will always be infants before God. If you always think you’re clever, if you always show off, and have to try and figure everything out, saying “If I can’t understand this, then I cannot acknowledge that You are my God, I cannot accept that You are my God, I cannot acknowledge that You are the Creator. If You don’t solve my notions, You’re dreaming if You think that I’ll acknowledge that You are God, that I’ll accept Your sovereignty, and that I’ll obey You,” then things have gone awry. How have they gone awry? God does not discuss such things with you. Toward man He shall ever be as follows: If you do not accept that God is your God, He shall not accept that you are one of His creatures. When God does not accept that you are one of His creatures, a change occurs in your relationship with God as a result of your attitude toward Him. If you are unable to obey, and to accept the identity and essence of God, and all that God does, there will be a change in your identity. Are you still a creature of God? If God does not acknowledge you, then there’s no point in insisting otherwise. And if you are not a creature of God, and God does not want you, do you still have hope of salvation? If you are unable to perform the responsibilities and duties that a creature of God ought to, if you do not treat the Creator from the position of a creature of God, how will God treat you? How will He view you? God, too, will not consider you as one of His creatures, but as the devil Satan. Didn’t you think you were clever? How is it that you’ve made yourself into the devil Satan? This isn’t clever, it’s stupid. What do these words teach people? They must stay in line before God. Even if you have a reason for your notions, do not think yourself possessed of the truth, and that you are qualified to clamor against God and make assertions about Him. Whatever you do, don’t be like that. Once you lose your identity as a creature of God, you’re done for—this is no joke. It is precisely because, when people have notions, they take a different approach, and adopt a different solution, that the outcome is entirely different.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (16)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Once you have grasped the principles, notions become easy to solve. Do not allow yourself to be hobbled by notions; if you can solve them, then do your utmost to solve them, and if you can’t, don’t let them affect your duty and relationship with God. So, too, must you not spread these notions; do not be one of the wicked, do not be someone who causes disturbances and disruptions, do not be an emissary of Satan, do not be an outlet of Satan. If, no matter how hard you try, you only skim the surface, and are unable to solve the notion completely, then just ignore it; don’t let it affect your pursuit of the truth and pursuit of life entry. Having grasped these various aspects of principles, in most circumstances, people can be protected. If you are someone who accepts the truth, who loves positive things, who is not evil, who is not willing to interrupt or disturb, nor does so deliberately, then you will usually be protected when notions appear in you. The basic principle is this: When you have notions, if they are difficult to solve, take your time before you do anything about them; first wait, God does not make mistakes. Remember this principle. In addition, you must not put aside your own duty—it must not be affected by notions. As soon as you have notions, don’t think to yourself, “Who cares if I fool about? I’m in a bad mood, there’s no way I’m going to do a good job.” If you think this way, things will go awry; as soon as your attitude changes into negativity, perfunctoriness, and going through the motions, this is trouble, this is a case of notions stirring things up within you. When notions stir up trouble within you and affect your performance of your duty, your relationship with God has already undergone a change. When the notions within you have not been resolved, some don’t affect your performance of your duty, and some do. Their effect on your duty is that these notions cause you to doubt God; you do not perform your duty properly, and do not feel there is any consequence to not performing your duty, you are not afraid, you have no fear of God—and this is dangerous, this is you being plunged into temptation and made a fool of by Satan, and snatched away by Satan. The choices you make and your attitude toward your notions are crucial; regardless of whether the notions can be solved, and irrespective of the degree to which they can be solved, the normal relationship between you and God must not change. Partly, you should be able to obey all that is laid out by God: God does not make mistakes, and the knowledge of this and the truths relating to this should never change. Partly, you must not put aside the duty that God has entrusted to you, you must not unburden yourself of this. If, internally or externally, you have no resistance, reluctance, rebelliousness, or disobedience toward God, God will see only your obedience, and that you are waiting. You may still have notions, but God does not see your disobedience because there is not disobedience and resistance in you; God still considers you one of His creatures. In contrast, if your heart is full of complaints and dissatisfaction, and you are looking for the chance of retribution, and do not wish to perform your duty, if your performance of your duty is affected, and you even try to unburden yourself of it, and if, in your heart, there are all manner of unreasonable complaints about God, and certain outpourings of dissatisfaction appear in the course of performing your duty, then at this time a huge change has occurred in your relationship with God. Your position is no longer that of a creature of God, you are no longer a creature of God, but have become an outlet for the devil Satan—and so God will not be so polite to you. When people get to this point, they are in dangerous territory. Even if God does nothing, you will be on shaky ground in the church. And so, in everything they do—particularly when it involves issues such as solving notions—people must take care to avoid doing things that offend God, or that are condemned by God, or which hurt or harm others. This is the principle.

Having notions about God is a big deal! Aside from acceptance, obedience, listening, what is most commonly seen between man and God is people having notions about God. This absolutely cannot be ignored. If people don’t have the right method and path with which to approach these notions, following God will be very strenuous for them, they will take many detours, and as soon as they are not careful, they may well set foot on the path of disobedience and hostility toward God. And when they set foot on this path, it’s all over for them—could they still have a chance, do you think? There is no easy fix for this; they have no chance. And so, before God denies that you are His creation, you must learn how to be a creature of God. Don’t try and learn how to study the Creator, or how to verify and confirm that the Creator is the God you believe in—this is not your obligation, it is not your responsibility. What people should contemplate and think about in their heart each day is how to be a good creature of God, not how to prove whether God is the Creator, whether He is God, whether, when God does something, God was right to do it—this is not what you should study.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (16)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

57. The Principles of Rectifying Defensiveness Against God and Misunderstandings of Him

(1) Christ alone is mankind’s Savior. Only He can bestow upon man the truth and the life, and there is no salvation but His;

(2) It is necessary to know that God’s judgment and chastisement, trials and refinement, and pruning and dealing are all done for the sake of man’s salvation and perfection, and are all expressions of love for humanity;

(3) When one encounters an event that does not accord with their notions, they should seek the truth, understand God’s will, and attempt to gain knowledge of His disposition. Only thus can one be rid of their notions and misunderstandings;

(4) Those who constantly defend against and misunderstand God are deceitful people, and all who do not believe God is the truth are contemptible wretches—non- and un-believers, through and through.

Relevant Words of God:

Today God judges you, chastises you, and condemns you, but you must know that the point of your condemnation is for you to know yourself. He condemns, curses, judges, and chastises so that you might know yourself, so that your disposition might change, and, moreover, so that you might know your worth, and see that all of God’s actions are righteous and in accordance with His disposition and the requirements of His work, that He works in accordance with His plan for man’s salvation, and that He is the righteous God who loves, saves, judges, and chastises man. If you only know that you are of lowly status, that you are corrupt and disobedient, but do not know that God wishes to make plain His salvation through the judgment and chastisement that He does in you today, then you have no way of gaining experience, much less are you capable of continuing forward. God has not come to kill or destroy, but to judge, curse, chastise, and save. Until His 6,000-year management plan comes to a close—before He reveals the outcome of each category of man—God’s work on earth will be for the sake of salvation; its purpose is purely to make those who love Him complete—thoroughly so—and to bring them into submission under His dominion. No matter how God saves people, it is all done by making them break away from their old satanic nature; that is, He saves them by having them seek life. If they do not do so, then they will have no way to accept God’s salvation. Salvation is the work of God Himself, and the seeking for life is something that man must take on in order to accept salvation. In the eyes of man, salvation is the love of God, and the love of God cannot be chastisement, judgment, and curses; salvation must contain love, compassion, and, moreover, words of solace, as well as boundless blessings bestowed by God. People believe that when God saves man, He does so by moving them with His blessings and grace, so that they can give their hearts to God. That is to say, His touching man is His saving them. This sort of salvation is done by striking a deal. Only when God grants them a hundredfold will man come to submit before God’s name and strive to do well for Him and bring Him glory. This is not what God intends for mankind. God has come to work on earth in order to save corrupt mankind; there is no falsehood in this. If there were, He would certainly not have come to do His work in person. In the past, His means of salvation involved showing the utmost love and compassion, such that He gave His all to Satan in exchange for the whole of mankind. The present is nothing like the past: The salvation bestowed upon you today occurs at the time of the last days, during the classification of each according to kind; the means of your salvation is not love or compassion, but chastisement and judgment, in order that man may be more thoroughly saved. Thus, all that you receive is chastisement, judgment, and merciless smiting, but know this: In this heartless smiting there is not the slightest punishment. Regardless of how harsh My words might be, what befall you are but a few words that might appear utterly heartless to you, and no matter how angry I might be, what rain upon you are still words of teaching, and I do not mean to harm you or put you to death. Is this not all fact? Know that nowadays, whether it be righteous judgment or heartless refinement and chastisement, everything is for the sake of salvation. Regardless of whether today each is classified according to kind or the categories of man are laid bare, the purpose of all of God’s words and work is to save those who truly love God. Righteous judgment is brought to purify man, and heartless refinement is done to cleanse them; harsh words or chastening are both done to purify and are for the sake of salvation. Thus, today’s method of salvation is unlike that of the past. Today, you are brought salvation through righteous judgment, and this is a good tool for classifying you each according to kind. Moreover, ruthless chastisement serves as your utmost salvation—and what have you to say in the face of such chastisement and judgment? Have you not always enjoyed salvation, from start to finish? You have seen God incarnate and realized His omnipotence and wisdom; in addition, you have experienced repeated smiting and discipline. However, have you not also received supreme grace? Are your blessings not greater than those of anyone else? Your graces are more bounteous even than the glory and riches enjoyed by Solomon! Think about it: If My intention in coming were to condemn and punish you rather than save you, could your days have lasted so long? Could you sinful beings of flesh and blood have survived until today? If My goal were merely to punish you, then why would I have become flesh and embarked upon such a great enterprise? Could punishing you mere mortals not simply be done by uttering a single word? Would I still need to destroy you after purposely condemning you? Do you still not believe these words of Mine? Could I save man merely through love and compassion? Or could I only use the crucifixion to save man? Is My righteous disposition not more conducive to making man completely obedient? Is it not more capable of thoroughly saving man?

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of you live in a land of sin and licentiousness, and you are all licentious and sinful. Today you are not just able to look upon God, but more importantly, you have received chastisement and judgment, you have received truly profound salvation, which is to say, you have received God’s greatest love. In all that He does, God is truly loving toward you. He has no ill intention. It is because of your sins that He judges you, so that you will examine yourselves and receive this tremendous salvation. All this is done for the purpose of making man complete. From beginning to end, God has been doing His utmost to save man, and has no desire to completely destroy the men He created with His own hands. Today, He has come among you to work; is this not salvation all the more? If He hated you, would He still do work of such magnitude in order to personally guide you? Why should He suffer so? God does not hate you or have any ill intentions toward you. You should know that God’s love is the truest love. It is only because people are disobedient that He has to save them through judgment; if not for this, saving them would be impossible. Because you do not know how to live and are not even aware of how to live, and because you live in this licentious and sinful land and are yourselves licentious and filthy devils, He cannot bear to let you become even more depraved, He cannot bear to see you living in this filthy land as you do now, trampled on by Satan at will, and He cannot bear to let you fall into Hades. He only wants to gain this group of people and thoroughly save you. This is the main purpose of doing the work of conquest on you—it is just for salvation. If you cannot see that everything done on you is love and salvation, if you think it is just a method, a way to torment man, and something untrustworthy, then you might as well go back to your world to suffer pain and hardship! If you are willing to be in this stream, and to enjoy this judgment and this immense salvation, to enjoy all of these blessings, blessings that cannot be found anywhere in the human world, and to enjoy this love, then be good: Stay in this stream to accept the work of conquest so you can be made perfect. Today, you may suffer a little pain and refinement because of God’s judgment, but there is value and meaning to suffering this pain. Though people are refined and mercilessly exposed by God’s chastisement and judgment—the aim being to punish them for their sins, to punish their flesh—none of this work is intended to condemn their flesh to destruction. The severe disclosures by the word are all for the purpose of leading you onto the right path. You have personally experienced so much of this work and, clearly, it has not led you onto an evil path! It is all in order to make you live out normal humanity, and it is all achievable by your normal humanity. Every step of God’s work is based upon your needs, according to your weaknesses, and according to your actual stature, and no unbearable burden is placed on you. This is not clear to you today, and you feel as if I am being hard on you, and indeed you always believe that the reason I chastise, judge and reproach you every day is because I hate you. But although what you suffer is chastisement and judgment, this is actually love for you, and it is the greatest protection. If you cannot grasp the deeper meaning of this work, it will be impossible for you to continue experiencing. This salvation should bring you comfort. Do not refuse to come to your senses. Having come this far, the significance of the work of conquest should be clear to you, and you should no longer hold opinions about it one way or another!

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Many people who believe in God do not focus on understanding His will; they think everyone predestined by God to be saved inevitably will be, and they think everyone who is not predestined by God to be saved will not be, no matter what they do. They think God will not determine people’s outcome based on their performance and behavior. If this is your thinking, you greatly misunderstand God. If God truly acted so, would He be righteous? God determines people’s outcome based on a principle: Ultimately, people’s outcome will be determined according to their performance and behavior. You do not see God’s righteous disposition, and you always misunderstand God and distort His intentions, which causes you always to be pessimistic and lose hope. Is this not self-inflicted? Do you really, in truth, understand, and are you sure of God’s intentions? You have always used “God’s predestination” to delimit and deny God’s words. This is a serious misunderstanding of God! You do not understand God’s work, and you do not understand His will at all; and, more than that, you do not understand the painstaking efforts God has exerted in His six thousand years of management work. You give yourself over to despair, second-guess and doubt God; you are afraid of being a service-doer, thinking, “There is nothing great about me; why am I being promoted to do this work? Is God using me? Is He making me do service now, and planning to get rid of me when I am no longer useful?” Is not this view of God categorizing Him among those in power? You have always misunderstood God; you have thought ill of God and regarded Him with contempt. You have never believed God’s words and His sincerity, you have actively sought to be a service-doer, you have taken the initiative to walk on the path of the service-doers—but you have not sought to change your disposition, nor have you suffered hardships in order to put the truth into practice. Ultimately, you have pushed your responsibilities onto God, saying He has not predestined you, and He has not been sincere with you. What is the problem? You misunderstand God’s intentions, you do not believe God’s words, you are not putting the truth into practice, and neither do you devote yourself while performing your duty. How can you satisfy God’s will? Such people are not qualified in the least to be service-doers, so how could they be qualified to negotiate with God? If you think God is not righteous, why do you believe in Him? You have always wanted God to say to you personally, “You are of the people of the kingdom, and this will never change” before you exert yourself for God’s family, and if He does not say this, you will never give Him your true heart. How rebellious such people are! I have seen a great many people who have never focused on transforming their dispositions, and less have they focused on putting truth into practice. They only pay attention to asking whether they will obtain a good destination, how God will treat them, whether He has a predestination for them to be His people, and other matters of hearsay. How can such people, who are not engaged in honest work, obtain eternal life? How can they remain in God’s family?

Now I solemnly tell you: If a predestined person does not put the truth into practice, then he will ultimately be eliminated; and a person who sincerely expends himself for God and does his best to put truth into practice—even if people view him as a person who is not predestined to remain—will have a better final destination than those so-called predestined people who have had no devotion, because of God’s righteous disposition. Do you believe these words? If you are not able to believe these words and you continue going about things in the wrong way, then I say to you that you certainly will not be able to survive, because you do not truly want God and are not fond of the truth. Since it is this way, God’s predestination of people is not important. The reason I say this is because in the end, God will determine people’s outcomes by their performance and behavior; however, objectively speaking, God’s predestination only plays a small role and does not play a leading role. Do you understand these words?

Excerpted from “God’s Will Is to Save People to the Greatest Extent Possible” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

I take pleasure in those who are not suspicious of others, and I like those who readily accept the truth; toward these two kinds of people I show great care, for in My eyes they are honest people. If you are deceitful, then you will be guarded and suspicious toward all people and matters, and thus your faith in Me will be built upon a foundation of suspicion. I could never acknowledge such faith. Lacking true faith, you are even more devoid of true love. And if you are liable to doubt God and speculate about Him at will, then you are, without question, the most deceitful of all people. You speculate whether God can be like man: unpardonably sinful, of petty character, devoid of fairness and reason, lacking a sense of justice, given to vicious tactics, treacherous and cunning, pleased by evil and darkness, and so on. Is not the reason that people have such thoughts because they lack the slightest knowledge of God? Such faith is nothing short of sin! There are even some who believe that the ones who please Me are precisely those who flatter and bootlick, and that those lacking in such skills will be unwelcome in the house of God and will lose their place there. Is this the only knowledge you have acquired after all these years? Is this what you have gained? And your knowledge of Me does not stop at these misunderstandings; even worse is your blasphemy against God’s Spirit and vilification of Heaven. This is why I say that such faith as yours will only cause you to stray further from Me and be in greater opposition against Me. Throughout many years of work, you have seen many truths, but do you know what My ears have heard? How many among you are willing to accept the truth? You all believe you are willing to pay the price for the truth, but how many of you have truly suffered for the truth? There is nothing but unrighteousness in your hearts, which makes you think that everyone, no matter who they are, is equally deceitful and crooked—to the point that you even believe that God incarnate could, like a normal person, be without a kind heart or benevolent love. More than that, you believe that a noble character and a merciful, benevolent nature exist only within the God in heaven. You believe that such a saint does not exist, that only darkness and evil reign on earth, while God is something with which people entrust their longing for the good and beautiful, a legendary figure fabricated by them. In your minds, the God in heaven is very upstanding, righteous, and great, worthy of worship and admiration; this God on earth, meanwhile, is but a substitute, and an instrument, of the God in heaven. You believe this God could not be the equal of the God in heaven, much less be mentioned in the same breath as Him. When it comes to the greatness and honor of God, they belong to the glory of the God in heaven, but when it comes to the nature and the corruption of man, they are attributes in which the God on earth has a part. The God in heaven is eternally lofty, while the God on earth is forever insignificant, weak, and incompetent. The God in heaven is not given to emotion, only righteousness, while the God on earth only has selfish motives and is without any fairness or reason. The God in heaven has not the slightest crookedness and is forever faithful, while the God on earth always has a dishonest side. The God in heaven loves man dearly, while the God on earth shows man inadequate care, even neglecting him entirely. This erroneous knowledge has long been kept within your hearts and may also be perpetuated in the future. You regard all deeds of Christ from the standpoint of the unrighteous and evaluate all His work, as well as His identity and essence, from the perspective of the wicked. You have made a grave mistake and done that which has never been done by those coming before you. That is, you serve only the lofty God in heaven with a crown upon His head, and never attend to the God whom you regard as so insignificant that He is invisible to you. Is this not your sin? Is this not a classic example of your offense against the disposition of God?

Excerpted from “How to Know the God on Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you have misunderstandings of God, there are hard, biased elements in you that will prevent you from seeking the truth. If your misunderstandings are removed, you will be able to seek the truth; if they are not, there will be a feeling of estrangement in your heart, and you will pray in a perfunctory way; this is cheating God, and He will not listen. As soon as you have a misunderstanding of God, and as soon as feelings of distance and estrangement arise, your heart becomes closed to God, and you do not want to listen to His words nor seek the truth. No matter what you do, you are simply going through the motions, disguising yourself and being deceptive. When man’s misunderstandings of God are resolved and he has stepped past this hurdle, he will regard each of God’s words and requirements with sincerity, and come before Him in earnest with an honest heart. If, between man and God, there is contradiction and distance and misunderstanding, then man is playing the role of Satan and is in opposition to God. What are the consequences of this opposition? Can such a person submit to God? Can they accept the truth? They can do neither, and the changes in their disposition come to a standstill. Therefore, when one examines one’s various states, in one regard it is done to know oneself, while in another regard, it necessitates a focus on examining what misunderstandings one has of God. What do these misunderstandings entail? Notions, imaginings, delimitations, doubts, investigations, and speculations. When you are caught up in these states, a problem arises in your relationship with God. You must seek out the truth at once to resolve it—and resolve it you must. Some think that if they have a misunderstanding of God, they cannot perform their duty until they have resolved the issue. Does this hold? (No.) Do not put off performing your duty, but perform your duty and resolve your issue at the same time. As you perform your duty, your misunderstanding of God will begin to withdraw without your realizing it, and you will discover where the issue originated and how serious it is. Someday, you may be able to realize, “Man is a created being, and the Creator is forever my Lord; this essence does not change, nor does man’s status, nor does God’s status. No matter what God does, and even if all mankind sees what He does as wrong, I cannot deny what He has done, nor can I deny that He is the truth. God is the highest truth, eternally inerrant. Man should hold fast to his position; he should not investigate God, but accept God’s orchestrations and accept all of His words. All God says and does is right. Man should not make various demands of God—created beings are unqualified to do so. Even if God were to treat me as a plaything, I should still submit, and if I do not, that is my problem, not God’s.” When you have experience and knowledge of this aspect of the truth, you will truly enter into submission to God, and you will have no more major difficulties, and, whether you are performing your duty or practicing various aspects of the truth, many difficulties will have been resolved. This is the greatest and most profound truth. Many times, when people are faced with various difficulties, when there are various obstacles, or when they encounter something they cannot come to terms with, it is because they are standing in the wrong position: They have misunderstandings of God; they want to investigate God and do not want to treat Him as God; they want to deny the correctness of all God says and does; and they want to deny that God is the truth. This implies that man does not want to be a created being, but would like to be on equal footing with God, to find fault with Him. This will cause trouble. If you can fulfill your duty properly and hold fast to your place as a created being, then essentially no resistance to what God does will arise in you. You may have some misunderstandings, and you may have some notions, but, at the very least, your attitude will be one of willingness to accept God’s orchestrations, and you will be coming from a place of willingness to submit to God, so no resistance to God will arise in you.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People often worry about and are fearful of the trials of God, yet at all times they are living in Satan’s snare, and living in perilous territory in which they are attacked and abused by Satan—yet they know not fear, and are unperturbed. What is going on? Man’s faith in God is only limited to the things he can see. He has not the slightest appreciation of God’s love and concern for man, or of His tenderness and consideration toward man. But for a little trepidation and fear about God’s trials, judgment and chastisement, and majesty and wrath, man has not the slightest understanding of God’s good intentions. At the mention of trials, people feel as if God has ulterior motives, and some even believe that God harbors evil designs, unaware of what God will actually do to them; thus, at the same time as crying out obedience to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, they do all they can to resist and oppose God’s sovereignty over man and arrangements for man, for they believe that if they are not careful they will be misled by God, that if they do not keep a grip on their own fate then all that they have could be taken by God, and their life could even be ended. Man is in Satan’s camp, but he never worries about being abused by Satan, and he is abused by Satan but never fears being taken captive by Satan. He keeps saying that he accepts God’s salvation, yet has never trusted in God or believed that God will truly save man from the claws of Satan. If, like Job, man is able to submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, and can give his entire being to the hands of God, then will man’s end not be the same as Job’s—the receipt of God’s blessings? If man is able to accept and submit to God’s rule, what is there to lose? Thus, I suggest that you be careful in your actions, and cautious toward everything that is about to come upon you. Do not be rash or impulsive, and do not treat God and the people, matters, and objects He has arranged for you depending on your hot blood or your naturalness, or according to your imaginations and notions; you must be cautious in your actions, and must pray and seek more, to avoid inciting the wrath of God. Remember this!

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The people God saves are those who have been corrupted by Satan and thus came to have corrupt dispositions. They are not perfect people without the slightest blemish, nor are they people who live in a vacuum. For some, as soon as their corruption is revealed, they think, “Yet again, I’ve resisted God; I’ve believed in Him for so many years, but I still haven’t changed. God surely doesn’t want me anymore!” What sort of attitude is this? They have given up on themselves and think that God does not want them anymore. Is this not a case of misunderstanding God? When you are so negative, it is easiest for Satan to find chinks in your armor, and once it has succeeded, the consequences are unimaginable. Therefore, no matter how much difficulty you are in or how negative you are feeling, you must never give up! While people’s lives are developing and while they are being saved, they sometimes take the wrong path or go astray. They exhibit some immature states and behavior in their life for a while, or sometimes grow weak and negative, say the wrong things, slip and fall, or suffer a failure. From God’s point of view, such things are all normal, and He would not make a fuss over them. Seeing how profoundly corrupted they are, that they will never be able to satisfy God, brings pain to some people’s hearts, and people who are capable of such remorse are often the objects of God’s salvation. Those who do not feel they need salvation, who think they are already perfect, are not the ones who will be saved by God. Why am I telling you this? What I mean is that you must have faith: “Despite the fact that I am now weak, and that I have fallen down and failed, one day I will grow, one day I shall be able to satisfy God, understand the truth, and be saved.” You must have this faith. No matter what setbacks, difficulties, or failures and falls, you must not be negative; you must know what kind of people are saved by God. In addition, if you feel that you are unfit for salvation by God, if you occasionally have a state in which you feel you are loathsome or displeasing to God, or if there was a time in the past when you were wholly unapproved of or rejected by God, do not worry. You now know this, and so it is not too late; as long as you repent, God shall give you your chance at salvation.

Excerpted from “Entry Into Life Is Most Important to Faith in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Because of a single word from God, people often think that God has come to a conclusion about them, that He has abandoned them—and as a result, they are unwilling to continue following God and moving onward. In fact, you do not understand what abandonment is; your abandonment of yourself is the real abandonment. Sometimes, the words with which God defines you are merely spoken in anger; He is by no means coming to a conclusion about you, nor is He condemning you, much less is this His final punishment, and He is not setting your final destination. These are nothing more than words that judge and deal with you. They speak of God’s fervent hopes for you, they are words to remind and to warn you, and they are words from within God’s heart. Yet there are some who fall down and forsake God as a result of these words of judgment. There are some who are weak for a time and come before God and say, “This will not do. I must continue forward and do as God asks. If people leave the Creator, their lives become not worth living. To live out the value of a created being, I must keep following God.” So how can they follow God? They must not follow as they did before. Before, they were not faithful in their duty. They were unwilling to accept being pruned and dealt with, and would always complain after suffering a little hardship. You must walk that path no more, you must walk by another means, you must do as God asks, and if God says you are wrong, you must not jump to any conclusion using your notions and imaginings, and try to take a stand against God; you must submit, and admit that you were wrong. Is this not a path to practice? Do people stray from God when they have a path to practice? There are times when people believe God has abandoned them—but in fact, God has not abandoned you, He just finds you detestable, and does not wish to heed you. He has not, however, truly forsaken you. There are those who make an effort to perform their duty in the house of God, but because of their essence and the various things that are manifested in them, God does actually forsake them; they were not truly chosen, but merely gave service for a time. There are some, meanwhile, whom God does His utmost to discipline, chasten, and judge; He employs various ways of treating them that are at odds with the notions of man. Some people do not understand, and think that God is picking on them and being hurtful. They think that there is no dignity to living before God, they do not wish to hurt God any longer, and take it upon themselves to leave God. They think the way they live is sensible, and so they take it upon themselves to leave God—but in fact, God had not forsaken them. Such people have no inkling of the will of God. They are somewhat oversensitive, going so far as to give up on God’s salvation. Do they really have conscience? There are times when God shuns people, and times when He places them to one side for a time so that they may reflect upon themselves, but God has not truly forsaken them; He is giving them the opportunity to repent, and is not genuinely forsaking them. God only truly forsakes antichrists and the wicked who commit many evil acts. Some people say, “I feel devoid of the work of the Holy Spirit and long have I been without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Has God forsaken me?” This is a misconception. You say that God has forsaken you, that He will not save you, so has He set your end? There are occasions when you cannot feel the work of the Holy Spirit, but has God deprived you of the right to read His words? You are possessed of normal human thought, and the path to salvation is not blocked to you, so why do you feel sad? People are not in a good state, they do not seek the truth to resolve it, but instead always lay the blame on God, saying “God, You don’t want me, so I don’t want You, either.” This is just being unreasonable.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

At times, God uses a certain matter to expose you or discipline you. Does this then mean that you have been eliminated? Does it mean your end has come? No. It is like when a child has been disobedient and made a mistake; his parents might chide and punish him, but if the child cannot fathom his parents’ intention or understand why they are treating him this way, then he will start to wonder whether he is actually their biological child. What was the actual reason behind one’s parents’ actions? They are meant to make you learn your lesson, and primarily so that in the future you will take what they say seriously, be able to do as you are told, behave in accordance with their advice, and not do anything that disobeys them or makes them worry, and then they will have achieved the desired effect. If you have listened to your parents, will you not make progress? And will it not spare them from having to worry? Will they not then be satisfied with you? Will they still need to punish you like that? Thus, in many cases, people’s concern stems from their own interests. Speaking generally, it is the fear that they will have no outcome: “If, by chance, God exposes and eliminates me, and rejects me, then there’ll be nothing I can do; if He says He doesn’t want me, then He doesn’t want me.” This is your misinterpretation of God; these are only your thoughts. You have to figure out what God’s intention is. His exposing people is not done to eliminate them, but to make them grow. Moreover, sometimes you might think you are being exposed, when in fact, you are not. Often, due to being of low caliber and not understanding the truth, as well as having an arrogant disposition, loving to show off, having a rebellious disposition, being unconscientious, careless, and casual in performing their duties, do their work poorly, and do not fulfill their duties properly. On the other hand, sometimes you might fail to abide by the principles that have been imparted to you; they just go in one ear and out the other. You do as you please, acting rashly without first fellowshiping more with others, and being a law unto yourself. Your actions have no good effects to speak of, and run counter to principle. In this, you should be disciplined, so how could it be said that you have been eliminated? You must approach this the right way. What is the right way to approach it? With matters in which you do not understand the truth, you must seek. What does seeking include? It is not merely a matter of seeking to understand doctrine; you must come to understand God’s will, as well as the principle for this work done by God’s house. What is principle? Principle is not doctrine. It has several criteria: What the work arrangements stipulate for such matters, what the Above has ordered with regard to doing such work, what God’s words say about performing this kind of duty, and the necessity to satisfy His will. What are the criteria for satisfying God’s will? They involve acting according to the truth principle. Broadly speaking, they are putting the interests of God’s house and its work first. More specifically, in all regards, no major problems should occur, and that no shame should be brought upon God. If people master these principles, will their worries not gradually recede? And will they also not let go of their misconceptions? Once you put aside your misconceptions, and no longer have any unreasonable thoughts about God, negative things will slowly cease to hold a dominant position within you, and you will approach these sorts of matters in the correct manner. Thus, it is important to seek the truth and strive to understand God’s will.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing God’s Words Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

From the beginning, I have often exhorted you that each of you must pursue the truth. So long as there is a chance to do so, do not give up; pursuing the truth is the obligation, responsibility, and duty of each person, and the path that each person should walk, as well as the path all who would be saved must walk. Yet no one heeds this—no one thinks it a matter of import, believing it to be mere cant, each person thinking what they will. This is why, from the beginning unto today, though there have been many who clutch books of God’s words in their hands and read them, who listen to sermons, who all seem to have accepted judgment and chastisement in the course of performing their duties, and who accept God’s guidance, a relationship between man and God has not, in fact, been established, and all people are guided by their imaginings, notions, misunderstandings, and speculations, such that they live each day in doubt and negativity in how they treat God’s words and work, as well as His guidance. If you live in such states, how can you cast off negativity? How can you cast off rebelliousness? How can you cast off the mindset and attitude of deceit and evil or the speculations and misunderstandings with which you approach the commission and duty that God has given you? Certainly, they cannot be cast off. Therefore, if you wish to embark on a path of pursuing and practicing the truth and entering truth reality, you must come at once before God, pray to Him, and try to grasp His will—and figuring out His will is what matters most. You should do this instead of living your days within the thoughts and ideas in your head, constantly wondering: What am I thinking? What do I want? What sort of misunderstandings and notions do I have of God? In what things do I question God? What has God done that has hurt me, or made me unhappy, or caused speculations and doubts to arise in me? If you are occupied all day in pondering these things, will you be able to understand the truth? The further you go along this path, the deeper your misunderstandings of God and the more distant your relationship with Him grows; it may be said that the further you go, the more evil deeds and transgressions you accumulate. You may perform your duty, but as you do, there is a careless, slipshod, resistant, and rebellious attitude, or even a perfunctory, irreverent attitude, in your approach to your duty and responsibilities. What must come of this in the end? The result will be that, at such times as you suffer and perform your duty, you will not have gained the truth, nor can you gain it or enter truth reality. What is the cause that engenders this result? It is that there are notions and misunderstandings of God in people’s hearts—these practical problems have not been resolved. There is thus always a gulf between man and God. So, if man wishes to come before God, he must first resolve whichever misunderstandings, as well as whichever notions, questions, speculations and imaginings, he still has toward God. He must examine these things in himself. If someone truly has notions or misunderstandings of God, it is not a simple problem. If that person has not gained the truth and does not resolve their notions and misunderstandings by seeking the truth, then these things will not disappear on their own. Though they may not affect your performance of your duty or your pursuit of the truth, when you encounter certain matters or particular circumstances, they will reemerge, and will continue to do so until you have resolved them. To come before God in self-reflection is primarily a means to resolve man’s misunderstandings and notions of God, and as each issue is resolved, man’s relationship with God grows a bit more normal, and man’s life takes a step toward maturation. Once one resolves many of their notions and misunderstandings, the gulf between them and God grows much smaller, and their faith in God grows—and with great faith, far fewer things adulterate one’s practice of the truth, and there are far fewer adulterations and hindrances in one’s pursuit of the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If an issue befalls you and you can seek the truth, then you can understand an aspect of the truth and gain that aspect of the truth. What can be achieved by understanding the truth? When you understand an aspect of the truth, you understand an aspect of God’s will, and you understand why God visited this thing on you, why He would make such a demand of you, why He would orchestrate circumstances to chasten and discipline you so, why He would use this matter to discipline you, and why you have fallen down, failed, and been exposed in this matter. If you can understand these things, you will be able to pursue the truth and will achieve life entry. If you cannot understand these things and do not accept these facts, but insist on opposition and resistance, on using your own techniques to cover up after yourself, on facing all others and facing God with a false countenance, then you will be forever unable to gain the truth.

If you have an attitude of honesty and of accepting the truth; if, no matter how hard it is to bear, and no matter the loss to your prestige, you treat these matters with an attitude that submits to the truth and loves it; if you come before God to seek and accept them, and, as you accept them, you dissect and reflect without cease on all you do and all you reveal, and on your motives—then, unawares, you will make progress, and the truth will be worked in you. And when these problems are resolved, and your attitude, point of view, and state when you encounter an issue increasingly tend toward the positive, will there still be a gulf between you and God? Even if there is, it will grow smaller, and your questions of God, as well as your speculations, misunderstandings, grievances, rebelliousness, and resistance directed at Him, will grow fewer. When there are fewer of these things, then, when something befalls you, you will be calmer; you will grow quiet and seek the correct path of practice. If, whenever an event befalls you, you are anxious, and you wish always to use the methods of man, without seeking the truth in the least, then this is troublesome. You will certainly rely on the methods of man to handle it—this is the first reaction that comes to a person’s mind, and so come the slippery methods, the “clever” techniques, and the philosophies for living. There are people whom these things have tormented for a long time, who never apply themselves toward the truth, instead constantly wondering how to apply the techniques of man; they struggle for so long that they become wan with exhaustion. This is how pitiful man is when he does not practice or pursue the truth. Though you may now perform your duty willingly, and you make sacrifices and expend of yourself willingly, if your misunderstandings, speculations, doubts, or grievances regarding God, or even your rebelliousness and resistance against Him are unresolved, or if the various methods and techniques you use to resist Him and reject His sovereignty over you are unresolved, then it will be nigh impossible for the truth to reign in you, and your life will be exhausting. People often struggle and are tormented in these negative states, thrashing about as if they had sunk into a quagmire, always living among truths and falsehoods, rights and wrongs. How can they discover the truth? To seek the truth, one must first submit. After a period of experience, they will be able to see some results, at which point it is easy to understand the truth. If one is always trying to work out what is right and wrong and gets caught up in what is true and false, they have no way to discover or understand the truth. And if one can never understand the truth, what will this lead to? Not understanding the truth gives rise to misunderstandings; with misunderstandings, it is easy to feel aggrieved; when grievances burst forth, they become resistance; resistance turns at once to transgression; and many transgressions turn at once to manifold evils, and so one should then be punished. This is the sort of consequence that may come of it. So, the pursuit of truth is not merely meant to have you perform your duty well, to be obedient, to behave by the rules, to appear devout, or to have saintly decorum. It is not merely meant to resolve such issues, but to resolve all manner of wrong views with which you treat God. The purpose of understanding the truth is to resolve man’s corrupt dispositions; when those corrupt dispositions are resolved, man will no longer have misunderstandings about God, and the relationship between man and God will gradually improve and become increasingly normal. Once a corrupt disposition is resolved, therefore, man’s misgivings, suspicions, misunderstandings, questions, and grievances regarding God, as well as his resistance and even his test of God, will all be resolved, bit by bit. What immediate manifestation occurs when a corrupt disposition is resolved? (Man’s attitude toward God changes.) In what ways do each of the attitudes man has regarding God manifest? They manifest in every event that befalls you, in your treatment of it, in your attitude toward it, in your first reaction, and in your state. What decides your attitude? It is decided by whether you have the truth in this matter, whether you have sought the truth, whether you wish to gain the truth, and whether you understand the truth. In what way does an improved relationship between man and God manifest? It manifests in how you treat the people, events, and things you encounter in daily life. Does this include the performance of duty? (It does.) That is the relationship. This is why practicing and pursuing the truth are of the utmost importance! If you do not pursue the truth, yet still wish to resolve the problem of your notions, grievances, and misunderstandings regarding God, will you be able to? There are some people who say they are simple of thought and so these thoughts do not arise in them. Are they able to achieve this? Does a corrupt disposition come from thinking? It does not come from thinking—it is the life of man, and man relies on it to live. Its roots are within man and it is man’s essence. Man is without any means to eradicate it or remove it. Only by using the truth can these things be resolved.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people do not understand God and do not know His disposition, their hearts can never truly open up to Him. Once they have understood God, they will begin to appreciate and savor what is in His heart with interest and faith. When you appreciate and savor what is in God’s heart, your heart will gradually, bit by bit, open up to Him. When your heart opens up to Him, you will feel how shameful and contemptible your exchanges with God, your demands of God, and your own extravagant desires were. When your heart truly opens up to God, you will see that His heart is such an infinite world, and you will enter into a realm you have never experienced before. In this realm there is no cheating, there is no deception, there is no darkness, and no evil. There is only sincerity and faithfulness; only light and rectitude; only righteousness and kindness. It is full of love and care, full of compassion and tolerance, and through it you feel the happiness and joy of being alive. These things are what God will reveal to you when you open up your heart to Him. This infinite world is full of God’s wisdom and omnipotence; it is also full of His love and His authority. Here you can see every aspect of what God has and is, what brings Him joy, why He worries and why He becomes sad, why He becomes angry…. This is what every single person can see who opens up their heart and allows God to come in. God can only come into your heart if you open it up to Him. You can only see what God has and is, and you can only see His intentions for you, if He has come into your heart. At that time, you will discover that everything about God is so precious, that what He has and is is so worthy of treasuring. Compared to that, the people who surround you, the objects and events in your life, and even your loved ones, your partner, and the things you love, are hardly worth mentioning. They are so small, and so lowly; you will feel that no material object will ever be able to draw you in again, or that any material object will ever again be able to entice you to pay any price for it. In God’s humility you will see His greatness and His supremacy. Moreover, you will see in some deed of God that you previously believed to be quite small His infinite wisdom and His tolerance, and you will see His patience, His forbearance, and His understanding of you. This will engender in you an adoration for Him. On that day, you will feel that mankind is living in such a filthy world, that the people by your side and the things that happen in your life, and even those you love, their love for you, and their so-called protection or their concern for you are not even worth mentioning—only God is your beloved, and it is only God that you treasure the most. When that day comes, I believe that there will be some people who say: God’s love is so great, and His essence is so holy—in God there is no deceit, no evil, no envy, and no strife, but only righteousness and authenticity, and everything that God has and is should be longed for by humans. Humans should strive for and aspire to it. On what basis is mankind’s ability to achieve this built? It is built on the basis of their understanding of God’s disposition, and their understanding of God’s essence. So understanding God’s disposition and what He has and is, is a lifelong lesson for every person; this is a lifelong goal pursued by every person who strives to change their disposition, and strives to know God.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

III. On the Principles of Church Life

58. The Principles of Living the Church Life

(1) It is necessary to read much of the words of God. Through them, you must fellowship your testimony from experience of knowing yourself and practicing the truth, and support and provide for each other;

(2) You must train yourself to do your duty. In fulfilling it, come to know your own corruption and learn to submit to the truth, work in harmony with others, and live out a human likeness;

(3) It is necessary to accept being pruned and dealt with; one must seek the truth and know oneself, thereby purifying one’s corruption. Practicing in this way is of the greatest benefit to making progress in life;

(4) Base all affairs on God’s word, not on emotion or philosophies for living. Be principled in your dealings with others. Love each other, and supervise and help each other.

Relevant Words of God:

Of principal importance in following God is that everything should be according to the words of God today: Whether you are pursuing entry into life or the fulfillment of God’s will, everything should be centered around the words of God today. If what you commune and pursue are not centered around the words of God today, then you are a stranger to the words of God, and totally bereft of the work of the Holy Spirit. What God wants are people who follow His footsteps. No matter how wonderful and pure what you understood before is, God does not want it, and if you are unable to put aside such things, then they will be a tremendous obstacle to your entry in the future. All those who are able to follow the present light of the Holy Spirit are blessed. The people of ages past also followed the footsteps of God, yet they could not follow until today; this is the blessing of the people of the last days. Those who can follow the present work of the Holy Spirit, and who are able to follow the footsteps of God, such that they follow God wherever He leads them—these are people who are blessed by God. Those who do not follow the present work of the Holy Spirit have not entered into the work of God’s words, and no matter how much they work, or how great their suffering, or how much they run about, none of it means anything to God, and He will not commend them. Today, all those who follow the present words of God are in the stream of the Holy Spirit; those who are strangers to the words of God today are outside of the stream of the Holy Spirit, and such people are not commended by God.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Entry into the training of the kingdom means beginning the life of the people of God—are you willing to accept such training? Are you willing to feel a sense of urgency? Are you willing to live under God’s discipline? Are you willing to live under God’s chastisement? When God’s words come upon you and test you, how will you act? And what will you do when faced with all manner of facts? In the past, your focus was not on life; today, you must focus on entering into life reality, and pursue changes in your life disposition. This is what must be achieved by the people of the kingdom. All those who are the people of God must possess life, they must accept the training of the kingdom, and pursue changes in their life disposition. This is what God requires of the people of the kingdom.

God’s requirements for the people of the kingdom are as follows:

1. They must accept God’s commissions. This is to say, they must accept all of the words spoken in God’s work of the last days.

2. They must enter into the training of the kingdom.

3. They must pursue having their hearts touched by God. When your heart has completely turned to God, and you have a normal spiritual life, you will live in the realm of freedom, which means you will live under the care and protection of God’s love. Only when you live under the care and protection of God will you belong to God.

4. They must be gained by God.

5. They must become a manifestation of God’s glory on earth.

These five points are My commissions for you. My words are spoken unto the people of God, and if you are unwilling to accept these commissions, I will not force you—but if you truly accept them, then you will be able to do the will of God. Today, you begin to accept God’s commissions, and pursue becoming the people of the kingdom and attaining the standards required to be the people of the kingdom. This is the first step of entry. If you wish to fully do God’s will, then you must accept these five commissions, and if you are able to achieve them, you will be after God’s heart and surely God will make great use of you. What is crucial today is entering into the training of the kingdom. Entry into the training of the kingdom involves the spiritual life. Previously, there was no talk of the spiritual life, but today, as you begin entry into the training of the kingdom, you officially enter into the spiritual life.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The necessity of having a proper church life is often mentioned in sermons. So why is it that the life of the church has not yet improved, and is still just the same old thing? Why is there not a completely new and different way of life? Could it be normal for a person of the nineties to live like an emperor of a bygone era? Though what people now eat and drink are delicacies rarely tasted in previous eras, there have been no major turnarounds in the church life. It has been like putting old wine into new bottles. What then is the use of God saying so much? The churches in most places have not changed at all. I have seen it with My own eyes, and it is clear in My heart; even though I have not experienced the life of the church for Myself, I know the conditions of church gatherings like the back of My hand. They have not made much progress. It goes back to that saying—it is like putting old wine into new bottles. Nothing has changed! When someone is shepherding them, they burn like fire, but when no one is there to support them, they are like a block of ice. Not many can talk of practical things, and very rarely can anyone take the helm. Although the sermons are lofty, seldom has anyone achieved any entry. Few people cherish the word of God. They become tearful when they take up God’s word, cheerful when they set it aside, and insipid and lacking in luster when they depart from it. Speaking frankly, you simply do not cherish the word of God, and you never see the words from His own mouth today as a treasure. You just become anxious when reading His word, and feel strenuous when memorizing it, and when it comes to putting God’s word into practice, it is like trying to crank the handle of a well pump by pulling on it with a hair from a horse’s tail—no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot crank up enough energy. You are always energized when reading God’s word, yet forgetful when practicing it. In fact, these words need not be spoken so painstakingly and repeated so patiently; but the fact that people just listen without putting God’s word into practice has become an obstacle for His work. I cannot not bring it up, I cannot not talk about it. I am compelled to do so; it is not that I enjoy exposing the weaknesses of others. You think that your practice is more or less adequate—that when revelations are at a peak, your entry is also at its peak? Is it so simple? You never examine the foundation upon which your experiences are ultimately built! As of this moment, your gatherings absolutely cannot be called a proper church life, nor do they constitute a proper spiritual life in the least. It is just the gathering of a bunch of people who enjoy chatting and singing. Strictly speaking, there is not much reality in it. To further clarify, if you do not practice the truth, where is the reality? Is it not boasting to say that you have reality? Those who always perform work are arrogant and conceited, while those who always obey keep quiet and keep their heads down, without any opportunity for training. People who do the work do nothing but talk, going on and on with their high-sounding speeches, and the followers only listen. There is no transformation to speak of; these are all just ways of the past! Today, your being able to submit and not daring to interfere or to act however you please is due to the arrival of the administrative decrees of God; it is not change you have undergone through experiences. The fact that you no longer dare to do some things that violate the administrative decrees today is because God’s work of words has had a clear effect and has conquered people. Let Me ask someone: How much of your accomplishment today was earned with the sweat of your own hard work? How much of it was told to you directly by God? How would you answer? Would you be dumbfounded and speechless? Why is it that others are able to speak out about many of their actual experiences to provide you with sustenance, while you simply enjoy the meals that others have cooked? Do you not feel ashamed?

Excerpted from “A Person Who Attains Salvation Is One Who Is Willing to Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The normal situation of church life should be that brothers and sisters are able to fellowship the words of God freely and without restraint; to fellowship their insight, understanding, and experience; and to fellowship their own difficulties. Of course, they can criticize and expose church leaders and express their opinions, and they can give help and advice, as well. All these things can be done freely and should be normal and not controlled by any one person. God’s house has demands, regulations, and principles regarding how brothers and sisters should talk, act, and behave, as well as for normal interactions with others, and so on for each area of church life. These things are not up to anyone to decide. In how they act, brothers and sisters do not need to heed others’ glances and do not need to be commanded by anyone, nor do they need to be under anyone’s control. No one is the weathervane and no one is the navigator; the only things by which people can find direction and that should be obeyed are the principles communicated by God’s house and the words of God. If you are always constrained by others and always heed the glances of others, and if, when you speak and see that the look in someone’s eye is not right and a frown is on their face and they are unhappy, and you dare not say anything; and if, when you are fellowshiping the words of God and your understanding and insights, you are always restricted by others, can never be at ease, cannot do things according to principle, and someone’s words, face, expression, and tone, and the stinging reminders in their words become your principles, then you are controlled by a gang headed by that person. This is a problem. This kind of church life and this situation are not how normal church order manifests. Leaders and workers should come forward and resolve these things, but brothers and sisters also have the responsibility and right to protect the normal order of the church. They should stop, expose, and dissect those who interrupt and disturb, form cliques, and control people, and should refuse to be won over and controlled, so that no cliques will appear in the church for whatever reason. For example, forming cliques according to wealth, or using age, gender, social status, educational level, appearance, level of good and bad humanity, and so on as criteria and excuses to distinguish rank, hierarchy, or groups should not be found in the church. Divisions of hierarchy and rank, no matter their pretext, and the appearance of cliques in the church will interrupt and disturb the normal order of the church. These are problems that leaders and workers should resolve. In short, no matter the reason, if gangs, factions, or groups form and gain a certain level of power, and they affect and disturb normal church life and church order, then this kind of situation should be stopped and curbed, and participants can even be segregated and purged. This is the work that leaders and workers should do when cliques appear during church life and the responsibility they should fulfill. What do we need to understand here? If a group of people become a force in the church and can resist and oppose the church leaders, the work of the house of God and the words of God, and if they can disturb and destroy the normal order of church life, then such behavior, actions and matters should be curbed and should be handled. Are cliques differentiated by the number of members? One person does not count as a clique, but two or more do. If two people get on quite well but do not disturb the church in any way, there is no need to be bothered about them; but as soon as they cause disturbance and form a force, and are about to act, they should be stopped and curbed. This is the principle.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (13)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

We can see from God’s words that, in order to save and transform us, He does not merely do a few bits of work that bring a foretaste or prophecy, and is finished when that work is done, nor does He alter people’s external behavior. Rather, starting from the innermost depths of our hearts and from our disposition and our very essence, He wants to change every one of us, transforming each of us at the source. Given that this is how God works, how, then, should we act toward ourselves? We should take responsibility for our dispositions, for what we seek, and for everything we do, and we should be serious in everything we do, not be lax in anything, and be able to hold all aspects of our behavior up for scrutiny. Every time you finish doing something, the parts you think you did right must be held up for scrutiny—and, moreover, the part you think you did wrong must also be held up for scrutiny. This requires the brothers and sisters to spend more time together fellowshiping, seeking, and helping each other out. The more we fellowship, the more light enters our hearts; God will then enlighten us with regard to all our issues. If none of us speaks up, and we all just package ourselves to look good, hoping to leave a good impression in the minds of others and wanting them to think highly of us and not scoff at us, then we will have no means of growing. If you always package yourself to look good, you will not grow, and you will forever live in darkness. You will also be incapable of transformation. If you wish to change, then you must pay a price, lay yourself bare, and open up your heart to others, and by doing so, you will benefit both yourself and other people. When someone says, “Why don’t you say a few things about your recent experiences?” no one talks about issues of essence; no one dissects himself or lays himself bare. When people speak of words and doctrines, no one has a problem, but when they talk about knowing themselves, no one says anything. Those who do have a little knowledge of themselves do not dare to lay it bare, either; they do not have the courage to do that. What ends up happening? When people are together, they toady up to each other with mutual flattery. No one is willing to present his true face to be dissected and known by everyone. Once such a situation has developed, can a true church life be had? It cannot. Some people say, “I’ve experienced church life for many years, and I always feel quite satisfied; I feel enjoyment every time. In gatherings, when we pray and sing songs of praise, we all become so moved that we have tears streaming down our faces. Sometimes we get so stirred up that we start sweating, and all the brothers and sisters dance and sing. Our church life is so wonderful! When we eat and drink of God’s words, we feel that He is speaking to the depths of our hearts. When we fellowship, everyone feels energized.” What is the result of having experienced church life like this for ten or so years? No one focuses on being honest, no one dissects himself, no one shares his true state with his brothers and sisters, and no one lays bare his inner motivations and internal corruption. Those ten or so years of church life have been lived in vain, all just spent dancing about and singing amid people’s feelings and so-called “enjoyment.” Where does such enjoyment and happiness come from? I dare say it is not what God wishes to see, nor does it satisfy Him, for what God wants to see is change in people, and He wants to see people actually living His words out. He does not wish to see you holding your hymn books and singing or dancing in praise of Him when you attend gatherings or are feeling especially fervent. He does not desire to see these things. To the contrary, when God sees these things, He feels mournful and heartbroken, and very anxious, because He has spoken millions upon millions of words, yet they have not been carried out or lived out in any of you. This is what God is worried about. Often, you feel contented after having experienced church life. When you feel somewhat happy and at peace, and when you have a feeling of enjoyment and comfort or feel somewhat spiritually fulfilled in praising God, you think that you have done very well in your faith. You continue to hold on to these false images and regard them as your capital—as things you have gained in your faith—and you use them as substitutes for changes in disposition and entry onto the path of salvation. You then feel you do not need to pursue the truth or seek to be honest; you do not try to lay yourselves bare or put God’s words into practice. For this reason, God worries about you deeply.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

This is the sort of atmosphere you must have within the church—everyone focusing on the truth and striving to attain it. It does not matter how old or young people are, whether or not they are veteran believers, or how capable they are; the things you must look at are which people speak correctly, which people speak in conformity with the truth, which people are thinking of the interests of God’s house and which ones hold its work in their hearts the most, which people have a good deal of understanding about positive things, which people share a sense of righteousness, and which people are willing to pay the price. Such people should be supported and applauded by their brothers and sisters. This atmosphere of uprightness that comes from pursuing the truth must prevail within the church; in this way, you will have the work of the Holy Spirit, and God will bestow blessings and guidance. If the atmosphere that prevails within the church is one of telling tales, making a fuss about one another, bearing grudges against each other, being jealous of each other, and arguing with each other, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not work in you. Struggling against each other and secretly fighting, deceiving, tricking, and plotting against one another—this is an atmosphere of evil! If such an atmosphere prevails within the church, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not do His work. The Lord Jesus said a certain line that was related. Can you remember what it was? (“Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the middle of them” [Mat 18:19–20].) This is the truth. God does as He says. If you go against His will and do not do as He says, then He will be distant with you. Therefore, you will always look at others’ faults and focus on what displeases you about others, and will constantly focus on the fact that others dislike you. This is going to cause problems. If the Holy Spirit does not work in you, if God does not bless or guide you, if you rely solely on your own strength and gifts and abilities, then nothing you do will be done well, nothing you do will be in line with God’s will, and no matter how hard you work, it will be a waste of energy. You will slowly come to learn this through experience. In everything you do, you must be of one mind. And how can you be of one mind? You must practice the truth; only then will you be able to become strong like a bundle of sticks—all together, and all of one mind.

Excerpted from “Having a Human Likeness Requires Fulfilling Your Duty Properly With All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

On first coming to the church and taking up their duties, and before having been dealt with or pruned, everyone is as prickly as a pear, wanting to have the final say on things. They think to themselves: “Now that I believe in God, I have rights and freedom in the church, so I’ll act as I see fit.” Eventually, once they have undergone a round of being dealt with and pruned and have been disciplined, and once the truth has been fellowshiped to them and they have listened to sermons, they no longer dare to behave in this way. Actually, they have not been entirely grounded; they merely know a bit about how things work and have a smidgeon of sense. When others say things that are warranted, they can acknowledge their correctness, and though they may not understand those things well, they can accept them. Are they not then much more grounded than they were? That they are able to accept these things demonstrates that their behavior has undergone some changes. How have these changes come about? They have arisen due to the exhortation and prompting, as well as the comfort, of God’s words. Sometimes, such people need some discipline, to be dealt with and pruned, as well as some fellowship on principles, telling them that a thing must be done a certain way and cannot be done otherwise. “The truth must be accepted. It’s right there on display. Who would dare object to it?” they wonder. In God’s house, God is great, the truth is great, and the truth reigns; this theoretical foundation has shaken some people awake and allowed some people to understand what having faith in God is all about. Take someone who was originally barbaric and dissolute, completely unrestrained, and ignorant of rules, of belief in God, of God’s house, and of the principles of performing one’s duty in God’s house: When such a person—who knows nothing—comes to God’s house with good intentions and enthusiasm, brimming with great aspirations and hopes, and is there prompted and exhorted, watered and fed, and dealt with and pruned by God’s words, and is chastened, disciplined, tried, and refined, time and time again, then, gradually, some changes will occur in that person’s humanity. What changes are those? He comes to understand something of the principles of human conduct, and comes to know that, in the past, he rather lacked human likeness; he was barbaric, arrogant, and too big for his britches; he spoke and acted without principles, and did not know to seek the truth; he thought having faith in God was a simple matter of doing whatever God asks and going wherever He says, with a barbarous vigor; and, furthermore, such a person believed that this was loyalty and love for God. Now, this person denies all those things and knows that they are the behaviors of Satan, and that God’s believers should heed His words and honor the truth as great, yielding to its sovereignty in all things. In short, in theory and in the depths of their hearts, all people have understood, acknowledged, and accepted that these words are correct—that they are the truth, the reality of positive things—regardless of how deeply these words have taken root in their hearts and no matter how great a role these words have played. Afterward, after undergoing a degree of intangible chastening and discipline, a measure of true faith arises in their consciousness. From their initial vague imaginings of God to the feeling that they have now—that there is a God, and that He is quite real—once people have had these feelings in their faith in God, then their thoughts and viewpoints, ways of looking at things, and moral standards, as well as their ways of thinking, will gradually begin to change.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

59. The Principles of Congregating to Fellowship on God’s Words

(1) It is necessary to fellowship real experience and knowledge of God’s word the truth, to be able to make others understand the truth and edify them, so that they may have a path of practice;

(2) Fellowship of God’s word the truth must speak of real experience that reflects self-knowledge. As you talk, use the facts; do not speak of letters and doctrines, and do not try to explicate God’s words;

(3) When you congregate, let those with the work of the Holy Spirit and practical experience fellowship more, so that the majority may be edified and benefit from it. Only then will they be able to enter truth reality;

(4) Absurd people, evil people, and evil spirits that disturb church life must be exposed and dissected so that people can discern them. The benefit this has for their understanding of the truth cannot be overstated.

Relevant Words of God:

Going forward, talk of God’s words should be the principle by which you speak. Ordinarily, when you come together, you should engage in fellowship about the words of God, taking God’s words as the content of your interactions, talking about what you know of these words, how you put them into practice, and how the Holy Spirit works. As long as you fellowship the words of God, the Holy Spirit will illuminate you. Achieving the world of God’s words requires the cooperation of man. If you do not enter into this, God will have no way of working; if you keep your mouth shut and do not talk about His words, He will have no way of illuminating you. Whenever you are not otherwise occupied, talk about the words of God, and do not just engage in idle chit chat! Let your life be filled with the words of God—only then will you be a devout believer. It does not matter if your fellowship is superficial. Without shallowness there can be no depth. There must be a process. Through your training, you will grasp the illumination of the Holy Spirit upon you, and how to effectively eat and drink the words of God. After an interval of probing, you will enter into the reality of the words of God. Only if you are resolved to cooperate will you be able to receive the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Sharing and communing experiences” means giving voice to every thought in your heart, your state of being, your experiences and knowledge of God’s words, and the corrupt disposition within you, and then letting others discern them, accept the positive parts, and recognize that which is negative. Only this is sharing, and only this is truly communing. It does not simply involve having certain insights into God’s words or a part of a hymn, and then communing as you please without taking it any further or saying anything related to your own actual life. Everyone talks about doctrinal and theoretical knowledge, but says nothing of knowledge gained from actual experiences. You all avoid talking about such things—about your personal lives, about your life in the church with your brothers and sisters, about your own inner world. In doing so, how can true communication between people occur? How can there be any real trust? There cannot be any! If a wife never voices the words in her heart to her husband, are they confidants? Do they know what is on each other’s mind? Suppose that they are constantly saying, “I love you!” They say only this, yet have never laid bare what they are actually thinking deep down, what they want of each other, or what problems they have. They have never spoken to each other of such things, nor have they ever confided in each other—so are they really a couple who love each other? If, when together, they have nothing but superficial niceties for each other, then are they truly husband and wife? Certainly not! If brothers and sisters are to be capable of confiding in each other, helping each other out, and providing for one another, then each person must speak of his or her own true experiences. If you do not talk of your own true experiences, and only speak catchphrases and words that are doctrinal and superficial, then you are not an honest person, and you are incapable of being an honest person.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some leaders and workers cannot see the real problems that exist within the church. While at a gathering, they feel like they have nothing worthwhile to say, so they just bite the bullet and voice some letters and doctrines. They know perfectly well that what they are saying is mere doctrine, yet they say it anyway. In the end, even they feel that their words are insipid, and as their brothers and sisters listen to them, they, too, feel that these people are dull. This is how it goes, is it not? If they have to force themselves to say those words, then on the one hand, the Holy Spirit is not working in them, and on the other hand, their words have no benefit for others. If you have not experienced the truth, yet you still want to speak about it, then no matter what you say, you will not be able to penetrate through to the truth; anything you say further will just be letters and doctrines. You may think that they are somewhat enlightened, but they are just doctrines; they are not truth reality, and no matter how hard they try, anyone listening will not be able to grasp anything real from them. While listening, they might feel that what you say is quite correct, but afterward, they will forget it completely. If you do not talk about your actual states, then you will not be able to touch people’s hearts; they will forget what you say even if they want to remember it, and you will be unable to help them. If you encounter this sort of situation, wherein you want to speak but feel you cannot talk about things in a way that penetrates through to the truth, and you merely have a bit of doctrinal knowledge while knowing nothing about essential things, and if others bring up questions of an essential nature, which you are unable to answer, then you would be better off not saying anything at all. There are also times when you might be discussing a topic at a gathering, and you feel that you are fairly knowledgeable about it and can fellowship about some actual things. However, everyone will understand what you are talking about if you discuss it rather superficially, but you have nothing to say on a deeper level, for others might not have experienced some things, and you might not have either. In such a case, you should not force yourself to keep talking; rather, you may get everyone to fellowship about the topic. If you think that it is doctrine, then it is useless to talk about, and people will not be able to be edified from it; in this situation, no matter what you say, the Holy Spirit will not do His work, and when you try to bulldog your way through anyway, you may end up saying absurd and deviant things, and can lead people astray. People cannot completely absorb relatively in-depth ideas within a short period of time; most people have a very poor foundation and are of low caliber, and cannot easily commit what they hear to memory. However, they are still quite quick to accept those absurd, regulatory and doctrinal ideas. How truly strange this is! Thus, in this respect, you must pay special attention. People are vain, and sometimes dominated by their vanity; they know perfectly well that what they are saying is doctrine, yet they keep on saying it anyway, believing that their brothers and sisters might not notice. In an effort to save face, they might ignore those things and instead just focus on dealing with the situation at hand. Is this not just fooling people? This is being disloyal to God! If you are a person who understands the truth, then you will feel reproached inside, feeling that you cannot speak that way anymore and that you should change the topic. You can fellowship about something you have experience with, or you can talk about some knowledge you have of the truth. If you cannot speak clearly about something, then all of you can fellowship on it together! Just having one person doing all the talking is never a good thing. Because you lack experience, no matter how well you are able to imagine and conceive of something, what you say will ultimately just be doctrine and the stuff of human notions. Those things that can be categorized as the truth must be experienced; without experience, no one can completely understand the essence of the truth, much less explain clearly the conditions of experiencing a truth. One must have experience of the truth before one can have something actual to talk about, and having no experience is not acceptable; even if you have experience, it will be limited in scope, and you will only be able to speak about some limited states, nothing more. If a gathering always revolves around one or two topics, then after fellowshiping this way for a while, some people will come to understand a little. Another possibility is that immediately after you have begun to speak, you might think that you are communicating in a very practical manner, but your brothers and sisters still do not really understand. This is because your condition is your condition, and the conditions of your brothers and sisters are not necessarily exactly the same as your own. In addition, you have some experience with this subject, but your brothers and sisters might not, so they feel that what you are talking about does not apply to them. What should you do when encountering this sort of situation? You should ask them some questions to get a bearing on their circumstances. Ask them what they think one should do when this subject comes up, and how one should practice in line with the truth. By fellowshiping in this manner for a while, a path forward will open up. In this way, you can lead people to come to the point, and if you fellowship further, you will achieve results.

Excerpted from “Do You Know What the Truth Really Is?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You are able to speak as much knowledge as there is sand on a beach, yet none of it contains any real path. Are you not trying to fool people by doing this? Are you not making an empty show, with no substance to back it up? All such behavior is harmful to people! The higher the theory and the more it is devoid of reality, the more it is incapable of taking people into reality; the higher the theory, the more it makes you defy and oppose God. Do not treat the loftiest theories like precious treasure; they are pernicious and serve no purpose! Perhaps some people are able to talk of the loftiest theories—but these contain nothing of reality, for these people have not personally experienced them, and therefore have no path to practice. Such people are incapable of taking others onto the right track and will only lead them astray. Is this not harmful to people? At the very least, you must be able to solve people’s present troubles and allow them to achieve entry; only this counts as dedication, and only then will you be qualified to work for God. Do not always speak grandiose, fanciful words, and do not use a bunch of unsuitable practices to bind others into obeying you. Doing so will have no effect and can only increase their confusion. Carrying on like this will produce much doctrine, which will make people loathe you. Such is the shortcoming of man, and it truly is mortifying. So talk more of problems that actually exist. Do not treat other people’s experiences as your own personal property and hold them up for others to admire; you must search for your own, individual way out. This is what each person should put into practice.

Excerpted from “Focus More on Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Fellowshiping on God’s words has several principles that must be abided by:

Firstly, prior to fellowshiping on God’s words, you must contemplate the essence of God’s words, figure out what the words are getting at, understand their true meaning, and try to fathom why God would say such words and what effects they are trying to achieve. Regardless of what He says, God’s intentions and requirements are in His words. This is the main point that must be fellowshiped. God’s chosen people must search for the truth and grasp His will in His every word, and understand what He requires of people and the truths with which they ought to be equipped. Fellowshiping in this way is of benefit to both you and others. If you simply go through the motions and breeze through the process without contemplating in earnest after reading them, only speaking doctrines literally, then your reading of God’s words will not have much meaning, and you will never be able to understand the truth.

Secondly, there are many truths contained in God’s words. Each line of God’s words involves many aspects of the truth, which cannot be explained thoroughly through literal meaning. Man cannot take God’s words lightly. If you see them as too simple, that would be too foolish and ignorant. Even the simplest line of God’s words cannot be experienced in its entirety over a lifetime. This is because all that expressed in God’s words is the truth, the reality of positive things, and cannot be fully attained or entered into too deeply by man. If people do not regard God’s words with an upright attitude, and do not have a desire to seek the truth, then they can never understand them. You must therefore be God-fearing and have a devout attitude when you fellowship on His words.

Thirdly, you must communicate only as much of God’s words you understand. Do not pretend to understand when you do not and speak carelessly about letters and doctrines. At gatherings, only fellowship your actual knowledge and understanding of God’s words; do not talk about things unrelated to the truth, as you are just wasting other people’s time. For everybody’s benefit, it is best for each person to only fellowship for five to ten minutes or so, or fifteen minutes maximum. A single person must not take up too much time. If they cannot finish in one go, then split it up into two or three times so that everyone can have the opportunity to speak. For those who are especially talkative, if they digress, you may interrupt them so that they learn how to be sensible and respect others. Practicing in this way benefits everybody.

Fourthly, when fellowshiping on God’s words, one may communicate about conditions shared by the majority of people as well as problems that exist in the church. This type of fellowshiping is legitimate, but you must not have intentions of attacking or belittling other people. No matter who you are, if you possess these conditions you should face it properly and humbly accept it. You must not be arrogant and conceited, intolerable to other opinions, or use your position to pressure others, forbidding them to talk or restricting their fellowshiping of the truth. The process of fellowshiping on the truth is also the process of exposing people’s corrupt nature. Those who genuinely accept the truth will be able to face themselves correctly when it comes to such things and have no difficulties whatsoever. If people do not dare to open their mouths and fellowship on God’s words during gatherings, or fail to tie what they are fellowshiping to real life due to being too scared to offend others or lose face, it will be very difficult to understand and gain the truth, and eating and drinking of God’s words in this manner will not yield any results to speak of. People who are sincerely willing to accept the truth should join with their conditions and fellowship their knowledge of God’s words in a simple and open manner. Only by fellowshiping on God’s words in this way is it easy to understand the truth and achieve results. As for special problems that emerge in the church, all members are welcome to fellowship and express their own views, but they must see things based on God’s words and stand on the side of the truth. Such fellowshiping has the advantage of being able to resolve problems, can shame Satan, and can achieve real results.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

In order to achieve the effect in church life of being able to understand the truth and resolve problems through eating and drinking of God’s words, there are five principles that must be practiced during gatherings:

1. People of good caliber who have an unadulterated appreciation of the truth may fellowship a bit more, but they should not be long-winded about it; they should speak of actual experience and knowledge of God’s words to solve real problems. Only in this manner will the gathering be effective. Those who have erroneous understandings should fellowship less, or may even refrain from fellowshiping. Practicing this way will be beneficial for everyone trying to understand the truth.

2. When fellowshiping on God’s words, people should stay on topic and absolutely not go off on tangents; doing so will help people to understand the truth. Frequent digressions tend to break people’s concentration and confuse them, and make it impossible to get them to understand God’s words. People who tend to digress must be limited; this can save time and allow the gathering to achieve good results.

3. It would be best if those who are of poor caliber and are incapable of understanding listened more and spoke less. They should put more effort into pondering God’s words and accepting a pure understanding of them, and pray and commune more with God internally. Doing so will be of benefit to them as well as to others; this is the only way to advance.

4. While in a gathering and fellowshiping on God’s words, do not repeat other people’s viewpoints and opinions; talk about some new points of light and knowledge. If you have no new knowledge, then do not converse. This will save time and can make the gathering more effective. Rather than constantly reiterating what others have said, it would be better to just sit there quietly before God, listen attentively, and discern, accepting the new points of light and pure understanding brought up by others. This is beneficial to yourself, and you, too, can be considered to have reaped a share of the benefits from the gathering.

5. Regardless of what aspect of the truth people fellowship on, when they are communicating their dissections and views about an issue, do not grow oversensitive or blindly compare them to yourself so as to prevent everyone from judging and attacking each other. Do not argue about meaningless things, and do not always be concerned about the problems of others while neglecting your own entry. Concentrate on seeking and understanding the truth so that you can resolve your own issues of corruption. People who do this are the intelligent ones.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

In church life, all levels of leaders and workers should take the lead in fellowshiping on the truth; this is the duty and responsibility of everyone who is a leader or worker. So as to make a gathering more effective, all those who have experience and knowledge of God’s words should fellowship what they have gained, offering up their share for everyone’s enjoyment and so that everyone can understand the truth and enter the reality of God’s words. It is especially important for people pursuing the truth to fellowship their knowledge and experiences of God’s words and any enlightenment and illumination they have gained from the Holy Spirit; only in this way will God’s love and the work He does in humans not be stifled. And only in this way will people please God and gain even more of the Holy Spirit’s work and grace, and then understand and gain entry into even more truths. People who have no experience or knowledge of God’s words may refrain from fellowshiping, but they should understand what other people fellowship and ponder it in earnest. After that, they should practice and experience what they have learned, and they, too, will gradually gain knowledge. People who never fellowship on the truth are but spiritless dead people. The more people fellowship on the truth, the more they become able to enjoy the work of the Holy Spirit; these are the only sort of people who can come alive. Fellowshiping on the truth is the best way to exalt and testify to God; it is a true way to fulfill one’s duty and serve God. A person’s life matures through fellowshiping on the truth. All those who pursue and love the truth should fellowship during gatherings on their experiences and knowledge of God’s words; this will bring about a favorable church life.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

60. The Principles of Fellowshiping on God’s Word the Truth

(1) It is necessary to accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, as well as to accept being pruned and dealt with by them, and one must accept and practice the truth. Having done so, one’s fellowship of the truth is then practical;

(2) It is necessary to fellowship on each aspect of the truth in light of God’s words. Do not be sullied by notions, prejudices, or imaginings, but discuss what you know from experience;

(3) It is necessary to address actual problems among God’s chosen people head-on. Target them directly and resolve them with the truth, and avoid empty talk of doctrine;

(4) It is necessary to follow the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Do not fellowship mechanically, according to a set of rules; let others understand the truth and have a path on which to practice.

Relevant Words of God:

From now on, practice engaging in fellowship about the words of God. Only by means of eating and drinking as well as experiencing the words of God will you be able to live out the words of God. You must produce some practical experience in order to convince others. If you cannot live out the reality of God’s words, no one will be persuaded! All those who are used by God can live out the reality of God’s words. If you cannot produce this reality and bear testimony to God, this shows that the Holy Spirit has not worked in you, and that you have not been perfected. This is the importance of the words of God. Do you have a heart that thirsts for the words of God? Those who thirst for the words of God thirst for truth, and only people such as this are blessed by God. In the future, there are many more words that God will say to all religions and all denominations. He first speaks and utters His voice among you to make you complete before moving on to speak and utter His voice among the Gentiles to conquer them. Through His words, all will be sincerely and utterly convinced. Through the words of God and His revelations, man’s corrupt disposition diminishes, he gains the appearance of a man, and his rebellious disposition lessens. The words work upon man with authority and conquer man within the light of God. The work that God does in the present age, as well as the turning points of His work, can all be found within His words. If you do not read His words, you will understand nothing. Through your own eating and drinking His words, and through engaging in fellowship with your brothers and sisters and your actual experiences, you will gain the full knowledge of God’s words. Only then will you be able to truly live out their reality.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Going forward, talk of God’s words should be the principle by which you speak. Ordinarily, when you come together, you should engage in fellowship about the words of God, taking God’s words as the content of your interactions, talking about what you know of these words, how you put them into practice, and how the Holy Spirit works. As long as you fellowship the words of God, the Holy Spirit will illuminate you. Achieving the world of God’s words requires the cooperation of man. If you do not enter into this, God will have no way of working; if you keep your mouth shut and do not talk about His words, He will have no way of illuminating you. Whenever you are not otherwise occupied, talk about the words of God, and do not just engage in idle chit chat! Let your life be filled with the words of God—only then will you be a devout believer. It does not matter if your fellowship is superficial. Without shallowness there can be no depth. There must be a process. Through your training, you will grasp the illumination of the Holy Spirit upon you, and how to effectively eat and drink the words of God. After an interval of probing, you will enter into the reality of the words of God. Only if you are resolved to cooperate will you be able to receive the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When bearing testimony for God, you should mainly talk more about how God judges and chastises people, what trials He uses to refine people and change their dispositions. You should also talk about how much corruption has been revealed in your experience, how much you have endured and how you were eventually conquered by God; talk about how much real knowledge of God’s work you have, and how you should bear witness for God and repay Him for His love. You should put substance into this kind of language, while putting it in a simple manner. Do not talk about empty theories. Speak more down-to-earth; speak from the heart. This is how you should experience. Do not equip yourselves with profound-seeming, empty theories in an effort to show off; doing so makes you appear quite arrogant and senseless. You should speak more of real things from your actual experience that are genuine and from the heart; this is most beneficial to others, and most appropriate for them to see.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Man is able to fellowship what he experiences and sees. No one can fellowship that which they have not experienced, have not seen, or their thinking cannot reach, those being things they do not have inside of them. If what man expresses is not from his experience, it is then his imagination or doctrine. Simply put, there is no reality in his words. Were you never to come into contact with the things of society, you would not be able to fellowship clearly the complex relationships of society. If you had no family, were others to talk about family issues, you would not understand most of what they said. So, what man fellowships and the work he does represent his inner being. If someone fellowshiped his understanding of chastisement and judgment, but you had no experience of it, you would dare not deny his knowledge, much less dare to be one hundred percent confident in it. This is because their fellowship is something that you have never experienced, something you have never known, and your mind cannot imagine it. From their knowledge, all you can take is a path to undergo chastisement and judgment in the future. But this path can only be one of doctrinal knowledge; it cannot take the place of your own understanding, much less your experience. Perhaps you think what they say is quite correct, but in your own experience, you find it impracticable in many ways. Perhaps you feel some of what you hear is completely impracticable; you harbor notions about it at the time, and although you accept it, you only do so reluctantly. But in your own experience, the knowledge from which you derived notions becomes your way of practice, and the more you practice, the more you understand the true value and meaning of the words you heard. After having had your own experience, you can then talk about the knowledge you should have of what you experienced. In addition, you can also distinguish between those whose knowledge is real and practical and those whose knowledge is based on doctrine and worthless. So, whether the knowledge you profess accords with the truth largely depends on whether you have practical experience of it. Where there is truth in your experience, your knowledge will be practical and valuable. Through your experience, you can also gain discernment and insight, deepen your knowledge, and increase your wisdom and common sense about how you should conduct yourself. The knowledge expressed by people who do not possess the truth is doctrine, no matter how lofty it may be. This type of person may well be very intelligent when it comes to matters of the flesh but cannot make distinctions when it comes to spiritual matters. This is because such people have no experience at all of spiritual affairs. These are people who are not enlightened in spiritual affairs and do not understand spiritual matters. Whatever sort of knowledge you express, as long as it is your being, then it is your personal experience, your real knowledge. What people who speak only of doctrine—those being people who possess neither the truth nor reality—discuss can also be called their being, because they have arrived at their doctrine only through deep contemplation and it is the result of their deep rumination. Yet it is only doctrine, nothing more than imagination! The experiences of all types of people represent the things within them. Anyone without any spiritual experience cannot speak of knowledge of the truth, nor of correct knowledge about various spiritual things. What man expresses is what he is inside—this is certain. If one wishes to have knowledge of spiritual things and knowledge of the truth, one must have real experience.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why is it that most people have spent much effort reading God’s words, but merely have knowledge and cannot say anything about a real path afterward? Do you think that possessing knowledge amounts to possessing the truth? Is that not a confused point of view? You are able to speak as much knowledge as there is sand on a beach, yet none of it contains any real path. Are you not trying to fool people by doing this? Are you not making an empty show, with no substance to back it up? All such behavior is harmful to people! The higher the theory and the more it is devoid of reality, the more it is incapable of taking people into reality; the higher the theory, the more it makes you defy and oppose God. Do not treat the loftiest theories like precious treasure; they are pernicious and serve no purpose! Perhaps some people are able to talk of the loftiest theories—but these contain nothing of reality, for these people have not personally experienced them, and therefore have no path to practice. Such people are incapable of taking others onto the right track and will only lead them astray. Is this not harmful to people? At the very least, you must be able to solve people’s present troubles and allow them to achieve entry; only this counts as dedication, and only then will you be qualified to work for God. Do not always speak grandiose, fanciful words, and do not use a bunch of unsuitable practices to bind others into obeying you. Doing so will have no effect and can only increase their confusion. Carrying on like this will produce much doctrine, which will make people loathe you. Such is the shortcoming of man, and it truly is mortifying. So talk more of problems that actually exist. Do not treat other people’s experiences as your own personal property and hold them up for others to admire; you must search for your own, individual way out. This is what each person should put into practice.

If what you fellowship can give people a path to take, then that amounts to your possessing reality. No matter what you say, you must bring people into practice and give them all a path they can follow. Don’t only allow them to have knowledge; more important is having a path to take. For people to believe in God, they must walk the path led by God in His work. That is, the process of believing in God is the process of walking the path led by the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, you must have a path you can walk, no matter what, and you must set foot upon the path of being perfected by God. Do not fall too far behind, and do not concern yourself with too many things. Only if you walk the path led by God without causing interruptions can you receive the work of the Holy Spirit and possess the path of entry. Only this counts as being in line with God’s intentions and fulfilling humanity’s duty. As an individual in this stream, each person should fulfill their duty properly, do more of what people should be doing, and not act willfully. People carrying out work must make their words clear, people who follow must focus more on enduring hardship and obeying, and all must keep to their place and not step out of line. It should be clear in the heart of every person how they should practice and what function they should fulfill. Take the path led by the Holy Spirit; do not go astray or go wrong.

Excerpted from “Focus More on Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people work and preach and, despite superficially appearing to be fellowshiping on God’s utterances, they are only discussing the literal meaning of His words, and nothing essential is mentioned. Their sermons are like teachings from a language textbook—arranged item by item and aspect by aspect, and when they are done, everyone sings praises, saying, “This person possesses reality. He preached so well and in such detail.” After such people are done preaching, they tell others to compile their sermons and send them out to everybody. In doing this, they have gotten to where they are deceiving others and all that they preach are fallacies. On the surface, it looks as though they are preaching only God’s words and their sermons conform to the truth. However, with more careful discernment, you will see that they are nothing but letters and doctrines and false reasoning along with some human imaginings and notions, as well as some things that delimit God. Does this kind of preaching not amount to an interruption of God’s work? This is service that resists God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some leaders and workers cannot see the real problems that exist within the church. While at a gathering, they feel like they have nothing worthwhile to say, so they just bite the bullet and voice some letters and doctrines. They know perfectly well that what they are saying is mere doctrine, yet they say it anyway. In the end, even they feel that their words are insipid, and as their brothers and sisters listen to them, they, too, feel that these people are dull. This is how it goes, is it not? If they have to force themselves to say those words, then on the one hand, the Holy Spirit is not working in them, and on the other hand, their words have no benefit for others. If you have not experienced the truth, yet you still want to speak about it, then no matter what you say, you will not be able to penetrate through to the truth; anything you say further will just be letters and doctrines. You may think that they are somewhat enlightened, but they are just doctrines; they are not truth reality, and no matter how hard they try, anyone listening will not be able to grasp anything real from them. While listening, they might feel that what you say is quite correct, but afterward, they will forget it completely. If you do not talk about your actual states, then you will not be able to touch people’s hearts; they will forget what you say even if they want to remember it, and you will be unable to help them. If you encounter this sort of situation, wherein you want to speak but feel you cannot talk about things in a way that penetrates through to the truth, and you merely have a bit of doctrinal knowledge while knowing nothing about essential things, and if others bring up questions of an essential nature, which you are unable to answer, then you would be better off not saying anything at all. There are also times when you might be discussing a topic at a gathering, and you feel that you are fairly knowledgeable about it and can fellowship about some actual things. However, everyone will understand what you are talking about if you discuss it rather superficially, but you have nothing to say on a deeper level, for others might not have experienced some things, and you might not have either. In such a case, you should not force yourself to keep talking; rather, you may get everyone to fellowship about the topic. If you think that it is doctrine, then it is useless to talk about, and people will not be able to be edified from it; in this situation, no matter what you say, the Holy Spirit will not do His work, and when you try to bulldog your way through anyway, you may end up saying absurd and deviant things, and can lead people astray. People cannot completely absorb relatively in-depth ideas within a short period of time; most people have a very poor foundation and are of low caliber, and cannot easily commit what they hear to memory. However, they are still quite quick to accept those absurd, regulatory and doctrinal ideas. How truly strange this is! Thus, in this respect, you must pay special attention. People are vain, and sometimes dominated by their vanity; they know perfectly well that what they are saying is doctrine, yet they keep on saying it anyway, believing that their brothers and sisters might not notice. In an effort to save face, they might ignore those things and instead just focus on dealing with the situation at hand. Is this not just fooling people? This is being disloyal to God! If you are a person who understands the truth, then you will feel reproached inside, feeling that you cannot speak that way anymore and that you should change the topic. You can fellowship about something you have experience with, or you can talk about some knowledge you have of the truth. If you cannot speak clearly about something, then all of you can fellowship on it together! Just having one person doing all the talking is never a good thing. Because you lack experience, no matter how well you are able to imagine and conceive of something, what you say will ultimately just be doctrine and the stuff of human notions. Those things that can be categorized as the truth must be experienced; without experience, no one can completely understand the essence of the truth, much less explain clearly the conditions of experiencing a truth. One must have experience of the truth before one can have something actual to talk about, and having no experience is not acceptable; even if you have experience, it will be limited in scope, and you will only be able to speak about some limited states, nothing more. If a gathering always revolves around one or two topics, then after fellowshiping this way for a while, some people will come to understand a little. Another possibility is that immediately after you have begun to speak, you might think that you are communicating in a very practical manner, but your brothers and sisters still do not really understand. This is because your condition is your condition, and the conditions of your brothers and sisters are not necessarily exactly the same as your own. In addition, you have some experience with this subject, but your brothers and sisters might not, so they feel that what you are talking about does not apply to them. What should you do when encountering this sort of situation? You should ask them some questions to get a bearing on their circumstances. Ask them what they think one should do when this subject comes up, and how one should practice in line with the truth. By fellowshiping in this manner for a while, a path forward will open up. In this way, you can lead people to come to the point, and if you fellowship further, you will achieve results.

Excerpted from “Do You Know What the Truth Really Is?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Remember this from now on! Do not speak of empty knowledge; only talk about the path of practice and about reality. Transition from real knowledge to real practice, and then transition from practice to real living out. Do not lecture others, and do not talk about real knowledge. If your understanding is a path, then let your words go free upon it; if it is not, then please shut your mouth and stop talking! What you say is useless. You speak of understanding in order to deceive God and make others envy you. Is that not your ambition? Are you not deliberately toying with others? Is there any value in this? If you talk about understanding after you have experienced it, you will not be seen as boasting. Otherwise, you are someone who spits out arrogant words. There are many things in your actual experience that you cannot overcome, and you cannot rebel against your own flesh; you are always doing whatever you want, never satisfying God’s will—yet you still have the gall to talk about theoretical understanding. You are shameless! You still are so bold as to speak of your understanding of God’s words. How impudent of you! Orating and boasting have become your very nature, and you have become accustomed to doing so. Whenever you wish to speak, you do so with ease, but when it comes to practicing, you indulge in ornamentation. Is this not a way to fool others? You may be able to trick men, but God cannot be deceived. Men are unaware and have no discernment, but God is serious about such matters, and He will not spare you. Your brothers and sisters might advocate for you, praising your understanding and admiring you, but if you possess no reality, the Holy Spirit will not spare you. Perhaps the practical God will not seek your faults, but God’s Spirit will ignore you, and that will be difficult enough for you to bear. Do you believe this? Talk more about the reality of practice; have you forgotten already? Talk more about practical paths; have you forgotten already? “Offer fewer lofty theories and worthless, inflated talk; it is best to begin practice starting now.” Have you forgotten these words? Do you not understand at all? Do you have no comprehension of God’s will?

Excerpted from “Only Putting the Truth Into Practice Is Possessing Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

61. The Principles of Establishing a Church

(1) Wherever 20 or so people have truly accepted God’s work and expressed a desire for church life, a church may be established;

(2) Establishing a church must only be done under the direction of church leaders, deacons in charge of spreading the gospel, or deacons in charge of watering;

(3) Once a church has selected its leaders and deacons, they preside over and are responsible for all of its work and for resolving all of its problems;

(4) A church may be named after its location, and after the church’s establishment, the number of its congregants may be set according to local conditions.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The principles of establishing a church are as follows: A church may be established as long as there is a group of (around 20) people who accept the work of God, have written an application letter requesting formal entry into the church, and are willing to perform their duty. If there are only 10 or so newcomers who wish to gather, a place of assembly may be established, but a church may not be established. People who have not formally applied to join the church may only partake in assembly; they are not considered formal members of the church. Churches must be personally established by church leaders, a gospel deacon, or a deacon who waters newcomers. Unfamiliarity between people new to the life of the church precludes the holding of elections. As such, the first leaders and deacons of newcomers’ churches must be appointed through discussion by several people familiar with the newcomers. This is the trial period; it is entirely appropriate to hold elections six months to a year later, when everyone is familiar with each other. When a church is established, a prayer meeting must be held by the newly established leaders of the church. In this meeting, there will first be a formal announcement of the church’s establishment, after which prayer will begin. Each person will pray before God, announce that they formally believe in Almighty God and are joining the church, and are willing to submit to the work of God, accept the truth, be cleansed, and do everything in their power to proclaim and testify to God. They may also tell God of their wishes and aspirations, and they may speak to God the words within their hearts. Following the prayers of the chosen ones, the establishment of the church will be complete. During the initial period after a newcomers’ church has been established, the leaders of the district should make arrangements for people to water them and support them in leading the church life. Newcomers who truly believe in God, love the truth, and are of good caliber must also be nurtured so that they may come to understand the truth and enter truth reality as soon as possible. After a year, newcomers who are leaders and deacons may take responsibility for formally guiding the church life.

The church may have around 20–50 members. If holding assembly becomes difficult because there are more than 50 people, then provided suitable leaders can be selected, another church may be established. The most important principle of establishing a church is having the right people to act as leaders—this is key. The church can be named after a local place name, similar to the churches of Corinth and Ephesus and so on recorded in the Bible. Once the church has been established, assembly groups can be set up based on where the newcomers live. The number of people in each group should be flexible according to the local situation.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

The church’s administrative body is to be comprised of a five-person team, with two leaders of equal seniority serving in coordination, and three deacons. The three deacons shall comprise one deacon of evangelism, one deacon of general affairs, and one deacon of watering. The life of the church is the direct responsibility of the two leaders.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

For newcomers from among the unbelievers, if they have believed for over three months and number around 20, they may found a new church. If they are all new believers and are still not certain that this is the true way, then no matter how many of them there are, the founding of the new church must not be rushed. If the newcomers from the unbelievers are few and scattered or drawn from the direct family, relatives, or friends of brothers and sisters and are relatively familiar to them, if they comport themselves well, then they may be inducted into the church after three months. If, once the church has been founded, it is discovered to contain people who cannot be depended on, they may be placed in Group B for assembly so that they can be observed.

The principles and conditions for founding a church of newcomers from among the unbelievers are that they must understand several aspects of basic knowledge that a Christian should possess as a minimum: 1. They must acknowledge, in their hearts, that only Almighty God is the one true God who created heaven, earth, and everything in them and is the Master of everything in the universe. 2. They must be aware that belief in God is in order to be saved, escape sin, escape the influence of Satan, fully return to God, submit to God, and worship God; only by believing in God in this way can they gain everlasting life. 3. They must uphold the name of the true God. They must not worship idols or evil spirits, and must forsake all false gods and evil spirits. 4. They must not partake in political activities. They should abide by national political systems, but in their faith not be subject to the restrictions of any country, government, or political party; they must only obey God, not people. 5. They must be wise; they must have the responsibility to uphold the work and interests of the house of God, and if not, they are not fit to share in God’s grace. If they understand these things, then a new church may be established for them or they can be accepted into an existing church; if they do not, then the establishment of a new church or their acceptance into an existing church should be postponed.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

62. The Principles of Church Elections

(1) Before an election, it is necessary to fellowship on the truth and understand principles. Elect as leaders and workers those able to do practical work, in accordance with work arrangements;

(2) During an election, it is necessary to practice the truth and treat people fairly. Do not be guided by emotion, nor by personal affinities or antipathies; rather, cast an impartial ballot based on the principles;

(3) Every person in a church has the right to vote in an election and the right to be elected. No person may arbitrarily deprive others of their rights to vote and be elected;

(4) Absolutely no one is permitted to designate a candidate unilaterally, and it is necessary to guarantee that at least 80% of a church’s members vote in an election for that election to be valid.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The church’s democratic elections for leaders and workers concern the key event of God’s chosen people to enter the right track of believing in God. They directly concern the key subject of church life. Only by electing good leaders and workers can God’s chosen be led to understand the truth and enter the right track of believing in God. If the false leaders and antichrists take power in the church, not only will they delay God’s chosen people in their attainment of salvation, but they will also disturb church life. They will bring disasters to the church, and God’s chosen people will be imperiled and victimized. Thus, how God’s chosen people treat the church’s elections matters a lot, and all of God’s chosen should seek the truth and carry out the election with seriousness and in accordance with the principles. The seven principles of the church’s democratic election that God’s chosen people must understand and comply with are announced as follows. God’s chosen should come to understand them clearly.

1. God’s chosen people in the church (except for those who are going to be purged or expelled) all have the right to elect and to be elected. No one has the right to interfere with the right of God’s chosen people to elect and be elected.

2. When elections are held by the church, all God’s chosen people must all be notified, and everyone must participate (this refers to voting). Those who are aware of but do not participate in the election are deemed to be voluntarily forfeiting their rights. No one has the right to only notify some people to participate in the election or to force a group of people to forfeit. Anyone who deprives others of their rights to vote or restricts them from voting is a wicked person who violates human rights and resists the truth.

3. In the church’s election, no one is allowed to designate a candidate, or deliberately incite or force God’s chosen people to vote by following the will of certain people. This is an act that interferes with human rights and that goes against the truth. Before the election, only fellowshiping on the truth and preaching the principles to practice are allowed. This is the proper way of fellowshiping on the truth and doing one’s duties. Anyone who appoints a candidate according to their own will or incites, deceives, or compels people to conduct an improper election will invalidate the election results.

4. The number of voters participating in a church election must be equal to at least 80% of the church’s congregation. The number of participating voters in districts and regions can be the maximum number attainable, as dictated by circumstances. In the event that some of God’s chosen people are unable to participate in voting because they have not been notified, that particular election is invalid.

5. No one has the right to replace or remove any fairly and duly elected leader or worker, unless they are found to exhibit behavior that is clearly incompatible with fulfilling the role of a leader or worker. In such a situation, at least 80% of God’s chosen people must approve before the prospective leader or worker can be banned or a by-election be held.

6. Democratic election of church leaders and workers at all levels has been institutionalized. Elections are held once annually, and the tenure is one year. No one has the right to replace a leader or worker at any level resulting from an election of the church. If an elected leader or worker has made serious mistakes in office that render them unable to continue working, a by-election can be held for their replacement once it has been approved by a majority of God’s chosen people.

7. From the day God’s house promulgated full implementation of the church’s electoral system, leaders at all levels of the church must be elected, and no one has the right to designate or appoint church leaders at all levels. This is the administrative rule of God’s house that no one has the right to amend. Whoever violates this administrative rule will be punished as an antichrist.

After implementing the seven principles for the democratic election of church leaders and workers, leaders and workers at all levels and God’s chosen people must comply with the practice accordingly. God’s chosen people have the right to supervise the church’s leaders and workers at all levels to conduct elections according to the seven principles. God’s chosen people can join together to restrict and stop any leader or worker at any level who violates these seven principles. If they refuse to comply, God’s chosen people may appeal to the upper-level leaders. This is a just act for maintaining the church work. All God’s chosen people should support and cooperate. Only by implementing in such manner can the disturbance and rampage of the false leaders, false workers, and wicked people be restricted. The church has the authority to expel any wicked people who have been clearly exposed in the church elections if they fail to repent and admit sins. However, its action must be reported for approval.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

God’s chosen people should all understand that doing a good job of selecting church leaders and deacons is a major affair that affects whether or not each of God’s chosen people can be saved. This is the kind of attitude God’s chosen people should all have toward this issue: Pick whomever can lead you onto the right track to believing in God; pick whomever can guide you to being saved by God. No matter how you may have been treated in the past, you should let go of any personal grudges and cast a totally impartial vote. If you truly believe in God, then for the sake of being saved by Him, you should correctly treat the matter of electing church leaders and deacons. Voting based on emotions and personal desires only does harm to yourself, and could bring you to ruin. It will not achieve any benefits, nor is it in the interests of any of God’s chosen people. Therefore, when electing church leaders and deacons, God’s chosen should all be considerate of His will and practice the truth. Do not vote emotionally; let go of personal grudge, and act in accordance with principle. Only by doing so will you conform to God’s will and take responsibility for your own life. Prior to each church’s election, the principles behind selecting leaders and deacons should be clearly fellowshiped, and then such selection should be formally carried out. During the elections, high-ranking leaders and workers should preside over and supervise the balloting process. Appointing church leaders and deacons by election is fair and reasonable. On the one hand, it resolves any deviations that might result from appointments made by high-ranking leaders, and on the other hand it prevents unsuitable leaders and workers from continuing in office. This is beneficial both to the work of the church and to God’s chosen people. In the past, the proportion of qualified leaders and deacons appointed by high-ranking leaders and workers was too small, and there were too many deviations. Because corrupt humans who have not yet attained salvation do not possess the truth, they cannot fathom people’s nature essence, are liable to use people in accordance with their own desires, and are vulnerable to being deceived, cheated, and even taken advantage of by others. Therefore, God’s house has decided that church leaders and deacons must be democratically elected rather than being directly appointed by any person. This is what it means to show responsibility for God’s chosen people. Subsequent elections of the church’s leaders and deacons will be held once annually. After the church’s leaders and deacons are elected, they will be directly watered, provided for, and supported by district leaders and workers. If the elected person, after having worked for a while, cannot get any real work done or is unsuitable for the task, then a new election may be held for their position. Leaders and deacons who are able to work effectively may be re-elected as long as a majority of God’s chosen people endorse them. God’s work offers people the freedom of choice. From now on, leaders and workers at all levels of the church will be elected by God’s chosen people, and all those not approved of by them must be banned. An elected person who is later exposed while undergoing trials should be eliminated, and God’s chosen people should then vote again for somebody new. Personal appointments by leaders are mostly incorrect and have less chance of success, whereas the majority of those elected by God’s chosen people are relatively correct and tend to have a better chance of success. This is a fact.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Before an election is held, each church must gather three to five times to fellowship on the truth so that God’s chosen people will understand the importance of the election and know that selecting good leaders is vital for each of God’s chosen to attain salvation in their belief. If the elected leaders turn out to be wicked people, false leaders, or antichrists, then the church will not have a good church life, and all God’s chosen people in the church will suffer losses in their lives. Therefore, whether or not good leaders can be elected by the church involves the question of whether God’s chosen people have a good church life and whether they can gain an understanding of the truth—which is directly related to the life entry of each of God’s chosen. If the truth is fellowshiped clearly in this regard, God’s chosen people will see the election as being important. They will ponder in earnest and think it over to see which people are relatively lucid when it comes to fellowshiping on the truth, can resolve practical issues for God’s chosen, and are suited to leadership roles. After mulling these things over, they will cast their votes accordingly. This is directly beneficial to God’s chosen people. If you vote according to people’s outward performances or your notions and what you imagine, that will be problematic. Some people are very enthusiastic and can abandon themselves and run from place to place, willing to work for God; and they might even be a bit eloquent and good at socializing—but they do not understand the truth, which means they are not well suited to being leaders. If selecting personnel to spread the gospel, it is still fine to base your choice on these conditions, but if selecting leaders, solely possessing these criteria does not make them qualified. The prerequisite for being a leader is to understand the truth, because a leader’s role is to lead people to eat and drink of God’s words, to understand the truth, to enter reality, to enter the right track of believing in God, and to attain salvation. Thus, electing a leader is not a simple matter. Not just anyone who can run around is capable of serving as a leader, nor is just anyone with a good deal of knowledge capable of helping others to understand the truth, nor can just any eloquent person resolve problems. Rather, leaders must understand the truth, possess good humanity, and have the work of the Holy Spirit. Why do false leaders not possess the work of the Holy Spirit? It is because they do not pursue or love the truth. Without an understanding of the truth and the work of the Holy Spirit, and regardless of how well they can run around, what problems can they solve for God’s chosen people? What benefits can they offer them? Thus, someone who has passion but can only run around, cannot be a leader. To be a leader, one must understand the truth. When you see someone who understands the truth and possesses reality, who has good humanity, and who can fellowship with and help God’s chosen people to resolve any difficulties they might have, then this is the sort of person you should choose to lead. Doing so will not only be beneficial for your own life growth, but it will also help all of God’s chosen people to attain life entry. Therefore, you must adhere to principles when choosing a leader. Without principles, you will blindly elect at random based on your own desires, and that absolutely will not do.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

A church’s leaders and deacons should be elected by the entirety of God’s chosen people within the church, and not by just a few of them. If someone, due to extenuating circumstances, does not participate in an election, then those who take part in the voting should at least comprise eighty or more percent of the church’s total membership; only in this way will the election be effective. Furthermore, all of God’s chosen people have the right to vote and to be elected. Apart from people who should be purged or expelled, everyone else has the right to participate in elections. No one has the right to restrict this. People may voluntarily give up their right, but it is wrong for a leader or worker to restrict any particular group of people from participating in an election. God’s house must not allow this. Church elections must not permit anyone to designate a candidate. Designating the field of candidates is the absurd election method of the great red dragon, and God’s house must never adopt it. Designating candidates is the way of Satan and ought to be rejected by God’s chosen people. The carrying out of church elections must be built on the foundations of trusting God’s chosen. The majority view of God’s chosen people should be accurate and correct. All those who do not have faith in God’s chosen, and only believe in their own views, are arrogant and conceited people who do not possess reason. All those who always designate candidates for church elections are selfish and despicable people who have ulterior motives. As the church carries out small group meetings, most people do not know each other. Hence, each group may first elect one person internally, and in the end, all those elected from each group can come together to have meetings for a day or two before electing church leaders and deacons. In this way, the election will be complete.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

God’s house stipulates that all of God’s chosen people (except for those who are about to be purged or expelled) have the right to vote and be elected. There are several special circumstances that should be handled with flexibility:

1. If certain previously replaced leaders and workers with relatively good humanity have had real life experiences, achieved substantial progress in life in the past few years, and can solve problems by fellowshiping on the truth, such people are qualified to be elected as leaders and workers. This is because God’s work of salvation is based on whether people have truth reality and whether they have achieved a real transformation in their life dispositions, not on whether they have committed any transgressions in the past.

2. With regard to some of God’s chosen people who were sought after by the authorities and denied of church life a few years ago, they should participate in church life and enjoy the right to vote and be elected if they have not been subject to inquiries and investigation in the past one to two years. In this sort of situation, people should not arbitrarily stick to the rules, or else others could be delayed or harmed.

3. Anyone who has in the previous six months been unable to perform their duty due to being sought after or investigated by the authorities, or due to being afflicted with serious illness, can vote if they wish to participate in an election (no personal attendance is necessary). Despite having the right to be elected, such people tend to lack the qualifications to be elected. There is also the situation in which someone has been promiscuous or engaged in homosexual acts for a short period before believing in God. If, after gaining faith, these kinds of people have shown themselves to have truly repented and have performed well, then they, too, are eligible to be elected as long as they can perform the actual work.

4. If someone carrying an infectious disease understands the truth, possesses good humanity, and is capable of working, then as long as the disease does not affect their work, and they can avoid transmitting it to others, then they can be elected as a leader or worker. If their health is too poor to work, then they are not suited to serving as a leader or worker.

5. In an election for leaders, there is no need to choose two men or two women; selecting one man and one woman is okay, too. However, when it comes to doing duties together, unaccompanied interaction between the two sexes should be avoided.

6. Regional and district affairs chiefs and gospel-preaching commanders are workers, and they must be elected. All leaders and workers must be elected, and may not be appointed or designated by anyone. Those who perform special duties must be chosen through negotiation by leaders and workers, though there is no need for this process to be openly disclosed to the entire church. This is particularly true when it comes to personnel involved in security services; these absolutely must not be openly disclosed to the entire church.

Once a church has elected its leaders and workers at all levels, all of its work will enter the right track, and God’s chosen people can engage in church life and fulfill their duties normally. They then can compete fairly while doing their duties and practicing the truth, without being constrained by anyone. God’s chosen people will support and elect whomever practices the truth and possesses reality; there is no need to curry favor with anyone or take cues from others. They should stand completely on the basis of truth reality; in this way, a genuine church life will emerge, and God’s chosen people will truly be set free.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

63. The Principles of Electing Leaders and Workers

(1) It is only appropriate that those elected to be leaders and workers must have a pure understanding of the truth and able to accept it; they must pursue the truth and be of good caliber;

(2) Not all those with arrogant dispositions should be tarred with the same brush. If someone is able to accept the truth and do practical work, they may be elected;

(3) So long as they have truly repented and are capable of practical work, leaders and workers who have transgressed and been dismissed in the past may be elected;

(4) Those elected as leaders and workers must be the best choices among those who are relatively able to resolve problems by fellowshiping on the truth and who can do practical work.

Relevant Words of God:

Since the beginning of His work throughout the universe, God has predestined many people to serve Him, including those from every walk of life. His purpose is to satisfy His will and bring His work on earth to smooth completion; this is God’s aim in choosing people to serve Him. Every person who serves God must understand His will. This work of His makes God’s wisdom and omnipotence, and the principles of His work on earth, more evident to people. God has actually come to earth to do His work, to engage with people, so that they may know His deeds more clearly. Today you, this group of people, are fortunate to serve the practical God. This is an incalculable blessing for you—truly, you are raised up by God. In selecting a person to serve Him, God always has His own principles. Serving God is by no means, as people imagine, that it is simply a matter of enthusiasm. Today, you see that all who serve before God do so because they have the guidance of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, and because they are people who pursue the truth. These are the minimum conditions for all those who serve God.

Excerpted from “Religious Service Must Be Purged” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During elections, many people fail to understand what the true principles of electing a leader are, what kind of person they should elect as a leader, and what kind of person can, as a leader, guide the brothers and sisters into the reality of God’s words, and is fit to be a leader; they are not very aware or clear about such things. There are even people who expressly elect false leaders during elections; they choose whoever is false leader material, and are blind to those who are truly fit for purpose and able to be a leader, who possess the caliber and humanity to be a leader. Those who are devoid of the caliber and humanity to be leaders are elected because of that which people believe, in their notions, to be good, such as the outward appearance of passion or good behavior, and so on; whereas those who genuinely fulfill the myriad criteria to be leaders are never chosen. Those attention seekers, who enthusiastically expend themselves, yet are devoid of the competence to work, can be found in every context; they seem extremely positive, and most people believe them qualified to be leaders, and think that they should elect such people. But the result is that once these people are elected, the work is too much for them, and they are incapable of accomplishing any of the work arrangements of the Above, they don’t know how to accomplish them. They are on the go all day, but there is no improvement or progress in any of the church’s work, and situations often occur in the church whereby the wicked wield or take power, the work of the church is a mare’s nest, or wherein people are disunited at heart. This is the consequence when false leaders do work. The election of false leaders not only affects and damages the life entry of the brothers and sisters, but also has a negative impact on all the work of the house of God; it stops this work from progressing successfully, and prevents it from being carried out effectively. Partly, this is an issue with the false leaders themselves, and partly, it relates to each of those who elects them. You can’t tell them for what they are, you are blind and you don’t see through them, and you don’t understand the truth principles; when you end up electing them, you not only hurt yourself and others, but the work of the house of God is compromised, too. Such is the impact and harm caused by false leaders to people and to the work of God.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The work of a qualified worker can bring people to the right way and grant them greater entry into the truth. His work can bring people before God. In addition, the work he does can vary from individual to individual and is not bound by rules, allowing people liberation and freedom, and the capacity gradually to grow in life and to have a more profound entry into the truth. The work of an unqualified worker falls far short. His work is foolish. He can only bring people into rules, and what he demands of people does not vary from individual to individual; he does not work according to people’s actual needs. In this type of work, there are too many rules and too many doctrines, and it cannot bring people into reality, nor into normal practice of growth in life. It can only enable people to adhere to a few worthless rules. Such guidance can only lead people astray. He leads you to become like him; he can bring you into what he has and is. For followers to discern whether leaders are qualified, the key is to look at the path on which they lead and the results of their work, and to see whether followers receive principles in accordance with the truth, and whether they receive ways of practice suitable for their transformation. You should distinguish between the different work of different types of people; you should not be a foolish follower. This bears on the matter of people’s entry. If you are unable to distinguish which person’s leadership has a path and which does not, you will easily be deceived. All of this has a direct bearing on your own life.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who can lead churches, supply people with life, and be apostles to the people must have actual experience; they must have a correct understanding of spiritual things and a correct appreciation and experience of the truth. Only such people are qualified to be workers or apostles who lead the churches. Otherwise, they can only follow as the least and cannot lead, much less be apostles who are able to supply people with life. This is because the function of apostles is not to rush about or to fight; it is to do the work of ministering life and leading others in transforming their dispositions. Those who perform this function are commissioned to shoulder a heavy responsibility, one that not just anyone can shoulder. This kind of work can only be undertaken by those with life being, that is, those who have experience of the truth. It cannot be undertaken by merely anyone who can renounce, who can rush about, or who is willing to expend themselves; people who have no experience of the truth, who have not been pruned or judged, are unable to do this type of work. People with no experience, who are people without reality, are unable to see reality clearly because they themselves are without this kind of being. So, this type of person is not only unable to do leadership work, but, if they remain without the truth for a long while, they will become an object of elimination.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What are the standards required of the people who are put in charge of various jobs? Above all, they must be able to understand the truth; they must possess the caliber to understand the truth. These are the most important things. More specifically, they must understand spiritual things, be able to eat and drink of God’s words unaided, be able to find principles for practice in His words, and be able to perceive, through reading God’s words, the various states in which people find themselves. They must be able to experience on their own; they must be apt to reflect on themselves when they encounter an issue, and to draw upon the words of God in experiencing the environments He sets forth and learn the lessons that they ought to. Possessing the ability and caliber to understand the truth is the first thing required of them. Of course, such people must also have a conscience and sense, and their humanity must be up to par. Second, they must carry a burden. If they are merely of good caliber and are capable of understanding the truth, but are lazy and covet the comforts of the flesh, if they only work when it is required or indicated by the Above, and when they do work, they only go through the motions, and rarely engage at the grassroots level, and if they are unwilling to suffer or pay a price and do not carry a burden, can they be considered to be talents that are adequate to be cultivated? (No.) This, then, is the second requirement: Such people must carry a burden. The third point is that they must be competent in their work. That is to say, in addition to executing the work in accordance with the work arrangements of God’s house, they must be able to identify and promptly solve problems when doing a particular job; they must perform their work effectively and deeply, and not do it sloppily; also, they must be able to determine what work they ought to do in the work arrangements of God’s house, as well as apply and accurately accomplish those work arrangements. If they discover a problem while performing a particular task, they must be able to handle it with reference to the regulations of the work arrangements of God’s house. They must also be able to discern particular things or situations for what they really are and, on that basis, be able to make the accurate judgment and then provide the correct solution. This is what it means to be competent in one’s work. Being competent in one’s work chiefly refers to being able to grasp the key points of the work, promptly identify problems, and solve these problems in accordance with principle—that is, being able to stand on their own two feet. Once the Above has handed over a task and has also communicated some principles, these people must be able to grasp the principles and execute the work in accordance with them; they must basically be able to follow the right course, without too many deviations or too much oversight. This is what it means to be competent. Here is an example: When the house of God calls for people to be purged and expelled and for the antichrists and the wicked to be identified in accordance with principle, the type of people who are competent basically do not deviate while doing this task. It does not take long for an antichrist to be exposed and expelled once they have appeared; those who are competent are able to quickly identify an antichrist, as well as help their brothers and sisters to identify them and not be duped. Together, everyone is able to expose and forsake the antichrist, and ultimately succeed in expelling the antichrist. When competent people encounter the antichrists or the wicked in the scope of their work, at least ninety-five percent of their brothers and sisters do not succumb to being duped or influenced; sometimes not even one is duped or led astray. This is how it is for people who are of good caliber and competent in their work; such people are up to the standard to be leaders and workers who are possessed of the truth reality.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those you would choose as leaders and workers require good caliber and competence in their work; now there are also requirements for the quality of their humanity. What do you say, is it the case that most people do not fulfill the criteria for being leaders and workers? Which of these three is most crucial? (Humanity.) And second? (Work competence.) After that? (Whether or not they have a burden.) That order is pretty accurate. When you elect leaders in the future, measure them according to this order. Some people say, “There’s a problem with this order: If humanity comes first, then when they are of good humanity but fairly bad caliber, if they are selected as leader, they’ll struggle to be an important leader, and to do great work. So is it still OK to only consider people’s humanity?” People’s humanity is of chief importance, but it is not the only thing to consider. It is what you should look at first; if up to standard, next look at their work competence. If they are only of average competence, the house of God has ways of solving this problem: They can undertake work that is not overly taxing of their abilities. When they are of good humanity and can take up the work and do it well, and put everything they have into it, and are someone dependable, and the house of God need have no qualms about making use of them, and they are edifying, helpful, and beneficial to most of the brothers and sisters, then they are up to standard. If their work competence is poor, or just average, give them a single job to do; if they are highly competent, give them something more complex, or several different jobs. Is this not easily solved? It comes down to how broad the scope of responsibilities they will be given is, and to what work they will be made responsible for. But if they are of poor humanity and harbor evil intentions, then no matter how competent they are, will they be able to do this work well? (No.) If they managed a company or a few staff, it might not be a problem—but what issues would arise when they had to manage the various items of the house of God? First of all, they absolutely would not manage or handle things according to the principles required by the house of God. They harbor evil intentions, do not love the truth, and there is nothing but scheming in their hearts, nothing but maleficent thoughts, actions, and ideas, so everything they do is according to their own preferences, and based on their own interests, not based on principle, nor on justice. They consider only what they have to lose or gain, and give no thought to the principles required by the house of God—and thus they are destined to fail in the work of leaders and workers. What is this determined by? By the quality of their humanity; it is not determined by their work competence. And so, when weighing up whether someone is noble or lowly, and whether they meet the house of God’s standards for the selection of leaders and workers, first look at their humanity: If they are of dependable and adequate humanity, next consider whether they are competent in their work and have a burden; then consider the other aspects.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (11)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people, having chosen a falsely spiritual person as leader, feel very happy and think, “Now we have a good leader. Our leader is a great preacher. What they preach makes a lot of sense, and a single sermon can last for several hours, and they can go on like this for days. When they preach, everyone is moved to tears. We’re so attached to our leader and reluctant to part with them that we’re not willing to go off to perform our duties.” But when they undertake their duties, they realize, “How is it that I don’t seem to understand anything anymore? How is it that, as soon as I set my hand to practical work, I no longer understand it? There are still so many problems in this work! After listening to our leader’s fellowship, we were all so energized, so why can’t we solve the problems we encounter in our work? Can’t they be solved if we are all energized? These problems shouldn’t arise in the first place.” What is the issue here? The sermons of this kind of false leader are all mere words and doctrines, empty talk, slogans, and nonsense. They cannot solve your practical problems. These false leaders have deceived you. They have been feeding you illusions. With a few slogans, they mislead you into thinking your problems are solved. If they have not specifically addressed the problem in fellowship, then in truth, how can your problem be solved? Their sermons fly high above all problems, avoiding them all with empty speech and empty rhetoric. They do not work problems into their fellowship but only preach slogans and doctrines, like a scholar who merely spouts theories. They do not know what practice is, and their sermons have nothing at all to do with the problems that arise when it comes time to practice. It is just a kind of teaching, a sort of knowledge or doctrine. This kind of false leader treats the words of God and the truth as a kind of doctrine of mere letters and words or a kind of slogans to preach, avoiding all the real problems. And what is the result? However long they preach, all people get from it is a rush of energy and nothing beyond that. The truth is not disconnected from reality, but linked to reality and to every aspect of the problems that exist in practice. So, if you again encounter a pseudo-spiritual false leader of this sort, will you be able to tell? If you cannot tell, let whomever you would choose as a leader solve a few problems first. If they solve them in accordance with the principles and the results are quite good, and they solve those problems with the truth reality, then choose them. If they avoid talking about the essence of problems, about problems as they actually are, and only preach doctrines and slogans, then you cannot choose them. Why not? (Because they are unable to solve practical problems.) And who is this person who cannot solve practical problems? Because they can only preach the mere letters and words of doctrine, they are a hypocritical, falsely spiritual Pharisee. They do not possess the caliber to understand the truth or the capacity to solve problems, and they are unable to solve problems. So if you choose them as your leader, they are bound to be a false leader. They are unable to do the work of a leader or to fulfill the responsibilities of one. So, when you choose them, are you not harming them? Some will say, “How is that harming them? We chose them with the best intentions. They have a bit of caliber, and if we chose them, wouldn’t we then have someone responsible for the work?” Having someone responsible is key, but if that person is incapable of it yet merely offers empty talk that does not incorporate things as they are and is of no help in resolving problems, then, in choosing them, are you not giving them the chance to do evil? Are you not forcing them onto the path of false leadership? This is why you cannot choose such a person as your leader.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

64. The Principles of Impeaching Leaders and Workers

(1) Leaders and workers who do not do practical work may, upon confirmation of such by several people who understand the truth, be denounced, impeached, and replaced;

(2) Leaders and workers who go rogue and severely violate work arrangements should, upon accurate verification of their having done so, be denounced, impeached, and replaced;

(3) A leader or worker who commits a transgression or exhibits corruption should be helped lovingly. If they refuse to accept the truth, they may be denounced, impeached, and replaced;

(4) If a leader or worker should commit multifarious acts of evil and makes others suffer, entrapping and wrongfully accusing them, they must be impeached and denounced, and their dismissal must be enacted.

Relevant Words of God:

What is the attitude that people should have in terms of how to treat a leader or worker? If what he does is right, then you can obey him; if what he does is wrong, then you can expose him, and even oppose him and raise a different opinion. If he is unable to do practical work, and is revealed to be a false leader, a false worker or an antichrist, then you can refuse to accept his leadership, and you can also report and expose him. However, some of God’s chosen people do not understand the truth and are particularly cowardly, and so they do not dare do anything. They say, “If the leader kicks me out, I’m finished; if he has everyone expose or forsake me, then I will no longer be able to believe in God. If I leave the church, then God will not want me and will not save me. The church represents God!” Do these ways of thinking not affect such a person’s attitude toward those things? Could it really be true that if the leader expels you, you can no longer be saved? Is the question of your salvation dependent upon your leader’s attitude toward you? Why do so many people have such a degree of fear? If, as soon as one who is a false leader or an antichrist threatens you, you do not dare to report it higher up and even guarantee that from then on, you will be of a single mind with the leader, then are you not done for? Is this the sort of person who pursues truth? Not only do you not dare to expose such wicked behavior as might be committed by satanic antichrists, but on the contrary, you obey them and even take their words as the truth, to which you submit. Is this not the epitome of stupidity? Then, when you are harmed, is that not what you deserve? Has God caused you to be harmed? You have wished it upon yourself. You took an antichrist to be your leader, and treated him as though he were a brother or sister—and that is your fault. What is the attitude with which one should treat an antichrist? One should expose him and struggle against him. If you cannot do this alone, then multiple people must come together and report him. Upon discovering that certain leaders and workers higher up were walking the path of the antichrist, making the brothers and sisters suffer, not doing real work, and coveting the benefits of status, some people signed a petition to remove those antichrists. What a fantastic job these people did! It shows that people understand the truth, that they possess a certain amount of stature, and that they are neither controlled nor deceived by Satan. This also proves that antichrists and false leaders do not hold a dominant position in the church, and they do not dare to show their true selves too plainly in anything they say and do. If they do reveal themselves, there are people to monitor them, identify them, and cast them out. That is, in the hearts of people who genuinely understand the truth, a person’s status, prestige, and authority are not the things that hold sway; all those who understand the truth are able to have discernment, and they rethink and reflect upon what path people ought to follow in their faith in God, as well as how they should treat leaders and workers. They also begin to think about whom people should follow, which behaviors constitute following people, and which behaviors constitute following God. Having pondered these truths for several years, and listened often to sermons, they have unconsciously come to understand the truths about believing in God, and so they have gained some stature. They have embarked upon the right track of believing in God.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

How should God’s chosen ones treat antichrists? They must identify them, expose them, report them, and cast them out. No matter how an antichrist comes into a position of leadership, he invariably is one who resists God. You must not accept the leadership of an antichrist, and you also must not recognize him as your leader, for what he does is not to lead you into the words of God; he wants to drag you down to hell and haul you along the same path of the antichrists that he is walking. He causes you to join with him in resistance against God and in disrupting and destroying God’s work. He tugs and pulls at you so that you come to wallow with him in the mire. Will you consent to this? If you do, and if you compromise with him, beg him for mercy, or are conquered by him, then you have not borne witness, and you are a person who betrays both the truth and God—and such people cannot be saved. What are the conditions a person must meet in order to receive salvation? First of all, they must possess the ability to identify satanic antichrists; they must have this aspect of the truth. It is only by possessing this aspect of the truth that they can genuinely believe in God and refrain from worshiping or following man; only people who can identify antichrists have the ability to truly believe in God and follow and bear witness to Him. In order to identify antichrists, people must first learn to see people and things with complete clarity and understanding; they must be able to perceive the essence of antichrists, and they must see through all of their conspiracies, tricks, inner motivations, and objectives. If you can do this, then you can stand firm. If you want to obtain salvation, then the first test you must pass is to learn how to defeat Satan and how to overcome and triumph over hostile forces and interference from the outside world. Once you possess stature and sufficient truth to persevere to the end in a battle against Satan’s forces, and have defeated them, then—and only then—can you pursue the truth steadily, and only then can you step steadfastly and without mishap upon the path of pursuing the truth and being granted salvation. If you cannot pass this test, then it can be said that you are in great danger, and you are liable to be captured by an antichrist and come to live under Satan’s influence.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

Some antichrists, as soon as they have status, insist on others serving them the tea they drink, have the clothes they wear washed by others, and even have a particular person who scrubs their back when they bathe, and one who waits on them when they eat. Worse still, some even have a menu for each of the day’s three meals, take additional health supplements, and also want all kinds of different soups boiled for them. Have antichrists no shame? No, they haven’t! Would you say that it is somewhat lenient to simply deal with and prune that type of person? Will dealing and pruning make them feel shame? (It won’t.) So, how can this issue be resolved? It is quite simple. Deal with and prune them, then expose them. Let them know what they are. Whether or not they submit, they should be replaced and everyone should reject them.

Once you have discovered an antichrist, can you reject them? Do you dare to stand up and report them, expose them? (Yes.) Do you truly dare or is it just pretense? When you have others to back you up, you will dare to stand up and expose them, but without support, will you still dare to expose them? It is safe where you are now, there is no great red dragon reigning there, so you think, “What do I have to fear? They are nothing but an antichrist. God’s chosen people have His commission, so I dare to expose the antichrist and am not afraid.” However, it is different in the country of the great red dragon. If you expose an antichrist and they lose their status, then they will seek to punish and come down on you, sell you out, and will deliver you into the hands of the powers that be. Would you still dare to expose them? (No, we don’t dare.) In that environment, you would not. So, is not daring the right attitude? It is not right, and it is not testimony. These are not words an overcomer or a follower of God should say. Even if you say no words, your heart cries out again and again: “You antichrist, you the devil Satan, I will expose you. I will use wisdom to reject you, expel you from the church. You are not worthy of dwelling in God’s house, you are a devil, you are Satan! Even though I do not expose you publicly, I reject you from the bottom of my heart. I will seek out many brothers and sisters who understand the truth and together we will reject you. We will not accept your leadership or your manipulation.” Is this the right way? (Yes.) The environment may be adverse and acting this way will put you in jeopardy, but God’s commission, the truth principle, and man’s duty, cannot be renounced or abandoned. As for those antichrists who enjoy privileges, unabashedly enjoy the benefits of status, we should reject them, not allow them to become parasites in the house of God, not allow them to harm or deceive any more brothers and sisters. We should expel them. The resources of God’s house are not for the nourishment of these parasites. They are not worthy of eating within God’s house, not worthy of enjoying anything in God’s house, because they are devils. They deserve to be rejected. This is another manifestation of the antichrist—shameless enjoyment of privilege. Without contributing anything, they seize power as soon as they attain a position of leadership. Once made a leader, they enjoy the benefits of their status, and force brothers and sisters to cook and buy delicious food for them, misappropriate the fruits of their labors, and dispossess them of their property. To them, it is a matter of course, an invaluable opportunity, a chance that will not come again. Is this not the way a devil thinks? What shameless thinking it is. This type of person should be dealt with and pruned, exposed, and rejected by the brothers and sisters.

Excerpted from “They Do Not Accept Dealing and Pruning, nor Do They Have an Attitude of Repentance When They Commit Any Wrong, but Instead Spread Notions and Publicly Pass Judgment on God” in Exposing Antichrists

When you discover that someone is an antichrist, I tell you, if you think they have great power and that if you expose them, you may be purged, isolated, or have your books of God’s words confiscated, then do not go head-to-head with them. You should think of ways promptly to expose and report them and to renounce them, while keeping your books and not severing your contact with the church. Do not confront them directly. It would be useless for you to reason with them, it would be useless for you to try to reform them through love, and it would be useless for you to fellowship the truth to them. You cannot change them. It being so that you cannot change them, your best course is to avoid any personal conversations or attempts to reason with them in expectation that they will repent. Rather, expose and report them in a way they do not know of it. Let your superiors handle them, or rouse more people to expose, report, and renounce them, and thereby having the church cut them off. Is this not a good way to go about it? If you recognize an antichrist, and they try to draw out your inner thoughts and see whether you have identified them, what will you do? You must see through the trickery of the devil Satan; you must not fall into their trap or into the pit they have dug for you. Faced with the devil Satan, you must be wise. You must not speak truthfully to them. The ones to whom you can speak truthfully are God and your true brothers and sisters, so you can never tell the truth to Satan, devils, or antichrists. God alone is worthy of knowing what you think in your heart; God alone is worthy of sovereignty and scrutiny of your heart. No one, least of all the devil Satan, is qualified to control your thoughts or scrutinize your heart. Therefore, should the devil Satan try to draw out your truthful words, you have the right to say “no,” to refuse to answer, not to tell them what you are thinking. This is your right. If you say, “You, devil—try to draw words from me, and I won’t tell you the truth; I won’t tell you. I’ll report you, and what of it? If you dare to fix me, I’ll report you. If you fix me, God will curse and punish you,” will that do? (No.) The Bible says, “Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Mat 10:16). At these times, you must be shrewd as snakes, and you must be wise. We must let God alone scrutinize our hearts, and we must let Him alone occupy them. We must give our hearts to God alone; He alone is worthy of possessing our hearts—Satan the devil is not! Therefore, antichrists are unqualified to know how or what we think. They try to draw words out of you, to probe you. Their purpose is to control you. You must see this clearly. So, do not speak truthfully to an antichrist. You have to find a way to come together with more of your brothers and sisters to expose them, forsake them, and pull them down from their position. Never let them prevail. Cut them off from the church and permit them no further chance to cause disturbance or wield power in the house of God.

Excerpted from “They Treat the House of God Like Their Personal Domain” in Exposing Antichrists

65. The Principles of Admitting Responsibility and Resigning

(1) Any false leader or worker who does not accept the truth, who cannot do practical work, and who, for some time, has been bereft of the work of the Holy Spirit, must admit responsibility and resign;

(2) Whoever refuses to issue or implement work arrangements or sermons and fellowship, standing in the way of God’s chosen people being led and shepherded from the Above, must admit responsibility and resign;

(3) Whoever violates work arrangements and goes rogue, causing the work of God’s house and His chosen people to suffer great loss and disaster, must admit responsibility and resign;

(4) If, having committed a transgression or evil deed, a leader or worker is pruned and dealt with, and is able truly to repent, ensuring good work in the future, they may retain their position for the time being.

Relevant Words of God:

God’s house makes optimal use of people according to their actual capacities, in the way that is most suitable. If your humanity is good but your caliber is poor, perform your duty with all your heart and all your strength. You do not need to be a leader or worker to meet with God’s approval. If you were willing to concern yourself with what a leader needs to concern himself with but unable to do so, if you do not possess the qualities required to be a leader and are not up to the task, what should you do? In that case, do not insist on it and make things harder for yourself. If you can carry fifty pounds, carry fifty pounds without showing off and saying, “Fifty pounds isn’t enough—I want to carry a greater burden! I’ll carry a hundred pounds, even if it kills me!” Your inability to be a leader or worker certainly wouldn’t kill you, but it would delay the work of God’s house and affect its rate of progress and efficiency, and it would delay a number of people’s progress in their lives. This is not a responsibility you can bear, because your caliber is not sufficient. Thus, if you have self-awareness, you should take the initiative to step down and to recommend someone to be the leader or worker whose caliber is good, who is properly qualified, and who is better than you. This is the wise course, and only in doing so is one a person with true humanity and true sense, who truly understands the truth and practices it. You think always, “Although my caliber is poor, my humanity is good. I am willing to take on concerns, to endure hardship and pay the price. I am resolute and I do things with greater perseverance than you. I am tolerant and unafraid of being dealt with or pruned, or being tried. What does it matter if my caliber isn’t so great?” This is not meant to condemn you but to classify you, to give you clarity about what you are able to do, what suits you, and what duty suits you. In yet another regard, one of the most practical problems you now face is that your quality is too low. You cannot fulfill the duty of a leader. It does not suit you, and if you try to lead, you will delay the work of God’s house. If you enjoy being busy and have humanity, and if you are willing to take on concerns and pay the price, then there is a job that suits you, a duty you should perform, and God’s house will arrange it appropriately. It accords with the rules and principles of God’s house not to let you be a leader, but God’s house will certainly never deprive you of your right to do your duty or your right to believe in and follow God because of your caliber. Is this proper? Is there still a need for more detailed fellowship on this matter? Some people of lower caliber hear this and think, “Enough fellowship. There is no place to show this face of mine. I know that my caliber is poor, so I won’t be a leader or worker—to be a group leader or supervisor would do, or perhaps I’ll do odd jobs, cook, clean … anything is fine. I’ll just do what I must, no matter what others say, and submit to the arrangements of God’s house and to God’s designs. Being of lower caliber is also the grace of God. There is God’s good will in it, and God does not work wrongly.” If you can look at things in this way, that will do, and the problem needs no more fellowship. In sum, we dissect only the problems of people of lesser caliber, revealing the truth as it is so that more people will have the correct attitude and view toward these people, and so that these people can have the correct attitude and view toward their own poor caliber. They can then situate themselves accurately and find their own appropriate position and duty, so that the price they pay and their resolve to endure hardship can be put to reasonable use and brought into play. This does not affect your understanding of the truth or your practice of the truth. And it does not affect your image in God’s house or in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do you wish to be a false leader, or an ordinary follower? (An ordinary follower.) If the brothers and sisters elect you, give it a go; maybe they see things more clearly than you. If the brothers and sisters think you can do it, you should give your all. If you really try, but still fail in the work, and your heart burns with anxiety, and you can’t sleep, and you simply don’t know how to do it properly, then stop; it’s too hard on you. If you carry on, you will likely become a false leader, in which case you should write a letter of resignation, declaring, “Effective immediately, I wish to resign because I am of poor caliber, and likely to become a false leader; please choose someone else.” This is the wisest course of action. This is the most suitable thing to do: It is rational, and better than occupying the position and being a false leader. If you know full well that you are of poor caliber and incapable of being a leader, but cannot bear to give up the role, and say to yourself, “Why can’t I do this? Who can give me some help? How great it would be if I were in this role and someone else made the plans! But no one fits the bill, so I’ll muddle though, getting through it day-by-day; even if I can’t do the work, I’m still the leader, and being a leader makes me better than the brothers and sisters. If the house of God does not replace me and I am not removed by the brothers and sisters, then I won’t resign,” is this reasonable? (It is not.) Acting thus delays the work of the house of God—it hurts others, and it hurts yourself. Do you know what it means to be a leader? It means you have a direct relationship with many people’s entry into life, and you have a direct relationship with how they walk the path before them. If you lead well, they will walk this path well; if you lead them onto the right path, they shall set foot on the right path. If you lead poorly, and take them into the gutter, and they become a Pharisee like you, then your sin is great. And is great sin the end of it? It shall be noted by God. You know full well that your caliber is poor, that you are a false leader, and incapable of doing real work, yet you do not step down, but brazenly cling to your position, and do not allow anyone else to have it. This is a sin, and God shall keep account. And will His keeping account be good or bad for you in the future? You’re in trouble! I’ll tell you the honest truth: God keeps account of such things for each and every person, and every item is clearly written down. If something so major were to happen on your path to salvation, then the impact on you would be huge. Whatever you do, do not walk this path, and do not be this kind of person.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people say, “Before, I wasn’t too clear about the responsibilities of leaders and workers, and was bewildered about such a position, thinking that if I had passion, and was willing to suffer, I was fit for the job. But when You fellowshiped this, I was dumbstruck—it turns out I am a false leader, that I don’t have what it takes, that I can’t even implement one specific work arrangement of the house of God. I used to think that it was enough to read the work arrangements a few times, make sure everyone has a copy, then watch everyone below me get on with it—I just had to monitor and keep watch, that’s all. After a while, I discovered the work wasn’t being done properly, and that many specific practices were being ignored. Only then did I realize what I was, that my caliber was extremely poor.” So what to do? Is it ok to “drop the load”? Is there a way to solve this? Is it the case that there is no solution to this problem? (No. Based on what God asks, they must try to do better.) That’s a very positive perspective—it’s a great point of way of looking at it: based on what God asks, trying to do better, not believing you can’t do it, not being negative, not giving up. This is one answer, and it is a good one. Is it the only answer? (No. If their caliber is too poor, and they really cannot do the work, then they can also step down.) That’s the second answer. If you’ve already tried, and think you can’t do it, if it’s a real struggle for you, and very hard, and a source of great anxiety, and makes you lose sleep, if you feel as if you’re being crushed by mountains every day—if you can’t lift your head or catch a breath, if your feet feel heavy as you walk—and after hearing these specific requirements, you have an even greater sense that your caliber is poor and you can’t do it, then what should you do? There is a solution: go ahead and resign. If you can’t do it, you should admit it. What does it mean to admit it? You must have a precise understanding and grasp of yourself, a clear awareness of your own abilities and caliber. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. So how is such awareness achieved? Not by imagination, but because it has already been tested; you do not possess this caliber and ability. For the caliber of this kind of person, such matters are too complicated, the difficulty is too great; they are truly incapable of doing this, they are not simply giving up. So is there any room for growth if they try and better themselves? Can they improve their caliber? If they’ve already tried, and seen that this really is their caliber, then there’s no point in trying again, no use in re-proving the point. They should go ahead and resign. Don’t keep on in this role; if you can’t do specific work, you will have an impact on others and delay them. Is this a path? Either one of these two paths isn’t the only one; you can choose, can make a real and accurate judgment based on your understanding of yourself, and the understanding of you of brothers and sisters around you who are familiar with you, and then you can make the right choice, for which the house of God will not be hard on you. Some people say, “I still want to try, to improve myself. I don’t think I’m that bad. It’s just that during those years I didn’t pay much attention to pursuing the truth, I was bewildered about being a leader, and didn’t know what to do. At the start, I thought the work of the house of God was simple: It was just fellowshiping the truth, and as long as I devoted more effort to the words of God, I would be able to do the work well. But as soon as I was confronted with real work, I saw that the work of the house of God is not so simple.” Now they know that doing any of the specific work of the house of God isn’t that simple. Partly, people have to have caliber; partly, they must have a burden; and partly, they must understand the truth. All of these are indispensable. Not pursuing the truth is unacceptable; poor caliber is unacceptable; poor humanity and no burden is unacceptable; and specific work must be approached specifically. It’s not so simple. Some people aren’t convinced, and still want to have another go, to be given another chance. Should such people be given a chance? If they are capable of doing some specific jobs, and are merely of average ability and caliber, but are not sloppy or reckless when they work, and are able to listen and obey, being basically capable of carrying out the work in accordance with the work arrangements, and the requirements and principles of the house of God, then even though previously, such people failed to do the work properly because they were naive, young, and had a shallow foundation, and because they had the wrong idea about a lot of things, they are still the right person, and should be given a chance; don’t blindly replace them or blindly ask them to step down. Being a leader or a worker isn’t that easy, nor is choosing a leader or a worker that easy. People now understand something of the responsibilities of leaders and workers, and the next time they work, they will do it better than before, when they didn’t understand such things. This is fact.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

In order to sort out and remove all false leaders, false workers, and antichrists, the Above issues forth the following notice:

Any evildoers who have committed any of the following seven acts must accept responsibility, resign, and admit their sins to God’s chosen people, to placate people and make God feel at ease.

1. Any who lack the work of the Holy Spirit, whose fellowship lacks truth reality, who cannot resolve practical problems of entry into life for God’s chosen people, and who cannot do a practical work must accept responsibility and resign.

2. Any who have condemned the work arrangements of the Above, who have withheld or refused to distribute work arrangements, sermons and fellowship, who have limited God’s chosen people’s ability to receive work arrangements, sermons and fellowship distributed by others, and who have closed off the church must accept responsibility and resign.

3. Any who refuse to implement work arrangements and restrict the church’s elections of leaders and deacons—including nominally permitted elections—but who also try to forcefully or covertly appoint candidates, must accept responsibility and resign.

4. Any who have mistakenly expelled or isolated many of God’s chosen people without consulting with the church, who have refused to reinstate them in church life, who have no love at all for God’s chosen people, and who do not ask or care about the problems of God’s chosen people must accept responsibility and resign.

5. Any who have restricted the ability of God’s chosen people to fellowship on work arrangements and discern false leaders and antichrists, who have obstructed God’s chosen people in fulfilling their duties and practicing the truth according to work arrangements, and who have spread absurd theories to make people obey the church and leaders must accept responsibility and resign.

6. Any who misappropriate God’s offerings, taking them as their own, or who abuse the use of offerings in violation of the provisions of work arrangements, must accept responsibility and resign, and must also fully confess the facts of their crimes and repay the money they took in full.

7. Any who have taken revenge or condemned those among God’s chosen people who dare to expose false leaders and antichrists and stand up for what is right, or who have suppressed them or done them injury, are in reality excessively evil devils, and must accept responsibility and resign.

God’s house will no longer allow any evildoers who have committed any of the seven acts above to continue holding leadership or worker posts at any level, because these people have severely disrupted and disturbed the work of God, they have no love at all for God’s chosen people, they have viciously harmed God’s chosen people, they have striven to prevent God’s chosen people from understanding the truth or obeying God’s work, and they have even condemned and framed those of God’s chosen people who obey work arrangements and uphold righteousness. This is evil beyond measure, a sin beyond compare. God’s chosen people can no longer tolerate such evildoers in leadership and worker positions, and cry out to God for salvation. It is apparent that these false leaders, false workers, and antichrists have incited the people’s wrath and offended God’s disposition, so they must accept responsibility and resign. This is entirely in accordance with God’s will and the people’s desires. If today they accept responsibility and resign, and show they are capable of repentance, God’s house will grant them another chance; they will be allowed to retain their church life and assigned appropriate duties—and if they can pursue the truth and genuinely repent, they will still have an opportunity to be saved. If, however, they do not accept responsibility and resign, and continue to resist God’s house, they can be defined as antichrists, and must be expelled and forever rejected by God’s chosen people.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

66. The Principles of Readjusting Leaders and Workers

(1) Any elected leader or worker who is unable to do practical work or resolve practical problems should be summarily readjusted and replaced;

(2) Any false leader or worker who does not accept the truth, does not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, and cannot do practical work must be replaced, and arrangements must be made for them elsewhere;

(3) Inappropriate arrangements for a leader or worker—those that squander their talents on too small a task, or squander a task on their inadequate talent—should be readjusted as appropriate, in light of their stature and strengths;

(4) Once a leader’s or worker’s work has been arranged, they should be subjected to inspection, investigation, and supervision; if the arrangement is found to be a poor fit, they must be readjusted as appropriate.

Relevant Words of God:

Those who can lead churches, supply people with life, and be apostles to the people must have actual experience; they must have a correct understanding of spiritual things and a correct appreciation and experience of the truth. Only such people are qualified to be workers or apostles who lead the churches. Otherwise, they can only follow as the least and cannot lead, much less be apostles who are able to supply people with life. This is because the function of apostles is not to rush about or to fight; it is to do the work of ministering life and leading others in transforming their dispositions. Those who perform this function are commissioned to shoulder a heavy responsibility, one that not just anyone can shoulder. This kind of work can only be undertaken by those with life being, that is, those who have experience of the truth. It cannot be undertaken by merely anyone who can renounce, who can rush about, or who is willing to expend themselves; people who have no experience of the truth, who have not been pruned or judged, are unable to do this type of work. People with no experience, who are people without reality, are unable to see reality clearly because they themselves are without this kind of being. So, this type of person is not only unable to do leadership work, but, if they remain without the truth for a long while, they will become an object of elimination.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Many people behind My back covet the benefits of status, they gorge themselves on food, they love to sleep and give every care to the flesh, always afraid that there is no way out for the flesh. They do not perform their proper function in the church, but freeload off the church, or else they admonish their brothers and sisters with My words, lording themselves over others from positions of authority. These people keep saying they are doing God’s will and always say they are God’s intimates—is this not absurd? If you have the right intentions, but are unable to serve in accordance with God’s will, then you are being foolish; but if your intentions are not right, and you still say you serve God, then you are someone who opposes God, and you ought to be punished by God! I have no sympathy for such people! In the house of God, they freeload, always coveting the comforts of the flesh, and give no consideration to the interests of God. They always seek what is good for them, and they pay no heed to God’s will. They do not accept the scrutiny of God’s Spirit in anything they do. They are always maneuvering and deceiving their brothers and sisters, and being two-faced, like a fox in a vineyard, always stealing grapes and trampling over the vineyard. Could such people be God’s intimates? Are you fit to receive God’s blessings? You take no burden for your life and the church, are you fit to receive God’s commission? Who would dare trust someone like you? When you serve like this, could God dare to entrust you with a greater task? Would this not cause delays to the work?

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some false leaders are gluttonous and idle, loving of leisure and loathsome of labor, averse to work and worry, ill-disposed to exertion or responsibility; they wish only for comfort, they love to eat and play, and they are lazy. In the morning, when everyone has finished breakfast, they are still in bed; in the evening, they watch their TV dramas until they can barely keep their eyes open, still up when everyone’s asleep. They spend all day eating, playing, and drifting about; they go wherever there is fun to be had, or play on whatever machine looks entertaining. Say a brother cook cannot stand it and reprimands them. What do you think, would they listen to a cook? (No.) If I said, “You have to be more diligent. You must do what you ought. You are a leader and must be present for all work, no matter what it is; when other people work for eight hours, you must be there for a minimum of six-and-a-half or seven hours. You can spend the remaining time attending to personal affairs,” would they listen? They would not. So, I say nothing to such people—I simply tell the decision-making group to replace them, to get rid of them, to send them wherever necessary, to get them doing whatever they are able. If they are trash and would freeload wherever they were, and are not capable of anything, then kick them out; do not allow them to perform a duty. They are not fit to perform a duty. They are not people; they do not possess the conscience and sense of normal humanity, and they are shameless. With this shiftless sort of false leader, as soon as you have seen through them, replace them at once. There is no need to give them counsel, no need to give them more chances or put them under observation, nor is there any point in fellowshiping the truth to them. Have they heard little of the truth? Would they change if they were dealt with and pruned? No. Were one of poor caliber, or at times absurd in their point of view, or ignorant and narrow-minded in the way they see things, but still diligent, burden-bearing, and not lazy—such a person, though deviant in their actions, can change by being dealt with and pruned; at the very least, they are aware of the responsibilities of leadership and know what they are supposed to do, and they have conscience and a sense of responsibility. They have a heart. But that kind of person who is lazy, loving idleness and hating labor, who has no sense of burden—they cannot change. If they have no sense of burden, whatever anyone says will have no effect.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (4)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

A false leader is a leader of low caliber, who when reporting a problem, offers only nonsense and confusion. They consider it thus: “There, you see, I’ve given you enough information, I’ve talked and talked and talked about years past and yet to come, and said just about everything possible, so have you worked out what I am trying to get at?” No matter how you guide them, what you ask them, how you check up on them, they never know what to say, can never get to the heart of the matter. They do not lack the words, they are not uncultured, but are of low caliber, brainless, lacking power of expression, with confusion in their heart, and unable to explain anything with clarity. They have some burdens and will gain some understanding about some matters with time, but they do not know how to express this, and fail to get to the essence of the matter, much less generalize or summarize things. Can someone exhibiting such a poor caliber of leadership actually work at all? Can they fulfill the obligations of a leader or worker? No, they can’t. Give them some time, give them a chance to report a problem, let them explain it, and they still won’t manage to. Can you have a dialogue with such a person? Can you make use of them? (No.) Why can’t you make use of them? They can’t even speak properly, so what work can they do? They might have a few strengths, be sincere, have a certain amount of loyalty, a sense of responsibility, and mean well, but their overall caliber is too low, not just averagely bad, and they cannot be taught. When you try to teach them, you get irritated and angry straight away, and when you hear them speak, you worry and get flustered and confused, and you can’t make sense of what they are saying, or understand what they want to say, and you are unable to conduct a dialogue with them. They don’t even have the minimum inherent mastery of human language to express ideas, thoughts, and attitudes, so how can they work? Yet they still think that they have some ability, some skills, are capable of working, feel that they are in the right, are loyal and spiritual, wish to expend themselves, to pay the price, and to endure hardship in performing their duty. Do these qualities all display that they have what it takes to be a leader or worker? Although truth reigns in God’s house, and the word of God holds sway, a lot of specific work tasks need people to deal with them and coordinate them; they need people actually to follow them up and solve them. These matters can’t simply be solved by someone saying “I am willing” or “I agree”; they are not solved by mere good intentions or the will to endure hardship. People don’t live in a vacuum, so they don’t work or do their duty in a vacuum either. If a person becomes a leader or worker, but their caliber is so low that they can’t even express themselves in speech, are they really going to be competent? (They are not.) What does being incompetent imply? It implies not being able to identify difficulties and problems with work in good time, and of course implies that whatever problem occurs during work, they won’t be able to solve it promptly. If they cannot solve it promptly, can they report it and seek guidance promptly? As for people of low caliber, this work merely increases their difficulties, and is completely beyond their abilities, like herding cats; it is too much effort.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Part of the obligations of leaders and workers is knowing what’s going on with different work supervisors and the staff responsible for important work. So, who are these personnel? The most fundamental are church leaders, followed by group supervisors and team leaders. Some are responsible for specialized tasks, and some are responsible for other things. Different work supervisors and staff responsible for important work: Is their effect on the work of the house of God critical, and of great importance? (Yes.) So, is it appropriate to include this in the obligations of leaders and workers? (Yes.) Gaining an accurate understanding of the situation of the main supervisors in charge of different work, and making suitable adjustments, is like standing guard over each work program. It is the equivalent of fulfilling one’s responsibility and duty. However, if these personnel are not correctly arrayed and a problem arises, the work of the church will be greatly impacted. If these personnel are of good humanity and dependable, and, even better, are able to pursue the truth and possess a foundation, then putting them in charge, handing this work over to them, will make things a lot easier. What is important is that the work can progress smoothly and is highly effective and efficient. But if the supervisor is not dependable, and is of poor character and low humanity—and, furthermore, does not pursue the truth, and is liable to cause disturbance—then they are not the only ones who will be harmed. Because they are in charge, the personnel within their scope of work and the work itself will be affected, either to a large or small degree. If they are merely unserious or neglectful of their obligations, this could cause delays in the work; the speed of progress will be somewhat slower, and the work somewhat less efficient. If they are an antichrist, however, the problem is serious: This is not a problem of the work being a little inefficient and ineffective—they will damage, disturb, and paralyze the work as a whole. And so, such work is not an obligation that leaders and workers can dodge—it is work that is very serious and important. If leaders and workers can keep abreast of the humanity of various supervisors and major personnel, and their attitude toward the truth, as well as their state and condition at every stage and can promptly adjust or address these things according to the circumstances, then work can process steadily. On the contrary, if these people run amok and do not do real work, and the leaders are not prompt in identifying this and making adjustments, and end up waiting until the work is severely impaired and all manner of clear problems have already been exposed before identifying them and slowly trying to adjust, rectify, and redeem the situation, then such leaders have utterly failed in their obligations. They are false leaders.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The type of person who is a false leader does not do real work, and is incapable of doing real work. Their caliber is poor, their eyes and heart are blind, they are incapable of discovering problems, and cannot see through various kinds of people, so they are unable to undertake the important work of promoting and cultivating various types of competent talent, which also wreaks significant harm on the work of the house of God, and has an impact on the entry into life of different people, forming an obstacle to their entry. False leaders are manifestly unqualified to do this work. There are also certain false leaders who do not get involved in specific work, who keep a distance from those in charge of specific work, and thus have no idea what work different sorts of people can undertake, and whether they carry out various work properly, and according to principle. Partly, this is laziness, and partly, it is poor caliber, leading to false leaders being incapable of doing real work. With them, specific work cannot move forward; it gets mired in stagnation and paralysis, resulting in poor work efficiency. This is all directly connected to false leaders promoting and cultivating the wrong people. For the past several years, the house of God has stressed, over and over, that the wicked and the nonbelievers must be purged and the false leaders and false workers replaced. Why must the various wicked people and nonbelievers be purged? Because after years of believing in God, these people still do not accept the truth at all, and are now beyond hope of salvation. And why must all false leaders and false workers be replaced? Because they do not do real work, and never promote or cultivate those who pursue the truth, causing the work of the church to be thrown into chaos, with too many who disrupt and interrupt, and even slowing the life entry of God’s chosen ones. Once these nonbelievers and wicked people are purged, and the false leaders and false workers are replaced, the life of the church is much better, God’s chosen ones are able to eat and drink the words of God and perform their duty normally, and set foot on the right track of faith in God. This is what God wishes to see.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

67. The Principles of Recalling Leaders and Workers

(1) Letters of denunciation and impeachment of leaders and workers should be subjected first to thorough investigation; such a matter should not be handled, nor its nature decided, until the allegations are found to conform entirely to fact;

(2) It is necessary to conduct a public survey as to whether a leader’s or worker’s work has yielded practical results. Only by determining they are a false leader or worker can they be removed from their posts;

(3) The work of leaders and workers should be subject to inspection at any time. Anything that constitutes a serious violation of the principles must be immediately dealt with and resolved;

(4) The recall of a false leader and antichrist who has engaged in multifarious acts of evil may be carried out by a significant number of God’s true chosen people jointly with two or three leaders or workers.

Relevant Words of God:

How should God’s chosen ones treat antichrists? They must identify them, expose them, report them, and cast them out. No matter how an antichrist comes into a position of leadership, he invariably is one who resists God. You must not accept the leadership of an antichrist, and you also must not recognize him as your leader, for what he does is not to lead you into the words of God; he wants to drag you down to hell and haul you along the same path of the antichrists that he is walking. He causes you to join with him in resistance against God and in disrupting and destroying God’s work. He tugs and pulls at you so that you come to wallow with him in the mire. Will you consent to this? If you do, and if you compromise with him, beg him for mercy, or are conquered by him, then you have not borne witness, and you are a person who betrays both the truth and God—and such people cannot be saved. What are the conditions a person must meet in order to receive salvation? First of all, they must possess the ability to identify satanic antichrists; they must have this aspect of the truth. It is only by possessing this aspect of the truth that they can genuinely believe in God and refrain from worshiping or following man; only people who can identify antichrists have the ability to truly believe in God and follow and bear witness to Him. In order to identify antichrists, people must first learn to see people and things with complete clarity and understanding; they must be able to perceive the essence of antichrists, and they must see through all of their conspiracies, tricks, inner motivations, and objectives. If you can do this, then you can stand firm. If you want to obtain salvation, then the first test you must pass is to learn how to defeat Satan and how to overcome and triumph over hostile forces and interference from the outside world. Once you possess stature and sufficient truth to persevere to the end in a battle against Satan’s forces, and have defeated them, then—and only then—can you pursue the truth steadily, and only then can you step steadfastly and without mishap upon the path of pursuing the truth and being granted salvation. If you cannot pass this test, then it can be said that you are in great danger, and you are liable to be captured by an antichrist and come to live under Satan’s influence.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

What is the attitude that people should have in terms of how to treat a leader or worker? If what he does is right, then you can obey him; if what he does is wrong, then you can expose him, and even oppose him and raise a different opinion. If he is unable to do practical work, and is revealed to be a false leader, a false worker or an antichrist, then you can refuse to accept his leadership, and you can also report and expose him. However, some of God’s chosen people do not understand the truth and are particularly cowardly, and so they do not dare do anything. They say, “If the leader kicks me out, I’m finished; if he has everyone expose or forsake me, then I will no longer be able to believe in God. If I leave the church, then God will not want me and will not save me. The church represents God!” Do these ways of thinking not affect such a person’s attitude toward those things? Could it really be true that if the leader expels you, you can no longer be saved? Is the question of your salvation dependent upon your leader’s attitude toward you? Why do so many people have such a degree of fear? If, as soon as one who is a false leader or an antichrist threatens you, you do not dare to report it higher up and even guarantee that from then on, you will be of a single mind with the leader, then are you not done for? Is this the sort of person who pursues truth? Not only do you not dare to expose such wicked behavior as might be committed by satanic antichrists, but on the contrary, you obey them and even take their words as the truth, to which you submit. Is this not the epitome of stupidity? Then, when you are harmed, is that not what you deserve? Has God caused you to be harmed? You have wished it upon yourself. You took an antichrist to be your leader, and treated him as though he were a brother or sister—and that is your fault. What is the attitude with which one should treat an antichrist? One should expose him and struggle against him. If you cannot do this alone, then multiple people must come together and report him. Upon discovering that certain leaders and workers higher up were walking the path of the antichrist, making the brothers and sisters suffer, not doing real work, and coveting the benefits of status, some people signed a petition to remove those antichrists. What a fantastic job these people did! It shows that people understand the truth, that they possess a certain amount of stature, and that they are neither controlled nor deceived by Satan. This also proves that antichrists and false leaders do not hold a dominant position in the church, and they do not dare to show their true selves too plainly in anything they say and do. If they do reveal themselves, there are people to monitor them, identify them, and cast them out. That is, in the hearts of people who genuinely understand the truth, a person’s status, prestige, and authority are not the things that hold sway; all those who understand the truth are able to have discernment, and they rethink and reflect upon what path people ought to follow in their faith in God, as well as how they should treat leaders and workers. They also begin to think about whom people should follow, which behaviors constitute following people, and which behaviors constitute following God. Having pondered these truths for several years, and listened often to sermons, they have unconsciously come to understand the truths about believing in God, and so they have gained some stature. They have embarked upon the right track of believing in God.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

If antichrists are allowed to run amok in a church, given free rein to cry whatever slogans and arguments they wish in order to control, threaten, deceive, or mislead the brothers and sisters, and the leaders do nothing, being without discernment and incapable of promptly exposing these antichrists and getting them under control, leading to the brothers and sisters being manipulated and disturbed by the antichrists at will, then the leaders of this church are garbage. If the antichrists and wicked ones in a church are spurned and abhorred by the brothers and sisters, if they are shackled within the church, and everyone has discernment over them, such that their speech and empty slogans that mislead and deceive the brothers and sisters do not work in the church and they are held in check, locked down, then this church’s leaders are up to standard; they are leaders possessed of truth reality. If a church is being disrupted by an antichrist, and, after being identified and rejected by the brothers and sisters, the antichrist takes revenge by oppressing and abusing the brothers and sisters, and the church leaders do nothing, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. As leaders of a church, if they are incapable of solving problems using the truth, if they cannot identify, control, and limit the antichrists’ waywardness in the church, are unable to protect brothers and sisters and protect them so that they can perform their duties normally, and are unable to maintain the normal execution of the work of God’s house, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. If the leaders of a church are afraid to approach or provoke an antichrist because the antichrist is malevolent and cruel, and thus allow that antichrist to run wild in the church, tyrannizing over others, doing whatever they want, and paralyzing and bringing to a standstill much of the work of the house of God, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. If, because of fear of retribution, the leaders of a church never have the courage to expose an antichrist, and never try to limit that antichrist’s evil acts, thereby causing disruption to the church life, and greatly hindering and damaging the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. Would you choose such leaders? (No.) Then what should you do when you encounter such leaders? You should ask them, “Antichrists are causing all this trouble in our church, acting like tyrants and wielding power. Will you stop them? Do you dare to expose them? If not, then step down. If you are protecting your own fleshly interests, if you are handing over your brothers and sisters to antichrists and the wicked because you fear them, you deserve to be cursed. You are unworthy of being a leader. Step down!” Isn’t that how you should treat leaders like this? (Yes.) That’s exactly how you should treat them. Such leaders do no practical work. In the face of the wicked, they don’t protect their brothers and sisters. Instead, they bow to the wicked, compromise with them, and beg them for mercy. Such people are garbage, they are traitors, and should be rejected.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

As for those antichrists, wicked people, and deceivers that hold sway in the church, God’s chosen people must unite to remove them from their posts and reject them. Two or three leaders and workers who are in possession of the work of the Holy Spirit may directly remove them from their posts and ban them, and anyone also in possession of the work of the Holy Spirit may be selected to take over the work of those who were removed. Only this is truly hating Satan and turning one’s back on it. God’s house must never permit wicked people, antichrists, or those who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit to hold power in the church and thereby deceive and harm others. The moment such people show their true colors, they must be banned. This is God’s command, and it is a symbol of His righteous disposition. God’s chosen people should steadfastly stand by His side, upholding His work and submitting to the authority of His words. It is against God’s will for antichrists and wicked people to hold power in the church, and it goes against His administrative decrees. When one is discovered, one should be banned; and no one must shield such a person. Whosoever speaks out in the defense of an antichrist, a wicked person, or someone who deceives others is an accomplice and a pawn of Satan, and they are therefore someone who will be exposed and eliminated by God.

All kinds of people will be revealed during the final years of disasters and trials. False leaders and workers who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit make up approximately one third of leaders and workers. Amongst these false leaders and workers, some are antichrists who do all manner of evil, whereas some have lost the work of the Holy Spirit due to their not having pursued the truth, even though they have not done much evil, and it is people like these who may be given opportunities to repent. As for antichrists who do all manner of evil, or who try to establish their own independent kingdoms, leaders and workers at all levels as well as God’s chosen people should collect evidence of the wickedness of these people and make a summary of their evil deeds. When sufficient evidence has been gathered, action may be taken to remove those people from their posts and ban them—and this action is one of expelling evil to show devotion to God. In some churches, God’s chosen people have already grasped evidence of the crimes of some false leaders, false workers, or antichrists, and they should collate this evidence into written materials. If someone has formed into a force of the antichrist, then God’s chosen people should unite with leaders and workers who possess the work of the Holy Spirit and dismiss and replace that person. If there is insufficient evidence of the evil deeds committed, or it pertains only to the various problems of expressing corruption and does not constitute them doing all manner of evil, then the decision may be deferred and made based on the quality of their humanity after observing them for a period of time. In God’s house, only the leaders and workers who possess the work of the Holy Spirit are those who are approved for use by God; those who are without the work of the Holy Spirit are the ones of whom He does not approve and who must be banned. Therefore, God’s chosen people must ascertain whether or not a leader or worker of any level is kept on based on whether or not they are in possession of the work of the Holy Spirit. God’s defeat of Satan and His termination of Satan’s destiny has come to a pivotal moment. God’s chosen people must understand His will and must absolutely not allow the various wicked people and antichrists who belong to Satan to take power in the church—this is God’s demand, His command; and even more so, it is a symbol of His righteous disposition. Wicked people and antichrists are the lackeys of the great red dragon within the church, and they represent the forces of the great red dragon. If wicked people and antichrists hold power, therefore, it means that the great red dragon holds power. Only by rejecting wicked people and antichrists can people forsake the great red dragon and rebel against Satan. All people who are just and faithful to God should consciously rise up and uphold God’s work, protect the interests of God’s chosen people and launch a decisive battle against the forces of Satan—this is the power with which God has endowed His chosen people. In this spiritual battle, all those who stand with God and are faithful to Him, belong to Him, and all those who stand with Satan and do their utmost to disturb and demolish God’s work, belong to Satan; these two types of people have all been revealed, and God’s chosen people ought to see this clearly.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

If some false leaders and false workers are not replaced after committing a lot of evil acts, God’s chosen people should make a summary of the facts of their wickedness and report them to leaders and workers at higher levels. If the district leaders have done too much evil, this should be reported to the regional leaders and workers. If the members of the regional decision-making team have done much evil and they are obviously resisting the work arrangements and disrupting the work of God’s house, this should be reported to the pastoral decision-making team. If the pastoral decision-making team still defends them instead of resolving the problem, then the situation should be recorded in written documents and reported to the Above via the website. Additionally, measures may even be adopted to remove false leaders and workers by way of joint dismissal. The principle for implementing a joint dismissal is that a dedicated action to ban all false leaders and workers and the antichrists should be conducted by leaders and workers who possess the work of the Holy Spirit at various levels. For example, if members of the pastoral decision-making team do not have the work of the Holy Spirit, other members of the pastoral decision-making team or members of the work team who possess the work of the Holy Spirit should concur on actions to remove them. If members of the regional decision-making team do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, other members of the regional decision-making team or two or three regional coordinators who have the work of the Holy Spirit should concur on actions to remove them. If a district leader does not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, two or three other district leaders and workers should concur on actions to remove that district leader. If regional coordinators or district preachers do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, they can be reassigned directly by the regional decision-making team or district leaders. When removing the false leaders and workers who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, how many evil acts they have done and how God’s chosen people report them must be ascertained accurately and without any mistakes. False leaders and workers with relatively better humanity, but who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, should only be dismissed, yet still be treated as brothers and sisters. If false leaders and workers are wicked people steeped in iniquity, they should be evaluated according to the seriousness of their wicked behavior to decide whether or not they should be expelled. In addition, prior to taking actions to ban any false leaders and workers and antichrists, an investigation must be first conducted to determine the nature of the problem and make clear whether the people in question possess the work of the Holy Spirit, and whether or not the parties involved can be categorized as false leaders, false workers, or antichrists. Moreover, inquiries and investigations should be conducted with their co-workers and the brothers and sisters for whom they are responsible, in order to grasp the specifics regarding their evil deeds and resistance against God. A list of their wicked deeds must also be made, and confirmed by many people to show that the evidence is conclusive. Actions can only be taken once the majority of people familiar with them have confirmed the evidence. Any actions must be taken with caution, prudence, and wisdom, and appropriate opportunities must also be chosen; by no means can this ever be done under adverse circumstances. Regardless of location, as long as false leaders and workers and antichrists exist, this is how they may be dealt with. It is the command of God and the authorization of the man used by the Holy Spirit. All leaders and workers who possess the work of the Holy Spirit have the right to take action against false leaders and workers and antichrists, the premise being safety and the assurance that the church life of God’s chosen people not be disturbed. This is a genuine good deed and a true act of righteousness.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

68. The Principles of Cultivating and Utilizing People

(1) It is necessary to elect and cultivate people of good caliber, who love the truth and have a sense of justice, as leaders and workers. Doing so is of benefit to the church’s work;

(2) People who, having previously been replaced, genuinely repent and are afterward capable of doing practical work, may be reelected, again promoted, and put to use;

(3) New believers of a year or two, so long as they are of good humanity and caliber, love the truth, and have taken on burdens, may summarily be cultivated and utilized;

(4) Those who, despite their arrogant, self-righteous dispositions, are not evil, should be cultivated and utilized, so long as they are of good caliber and can accept the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

Since the beginning of His work throughout the universe, God has predestined many people to serve Him, including those from every walk of life. His purpose is to satisfy His will and bring His work on earth to smooth completion; this is God’s aim in choosing people to serve Him. Every person who serves God must understand His will. This work of His makes God’s wisdom and omnipotence, and the principles of His work on earth, more evident to people. God has actually come to earth to do His work, to engage with people, so that they may know His deeds more clearly. Today you, this group of people, are fortunate to serve the practical God. This is an incalculable blessing for you—truly, you are raised up by God. In selecting a person to serve Him, God always has His own principles. Serving God is by no means, as people imagine, that it is simply a matter of enthusiasm. Today, you see that all who serve before God do so because they have the guidance of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, and because they are people who pursue the truth. These are the minimum conditions for all those who serve God.

Excerpted from “Religious Service Must Be Purged” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As church leaders, you should learn how to discover and cultivate talent, and not be jealous of talented people. In this way, your duty will be performed satisfactorily, and you will have fulfilled your responsibility; you will also have done your utmost to be loyal. Some people are always afraid that others will steal their limelight and surpass them, obtaining recognition while they themselves are neglected. This leads them to attack and exclude others. Is this not a case of being jealous of people more capable than themselves? Is such behavior not selfish and contemptible? What kind of disposition is this? It is malicious! Thinking only of oneself, satisfying only one’s own desires, showing no consideration for the duties of others, and thinking only about one’s own interests and not the interests of God’s house—people like this have a bad disposition, and God has no love for them. If you are truly capable of being considerate of God’s will, then you will be able to treat other people fairly. If you give someone your recommendation, and that person is cultivated into someone of talent, thereby bringing one more talented person into God’s house, will you not then have done your work well? Will you not then have been loyal in performing your duty? This is a good deed before God, and it is the sort of conscience and reason people should possess. Those who are capable of putting the truth into practice can accept God’s scrutiny when doing things. When you accept God’s scrutiny, your heart is set straight. If you only ever do things for others to see, and do not accept God’s scrutiny, then is God still in your heart? People like this have no reverence for God. Do not always do things for your own sake and do not constantly consider your own interests; give no thought to your own status, prestige, or reputation. Also do not consider the interests of man. You must first give thought to the interests of God’s house, and make them your first priority. You should be considerate of God’s will and begin by contemplating whether or not you have been impure in the fulfillment of your duty, whether you have done your utmost to be loyal, done your best to fulfill your responsibilities, and given your all, as well as whether or not you have wholeheartedly given thought to your duty and the work of God’s house. You must give consideration to these things. Think about them frequently, and it will be easier for you to perform your duty well. If you are of poor caliber, your experience is shallow, or you are not proficient in your professional work, then there may be some mistakes or deficiencies in your work, and the results may not be very good—but you will have put forth your best effort. When you are not thinking of your own selfish desires or considering your own interests in the things you do, and are instead giving constant consideration to the work of God’s house, bearing its interests in mind, and performing your duty well, then you will be accumulating good deeds before God. People who perform these good deeds are the ones who possess truth reality; as such, they have borne testimony. If you are always living by the flesh, constantly satisfying your own selfish desires, then such people do not possess truth reality; this is the mark of bringing dishonor to God.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s chosen ones are aware that when the house of God promotes and cultivates various types of people, this is not meant to create some sort of high-tech manufacturing miracle or to conduct research into the history of human development, much less because the house of God is making any sort of plans for the future of mankind. Why, then, does the house of God promote and cultivate various types of talent? (It is done to spread the gospel of the kingdom.) (It is done to create a training opportunity for all who pursue the truth.) Both are correct. Partly, this relates to the work of God, and partly, it involves individual pursuits and entry into life. Both of these are vast subjects. To be specific, when the house of God promotes and cultivates people, this has the outward appearance of promoting and cultivating someone to head a group or act as supervisor, to be the leader of a church or district, or a member of a decision-making committee, and so on. Is this the same as promotion to an official role? (No.) Those who are promoted and cultivated are responsible for specific projects or jobs that have to do with various types of work. This could be the work of spreading the gospel, for example, or text-based work, or work related to church life, or general work, and so on. So, how do they carry out specific work? They do so in accordance with God’s requirements, as well as the truth principles contained in His words; so, too, do those people undertake various tasks of the house of God in accordance with its work arrangements so as to meet the standards and principles it requires. It can be seen from the work undertaken by those who have been promoted and cultivated that they do not have job titles or official positions; rather, they have taken on responsibilities and have undertaken particular jobs or specialized tasks. It can even be said that they take on particular commissions, or that they take on duties or obligations that bear a degree of responsibility. This is the specific meaning and significance of promoting and cultivating various types of talent. Promoting and cultivating such people involves training them to perform particular jobs, teaching them to be able to systematically execute various tasks according to the requirements and work arrangements of God’s house, and educating them to learn how to execute the work of the house of God in accordance with God’s words and the truth principles. Of course, there is a further level of meaning in their promotion and cultivation: On the one hand, they lead everyone in carrying out the work arrangements of God’s house together; and on the other, they use their own experience, knowledge, and commitment and responsibility to lead all those for whom they are responsible to enter together into the principles God requires them to enter. This is the specific work that the promotion and cultivation of various kinds of talent involves.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The definitions of these different sorts of talent are very broad, are they not? The first is the kind of person who can be put in charge of various jobs. What are the standards required of such people? Above all, they must be able to understand the truth; they must possess the caliber to understand the truth. These are the most important things. More specifically, they must understand spiritual things, be able to eat and drink of God’s words unaided, be able to find principles for practice in His words, and be able to perceive, through reading God’s words, the various states in which people find themselves. They must be able to experience on their own; they must be apt to reflect on themselves when they encounter an issue, and to draw upon the words of God in experiencing the environments He sets forth and learn the lessons that they ought to. Possessing the ability and caliber to understand the truth is the first thing required of them. Of course, such people must also have a conscience and sense, and their humanity must be up to par. Second, they must carry a burden. If they are merely of good caliber and are capable of understanding the truth, but are lazy and covet the comforts of the flesh, if they only work when it is required or indicated by the Above, and when they do work, they only go through the motions, and rarely engage at the grassroots level, and if they are unwilling to suffer or pay a price and do not carry a burden, can they be considered to be talents that are adequate to be cultivated? (No.) This, then, is the second requirement: Such people must carry a burden. The third point is that they must be competent in their work. That is to say, in addition to executing the work in accordance with the work arrangements of God’s house, they must be able to identify and promptly solve problems when doing a particular job; they must perform their work effectively and deeply, and not do it sloppily; also, they must be able to determine what work they ought to do in the work arrangements of God’s house, as well as apply and accurately accomplish those work arrangements. If they discover a problem while performing a particular task, they must be able to handle it with reference to the regulations of the work arrangements of God’s house. They must also be able to discern particular things or situations for what they really are and, on that basis, be able to make the accurate judgment and then provide the correct solution. This is what it means to be competent in one’s work. Being competent in one’s work chiefly refers to being able to grasp the key points of the work, promptly identify problems, and solve these problems in accordance with principle—that is, being able to stand on their own two feet. Once the Above has handed over a task and has also communicated some principles, these people must be able to grasp the principles and execute the work in accordance with them; they must basically be able to follow the right course, without too many deviations or too much oversight. This is what it means to be competent. Here is an example: When the house of God calls for people to be purged and expelled and for the antichrists and the wicked to be identified in accordance with principle, the type of people who are competent basically do not deviate while doing this task. It does not take long for an antichrist to be exposed and expelled once they have appeared; those who are competent are able to quickly identify an antichrist, as well as help their brothers and sisters to identify them and not be duped. Together, everyone is able to expose and forsake the antichrist, and ultimately succeed in expelling the antichrist. When competent people encounter the antichrists or the wicked in the scope of their work, at least ninety-five percent of their brothers and sisters do not succumb to being duped or influenced; sometimes not even one is duped or led astray. This is how it is for people who are of good caliber and competent in their work; such people are up to the standard to be leaders and workers who are possessed of the truth reality.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is a certain type of person that is perhaps not particularly talented at anything—they can write a bit, and they can hold a tune when they sing or record a song, but they are not the best at these things. What are they best at? They have a measure of caliber, they have some sense of justice, and they have a bit of an eye for how to judge and make use of people. Beyond that, their main strength is their organizational ability. If you give such a person a task or a job, they can organize people to do it. At the same time, they are capable of their work. If you give them a job, they have the ability to finish it and make sure it is done properly. They always have a plan in mind, with steps and an orderly progression. They know how to make use of people, how to allocate time, and whom to use for which tasks. If a problem appears, they know how to discuss the solution with everyone. They know how to handle and resolve all these things. Someone like this not only is capable of their work but also speaks relatively well. Their words are clear and orderly, and they do not confuse people. When they delegate work, everyone understands clearly what each person should be doing; there are no blind oversights, and no one is idle. Their explanation of the details of the work is also clear and orderly, and for especially complicated issues, they offer analyses, fellowship, and examples of details that make everyone understand the issue, know how to do the work, and know how to proceed. Beyond that, they can fellowship on what ways of doing may be defective, how different methods of working influence efficiency, what people should be aware of in the course of their work, and so on. They think more than others before they begin to work—they think in more detail than others, and they think more realistically than others. They have a brain and they are eloquent in this area. That they have a brain means they do things in an organized fashion, with orderly steps and according to a plan, and with great clarity. That they are eloquent means that they can use language to express, clearly and understandably, the thoughts, plans, and calculations in their mind. They know how to speak simply and concisely, so that their listeners are not confused. They express themselves in terms that are clear, accurate, truthful, and appropriate. This is what it means to be eloquent. Someone like this is eloquent, has the ability to work, the ability to organize, and on top of that, a sense of responsibility, a sense of justice. They are not a yes-man or a peacekeeper at all costs. When they see wicked people causing disruptions and disturbances, or freeloaders and the lazy getting by on cunning and deceit, or that mindless and shoddy sort of person who neglects their jobs, they get angry. It bothers them, and they will resolve the problem promptly and protect the work and interests of God’s house. These behaviors are outstanding features of this sort of person’s humanity, are they not? (Yes.) People like this may not be sociable, or may not be skilled in any particular task or technique, but if they possess the qualities I just described, they can be cultivated as leaders and workers.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (6)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Another type of person who can be promoted and cultivated are those who possess special talents or gifts and have mastered some expertise or skills. What is the standard that the house of God requires of such people? Firstly, in regard to their humanity, this type of person must be relatively passionate about positive things; they must not be wicked people. Some people might ask, “Why not say they are ones who love the truth?” Loving the truth is a bit too much to ask of such people. For these people, who have expertise in some skills or tasks and have some strong points, when they carry out work that requires some familiarity with skill and relates to their profession in the house of God, they need only be relatively upstanding, not wicked, not wrong or absurd in their understanding, able to endure hardship, and willing to pay a price. Thus, the first requirement for such people is that they must be relatively enthusiastic about positive things. Some people might ask, “So can their ability to understand the truth be considered high? After hearing the truth, can they awaken to the truth reality? Are they able to enter the truth reality?” Doing so is not required; such people must not be wrong or absurd in their understanding of the truth and that is all. One of the benefits when such people do their work is that they are not likely to cause disruptions or do anything ridiculous. Take the color of actors’ costumes, for example: Over and over, the house of God has issued requirements for this and fellowshiped on the relevant principles, yet there are still those who simply cannot make sense of what they are told, who do not comprehend what they hear, who are incapable of understanding, and who are unable to find the principles within these requirements of God’s house—and who end up selecting costumes that are all gray. This is what it means to have a false and absurd understanding. So, what does it mean to be relatively passionate about positive things? It means being receptive to words and things that are right, to a pure understanding, and to statements and principles that are of benefit. Regardless of whether they can act upon these things, at the very least, they deep down must not be defiant or resistant. Such people are decent people. How are decent people characterized? They feel aversion, revulsion, and loathing toward the evil committed by unbelievers, as well as toward the wicked trends that people pursue. For example, when those who are enthralled by wicked trends advocate that a woman should find someone rich to marry or be a mistress to, those who love positive things feel revolting, saying, “Even if I couldn’t find someone to marry, even if I was dying of poverty, I would never act like one of those people.” They are disdainful and contemptuous of such people. One characteristic of those who like positive things is that they find evil trends hateful and revolting, and despise those who have been ensnared by such trends. These people are relatively decent; at the mention of believing in God and being a good person, walking the right path, fearing God, shunning evil, shunning evil trends, and shunning all the wicked behavior of the world, deep down, they feel that this is something good. Whether or not they are able to set foot upon this path, and irrespective of how great their aspiration is to believe in God and walk the right path, when all is said and done, deep down, they yearn to live in the light and yearn to be in a place where righteousness holds power. Such people are decent, and decent people are the type who are relatively passionate about positive things. Those who are to be promoted and cultivated by God’s house must at least possess this human quality.

The second requirement uses the standard that such people must be able to suffer hardship and pay a price. That is, when it comes to causes or work about which they are passionate, they are able to put aside their own desires, put aside the pleasures of the flesh or a comfortable lifestyle, and even forsake their own future prospects. Moreover, a little hardship or feeling somewhat tired is not a big deal to them; as long as they are doing something meaningful and which they believe to be right, then they gladly forsake physical pleasures and benefits—or, at the very least, have the willingness or aspiration to do so. Some people say, “Sometimes that person still covets the comforts of the flesh: They want to sleep in, or to eat good food, sometimes they want to go out for a wander or to goof around—but most of the time they are able to suffer hardship and pay a price; it’s just that sometimes their mood leads them to such thoughts. Would this be considered a problem?” It would not. It would be asking too much to demand that they completely put aside the pleasures of the flesh, apart from special circumstances. In general, when you give such people a job to do, whether it is a big job or not, and whether or not it is something they want to do, as long as you entrust it to them, then no matter how great the hardship they have to bear, what price they have to pay, and no matter how difficult the job is, you do not need to keep an eye on them, for they are guaranteed to do it properly. Such people can also be considered decent; the ability to suffer hardship and pay a price is another manifestation of decent people. What does it mean to be able to suffer hardship and pay a price? It means not being those lazy bums in society who are gluttonous and idle and who love leisure and loathe labor—such people are not decent. Being able to suffer hardship and pay a price: This is a manifestation, as well as a trait, of the sort of person who is promoted and cultivated by the house of God.

The third point is being accurate in one’s understanding. Which is to say, having heard God’s words, people are at the very least aware of what those words refer to, are able to comprehend what is being said, and understand it without distortion. For example, they would not understand as black what you say is blue, or as lilac what you say is gray. This is the bare minimum.

Fourthly, such people must not be evil. Is this easy to understand? Not being evil means at least one thing: On failing to achieve what was asked of them by the house of God, or having done it incorrectly, such people are still capable of submitting and obeying when they are pruned and dealt with; they do not spread negativity and notions, and are not resistant. In addition, no matter what group they are in, they get along with the majority of people and can work together with them in harmony; even when someone says something unpleasant, they are patient and easygoing. If someone tries to bully them, as soon as they see this person is mean, they are able to keep their distance and not try to punish them. Although such people cannot be called guileless, at the very least they do not try to punish or undermine others. Moreover, such people do not try to set up their own kingdom, act in opposition to the house of God, spread notions about God, or try to pass judgment on Him, or do anything disruptive or cause disturbances.

The four points above are the basic criteria for promoting and cultivating people who have some strong points and who understand skills or a profession. As long as they fulfill these four criteria, they are basically qualified to undertake certain duties and perform certain jobs in the proper manner.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is also another type of person, one who possesses no particular talents, or specialist or technical skills, and whose work does not involve any advanced technology. These people perform certain routine work in the church, and deal with certain matters extraneous to the work of the church. They are the class of people who carry out routine work. What is the house of God’s chief requirement of such people? Most critical of all is that they are able to defend the interests of the house of God, do not help outsiders at the expense of the house of God, and do not work by the principle of selling out the interests of the house of God in order to ingratiate themselves with outsiders. That is all. Regardless of what their humanity is like—they could be a hostess or the cream of society, or some extraordinary talent—they should be able to defend the interests of the house of God when performing for the house of God certain specialist tasks or affairs related to the outside world. What do the interests of the house of God include? Money, materials, the reputation of the house of God and the Church, and the safety of the brothers and sisters. Each of these is very important. Anyone who is capable of attaining this is possessed of humanity, and sufficiently upstanding, and someone who is willing to practice the truth. Some people have a wicked humanity: Are they able to defend the work of the house of God? (No.) Are there those who do much to defend the work of the house of God, yet have a wicked humanity? (No.) Thus, if someone is genuinely able to defend the interests of the house of God, they are guaranteed to be of good character and humanity; this cannot be wrong. If someone helps outsiders at the expense of the house of God when acting on behalf of it, and betrays its interests, and not merely causes great economic and material losses to the house of God, but also wreaks huge damage to the reputation of the house of God and the Church, are they someone good? Such people are always bad news. They do not care how much material and financial damage the house of God suffers; what matters most to them is doing things to their own satisfaction and ingratiating themselves with the unbelievers, to whom they send gifts, and to whom they even constantly make concessions during negotiations, it not having occurred to them to fight for the interests of the house of God. Yet they lie to the house of God, saying how they accomplished the work, and prevented the house of God from suffering losses—when in fact, the house of God suffered great losses, and was greatly taken advantage of by the unbelievers. If, in every regard, a person is able to defend the interests of the house of God when handling external matters, is this person a good person? And so if this kind of person is incapable of doing any other work in the house of God, and is only suitable for this type of routine work, are they promoted by the house of God? (They are.) If, in addition to being competent, and able to carry out their work in accordance with the principles required by the house of God, they are also able to defend the interests of the house of God, then they are of an acceptable standard, and such people should be promoted. On the flip side, those who harm the interests of the house of God, who imperil the safety of the brothers and sisters, and cause adverse effects and consequences for the reputation of the house of God and the Church—such people are not to be promoted or cultivated; if they are used, they must be quickly replaced. Those who are able to do routine work are a type of special talent.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There is another type of person: those who have been dismissed. Some people have been dismissed because of outrageous behavior, because they are antichrists. Others have been dismissed because they lack experience and cannot do the work. Still others have been dismissed because their caliber is too poor to be leaders, and they are not up to the task. People who have been dismissed are to be reasonably reassigned, not condemned or delimited. They are to do what they can and be handled as they should be. Can people dismissed for their excessively poor caliber be selected again as leaders and workers or as supervisors? (No.) Why not? Because it has already been tried. They have been exposed and seen through. Such people’s caliber and work abilities are not suited to the task of being leaders. If they are not suitable as leaders, does that mean they are not suitable for anything else? Not necessarily. If their caliber is too poor to be a leader but they can do other things, then, as long as no other problems such as evil humanity disqualify them from being promoted, they should do whatever they are suited to do. They should not be stripped of the right to perform their duties. They can still be put to use. Some are dismissed because they lack the ability to work, or they have not done church work before, or they are unaccustomed to it and, having done the work for a while, they still cannot find their way and do not know what to do. Or, they are too young and lack experience, so they cannot take on the job and are ultimately dismissed. There is room for people like this. If their caliber is sufficient, they can simply be demoted or put to work on something suitable for them. Once their understanding of the truth is clear, and once they have a bit of exposure to and experience with the church’s work, such people can be promoted and cultivated again based on their caliber.

What kinds of people cannot be promoted again after being dismissed? One is antichrists; another is those whose caliber is too low; and a third is people who are not antichrists, but whose humanity is poor, who are selfish or deceitful, who may be lazy or crave fleshly comfort and are unable to bear hard work. Even if such people are of good caliber, they may not be promoted again. Whatever they have the caliber to do, that is what they should do. Suitable arrangements can be made—but they cannot be leaders or workers again. Beyond having the ability to work and caliber, leaders and workers need to be able to take on responsibility, to work hard and bear suffering. They must be diligent, not lazy, and they must also be relatively honest and upright, and not too cunning. Those who are too deceitful or cunning end up always scheming against their brothers and sisters, their higher-ups, and the house of God. They spend their days thinking only devious thoughts. When dealing with someone like this, you must always guess at what they are truly thinking, you must know what they are doing at all times, and you must always keep an eye on them. Putting them to use is too exhausting. If this kind of person is promoted to perform duties, even if they understand a little doctrine, they will not practice it, and they will expect benefits and rewards for every bit of work they do. Using such people is too exhausting and too much trouble, so such people cannot be promoted. So, antichrists, those of excessively poor caliber, those of bad humanity, the lazy, those who seek fleshly comfort, those who cannot endure hard work, and the cunning and deceitful—the moment these kinds of people are exposed and dismissed, they are ineligible for a second promotion. Once they have been seen through, do not put them to incorrect use again.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (6)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Why does the house of God promote and cultivate those who are able to understand the truth, have a burden, and are competent in their work? Is it not enough to let them pursue the truth normally with those below, to allow them to be like the ordinary brothers and sisters, eating and drinking the words of God, listening to sermons, living the life of the church, and experiencing the words of God and entering the truth reality together with the brothers and sisters? Why must they be promoted and cultivated to be leaders and workers? When someone has the ability to understand the truth, is competent in work, and has a burden, if they are left to be an ordinary believer, and not given any burden, then their progress is slow, they have trouble discerning different people, matters, and things, and it is difficult for them to gain the truth. If such people are promoted, put in charge of a certain area of work or made a leader or worker, and given a burden, then in one regard, they will have the chance to make the most of their strengths, help more people, and guide more people in being like them, entering the truth reality as quickly as possible; in another regard, for them personally, the greater the burden they are given, the more work they will do, and the wider the scope of their work will be—in which case their experiences will also increase significantly. It’s like someone who is a mother, and someone who is a child: A child is innocent of life’s trivialities, of its everyday necessities—and no matter how old they are, will never know the hardship of being a mother, nor ever be able to appreciate those things that are experienced by a mother. And yet, as soon as the child becomes a mother, and is not sheltered from life, she becomes more mature in her experiences and insights. When someone is promoted and cultivated to be a leader, they are given more burden, and learn to be painstaking. Painstaking about what? They learn how to identify different types of people, how to support and provide for different types of people, how to discern the states of different people, how to help different people enter the truth reality, and they train in solving different people’s difficulties, and the various challenges encountered during work. In this way, slowly but surely, they eat and drink more and more of the corresponding words of God, are able to enter more and more of the truth realities, and—to a greater extent than others—encounter more of the situations laid forth by God. Is this an opportunity to train in these skills, or not? The more such opportunities people have, the quicker they grow, the more insights they have, and the broader their experience. But if they don’t do this work, they are only exposed to their own personal experiences, and their own individual existence, states, and corruption—it is all only personal. Once they become a leader, they encounter more people, more incidents, more situations—which encourages them to come before God to search for the truth principles; for them, these people, matters, and things become a burden, and also create highly favorable conditions for their entry into the truth reality, which is good. And so, where both an ordinary person and a leader are possessed of caliber, a sense of burden, and competence in their work, the entry of the ordinary person is slow, while that of the leader is quicker. For an individual, is it good to enter the truth reality quickly, or slowly? (Quickly.) And so, the house of God makes an exception for such people by promoting them—unless they are personally unwilling. Under normal circumstances, as long as there is a foundation to a person’s belief in God, and they meet the criteria for a leader or worker, then there is no question that they will be promoted and cultivated, and given a leadership role, during which time they will be instructed in how to properly carry out and achieve different work. During the instruction period, the person who is being cultivated will get to grips with the principles for handling different types of people, solving different problems, and dealing with the various situations that they encounter. Such gains are not experienced by ordinary believers. So from this point of view, is it a good thing or a bad thing when the house of God promotes and cultivates someone? Is it of benefit to them, or is it a hardship that is forced upon them? It is of benefit to them. Of course, some people are a little disconcerted when they’ve just been promoted; they don’t know just what it is the house of God wishes them to do, and say to themselves, “I can’t do this—I can’t do anything!” This is normal; who was ever born able to do everything? It would be a problem if you were. And why is that? Because if you could do anything, you would be arrogant and presumptuous, you wouldn’t listen to anyone, and so would likely walk the path of the antichrists—in which case, would you still be used by the house of God? And if you are incapable of doing anything, then you should learn how to listen and obey; this will allow you to perform your duty to an acceptable standard. Given that most people can’t do something so simple, is it any wonder the house of God does not promote and cultivate you? If you are incapable of listening—if even that is beyond you—then would the house of God dare to promote and cultivate you? (No.) And why not? Using you would be too risky, too much trouble, too much of a worry! What do I mean by “risky”? Because when the house of God uses you, you take control over people, and lead them on the path of evil—that’s why it is so risky. When you are used, you run riot, you throw the work into utter disarray, and have to be replaced. How troublesome! And when you are used, you can do nothing, you are totally ineffective; all the work you do has to be supervised, monitored, and tracked by the Above, who have to intervene in all matters—so what is the point of using you? You’re too worrisome! Can people like this be used? Absolutely not.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Since you have been promoted by the house of God, there are things that are asked of you. And what are these things? You are required to act according to the principles and requirements of the house of God; you must do what is requested of you, and in the manner that is requested, thus training you to obey God and submit to the truth. During the time that you are cultivated, at times the house of God will deal with and prune you; at times it will severely reprimand you; at times it will enquire as to the progress of your work; at times it will ask you exactly how the work is going, and will check up on your work; and at times, it will test what your point of view toward certain things are. The aim of these tests is not to put you on the spot, but to make you understand the truths that you ought to, and what attitude you should have, and what the will of God is in such matters. This is what it means to train and instruct people. And what is the aim and objective of instructing people? To make them understand the truth. What is the aim of understanding the truth? To make people able to obey the truth, act according to principle, lead the brothers and sisters in understanding God’s will, and lead them in being able to perform their duty properly, keeping to their place, and being faithful unto their duty; so, too, is it to allow them to lead the brothers and sisters in entering different truths, and achieving changes in their disposition, whilst performing their duty. This is the responsibility of leaders and workers, and what they should accomplish. When a leader or worker understands the truth, those they lead also understand the truth; when a leader or worker is able to understand many truths, so, too, are those they lead able to understand many truths; when a leader or worker grasps the truth principles in certain work, those they lead also enter the principle of this work, and enter the truth reality. This is the aim of instructing leaders and workers. Because the leaders and workers who undergo instruction are more competent in work than other people, because their caliber is a little better, it is right that they should be instructed. They are first made to understand the truth principles and enter the truth realities—and then, through their leading others in entering the truth realities, more people are caused to understand the truth principles. What do you think of such an approach? (It is good.) Such people are not well-educated or highly articulate, nor do they understand much about technology or current affairs and politics. They might not even be overly proficient in specific tasks. But they are able to understand the truth, and after hearing God’s words, they are able to execute them—they know how to execute them—and are able to identify the truth principles, and lead more people in entering the reality of God’s words and abiding by the truth principles.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When someone is chosen to be a leader by the brothers and sisters, or is promoted by the house of God to do a certain piece of work or perform a certain duty, this does not mean that they have a special status or identity, or that the truths they understand are deeper and more numerous than those of other people—much less that this person is able to submit to God, and will not betray Him. It does not mean, either, that they know God, and are someone who fears God. They have attained none of this, in fact; the promotion and cultivation is merely promotion and cultivation in the most straightforward sense. Their promotion and cultivation simply means they have been promoted, and await cultivation. And the ultimate outcome of this cultivation depends on which path the person walks, and what they pursue. Thus, when someone in the church is promoted and cultivated to be a leader, they are merely promoted and cultivated in the straightforward sense; it does not mean that they are already a qualified leader, or a competent one, that they are already capable of undertaking the work of a leader, and can do real work—that is not the case. When someone is promoted and cultivated to be a leader, do they possess the truth reality? Do they understand the truth principles? Is this person able to bring to fruition the work arrangements of the house of God? Are they possessed of commitment, and a sense of responsibility? When they encounter an issue, are they able to search for the truth and submit to God? All of this is unknown. Does the person have a heart that fears God? And just how great is their fear of God? Are they liable to follow their own will when they do things? During the time that they perform the work of leaders, do they regularly and frequently come before God to search for the will of God? Are they able to guide people in entry into the truth reality? This, and much more, all awaits cultivation and discovery; it all remains unknown. Promoting and cultivating someone doesn’t mean they already understand the truth, nor is it saying that they are already capable of performing their duty satisfactorily. So what is the aim and significance of promoting and cultivating someone? It is that such a person, as an individual, is promoted in order to be trained, to be specially watered and instructed, making them able to understand the truth principles, and the principles of doing different things, and the principles, means, and methods for solving various problems, as well as, when they encounter various types of environment and people, how to handle and settle with them in accordance with God’s will, and in a way that protects the interests of the house of God. Does this indicate that the talent promoted and cultivated by the house of God is adequately capable of undertaking their work and performing their duty during the promotion and cultivation period or prior to promotion and cultivation? Of course not. Thus, it is unavoidable that, during the cultivation period, these people will experience being dealt with, pruning, judgment and chastisement, exposure and even replacement; this is normal, they are being trained and cultivated. People must not have high expectations or unrealistic demands of those who are promoted and cultivated; that would be unreasonable, and unfair on them. You can monitor them, and report the things they do that you believe to be problematic, but they are also in the cultivation period, and should not be viewed as people who have been made perfect, much less as someone blameless, or as people who are possessed of the truth reality. They are like you: This is the time when they are being trained. The difference is that they undertake more work and responsibilities than ordinary people. They have a responsibility and an obligation to do more work; they pay a greater price, suffer more hardship, take more pains, solve more problems, tolerate the censure of more people, and of course make a greater effort, have less sleep, eat less fine food, and engage in less chit-chat, than normal people. This is what’s special about them; apart from this, they are the same as anyone else. What is the point of Me saying this? In order to tell everyone that they must not misinterpret the house of God’s promotion and cultivation of various types of talents, and must not be harsh in their demands of these people. Naturally, people must not be unrealistic in their opinion of them either. It is foolish to be overly appreciative or reverential of them, nor is it humane or realistic to be overly harsh in your demands toward them. So what is the most rational way to act toward them? To think of them as ordinary people and, when there is a problem that needs to be searched, to fellowship with them and learn from each other’s strengths and complement each other. In addition, it is the responsibility of everyone to monitor whether leaders and workers are doing real work, and whether they are competent in carrying out their duties. If they are not, and you have seen through them, then waste no time in reporting or removing them; choose someone else, and do not delay the work of the house of God. Delaying the work of the house of God is hurting yourself and others, it is good for no one.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

69. The Principles of Separating the Church Into Groups A and B

(1) Any person who does not accept the truth in the least, who is unwilling to perform their duty, and who is capable of disrupting church life must be relegated to the B-group congregation;

(2) Any deceitful people who delight in idle gossip, driving wedges between people, and sowing discord are rotten apples, and must be relegated to the B-group congregation;

(3) People with serious or special problems that, for the moment, are obscure and whose essences cannot yet be determined should be placed in the B-group congregation;

(4) Antichrists, evil people, and nonbelievers must be purged or expelled, while those relegated to group B are to be given a chance to repent, and may be redeemed.

Relevant Words of God:

There are some people in the church who have been assigned to Group B. This is to give them an opportunity to repent. If they can engage in some self-reflection and come to know themselves, and if they are reaching for the truth and have a repentant mindset, are no longer up to no good as they were in the past, are not causing disruption and disturbances, and can restrain themselves a bit; if they can do as they are told and submit, behave well, do whatever little bit they can, and can uphold these principles, then they will no longer be placed in Group B and can be admitted back into Group A to fulfill their duties. Why were most of them transferred to Group B? (For causing disruption and disturbances.) What, then, is the source of their disruption and disturbances? Is it that they deliberately plan to cause disruption and disturbances? No—primarily, it is that they do not practice the truth in the slightest, nor do they pursue the truth. Their humanity is extremely vile, and in the process of fulfilling their duties, they often cause disruption and disturbances to and destroy the work of God’s house, which leads to consequences and results in deleterious influences; leaving no choice but to allocate them to Group B. This is the reason. Although they do not know the meaning of duty, at the very least, they know, deep down, that one should fulfill one’s duty—and they are willing to do so. However, does willingness to fulfill one’s duty mean one is practicing the truth? Your will is not truth reality; you can only be said to have a heartfelt willingness to practice the truth. Before you have put the truth into practice, you might say how confident you are, that you are ready and willing, or that you can sacrifice your life and would cross a torrent and tread through fire without hesitation—but all of these are but slogans, and they are useless. You must act in accordance with the truth principle, with your will as your foundation. You might say, “I don’t like the truth very much, and my disposition hasn’t really changed as I’ve been fulfilling my duty. I also haven’t pursued the truth. However, there is one thing I have held fast to: Whatever you have me do, I’ll do; I won’t cause disruption or disturbances. I can’t bring myself to submit, but I will do as I am told.” You therefore can remain in Group A, can you not? However, they cannot even meet this most minimum of requirements, and they cause disturbances. Such people should not stay in Group A. Any reasonable person with a conscience would treat this sort of person with an attitude of abandonment.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Every church contains different kinds of people: There are those who love and can accept the truth, and those who do not love the truth, who detest it; there are those who gladly perform their duty, and those who do not perform their duty at all; there are those whose understanding of God’s words is pure and who are of good caliber, and there are those whose understanding of God’s words is ludicrous, and who have no caliber; there are those of good humanity who are relatively virtuous and decent, and there are those of poor humanity who are crooked, deceitful, and do not attend to their proper business; there are those who truly believe in God and hunger and thirst for righteousness, and there are those who harbor the intention to receive blessings, who worm their way into the church just to play around; there are those who truly pursue the truth and obey the work of God, and there are those who detest and abhor the truth, who set themselves against God at every turn. Such real circumstances are common to every church. If these different types of people were to hold assembly and lead the life of the church together, church life would likely descend into chaos; nothing good could come of it. To ensure that all who truly believe in God and love the truth can enjoy a normal church life, and can normally eat and drink the words of God, ponder the words of God, fellowship about the words of God, and achieve understanding of the truth and entry into reality, the house of God has ruled that assembly must be split into A and B groups. This will ensure that church life can continue normally and have concrete effects, and that God’s chosen ones can set foot on the right track of faith in God as soon as possible and be saved and perfected. Evidently, it is entirely necessary for assembly to be split into A and B groups.

It is clear to all of God’s chosen ones that the work of God only saves those who truly believe in God, love the truth, and are possessed of humanity; this is fact. Thus, in each church only some people can be saved. Those who have no love for the truth, and do not perform their duty willingly, meanwhile, will absolutely not be saved. As such, it would not be suitable for these two types of people to be placed together during assembly. Because they walk different paths, and lack any common language, there is bound to be friction and conflicts between them, which would affect church life and is of no benefit to anyone; only if these two kinds of people are split into A and B groups will they have no impact on each other. These are facts that no one can deny. The chief principles and criteria for separation into A and B groups are defined below:

1. All who have believed in God for several years but do not know how to properly eat and drink the words of God, who have never sought or fellowshiped about the truth, who do not have the slightest interest in the truth, who do not understand the truth no matter how it is fellowshiped about, who possess no powers of comprehension and often cause interruptions and disturbances, who join in with the wicked in kicking up a fuss—they must be separated into Group B.

2. All who have never been willing to perform their duty, and are not obedient even when they do, who commit all manner of wanton acts, and frequently cause problems for the church, and cause more loss than their contribution is worth—they must be separated into Group B.

3. All who are of poor humanity, are especially crooked, deceitful, selfish, and ignoble, who do not open up to anyone, who fraternize with the wicked, who like fighting with others, who bully those who are guileless—these are the wicked, the horses that spoil the whole heard, and they must be separated into Group B.

4. All who are especially arrogant and conceited, who have no sense and do not listen to anyone, who do not accept, at all, the truth, much less dealing and pruning, who are even impervious to reason, who constantly have notions about the work of God’s house, who harbor hostility toward the man used by the Holy Spirit and can pass judgment on him, and who are of the same kind as antichrists—these people must be expelled directly without delay. Those who are not readily identifiable must be placed in Group B; once it is known for sure, they will be expelled.

All who exhibit the above four manifestations must be put in Group B. Additionally, false leaders and false workers who do not pursue the truth at all, and stubbornly walk the path of the antichrists, must be placed in Group B. All who were arrested and turned Judas, or who have stolen offerings and not repented, must also be placed in Group B during the consultation period prior to official handling. These are the express administrative decrees and arrangements of the house of God, and their violation by any individual is forbidden.

As the gospel of the kingdom spreads, there is a constant influx of newcomers to the church, some of whom are bound to be unsuitable for Group A. These people should undergo a period of observation before they are allocated to a group based on what is manifested in them. Those who are of poor humanity and have no love for the truth, whose understanding of God’s words is ludicrous, and who cause interruptions and disturbances in the church, must be placed in Group B and given a chance to repent. This is not only beneficial to the work of the church, but also to its members. Without a doubt, most people in Group B cannot be saved, which is chiefly because they do not love the truth, do not pursue the truth at all, and are all of poor humanity and incapable of getting along with others. There is, however, a minority among them who may awake in the future and begin pursuing the truth, and are capable of preparing some good deeds; these people still have a chance of salvation.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

All false leaders and false workers who commit every manner of wicked deed and cause serious turmoil to the work of the church—who, though they may seem to admit their faults and be remorseful, their true repentance cannot be confirmed—must be placed in Group B. False leaders and false workers whose multifarious evildoings and disturbances in the church’s work have led to their replacement should also be placed in Group B. Provided that they do not exhibit any overtly evil behavior, much less rouse people’s great wrath, leaders and workers who were replaced or resigned because they were without the work of the Holy Spirit and were incapable of doing real work, and who were of relatively good humanity, should be placed in Group A during assembly; this is fair and reasonable. All who are of poor humanity and often cause disturbances in the life of the church, who spread fallacies, negativity, notions, and rumors, who are apt to cause incidents and join in with troublemaking—they must be placed in Group B. People who are in potential danger due to being informed upon, or are under observation, including other special cases, must, for security reasons assemble alone, or with others in similar circumstances (while remaining in Group A). It is hoped that people will understand that this is for the benefit of the church. If, after one or two years of assembly, people in Group B truly repent, and are able to fellowship truth reality, they can be admitted into Group A. During elections, people in Group B can only take part in the selection of the team leader and gospel-spreading leader of Group B. They are not entitled to be entered into the vote to become church leaders and deacons. Any further disturbance or unjustified troublemaking by Group B members will lead to their expulsion. Group A and Group B must not hold assembly together. It is a recognized fact that were they to do so, God’s chosen ones would never be at peace, nor would church life be positive. For people with uncommon issues who are not readily identifiable, their group placement should be based on whether they are of good humanity and whether they love the truth. If it is not evident whether there is the work of evil spirits in them or they are possessed by demons, they must not be expelled, but only placed in Group B until observation makes this clear.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Every church must be split into A and B groups, and this should be implemented by all churches. The separation must be based on the principles ruled by the work arrangements. If people in Group B truly repent, are capable of actively performing their duty without complaint, and can obey the work of God, they may be readmitted into Group A. If people in Group A often cause disturbances in the life of the church and cause trouble without justification, they may be allocated to Group B at any time—but this must be approved by over half the members of the church. The work of separation into A and B groups must be determined by fellowship between the church leaders and deacons before being approved by the church. All people with serious or singular problems must, where said problems are not immediately clear and the essence of the problem has not been determined, be placed in Group B. Regardless of whether their humanity is good or bad, all who have been elected as church leaders and deacons or who perform a special duty must be placed in Group A.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

70. The Principles of Receiving People Into a Church

(1) None may be accepted into a church without providing a pledge of commitment, written by the applicant themselves, and without their application receiving the consent of the church’s leaders and deacons;

(2) A church must never accept as a new member an evil or a deceitful person, nor people whose appearance has an intimidating, ugly aspect and who are neither dignified nor presentable;

(3) When one who has previously spurned the church in favor of the world wishes to rejoin, they may not be accepted until they have genuinely repented and been vouched for by a number of people;

(4) Those who have been arrested and written the “three statements,” yet are of decent humanity and show remorse, may be readmitted with the consent of a majority of a church’s members;

(5) Should any who has been purged or expelled, yet has repented sincerely and is able to continue winning people by preaching the gospel, apply for reentry, they may be admitted.

Relevant Words of God:

While God’s work of salvation is being done, every single person who can be saved will be saved as far as possible, and none of them discarded, for the purpose of God’s work is to save man. All those who, during the time of God’s salvation of man, are unable to achieve a change in their disposition—as well as all those who are unable to submit to God completely—will become objects for punishment. This stage of work—the work of words—will unlock for people all of the ways and mysteries that they do not understand, so that they can understand the will of God and God’s requirements of them, and so that they can have the prerequisites to put God’s words into practice and achieve changes in their disposition. God uses only words to do His work and does not punish people for being a little rebellious; this is because now is the time of the work of salvation. If anyone who acts rebelliously were punished, then no one would have the opportunity to be saved; everyone would be punished and fall into Hades. The purpose of words that judge man is to allow them to know themselves and submit to God; it is not to punish them with such judgment. During the time of the work of words, many people will expose their rebelliousness and defiance, as well as their disobedience toward the incarnate God. Nevertheless, He will not punish all these people as a result, but instead will only cast aside those who are corrupt to the core and who cannot be saved. He will give their flesh to Satan, and, in a few cases, terminate their flesh. Those remaining will continue to follow and experience being dealt with and pruned. If, while following, these people still are unable to accept being dealt with and pruned, and become more and more degenerate, then they will have lost their chance for salvation. Each person who has submitted to being conquered by words will have ample opportunity for salvation; God’s salvation of each of these people will show His utmost leniency. In other words, they will be shown the utmost tolerance. As long as people turn back from the wrong path, and as long as they can repent, God will give them opportunities to obtain His salvation. When humans first rebel against God, He has no desire to put them to death; rather, He does all He can to save them. If someone really has no room for salvation, then God will cast them aside. The reason God is slow to punish certain people is that He wishes to save everyone who can be saved. He judges, enlightens, and guides people only with words, and does not use a rod to put them to death. Employing words to bring humans salvation is the purpose and significance of the final stage of work.

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the past, some people have been expelled from the church for doing bad things, and their brothers and sisters have rejected them. After roaming around for a few years, they have now returned. That they did not leave God completely is a good thing; this gives them an opportunity and a hope of being saved. Had they run away and stopped believing, becoming the same as unbelievers, then they would be completely done for. If they can make a turnaround, then there is hope for them yet; this is rare and precious. Regardless of how God acts, and no matter how He treats, hates, or detests people, if there comes a day when they can make a turnaround, then I will take great comfort, for this will mean that they still have that little bit of room for God in their hearts, that they have not completely lost their human reason or their humanity, that they still want to believe in God, and they have at least some intention to acknowledge and return before Him. No matter who leaves God’s house, if they return, and they still hold this family dear, then I will become somewhat sentimentally attached and will take some comfort in it. However, if they never return, I will think it a pity. If they can return and begin to sincerely believe in God, then My heart will especially be filled with gratification. When you walked away, you certainly were being quite negative, and you were in a bad state; if you can come back now, though, it proves you still have faith in God. However, whether or not you can continue forward is an unknown factor, because people change so quickly. In the Age of Grace, Jesus had pity and grace for humans. If one sheep was lost out of a hundred, He would leave the ninety-nine to look for the one. This line does not represent a kind of mechanical method, nor a rule; rather, it shows God’s urgent intention to bring salvation to people, as well as His deep love for them. It is not a way of doing things; it is a kind of disposition, a sort of mentality. Thus, some people leave for six months or a year, or have however many weaknesses or suffer from however many misconceptions, and yet their ability to later wake up to reality, gain knowledge and make a turnaround, and get back on the right track makes Me feel especially comforted and brings Me this little piece of enjoyment. In this world of gaiety and splendor, and in this evil age, being able to stand firm, acknowledge God, and get back on the right track are things that bring quite a bit of comfort and excitement. Take raising children, for example: Whether or not they are filial, how would you feel if they did not acknowledge you, and left home, never to return? Deep down, you would still keep on feeling concerned about them, and you would always wonder, “When will my son return? I’d like to see him. After all, he is my son, and it wasn’t for nothing that I raised him and loved him.” You have always thought this way; you have always longed for that day to come. Everyone feels the same in this regard. People these days are small of stature, but the day will come when they understand God’s will, unless they do not harbor even a shred of desire to believe and do not admit that He is God.

Excerpted from “People Who Make Constant Demands of God Are the Least Reasonable People” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What are the two most important aspects of God’s righteous disposition? (Deep fury and abundantly showing mercy.) What, though, is the point of these things? Who endures the fury? Those who resist God, reject the truth, and follow Satan do. God does not want those who are resolutely determined to follow Satan, nor does He want traitors and deserters. Some people say, “In a moment of weakness, I chose not to do my duty, but I don’t actually want to leave God or go over to Satan’s camp.” Is this allowable? It cannot be said to be forbidden, but it is not encouraged. What do I mean by that? I mean that God may show mercy and tolerance when dealing with your weakness, depending on the situation. God is abundantly merciful. People dwell amidst their corrupt dispositions, and in some circumstances, it is inevitable that they will feel weak, negative, or lazy. God judges according to the situation, and deals with you with utter accuracy. If you are not a deserter, then He will not treat you like one. If you are weak, then He will handle you according to your weakness. If you momentarily expose corruption, if you are momentarily weak, or if you temporarily lose your way, then God will enlighten you, guide you, and support you. He will regard such people as those of small stature who do not understand the truth, for their problem is not to do with their nature and essence. Why does God not deal with such people by abandoning them? It is because they have not rejected Him or the truth, and because they do not want to follow Satan. They only showed a temporary moment of weakness and could not step up, so God gives them another chance. How, then, should these people be handled, who experienced a momentary weakness and could not perform their duties, but who later return to fulfill them? They should be accepted. Each case is different by nature, so you cannot apply the same rule to deal with everyone. Some people are not suffering weakness; they are actually deserters. If you take them back, they will desert again when something similar happens. Someone like that is not a momentary deserter; such a person will always be a deserter. Thus, God kicks out such people and never takes them back. Whomever else God might save, He does not save those.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are people like this everywhere: After they have been certain about God’s way, for various reasons, they depart in silence, without a goodbye, to go off and do whatever their hearts desire. For the time being, we will not get into the reasons these people leave; we will first take a look at what God’s attitude is toward this kind of person. It is very clear! From the moment these people walk away, in God’s eyes, the span of their faith is over. It is not the individual person who ended it, but God. That this person left God means that they have already rejected God, that they do not want Him anymore, and that they no longer accept God’s salvation. Since people like this do not want God, can He still want them? Moreover, when such people possess this sort of attitude, this view, and have grown determined to leave God, they have already aggravated God’s disposition. This is despite the fact that they may not have flown into a rage and cursed God, despite the fact that they may not have engaged in any vile or excessive behavior, and despite the fact that these people are thinking, “If there comes a day when I’ve had my fill of fun on the outside, or when I still need God for something, I will come back. Or if God calls on me, I will come back,” or they say, “When I am hurt on the outside, or when I see that the outside world is too dark and too wicked and I no longer want to go with the flow, I will come back to God.” Even though these people have calculated in their minds when exactly they will come back, and even though they have tried to leave the door open for their return, they do not realize that no matter what they believe or how they plan, this is all just wishful thinking. Their biggest mistake is being unclear about how their desire to leave makes God feel. From the very moment they decided to leave God, He completely abandons them; by then, He has already determined the outcome of such a person in His heart. What outcome is that? It is that this person will be one of the mice, and will therefore perish along with them. Thus, people often see this kind of situation: Someone abandons God, but then does not receive a punishment. God operates according to His own principles; some things can be seen, while others are only concluded in God’s heart, so people cannot see the results. The part which is visible to humans is not necessarily the true side of things, but that other side—the side you do not see—does indeed contain God’s true heartfelt thoughts and conclusions.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Kin who are not of the faith (your children, your husband or wife, your sisters or your parents, and so on) should not be forced into the church. God’s household is not short of members, and there is no need to make up its numbers with people who have no use. All those who do not believe gladly must not be led into the church. This decree is directed at all people. You should check, monitor, and remind each other of this matter; no one may violate it. Even when kin who are not of the faith do reluctantly enter the church, they must not be issued books nor given a new name; such people are not of God’s household, and their entry into the church must be halted by any means necessary. If trouble is brought upon the church due to the invasion of demons, then you yourself will be expelled or will have restrictions placed upon you. In short, everyone has a responsibility in this matter, though you should not be reckless, nor use it to settle personal scores.

Excerpted from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The principles for accepting new believers into the church are: As long as they sincerely believe in God, even if they have only a sliver of hope or chance to be saved, they should still be accepted into the church and should never be pushed out. The standard for accepting people into the church should not be too high, because all of mankind has already been so deeply corrupted by Satan, and few have good humanity. If they are not evildoers or muddle-headed people, and if they sincerely believe that Almighty God is the incarnate God, then they should be accepted into the church. Whether they are workers, farmers, or teachers, scientific and technological personnel, or government employees, we must treat them all as equals without any bias. We must especially have extreme patience in guiding those cadres and scientific and technological or educational personnel into God’s words and to understand the truth. Because it is more difficult for such people to enter the truth, our expectations of them must not be overly high or stringent. If we truly have love for these people, then we should get in touch with them frequently and give them our assistance. Even though these people often require longer time than ordinary people do to enter the truth and build up a foundation in their faith in God, once they have actually entered the truth, they all become useful talents. Cultivating talent without paying the price to do so will not work.

As for newcomers being accepted into the church, it is usually sufficient to gain the approval of the church’s leaders and deacons. In special circumstances, the approval of the entire church congregation is required. If some people do not agree with the acceptance of a new believer, then the believer must undergo a probationary period. While they are on probation, the person who introduced them or the one who preached the gospel to them should remain in continuous contact with them, and keep fellowshiping with them. During any interactions, detailed observation should be made of the newcomer. If they are confirmed to be a person who sincerely believes in God, then they may be accepted into the church. The work of accepting people into the church cannot be too extreme; only evildoers and muddle-headed people should be restricted. Most people should be accepted, and only in special cases should further discussion and approval of the church be required.

Accepting people into the church should be carried out carefully. Those evildoers who want to live off of the church, who often commit adultery, or who are extremely arrogant must be prevented from joining the church. There are also those nonbelievers who are just along for the ride and playing around; these must also be prevented from joining the church. Because such people do not love the truth, even if they were to join the church, they still could not remain followers to the end. In the church, these are the sort of people who eventually give up. Furthermore, we must also prevent infiltration in the church from those who come to spy. The church must primarily prevent the following three types of people from joining the church: One type includes those who are so evil, vile, and base that the church absolutely cannot accept them; another type includes spies who wish to infiltrate the church, and whom the church absolutely cannot accept; the last type includes those who do not sincerely believe in God, and even if accepted into the church, these people would all give up sooner or later, so the church must not accept them.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

The house of God now has a rule: All new believers must write an application to join the church stating that they are doing so under their own volition, and shall never regret doing so, thereby proving that they truly believe in God. After you have written your application, the house of God will use your behavior to evaluate whether you are permitted to join the church. If you do not write an application, the house of God will not urge you to do so, but will merely treat you as one who has yet to make up their mind. Is this not the right thing for the house of God to do? Doing so gives people complete freedom of faith, it puts the choice entirely in their hands, and avoids any sense of coercion. If you truly believe in God, then once you have determined that God has become flesh to personally carry out the salvation of man, you should join the church; only then will you truly be raptured before God, and only then will God recognize you as a member of His house. If you do not join the church, in God’s eyes you are merely a spectator, a nonbeliever; you may be able to make some small effort for the church, but you will remain nothing more than a temporary service-doer. It is accurate to say that all who are unwilling to join the church do not truly believe in God and are not recognized by God.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Some people are arrested by the great red dragon because of their faith in God. Does this show that they have been revealed and eliminated, or that they have been cleansed and made perfect? There is no “one size fits all” rule here as it depends on what kind of person they are. If they are a demon, someone who does not love the truth, then it shows that they have been revealed and eliminated. If they love the truth, then their arrest is a trial. After they are arrested, some people sign the “three statements” (a statement of repentance, a statement of guarantee, and a statement of severance), and there are those who say that they are then eliminated by God—but the house of God does not believe so. If they love the truth and are of good humanity, God will still give them a chance; this is but a single transgression and a single instance of failing and falling, and they will still be welcomed by the church. For those who lead the great red dragon to arrest other brothers and sisters, it is completely over. They will not be saved by God. This is not merely a problem of them signing the “three statements.” They have joined hands with the great red dragon, they have performed concrete actions which betray God, and it is not weakness, but utter betrayal. Such people are completely finished, and the house of God does not want them, period. For those who sign the “three statements” but do not sell out brothers and sisters or lead the great red dragon to arrest other brothers and sisters, if they are of good humanity and love the truth, then the house of God will give them another chance to repent, and they will still be welcome in the church. If they have never pursued the truth and are of poor humanity—if they are wicked—then they are not wanted by the house of God, and they will have been utterly revealed and eliminated. Such practice is entirely in line with the will of God. When the same thing happens to different people, a distinction must be made: A determination must be made based on people’s nature essence. When it happens to someone who pursues the truth, people view it negatively—but in fact, God’s will is benevolent. He is cleansing them and making them perfect, or else testing and refining them. When the same thing happens to someone who does not love the truth, it means revelation and elimination. Some people say, “I didn’t love the truth before, but when I faced this revelation, I was awakened. I must repent and begin to pursue the truth.” This is acceptable, but God must also look at whether you have changed after a time. If you have truly repented and changed, then for you, your being revealed that time does not mean elimination; it is the final salvation, and this matter has taken a favorable turn. Thus, those who understand the truth are principled in how they treat others, they make distinctions, and they do not blindly condemn or rush to conclusions. Rushing to conclusions can sometimes hinder or harm good people, for some good people do not understand the truth, and are often weak, and require loving support.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Previously, during great purges by the church, quite a few people were cleared out or expelled. Some among them are certainly people who genuinely believe in God and show signs of repentance, and they still persist in their faith. The church should give these people another chance, and they should be accepted back in. The following situations may be used for reference.

1. For people purged from the church due to not having performed their duties or not having attended gatherings very often, if they show signs of genuine repentance, they may be accepted back into the church.

2. For people who truly believe in God, but who were expelled due to having committed a certain transgression (which is actually not enough to meet the criteria for being expelled), they may be accepted back into the church.

3. For people who were purged due to not having pursued the truth, and due to having been muddle-headed in their faith, if they have a relatively good humanity and are not evil people, and if they are currently showing signs of genuine repentance, they may be accepted back into the church.

4. For people who were expelled from the church due to having poor humanity and due to misbehaving, if they have all along been persevering with their spreading of the gospel and have shown signs of genuine repentance, then they may be accepted back into the church. If such people return to the church, they must be well-behaved; moreover, they will not be permitted to act as leaders.

With regard to people who fall into the aforementioned categories, the church should send someone to gain an understanding of, and verify, their situations. If such people are sincere in their desire to return to the church, then they can be allowed back in, as long as the majority of the congregation agree. If only a minority of the congregation agree, then those prospective returnees should be let go. In the matter of accepting people into the church, the principles are absolutely inviolable. In the past, most expulsions were done for valid reasons; only a minority of them were expelled inappropriately. People such as the latter may be reconsidered and given another chance. If a church takes back in the majority of people that it had expelled or purged, major errors can occur. Each church must grasp these principles well and not deviate from them. A church must act according to the actual circumstances, and deal with people in accordance with the principles. Someone who commits transgressions should not be treated as an evil person, but those who are constantly licentious and never change even after being repeatedly disciplined, those who often steal offerings and are insatiably greedy, those who are always arrogant and conceited, deranged, and frenzied, those who are constantly sowing discord and seek conflict, and those who always struggle for power and are not willing to perform any duties unless they have status—these people are all incorrigible. Evil people will always be evil; they will never truly repent. Thus, no one has the right to bring such people back into the church, and anyone who does so will be expelled by the church along with them. Those who are brought back into the church absolutely must not engage in any disruptive conduct, and they also must get along well with most people. These are the only sorts of people who are well-suited to being brought back into the church. Only those who are beneficial to the church’s work, or are able to render service toward spreading the gospel, may be welcomed back; anyone who is harmful to the church absolutely must not be allowed back in. Leaders and workers of all levels must act in accordance with the principles in this matter so that not a single good person falls through the cracks and not a single bad person is brought back in.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

71. The Principles of Isolating People in a Church

(1) Isolation must be enacted against those who frequently disturb and interrupt the church life, and who, having been dealt with and pruned, are not dissuaded from their behavior and do not mend their ways;

(2) False leaders and workers who are not evil people but are of poor humanity, who have made fairly frequent transgressions, and who exert a fairly bad influence on others, must be replaced, and left to reflect in isolation;

(3) People who have been detained and released, no matter what the circumstances were, must be isolated for six months as a safety precaution;

(4) The church may only enact isolation against a person with the consent of a majority of its members, and the sanction may not be lifted until that person repents sincerely.

Relevant Words of God:

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

It is justified for the church to segregate and expel people. Since some leaders and workers have disrupted the normal order of church life and harmed many of God’s chosen people by abusing their authority to segregate and expel people, therefore their authority to segregate and expel people was repealed. However, it remains justified for the church to segregate and expel people, and this authority must be preserved. The precondition is that implementation must be based on principles. Individual leaders and workers must not be allowed to find chances and exploit their authority to attack, retaliate against, and frame God’s chosen people. When a church segregates or expels someone, it must be approved by more than 80% of the members of that church; there is an essential distinction between this and an individual leader or worker, or a minority of members, segregating or expelling someone—they are two entirely different things. A person who warrants segregation by the church is mainly someone who habitually disrupts church life and engages in wanton misbehavior, who causes the eating and drinking of God’s word and understanding of the truth of God’s chosen people to be disturbed and endangered, and who refuses to heed advice and change their ways despite being repeatedly disciplined. Precisely speaking, a segregated person is generally either a wicked or an unreasonable individual. If someone has not consistently disrupted church life, segregation cannot be imposed on them. The way to segregate someone is to ask them to attend gatherings with several other segregated individuals. If only one person is segregated from the church, then they may be asked to perform spiritual devotionals at their home. In short, they are not permitted to engage in the church life. People should now be separated into Groups A and B for gatherings, and those who do not pursue the truth at all, but who are unreasonable and act wantonly should be put together to attend gatherings; this is entirely to the benefit of upholding normal church life and for the life entry of God’s chosen people. If those who are segregated do not repent after joining Group B, then they can be expelled.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Those who engage in wanton behavior that has an extremely negative impact and who cause serious disruption and disturbance to church work while performing their duties, who refuse to accept and obey, with no intention to repent after being pruned and dealt with, and strictly disciplined, must be segregated. During segregation and reflection, they may only perform the duty of gospel preaching. Those who cause upheaval for extended periods without truly repenting and stubbornly refusing to admit guilt and who are veritably wicked people must be exposed by God’s chosen people for their evil deeds and satanic nature, and then segregated. If they still refuse to repent, they can be totally expelled and abandoned by God’s chosen people. If they are able to do service by preaching the gospel, they can stay in Group B for gatherings. If they are unable to do service by preaching the gospel or are unwilling to do service, then they must be expelled.

Those who have believed in God for several years but still neither understand the truth nor understand God’s words or the sermons and fellowships are definitely muddle-headed people who do not love the truth. Those who do not know how to discern at all, who steadfastly adhere to rules and mindlessly follow rules, who are often deluded by others, yield to power, and parrot what others say, are all absurd people who do not understand spiritual matters. Whether muddle-headed or absurd, if people have never understood the truth, they are mindless disturbers and absolutely not the genuine chosen people of God. Those who do not focus on their main task while doing their duties, who do not uphold God’s work, who often follow wicked people in passing judgment on this person or condemning that person, who see problems in everyone else but see nothing wrong with themselves, who constantly commit wanton acts, sow discord and cause disputes to arise, are people who mindlessly cause disturbances and create chaos, and these people are not true chosen people of God. Those who do not pay attention to their own entry into life, who do not pay attention to their own practice of the truth and doing their duties well, who cannot stand on the side of God’s chosen people who truly pursue the truth and faithfully perform their duties, are people who mindlessly cause disturbances, and they are not the true chosen people of God. They can only be put into Group B to attend gatherings and reflect on themselves so that they will come to know their own actions. This is a chance for them to repent. If these people continue to follow wicked people to mindlessly cause disturbances, not attend to their proper duties, make trouble out of nothing, disturb church work and disrupt God’s chosen people from doing their duties, so that most of God’s chosen people feel revulsion and hatred toward them, then they may be expelled. These are the principles for handling all the mindless disturbers who are unbelievers.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

The Principles of Management to Be Implemented in Church Life

1. Those who love to gossip and often spread notions and fallacies during gatherings must be pruned and dealt with. They can be segregated if they refuse to mend their ways despite being repeatedly disciplined.

2. Those who are of extremely poor caliber and who lack the ability to comprehend, who absolutely cannot understand the truth, should not be compelled to join gatherings. If such people insist on joining gatherings, they should not be segregated against their wills as long as they are obedient and do not cause disturbances.

3. Those who never exalt or bear testimonies to God in gatherings, but always speak for themselves and use sophistry to vindicate themselves, or who always give testimonies with ulterior motives and say farfetched things, and resort to deception in order to cheat others, are people who show themselves off to make others admire them and simply give false testimonies to deceive others. Such people have deceitful humanity, and they do not change in the slightest, despite believing in God for many years. They never say what they mean, they never do what they say, and they are simply hypocrites. Such people must be pruned, dealt with and exposed. If they do not repent but continue to give false testimonies to deceive others, then a targeted approach to expose and refute them can be implemented to utterly humiliate them. If they still disobey, they must be segregated for around six months before determining if they should resume church life based on the degree of their repentance.

4. Those whose humanity is too bad and who always cause disturbances to church life must be pruned and dealt with. God’s chosen people can join together to impose restrictions on them and ostracize them, thereby prompting them to repent and change. In the eventuality that they still do not change, segregation or expulsion can be imposed.

5. If any leader or worker who has committed a serious transgression, or who has been replaced, truly repents and changes and does not cause disturbances to church life, then they should be treated lovingly. If they persist in causing disturbances to church life and severely impact the eating and drinking of God’s words and entry into the truth of God’s chosen people, then they must be segregated or expelled.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

72. The Principles of Church Purges

(1) All manner of evil people, absurd people, half-wits, and rotten apples, as attested to by the majority, must be purged;

(2) Muddled people of very poor caliber, who cannot understand the truth in the least or who are up to no good in the church, must be purged;

(3) Any people who engage in crookedness and deceit, who sow discord, who form factions, or who plot and conspire to disrupt church life must be purged;

(4) Any people who frequently judge and level accusations against leaders and workers, whose baseless charges are meant purely to incite and provoke, must be purged;

(5) If someone is to be purged, the church must have adequate reason for it, it must accord with work arrangements, and a majority of members must concur.

Relevant Words of God:

God saves those who can come to life, who can see God’s salvation, who can be loyal to God and who are willing to seek God. He saves those who believe in God’s incarnation and in His appearance. Some people can come to life, and some people cannot; this depends on whether their nature can be saved or not. Many people have heard a lot of God’s words yet do not understand God’s will, and are still incapable of putting them into practice. Such people are incapable of living out any truth and also deliberately interfere with God’s work. They are incapable of doing any work for God, they cannot devote anything to Him, and they also secretly spend the church’s money and eat in the house of God for free. These people are dead and they will not be saved. God saves all those who are amid His work, but there is a portion of people who cannot receive His salvation; only a small number can receive His salvation. This is because most people have been corrupted too deeply and have become the dead, and they are beyond salvation; they have been totally exploited by Satan, and they are too malicious in their nature.

Excerpted from “Are You Someone Who Has Come to Life?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When man has been conquered by God’s words to the extent they have been today, people’s strength reaches a certain point, so God subsequently utters more words of warning—the constitution He issues forth to the people of God: “Although the human beings that populate the earth are as numerous as the stars, I know them all as clearly as the palm of My own hand. And, though the human beings that ‘love’ Me are also as innumerable as grains of sand in the sea, only a few are chosen by Me: only those who pursue the bright light, who are apart from those who ‘love’ Me.” Indeed, there are many who say they love God, but there are few who love Him in their hearts. It would seem that this could be clearly discerned even with closed eyes. This is how the entire world of those who believe in God actually is. In this, we see that God has now turned to the work of “sorting people out,” which shows that what God wants, and what satisfies God, is not the church of today, but the kingdom after the sorting. At this moment, He gives a further warning to all the “dangerous goods”: Unless God does not act, as soon as God begins to act, these people shall be wiped from the kingdom. God never does things perfunctorily. He acts always according to the principle of “one is one and two is two,” and, if there are those He does not wish to look upon, He does everything possible to wipe them away, to stop them from causing trouble in the future. This is called “taking out the trash and thoroughly cleaning.”

Excerpted from “Chapter 12” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, I rise up and chastise all sorts of evil spirits that defy Me. Regardless of how long they have followed Me, they must leave My side. I do not want anyone who is against Me (they are those who lack spiritual understanding, those who have been temporarily possessed by evil spirits, and those who do not know Me). I do not want a single one of them! All will be removed and become sons of perdition! After doing service for Me today, they must all leave! Do not loiter in My house; stop your constant shameless freeloading! Those who belong to Satan are all sons of the devil, and will perish forever.

Excerpted from “Chapter 109” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination. All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan. Their behavior interrupts and disturbs God’s work, it impairs the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, and it damages the normal life of the church. Sooner or later, these wolves in sheep’s clothing must be cleared out; an unsparing attitude, an attitude of rejection, should be adopted toward these lackeys of Satan. Only this is standing on the side of God, and those who fail to do so are wallowing in the mire with Satan. People who genuinely believe in God always have Him in their hearts, and they always carry within them a God-revering heart, a God-loving heart. Those who believe in God should do things cautiously and prudently, and all that they do should be in accordance with God’s requirements and able to satisfy His heart. They should not be headstrong, doing whatever they please; that does not befit saintly propriety. People must not run amok, waving the flag of God all over the place while swaggering and swindling everywhere; this is the most rebellious sort of conduct. Families have their rules, and nations have their laws—and isn’t it even more so in the house of God? Aren’t the standards even stricter? Aren’t there even more administrative decrees? People are free to do what they want, but the administrative decrees of God cannot be altered at will. God is a God who does not tolerate offense from humans; He is a God who puts people to death. Do people really not know this already?

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God saves people, what—regardless of the magnitude of their rebelliousness, or the depth of their corrupt disposition—is the baseline that God gives them? Which is to say, under what circumstances would God forsake you, and no longer want you? What is the minimum you must attain for God to want you, to keep you? Number one is not denying God. This is basic. There is real content to not denying God; it is not merely acknowledging the Old Man in the Sky, and acknowledging that God has become flesh, and is Almighty God. This is God’s baseline for man: Number one is not denying the name of God, acknowledging God, believing in God, and following God; number two is, at the very least, not forsaking the duty of man. Some people don’t appear to have forsaken their duty, yet their actions have already caused interruptions and disturbances, damaged the work of God’s house, and impacted other people. Can they still remain? They have violated God’s baseline. And so, the baseline for performing one’s duty is to not interrupt or disturb. The antichrists, too, do their duty—but their actions are meddlesome, disruptive, harmful, and wicked. Could God want such people? Is this the performance of their duty? To God, they have violated the baseline, they are incapable of performing their duty properly, their performance of their duty is more trouble than it’s worth, and they must be removed from the church. Is this the principle for how the house of God treats people? Does anyone say, “Have I been purged because I was in the wrong state, and was always negative?” or “All I did was to occasionally not perform my duty properly, I was only a little careless and perfunctory—how could you suspend me from performing my duty?” or “I didn’t perform my duty very well, so I was purged” or “Sometimes I had bad thoughts, evil thoughts, and I, too, was purged”? Are there such people? (No.) In some, there occasionally appear notions of unbelief: “Is there really a God? Wind, rain, thunder, snow—are these all made by that Old Man in the Sky? Has God become flesh? It is wrong to think thus, I must perform my duty properly.” Discovering this, some people say, “This person is always doubting God. Purge them—don’t let them perform a duty.” Are there those who are purged in this way? (No.) So by what principle does the house of God purge people? Which people are purged, and suspended from their duties? (Those whose service is more trouble than it’s worth, who cause interruptions and disturbances.) Such people should not perform a duty. This is not because of someone’s opinion about them, nor does it stem from trying to keep them in check due to a personal grievance. It is because their performance of their duty is substandard, and too deficient; they are simply incapable of performing their duty.

Excerpted from “The Principles of Practice Concerning Submission to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are lazy and irresponsible no matter what duty they perform. Sometimes they even secretly do bad things. When they perform their duty poorly, they find excuses, saying the duty isn’t right for them, it’s not their forte, they lack the expertise. In fact, everyone can see that this is not the reason they perform the duty badly. So how should such people be handled? Would it be allowed if they asked to go somewhere else to perform their duty? (No.) Such people must be dismissed, pure and simple. They are not suited to performing a duty, they do not have the right attitude. When asked to perform a duty, some people scratch their heads and feel resistant; in their hearts, they are utterly unwilling, and they do so begrudgingly, as if they are swallowing a humiliation. They think, “I’ll first keep a low profile here, I’ll muddle through for a few years, and who knows where I’ll end up.” Once you have the measure of people who make such plans, do not allow them to perform a duty. And if they want to do so somewhere else, don’t let them. In such situations, you must strong-arm them. Why? Because you have seen through to their essence. Everyone has shared that this person is not fit to perform a duty in God’s house; they are an unbeliever, and so they must be cleared out. If they are not, are they to be allowed to remain here, to interfere and scrounge each meal? Absolutely not. Such situations must be handled according to the principles for how to treat those who perform a duty in the church. Even if the person doesn’t want to, they still have to go. Is this forcing things on people? It is not. This is protecting the interests and work of the house of God, it is clearing out the scroungers.

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

There is a sort of person who can treat anyone with love, helpfulness, and tolerance, yet with God alone, they are irreconcilable, and they are His sworn enemy. When they encounter something that touches on the truth, that touches on what God says and requires, they are not merely unable to accept it, creating difficulties and casting doubt on it at every turn, and spreading notions, but they also do many things that are detrimental to the work of God’s house, such that, when something touches on their own interests, they are even capable of rising up and raising an outcry against God. What sort of person is this? (One who hates God.) Hatred of God is an aspect of the nature of all people, and all have this essence; yet, in some people, it is not so severe. Why, then, does this sort of person hate God so much? They are God’s enemy; they are devils—to speak plainly, they are living demons! Are there such living demons among the people whom God saves? (No.) Therefore, if you accurately identify some in the church as living demons of this sort, you must purge them from the place immediately. If a person behaves quite well in general but has only a momentary lapse in their state, or if their stature is too small to understand the truth, and they cause a minor interruption or disturbance, yet this behavior is not consistent, and they are not such a person by nature, then they may be retained. There are some who are strong in one regard, despite their somewhat poor humanity: They are willing to render service and are even ready to suffer; it is just that they tolerate no offense and will pit themselves against anyone who offends them, but when not being offended, they are quite normal. They also have not profited at anyone else’s expense. Such people may also be retained, and, though it may not be said that they will necessarily be saved, they may at least render service, and whether they can serve unto the end depends on their personal pursuit. Yet, if such a person is a living demon and an enemy of God, they can never be saved. This is a certainty, and they must be purged from the church. Some are purged to give them a chance to repent, to teach them a lesson; others are purged because their natures have been seen for what they are, and they cannot be saved. Everyone is different. Some who have been purged, despite their depressed and dark state, have not let go of their duty, and continue to perform it—they are not of a state with people who do not do their duty at all, and the paths they take are not the same.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How the house of God handles various types of people: Some are purged from the ranks of those who perform a duty; some are demoted from a full-time church to a part-time church; some are demoted from a part-time church to an ordinary church; some are reduced from these various kinds of churches to Group B; and some are simply expelled. Time and time again, the house of God arranges for the work of cleaning church; so, too, are there specific work arrangements for the various types of people who meet the criteria for being cleansed away. Based on people’s attitudes toward performing their duty, and their transgressions while performing their duty, as well as the humanity and dispositions that these various types of people exhibit, the house of God ends up creating case-by-case policies for handling them; the house of God has work arrangements for all of this. The work arrangements are communicated both textually and through fellowship. In sum, this work is ongoing, and not intermittent. It is not the case that the Above issues a work arrangement, the church spends a while doing cleanup work and then, once it is over—and if the Above has given no further orders to this effect—the church does nothing the next time someone who needs to be cleansed away is identified. That is not the case. The church’s cleanup work must be ongoing and orderly. Where purging is necessary and appropriate, it must be carried out according to work arrangements; do not passively await instructions from the Above or orders from senior leaders, and do not passively wait for it to be reported by more brothers and sisters. Once reports come in from a portion of brothers and sisters, or if a discovery has already been made by the leader themselves, or else if the supervisors of the church fellowship with each other and reach a consensus, and most of the brothers and sisters write an evaluation saying a person should be purged, they should be immediately purged. This is work arrangements’ specific provision for such work. And to what end is the cleanup work carried out? In order to cleanse the church, so that the work environment of those who perform a duty in the house of God is peaceful, and free from interference by the wicked; so, too, is it because the house of God does not support loafers and idle layabouts. The type of person who is incapable of performing their duty normally in the house of God, who always needs someone to watch and regulate them, who is unfit to perform a duty—they, too, should be cleansed away. Such work should be a simple, stand-alone job, one that leaders and workers should take responsibility for, and thus one that leaders and workers should implement and complete.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

73. The Principles of Expulsion From the Church

(1) Evil people who do not at all love or accept the truth, and who are even capable of causing frequent disruptions to church life, must be expelled;

(2) Those whose understanding is absurd, who are particularly arrogant, and who often harbor notions and misunderstandings toward God and pass their judgments on Him, must face expulsion;

(3) Those with a constant ambition to control God’s chosen people by fomenting dissatisfaction with leaders and workers belong to the category of antichrists and must face expulsion;

(4) All manner of nonbelievers and evil people who cannot in the least accept the truth or being pruned and dealt with, and who are, moreover, capable of multifarious acts of evil, must be expelled;

(5) Those who are possessed by demons or in whom evil spirits are at work, and who, moreover, frequently spread falsehoods, deceiving others and disrupting church life, must be expelled;

(6) Those who frequently misappropriate or are profligate with offerings to God and who, under a variety of pretexts, covet offerings to Him, must, in all serious cases, be expelled;

(7) One proven by evidence to have engaged often in romantic affairs and promiscuity, and to have been particularly wicked, thereby exerting an extremely bad influence on others, and who, despite repeated expostulation, refuses to change their ways must be expelled;

(8) False leaders and antichrists who commit serious violations of work arrangements and go rogue, causing disorder in the church and ensnaring God’s chosen people, must be expelled;

(9) Any who would betray the Lord or their fellows and ensnare the church in service to the great red dragon, regardless of their prior records of performance, must face expulsion;

(10) If a person is to be expelled, the church must have adequate evidence that is entirely consistent with the facts, and a majority of members must concur.

Relevant Words of God:

In the nation of the great red dragon, I have carried out a stage of work unfathomable to human beings, causing them to sway in the wind, after which many quietly drift away with the blowing of the wind. Truly, this is the “threshing floor” I am about to clear; it is what I yearn for and it is also My plan. For many wicked ones have crept in while I am at work, but I am in no hurry to drive them away. Rather, I shall disperse them when the time is right. Only after that shall I be the fountain of life, allowing those who truly love Me to receive from Me the fruit of the fig tree and the fragrance of the lily. In the land where Satan sojourns, the land of dust, there remains no pure gold, only sand, and so, meeting with these circumstances, I do such a stage of work. You should know that what I gain is pure, refined gold, not sand. How can the wicked remain in My house? How can I allow foxes to be parasites in My paradise? I employ every conceivable method to drive these things away. Before My will is revealed, no one is aware of what I am about to do. Taking this opportunity, I drive away those wicked ones, and they are forced to leave My presence. This is what I do to the wicked, but there will still be a day for them to do service for Me.

Excerpted from “The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying That the Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Spread Throughout the Universe” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

My planned work keeps pressing forward without a moment’s surcease. Having moved into the Age of Kingdom, and having carried you into My kingdom as My people, I will have other demands to make of you; that is to say, I will begin to promulgate before you the constitution with which I will govern this era:

Since you are called My people, you should be able to glorify My name; that is, stand testimony in the midst of trial. If anyone attempts to wheedle Me and conceal the truth from Me, or engage in disreputable dealings behind My back, such people will, without exception, be chased out and removed from My house to wait for Me to deal with them. Those who have been unfaithful and unfilial to Me in the past, and who rise up again today to judge Me openly—they, too, will be chased out of My house. Those who are My people must constantly show consideration for My burdens as well as seek to know My words. Only people like this will I enlighten, and they will surely live under My guidance and enlightenment, never meeting with chastisement. Those who, failing to show consideration for My burdens, concentrate on planning for their own futures—that is, those who do not aim with their actions to satisfy My heart, but rather who look for handouts—these beggar-like creatures I absolutely refuse to use, because from the time they were born, they have known nothing of what it means to show consideration for My burdens. They are people who lack normal sense; such people are suffering from “malnutrition” of the brain, and need to go home for some “nourishment.” I have no use for such people. Among My people, everyone will be required to regard knowing Me as an obligatory duty to be seen through to the end, like eating, dressing, and sleeping, something that one never forgets about for a moment, so that in the end, knowing Me will become as familiar as eating—something you do effortlessly, with a practiced hand. As for the words I speak, every single one must be taken with the utmost faith and fully assimilated; there can be no perfunctory half-measures. Anyone who does not pay attention to My words will be regarded as directly resisting Me; anyone who does not eat of My words, or does not seek to know them, will be regarded as not paying attention to Me, and will directly be swept out the door of My house. This is because, as I have said in the past, what I want is not a great number of people, but excellence. Out of a hundred people, if only one is able to know Me through My words, then I will willingly throw away all the others to focus on enlightening and illuminating this single one. From this you can see that it is not necessarily true that greater numbers alone can manifest Me and live Me out. What I want is wheat (even though the kernels may not be full) and not tares (even when the kernels are full enough to be admired). As for those who give no regard to seeking, but who instead behave in a slack manner, they should leave of their own accord; I do not wish to see them anymore, lest they continue to bring disgrace to My name. Regarding what I require of My people, I will stop at these precepts for now, and will wait to make further sanctions, depending on how circumstances change.

Excerpted from “Chapter 5” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now, as soon as possible, I wish to make a group of people who are after My heart, a group of people who are able to be considerate of My burdens. However, I cannot refrain from cleansing and purifying My church; the church is My heart. I despise all the evil people who prevent you from eating and drinking of My word. This is because there are some other people who do not truly want Me. These people are full of deceit, they do not get close to Me with their true heart; they are evil, and they are people who obstruct the carrying out of My will; they are not people who put the truth into practice. These people are full of self-righteousness and arrogance, they are wildly ambitious, they love to be condescending, and though the words they speak are pleasant to hear, in secret they do not practice the truth. These evil people shall all be cut off and swept away; they shall languish amid disaster.

Excerpted from “Chapter 24” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination. All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan. Their behavior interrupts and disturbs God’s work, it impairs the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, and it damages the normal life of the church. Sooner or later, these wolves in sheep’s clothing must be cleared out; an unsparing attitude, an attitude of rejection, should be adopted toward these lackeys of Satan. Only this is standing on the side of God, and those who fail to do so are wallowing in the mire with Satan. People who genuinely believe in God always have Him in their hearts, and they always carry within them a God-revering heart, a God-loving heart. Those who believe in God should do things cautiously and prudently, and all that they do should be in accordance with God’s requirements and able to satisfy His heart. They should not be headstrong, doing whatever they please; that does not befit saintly propriety. People must not run amok, waving the flag of God all over the place while swaggering and swindling everywhere; this is the most rebellious sort of conduct. Families have their rules, and nations have their laws—and isn’t it even more so in the house of God? Aren’t the standards even stricter? Aren’t there even more administrative decrees? People are free to do what they want, but the administrative decrees of God cannot be altered at will. God is a God who does not tolerate offense from humans; He is a God who puts people to death. Do people really not know this already?

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people are always showing off in front of Me so as to earn My approval, they are always trying to deceive Me by being one way to My face, and another behind My back. Such people are demons, I want them as far away from Me as possible, I never wish to see them again. When people are weak and lacking, I can support and provide for them; if you have a corrupt disposition, I can fellowship the truth with you. But I do not truck with demons, I do not listen to them and their excuses. At the start, when we have just met, you are a new believer, there are some truths you do not understand, and you are liable to do and say stupid things. So we fellowship the truth. But if you do understand certain truths, and yet make trouble out of nothing, if you always contradict Me and split hairs with Me, then I will not be so polite. Why? You are not someone who can be saved, so why should I be polite to you? Being polite means being tolerant and patient. I am patient with those who are foolish, with ordinary corrupt people—not with enemies and demons. If demons and enemies pretend to say nice things to win you over and deceive you, to bring you fleeting happiness, can you believe the things they say? (No.) Why? Their true colors have already been revealed; in a single thing, their essence was laid bare, they were exposed. Such people could never pursue the truth, much less love the truth. They are the enemy of the truth, they loathe and detest it. They are devils. Would expelling them not solve the problem once and for all? Some people ask, “Can’t they be given some leeway?” Such people have no chance of repentance, they could never repent. They are no different from Satan—which, regardless of the omnipotence and wisdom of God, does not think this is the essence God should have, and does not treat God as God; it believes its insidious schemes are wisdom, that its nature and essence are the truth, and that God is not the truth. And so it’s over for it; it is doomed to be in enmity to God until the very end. Thus, those who are evil are destined to never love the truth, and to never pursue the truth, and so God does not save them. Removing them from the churches and expelling them from the house of God is the most correct decision, and not in the slightest bit mistaken.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Five)” in Exposing Antichrists

Why does God’s house expel antichrists? Can God’s house retain them as service-doers? Can God’s house give them an opportunity to repent? (No.) What if they can still pursue the truth? (Impossible.) It’s clear now that antichrists are wicked people, they belong to Satan, and it’s impossible for them to repent, so God’s house can only expel them. Those who are expelled have been tolerated time and again by God’s house. God’s house has given them chances to repent and has not closed the door on them, making the effort not to wrong a good person, not to ruin someone’s life of faith in God, not to ruin anyone. Before someone’s nature is completely clear, before someone is completely revealed, God’s house is tolerant with everyone. But, can an antichrist repent? No, they cannot. In God’s house, they serve as Satan’s lackeys. They destroy, disrupt, and disturb the work of God’s house. Even if they have some gifts or talents, it’s impossible for them to perform their duties properly or walk the right path. Even if there are ways in which an antichrist can be useful, in no way can they make positive contributions to God’s work in God’s house. They are capable of nothing positive but destruction, disruption, and causing problems. They do nothing good. You can allow them to stay and observe them, give them a chance to repent, but it’s impossible for them to repent, and ultimately the only way to handle them is to expel them. Before such people are expelled, God’s house has already seen through them clearly: They are antichrists. They would rather die than repent, and they are enemies of God and the truth, so all that can be done is to expel them. Would God’s house expel a good person? If someone can accept the truth and repent, would God’s house expel them? At most, their duties would be changed or they would be sent for spiritual devotion and reflection, not expelled. When God’s house decides to expel someone, it means that keeping them in God’s house can only lead to more problems. They do nothing positive, and instead do all sorts of bad things and cause all kinds of disruption and disturbance. There is disorder and disunity wherever they are. Work stagnates, most people around them become depressed and lose faith in God, and some people even don’t want to believe anymore, and don’t want to continue in their duties. So, what is the reason? Everything goes back to the antichrist. Once they are expelled, most people gradually start to improve. So, make your own observations, and see who among the antichrists and wicked that were expelled later came to know themselves, and were able to pursue and love the truth? Did they repent? None of them repent, they stubbornly refuse to confess their sins, and they remain that way even if you see them years later. They still refuse to let go of what happened years before, debating and trying to vindicate themselves, with absolutely no change in their disposition. If you accept them back and allow them to resume church life and perform a duty, just like Paul, they go right back to their old ways. They don’t follow the path of pursuing the truth at all, they continue to walk their old path, the path of the antichrist, the path of Paul. This is the reason that antichrists are expelled.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

The majority of people have committed transgressions. For example, some have resisted God, some have rebelled against Him, some have spoken words of complaint against Him, and others have done things that were detrimental to the church or that did damage to God’s house. How should these people be treated? Their outcomes will be determined according to their natures and their consistent behavior. Some people are wicked, some are foolish, some are silly, and some are beasts. Everyone is different. Some wicked people are possessed by evil spirits, while others are the lackeys of the devil Satan. With regard to their natures, some are particularly sinister, some are particularly deceitful, some are especially greedy when it comes to money, and others enjoy being sexually promiscuous. Every person’s behavior is different, so people should all be viewed comprehensively in accordance with their individual natures and behavior. … God handles each person according to the environment and context at the time, the actual situation, the person’s actions, and the person’s behavior and expressions. God will never wrong anyone. This is God’s righteousness.

Excerpted from “On What Basis Does God Treat People?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Cleaning up the church must begin with expelling the five types of people who must be expelled. All the antichrist demons that always disturb the church work and create chaos must be thoroughly expelled in order to calm public outrage and appease God. Below is an explicit explanation of the five kinds of people that must be expelled:

1. Those who truly belong to the group of people who are possessed by demons or have the serious work of evil spirits must be expelled. This is never a mistake. All homosexuals who do not repent are possessed by demons. It is only natural that they should be expelled as well. Those who only have a slight amount of the work of evil spirits should be treated differently. For example, those who have occasionally spoken in tongues, seen visions, heard voices or had dreams, etc. They do not belong to the group that are possessed by demons. If these people pursue the truth, they can surely be saved. Therefore, it is absolutely not permitted to expel those who have a slight amount of the work of evil spirits. Those who are publicly known to be possessed by demons, including those who clearly have the work of evil spirits, can be expelled.

2. Those who truly belong to the category of false Christs and antichrists that deceive people must be expelled. This is never a mistake. All those who always think that they themselves are the firstborn sons or beloved sons of God and make people accept and submit to them, all those who bear witness that they themselves are Christ or have been sent by God to do new work, all those who refuse the guidance of the man used by the Holy Spirit and do otherwise, all those who frequently judge God’s work, speak blasphemies against God and start rumors that disparage and attack the man that the Holy Spirit uses, and all those that receive the work of evil spirits, and have boarded that pirate ship and begun to deceive people, are false Christs, antichrists, and deceivers. Some people only have a few notions when it comes to God or have a few biases when it comes to the man that the Holy Spirit uses, but they do not have a hostile heart and are able to pursue the truth and obey all of God’s work, and truly repent. Even if this kind of person occasionally says or does something wrong, they absolutely must not be treated like an antichrist and be expelled. Those who are true antichrists want to control God’s chosen people and set up an independent kingdom. There are those that do not follow the work arrangements from the Above when they do work and instead, do something entirely different or even reject the work arrangements, sermons and fellowships from the Above based on the excuse that they are suspicious of whether these arrangements, sermons and fellowships are true or not. They firmly control God’s chosen people in their own hands. They reject the centralized watering, provisions, and shepherding of the Above. Such people are pure antichrists. This is without a doubt. Such leaders and workers must be replaced. The more serious ones must be expelled.

3. Those that truly belong to the group of people that are Judas and sell out their Lord and fellow believers and serve on behalf of Satan to capture their brothers and sisters must be expelled. This is never a mistake. If someone, after having been captured, confesses only a little bit of information but does not help Satan monitor or capture their brothers and sisters, and if that person has performed relatively well in the past and shown repentance, then they should not be expelled. Isolate them for three to five months so they can reflect on themselves. If there is no huge problem, then they can be reinstated into church life. For someone whose humanity is bad and who in the past has not done any good deeds, if they have been captured and they become a Judas, then they can be expelled. If they have become an accomplice of Satan and they do service for the great red dragon and help it to monitor and arrest the brothers and sisters, this person must be expelled. It is never wrong to expel these kinds of people who betray God and serve as Satan’s accomplice to harm God’s chosen people.

4. Those who are truly evil people must be expelled. This is never wrong. There are the following types of evil people: There are those who persistently disrupt church life, form gangs, sow dissension, and break apart the church—these are rotten apples who cannot get along with others and whom everyone detests; another type of evil people includes those who are apt to sue the church or its leaders—such people are capable of doing all sorts of bad things; another group includes those who consistently commit adultery, refuse to repent, and negatively influence people; and lastly, there are those who, in order to protect their personal status, are capable of recklessly suppressing and entrapping God’s chosen people, and even of casually expelling others, and who are categorized as antichrists. These kinds of people are truly evil people. Only those who have been publicly acknowledged and determined by everyone in the church to be evil should be expelled. As for people who have only done an evil deed once, committed a transgression, or committed an offense against a leader, people in such situations must not be expelled as evil people. Committing an evil action once belongs to the same category as a transgression. This does not mean that the person is evil. Only those who do many and varied evils are evil people. If someone has committed a transgression, as long as they are capable of repentance, they still have a hope of being saved. Such a person absolutely should not be expelled. Only those who are publicly known to be evil people should be expelled.

5. Those who squander, steal, misappropriate, and defraud the church of God’s offerings must be expelled. Doing so is never wrong. All those who squander, misappropriate, and defraud the church of God’s offerings, or hand those offerings over to evil spirits, antichrists, or wicked people, or see that such offerings are in danger but do not deal with the situation promptly, leading to huge losses for the house of God, can be categorized as people who steal offerings. Such people must all be expelled. Those, in particular, who have embezzled large sums of money from God’s house must be expelled, and must also be chased down to repay their debts and reimburse the church for any expenses caused. If someone has used money improperly and is thus criticized by everyone, this is a transgression and should be dealt with differently. An opportunity for repentance should be given to this individual. This is the appropriate way of dealing with such a situation.

The five kinds of people listed above are the sorts that the church must expel. All those who fall into these categories are people eliminated by God’s work because they are irredeemable. Not only would such people be completely useless if they remained in God’s house, but they would cause endless trouble, because they do not possess humanity, do not have the slightest bit of reverence for God, and are entirely of Satan’s ilk. Although what these people do is similar to the expression of corruption outwardly, they are not people who really believe in God, much less people who love and pursue the truth, and they are not in the category of people who will be saved by God. As stated in God’s words: “All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan” (“A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh), God’s chosen people must know how to discern the real devil Satan. People who genuinely believe in God and the devil Satan both show manifestations of having a corrupt disposition, but what is the essential difference between them? This is a question God’s chosen people must fathom. As for people who genuinely believe in God, after they believe for a few years and begin to understand the truth, they can gain some knowledge of their own corrupt dispositions and achieve some reverence for God. Even if they might not have any real understanding of the truth, they cannot do things that are obviously evil and are in opposition to God. Moreover, when they are faced with being pruned and dealt with, judged and chastised, or tried and refined, they can know themselves and feel genuine remorse, and they are able to hate themselves, despise Satan, and undergo some genuine repentance and change. This is evidence that people who truly believe in God can be saved. Let’s then look at the devil Satan. They never accept the truth or self-reflect to know themselves regardless of how much evil they commit or how much pruning and dealing they face. The word “repentance” has never existed in their dictionary. This is the difference between the nature essence of real devil Satan and that of corrupted people who can pursue the truth. If God’s chosen people can distinguish them like this, then they will know which people can be saved and which are the real devil Satan and are beyond saving.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

IV. On the Principles of Performing One’s Duty

74. The Principles of Approaching One’s Duty

(1) Duty is a commission from God and the mission of a created being. Its performance is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth; not to perform one’s duty is a heinous act of treason;

(2) The duties that God gives man are not split into major and minor ones, nor lofty and lowly ones. One should receive their duty from God; only to perform it well is to be possessed of a conscience and sense;

(3) One’s performance of their duty should not suffer the constraints of their prospects or destiny. One should approach their duty with a submissive mindset and a positive, cooperative attitude;

(4) While performing their duty, one should reflect frequently on the ways in which their own motives adulterate their performance. Seek the truth to address those adulterations at once, and get to where you can perform your duty satisfactorily.

Relevant Words of God:

Creatures of God should perform their duty; you live under God’s dominion, you accept all that is provided by God, everything that comes from God, and so you should fulfill your responsibilities and obligations—this is your duty. From this it can be seen that for mankind to perform the duty of a creature of God is more righteous, beautiful, and noble than anything else done whilst living in the world of man; nothing among mankind is more meaningful or worthy, and nothing brings greater meaning and worth to the life of a creature of God, than performing the duty of a creature of God. For a creature of God to be able to perform the duty of a creature of God, to be able to satisfy the Creator, is the most wonderful thing among mankind, and is something that should be celebrated among mankind. Anything entrusted by the Creator to creatures of God should be unconditionally accepted by them; for mankind, this is something blessed and glorious, and for all of mankind who perform the duty of a creature of God, nothing is more wonderful or worthy of commemoration—it is something positive. And as for how the Creator treats those who perform the duty of a creature of God, and what He promises them, this is a matter for the Creator, and no business of created mankind. To put it bluntly, this is up to God; you will get whatever God gives you, and if He gives you nothing, then there is nothing you can say about it. When a creature of God accepts God’s commission, and cooperates with the Creator to perform their duty and do what they can, this is not a transaction or a trade; creatures of God must not try to use any attitude or thing to barter for blessings or promises from God. When the Creator entrusts this work to you, it is right and proper that, as creatures of God, you accept this duty and commission; there is no transaction involved. On the Creator’s side, He is willing to entrust this commission to each and every one of you; and on created mankind’s side, people should gladly accept this duty, treating it as their life’s obligation, as the worth they should live out in this life. There is no transaction here, this is not an equivalent exchange, much less does it involve any reward or any kind of interpretation. This is not a trade, it is not an exchange for the price people pay or the labor they contribute when performing their duty. God has never said that, and it should not be understood thus by man.

… As a created being, when you come before the Creator, you ought to perform your duty. This is the proper thing to do. Given that people ought to perform the duty of created beings, the Creator has again done greater work among mankind. He has performed a further step of work on mankind. And what work is that? He provides mankind with the truth, allowing them to gain the truth from Him as they perform their duties and thereby to cast off their corrupt dispositions and be cleansed. Thus, they come to satisfy God’s will and embark on the right path in life, and, ultimately, they are able to fear God and shun evil, attain complete salvation, and be subject no longer to Satan’s afflictions. This is the main effect that God would have mankind achieve in the end by performing their duty. Therefore, in performing your duty, you do not merely enjoy the value and significance that performing your duty as a created being brings to your life. Beyond this, you are cleansed and saved, and, ultimately, come to live in the light of the face of the Creator.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Seven)” in Exposing Antichrists

There is no correlation between the duty of man and whether he is blessed or cursed. Duty is what man ought to fulfill; it is his heaven-sent vocation, and should not depend on recompense, conditions, or reasons. Only then is he doing his duty. To be blessed is when someone is made perfect and enjoys God’s blessings after experiencing judgment. To be cursed is when someone’s disposition does not change after they have experienced chastisement and judgment, it is when they do not experience being made perfect but are punished. But regardless of whether they are blessed or cursed, created beings should fulfill their duty, doing what they ought to do, and doing what they are able to do; this is the very least that a person, a person who pursues God, should do. You should not do your duty only to be blessed, and you should not refuse to act for fear of being cursed. Let Me tell you this one thing: Man’s performance of his duty is what he ought to do, and if he is incapable of performing his duty, then this is his rebelliousness. It is through the process of doing his duty that man is gradually changed, and it is through this process that he demonstrates his loyalty. As such, the more you are able to do your duty, the more truth you shall receive, and the more real your expression shall become. Those who merely go through the motions in doing their duty and do not seek the truth shall be eliminated in the end, for such people do not do their duty in the practice of truth, and do not practice truth in the fulfillment of their duty. They are those who remain unchanged and will be cursed. Not only are their expressions impure, but everything they express is wicked.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between the Ministry of God Incarnate and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As members of the human race and devout Christians, it is the responsibility and obligation of us all to offer up our minds and bodies for the fulfillment of God’s commission, for our entire being came from God, and it exists thanks to the sovereignty of God. If our minds and bodies are not for God’s commission and not for the righteous cause of mankind, then our souls will feel unworthy of those who were martyred for God’s commission, and much more unworthy of God, who has provided us with everything.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How does duty come into being? To speak broadly, it comes into being as a result of God’s management work of bringing salvation to humanity; to speak specifically, as God’s management work unfolds amongst mankind, various tasks arise that need to be done, and they require people to cooperate and complete them. This has given rise to responsibilities and missions for people to fulfill, and these responsibilities and missions are the duties God bestows upon mankind. Therefore, in God’s house, the various tasks that require people’s cooperation are the duties they should fulfill. So, are there differences between duties in terms of better and worse, lofty and lowly, or great and small? Such differences do not exist; as long as something has to do with God’s management work, is a requirement of His carrying His work out, or is a requirement of the work of His house, then it is a person’s duty. This is the definition and origin of duty. Without God’s work of management, would people on earth—regardless of how they live—have duties? (No.) Now you see clearly that there is a direct relationship between the duties of created beings and God’s management work of the salvation of mankind. It can be said that without God’s salvation of mankind, and without the management work He has launched on the earth, among man, people would not have any duties to speak of. Looking at it from this perspective, duty is important for every person who follows God, is it not? Speaking broadly, you are taking part in the work of God’s management plan; more specifically, you are cooperating with the various types of jobs of God that are required at different times and among different groups of people. Regardless of what your duty is, it is a mission God has given you. Sometimes you may be required to look after or safeguard an important object. This might be a comparatively trivial matter that can only be said to be a responsibility of yours, but it is a task God has given you; you received it from Him. To put it in broader terms, God gives you a commission, which might be to spread the gospel or lead a church, or it might be work that is even more dangerous and more important. Regardless, as long as it has to do with God’s work and the work of His house, people should accept it as a duty from God. Duty, to put it in even broader terms, is a person’s mission, a commission entrusted by God; more specifically, it is your responsibility, your obligation. Given that it is your mission, a commission entrusted to you by God, and is your responsibility and obligation, it has nothing to do with your personal affairs.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How you regard God’s commissions is a very serious matter! If you cannot complete what God has entrusted to you, then you are not fit to live in His presence and should be punished. It is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth that humans should complete whatever commissions God entrusts to them; this is their supreme responsibility, and is just as important as their very lives. If you do not take God’s commissions seriously, then you are betraying Him in the most grievous way; in this, you are more lamentable than Judas, and should be cursed. People must gain a thorough understanding of how to view what God entrusts to them and, at the very least, must comprehend that the commissions He entrusts to humanity are exaltations and special favors from God; they are most glorious things. Everything else can be abandoned; even if one must sacrifice one’s own life, he must still fulfill God’s commission.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The thing that most directly and perceptibly reflects the bond that links you to God is how you treat the matters God entrusts to you and the tasks He assigns you, and the attitude you have. What is observable most directly is this issue. When you have grasped this crucial point and fulfilled the commission God has given to you, your relationship with God will be normal. If, when God entrusts a task to you, or tells you to perform a certain duty, your attitude is cursory and apathetic, and you do not see it as a priority, is this not precisely the opposite of giving all your heart and strength? So, your attitude when performing your duty is of crucial importance, as are the method and path you choose. What is the result of performing your duty carelessly and perfunctorily, and treating it lightly? It is the poor performance of your duty, though you are capable of performing it well—your performance will not be up to standard, and God will not be satisfied with your attitude toward your duty. If, originally, you had sought and cooperated normally; if you had devoted all your thoughts to it; if you had put your heart and soul into doing it, and put all your effort into it, and had devoted a period of your labor, your striving, and your thoughts to it, or had devoted some time to referencing materials, and committed the whole of your mind and body to it; had you been capable of such cooperation, then God would be up ahead, guiding you. You do not need to exert much strength; when you spare no effort in cooperating, God will have already arranged everything for you. If you are wily and treacherous, and, halfway through the job, you have a change of heart and go astray, then God will show no interest in you; you will have lost this opportunity, and God will say, “You are not good enough; you are useless. Go stand off to the side. You like being lazy, no? You like being deceitful and cunning, do you not? You like resting? Well then, take a rest.” God will give this grace and opportunity to the next person. What do you say: Is this a loss or a win? It is an enormous loss!

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Some people see fulfilling their duties as capital, some see fulfilling their duties as their own personal tasks, and some see fulfilling their duties as their own work, enterprises, or private matters, or see a duty as a sort of pastime, entertainment, or hobby to kill the time. In short, no matter what sort of attitude you have toward your duty, if you did not receive it from God, and if you are unable to treat it as a task that a created being within God’s management work should do or with which it should cooperate, then what you are doing is not fulfilling your duty. Why do I raise these topics? What problems am I trying to resolve by fellowshiping about them? I am attempting to fix the incorrect attitudes people have toward their duties. Once they have understood these truths, their attitudes toward their duties will gradually come in line with the truth and conform to its principles, as well as God’s requirements. At the very least, your perspective and attitude with regard to your duty should be in line with the truth and God’s requirements. Duties are tasks entrusted to people by God; they are missions for people to complete. However, a duty is certainly not your own personally managed business, nor is it a counterweight to your standing out from the crowd. Some people use their duties as opportunities to engage in their own management and form cliques; some to satisfy their desires; some to fill the voids they feel inside; and some to satisfy their trust-to-luck mentality, thinking that as long as they fulfill their duties, they will have a share in God’s house and in the wonderful destination God arranges for man. Such attitudes about duty are incorrect; they disgust God and must be urgently resolved.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the correct attitude toward your duty, which manifests that you possess the truth? First, you cannot scrutinize who it is arranged by, which level of leadership it is assigned by—you should accept it from God. Furthermore, whatever your duty, do not discriminate between high and low. Suppose you say, “Though this task is a commission from God and the work of God’s house, if I do it, people might look down on me. Others get to do work that lets them stand out. How can this task I’ve been given, which doesn’t let me stand out but makes me exert myself behind the scenes, be called a duty? This is a duty I cannot accept; this is not my duty. My duty has to be one that makes me stand out in front of others and allows me to make a name for myself—and even if I don’t make a name for myself or stand out, I still have to benefit from it and feel physically at ease.” Is this an acceptable attitude? Being picky is not accepting what comes from God; it is making choices according to your own preferences. This is not accepting your duty; it is a refusal of your duty. As soon as you try to pick and choose, you are no longer capable of true acceptance. Such pickiness is adulterated with your individual preferences and desires; when you give consideration to your own benefit, your reputation, and so on, your attitude toward your duty is not submissive. Here is the attitude toward duty: First, you may not analyze it, nor think about who has assigned it to you; instead, you should accept it from God, as your duty and as what you should do. Second, do not discriminate between high and low, and do not concern yourself with its nature—whether it is done in front of people or out of their sight, whether it lets you stand out or not. Do not consider these things. These are the two features of the attitude with which people should approach their duty. There is another attitude, namely that you feel you can fulfill a certain duty, but at the same time you also fear making a mistake and being eliminated. For example, if your brothers and sisters choose you as their leader, then you may feel obligated to perform this duty because you were chosen, but you don’t regard this duty with a very proactive attitude, and you have thoughts about it, such as, “Being a leader isn’t a good thing at all. It’s like treading on thin ice or living on a knife’s edge. If I do a good job then there will be no special reward, but if I do a bad job then I will constantly be dealt with. And being dealt with isn’t even the worst of all. What if I get replaced? If that were to happen, how would I go on?” At that point, you start to feel conflicted. What is this attitude? This is being guarded and misunderstanding, and this is an attitude people must not have toward their duty. It is a demoralized and negative attitude. So, what should a positive attitude be like? (We should be open-minded and magnanimous, and have the courage to take up burdens.) But are these not just empty words? How can you be open-minded and magnanimous if you are so afraid? What does it mean to have the courage to take up burdens? And in what kind of state will you have the courage to take up burdens? You fear that you will not be able to bear many of the consequences. You cannot take up the burden, and there will be many things keeping you from doing it. When you say things like “have the courage to take up burdens” or “never surrender even in the face of death,” they sound like the slogans shouted by angry young people. But shouting slogans can never resolve practical problems. You must adopt the correct attitude today, which means that you must possess this aspect of truth, and then when issues arise, this aspect of truth and this attitude will help you resolve your inner difficulties, and allow you to smoothly and proactively accept this commission, this duty. This is the path of practice, and only this is the truth. If you use terms like “being open-minded and magnanimous” and “having the courage to take up burdens” to address the fear that you feel, will this be effective? (No.) This indicates that these things are not the truth, nor are they a path of practice. You may say, “I am open-minded and magnanimous, I am of indomitable stature, there are no extraneous thoughts or contaminants in my heart, and I have the courage to take up burdens.” Outwardly you take up the burden of your duty, but later, after pondering it for a while, you still feel that you cannot take it up. You may still feel afraid. In addition, you may see others being dealt with, and become even more afraid, like a whipped dog terrified of the strap. You will increasingly feel like your stature is too small, and that this duty is like a vast, uncrossable abyss, and ultimately you will still be unable to take up this burden. This is why slogans cannot solve practical problems. So how can you actually solve this problem? You should submit and actively cooperate. This is your duty and your responsibility. No matter the road ahead, you should have a heart of obedience. Timidity, fear, worry, suspicion—none of these should be the attitude with which you approach your duty.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the most basic attitude toward duty that one should have? If you said, “Since God’s house has given this duty to me, it belongs to me, and I can fulfill it however I want,” would this be an acceptable attitude? It absolutely would not. If you have such thoughts, they will cause trouble, and it means you have started down a bad path. You must not think this way. So, what is the correct way of thinking? First, you must seek the truth and principles. Seek these things: how this duty should be fulfilled, what God requires, what the principles are of God’s requirements of people, what you should do, which parts of the work you should complete, and how you should act to be utterly devoted and responsible while fulfilling this duty. So, to whom should devotion be given? To God—you should be devoted to Him, responsible toward other people, and, as for yourself, you should adhere to principle and uphold your duty. What does it mean to adhere to principle? To adhere to principle is to act in accordance with God’s words and the truth. What, then, does it mean to uphold duty? Say, for example, a duty has been given to you for a year or two, but, so far, no one has checked up on you. What should you do? If no one checks up on you, does that mean the duty is gone? Pay no mind to whether anyone checks up on you or sees how you are doing; this task was entrusted to you, and, though it is not your personal business, it was assigned to you, and it is your responsibility. You should consider how this job should be done and how it can be done well, and that is how you should do it. If you are always waiting for others to check up on you, for them to supervise you and urge you on, is this the attitude you should have in your duty? What kind of attitude is this? This is a passive attitude; it is not the attitude you should adopt toward your duty.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People must approach both duty and God with an honest heart—this is the fear of God. What attitude should people have in treating God with an honest heart? People should expend themselves for God in their duty without questioning whether this will bring them disaster or blessing, without making conditions, and by submitting to God’s orchestrations; such a person is possessed of an honest heart. Are those who always doubt, who always make conditions, and who engage in ceaseless research possessed of an honest heart? What lies within the heart of such a person? Within their heart there is deceit and evil, and they are always engaging in research. When something happens that affects their personal interests, they ponder: “What was God thinking when He did this thing to me and when He arranged this situation for me? Is this something that has happened to other people? After I am finished going through this, what will the consequences be?” They research these questions; they research what they may gain or lose, whether the matter at hand will bring them disaster or blessing. Once they start researching these questions, are they capable of practicing the truth? Are they capable of obeying God? When they begin a duty, they research it and ask: “Will I suffer if I carry out this duty? Will I need to spend much time away? Will I be able to get regular meals and rest? And what kind of people will I come into contact with?” Although on the surface they accept this duty, in their heart they harbor deceit and are constantly researching such things. In fact, all of these things that they research relate to their personal interests; they do not consider the interests of God’s house, only their own interests. If people only consider their own interests, it is not easy for them to practice the truth and they do not have true obedience to God. What happens in the end to many of these people who engage in this kind of research? Some rebel against God; that is, they do things full of negative emotions, keeping their eyes peeled while they work. What kind of disposition is it that brings these emotions? It is deceit and evil; having gone so far as to be evil, these people are pitting themselves against God! When people are constantly researching, their attention is divided, so can they properly perform their duty in this state? They do not worship God with honesty and with their spirits, they do not have honest hearts, and while they carry out their duty they are always watching and holding back. What comes of this? God does not do work upon them, no matter what they do they cannot find the principles, and whatever they do, it always goes wrong. Why do things always go wrong? Sometimes, it is not that God exposes them, it is that they ruin themselves. They do not give any consideration to the work of the house of God or to the interests of the house of God; they are always plotting on their own behalf and making plans for their prestige and status. They keep on doing this and then they start to deviate. Between making plans for their own interests and future prospects, and being considerate of the work of the house of God and the interests of the house of God, is the result from their actions the same? No, the result is certainly not the same. They are exposed, and this behavior does not constitute performing one’s duty; the essence and nature of this person’s actions have changed. If it is just a matter of some minor loss, then they will still have the possibility of being saved—they will still have a chance. But if major loss is caused, is there still any chance for them? If the matter at hand is a serious case, to the extent that it causes disruption and disturbances, then the person involved should be replaced and eliminated; some people have been eliminated in just this way.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Most people do their duties in this state of mind: “If someone leads, I follow. I will follow them wherever they lead, and do whatever they ask me to do.” Taking on responsibility or concern or paying extra attention, on the other hand, are things they cannot achieve and prices they are unwilling to pay. They have a share in exerting physical effort, but they do not share in the responsibility. This is not truly doing one’s duty. You must learn to put your heart into your duty; if one has a heart, one must be able to use it. If someone never uses their heart, this proves they are heartless, and a heartless person cannot attain the truth! Why can they not attain the truth? They do not know how to come before God; they do not know how to put their heart into perceiving God’s enlightenment and guidance, or how to put their heart into contemplation, or into seeking the truth, or into seeking, understanding and showing consideration for God’s will. Do you have those states in which, no matter what arises and no matter your duty, you are able to be quiet before God often, and use your heart to contemplate God’s words, and put your heart into seeking the truth and contemplating how your duty should be performed? Are there many such times? Putting your heart into your duty and being able to take responsibility require you to suffer and to pay a price—it is not enough simply to talk about it. If you do not put your heart into your duty, instead wanting always to exert physical effort, then your duty will certainly not be done well. You will simply go through the motions and nothing more, and you will not know how well you have done your duty. If you put your heart into it, you will gradually come to understand the truth; if you do not, then you will not. When you put your heart into performing your duty and pursuing the truth, you then become gradually able to understand God’s will, to discover your own corruption and deficiencies, and to master all your various states. If you do not use your heart to examine yourself, and focus only on making external efforts, then you will be unable to discover the different states that arise in your heart and all the reactions you have to different external environments; if you do not use your heart to examine yourself, then it will be hard for you to resolve the issues in your heart. Therefore, you must use your heart and your honesty to praise and worship God. To use your heart and honesty to worship God, you must have a heart that is quiet and sincere; in the deepest recesses of your heart, you must know to seek God’s will and the truth, and you must contemplate how to do your duty well, contemplating which parts of your duty you do not yet understand and how to do your duty better. Only by thinking of these things often in your heart will you be able to gain the truth. If these things are not what you contemplate often in your heart, and your heart is filled instead with things of the mind or external things, occupied with such things that have nothing to do with using your heart and honesty to worship God—nothing whatsoever to do with it—are you then able to gain the truth? Do you have a relationship with God?

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You should each do your own duty to the best of your ability, with open and honest hearts, and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary. As you have said, when the day comes, God will not be remiss toward anyone who has suffered or paid a price for Him. This kind of conviction is worth holding on to, and it is right that you should never forget it. Only in this way can I put My mind at ease about you. Otherwise, you will forever be people about whom I cannot put My mind at ease, and you will forever be the objects of My distaste. If all of you can follow your conscience and give your all for Me, sparing no effort for My work, and devoting the energy of a lifetime to My gospel work, then will My heart not often leap for joy on your account? This way, I will be able to put My mind entirely at ease regarding you, won’t I?

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man’s performance of his duty is, in actuality, the accomplishment of all that is inherent within man, which is to say, that which is possible for man. It is then that his duty is fulfilled. The defects of man during his service are gradually reduced through progressive experience and the process of his undergoing judgment; they do not hinder or affect man’s duty. Those who cease to serve or yield and fall back for fear that there may be drawbacks to their service are the most cowardly of all. If people cannot express what they ought to express during service or achieve what is inherently possible for them, and instead fool about and go through the motions, they have lost the function that a created being should have. Such people are what are known as “mediocrities”; they are useless refuse. How can such people properly be called created beings? Are they not corrupt beings that shine on the outside but are rotten within? If a man calls himself God yet is unable to express the being of divinity, do the work of God Himself, or represent God, he is undoubtedly not God, for he has not the substance of God, and that which God can inherently achieve does not exist within him. If man loses what is inherently attainable by him, he can no longer be considered man, and he is not worthy to stand as a created being or come before God and serve Him. Moreover, he is not worthy to receive the grace of God or to be watched over, protected, and made perfect by God. Many who have lost the trust of God go on to lose the grace of God. Not only do they not despise their misdeeds, but they brazenly propagate the idea that the way of God is incorrect, and the rebellious ones even deny the existence of God. How can such people, who are possessed of such rebelliousness, be entitled to enjoy the grace of God? Those who do not perform their duty are very rebellious against God, and owe much to Him, yet they turn around and lambaste that God is wrong. How could such kind of man be worthy of being made perfect? Is this not the precursor to being eliminated and punished? People who do not do their duty before God are already guilty of the most heinous of crimes, for which even death is an insufficient punishment, yet they have the gall to argue with God and match themselves against Him. What is the worth of perfecting such people? When people fail to fulfill their duty, they should feel guilt and indebtedness; they ought to despise their weakness and uselessness, their rebelliousness and corruption, and moreover, ought to give their life to God. Only then are they created beings who truly love God, and only such people are worthy of enjoying the blessings and promise of God, and of being made perfect by Him. And what of the majority of you? How do you treat the God who lives among you? How have you performed your duty before Him? Have you done all you were called upon to do, even at the expense of your own life? What have you sacrificed? Have you not received much from Me? Can you discern? How loyal are you to Me? How have you served Me? And what of all that I have bestowed upon you and have done for you? Have you taken measure of it all? Have you all judged and compared this with what little conscience you have within you? Who could your words and actions be worthy of? Could it be that such minuscule sacrifice of yours is worthy of all I have bestowed upon you? I have no other choice and have been wholeheartedly devoted to you, yet you harbor wicked intentions and are half-hearted toward Me. That is the extent of your duty, your only function. Is this not so? Do you not know that you have utterly failed to perform the duty of a created being? How can you be considered a created being? Is it not clear to you what it is you are expressing and living out? You have failed to fulfill your duty, but you seek to gain the tolerance and bountiful grace of God. Such grace has not been prepared for ones as worthless and base as you, but for those who ask for nothing and gladly sacrifice. People such as you, such mediocrities, are utterly unworthy of enjoying the grace of heaven. Only hardship and interminable punishment shall accompany your days! If you cannot be faithful to Me, your fate shall be one of suffering. If you cannot be accountable to My words and My work, your outcome will be one of punishment. All grace, blessings, and the wonderful life of the kingdom shall have nothing to do with you. This is the end you deserve to meet and a consequence of your own making!

Excerpted from “The Difference Between the Ministry of God Incarnate and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

75. The Principles of Confirming One’s Station

(1) Choose your duty according to your strengths and gifts. As long as the majority of people consider your choice appropriate, you should confirm it as a duty that is yours;

(2) One who does their duty well has found their station, and one who does their duty well is standing firm in their position as a created being;

(3) One should submit to the arrangements of God’s house as they perform their duty. If they feel their duty is unsuitable, they may, in communication with leaders and workers, select suitable duties;

(4) Regardless of one’s particular duty, they should pray to God and rely on Him, and, in all matters, seek the truth and act according to the principles. In doing so, they will become able to perform their duty satisfactorily.

Relevant Words of God:

In His entire management plan, God long ago planned how many times you would come among the world of man, which lineage and which family you would be born into during the last days, what the circumstances of this family would be, whether you would be male or female, what your strengths would be, what level of education you would have, how articulate you would be, what your caliber would be, what you would look like, at what age you would come to the house of God and begin performing your duty, and what duty you would perform at what time—God long ago planned each step for you. Before you were born, when you came among man in your last several lives, God had already arranged what duty you would perform during this, the final stage of work. This is no joke! Even your being here to listen to this sermon was destined by God—this is no small thing! Moreover, your physical state, your experience at a certain age, what kinds of duty you can undertake, your abilities and skills—these were long ago destined for you by God. Which is to say, God wishes to use you, and prior to giving you this commission and vocation, He had already prepared you for it. So is it okay for you to run away? Is it okay for you to waver? You let God down by doing this! There is no greater act of rebellion than turning your back on your duty—it is a heinous sin. God’s intentions are painstakingly earnest. Countless generations ago, God had already predestined your arrival today, and given you this mission—so are you not responsible for this mission? Is it not the value of your very life? And if you do not carry out the mission given to you by God, is there any use in your living? God put you in this situation, He gave you this caliber, He gave you these abilities and skills, He gave you all the conditions to live to this age and do this thing—but you do not do it, and you run away. You want only to lead a comfortable life, to make your way in the world, to use what God gave you to serve Satan. Could God delight in this? Could it make Him happy? You do not carry out your mission, you do not complete the commission given to you by God, and you flee from God’s seat of judgment. What does God determine for such people? He annihilates them! Never again will you be born and come into this world. Never again will God entrust you with anything. Your mission is taken from you, and so you are all out of chances—this means you are in trouble! God will say, “Such a person has fled from My gaze a single time, they have run from My seat of judgment, from My presence. They did not carry out their mission and they did not complete their commission. This is the end, their life ends here, a line has been drawn under it, and it need be mentioned no more.” How tragic this is!

Today, when you perform a duty in the house of God, whether it be big or small, whether it involves physical labor or using your brain, whether it is done outside or inside the church, the duty you perform is no accident; this is not your choice, it is directed by God. It is only because of God’s commission that you are moved, and have this sense of mission and responsibility, and are able to perform this duty. Among the unbelievers, there are many who are attractive, intelligent, or capable. But does God favor them? No. God only favors you, this group of people. He makes you undertake every kind of role, carry out every kind of duty and responsibility in His work of management, and when, ultimately, God’s management plan comes to an end and is completed, what a glory and honor this will be! And so when, whilst performing their duty, people suffer a little hardship, when they have to give things up and expend themselves, when they pay a price, when they lose status, fame and fortune in the world, it seems as if God has taken those things away from them—but they have gained something bigger and better. What have they gained from God? Only when you have performed your duty well, when you have completed God’s commission for you, when you live your whole life for your mission and commission, and you live a worthwhile life—only then are you a real person! And why do I say you are a real person? Because God has chosen you, He has allowed you to perform the duty of a creature of God in His management, and there can be no greater value or meaning to your life.

Excerpted from “The Principles of Practice Concerning Submission to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What are your principles for conducting yourselves? You should conduct yourselves according to your station, find the right station for you, and stand fast in your station. By way of example, there are people who are good at a profession and can grasp its principles, and they should make the final checks in this regard; there are people who can provide ideas and insights, enabling everyone else to build on their ideas and perform this duty better—they should then provide ideas. If you can find the right station for you and work in harmony with your brothers and sisters, you will be fulfilling your duty, and you will be conducting yourself according to your station. If it is yours to be able only to provide a few of your thoughts, but would like to provide other things, and you end up trying very hard to do so, yet are still unable; and then, when others provide those other things, you are uncomfortable, and do not wish to listen, and your heart is pained and constrained, and you say God is unjust, and you blame God—then this is ambition. What disposition is it that engenders ambition in a person? An arrogant disposition engenders ambition. These states can certainly arise in you at any time, and if you cannot seek the truth to resolve them, and have no life entry, and cannot change in this regard, then the degrees of qualification and purity with which you do your duties will be low. If you cannot achieve these things, then it will also be very hard for you to give God the glory He is due. Some people have talents in two or three areas, some have talent in one area, and some have no talents at all—if you can approach these matters correctly, then you will have found your station. People who have found their stations can conduct themselves according to their stations and perform their duties well. There are people who are never able to find their stations, who reach always for the pot when there is food in their bowls, who grab at anything in their interest that comes along, who always have their own ambitions, yet believe they are showing consideration for God’s intentions and loyally performing their duty—this belief is wrong, and it is an erroneous understanding of “loyalty.” If you wish to be loyal and to perform your duty satisfactorily, if this is your pursuit and your desire, you must first find the right station for you, and then do what you can with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is satisfactory, and such performance of duty has a degree of purity. This is what a real created being should do. First, you must understand what a real created being is: A real created being is not a superhuman, but a person who lives straightforwardly and humbly on the earth and is not at all extraordinary. What does it mean not to be extraordinary? It means that no matter how tall you can stand or how high you can jump, the fact remains that your actual height will not change, and you have no extraordinary ability. If you wish always to surpass others, to be ranked above others, then this is engendered by your arrogant, satanic disposition, and it is your delusion. You cannot, in fact, achieve this, and it is impossible for you to do so. God did not give you such talent or skill, and neither did He give you such an essence. Do not forget that you are a normal, ordinary member of mankind, in no way different from others, though your appearance, family, and the decade of your birth may be different, and there may be some differences in your talents and gifts. But do not forget this: No matter how different you are, it is only in these small ways, and your corrupt disposition is the same as others’, and the principles, goals, and orientation to which you must adhere in the performance of your duty are identical to others’. It is merely in their strengths and gifts that people differ.

Excerpted from “The Principles That Should Guide One’s Conduct” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people think they have a gift or specialty in one area and are very good at doing their duty in that area, so they do their very best to recommend themselves. Of course, God’s house will not disappoint such a person; God’s house cherishes talent and will make the best use of each kind of person. In whichever area you have special skills and gifts or whichever area you are able to make fullest use of your strengths, God’s house will do its utmost to promote and use you in that area, and will not neglect you. For example, some people feel they have literary talent, love literature, and can write a bit—that they have special strength in this area. God’s house will arrange for such a person to work in the field of writing. But should they not work well after a period of time, God’s house will see that their claimed specialty and hobby is nothing more than what they want to believe about themselves, and their talents and caliber are simply not up to the work. So, what should be done? Can we just settle for them and say, “You have a passion. Although you are not very talented and of average caliber, as long as you are willing and ready to work hard, God’s house will settle for you and allow you to keep working here. It doesn’t matter if you do it badly—God’s house will turn a blind eye, and you do not need to be reassigned”? Is this the principle of God’s house in handling such matters? (No.) What should be done when encountering such a situation? (Assign the person to a duty that suits them, according to their caliber and strengths.) Is this not the proper thing to do? But some people cannot get past this. Is there not then a problem with their humanity? What is that problem? Such a person says, “All my life, I wanted to be a man of letters in the world of unbelievers, to be a journalist, writer, or editor, but because of my family’s conditions and other reasons, I could not do the work I like. Now, having come to God’s house, I can finally get what I want, but they say I’m not of sufficient caliber, that I can’t do it well, and that I’m not qualified for the job. They won’t let me do it. This means that my life’s greatest wish won’t come true. My passion and my wish can’t be fulfilled. I don’t like any other work; I want to do work that interests me, but now God’s house won’t let me.” What should a person do under normal circumstances when it happens that they are reassigned to a different duty? (They should submit.) Why must they submit? God’s house does not assign people duties according to their preferences, but according to the results of the work. Do you think that God’s house should arrange people’s duties according to their personal preferences? Should satisfying a person’s preference be a precondition for God’s house putting them to use? (No.) Which approach is in accordance with the principles of making use of people in God’s house? Which approach is in accordance with the truth principles? The approach that is based in the results of the work and in what the work of God’s house needs. You have your hobbies, interests, and desires, but should your desires, interests, and hobbies override the work of God’s house? If you persist in this and say, “I want to do this. If you don’t let me do this, I don’t want to live, and I don’t want to perform my duty. If you won’t let me do this, then whatever you have me do, my heart won’t be in it, and I won’t put my all into it.” Is this not a shameful thing? Is it consistent with the truth to sacrifice the effectiveness of the work of God’s house for the sake of satisfying your personal desires, interests, and hobbies? (It is not.) How should people treat matters that are not consistent with the truth? Some people say, “They should make sacrifices for the group’s sake.” Is this right? Is it the truth? (No.) It is a muddled remark, words that confuse others, words of disguise. If you apply these words to your performance of your duty, you are blaspheming God. Why is this blasphemy? God does not need you to sacrifice yourself. God requires people to practice the truth and forsake the flesh, and if you cannot practice the truth, you cannot perform your duty well. Does God’s house deprive you of the right to do your duty if you do not do your duty well? Does it deprive you of the right to accept the words of God? Does it deprive you of the right to eat and drink of the words of God, or to practice them? It does no such thing. It does not deprive you of the opportunity and right to be saved; it simply transfers you to a duty and environment that is suitable for you because you are not suited for a particular duty. That is all. This is a very normal thing and a very understandable thing. It should be regarded correctly. What is the correct way to regard it? When you encounter this matter, the first thing you have to do is accept God’s house’s evaluation of you. Although you love this work subjectively, the truth is that you are not up to it or good at it, so you cannot do this work and must be transferred to another duty. Is this the correct way to regard it? You should realize this first. After you have trained for a period of time, when God’s house sees that you still cannot do the work, that your caliber is insufficient, and that you are not up to this duty, then do not force a donkey to dance. God’s house does not make things difficult for you or force people to do things beyond their power. So, was this thing’s exposure not a good thing for you? First, it makes you rational about your preferences and desires. You had a hobby before, in the form of literature and in the form of writing, but this was only a hobby based in wishful thinking, a one-sided hobby, a manifestation of subjective will. It was a ways off from your real talents and caliber. Having gone through a trial period, you, as well as God’s house and the brothers and sisters around you, can clearly understand your true talent and caliber. This is a good thing for you. At the very least, it lets you know the extent of your caliber and enables you to regard yourself correctly. Your understanding of yourself is no longer stuck amid your hobbies and wishes. At the very least, you have an accurate understanding and assessment of your own caliber. Are you not now more down-to-earth? You are not stuck amid your imagination and your wishes but are more down-to-earth, more realistic, and more accurate as to whether you can do this job or what you can do. This is one part. It is of positive use in knowing yourself. The other part, and the most crucial one, is that no matter to what extent you are able to recognize these things, or whether you recognize these things at all, the most minimal attitude you should have regarding the arrangements of God’s house is one of obedience. You should not pick and choose, or maintain personal plans and choices. This is the sense you ought most to have. If you do not recognize these things now, that is no problem. As long as you are obedient and accept the arrangements of God’s house, and make constant progress in the days to come, and as long as you take your duty seriously and are faithful, you will come to recognize those problems that you do not recognize now bit by bit, as your experience gradually grows. God will not treat you unfairly.

Excerpted from “They Want to Retreat When There Is No Position and No Hope of Gaining Blessings” in Exposing Antichrists

There is often a conflict between dreams and reality. Much of the time, people think their dreams are legitimate. Do they not know that dreams and reality are entirely different? Dreams are only what you want, they are some fleeting preoccupation, often born of willfulness or fantasy, and at odds with reality. What mistakes often occur when people have too many dreams? They ignore the work that is right before their eyes—work they should be doing in the present moment. They ignore reality, and put the duty they should be performing, the work they should be doing, their obligations and responsibilities at that very moment, to one side; they treat them lightly, and indulge in their own dreams, getting up to whatever they wish, and doing whatever they want. And that being so, these people are not only unable to truly perform their duty, but—more importantly—they also delay the work of the house of God, and disturb the work of the house of God. Many people do not understand the truth, and do not pursue the truth, either. What do they treat their duty as? They treat it as work, or as a hobby, or as an interest. They do not treat it as a task or mission given to them by God, or as a responsibility for them to bear, much less do they seek to understand the truth and the will of God in the course of performing their duty. And so, there are some who, in the course of performing their duty, suffer a little hardship and have a change of heart, and start thinking of how to get out of it. When they encounter a difficulty or setback, they backtrack, and, again, are liable to try and get out of it. Instead of seeking the truth, they think about a way out. They are like tortoises: As soon as something happens, they hide in their shell, only coming out again when it is over. There are many such people. In particular, there are some who, when asked to undertake a duty, give no thought to how to perform it loyally, how to do it properly, or how to complete this work well. Instead, they think about how to shirk their responsibility, how to avoid being dealt with, how to offload their responsibility, how to entirely absent themselves from a problem or failure when it occurs. The first thing they think about is their own escape route; before all else, they consider their own preferences and predilections, not how they can do their duty and do it loyally. Can such people gain the truth? They put no effort into the truth. For them, the grass is always greener: Today, they want to do this, tomorrow, they want to do that. Everyone’s duty seems better than the one they are doing, and they all seem easier. They simply put no effort into the truth. They do not reflect on what the problem is when they have such thoughts, nor do they solve the problem. They only ever focus on external practices, looking at who has taken the limelight, who has been recognized by the Above, who gets to have contact with the Above, who does not need to be dealt with when they work. These things are all they ever think about. Would you say that people who only ever think about these things are able to perform their duty faithfully? That will never happen. So what kind of people are those who perform their duty in this way? Do they pursue the truth? First of all, if one thing is for certain, it is that this kind of person does not pursue the truth. All they pursue is ingratiating themselves into the house of God, enjoying some blessings, making a name for themselves, being seen and noticed—which is no different to being in society. What kind of people are they in terms of essence? They are nonbelievers.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Understanding what good and bad caliber is, and being clear about one’s own caliber, nature essence, are all beneficial to knowing oneself. When people know where they stand, they will make less mistakes. When people have the measure of themselves, they will stop being arrogant, and their behavior will be more conscientious and dutiful. Not knowing oneself can cause a lot of trouble. There are some people who are of ordinary caliber, but think they are of high caliber. They believe they have a gift for leadership; inside, they are chomping at the bit to be a leader, to head up the team, but no one ever chooses them. And does this not agitate them? When people are agitated by such things and they feel unsettled, they do not perform their duty well, and are liable to do foolish things that cause embarrassment, senseless things that are despised by God. As such, before anything else, they must address these fundamental revelations of their corrupt dispositions by knowing themselves. That includes being arrogant, senseless, always thinking their caliber is good, that they are better than other people, that they should coach others, and so on. Once these issues have been resolved, you will be steadfast in performing your duty well, more proper in your behavior, and such thoughts and behaviors as external aggressiveness, conceitedness, haughtiness, and thinking you are special will not bother you, and you will have become much more mature. At the very least, you will have the dignified and upright manner of a saint, and that is the only way you will be able to come before God.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s house makes optimal use of people according to their actual capacities, in the way that is most suitable. If your humanity is good but your caliber is poor, perform your duty with all your heart and all your strength. You do not need to be a leader or worker to meet with God’s approval. If you were willing to concern yourself with what a leader needs to concern himself with but unable to do so, if you do not possess the qualities required to be a leader and are not up to the task, what should you do? In that case, do not insist on it and make things harder for yourself. If you can carry fifty pounds, carry fifty pounds without showing off and saying, “Fifty pounds isn’t enough—I want to carry a greater burden! I’ll carry a hundred pounds, even if it kills me!” Your inability to be a leader or worker certainly wouldn’t kill you, but it would delay the work of God’s house and affect its rate of progress and efficiency, and it would delay a number of people’s progress in their lives. This is not a responsibility you can bear, because your caliber is not sufficient. Thus, if you have self-awareness, you should take the initiative to step down and to recommend someone to be the leader or worker whose caliber is good, who is properly qualified, and who is better than you. This is the wise course, and only in doing so is one a person with true humanity and true sense, who truly understands the truth and practices it. You think always, “Although my caliber is poor, my humanity is good. I am willing to take on concerns, to endure hardship and pay the price. I am resolute and I do things with greater perseverance than you. I am tolerant and unafraid of being dealt with or pruned, or being tried. What does it matter if my caliber isn’t so great?” This is not meant to condemn you but to classify you, to give you clarity about what you are able to do, what suits you, and what duty suits you. In yet another regard, one of the most practical problems you now face is that your quality is too low. You cannot fulfill the duty of a leader. It does not suit you, and if you try to lead, you will delay the work of God’s house. If you enjoy being busy and have humanity, and if you are willing to take on concerns and pay the price, then there is a job that suits you, a duty you should perform, and God’s house will arrange it appropriately. It accords with the rules and principles of God’s house not to let you be a leader, but God’s house will certainly never deprive you of your right to do your duty or your right to believe in and follow God because of your caliber. Is this proper? Is there still a need for more detailed fellowship on this matter? Some people of lower caliber hear this and think, “Enough fellowship. There is no place to show this face of mine. I know that my caliber is poor, so I won’t be a leader or worker—to be a group leader or supervisor would do, or perhaps I’ll do odd jobs, cook, clean … anything is fine. I’ll just do what I must, no matter what others say, and submit to the arrangements of God’s house and to God’s designs. Being of lower caliber is also the grace of God. There is God’s good will in it, and God does not work wrongly.” If you can look at things in this way, that will do, and the problem needs no more fellowship. In sum, we dissect only the problems of people of lesser caliber, revealing the truth as it is so that more people will have the correct attitude and view toward these people, and so that these people can have the correct attitude and view toward their own poor caliber. They can then situate themselves accurately and find their own appropriate position and duty, so that the price they pay and their resolve to endure hardship can be put to reasonable use and brought into play. This does not affect your understanding of the truth or your practice of the truth. And it does not affect your image in God’s house or in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are those who say, “I’m a pretty good person; I haven’t done anything to resist God, and I’ve suffered a lot for Him. Why does He still prune me and deal with me so? Why doesn’t God ever acknowledge me or raise me up?” Still others say, “I’m a plain dealer; I’ve believed in God since I was in the womb, and I still believe in Him now. I’m so pure! I left my family and quit my job to expend myself for God, and I still think of how much God loves me. Now, God seems not to love people so much, and I feel left out in the cold, disappointed and dismayed with Him.” What are these people doing wrong? They have not remained in their proper place; they do not know who they are, and they feel always that they are estimable figures whom God should respect and raise up, or treasure and cherish. If people always have such misconceptions, such absurd and unreasonable demands, then it will lead to trouble. What, then, should people do, and how should they know and treat themselves, to be able to conform to the way God treats man, in order to resolve these difficulties and let go of these demands they make of God? Some people are made leaders by the house of God and carry out their work pretty well, without doing anything disruptive or troublesome; later, when God places them in a certain situation to expose them, and strips them of their leadership, they start trying to reason: “It is the false leaders and false workers and people who try to disrupt and disturb who should be replaced—why should I be replaced when I haven’t been disruptive or troublesome?” They feel put out. Why? They believe that this position is their due, that they should not have been replaced; they are qualified for it because of these things that are exhibited in them. Thus, it is their opinion that God has stripped them of this position when they were qualified to do it, and so they do not accept this—and there is thus born in them notions toward God’s actions. And at the genesis of these notions, they feel hard done by, and begin to complain: “Was it not said that there are principles for the election and elimination of leaders? It seems to me that there is no principle to what happened, God has made a mistake!” In short, as soon as God does something that harms their interests and which hurts their feelings, they start picking fault. Is this a problem? How can this problem be solved? You must know who you are. No matter what sort of gifts or strengths you have, nor how much skill or ability you have, nor even how much merit you have earned in God’s house, nor how much you have rushed about, nor how much capital you have accrued, these things are as nothing to God, and if they seem important from where you stand, then have there not again arisen misunderstandings and contradictions between you and God? How should this problem be resolved? You must shrink the distance between you and God, resolve these contradictions, and deny those things you think are right and to which you cling. In doing so, there will no longer be a distance between you and God, and you will stand properly in your station, and you will be able to submit, able to recognize that all God does is right, able to deny yourself and let go of yourself. You will no longer treat the merit you have earned as a sort of capital, nor will you try any longer to set conditions with God, or make demands of Him, or ask Him for reward. At this time, you will no longer have difficulties. Why do all man’s misconceptions of God arise? They arise because people do not know themselves in the slightest; to be precise, they do not know what sort of things they are in God’s eyes. They rate themselves too highly and estimate their position in God’s eyes too highly, and they see what they consider to be a person’s worth and capital as the standards by which God measures whether they will be saved. This is wrong. You must know what kind of place you have in God’s heart, and how it is appropriate for God to treat you. To know this is to conform to the truth and to be in accord with God’s views. When your practice and treatment of yourself accord with this knowledge, there will no longer be any contradiction between you and God. And when God again treats you in His manner, will you not be able to submit? You may feel some discomfort in your heart, or not understand these things and feel as if they are not as you wish, yet, because you will be equipped with these truths and understand these truths, and because you will be able to stand fast in your position, you will no longer fight against God, which means that those behaviors and practices of yours that would cause you to perish will cease to be. And will you not then be safe? Once you are safe, you will feel grounded, which is what it means to walk the path of Peter.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what the Creator does, no matter how He manifests, and no matter whether what He does is a great deed or a small one, He is still the Creator; whereas all mankind, which He created, regardless of what they have done, and regardless of how talented or favored they might be, remain created beings. As for created humanity, no matter how much grace and how many blessings they have received from the Creator, or how much mercy, lovingkindness, or benevolence, they should not believe themselves to stand apart from the masses, or think they can be on equal footing with God and that they have become highly ranked among created beings. Regardless of how many gifts God has bestowed on you, or how much grace He has given you, or how kindly He has treated you, or whether He has given you a few special talents, none of these are your assets. You are a created being, and you will thus forever be a created being. You must never think, “I am a little darling in the hands of God. He would not raise a hand to me. God’s attitude toward me will always be one of love, care, and gentle caresses, with warm whispers of comfort and encouragement.” To the contrary, in the eyes of the Creator, you are the same as all other created beings; God can use you as He wishes, and can also orchestrate you as He wishes, and He can arrange as He wishes for you to play every role among all sorts of people, events, and things. This is the knowledge people should have, and the good sense that they should possess. If one can understand and accept these words, their relationship with God will grow more normal, and they will establish a most legitimate relationship with Him; if one can understand and accept these words, they will orient their station properly, assume their place there, and uphold their duty.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As one of the creatures, man must keep his own position, and behave conscientiously. Dutifully guard that which is entrusted to you by the Creator. Do not act out of line, or do things beyond your range of ability or which are loathsome to God. Do not try to be great, or become a superman, or above others, nor seek to become God. This is how people should not desire to be. Seeking to become great or a superman is absurd. Seeking to become God is even more disgraceful; it is disgusting, and despicable. What is commendable, and what the creatures should hold to more than anything else, is to become a true creature; this is the only goal that all people should pursue.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

76. The Principles of Expending Oneself for God

(1) Expending themselves for God is the duty and responsibility, ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth, of created beings, and, no matter what outcome they meet, they must not complain;

(2) When one expends themselves for God, they should put their intents right; they should not aim to bargain for gains from God, nor to seek blessings, but only to requite His love and satisfy Him;

(3) To expend oneself truly for God, one should submit to His orchestration and arrangements, selecting a duty that is appropriate to the needs of God’s house as well as their own strengths;

(4) In the church, to fulfill an appropriate duty is to stand in one’s allotted station. In this way, one can live before God with good sense and obedience.

Relevant Words of God:

Today, I love whomever can do My will, whomever can show consideration for My burdens, and whomever can give their all for Me with a true heart and sincerity. I will constantly enlighten them, and not let them slip away from Me. I often say, “To those who sincerely expend for Me, I shall surely bless you greatly.” What does “bless” refer to? Do you know? In the context of the current work of the Holy Spirit, it refers to the burdens I give to you. For all who are able to carry a burden for the church, and who sincerely offer themselves up for My sake, their burdens and their earnestness are both blessings that come from Me. In addition, My revelations to them are also a blessing from Me. This is because those who do not currently have a burden were not predestined and selected by Me; My curses have already come down upon them. In other words, those whom I have predestined and selected have a share in the positive aspects of what I have said, while those whom I have not predestined and selected can only share in the negative aspects of My utterances.

Excerpted from “Chapter 82” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, those who bear genuine love for Me—such people are blessed. Blessed are those who submit to Me, they will surely stay in My kingdom. Blessed are those who know Me, they will surely wield power in My kingdom. Blessed are those who seek after Me, they will surely escape from Satan’s bonds and enjoy My blessings. Blessed are those who are able to forsake themselves, they will surely enter into My possession and inherit My kingdom’s bounty. Those who run around for Me I will remember, those who make expenditures for Me I will joyfully embrace, and to those who make offerings to Me I will grant enjoyments. Those who find enjoyment in My words I will bless; they will surely be the pillars that hold up the ridgepole in My kingdom, they will surely have matchless abundance in My house, and no one can compare with them. Have you ever accepted the blessings that you were given? Have you ever sought the promises that were made for you? You will surely, under the guidance of My light, break through the stranglehold of the forces of darkness. You will surely not, in the midst of darkness, lose the light guiding you. You will surely be the master of all creation. You will surely be an overcomer before Satan. You will surely, at the downfall of the kingdom of the great red dragon, stand up amid the myriad throngs to bear witness to My victory. You will surely stand firm and unwavering in the land of Sinim. Through the sufferings you endure, you will inherit My blessings, and will surely radiate My glory throughout the entire universe.

Excerpted from “Chapter 19” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Eating and drinking of God’s words, practicing prayer, accepting God’s burden, and accepting the tasks He entrusts to you—all of this is so that there may be a path before you. The more the burden of God’s entrustment weighs on you, the easier it will be for you to be perfected by Him. Some are unwilling to coordinate with others in service to God, even when they have been called upon; these are lazy people who wish only to revel in comfort. The more you are asked to serve in coordination with others, the more experience you will gain. Due to having more burdens and experiences, you will gain more opportunities to be perfected. Therefore, if you can serve God with sincerity, then you will be mindful of God’s burden; as such, you will have more opportunities to be perfected by God. It is just such a group of people that is currently being perfected. The more the Holy Spirit touches you, the more time you will devote to being mindful of God’s burden, the more you will be perfected by God, and the more you will be gained by Him—until, in the end, you will become a person whom God uses. At present, there are some who carry no burdens for the church. These people are slack and sloppy, and only care about their own flesh. Such people are extremely selfish, and they are also blind. If you cannot see this matter clearly, you will not carry any burden. The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden He will entrust to you. The selfish are unwilling to suffer such things; they are unwilling to pay the price, and, as a result, they will miss opportunities to be perfected by God. Are they not doing themselves harm? If you are someone who is mindful of God’s will, then you will develop a true burden for the church. In fact, instead of calling this a burden you bear for the church, it would be better to call it a burden you bear for your own life’s sake, because the purpose of this burden you develop for the church is to have you use such experiences to be perfected by God. Therefore, whoever carries the greatest burden for the church, whoever carries a burden for entering into life—they will be the ones who are perfected by God. Have you seen this clearly? If the church you are with is scattered like sand, but you are neither worried nor anxious, and you even turn a blind eye when your brothers and sisters are not normally eating and drinking of God’s words, then you are not carrying any burdens. Such people are not the kind in whom God delights. The kind of people in whom God delights hunger and thirst for righteousness and are mindful of God’s will. Thus, you should become mindful of God’s burden, here and now; you should not wait for God to reveal His righteous disposition to all humanity before growing mindful of God’s burden. Would it not be too late by then? Now is a good opportunity to be perfected by God. If you allow this chance to slip through your fingers, you will regret it for the rest of your life, just as Moses was unable to enter the good land of Canaan and regretted it for the rest of his life, dying with remorse. Once God has revealed His righteous disposition to all peoples, you will be filled with regret. Even if God does not chastise you, you will chastise yourself out of your own remorse. Some are not convinced by this, but if you do not believe it, just wait and see. There are some people whose sole purpose is to fulfill these words. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of these words?

If you do not seek out opportunities to be perfected by God, and if you do not strive to be ahead of the pack in your seeking of perfection, then you will ultimately be filled with remorse. The best opportunity to attain perfection is the present; now is an extremely good time. If you do not earnestly seek to be perfected by God, once His work has concluded, it will be too late—you will have missed the opportunity. No matter how great your aspirations, if God is no longer performing work, then regardless of the effort you put in, you will never be able to attain perfection. You must seize this opportunity and cooperate while the Holy Spirit does His great work. If you miss this chance, you will not be given another one, no matter what efforts you make. Some of you cry, “God, I am willing to be mindful of Your burden, and I am willing to satisfy Your will!” However, you have no path on which to practice, so your burdens will not last. If you have a path ahead, then you will gain experience one step at a time, and your experience will be structured and organized. After one burden has been completed, another will be given to you. As your life experience deepens, your burdens, too, will grow more profound. Some people only carry a burden when touched by the Holy Spirit; after a period of time, once they no longer have a path on which to practice, they stop carrying any burdens. You cannot develop burdens simply by eating and drinking of God’s words. By understanding many truths, you will gain discernment, learn to solve problems using the truth, and gain a more precise understanding of God’s words and God’s will. With these things, you will develop burdens to carry, and only then will you be able to perform work properly. If you have a burden but do not have a clear understanding of the truth, then that will not do, either; you must experience God’s words in person and know how to practice them. Only after you yourself have entered reality will you be able to provide for others, lead others, and be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is no correlation between the duty of man and whether he is blessed or cursed. Duty is what man ought to fulfill; it is his heaven-sent vocation, and should not depend on recompense, conditions, or reasons. Only then is he doing his duty. To be blessed is when someone is made perfect and enjoys God’s blessings after experiencing judgment. To be cursed is when someone’s disposition does not change after they have experienced chastisement and judgment, it is when they do not experience being made perfect but are punished. But regardless of whether they are blessed or cursed, created beings should fulfill their duty, doing what they ought to do, and doing what they are able to do; this is the very least that a person, a person who pursues God, should do. You should not do your duty only to be blessed, and you should not refuse to act for fear of being cursed. Let Me tell you this one thing: Man’s performance of his duty is what he ought to do, and if he is incapable of performing his duty, then this is his rebelliousness. It is through the process of doing his duty that man is gradually changed, and it is through this process that he demonstrates his loyalty. As such, the more you are able to do your duty, the more truth you shall receive, and the more real your expression shall become. Those who merely go through the motions in doing their duty and do not seek the truth shall be eliminated in the end, for such people do not do their duty in the practice of truth, and do not practice truth in the fulfillment of their duty. They are those who remain unchanged and will be cursed. Not only are their expressions impure, but everything they express is wicked.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between the Ministry of God Incarnate and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

These days, most people are in this sort of state: “In order to gain blessings, I must expend myself for God and pay a price for Him. In order to gain blessings, I must abandon everything for God; I must complete what He has entrusted me with, and perform my duty well.” This is dominated by the intention to gain blessings, which is an example of expending oneself entirely for the purpose of obtaining rewards from God and gaining a crown. Such people do not have the truth in their hearts, and surely their understanding merely consists of a few words of doctrine which they show off everywhere they go. Theirs is the path of Paul. The faith of such people is an act of constant toil, and deep down they feel that the more they do, the more it will prove their loyalty to God; that the more they do, the more He will certainly be satisfied; and that the more they do, the more they will deserve to be granted a crown before God, and will certainly receive the greatest blessings in His house. They think that if they can endure suffering, preach, and die for Christ, if they can sacrifice their own lives, and if they can complete all of the duties with which God has entrusted them, then they will be among God’s most blessed—those who gain the greatest blessings—and will then be certain to be granted crowns. This is precisely what Paul imagined and what he sought; it is the exact path that he walked, and it was under the guidance of such thoughts that he worked to serve God. Do those thoughts and intentions not originate from a satanic nature? It is just like worldly humans, who believe that while on earth they must pursue knowledge, and that only after obtaining it can they stand out from the crowd, become officials, and have status; they think that once they have status, they can realize their ambitions and bring their homes and businesses up to certain levels. Do not all unbelievers walk this path? Those who are dominated by this satanic nature can only be like Paul in their faith: “I must cast off everything to expend myself for God; I must be faithful before Him, and eventually, I will receive the most magnificent crown and the greatest blessings.” This is the same attitude as that of worldly people who pursue worldly things; they are no different at all, and are subject to the same nature. When people have this sort of satanic nature, out in the world, they will seek to obtain knowledge, status, learning, and to stand out from the crowd; in God’s house, they will seek to expend themselves for God, be faithful, and eventually to obtain crowns and great blessings. If, after becoming believers in God, people do not possess the truth and have not undergone a change in their dispositions, then this is certainly the path they will be on. This is a reality that no one can deny, and it is a path that is diametrically opposed to that of Peter.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Who can truly and completely expend themselves for Me and offer up their all for My sake? You are all half-hearted; your thoughts go around and around, thinking of home, of the outside world, of food and clothing. Despite the fact that you are here before Me, doing things for Me, deep down you are still thinking of your wife, children, and parents at home. Are all these things your property? Why do you not entrust them into My hands? Do you not have sufficient faith in Me? Or is it that you are afraid I will make inappropriate arrangements for you? Why do you always worry about the family of your flesh? You always pine for your loved ones! Do I have a certain place in your heart? You still talk about allowing Me to have dominion within you and occupy your entire being—these are all deceptive lies! How many of you are wholeheartedly committed to the church? And who among you think not of yourselves, but are acting for the sake of the kingdom of today? Think very carefully about this.

Excerpted from “Chapter 59” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you can devote your heart, body, and all of your genuine love to God, place them before Him, be completely obedient toward Him, and be absolutely considerate of His will—not for the flesh, not for family, and not for your own personal desires, but for the interests of God’s household, taking God’s word as the principle and foundation in everything—then by doing so, your intentions and your perspectives will all be in the right place, and you will then be a person before God who receives His praise. The people God likes are those who are absolute toward Him; they are the ones who can be devoted solely to Him. Those whom God loathes are the ones who are half-hearted toward Him and who rebel against Him. He loathes those who believe in Him and always want to enjoy Him while yet being unable to completely expend themselves for His sake. He loathes those who say they love Him but who rebel against Him in their hearts; He loathes those who use eloquent, flowery words to engage in deception. Those who are not genuinely dedicated to God or who have not truly submitted before Him are treacherous and overly arrogant by nature. Those who cannot be genuinely submissive in front of the normal, practical God are even more arrogant, and they especially are the dutiful progeny of the archangel. People who truly expend themselves for God lay out their entire being before Him; they genuinely submit to all of His utterances, and are able to put His words into practice. They make God’s words the foundation of their existence, and they are able to search earnestly within God’s words to find out which parts to practice. Such are people who truly live before God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must suffer hardship for the truth, you must give yourself to the truth, you must endure humiliation for the truth, and to gain more of the truth you must undergo more suffering. This is what you should do. You must not throw away the truth for the sake of a peaceful family life, and you must not lose your life’s dignity and integrity for the sake of momentary enjoyment. You should pursue all that is beautiful and good, and you should pursue a path in life that is more meaningful. If you lead such a vulgar life, and do not pursue any objectives, do you not waste your life? What can you gain from such a life? You should forsake all enjoyments of the flesh for the sake of one truth, and should not throw away all truths for the sake of a little enjoyment. People like this have no integrity or dignity; there is no meaning to their existence!

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you are very glad to be a service-doer in the house of God, working diligently and conscientiously in obscurity, always giving and never taking, then I say that you are a loyal saint, because you seek no reward and are simply being an honest person. If you are willing to be candid, if you are willing to expend your all, if you are able to sacrifice your life for God and stand firm in your testimony, if you are honest to the point where you know only to satisfy God and not to consider yourself or take for yourself, then I say that such people are those who are nourished in the light and who shall live forever in the kingdom.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

77. The Principles of Safeguarding the Work of God’s House

(1) It is necessary to identify false leaders, antichrists, evil people, and nonbelievers, and if they are found, to summarily expose and manage them in order to safeguard the normal life of the church;

(2) When a false leader or worker is found unable to do practical work, God’s chosen people should be contacted to identify them, and to proscribe and dismiss them at once;

(3) It is necessary to expose and refute all manner of heresy and fallacy. Enable God’s chosen people to discern them, lest they become deceived, and ensure that God’s word the truth reigns in the church;

(4) It is necessary to live the church life in strict accordance with work arrangements from the Above. Beware of antichrists and evil people who go their own way and deceive God’s chosen people;

(5) One should learn to identify antichrists and evil people, should they lay siege to the church’s leaders and workers. See through Satan’s schemes, and protect the leaders and workers.

Relevant Words of God:

The church is under construction, and Satan is trying its utmost to demolish it. It wants to demolish My construction by any means possible; for this reason, the church must be purified quickly. Not the slightest dregs of evil must remain; the church must be purified such that it becomes flawless and continues to be as pure as in the past. You must be awake and waiting at all times, and you must pray before Me more. You must recognize the various plots and cunning schemes of Satan, recognize the spirits, know people, and be able to discern all kinds of people, events, and things; you must also eat and drink more of My words and, more importantly, you must be able to eat and drink of them by yourselves. Equip yourselves with all of the truth, and come before Me so that I may open your spiritual eyes and allow you to see all the mysteries that lie within the spirit…. When the church enters its construction phase, the saints march to battle. Satan’s various hideous features are set before you: Do you stop and edge backward, or do you stand up and, relying upon Me, continue to move forward? Thoroughly expose Satan’s corrupt and ugly features, spare no feelings, and show no mercy! Fight Satan to the death! I am your backup, and you must have the spirit of the male child! Satan is lashing out in its final death throes, but it will still be unable to escape My judgment. Satan is beneath My feet and it is also being trodden under your own feet—this is a fact!

All those religious disruptors, and those who tear down the church’s construction, cannot be shown the smallest bit of tolerance but will be judged immediately; Satan will be exposed, trampled, destroyed utterly, and left with nowhere to hide. All manner of demons and ghosts will surely reveal their true forms before Me, and I will cast them all into the bottomless pit from which they will never be free; they will all be beneath our feet. If you want to fight the good fight for the truth, then first of all, you must not give Satan any chance to work—to this end, you will need to be of one mind and able to serve in coordination, relinquish all your own notions, opinions, views, and ways of doing things, quiet your heart within Me, focus on the voice of the Holy Spirit, be attentive to the work of the Holy Spirit, and experience God’s words in detail. You must have only one intention, which is that My will be done. You should have no other intention apart from this. You must look to Me with all your heart, watch closely My actions and the way I do things, and not be negligent at all. Your spirit must be sharp, your eyes open. Ordinarily, when it comes to those whose intentions and objectives are not right, as well as those who love to be seen by others, who are eager to do things, who are prone to causing disruptions, who are good at spouting religious doctrine, who are Satan’s lackeys, and so on—when these people stand up, they become difficulties for the church, and this causes their brothers’ and sisters’ eating and drinking of God’s words to come to nothing. When you encounter such people play-acting, ban them immediately. If, despite repeated admonitions, they do not change, then they will suffer loss. If those who stubbornly persist in their ways attempt to defend themselves and try to cover up their sins, the church should cut them out immediately and leave them no room to maneuver. Do not lose a lot by trying to save a little; keep your eye on the big picture.

Excerpted from “Chapter 17” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s greatest commission to mankind is the greatest benefit to God’s house. What benefit is this? It is the implementation of God’s six-thousand-year management plan among mankind, an implementation that naturally includes many aspects. What does this include, then? It includes the establishment and formation of the church and the emergence of church leaders and workers at all levels, clearing the way for the unimpeded flow of all work in the church that relates to God’s new work and to the spreading of His gospel. This involves the church; it is in the church’s interest. This is the most important thing entailed in the oft-mentioned interests of God, of His house, and of the church. God’s work obtains an expansion; God’s management plan can flow unimpeded; God’s intent and will can flow unimpeded among man; and God’s word can be expanded, proclaimed, and preached more widely among them, making more of them come before God. This is the objective and the core of all this work that God does. Therefore, whatever is related to the interests of God’s house and the church is certainly also related to God’s will and management plan. Specifically, it is related to whether God’s work of every age and stage can flow unimpeded, whether it can be expanded, and whether it can progress smoothly among mankind, develop smoothly, and be carried out unhindered. If all this is progressing normally, then the interests of God’s family and church will have been secured, and His glory and testimony will also have been secured. If God’s work in His house and the church is hindered and unable to flow without impediment, if God’s will and the work He will do are obstructed, then the interests of God’s house and the church will certainly be greatly impaired. These things are joined together. This means, also, that when the interests of God’s house and the church are greatly impaired or hindered, His management plan is sure to be greatly obstructed, and God’s interest is greatly impaired.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

Eating and drinking of God’s words, practicing prayer, accepting God’s burden, and accepting the tasks He entrusts to you—all of this is so that there may be a path before you. The more the burden of God’s entrustment weighs on you, the easier it will be for you to be perfected by Him. Some are unwilling to coordinate with others in service to God, even when they have been called upon; these are lazy people who wish only to revel in comfort. The more you are asked to serve in coordination with others, the more experience you will gain. Due to having more burdens and experiences, you will gain more opportunities to be perfected. Therefore, if you can serve God with sincerity, then you will be mindful of God’s burden; as such, you will have more opportunities to be perfected by God. It is just such a group of people that is currently being perfected. The more the Holy Spirit touches you, the more time you will devote to being mindful of God’s burden, the more you will be perfected by God, and the more you will be gained by Him—until, in the end, you will become a person whom God uses. At present, there are some who carry no burdens for the church. These people are slack and sloppy, and only care about their own flesh. Such people are extremely selfish, and they are also blind. If you cannot see this matter clearly, you will not carry any burden. The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden He will entrust to you. The selfish are unwilling to suffer such things; they are unwilling to pay the price, and, as a result, they will miss opportunities to be perfected by God. Are they not doing themselves harm? If you are someone who is mindful of God’s will, then you will develop a true burden for the church. In fact, instead of calling this a burden you bear for the church, it would be better to call it a burden you bear for your own life’s sake, because the purpose of this burden you develop for the church is to have you use such experiences to be perfected by God. Therefore, whoever carries the greatest burden for the church, whoever carries a burden for entering into life—they will be the ones who are perfected by God. Have you seen this clearly? If the church you are with is scattered like sand, but you are neither worried nor anxious, and you even turn a blind eye when your brothers and sisters are not normally eating and drinking of God’s words, then you are not carrying any burdens. Such people are not the kind in whom God delights. The kind of people in whom God delights hunger and thirst for righteousness and are mindful of God’s will. Thus, you should become mindful of God’s burden, here and now; you should not wait for God to reveal His righteous disposition to all humanity before growing mindful of God’s burden. Would it not be too late by then? Now is a good opportunity to be perfected by God. If you allow this chance to slip through your fingers, you will regret it for the rest of your life, just as Moses was unable to enter the good land of Canaan and regretted it for the rest of his life, dying with remorse. Once God has revealed His righteous disposition to all peoples, you will be filled with regret. Even if God does not chastise you, you will chastise yourself out of your own remorse. Some are not convinced by this, but if you do not believe it, just wait and see. There are some people whose sole purpose is to fulfill these words. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of these words?

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do everything that is beneficial to God’s work and nothing that is detrimental to the interests of God’s work. Defend God’s name, God’s testimony, and God’s work.

You should uphold and take responsibility for anything that relates to the interests of the house of God, or which concerns the work of the house of God and the name of God. Each of you has this responsibility, this obligation, and it is what you should do.

Excerpted from “A Talk About God’s Administrative Decrees in the Age of Kingdom” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the church, stand firm in your testimony to Me, uphold the truth; right is right and wrong is wrong. Do not confuse black and white. You shall be at war with Satan and must completely vanquish it so that it never rises again. You must give everything you have to protect My testimony. This shall be the goal of your actions—do not forget this. But now, you are lacking in faith and the ability to differentiate things and you are always unable to understand My words and My intentions. Nonetheless, do not be anxious; everything proceeds according to My steps and anxiety only begets trouble. Spend more time before Me and do not attach importance to food and clothing, which are for the physical body. Seek My intentions often, and I will clearly show you what they are. Gradually you will find My intentions in everything, so that for every human being, I will have a way in without obstruction. This will satisfy My heart, and you shall receive blessings with Me forever and ever!

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does it mean to interrupt God’s management? What does it mean to demolish the construction of the church? What does it mean to interrupt the work of the Holy Spirit? What is a lackey of Satan? These truths must be clearly understood, and not just vaguely glossed over. What caused there to be no eating and drinking this time? Some people feel that they should praise God out loud today, but how should they praise Him? Should they do so by singing hymns and dancing? Do other methods not count as praise? Some people come to meetings with the notion that jubilant praise is the way to praise God. People have these notions, and they do not pay attention to the work of the Holy Spirit; the end result of this is that interruptions still occur. There was no eating and drinking in this meeting; all of you say you are considerate of God’s burden and will defend the testimony of the church, but who among you has really been considerate of God’s burden? Ask yourself: Are you someone who has shown consideration for His burden? Can you practice righteousness for Him? Can you stand up and speak for Me? Can you steadfastly put the truth into practice? Are you bold enough to fight against all of Satan’s deeds? Would you be able to set your emotions aside and expose Satan for the sake of My truth? Can you allow My intentions to be fulfilled in you? Have you offered up your heart in the most crucial of moments? Are you someone who does My will? Ask yourself these questions, and think about them often.

Excerpted from “Chapter 13” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Exposing the wicked is a duty and obligation for all people. It is fighting against the living Satan. Fighting Satan is what the elite soldiers of Christ ought to do. God has granted people so much truth. God has guided you for so long, and provided you with so much. If, at the moment evildoers appear, you shrink and flinch, if you run away in fear, you are a useless coward. You are not one of the elite soldiers of Christ, you cannot achieve victory over Satan, you have no testimony, and God despises you. You need to stand up and fight with Satan, expose their evil deeds, condemn them, curse them, and make them ashamed. You need to act according to church principles. You must not be afraid. Some people say, “This person is dangerous, and they know about my family and where I work. What if they do something behind my back to hurt me?” “What if” is a foolish question, the kind of thing an unbeliever says. Tell Me, what should one do to be a Christian, a follower of Christ? What testimony and expressions should they have? “What if” isn’t the question you should ask, so what should you do? (Perform our duties, completely expose the person’s evil deeds, and allow our brothers and sisters to gain the discernment to reject them. Our personal safety isn’t something we should worry about. We should be most concerned about doing our duty when wicked people disrupt the work of God’s house.) What should you do if it impacts your family? (Resolutely perform our duties, and not allow emotional concerns about the safety of our family to cause us to abandon our duty and the testimony we should stand.) That’s right. First, you need to stand firm in your testimony, and fight antichrists and the wicked to the end. You need to leave them no place to stand in God’s house. If they want to do service, let them do so in a proper manner, according to the rules, whatever they can do. If they don’t want to do service, you need to join hands and expel them, so that they don’t cause disruptions and disturbances in God’s house and don’t ruin the work of God’s house. This is the first thing you should do and also the testimony you should stand. Second, your own life and the lives of your family are completely in God’s hands. God said Satan dares not move a drop of water or grain of sand on the earth without His permission. How much do you believe those words? This is a matter in which your faith can be seen. If you truly believe in God, then you have real faith in God. If you only have a little faith in God, if it’s vague and hollow, then you do not have real faith. If you don’t believe God has sovereignty over everything, if you don’t believe that Satan is under God’s dominion, if you still fear them and allow them to continue doing evil in the church, if you compromise with Satan and beg it for mercy to protect yourself, if you don’t dare to stand up and fight them, you have no real faith in God. Your faith in God is under a question mark, and is indeed pitiful! You witness antichrists and the wicked causing disturbances and disruptions in God’s house, and you are indifferent. To protect your own life, your family, and your interests, you offer the interests of God and God’s house in exchange, you betray the interests of God’s house, and that makes you a traitor, a Judas. Nothing could be clearer than this.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

The various work of the house of God all has an important and inseparable connection with God’s work of spreading the gospel—this is the interests of God and the interests of the house of God. If people are capable of correctly understanding this, then they should have the correct approach toward their own duty and that of others. And what is this correct approach? It means trying their utmost to do as God asks. At the very least, their behavior and actions should not be deliberately harmful or disruptive. They should not knowingly transgress. If they are well aware that they are interfering and interrupting, and could hinder God’s work—and if they insist on doing so, no matter what anyone says—then these people should be sorted out. If God does not act, how should you treat them? Should you try and educate them? And if they don’t listen, what then? If they have the ability to carry out this work but do it poorly, yet everyone still wishes for them to do it, then brothers and sisters should rise up to reprimand them, and fellowship with them. If they can be replaced, then don’t use them: “This is such a great blessing, such a good opportunity. God has raised you up and allowed you to perform this duty, yet you are going in the wrong direction, and still cause harm and disruption. If you do not do your work properly, we’re the first line of defense, and we shall all forsake you.” Do you have the courage to do this? Most people don’t. In matters concerning defending the work of God, most people don’t dare to stand up for what’s just—so does this mean that they dare not persevere in the truth? Some people are like a turtle with its head in its shell; they would rather watch the work of God being hindered, disrupted, and impaired, and seeing this brings them no pain or vexation. But if someone gives them a disdainful look, they take it to heart: “Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to look down on me? Let’s talk about this.” They take it to heart, they stew on it. They are blind and insensate to the severity with which God’s work is being hindered. What kind of person is this? (Someone selfish and mean.) Are they merely selfish and mean? Such people have no humanity. This is what antichrists do, it is the nature of antichrists. They have no concept of God’s interests, and do not see that God’s work is being hindered. Some people’s disruption to the work of God’s house throws it into utter disarray, into complete chaos—but seeing this, they think nothing of it, they remark on it offhandedly, lightheartedly, flippantly; they are not angry at all. Do such people have a sense of righteousness? What kind of person is this? They bite the hand that feeds them, they are traitors!

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

What is the disposition of irresponsibility? It is cunning. The most striking item in man’s philosophies for living is cunning. People think that if they are not cunning, they will be liable to offend others and unable to protect themselves; they think they must be cunning enough not to displease or hurt anyone, thereby keeping themselves safe, protecting their livelihoods, and gaining a firm foothold among the masses. This is how people act in the world of the unbelievers; why is it that some people in God’s house still act this way? To see something harming the interests of God’s house, they say nothing; they may as well say, “If someone else wants to speak up about this, let them—I’m not going to. I won’t displease anyone or stick my neck out.” This is irresponsibility and cunning, and such people are not to be trusted. In order to protect their own self-regard, reputation, integrity, and dignity, they will return money they find to its owner, find joy in helping others, lay down their life for the sake of a just cause, do anything for another, and do not hesitate to pay any price. However, when it is necessary to protect the interests of God’s house, protect the truth, and protect justice, all this evaporates, and they no longer practice the truth. What is the matter? There is a disposition at work here, one of detesting the truth. Why do I say they have a disposition of detesting the truth? This stems from the fact that in the moment something touches upon the reality of positive things, people flee and shy away. Though they may feel a measure of self-reproach within, they pay it no mind, and want to suppress it, and think, “I won’t be doing that—it would be foolish,” or else they think it is not an important matter, and they can simply talk about it another time. When it comes to upholding justice and positive things, they run away and fail to take responsibility. They turn a blind eye and do not take the matter seriously. This is an example of not having a love for positive things, and of detesting the truth. So, how should you practice when this issue comes up? What are the principles? If a matter relates to the interests of God’s house or to bearing witness for God, then you must treat it as seriously as you would your own interests, leaving no stone unturned—this is the attitude of one who loves the truth and positive things, one who takes responsibility. If you do not have this attitude, and are nothing but slipshod in your handling of things, and you think, “I’ll do the things within the scope of my own duty, but I don’t care about anything else. If you ask me something, I’ll answer you—if I’m in a good mood. Otherwise, I won’t. This is my attitude,” then this is the type of disposition you have. Only to protect one’s own position, reputation, self-regard, and only to protect the things that relate to one’s own interests—does one thereby protect a just cause? Do they protect positive things? These petty, selfish motives are a disposition of detesting the truth. The majority of you frequently express these sorts of behaviors, and the moment you encounter something that relates to the interests of God’s family, you prevaricate and say, “I didn’t see…. I don’t know…. I haven’t heard….” Regardless of whether you truly do not know something or are pretending not to, in short, there is a disposition at work here.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

When the truth becomes your life, then if someone blasphemes against God, has no reverence for God, is slipshod in their duty, causes interruptions or disturbs the work of God’s house, and when you see this happen, you are then able to discern it and expose it when necessary, and approach it in accordance with the truth principle. If the truth has not become your life, and you still live within your satanic disposition, then when you encounter wicked people and devils who cause interruptions and disturbances to the work of God’s house, you will turn a blind eye and a deaf ear; you will brush them aside, without reproach from your conscience. You will even think that someone causing disturbances to the work of God’s house has nothing to do with you. No matter how great the loss to God’s work and the interests of His house, you will feel no reproach from your conscience, which means that you will be someone who lives by their satanic disposition. Satan controls you and causes you to live as something neither quite human nor quite demon. You eat what is God’s, drink what is God’s, and enjoy all that comes from Him, yet, when the work of God’s house suffers any loss, you think it has nothing to do with you, and, when you see it happen, you even “bend your elbow outward,”[a] and do not take God’s side, nor do you uphold God’s work or the interests of God’s house. This means Satan has power over you, does it not? Do such people live as human beings? Clearly, they are demons, not humans! However, when the truth holds sway in your heart and has become your life, then, when you see something passive, negative, or evil arising, the reaction in your heart is entirely different. First, you feel reproach and a sense of uneasiness, followed immediately by this feeling: “I can’t just remain idle and turn a blind eye. I must stand up and speak, I must stand up and take responsibility.” You can then stand up and put a stop to these evil deeds, exposing them, striving to safeguard the interests of God’s house and prevent God’s work from being disturbed. Not only will you have this courage and resolve, and will you be capable of understanding the matter completely, but you will also fulfill the responsibility you should bear for God’s work and for the interests of His house, and your duty will thereby be fulfilled. How will it be fulfilled? It will be fulfilled through the truth exerting its effect on you and becoming your life. In this way, once your duty has been fulfilled, you will not ask whether God can grant you a reward, whether He saw your actions, or whether He accepts them. Instead, you will simply believe it is the responsibility you ought to have taken on. Would you not thus be living out conscience, reason, humanity, integrity, and dignity? Your deeds and behavior would be the “fearing God and shunning evil” of which He speaks. You would be performing the essence of these words and living out their reality. When the truth becomes a person’s life, they are then able to live out this reality. But if you have not yet entered into this reality, then, when you evince deceit, deception, or disguise, or when you see wicked people in action or evil forces disturbing and interrupting God’s work, you do not feel a thing, and perceive nothing. Even when these things happen under your very nose, you are still able to laugh, and can still eat and sleep with an easy conscience, and you feel not the slightest bit of self-reproach. Out of these two lives you can live out, which do you choose? Which life has a true human likeness, with which you live out the reality of positive things, and which life is an evil, devilish one? The answer is self-evident. When the truth has not become people’s reality or lives, then what they live out is quite pitiful and sad, and they are not in charge of their own lives. Because the truth has not become the life inside them, what they do is not under their own control, and though they may feel a bit sad about this, the feeling passes very quickly and they feel no remorse whatsoever. That is how great the difference is between these two sorts of life.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Practice the Truth Are God-Fearing” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Footnotes:

a. “Bend one’s elbow outward” is a Chinese idiom, which means a person is helping others at the expense of people close to that person, for example parents, children, relatives or siblings.

78. The Principles of Performing One’s Duty Adequately

(1) In all matters, it is necessary to seek the truth, to come to understand it, and to act according to the principles. Only by doing so does one enter truth reality and perform their duty satisfactorily;

(2) It is necessary to understand what God wills and requires. See clearly that it is He who assigns you your duty, and that it is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth that you perform it well;

(3) It is necessary to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and, through self-reflection, to know your nature essence, so that your corruption may be cleansed. Only thus can one practice the truth and perform their duty well;

(4) It is necessary to train oneself to be an honest person. Rectify all the fraud and artifice, all the muddling and carelessness of your corrupt disposition, and come to act according to the principles as you perform your duty.

Relevant Words of God:

In the phrase “the adequate performance of duty,” the emphasis is on the word “adequate.” So, how should “adequate” be defined? In this, too, there is a truth to seek. Is it adequate merely to do a passable job? For the specific details of how to understand and regard the word “adequate,” you must understand many truths and fellowship more on the truth. In fulfilling your duty, you must understand the truth and its principles; only then can you arrive at an adequate performance of duty. Why should people fulfill their duties? Once they believe in God and have accepted His commission, people have their share of responsibility and obligation in the work of God’s house and in the site of God’s work, and, in turn, because of this responsibility and obligation, they have become an element in God’s work—an element of the objects of His work and an element of the objects of His salvation. Thus, there is quite a substantial relationship between people’s salvation and how they fulfill their duties, whether they can do them well, and whether they can do them adequately. Since you have become a part of God’s house and accepted His commission, you now have a duty. It is not for you to say how you should fulfill this duty; it is for God to say, and it is dictated by the standards of the truth. Therefore, people should understand and be clear on how things are measured by God—this is a worthwhile thing to seek. In God’s work, different people receive different duties. That is, people receive duties that vary depending on their gifts, calibers, ages, conditions, and eras. No matter what duty you are given, and no matter the era or circumstances of your receiving it, a duty is just a duty; it is not something a person manages. Ultimately, the standard that God requires of you is to perform your duty adequately. How should the word “adequately” be explained? It means you must meet God’s requirements and satisfy Him, and your work must be called adequate by God and be given His nod of approval; only then will you have fulfilled your duty adequately. If God says your work is inadequate, then you have not fulfilled your duty well. Though you may be doing your duty and He acknowledges that you have done it, if you do not do it adequately, then what will the consequences be? In severe cases, people’s hopes of salvation might disappear and be dashed; in less severe cases, they might be deprived of their right to fulfill duties. After being deprived of such rights, some people are set aside, after which they are separately taken care of and arranged. Does being separately taken care of and arranged mean they are eliminated? Not necessarily; God will wait and see how these people act. Thus, how one fulfills one’s duty is pivotal. People should treat it with prudence and take it seriously, and regard it as a matter of great importance in their life entry and in their attainment of salvation; they must not treat it carelessly.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Everyone who believes in God should understand His will. Only those who perform their duties well can satisfy God, and only by completing the tasks with which He entrusts them can one’s performance of their duty be satisfactory. There are standards for the accomplishment of God’s commission. The Lord Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Loving God is one aspect of what He requires of people. In truth, so long as God has given people a commission, and so long as they believe in Him and perform their duty, these are the standards that He requires of them: that they act with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and with all their strength. If you are present but your heart is not—if the memory and thoughts of your mind are present, but your heart is not—and if you accomplish things by means of your own abilities, are you fulfilling God’s commission? So, what is the standard that must be met in order to fulfill God’s commission, and to perform your duty loyally and well? It is to do your duty with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. If you attempt to perform your duty well without a heart of love for God, it will not work. If your love for God grows ever stronger and more genuine, then you will naturally be able to perform your duty with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Excerpted from “Exactly What People Have Been Relying on to Live” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what duty you fulfill, you must always seek to grasp God’s will and understand what His requirements are regarding your duty; only then will you be able to handle matters in a principled way. In performing your duty, you absolutely cannot go by your personal preferences, by just doing whatever you would like to do, whatever you would be happy and comfortable doing, or whatever would make you look good. If you forcibly impose your personal preferences on God or practice them as though they were the truth, observing them as if they were the truth principles, then that is not fulfilling your duty, and performing your duty in this way will not be remembered by God. Some people do not understand the truth, and they do not know what it means to fulfill their duties well. They feel that since they have put their heart and effort into it, forsaken their flesh and suffered, then the fulfilling of their duties should be up to standard—but why, then, is God always dissatisfied? Where have these people gone wrong? Their mistake was to not seek out God’s requirements, and instead act according to their own ideas; they treated their own desires, preferences, and selfish motives as the truth, and they treated them as though they were what God loved, as though they were His standards and requirements. They saw what they believed to be correct, good, and beautiful to be the truth; this is wrong. In fact, even though people might sometimes think something is right and that it accords with the truth, that does not necessarily mean that it accords with God’s will. The more people think something is right, the more cautious they should be and the more they should seek the truth to see whether what they are thinking meets God’s requirements. If it happens to run counter to His requirements and counter to His words, then it is unacceptable even if you think it is right, it is but a human thought, and it will not necessarily accord with the truth no matter how right you think it is. Your determination of right and wrong must be based solely on God’s words, and no matter how right you think something is, unless there is a basis for it in God’s words, you must discard it. What is duty? It is a commission entrusted by God to people. So how should you fulfill your duty? By acting in accordance with God’s requirements and standards, and by basing your behavior on the truth principles rather than on human subjective desires. In this way, your fulfilling of your duties will be up to standard.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

For some people, no matter what issue they might encounter when performing their duties, they do not seek the truth, and they always act according to their own thoughts, notions, imaginings, and desires. They are constantly satisfying their own selfish desires, and their corrupt dispositions are always in control over their actions. Though they may complete the duties to which they have been assigned, they do not gain any truth. So, what are such people relying on when performing their duties? They are relying neither on the truth nor on God. That bit of truth that they do understand has not taken up sovereignty in their hearts; they are relying on their own gifts and abilities, on whatever knowledge that they have acquired, and on their talents, as well as on their own willpower or good intentions, to complete these duties. Is this doing their duty well? Is this doing their duty satisfactorily? Though you may sometimes rely on your naturalness, imagination, notions, knowledge, and learning to fulfill your duty, no issues of principle emerge in some of the things you do. On the surface, it looks as though you have not taken the wrong path, but there is one thing that cannot be overlooked: During the process of performing your duty, if your notions, imaginings, and personal desires never change and are never replaced with the truth, and if your actions and deeds are never done in accordance with the truth principle, then what will the final outcome be? You will become a service-doer. This is precisely what was written in the Bible: “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out devils, and in Your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity” (Mat 7:22–23). Why does God call these people who exert effort and who render service, “you that work iniquity”? There is one point we can be sure on, and that is that no matter what duties or work these people do, their motivations, impetus, intentions, and thoughts arise entirely from their selfish desires, are totally based on their own ideas and personal interests, and their considerations and plans completely revolve around their reputation, status, vanity, and future prospects. Deep down, they possess no truth, nor do they act in accordance with the truth principle. Thus, what is crucial for you to seek now? (We should seek the truth, and perform our duties in accordance with God’s will and requirements.) What specifically should you do when performing your duties in accordance with God’s requirements? With regard to your intentions and ideas when doing something, you must learn how to discern whether or not they accord with the truth, as well as whether your intentions and ideas are geared toward fulfilling your own selfish desires or the interests of God’s house. If your intentions and ideas accord with the truth, then you can do your duty in line with your thinking; however, if they do not accord with the truth, then you must quickly turn around and abandon that path. That path is not right, and you cannot practice that way; if you continue to walk that path, then you will end up committing evil.

Excerpted from “How to Experience God’s Words in One’s Duties” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Simply going through the motions when performing your duty is a major taboo. If you keep acting along these lines, you will not be able to perform your duty adequately. You must put your heart into it! This opportunity was very difficult for people to come by! When God gives them a chance, yet they do not grasp it, then that opportunity is lost—and even if, later on, they wish to find such an opportunity, it might not come up again. God’s work waits for no one, and neither do chances to perform one’s duty. Some people say, “I didn’t perform my duty well before, but now I still want to fulfill it, so this time I’m resolved; I’ll be a bit more conscientious and put in a bit more work, and do a good job of completing it.” However, sometimes this opportunity is no longer there. Not very many opportunities come along, so you must take hold of them when they do. When faced with a duty that needs your effort and expenditure, and that requires you to dedicate your body, mind, and time, you must not hold anything back, harbor any schemes, or leave any leeway. If you leave any leeway, are calculating, or are wily and treacherous, then you are bound to do a poor job. You might say, “No one saw me acting in a slick way. How cool!” What kind of thinking is this? You think you have pulled the wool over people’s eyes, and over God’s, too. In actual fact, though, does God know what you have done or not? (He knows.) Generally, people who interact with you over a long period of time will find out, too, and will say that you are a person who is always slippery, is never diligent, and only puts in fifty or sixty percent of his effort, or eighty at the most. They will say you do everything in a very confused manner, turning a blind eye to whatever you are doing; you are not at all conscientious in your work. If you are made to do something, only then do you put in a bit of effort; if someone is around to check to see if your work is up to par, then you do a slightly better job—but if no one is around to check, you slack off a bit. If you are dealt with, then you put your heart into it; otherwise, you are constantly dozing through work and trying to get away with whatever you can, assuming that no one will notice. Time goes by, and people notice. They say, “This person is unreliable and untrustworthy; if you give him an important duty to perform, he’ll need supervision. He can do ordinary tasks and jobs that do not involve principles, but if you give him any vital duty to fulfill, he’ll most likely just mess it up, and then you will have been hoodwinked.” People will see right through him, and he will have completely discarded all dignity and integrity. If no one can trust him, then how can God? Would God entrust him with any major tasks? Such a person is untrustworthy.

Excerpted from “Life Entry Must Begin With the Experience of Performing One’s Duty” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are irresponsible in fulfilling their duty. This results in work that must always be redone, which has a severe impact on forward progress. Are there any reasons for this apart from inadequacies in experience and professional inadequacies? Professionalism and experience can gradually be learned and accumulated, but if people have issues involving their disposition, how should this problem be solved? It requires that people be pruned and dealt with; it requires that people monitor one another and that they pursue truth. The biggest problem that leads to work in the performance of duty that must always be redone is not professional inadequacy, and it is not insufficient experience; it is that people are self-righteous and arrogant in the extreme, and they do not cooperate harmoniously but act alone and arbitrarily, with the result that when they finish something, their work is unable to stand on its own merit, and so the effort was in vain. What is the most serious problem behind this? (Man’s corrupt disposition.) A corrupt disposition brings with it huge obstacles. And which aspects of a corrupt disposition affect the yield of people’s performance of their duty? (Arrogance and self-righteousness.) How are arrogance and self-righteousness manifested in behavior? Making decisions alone, not listening to others, not consulting with others, not cooperating harmoniously, and always wanting to have the final say on things. Even though a good few brothers and sisters may be cooperating to perform a particular duty, each of them attending to their own task, the group leader or the person in charge always wants to have the final say; whatever they are doing, they never cooperate harmoniously with others and they do not engage in fellowship, and they rashly start doing things without first reaching consensus with others. They make everyone listen only to them, and herein is the problem. Moreover, when the others see the problem, yet do not come forth to stop the person in charge, it ultimately results in a situation where everyone involved has to redo their work, tiring themselves out in the process. So, do the other people also have a responsibility? (Yes.) On the one hand, the person in charge acts alone and arbitrarily, insisting on doing things their way, and the others do nothing to stop them, and, what is more serious, they even follow along; does this not make them accomplices? If you do not constrain, block, or expose this person, but instead follow them and allow them to manipulate you, are you not giving free rein to Satan’s work of harassment? This is certainly your problem. On the other hand, when you see a problem but do not report it, instead playing the part of a yes-man, is this not an expression of disloyalty? Yes, it is precisely this—an expression of disloyalty toward God. What makes this problem so serious is that you always act as Satan’s accomplice, you serve as its footman and follower, and you have not a scrap of loyalty toward your duty and your responsibility, yet are quite loyal to Satan. As to professional inadequacy, it is possible to constantly learn and draw together your experiences while working. Such problems can be easily resolved. The most difficult thing to resolve is man’s corrupt disposition. If this is not resolved; if you do not pursue truth, but are always retreating and playing the yes-man; and if you do not shoulder responsibility; and if, when someone does something wrong you do not shine a light on it or expose it and you do not deal with them; and if you take the work of the house of God as a joke, as a game; and if you do not fulfill your duty and your responsibility, then the progress of the work will be delayed time and time again. Such performance of duty is disloyal.

Excerpted from “The Proper Fulfillment of Duty Requires Harmonious Cooperation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are always afraid that others will steal their limelight and surpass them, obtaining recognition while they themselves are neglected. This leads them to attack and exclude others. Is this not a case of being jealous of people more capable than themselves? Is such behavior not selfish and contemptible? What kind of disposition is this? It is malicious! Thinking only of oneself, satisfying only one’s own desires, showing no consideration for the duties of others, and thinking only about one’s own interests and not the interests of God’s house—people like this have a bad disposition, and God has no love for them. If you are truly capable of being considerate of God’s will, then you will be able to treat other people fairly. If you give someone your recommendation, and that person is cultivated into someone of talent, thereby bringing one more talented person into God’s house, will you not then have done your work well? Will you not then have been loyal in performing your duty? This is a good deed before God, and it is the sort of conscience and reason people should possess. Those who are capable of putting the truth into practice can accept God’s scrutiny when doing things. When you accept God’s scrutiny, your heart is set straight. If you only ever do things for others to see, and do not accept God’s scrutiny, then is God still in your heart? People like this have no reverence for God. Do not always do things for your own sake and do not constantly consider your own interests; give no thought to your own status, prestige, or reputation. Also do not consider the interests of man. You must first give thought to the interests of God’s house, and make them your first priority. You should be considerate of God’s will and begin by contemplating whether or not you have been impure in the fulfillment of your duty, whether you have done your utmost to be loyal, done your best to fulfill your responsibilities, and given your all, as well as whether or not you have wholeheartedly given thought to your duty and the work of God’s house. You must give consideration to these things. Think about them frequently, and it will be easier for you to perform your duty well. If you are of poor caliber, your experience is shallow, or you are not proficient in your professional work, then there may be some mistakes or deficiencies in your work, and the results may not be very good—but you will have put forth your best effort. When you are not thinking of your own selfish desires or considering your own interests in the things you do, and are instead giving constant consideration to the work of God’s house, bearing its interests in mind, and performing your duty well, then you will be accumulating good deeds before God. People who perform these good deeds are the ones who possess truth reality; as such, they have borne testimony.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When fulfilling your duty, you should always examine yourself to see if you are doing things according to principle, if your performance of your duty is up to standard, whether or not you are simply doing it in a perfunctory manner, whether you have tried to shirk your responsibilities, and whether there are any problems with your attitude and the way you think. Once you have self-reflected and these things become clear to you, you will have an easier time fulfilling your duty. No matter what you encounter while performing your duty—negativity and weakness, or being in a bad mood after being dealt with—you should treat it properly, and you must also seek the truth and understand God’s will. By doing these things, you will have a path to practice. If you wish to do a good job in fulfilling your duty, then you must not be affected by your mood. No matter how negative or weak you are feeling, you should practice the truth in everything you do, with absolute strictness, and sticking to the principles. If you do this, then not only will other people approve of you, but God will like you, too. As such, you will be a person who is responsible and who shoulders a burden; you will be a genuinely good person who actually fulfills your duties up to standard and who fully lives out the likeness of a genuine person. Such people are purified and achieve real transformation when fulfilling their duties, and they can be said to be honest in God’s eyes. Only honest people can persevere with practicing the truth and succeed in acting with principle, and can fulfill their duties up to standard. People who act with principle fulfill their duties meticulously when they are in a good mood; they do not work in a perfunctory manner, they are not arrogant and they do not show themselves off to make others think highly of them. When they are in a bad mood, however, they complete their everyday tasks just as earnestly and responsibly, and even if they encounter something that is detrimental to the fulfillment of their duties, or that puts a bit of pressure on them or causes a disruption while they do their duties, they are still able to quiet their hearts before God and pray, saying, “No matter how big a problem I come up against—even if the heavens come tumbling down—as long as God allows me to keep on living, I am determined to do my best to fulfill my duty. Every day I am allowed to live is a day I will work hard at performing my duty so that I am worthy of this duty bestowed upon me by God, as well as this breath He has put in my body. Regardless of how much difficulty I might be in, I will set it all aside, for fulfilling my duty is of the utmost importance!” Those who are not affected by any person, event, thing, or environment, who are not controlled by any mood or external situation, and who put their duties and the commissions with which God has entrusted them first and foremost—they are the people who are loyal to God and who genuinely submit to Him. People like this have attained life entry and have entered truth reality. This is one of the most practical and genuine expressions of living out the truth.

Excerpted from “Life Entry Must Begin With the Experience of Performing One’s Duty” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people perform their duty, they are, in fact, doing what they ought to. But if you do it before God, if you perform your duty with an attitude of honesty and with heart, will this attitude not be far more correct? So how should you apply this attitude to your everyday life? You must make “worshiping God with heart and honesty” your reality. Whenever you want to be slack and just go through the motions, whenever you want to act in a slippery way and be lazy, and whenever you allow yourself to be distracted, you should think it through: “In behaving like this, am I being untrustworthy? Is this putting my heart into doing my duty? Am I being disloyal by doing this? In doing this, am I failing to live up to the commission God has entrusted to me?” This is how you should self-reflect. Since acting thus is not loyal, and is hurtful to God, what should you do? You should say, “I have not taken this seriously. Back then, I felt there was a problem, but I didn’t treat it as being serious; I just glossed it over carelessly. Every time I sensed there was a problem, I dismissed it. Now this problem still hasn’t been resolved. I’m simply no good!” You will have identified the problem and come to know yourself a little. Is a little knowledge enough? Is confessing your sins enough? You must repent and turn yourself around! And how can you turn yourself around? Before, you had the wrong attitude and mentality toward performing your duty, your heart was not in it, and you never attended to the right things. Today, you must set your attitude toward performing your duty aright, you must pray before God, and when you have your previous thoughts and attitudes again, you must ask God to discipline and chasten you. Hurry up and identify the areas where you used to be slapdash and perfunctory. Think about how you can rectify them, and after rectifying them, seek again, and pray, and then ask your brothers and sisters whether they have any better suggestions and recommendations, until everyone agrees that you have done the right thing. Only then will you be validated. You will feel that this time, you have performed your duty up to standard, and done your best, and put your heart into it, and given it your all; you will feel you have done all you can do, free from compunction. When giving account before God, your conscience will be clear, and you will say, “Though God may only score my duty as 60%, I put every ounce of strength in my body into it, I put my whole heart into it, I was not lazy, I did not try to act in a slippery way, and I held nothing back.” Is this not taking the realities of putting all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength into your duty and applying them to your everyday life? Is this not living out these realities of the truth? And what do you feel, in your heart, when you live out these realities? Do you not feel like you are living some human semblance, and are no longer like the walking dead?

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To achieve adequacy in the performance of duty, it is first necessary to achieve harmonious cooperation in its performance. There are some who are currently practicing in this direction, which means that after having listened to the truth, they have begun to work in accordance with this principle, though they are unable to succeed in putting the truth absolutely, one hundred percent into practice. In the process, they might fail or grow weak, and deviate, and frequently make mistakes, yet the path they walk is one of striving to be able to act in accordance with this principle. For example, though you might sometimes feel that your way of doing something is correct, if you are in a situation in which it will not delay the task at hand, you might also find your work partners or team members to discuss it with. Fellowship until you are clear on the matter, until you have reached a consensus in thinking that doing it in a certain way can achieve the best results, does not exceed the scope of principle, is for the benefit of God’s house, and can maximize the protection of the interests of God’s house. Though the end result might sometimes leave a bit to be desired, the way, the direction, and the goal of your work are correct. How, then, will God look at this? How will He define this matter? He will say that you are fulfilling this duty adequately.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To perform your duty adequately, it does not matter how many years you have believed in God, how much you have done in your duty, nor how many contributions you have made to God’s house, much less does it matter how experienced you are in your duty. The main thing God looks at is the path a person takes. In other words, He looks at one’s attitude toward the truth and the principles, direction, origin, and impetus behind one’s actions. God focuses on these things; they are what determine the path you walk. If, in the process of your fulfilling your duty, these things cannot be seen in you at all, and the origin of your work is your own thoughts, your impetus is to protect your own interests and safeguard your reputation and position, your modus operandi is to make decisions and act alone and have the final say, never discussing things with others or cooperating harmoniously, let alone seeking the truth, then how will God see you? You are not yet up to standard if you perform your duty so; you have not set foot on the path of pursuing the truth, because, as you do your work, you do not seek the truth principle and always act as you wish. This is the reason why most people do not perform their duties satisfactorily. Looking at it now, is it difficult to fulfill one’s duty adequately? In fact, it is not; people must only be able to take a stance of humility, possess a bit of sense, and adopt an appropriate position. No matter how educated you think you are, what awards you have won, or how much you have achieved, and no matter how high you believe your caliber and rank might be, you must start by letting go of all of these things—they count for nothing. In God’s house, however great and good those things are, they cannot be higher than the truth; they are not the truth, and cannot take its place. This is why I say you must have this thing called sense. If you say, “I am very gifted, I have a very sharp mind, I have quick reflexes, I am a quick learner, and I have an exceedingly good memory,” and you always use these things as capital, then this will cause trouble. If you see these things as the truth, or as higher than the truth, then it will be hard for you to accept the truth and put it into practice. Haughty, arrogant people who always act superior have the hardest time accepting the truth and are most prone to falling. If one can resolve the issue of one’s arrogance, then it becomes easy to put the truth into practice. Thus, you must first put down and deny those things that seem on their surface to be nice and lofty and that provoke the envy of others. Those things are not the truth; rather, they can block you from entering the truth. The most important thing to do now is to seek the truth, practice in accordance with the truth, and fulfill your duty adequately, because the adequate performance of duty is the only first step onto the path of life entry, which means it is a beginning. In every matter, there is a most fundamental, basic thing, a thing that gets your foot in the door, and fulfilling your duty adequately is a path that will take you through the door of life entry. If your fulfillment of duty does not at all involve this “adequacy,” then you need to exert yourself. How should you exert yourself? It is not that you need to change your character or abandon your gifts and professional strengths; you may carry these strengths and things you have learned with you as you fulfill your duty, all while seeking the truth and acting according to the truth principle. If you attain life entry while doing your duty, you can fulfill your duty adequately.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the process of fulfilling your duty, on the positive side of things, you can treat your duty correctly, not giving up on it no matter what situation you encounter. Even if everyone else stops believing and performing their duties, you can still keep going and not give up. That is, you are able to keep from abandoning your duty, from start to finish, persevering and remaining devoted to the very end; in this way, you have truly taken your duty as a duty. If you can achieve this, then you have basically achieved adequacy in the performance of your duty. This is the positive side of things. However, prior to achieving this, on the negative side of things, people must withstand all manner of temptations. If, in the process of fulfilling his duty, a person has not been able to withstand temptations and has abandoned and turned his back on his duty, then can he still have anything to do with salvation? All hope will be lost for that person, and being adequate or inadequate will be utterly irrelevant; salvation will have nothing to do with him. Therefore, one must hold fast to one’s duty. To do that, first of all, the biggest difficulty everyone faces is whether or not one can stand firm when encountering temptations. What sorts of temptations are there? Money, status, relationships with the opposite sex, emotions. What else? If some duties involve taking on a bit of risk, or are life-threatening even, and if in performing them you might end up in jail or dead, would you still do them? How would you perform them? All such things are temptations. Are these temptations easy to overcome or not? They all require you to pursue the truth. In the process of pursuing the truth, with all these temptations you encounter, you must be able to gradually exercise discernment and gain knowledge. Recognize their essence, understand their true colors, and know your own essence and corrupt dispositions; get to know your own weaknesses, and frequently implore God to protect you and make you able to withstand these temptations. If you can withstand them, and can hold fast to your duty no matter what situation you find yourself in, neither turning your back on it nor running away, then you will be halfway to salvation. Is this halfway mark easy to reach? For every step you take, there is a potential pitfall; the path is fraught with danger. It is not easy! So, are there any people who take one look at how difficult it is and feel that life is just too exhausting, and that it would be better just to go ahead and die? They want blessings, but they do not want to suffer. What sort of people are they? They are spineless good-for-nothings. As for how to adequately fulfill their duties, what the definition of adequacy is, what the criteria for adequacy are, the reasons God has given for this standard of adequacy, and the relationship between adequately fulfilling one’s duty and life entry, people have come to understand these things. If you can get to where you can hold fast to your duty regardless of time or place, without giving up on it, and can withstand all manner of temptations, and then understand and gain knowledge of all the various truths that God requires in all the different situations He lays out for you, then in God’s view, you have basically achieved adequacy. There are three fundamental ingredients to achieving adequacy in the performance of your duty: One is the attitude with which you treat your duty, another is being able to withstand all manner of temptations in the process of fulfilling it, and another is being able to understand every truth while you perform your duty.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Today, what you are required to achieve are not additional demands, but the duty of man, and that which should be done by all people. If you are incapable of even doing your duty, or of doing it well, then are you not bringing trouble upon yourselves? Are you not courting death? How could you still expect to have a future and prospects? The work of God is done for the sake of mankind, and the cooperation of man is given for the sake of God’s management. After God has done all that He is supposed to do, man is required to be unstinting in his practice, and to cooperate with God. In the work of God, man should spare no effort, should offer up his loyalty, and should not indulge in numerous notions, or sit passively and await death. God can sacrifice Himself for man, so why can man not offer his loyalty to God? God is of one heart and mind toward man, so why can man not offer a little cooperation? God works for mankind, so why can man not perform some of his duty for the sake of God’s management? God’s work has come this far, yet still you see but do not act, you hear but do not move. Are not such people the objects of perdition? God has already devoted His all to man, so why, today, is man incapable of earnestly performing his duty? For God, His work is His first priority, and the work of His management is of the utmost importance. For man, putting God’s words into practice and fulfilling God’s requirements are his first priority. This you should all understand.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

79. The Principles of Being Devoted to God

(1) It is necessary to experience the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, to come to understand the truth and know oneself, and to be rid of one’s corrupt disposition. Only thus can one be devoted to Christ;

(2) It is necessary to know that there are too many lovable aspects of Christ to count; only thus can one treasure God’s word the truth in their heart and come truly to love Him, exalt Him, and testify to Him;

(3) It is necessary to know that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life, and that there is no salvation but through Him. Only thus can one willingly expend themselves for Christ and be loyal to Him;

(4) It is necessary to have a true and pure love for Christ, and to get to where you can submit to Him unto death. Only thus can one be faithful to God unto the end.

Relevant Words of God:

What I desire is your loyalty and obedience now, your love and testimony now. Even if you do not know at this moment what testimony is or what love is, you should bring to Me your all, and turn over to Me the only treasures you have: your loyalty and obedience. You should know that the testimony to My defeat of Satan lies within the loyalty and obedience of man, as does the testimony to My complete conquest of man. The duty of your faith in Me is to bear witness to Me, to be loyal to Me and none other, and to be obedient to the end. Before I begin the next step of My work, how will you bear witness to Me? How will you be loyal and obedient to Me? Do you devote all your loyalty to your function, or will you simply give up? Would you rather submit to My every arrangement (even if it be death or destruction), or flee midway to avoid My chastisement? I chastise you so that you will bear witness to Me, and be loyal and obedient to Me. What’s more, the chastisement at present is to unfold the next step of My work and to allow the work to progress unimpeded. Hence, I exhort you to be wise and treat neither your life nor the significance of your existence as worthless sand. Can you know exactly what My work to come will be? Do you know how I will work in the days to come, and how My work will unfold? You should know the significance of your experience of My work, and furthermore, the significance of your faith in Me. I have done so much; how could I give up halfway, as you imagine? I have done such extensive work; how could I destroy it? Indeed, I have come to bring this age to an end. This is true, but moreover you must know that I am to begin a new age, to begin new work, and, most of all, to spread the gospel of the kingdom. So you should know that the present work is only to begin an age and to lay the foundation for spreading the gospel in the time to come and bringing the age to an end in the future. My work is not so simple as you think, nor is it as worthless or meaningless as you may believe. Therefore, I still must say to you: You ought to give your life to My work, and moreover, you ought to devote yourself to My glory. Long have I yearned for you to bear witness to Me, and even longer have I yearned for you to spread My gospel. You ought to understand what is in My heart.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As creatures, people should fulfill the duties that they ought to, and stand witness for God in the midst of refinement. In every trial they should uphold the witness that they should bear, and do so resoundingly for the sake of God. A person who does this is an overcomer. No matter how God refines you, you remain full of confidence and never lose confidence in Him. You do what man should do. This is what God requires of man, and man’s heart should be able to fully return to Him and turn toward Him in every passing moment. This is an overcomer. Those whom God refers to as “overcomers” are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an “overcomer.” If your pursuit is excellent when God blesses you, but you retreat without His blessings, is this purity? Since you are certain that this way is true, you must follow it until the end; you must maintain your devotion to God. Since you have seen that God Himself has come to the earth to perfect you, you should give your heart entirely to Him. If you can still follow Him no matter what He does, even if He determines an unfavorable outcome for you at the very end, this is maintaining your purity in front of God. Offering a holy spiritual body and a pure virgin to God means keeping a sincere heart in front of God. For mankind, sincerity is purity, and the ability to be sincere toward God is maintaining purity. This is what you should put into practice. When you ought to pray, you pray; when you ought to gather together in fellowship, you do so; when you ought to sing hymns, you sing hymns; and when you ought to forsake the flesh, you forsake the flesh. When you perform your duty, you do not muddle through it; when you are faced with trials you stand firm. This is devotion to God. If you do not uphold what people should do, then all of your previous suffering and resolutions have been futile.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who serve God should be God’s intimates, they should be pleasing to God, and capable of the utmost loyalty to God. Whether you act in private or in public, you are able to gain the joy of God before God, you are able to stand firm before God, and regardless of how other people treat you, you always walk the path you should walk, and give every care to God’s burden. Only people like this are intimates of God. That God’s intimates are able to serve Him directly is because they have been given God’s great commission and God’s burden, they are able to make God’s heart their own, and take God’s burden as their own, and they give no consideration to their future prospects: Even when they have no prospects, and they stand to gain nothing, they will always believe in God with a loving heart. And so, this kind of person is God’s intimate. God’s intimates are also His confidants; only God’s confidants could share His restlessness, and His thoughts, and although their flesh is painful and weak, they are able to endure pain and forsake that which they love to satisfy God. God gives more burdens to such people, and that which God desires to do is borne out in such people’s testimony. Thus, these people are pleasing to God, they are servants of God who are after His own heart, and only people such as this can rule together with God. When you have truly become God’s intimate is precisely when you will rule together with God.

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As a human, to accept God’s commission, one must be devoted. One must be completely devoted to God, and cannot be half-hearted, fail to take responsibility, or act based on one’s own interests or moods; this is not being devoted. What does being devoted refer to? It means that while fulfilling your duties, you are not influenced and constrained by moods, environments, people, matters, or things. “I have received this commission from God; He has given it to me. This is what I’m supposed to do. I will therefore do it regarding it as my own affair, in whichever way yields good results, with importance laid on satisfying God.” When you have this state, you are not only being controlled by your conscience, but devotedness is also involved. If you are only satisfied with getting it done, without aspiring to be efficient and achieve results, and feel that it is enough simply to put forth some effort, then this is merely the standard of conscience, and cannot be counted as devotion. When you are devoted to God, this standard is a bit higher than the standard of conscience. This, then, is no longer just a matter of putting forth some effort; you also must put your entire heart into it. You must always regard your duty as your own job to do, take burdens for this task, suffer reproach if you make the slightest mistake or if you are slipshod in the slightest, feel that you cannot be this kind of person, because it makes you so indebted to God. People who genuinely have sense fulfill their duties as though they are their own jobs to do, regardless of whether anyone is supervising. Whether God is happy with them or not and no matter how He treats them, they always have strict demands of themselves to fulfill their duties and complete the commission with which God has entrusted them. This is called devotion. Is this not a higher standard than the standard of conscience? Most of the time, when acting by the standard of conscience, one is influenced by external things, or one just uses all one’s strength; the level of purity is not that high. Speaking of “devotion” and “being able to faithfully keep to one’s duty,” the level of purity gets higher, and simply exerting some effort is not enough. This requires you to throw yourself into your duty with your entire heart, mind, body, and soul. Sometimes your body must suffer a little; you must apply all your thought to this. When many environments befall you, you cannot be influenced or constrained by them, and you should not suffer their bonds. You must put personal matters second; you must pay many a price, relinquish your personal interests, your pride, your emotions, physical pleasures and comforts, and you must even relinquish your youth, your marriage and your prospects. As such, you will have achieved devotion.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You have followed Me all these years, yet have never given Me one iota of loyalty. Instead, you have revolved around the people you love and the things that please you—so much so that at all times, and wherever you go, you keep them close to your hearts and have never abandoned them. Whenever you become eager or passionate about any one thing that you love, it happens while you are following Me, or even while you are listening to My words. Therefore, I say you are using the loyalty that I ask of you to instead be loyal to and cherish your “pets.” Though you may sacrifice a thing or two for Me, it does not represent your all, and does not show that it is Me to whom you are truly loyal. You involve yourselves in undertakings about which you are passionate: Some people are loyal to sons and daughters, others to husbands, wives, riches, work, superiors, status, or women. You never feel weary or annoyed toward the things you are loyal to; instead, you grow ever more eager to possess these things in greater quantity, and higher quality, and you never give up. I and My words are always pushed back behind the things you are passionate about. And you have no choice but to rank them last. There are even those who leave this last place for things they are loyal to that they have yet to discover. Never has there been the slightest trace of Me in their hearts. You may think that I ask too much of you or am wrongfully accusing you—but have you ever given any thought to the fact that while you are happily spending time with your family, you have never once been loyal to Me? At times like this, does it not pain you? When your hearts are filled with joy, and you are rewarded for your labors, do you not feel disheartened at not having furnished yourselves with sufficient truth? When have you wept for not having received My approval? You rack your brains and take great pains for the sake of your sons and daughters, yet still you are not satisfied; still you believe that you have not been diligent on their behalf, that you have not done everything you can for them. Toward Me, however, you have always been remiss and careless; I am only in your memories, but I do not endure in your hearts. My devotion and efforts forever go unfelt by you, and you have never had any appreciation of them. You merely engage in brief reflection and believe that this will suffice. Such “loyalty” is not what I have long yearned for, but that which I have long despised.

Excerpted from “To Whom Are You Loyal?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I have held man to a strict standard throughout. If your loyalty comes with intentions and conditions, then I would rather be without your so-called loyalty, for I abhor those who deceive Me through their intentions and extort Me with conditions. I wish only for man to be absolutely loyal to Me, and to do all things for the sake of—and in order to prove—one word: faith. I despise your use of blandishments to try to make Me rejoice, for I have always treated you with sincerity, and so wish for you to also act with true faith toward Me.

Excerpted from “Are You a True Believer in God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

My concern continues to be the way in which each of you acts and expresses himself, on the basis of which I shall determine your end. However, I must make this clear: Toward those who showed Me not the slightest loyalty during times of tribulation, I shall be merciful no more, for My mercy only extends so far. I have no liking, furthermore, for anyone who has once betrayed Me, much less do I like to associate with those who sell out the interests of their friends. This is My disposition, regardless of who the person may be. I must tell you this: Anyone who breaks My heart shall not receive clemency from Me a second time, and anyone who has been faithful to Me shall forever remain in My heart.

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, what you are required to achieve are not additional demands, but the duty of man, and that which should be done by all people. If you are incapable of even doing your duty, or of doing it well, then are you not bringing trouble upon yourselves? Are you not courting death? How could you still expect to have a future and prospects? The work of God is done for the sake of mankind, and the cooperation of man is given for the sake of God’s management. After God has done all that He is supposed to do, man is required to be unstinting in his practice, and to cooperate with God. In the work of God, man should spare no effort, should offer up his loyalty, and should not indulge in numerous notions, or sit passively and await death. God can sacrifice Himself for man, so why can man not offer his loyalty to God? God is of one heart and mind toward man, so why can man not offer a little cooperation? God works for mankind, so why can man not perform some of his duty for the sake of God’s management? God’s work has come this far, yet still you see but do not act, you hear but do not move. Are not such people the objects of perdition? God has already devoted His all to man, so why, today, is man incapable of earnestly performing his duty? For God, His work is His first priority, and the work of His management is of the utmost importance. For man, putting God’s words into practice and fulfilling God’s requirements are his first priority. This you should all understand.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you wish to be devoted in everything you do to meet God’s will, you cannot merely perform one duty; you must accept any commission God bestows upon you. Whether or not it corresponds to your tastes and falls within your interests, or is something you do not enjoy or have never done before, or is something difficult, you still should accept it and submit. Not only must you accept it, but you must proactively cooperate, and learn about it and attain entry. Even if you suffer and have not been able to stand out and shine, you must still commit your devotion. You must regard it as your duty to fulfill; not as personal business, but as your duty. How should people understand their duties? It is when the Creator—God—gives someone a task to do, and at that point, that person’s duty arises. The tasks God gives to you, the commissions God gives to you—these are your duties. When you pursue them as your goals, and you truly have a God-loving heart, can you still make a refusal? You should not refuse them. You should accept them. This is the path of practice. What is the path of practice? (To be utterly devoted in all things.) Be devoted in all things to meet God’s will. Wherein lies the focal point here? It is “in all things.” “All things” does not necessarily mean things that you like or are good at, much less things with which you are familiar. Sometimes you will need to learn, sometimes you will encounter difficulties, and sometimes you must suffer. However, regardless of what task it is, as long as it is commissioned by God, you must accept it from Him, regard it as your duty, be devoted to fulfilling it, and meet God’s will: This is the path of practice.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What should you do when you encounter an issue, and you can sense that there’s a problem, but for the time being can’t say for sure just where the problem is, yet other people force you to obey? Search for the corresponding principle, or seek an answer from the Above. You can also fellowship with them. Those who understand the truth can also discuss and fellowship this with each other. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit works and provides guidance, allowing you to understand where the problem lies in the solution or theory provided by antichrists or those who walk the path of the antichrists, and just what their insidious schemes are. If you all spend time fellowshiping this, you might understand it—but what kind of behavior is it if you do not fellowship this, and think to yourself, “This isn’t a big problem, let them do what they want—in any case, we’re not the main ones in charge of this, it’s not our concern. When the time comes, we won’t have to take responsibility, either; if anything happens, they’ll be the ones who have to take the blame”? This is having no commitment to your duty. And is having no commitment to your duty selling out the interests of the house of God? This is a Judas! When faced with high-handedness, the approach many people ultimately adopt is to compromise and go along with things, which indicates a lack of commitment to their duty. Whether you are faced with an antichrist, or someone who acts wantonly and tries to force you to obey the wrong approach, what is the choice you should make, and the path you should take? The principle you choose should be to continue seeking an answer. If you believe that what you’re doing does not conflict with or depart from the words of God and the work arrangements, then you must persevere. Perseverance in the truth is right; bowing your head in compromise with Satan, with evil forces, and with wicked people is the behavior of a Judas, it is evildoing, and it indicates a lack of devotion to God. Compromising with Satan is serious business!

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

At the outset, people are reluctant to practice the truth. Take devotedly fulfilling one’s duties as an example: You have some understanding of fulfilling your duties and being devoted to God, and you also understand the related truths, but when will you be able to completely devote yourself to God? When will you be able to fulfill your duties in both name and deed? This will require a process. During this process, you could suffer many hardships. Some people might deal with you, and others might criticize you. Everyone’s eyes will be fixed on you, and only then will you begin to realize that you are in the wrong and that you are actually the one who has done poorly, that lacking devotion in the fulfillment of your duty is unacceptable, and that you must not be careless or perfunctory. The Holy Spirit will enlighten you from within, and reproach you when you make a mistake. During this process, you will understand some things about yourself, and will know that you are too impure, you harbor too many personal motives, and have too many immoderate desires when fulfilling your duties. Once you have understood the essence of these things, you can come before God in prayer and truly repent; in this way, you can be cleansed of those impurities. If, in this manner, you frequently seek the truth to resolve your own practical problems, you will gradually set foot upon the right path of faith. The more someone’s corrupt disposition is purified, the more their life disposition will transform.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what God asks of you, you need only work toward it with all your strength, and I hope you will be able to come before God and give Him your utmost devotion in the end. As long as you can see God’s gratified smile as He sits upon His throne, even if this moment is the appointed time of your death, you should be able to laugh and smile as you close your eyes. You must, during your time on earth, do your final duty for God. In the past, Peter was crucified upside down for the sake of God; but you should satisfy God in the end, and exhaust all your energy for His sake. What can a created being do on behalf of God? You should therefore give yourself up to God, sooner rather than later, for Him to dispose of you as He wishes. As long as it makes God happy and pleased, then let Him do as He will with you. What right do men have to speak words of complaint?

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

After years have passed, man has become weather-beaten, having experienced the hardship of refinement and chastisement. Although man has lost the “glory” and “romance” of times past, he has, without knowing it, come to understand the principles of human conduct, and has come to appreciate God’s years of devotion to saving mankind. Man slowly begins to loathe his own barbarousness. He begins to hate how feral he is, all of his misunderstandings toward God, and the unreasonable demands he has made of Him. The clock cannot be turned back. Past events become regretful memories of man, and the words and love of God become the driving force in man’s new life. Man’s wounds heal day by day, his strength returns, and he stands up and looks upon the face of the Almighty … only to discover that He has always been at my side, and that His smile and His beautiful countenance are still so stirring. His heart still holds concern for the mankind He created, and His hands are still as warm and powerful as they were in the beginning. It is as if man returned to the Garden of Eden, yet this time man no longer listens to the enticements of the serpent and no longer turns away from the face of Jehovah. Man kneels before God, looks up at God’s smiling face, and offers his most precious sacrifice—Oh! My Lord, my God!

Excerpted from “Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

80. The Principles of Feeling out Potential Gospel Targets

(1) First, it is necessary to ascertain whether a potential gospel target is of good or poor humanity, whether they can accept the truth, and whether an evil spirit is at work in them. After this, establish whether the gospel may be spread to them;

(2) Having confirmed a potential gospel target is good, you must interact with sincerity and find opportunities to fellowship on the truth, thus paving the way for spreading the gospel;

(3) You must understand and perceive the caliber, preferences, vital weaknesses, and notions of a potential gospel target, in order to provide a background for future testimony to them;

(4) If a potential gospel target is found to be too arrogant and self-righteous to accept the truth, yet is gifted at spreading the gospel and is able to render service, you should endeavor to win them over.

Relevant Words of God:

Originally the man made by God was alive, but because of Satan’s corruption man lives amid death and lives under the influence of Satan, and so, in this way, people have become the spiritless dead, they have become enemies who oppose God, they have become the tools of Satan, and they have become the captives of Satan. All the living people created by God have become dead people, and so God has lost His testimony, and He has lost mankind which He created and which is the only thing that has His breath. If God is to take back His testimony and take back those who were made by His own hand but who have been taken captive by Satan, then He must resurrect them so that they become living beings, and He must reclaim them so that they live in His light. The dead are those who have no spirit, those who are numb in the extreme and who oppose God. They are foremost those who do not know God. These people have not the slightest intention of obeying God; they only rebel against Him and oppose Him and have not the slightest loyalty. The living are those whose spirits have been reborn, who know to obey God, and who are loyal to God. They are possessed of the truth, and of testimony, and these people alone are pleasing to God in His house. God saves those who can come to life, who can see God’s salvation, who can be loyal to God and who are willing to seek God. He saves those who believe in God’s incarnation and in His appearance. Some people can come to life, and some people cannot; this depends on whether their nature can be saved or not.

Excerpted from “Are You Someone Who Has Come to Life?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are different types of people, and they are differentiated by what sort of spirit they have. Some people have human spirits, and they are the ones whom God predestined for selection. Some do not have human spirits; they are demons who have tricked their way in. They who were not predestined and chosen by God cannot be saved even if they have gotten in, and ultimately, they will be snatched away by demons. Whether people can accept God’s work, and, after they have accepted it, what path they walk and whether they can transform, all depends on the spirit and nature within them. Some people cannot help but go astray; their spirits determine them to be such people, and they cannot change. In some of them, the Holy Spirit does not work, because they do not walk the right path; if, however, they were to make a turnaround, the Holy Spirit could yet work. If they do not, then it will be all over for them. Every kind of situation exists, but whatever the case, God is righteous in His treatment of every person.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Righteous Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s salvation of mankind is a salvation of those who love the truth, a salvation of the part of them with will and resolve, and the part of them that is their yearning for truth and righteousness in their heart. A person’s resolve is the part of them in their heart that yearns for righteousness, goodness, and truth, and is possessed of conscience. God saves this part of people, and through it, He changes their corrupt disposition, so that they may understand and gain the truth, so that their corruption may be cleansed, and their life disposition may be transformed. If you do not have these things within you, you cannot be saved. If, within you, there is no love for the truth or aspiration for righteousness and light; if, whenever you encounter evil, you have neither the will to cast off evil things nor the resolve to suffer hardship; if, moreover, your conscience is numb; if your faculty for receiving truth is also benumbed, and you are unattuned to the truth and to events that arise; and if you are undiscerning in all matters, and unable to handle or resolve things on your own, then there is no way to be saved. Such a person has nothing to recommend them, nothing worth working on. Their conscience is numb, their mind is muddied, and they do not love the truth, nor yearn for righteousness deep in their heart, and, no matter how clearly or transparently God speaks of the truth, they do not respond, as if they were already dead. Are things not over for them? A person with a breath left in them may be saved by artificial respiration, but, if they have already died and their soul has left, artificial respiration will do nothing.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In performing the duty to spread the gospel, you must fulfill your responsibility. How do you understand the term “responsibility”? How do you take that responsibility and accurately apply it in real situations? That is your obligation—to pass on your understanding of the gospel and what you have received of it from God to those to whom He wants you to spread it. So, how do you spread it? It is not something you do in your spare time, and it is not spread according to your own feelings or preferences, nor by changing the menu as you feel each guest merits. Rather, it is spread according to God’s requirements and the principles of God’s house—this is to put it broadly. To put it specifically, it is doing all you can to find every opportunity to share what you have received and what you understand with those whom you are meant to share it. What should you do as you undertake this? Fulfill your responsibility, do all you can, and do not hesitate to pay any price. What does it mean to do all you can? It means that even if you have only been spreading the gospel for a short while and do not have much experience, or you are not a great speaker, or you are uneducated, you have no reason or excuse for not gaining people. You must redouble your efforts in this endeavor, understand the circumstances of those with whom you share the gospel, and look for appropriate means to share the gospel with them. For example, look at what gospel targets understand, what their personality is like, whether they are fond of speaking, and whether they like lively conversation. If they do not like lively conversation, you must speak a little softer and more slowly with them; if their level of education is not high, and their ability to understand is lacking, then you need to speak very methodically, slowly and steadily, line by line, bit by bit; if they have some cultural knowledge and like to listen to more scholarly language, but your level of education is insufficient, then you should prepare some scholarly materials, or find someone educated to partner with in your discussions with them. If a gospel target has great knowledge of the Bible but you have not read the Bible a day in your life, what are you going to do? You must equip yourself and search in the Bible specifically for what the gospel target needs, for relevant prophecies in the Old Testament and relevant verses in the New Testament. When you do not have anything to do, you should read, take notes, or memorize verses. Additionally, you must contemplate how religious people understand these verses in the Bible, and how you can get to a point where you can help these people understand them accurately and purely, so that, later, you can connect with these verses and guide them to understand God’s work in the last days. This is what it is to do homework. You must understand what various types of people need, and then, based on those circumstances, do a bit of homework. This is doing all you can and fulfilling your responsibility. Some people might say, “I don’t need to do any of that; all I need to do is read the Bible a few times. I’ll just discuss it how I always do with everyone, and it’s up to them whether or not they believe. If they don’t, then they can’t gain anything, which wouldn’t be my fault, because after all, I’ve fulfilled my responsibility.” Has someone like this fulfilled their responsibility? If you spread the gospel without knowing the gospel target’s educational level, age, personality, interests, and so on, or if you don’t put in any effort or make any real attempt to do homework, then are you really fulfilling your responsibility? This is an attitude of merely muddling through and being irresponsible toward your duties; it is a perfunctory attitude. If you spread the gospel with such an attitude, fail to gain people, and then say it was because they did not understand spiritual matters—if you try to put the responsibility on them and claim you did nothing wrong—then your attitude is an irresponsible one. Such would clearly be a case of your not having done your homework, not having fulfilled your responsibility, and not performing your duties with devotion. However, you still come up with all kinds of excuses to prevaricate and say something to shirk your responsibilities, so what kind of behavior are you exhibiting? This is deception; irresponsibly talking nonsense and defining things indiscriminately are deception; these are acts of deceiving God. God gave you this duty; you should treat every gospel target with love and patience to the best of your abilities, endure any hardship necessary, do your work to the end with a sense of responsibility, and be able to give an account of all your actions to God. This is the attitude with which you should fulfill your duties. If you encounter a gospel target and you say to yourself, “I’m not in the mood. I don’t care how old they are or who they are, it’s not my business. Whether or not they believe isn’t up to me; if the Holy Spirit doesn’t work in them, then no amount of homework done by me can change anything, so I won’t bother putting in the effort. I only understand that much truth about spreading the gospel. They’ll believe if God works in them; they won’t believe if He doesn’t, and that would be unfortunate for them, but it would have nothing to do with me.” What kind of attitude is this? It is an irresponsible, hard-hearted attitude. There are many such people among the gospel-spreading teams. So, at what point can it be said that you have performed your duty adequately? When you do your homework in preparation for more than ninety-five percent of the gospel targets you encounter, and then perform your duty with love, patience, tolerance, and a sense of responsibility, then you have basically done your job adequately. The remaining five percent of gospel targets with special exceptions are not your responsibility. What kinds of exceptions are there? For example, sometimes people die of various causes before you can spread the gospel to them; this is one sort of exception. Another is for people who have recently experienced a change in their family situation, or who have just been married or gotten a promotion. In principle, they may be suitable gospel targets, but it might not be the right time for the gospel to reach them; as such, efforts to spread the gospel to them might have to be put on hold until a better time. What are some other exceptions? One example is that some people have spoken in tongues, and not simply for a few days or a few years, but over the long term, always, everywhere they go. Such people are evil spirits, and you cannot spread the gospel to them. Another type are those who superficially appear to be favorable targets, but then when you ask more specifically about them, you discover they have fornicated with twenty or thirty people. You cannot preach to such people, unless you can use them as service-doers with which to spread the gospel to many more people; in that case, you can. Another kind is someone whose humanity is too wicked, someone who seeks vengeance and harms others if offended. People like this are destined to be expelled, so you cannot preach to them. There are also cases such as minors who want to believe in God, but whose guardians have not allowed it. You cannot spread the gospel to those. You can try to spread it to them again once they come of age and are independent citizens. You might encounter all of these exceptions. If the objective conditions do not allow it, then spreading the gospel to them is not your responsibility.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

God performs the work of the last days by expressing the truth to judge and cleanse people. As such, only those who are of good humanity, who love the truth, and who are able to comprehend God’s words and accept the truth have hope of salvation. Therefore, one must preach to good people with relatively good humanity who admit deep down that there is a God, are able to seek the true way, and can accept the truth, whether or not they are religious types or unbelievers. One must not preach to people who do not meet these conditions. God’s house now stipulates that, when preaching the gospel, people must do so according to the principles of “five preach” and “eight never preach.” No one may violate these principles.

The specifics of the “five preach” principles are as follows:

1. Only preach to people who truly believe that there is a God within their hearts and are willing to seek and investigate the true way.

2. Regardless of a person’s line of work or level of education, they can be preached to as long as they possess relatively good humanity and can accept the truth.

3. No matter what religious group a person previously belonged to—and this includes people who believe in all kinds of superstitions or have even worshiped evil spirits or false gods—they can be preached to as long as they did not professionally manage the religious group and are not possessed by evil spirits, and they are willing to seek and investigate the true way.

4. With regard to famous people in society from various walks of life, they can be preached to as long as they acknowledge that there is a God, can accept the truth, and it is assured that their comprehension is not absurd and that they do not perform all manner of wickedness.

5. With regard to religious leaders, they can be preached to as long as they acknowledge the true way and accept the truth, their reputation is not too bad, they are not wicked, and they are not absurd or unable to understand spiritual matters.

The specifics of the “eight never preach” principles are as follows:

1. Never preach to people who do not believe there is a God and who, in their hearts, reject the idea of God.

2. Never preach to people with extremely poor humanity, who have bad reputations, who are capable of committing all sorts of wicked deeds, and who are evil people.

3. Never preach to people who have been possessed by evil spirits or who have the grave work of evil spirits.

4. Never preach to people who look ferocious, ugly, and strange, and who make you feel uneasy or even horrified.

5. Never preach to people who are evil and promiscuous.

6. Never preach to people with severe disabilities or those who are gravely ill.

7. Never preach to people of extremely low caliber who are of weak intellect and incapable of understanding God’s word the truth.

8. Never preach to people with suspicious behavior, similar to a spy’s or a scout’s.

God’s chosen people must strictly abide by the above “five preach” and “eight never preach” principles. Anyone who preaches to one of the eight types of people who must not be preached to is a person who disrupts and disturbs the gospel work. They will be regarded as someone who makes trouble out of nothing, a person who willfully misbehaves, and they must be given a warning. Such people must be stopped from fulfilling their duty if they do not repent. There can be flexibility in some special circumstances, and one must not adopt a “one rule fits all” approach. For instance, if a person is able to accept the truth but there is a suspicion that they fall into one of the “eight never preach” categories, they can be preached to as long as the following can be guaranteed: One, they are not possessed by demons; two, they are not a wicked person; and three, they are not a spy. If someone who can be preached to has some problems—perhaps they once spoke in tongues, or joined an evil spirit group, etc.—they can still be preached to if it can be guaranteed that they are at the very least able to contribute to spreading the gospel. If that person cannot contribute to spreading the gospel and might even cause damage or disruption, then they must certainly not be preached to. This is a special principle. Additionally, if a disabled person has a good reputation, and if it can be guaranteed that this person has good humanity, can accept the truth, and can contribute to spreading the gospel, then they can also be preached to. If an uncertain situation arises, the recommendations of the majority should be adopted through fellowship. In the past, churches everywhere were all constrained by certain rules in preaching the gospel, such as not preaching to people with birthmarks on their faces, people who have once contracted odd illnesses, people involved in pyramid schemes, people who have vitiligo, people with various kinds of disabilities, people who can see things with their eyes closed, people who have supernatural powers, people who can see strange phenomena, people who always have strange dreams, and so forth. All of this is wrong and absurd, and must be banned. A person can be preached to as long as they believe in their heart that there is a God, they have good humanity, can love the truth, accept the truth, is not a wicked person, is not possessed by demons, and is not someone who obviously has evil spirits working in them. This is the most elementary and simplest principle. Those who still cannot understand or grasp this are muddle-headed people.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

81. The Principles of Spreading the Gospel and Testifying to God

(1) It is necessary to understand that all believers have a duty to spread the gospel and bear testimony for God, and that it is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth for them to do so. They should submit to this, and accept it, for they are bound by honor to do;

(2) It is necessary to bear witness to God’s work in the last days in accordance with His words, such witness as makes that work clear and transparent, with a focus on communicating key truths and eliminating the major notions and difficulties that obstruct man from accepting God’s work;

(3) Each gospel target must be subjected to careful analysis and research, and feasible plans must be set. Strive to break new ground as effectively as possible;

(4) It is necessary to choose the right targets for spreading the gospel. Flexibly employ a variety of wise methods and, as long as it is neither illegal nor sinful, do whatever you must to gain more people;

(5) It is necessary to look up to the work of the Holy Spirit and to follow His guidance. In each country, adopt methods that suit local systems, laws, and regulations, which may include direct gospel-spreading, spontaneous gospel-spreading, or “group evangelism.”

Relevant Words of God:

What I now bestow upon you surpasses Moses and eclipses David, so likewise I ask that your testimony surpass Moses and that your words be greater than David. I give you a hundredfold—so I likewise ask you to repay Me in kind. You must know I am the One who bestows life unto mankind, and it is you who receive life from Me and must bear witness for Me. This is your duty which I send down upon you and which you ought to do for Me. I have bestowed all My glory unto you, I have bestowed unto you the life that the chosen people, the Israelites, never received. By rights, you ought to bear witness to Me and devote to Me your youth and lay down your life. Whomsoever I bestow My glory unto shall bear Me witness and give their life for Me. This has long been predestined by Me. It is your good fortune that I bestow My glory upon you, and your duty is to testify to My glory. If you were to believe in Me only to gain blessings, then My work would bear little significance, and you would not be fulfilling your duty. The Israelites saw only My mercy, love, and greatness, and the Jews witnessed only My patience and redemption. They saw very, very little of the work of My Spirit, to the point that they understood but one-ten-thousandth of what you have heard and seen. What you have seen exceeds even the chief priests among them. The truths you understand today surpass theirs; what you have seen today exceeds what was seen in the Age of Law, as well as the Age of Grace, and what you have experienced surpasses even Moses and Elijah. For what the Israelites understood was only the law of Jehovah, and what they saw was only the sight of Jehovah’s back; what the Jews understood was only the redemption of Jesus, what they received was only the grace bestowed by Jesus, and what they saw was only the image of Jesus within the house of the Jews. What you see this day is the glory of Jehovah, the redemption of Jesus, and all My deeds of this day. So, too, have you heard the words of My Spirit, appreciated My wisdom, come to know My wonder, and learned of My disposition. I have also told you all of My management plan. What you have seen is not merely a loving and merciful God, but a God filled with righteousness. You have seen My wondrous work and known that I brim with majesty and wrath. Furthermore, you know that I once brought down My raging fury upon the house of Israel, and that today, it has come upon you. You understand more of My mysteries in heaven than Isaiah and John; you know more of My loveliness and venerableness than all the saints of ages past. What you have received is not merely My truth, My way, and My life, but a vision and revelation greater than that of John. You understand many more mysteries, and have also looked upon My true countenance; you have accepted more of My judgment and know more of My righteous disposition. And so, though you were born in the last days, your understanding is that of the former and the past, and you have also experienced the things of today, and this was all personally done by Me. What I ask of you is not excessive, for I have given you so much, and you have seen much in Me. Thus, I ask you to bear witness for Me to the saints of ages past, and this is My heart’s only desire.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All people need to understand the aims of My work on earth, that is, what I ultimately wish to gain, and what level I must achieve in this work before it can be complete. If, after walking with Me to this day, people do not understand what My work is all about, then have they not walked with Me in vain? If people follow Me, they should know My will. I have been working on earth for thousands of years, and to this day, I continue to carry out My work thus. Although My work contains many projects, its purpose remains unchanged; though I am filled with judgment and chastisement toward man, for example, what I do is still for the sake of saving him, and for the sake of better spreading My gospel and further expanding My work among all the Gentile nations once man has been made complete. So today, at a time when many people have long since sunk deep into dismay, I still continue with My work, I continue the work I must do to judge and chastise man. Despite the fact that man is fed up with what I say, and he has no desire to concern himself with My work, I am still carrying out My duty, for the purpose of My work remains unchanged, and My original plan will not be broken. The function of My judgment is to enable man to better obey Me, and the function of My chastisement is to allow man to more effectively be changed. Though what I do is for the sake of My management, I have never done anything that was without benefit to man, for I wish to make all the nations beyond Israel as obedient as the Israelites, to make them into real human beings, that I might have a foothold in the lands outside Israel. This is My management; it is the work I am accomplishing among the Gentile nations. Even now, many people still do not understand My management, because they have no interest in such things, and care only for their own futures and destinations. No matter what I say, they remain indifferent to the work that I do, instead focusing exclusively on their destinations of tomorrow. If things go on in this way, how can My work expand? How can My gospel be spread throughout the world? Know that when My work spreads, I will scatter you, and smite you just as Jehovah smote each of the tribes of Israel. All this will be done so that My gospel may spread across the earth, so that it may reach the Gentile nations, so that My name may be magnified by adults and children alike, and My holy name exalted in the mouths of people from all tribes and nations. It is so that, in this final era, My name may be magnified among the Gentile nations, so that My deeds may be seen by the Gentiles and they will call Me the Almighty on account of My deeds, and so that My words may soon come to pass. I will make all people know that I am not only the God of the Israelites, but also the God of all the nations of the Gentiles, even those that I have cursed. I will let all people see that I am the God of all creation. This is My greatest work, the purpose of My work plan for the last days, and the only work to be fulfilled in the last days.

Excerpted from “The Work of Spreading the Gospel Is Also the Work of Saving Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Are you able to communicate the disposition expressed by God in each age in a concrete way, with language that suitably conveys the significance of the age? Are you, who experience God’s work of the last days, able to describe God’s righteous disposition in detail? Can you testify about God’s disposition clearly and accurately? How will you pass on what you have seen and experienced to those pitiable, poor, and devout religious believers who hunger and thirst for righteousness and are waiting for you to shepherd them? What kind of people are waiting for you to shepherd them? Can you imagine? Are you aware of the burden on your shoulders, your commission, and your responsibility? Where is your sense of historic mission? How will you adequately serve as a master in the next age? Do you have a strong sense of masterhood? How would you explain the master of all things? Is it really the master of all living creatures and of all physical things in the world? What plans do you have for the progress of the next phase of the work? How many people are waiting for you to be their shepherd? Is your task a heavy one? They are poor, pitiable, blind, and at a loss, wailing in the darkness—where is the way? How they yearn for the light, like a shooting star, to suddenly descend and dispel the forces of darkness that have oppressed man for so many years. Who can know the full extent to which they anxiously hope, and how they pine, day and night, for this? Even on a day when the light flashes past, these deeply suffering people remain imprisoned in a dark dungeon without hope of release; when will they weep no longer? Terrible is the misfortune of these fragile spirits who have never been granted rest, and long have they been kept bound in this state by merciless bonds and frozen history. And who has heard the sound of their wailing? Who has looked upon their miserable state? Has it ever occurred to you how grieved and anxious God’s heart is? How can He bear to see innocent mankind, whom He created with His own hands, suffering such torment? Human beings, after all, are the victims who have been poisoned. And although man has survived to this day, who would have known that mankind has long been poisoned by the evil one? Have you forgotten that you are one of the victims? Are you not willing to strive, out of your love for God, to save these survivors? Are you not willing to devote all of your energy to repaying God, who loves mankind like His own flesh and blood? When all is said and done, how would you interpret being used by God to live your extraordinary life? Do you really have the resolve and confidence to live the meaningful life of a pious, God-serving person?

from “How Should You Attend to Your Future Mission?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the purpose of propagating the gospel? As has been said continuously since this stage of work began, God has come to do His work this time to inaugurate a new era, to bring in a new era and end the old one, a fact that can now be seen in those of us now here and that has already been fulfilled. That is, God is doing new work, and the people here have already accepted this and have already emerged from the Age of Law and the Age of Grace, no longer reading the Bible, no longer living under the cross, no longer crying out the name of Lord Jesus the Savior, but at once praying to the name of God of the present day and accepting the words God now expresses and taking them as the principles of survival, the methods, and the objectives of human life. In this sense, have the people here not already entered a new era? In what era, then, do the many more people who have not accepted this gospel and these words live? They are still living in the Age of Grace. It is now your vocation to bring these people out from the Age of Grace and have them enter this new era. Can you accomplish this commission merely by praying and calling out God’s name? Is it enough merely to preach a few of the words of God? It is certainly not; this requires all of you to shoulder responsibility for the duty of spreading the gospel, of propagating the words of God, of spreading them forth and extending their reach. What does it mean to “extend their reach”? It means to spread God’s gospel beyond just the people who are here; it means to make more people aware of God’s new work, and then to preach God’s words to them. It means to use your experience to bear witness to the work of God and to bring them also into the new era. Then, they will be the same as you. God’s intention is quite obvious—He would not have only you who have heard and accepted His words and begun to follow Him enter the new age; He wants to lead the entire human race into the new age. This is God’s intention, and this is a truth that every person who currently follows God should understand. God is not leading a batch or a small tribe of people into the new age, but leading the whole of humanity into the new age. To achieve this objective, it is necessary to propagate the gospel, and to use many methods and channels to do so.

Excerpted from “They Try to Win People Over” in Exposing Antichrists

If you wish to be fit for use by God, you must know the work of God, you must know the work that He did previously (in the New and Old Testaments), and, moreover, you must know His work of today; which is to say, you must know the three stages of God’s work performed over 6,000 years. If you are asked to spread the gospel, then you will not be able to do so without knowing the work of God. Someone may ask you about what your God has said about the Bible, the Old Testament, and Jesus’ work and words of that time. If you cannot speak of the inside story of the Bible, then they will not be convinced. At that time, Jesus talked much of the Old Testament with His disciples. Everything they read was from the Old Testament; the New Testament was only written several decades after Jesus was crucified. To spread the gospel, you should principally grasp the inner truth of the Bible, and God’s work in Israel, which is the work done by Jehovah, and you also have to understand the work done by Jesus. These are the issues that all people are most concerned about, and the inside story of those two stages of work is what they have not heard. When spreading the gospel, first put aside talk of the Holy Spirit’s work of today. This stage of work is beyond their reach, because what you pursue is that which is most lofty of all—a knowledge of God, and a knowledge of the work of the Holy Spirit—and nothing is more exalted than these two things. If you first talk about that which is lofty, it will be too much for them, for no one has experienced such work by the Holy Spirit; it has no precedent, and it is not easy for man to accept. Their experiences are old things from the past, with some occasional work by the Holy Spirit. What they experience is not the Holy Spirit’s work today, or God’s will today. They still act according to old practices, with no new light, and no new things.

Excerpted from “Concerning Appellations and Identity” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In order to spread the gospel, so that all who seek with a true heart may gain knowledge of the work done this day and be thoroughly convinced, you must arrive at a clear understanding of the inside story, the essence, and the significance of the work done in each stage. Make it so that, by listening to your fellowship, others may understand the work of Jehovah, the work of Jesus and, even more, all the work of the God of today, as well as the connections and the differences between the three stages of work. Make it so that, after they have finished listening, others will see that the three stages do not disrupt one another, but that all are the work of the same Spirit. Although They work in different ages, the content of the work They carry out is different, and the words They speak are different, yet the principles by which They work are one and the same. These things are the greatest visions that all people who follow God should understand.

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Bearing testimony to God is primarily a matter of speaking of your knowledge of God’s work, of how God conquers people, of how He saves people, of how He changes people; it is a matter of speaking of how He guides people to enter truth reality, allowing them to be conquered, made perfect, and saved by Him. Bearing testimony means speaking of His work and all that you have experienced. Only His work can represent Him, and only His work can reveal Him publicly, in His entirety; His work bears testimony to Him. His work and utterances directly represent the Spirit; the work He does is carried out by the Spirit, and the words He speaks are spoken by the Spirit. These things are merely expressed through the incarnate flesh of God, yet, in reality, they are expressions of the Spirit. All the work He does and all the words He speaks represent His essence. If, after clothing Himself in flesh and coming among man, God did not speak or work, and then asked you to know His realness, His normality, and His omnipotence, would you be able to? Would you be able to know what the essence of the Spirit is? Would you be able to know what the attributes of His flesh are? It is only because you have experienced each step of His work that He asks you to bear testimony to Him. If you were without such experience, then He would not insist that you bear testimony. Thus, when you bear testimony to God, you are not only testifying to His exterior of normal humanity, but also to the work He does and the path He leads; you are to testify to how you have been conquered by Him and in what aspects you have been made perfect. This is the kind of testimony you should bear. If, wherever you go, you cry out: “Our God has come to work, and His work is truly practical! He has gained us without supernatural acts, without any miracles and wonders at all!” Others will ask: “What do you mean when you say He does not work miracles and wonders? How can He have conquered you without working miracles and wonders?” And you say: “He speaks, and, without a show of any wonders or miracles, He has conquered us. His work has conquered us.” Ultimately, if you are unable to say anything of essence, if you cannot talk of specifics, is this true testimony? When God incarnate conquers people, it is His divine words that do so. Humanity cannot accomplish this; it is not something any mortal can achieve, and even those of the highest caliber among normal people are incapable of this, for His divinity is higher than any created being. This is extraordinary to people; the Creator, after all, is higher than any created being. Created beings cannot be higher than the Creator; if you were higher than He, He would not be able to conquer you, and He can only conquer you because He is higher than you. He who can conquer all humankind is the Creator, and none but He can do this work. These words are “testimony”—the kind of testimony you should bear. Step by step, you have experienced chastisement, judgment, refinement, trials, setbacks, and tribulations, and you have been conquered; you have put aside the prospects of the flesh, your personal motivations, and the intimate interests of the flesh. In other words, God’s words have conquered your heart completely. Although you have not grown in your life as much as He demands, you know all these things and you are utterly convinced by what He does. Thus, this may be called testimony, testimony that is real and true. The work God has come to do, the work of judgment and chastisement, is meant to conquer man, but He is also concluding His work, ending the age, and carrying out the work of conclusion. He is ending the entire age, saving all of humankind, delivering humankind from sin for once and for all; He is fully gaining humankind, which He created. You should bear testimony to all of this. You have experienced so much of God’s work, you have seen it with your own eyes and experienced it personally; when you have reached the very end, you must not be unable to perform the function incumbent upon you. What a pity that would be! In the future, when the gospel is spread, you should be able to speak of your own knowledge, testify to all that you have gained in your heart, and spare no effort. This is what a created being should attain. What is the actual significance of this stage of God’s work? What is its effect? And how much of it is carried out in man? What should people do? When you can speak clearly of all the work God incarnate has done since coming to earth, then your testimony will be complete. When you can speak clearly of these five things: the significance of His work; its contents; its essence; the disposition it represents; and its principles, then this will prove you are capable of bearing testimony to God, that you are truly possessed of knowledge. My requirements of you are not very high, and are attainable by all those who are in true pursuit. If you are resolved to be one of God’s witnesses, you must understand what God loathes and what God loves. You have experienced much of His work; through this work, you must come to know His disposition, understand His will and His requirements of mankind, and use this knowledge to testify about Him and perform your duty.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are deviations in the ways many people understand the spreading of the gospel. Some people think, “I am performing a special duty, and spreading the gospel is not my business; moreover, the principles, truths and the intentions of God that must be understood in order to spread the gospel have nothing to do with me, so I don’t need to understand them.” As a result, when this aspect of the truth is fellowshipped, they doze off, or their attention wanders. Everything said goes in one ear and out the other, and after the fellowship has ended, they do not know what was talked about. There are also some people who say, “Ever since I started believing in God, I have served as a leader; I have caliber and am capable, and I was preordained to be a leader, so my God-given duty and my life-long mission is to be one.” Implied in this idea is that the work of spreading the gospel has nothing to do with them. That is why, when the truth of the gospel’s spread is spoken, they appear to be listening, but in their heart, they attach no importance to it. In this, one can see an attitude that people hold toward the truth. So, I warn all people and let all of them know that spreading the gospel is not the special vocation of a single type or group of people; it is the vocation of every person who follows God. Why should I make people understand this? And why do they need to know this? Because it is the mission and vocation that every created being and every follower of God, whether old or young, male or female, must accept. If this mission comes to you(s) and requires you(s) to offer up your body, to expend yourself, and to pay a price, what should you(s) do? You should accept that which you are beholden to undertake. This is the truth, and it is what you should understand. This is not about empty catchphrases, nor is it merely high-sounding talk, nor is it a theory; it is the truth. And what makes it the truth? It is because, regardless of the change wrought by the passage of time, or how the era changes, or how geography and space change, spreading the gospel and bearing witness to God is eternally a positive thing; its meaning and its value are unchanging. It does not change with the passage of time or with geographic location. It exists eternally, and it is what every created being ought to accept and put into practice. This is the eternal truth. Some people say they are likely to pass their whole lives without coming into contact with this aspect of the truth, yet it is still an aspect of the truth that people must understand. And why is this so? This is because there isn’t a fixed time and a fixed geographical location at which to spread the gospel; it is not carried out by a fixed set of personnel. Once you(s) have understood this truth, you will know in your(s) heart: “Preaching God’s new work and preaching the gospel of His work to save people is my vocation; regardless of place or time, regardless of my position or my role or the duty I am currently performing, I have an obligation to go and spread the good news of the new work of God. It is my beholden duty to pass it on whenever I have the opportunity or spare time.” Are these the current thoughts of most people? (No.) Most people think, “I currently have a fixed duty; I am engaged in studying and delving into a fixed profession and specialization, so spreading the gospel has nothing whatsoever to do with me.” What kind of attitude is this? This is an attitude of shirking one’s duty and one’s mission, and of negativity toward the duty of spreading the gospel. When people do not shoulder the burden of and are not considerate of spreading the gospel of God’s salvation of man, then are they manifesting a conscience or humanity? If you(s) are not vigorous and proactive in cooperating, extending your consideration, or taking responsibility, then you are merely reacting negatively and passively. This is an attitude you must not take. No matter where you(s) are or what duty you are engaged in, and no matter what profession or what specialty your(s) duty involves, one of the most important aspect of all the fruits of your(s) work is being able to spread and bear witness to the gospel of God’s work to save mankind. This is the least that a created being should do.

Excerpted from “They Try to Win People Over” in Exposing Antichrists

In spreading the gospel, you must fulfill your responsibility to deal earnestly with everyone to whom you spread it. You must not pass over anyone carelessly. This means you must seek conscientiously to understand every person with whom you share the gospel. If they are in alignment with the principles of spreading the gospel, you should try to win them over. How will you win them over? You must think of every possible means to fulfill your responsibility, you must pay a price, and you must avail yourself of some techniques and methods. In brief, your impetus should be the fulfillment of your responsibilities, with all your heart, in a way that keeps your conscience clear. In ten or twenty years, when you recall a person with whom you shared the gospel, you will feel that you used all your strength and, even if they did not accept it, you will have a clear conscience. If, in your heart, you still feel uneasy and like you should have been able to win them over, but lost that gospel target due to your own momentary neglect or laziness, or due to a momentary feeling or self-will, or because you did not seize the opportunity, then this will be a stain tainting you. Being tainted, are you then condemned by God? God will not go so far as to condemn you for this minor issue yet; He will not go so far as to make mountains out of molehills, but, if this issue is put in its proper place by measuring it against the truth, then, at the very least, you did not fulfill your responsibility, and thus will be God’s judgment. This does not qualify as condemnation, but God will thus judge your transgressions and faults. Therefore, in order to reduce or avoid these types of mistakes, people should take a more active approach in dealing with every gospel target they encounter. If a gospel target repeatedly asks a question, how should you respond? You should not mind taking the time and trouble to answer them, to think of every possible means to resolve their question, until they understand and do not ask it again. You will then have fulfilled your responsibility, and your heart will be free of guilt. Does this mean being free of guilt from them? It does not. You will be free of guilt from God, because this duty, this responsibility, was entrusted to you by God. When everything you do is done before God, done facing God, when everything is done according to God’s word, according to the truth principle, then your internal standards will rise to a higher level. People will approve of and easily accept the things you do and the words you say once your standards are elevated. If the words you speak are illuminating and practical, then you will be able to avoid contention and confrontation, and, as you do, you will edify others. You will also be able to avoid negative influence on the testimony and spreading of the gospel.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You need to be down to earth, fulfill your responsibilities, and perform your duties well. One day, you go before God and say, “God, I have only gained ten people. I racked my brains and did my best to gain these ten, and that’s all I was capable of doing. As I spread the gospel, I first of all didn’t give up, and second of all I didn’t let my emotions get the best of me; third, I didn’t try to compete with others, and fourth, I didn’t trivialize any gospel targets, nor did I use any of them as prerequisites or stepping stones to further my own wealth, pleasure, or interests. As I preached to these gospel targets, however, I was scolded by them, beaten, misunderstood, and even turned away from their doors and sent out into the cold. I suffered, but I had fulfilled my responsibilities, so my conscience is clear. Looking back on my time spreading the gospel, there were certainly shortcomings, but they did not amount to transgressions, nor did I leave any stains that would humiliate You, God.” This is what it means to truly fulfill one’s responsibilities. One day, as someone who does the duty of spreading the gospel, you will go before God and make an account of your actions with a clear conscience. Perhaps you will have encountered many people as you spread the gospel, yet only gained a few; based on your capabilities, based on your caliber, and based on your having done all that you could, you might still have only been able to gain that many people. What will God’s evaluation of you be? You will have performed your duties adequately, and you will have given all your heart and strength. In order to spread the gospel to someone, you will have equipped yourself with biblical knowledge, familiarized yourself with the Bible, memorized its verses, and, even after getting sick of memorizing, you will have overcome that feeling. To gain a gospel target, to gain more people, to be able to perform this duty well, and to fulfill your responsibilities, you will have overcome a great many of your own hurdles, such as illness, shortcomings, moods, negativity, and weakness. You will have overcome all of these things, and spent a lot of time doing it. Are these not the things people should possess so that they can fulfill their responsibilities? Beyond that, so as to help gospel targets understand more of God’s will, and so that they can gain a more precise and in-depth understanding of gospel truth, you may make notes, practice and discuss visions of the truth in private, or endure the gospel targets’ mockery, insults, and misunderstandings. For these things you put in a lot of effort and pay a heavy price. In this way, you will have fulfilled your responsibilities, and you will have performed your duty adequately.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Spreading the gospel is everyone’s duty and obligation. At any time, regardless of what we hear, or what we see, or what kind of treatment we encounter, we must always persist in this responsibility of spreading the gospel. Under no circumstances can we give up on this duty because of negativity or weakness. The duty to spread the gospel is not smooth sailing, but fraught with danger. When you spread the gospel, you will not face angels, or aliens, or robots. You will face only evil and corrupt humanity, living demons, beasts—they are all humanity that is surviving in this evil space and that has been corrupted deeply by Satan and resists God. Therefore, in the process of spreading the gospel, there are certainly all sorts of dangers, let alone petty slander, sneers, and misunderstandings, of which there are even more. If you truly regard spreading the gospel as a responsibility, as an obligation, and as your duty, then you will be able to regard these things correctly and even handle them correctly, and you will not at any time give up on your responsibility and your obligation, nor will you deviate from your original intention to spread the gospel and testify about God because of these things, for this is your duty. How should this duty be understood? The value and the primary responsibility of this life you live is to spread the good news of God’s work in the last days and to spread the gospel of God’s work.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you acknowledge you are a created being, you must prepare yourself to suffer and pay a price for the sake of fulfilling the responsibility to spread the gospel and for the sake of doing your duty properly. The price might be suffering some physical ailment or difficulty, or the persecutions arising from your environment or the misunderstandings of worldly people, as well as being beaten, scolded, and forsaken by gospel targets; or, in the most severe cases, possibly having your life endangered. It is possible, in the course of spreading the gospel, that you will die before God’s work is completed, and that you will not live to see the day of God’s glory. You must be prepared for this. This is not meant to frighten you; it is a fact. However, now that I have made this clear, and you have understood it, if you still have this aspiration, and it has not yet changed, this proves you possess a certain stature. Do not assume that spreading the gospel in these overseas nations with religious freedoms and human rights will be free from danger and that everything you do will go smoothly, all with God’s blessings and in company with His great power and authority; this is something from the human imagination. You cannot spread the gospel without wisdom, and mishaps often befall the ignorant. The Pharisees also believed in God, yet they took the incarnate God and crucified Him upon the cross. Do you think that today’s religious world would not do such a thing? Do not forget that those who took the Lord Jesus and crucified Him upon the cross were believers. Only they had the opportunity to do this sort of thing. The unbelievers did not care about those things. It was these believers who colluded with the government to take the Lord Jesus and crucify Him upon the cross. Moreover, how did those disciples of the Lord Jesus die? Among the disciples, there were those who were stoned, dragged behind a horse, crucified upside down, dismembered by five horses—every sort of death befell them. What was the reason for their deaths? Were they lawfully executed for their crimes? No. They were condemned, beaten, scolded, and put to death because they spread the Lord’s gospel and were rejected by the people of the world—that is how they were martyred. Let us not speak of the final end of those martyrs, or of God’s definition of their conduct, but ask this: When they arrived at the end, did the way they met the end of their lives accord with human notions? From the perspective of human notions, if they paid such a great price to spread the work of God, they should at least have received a good death. But these people died tragically before their time. This does not accord with human notions, but God did precisely that—God allowed it to happen. What truth can be sought in God’s having allowed this to happen? Was God’s allowing them to die this way His curse and condemnation, or was it His plan and blessing? It was neither. What was it? People now reflect on their deaths with much heartache, but that was how things were: Those who believed in God died that way, and it makes people’s hearts ache. How is this to be explained? When we touch on this topic, you put yourselves in their position; are your hearts then sad, and do you feel a hidden pain? You think, “These people did their duty to spread God’s gospel and should be considered good people, so how could they come to such an end, such an outcome?” Actually, this was how their bodies died and passed away; this was their means of departure from the human world, yet that did not mean their outcome was the same. No matter what the means of their death and departure was nor how it happened, it was not how God defined the final outcomes of those lives, of those created beings. This is something you must see clearly. On the contrary, they used precisely those means to condemn this world and to testify to God’s deeds. These created beings used their lives that are most precious—they used the last moment of their lives to testify to God’s deeds, to testify to God’s great power, and to declare to Satan and the world that God’s deeds are right, that the Lord Jesus is God, that He is the Lord, and is God’s incarnate flesh; even down to the final moment of their lives, they never denied the name of the Lord Jesus. Was this not a form of judgment upon this world? They used their lives to proclaim to the world, to confirm to human beings that the Lord Jesus is the Lord, that the Lord Jesus is Christ, that He is God’s incarnate flesh, that the work of redemption He wrought for all humanity allows humanity to live on—this fact is forever unchanging. To what extent did they perform their duty? Was it to the ultimate extent? How was the ultimate extent manifested? They paid the price with their lives. Family, wealth, and the material things of this life are all external things; the only thing that is internal to self is life. To every living person, life is the thing most worthy of being treasured, the most precious thing and, as it happens, these people were able to offer their most precious possession—life—as confirmation, in exchange for worldly people’s acknowledgment of God’s work. Until the day they died, they did not deny God’s name, nor did they deny God’s work, and they used their last moment of life to testify to the existence of this fact—is this not the highest form of testimony? This is the best way of doing one’s duty; this is what it is to fulfill one’s responsibility. When Satan threatened and terrorized them, and, in the end, even when it made them pay the price of their lives, they did not abrogate their responsibility. This is what it is to fulfill one’s duty to the utmost extent. What do I mean by this? Do I mean to have you use the same method to testify of God and to spread the gospel? You do not necessarily need to do so, but you must understand that this is your responsibility, that if God needs you to, you should accept it as a moral obligation. People today have fear and worry inside them, but what purpose do those feelings serve? If God does not need you to do this, what is the use in worrying about it? If God needs you to do this, you should not shirk this responsibility nor reject it. You should cooperate proactively and accept it without worry. No matter how one dies, they should not die before Satan, and not die in its hands. If one is going to die, they should die in God’s hands. People came from God, and to God they return—such is the sense and attitude that a created being should possess. This is the final truth one should understand in performing their duty of spreading the gospel—one must pay the price of their life to spread and testify to the gospel of God incarnate performing His work and saving mankind. If you have this aspiration, if you can achieve this, that is wonderful. If you still do not possess this sort of aspiration, you should, at the very least, properly fulfill the responsibility and duty that lie before you, giving the rest to God. Perhaps then, as the months and years pass and your experience and maturity increase, and your understanding of the truth deepens, you will realize that you have an obligation and a responsibility to offer your life to the work of God’s gospel, even unto the end of your life.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

82. The Principles of Watering Newcomers

(1) It is first necessary to clarify, through fellowship, truths regarding visions, in order to lead newcomers to know God’s work and have true faith in Him, thereby putting down a foundation;

(2) One must treat newcomers with love and patience, and should fellowship on the truth with them to resolve their problems in accordance with God’s words by targeting their various notions and hinderances;

(3) First, you must identify which newcomers have true faith in God and love the truth. Focus on watering and providing for those of good caliber, and on cultivating and training them;

(4) It is necessary to train those with a talent for spreading the gospel so that they learn to fellowship on truths regarding visions, grasp the principles of evangelism, and spread the gospel and bear witness for God.

Relevant Words of God:

You must come to know the visions of God’s work and grasp the general direction of His work. This is positive entry. Once you have accurately mastered the truth of visions, your entry will be secure; no matter how God’s work changes, you will remain steadfast in your heart, be clear about the visions, and have a goal for your entry and your pursuit. In this way, all the experience and knowledge within you will grow deeper and become more detailed. Once you have grasped the bigger picture in its entirety, you will suffer no losses in life, nor will you go astray. If you do not come to know these steps of work, you shall suffer loss at each step, and it will take you more than a few days to turn things around, nor will you be able to set upon the right track in even a couple of weeks. Will this not cause delays? There is much in the way of positive entry and practice that you must master. As for the visions of God’s work, you must grasp the following points: the significance of His work of conquest, the future path to being made perfect, what must be achieved through experiencing trials and tribulations, the significance of judgment and chastisement, the principles behind the work of the Holy Spirit, and the principles behind perfection and conquest. These all belong to the truth of visions. The rest are the three stages of work in the Age of Law, the Age of Grace, and the Age of Kingdom, as well as future testimony. These, too, are the truth of visions, and they are what is most fundamental as well as most crucial.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between the Ministry of God Incarnate and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do you know what you need to be equipped with right now? One aspect of it involves visions about the work, and the other aspect is your practice. You must grasp both of these aspects. If you do not have visions in your quest to make progress in life, then you will have no foundation. If you have only paths of practice, without the slightest vision, and have no understanding whatsoever of the work of the overall management plan, then you are a good-for-nothing. You must understand the truths that involve visions, and as for the truths relating to practice, you need to find appropriate paths of practice after you have understood them; you must practice in accordance with the words, and enter in according to your conditions. Visions are the foundation, and if you pay no attention to this fact, you will not be able to follow along to the very end; experiencing in such a manner will either lead you astray or cause you to fall down and fail. There will be no way for you to succeed! People who do not have great visions as their foundations can only fail; they cannot succeed. You cannot stand firm! Do you know what believing in God involves? Do you know what following God means? Without visions, what path would you walk? In the work of today, if you have no visions, you will not at all be able to be made complete. …

Once people have had visions, they possess a foundation. When you practice on the basis of this foundation, it will be much easier to enter in. As such, you will have no misgivings once you have a foundation for entering in, and it will be very easy for you to enter in. This aspect of understanding visions and of knowing the work of God is crucial; you must have it in your arsenal. If you are not equipped with this aspect of the truth, and only know how to talk about paths of practice, then you will be hugely defective. I have discovered that many of you do not emphasize this aspect of the truth, and when you listen to it, you seem to only be listening to words and doctrines. One day you will lose out. There are some utterances these days that you do not quite understand and do not accept; in such cases, you should seek patiently, and the day will come when you do understand. Gradually equip yourself with more and more visions. Even if you understand only a few spiritual doctrines, that is still better than paying no attention to the visions, and is still better than understanding none at all. This is all helpful to your entry, and will clear away those doubts of yours. It is better than your being filled with notions. You will be much better off if you have these visions as a foundation. You will have no misgivings whatsoever, and will be able to enter in boldly and confidently. Why bother always following God in such a confused, doubtful manner? Is that not the same as burying your head in the sand? How nice it would be to stride into the kingdom with a strut and a swagger! Why be so full of misgivings? Are you not just putting yourself through sheer hell? Once you have gained an understanding of the work of Jehovah, of the work of Jesus, and of this stage of work, you will have a foundation.

Excerpted from “You Must Understand the Work—Do Not Follow in Confusion!” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

In order to coordinate with God’s work of saving mankind in the last days, the leaders and workers at all levels of the church must do a good job of watering new believers so they can establish good foundations on the true way as soon as possible and enter onto the right track of believing in God. After new believers accept God’s work, if they do not lay down good foundations in the first year, it will still be easy for them to be deceived by Satan and antichrists and stray into dangerous territory. If so, the steep price we pay to preach the gospel to them will go down the drain. Why would people who have already come before God be deceived and pulled away by Satan? Blame for this cannot be attributed to the weakness of new believers. This situation arises primarily because leaders of all levels in the church have not done a good job in their work of supplying and watering. This is a responsibility that leaders of all levels of the church cannot shirk. All people who serve God have once made resolutions to be loyal to God, willingly expend themselves for God, and do God’s will. How can God’s will be done if they cannot even keep people who have already entered God’s house? Is this not fooling and cheating God? If a person who serves God cannot fulfill God’s entrustment and do God’s will, then how can they possibly gain God’s praise and enter His kingdom? Just what is doing God’s will? The most fundamental one is to help all those who accept God’s work to truly understand God’s intention of saving mankind, understand all truths expressed by God, and achieve true obedience and worship of God. This means God’s will is carried out on earth. If church leaders and workers of various levels can fully devote themselves to God’s work of salvation and guide His chosen ones to eat and drink of His words and accept and submit to His judgment and chastisement to enter truth reality, then those leaders and workers will be people who do God’s will. Therefore, watering new believers so they can quickly establish a firm foundation on the true way and enter onto the right track in their faith is the most fundamental and core work of God’s house. The truths that new believers must be watered with include: the truth of the three stages of God’s work; the truth of God’s incarnation; the truth of God’s names; the truth of the differences between God’s work and man’s work; the truth of discerning the true Christ from false Christs; the truth of knowing the work of the Holy Spirit and discerning the work of the evil spirits; the truth of bringing God’s words into real life; and the truth of being an honest person, etc. Water these truths deep into the hearts of all those who have just accepted God’s work so they can lay good foundations. This can ensure that they will be able to stand firm on the true way and not betray or deny God no matter what disturbances they may encounter from Satan the devil. Only when one’s work achieves this result do they serve God in accordance with His will and genuinely do God’s will.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

This is a principle of church life: Brothers and sisters who sincerely believe in God and pursue the truth should be treated specially. Whether they are new believers or have believed in God for years, one must have genuine love for them, offer them real help, and have a bit of a spirit of dedication toward them. In ordinary times, one should fellowship more with them about the truth so that they can understand the truth as quickly as possible and grow up in life. As for people who do not pursue the truth, if they are watered for a time, and it is discovered that they do not love the truth and have no interest in it, then there is no need to expend too much time and effort on them; such would be unnecessary, because you have already fulfilled your obligation and done everything benevolent that was expected of you. Some people might have a different opinion, and say, “People who do not pursue the truth should be watered more and provided for more; you should think of ways to get them to pursue the truth. By contrast, those who already pursue the truth do not need to be worried about anymore, because they already know how to pursue.” Is this view correct? No, it is not. You must recognize that it is in the nature of people who do not pursue the truth to not love the truth. It is arguable that ninety percent of those who do not love the truth are dead. Are you determined to bring the dead back to life? What makes you think you have what it takes? If I bumped into a dead person, I would walk away quickly. If the Holy Spirit is not working in someone, then nothing anyone does will be of any use. It would be great if you took that sole bit of love you possess and dedicated it to God, or gave it to those brothers and sisters who genuinely pursue the truth. Some people are absurd and have absolutely no idea who they are or how capable they are; the more dead someone is, the more they want to save that person. In the end, they have spent forever trying to save people, but have not saved anyone. They end up delaying their own life entry, and those brothers and sisters who are really pursuing the truth still do not have anyone to water, and their life growth is slowed. Is this not a case of delaying serious work? You have to look at which people the Holy Spirit focuses His work on. Does God perfect those people who do not pursue the truth? If the Holy Spirit will not even do that, then why should people foolishly waste their time on it? Is this not an example of human ignorance? Thus, you must give more support to brothers and sisters who genuinely pursue the truth, because they are the ones who were preordained and selected by God, and are the ones He is going to save. If you frequently fellowship on the truth with these people, in tune with each other in both heart and mind, supporting and providing for each other, then you ultimately will all be able to attain salvation. If you cannot get along with these people, then you have turned your back on God’s will. In every church there is a tiny handful of people who are pursuing the truth; these are the ones on whom the Holy Spirit’s work is focused. They are the core of the church. How does the core of a church come into being? Whichever people the Holy Spirit focuses on are the ones who become the church’s core. If you can water these people, cause their statures to mature, and make them set foot upon the right track in believing in God, then your fulfilling of your duty will be adequate and in line with God’s will. If you do not focus on watering these people, and just discard them to one side and ignore them, and then mainly focus on saving those spiritless dead people who belong to Satan and the ones who were not preordained and selected by God, those service-doers, then this proves that you are singing a different tune to God’s; you are disrupting His work, are not cooperating with the work of the Holy Spirit, and have not achieved the critical points in your job.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

83. The Principles of Receiving God’s Chosen People

(1) God’s chosen people must be received lovingly and with principles, and in submission to the church’s arrangements. Never receive antichrists, evil people, or evil spirits;

(2) In times of tribulation, leaders and workers, as well as the brothers and sisters, must be kept safe. This is an honor-bound responsibility, and it is also a good deed;

(3) A household should do what they can as befits their economic situation, with an eye toward simplicity and convenience. It is forbidden to eat and drink with abandon; instead, be guided by the principle of letting others eat to satiety;

(4) If a host household encounters difficulties, the church must resolve them; if a host household has financial issues, the church may bear the entire cost of reception.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, He that receives whomsoever I send receives Me; and he that receives Me receives Him that sent Me” (Jhn 13:20).

“He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward” (Mat 10:41).

Relevant Words of God:

Are the principles you must understand and the truths you must put into practice the same regardless of what duty you are performing? Whether you are asked to be a leader or a worker, or whether you are cooking up dishes as a host, or whether you are asked to take care of some matters outside the church or do some physical labor, the principles governing all these duties revolve around the truth. What then is the biggest and the chief among these principles? To properly perform your duties and to meet the requisite standards in doing so, you must know what duty is. What is duty, really? Is it your own career? Is it right to go about your duty as though it were your career, thinking, “I have to do it well so that people see how great and successful I am, and then my life will have meaning”? (It is not right.) Many people do not know what duty truly is, and this vision must now be clarified. What is duty? A duty is not managed by you—it is not your own career or your own work; instead, it is God’s work. God’s work requires your cooperation, which gives rise to your duty. The part of God’s work with which man must cooperate is his duty. The duty is a portion of God’s work—it is not your career, not your domestic affairs nor your personal affairs in life. Whether your duty is to deal with external or internal affairs, it is the work of the house of God, it forms one part of God’s management plan, and it is the commission God has given to you. It is not your personal business. So then, how should you treat your duty? You therefore cannot perform your duty whichever way you please. …

No matter what duty you fulfill, you must always seek to grasp God’s will and understand what His requirements are regarding your duty; only then will you be able to handle matters in a principled way. In performing your duty, you absolutely cannot go by your personal preferences, by just doing whatever you would like to do, whatever you would be happy and comfortable doing, or whatever would make you look good. If you forcibly impose your personal preferences on God or practice them as though they were the truth, observing them as if they were the truth principles, then that is not fulfilling your duty, and performing your duty in this way will not be remembered by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

6. Do that which ought to be done by man, and carry out your obligations, and fulfill your responsibilities, and hold to your duty. Since you believe in God, you should make your contribution to God’s work; if you do not, then you are unfit to eat and drink the words of God, and unfit to live in God’s household.

Decree Six relates to the duties of man. Regardless of your previous life entry or how your personal pursuit has gone, and no matter your caliber or humanity, if the work of the church requires you to do something, then, no matter how great the difficulty, you should do it; if you do not, you are not fit to stay in the house of God—the house of God does not give free board! The house of God does not ask much of man: It does not require that you be of good caliber, good humanity, and good at your job, all at once—yet, at the very least, your behavior and the way you act must be acceptable. You must have a bit of a God-fearing attitude, and show some submission to Him. If you cannot even do that, then you should hurry on back home and stop muddling along in God’s house. If you are capable of fulfilling your duty, yet you refuse to, and you just want to freeload in God’s house, is this an example of someone who sincerely believes in God? In My view, such a person can be counted as a nonbeliever, and no different from an unbeliever. They are sickening to behold! If you wish to believe in God, you should do so properly; if you do not want to believe, no one is begging you to do so. Who asked you to believe? Doing so was of your own volition. If you cannot even do such a small thing, then why even talk about believing in God? If you cannot be a righteous person, then be a good person of the world, one who does some good; if you cannot even do that, you are worthless trash. The house of God does not want worthless trash. This is not a junkyard—such trash has no use. People who have no shred of truth must all be eliminated and cleared out! You absolutely must not commit all those outrages; you have to act in accordance with the principles. Whoever commits outrages and disrupts or disturbs the work of God’s house will be gotten rid of and thoroughly eliminated.

Excerpted from “A Talk About God’s Administrative Decrees in the Age of Kingdom” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are horribly selfish—selfish to the extreme—and this represents their nature. Everyone is somewhat selfish, but there is a difference. When associating with others, some people can watch out and care for them, be concerned about them, and be considerate of them in everything they do, whereas others are not like this. Consider a person who is especially selfish and who, when hosting his brothers and sisters, puts the best things in front of his family. He always gives his own family the best food, but when his brothers and sisters come over, he only gives them small servings of inferior food. When his own relatives come, though, he makes the most comfortable arrangements for them and puts everything in order. However, when his brothers and sisters come over, he makes them sleep on the floor. When his brothers and sisters fall ill or have some other difficulty, such a person does not even give them any thought, behaving as though he does not notice. He thinks it is good enough that he allows them to stay over when they visit. Such people do not care or feel concern for others in the least; they only care for themselves and their relatives. This selfish nature of theirs is what determines that they are unwilling to care for others. They feel that caring for others involves suffering losses and going to a lot of trouble. Some people might rationalize, saying, “A selfish person does not know how to be considerate of others.” Why, then, are they so good to their own relatives and show full consideration for their needs? How do they know what they themselves lack and what is appropriate to wear or eat at a certain time? Why are they unable to be like that for others? Actually, they understand all of this, but they are selfish. This is determined by their nature.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Some people, despite having become well-known for believing in God, are still able to take risks by taking in and protecting brothers and sisters who have been listed as wanted and are being sought after for arrest. Some people are not well-known as believers, so when they take people in, they are not at much risk; moreover, they, too, meet the condition of being able to shield some brothers and sisters who are on the run, but they simply do not want to take them in because they worry that doing so will bring them trouble. Are such people doers of good deeds? They are not willing to take even the slightest risk for believing in God. These people are especially selfish and despicable, and of malicious character. Therefore, their belief in God is empty; they absolutely will not gain God’s praise. Some of you even want to wait until after the downfall of the great red dragon before they will take people in, but by then, you will not be needed. Do not open up an umbrella after the rain has gone, because that is useless! God is righteous. You cannot even bring yourself to do this tiny bit of service, yet you still want to gain blessings! Stop daydreaming! What sorts of good deeds does God’s house value the most? In mainland China, there are a lot of brothers and sisters who are being hunted and are listed as wanted for arrest by the great red dragon, with no place to hide. Some brothers and sisters are able to put themselves at risk to take them in and give them protection; these are the kind of people who are loyal to God and can gain His blessings. Good deeds do not stem from how much people understand of the truth; all that matters is whether they are virtuous at heart, whether they are considerate of God’s will, and whether or not they genuinely have love for His chosen ones. This is the most crucial thing.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Some people perform the duty of taking others in, and in the process, they can practice the truth and take their brothers and sisters in, all the while with a mindset of loving and satisfying God. In the end, those brothers and sisters see God’s love in them, they see His mercy for man, they see the true human likeness that people should live out and the conscience and reason humans should possess, and they come to know how to conduct themselves. Although such hosts may not be church leaders, others gain quite a few benefits from them. Because these hosts pursue the truth, are capable of consideration for God’s will, and love Him, they can be tolerant and patient toward their brothers and sisters. No matter what corruption brothers and sisters might reveal, these hosts are not averse to them; they always pray to God, depend on God, seek the truth to find resolution, and can still perform their own duties for others—fellowshiping on the truth and sharing their own experiential testimonies so that others can benefit. In this way, the duties they fulfill are completely in line with God’s will, and they themselves are people who conform to His will, too.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

84. The Principles of Preparing Good Deeds

(1) Perform all the duty you ought to perform well and loyally. Be conscientious in taking responsibility, strive always to improve, do not be careless or perfunctory, and come to have a clear conscience;

(2) Be able to seek the truth whenever you encounter a problem while performing your duty. Come to act according to the principles, and be loyal once and always to what God has entrusted to you;

(3) Adhere to the truth principle, be loving to your brothers and sisters, be able to expose and restrict the disturbances that evil people and antichrists instigate in the church, and protect God’s chosen people;

(4) One should safeguard the work of the church with all their might, and must spare no effort to complete all the work of God’s house, with the courage to take risks, faithful unto the end.

Relevant Words of God:

Now is the time when I determine the ending for each person, not the stage in which I began to work man. I write down in My record book, one by one, the words and actions of each person, the path by which they have followed Me, their inherent characteristics, and how they have ultimately comported themselves. In this way, no matter what kind of person they are, no one shall escape My hand, and all shall be with their own kind as I assign. I decide the destination of each person not on the basis of age, seniority, amount of suffering, and least of all, the degree to which they invite pity, but according to whether they possess the truth. There is no other choice but this. You must realize that all those who do not follow the will of God shall also be punished. This is an immutable fact. Therefore, all those who are punished are so punished for the righteousness of God and as retribution for their numerous evil acts. I have not made a single change to My plan since its inception. It is simply that, as far as man is concerned, those to whom I direct My words seem to be diminishing in number, as are those of whom I truly approve. However, I maintain that My plan has never changed; rather, it is the faith and love of man that are ever changing, ever waning, to the extent that it is possible for each person to go from fawning over Me to being cold toward Me and even casting Me out. My attitude toward you will be neither hot nor cold, until I feel disgust and abhorrence, and finally mete out punishment. However, on the day of your punishment, I will still see you, but you shall no longer be able to see Me. As life among you already has become tedious and dull to Me, so, needless to say, I have chosen different surroundings in which to live, the better to avoid the hurt of your malicious words and steer clear of your unbearably sordid behavior, that you may no longer fool Me or treat Me in a perfunctory manner. Before I leave you, I must still exhort you to refrain from doing that which is not in accordance with the truth. Rather, you should do that which is pleasing to all, that which brings benefit to all, and that which benefits your own destination, otherwise the one who suffers in the midst of disaster will be none other than yourself.

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

My mercy is expressed toward those who love Me and deny themselves. The punishment visited upon the wicked, meanwhile, is precisely proof of My righteous disposition and, even more, testimony to My wrath. When disaster comes, all who oppose Me will weep as they fall victim to famine and plague. Those who have committed all manner of wickedness, but who have followed Me for many years, will not escape paying for their sins; they too, will be plunged into disaster, the like of which has seldom been seen throughout millions of years, and they will live in a constant state of panic and fear. And those of My followers who have shown loyalty to Me will rejoice and applaud My might. They will experience ineffable contentment and live amid joy such as I have never before bestowed upon mankind. For I treasure the good deeds of man and abhor their evil deeds. Since I first began to lead mankind, I have been eagerly hoping to gain a group of people who are of the same mind with Me. Those who are not of the same mind with Me, meanwhile, I never forget; I always loathe them in My heart, awaiting the chance to bring retribution upon them, which I shall relish to see. Now My day has finally come, and I need no longer wait!

My final work is not only for the sake of punishing man, but also for the sake of arranging the destination of man. Moreover, it is so that all people may acknowledge My deeds and actions. I want each and every person to see that all I have done is right, and that all I have done is an expression of My disposition. It is not man’s doing, much less nature, that brought forth mankind, but I, who nourish every living being in creation. Without My existence, mankind will only perish and suffer the scourge of calamity. No human being will ever again see the beauteous sun and moon, or the verdant world; mankind shall encounter only the frigid night and the inexorable valley of the shadow of death. I am mankind’s only salvation. I am mankind’s only hope and, even more, I am He on whom the existence of all mankind rests. Without Me, mankind will immediately come to a standstill. Without Me, mankind will suffer catastrophe and be trampled underfoot by all manner of ghosts, though no one takes heed of Me. I have done work that can be done by no other, and hope only that man can repay Me with some good deeds. Though but a few have been able to repay Me, I will still conclude My journey in the human world and begin the next step of My unfolding work, because all My rushing to and fro in man’s midst these many years has been fruitful, and I am very pleased. What I care about is not the number of people, but rather their good deeds. In any case, I hope that you prepare a sufficiency of good deeds for your own destination. Then will I be satisfied; otherwise, none of you can escape the disaster that will befall you. The disaster originates with Me and is of course orchestrated by Me. If you cannot appear as good in My eyes, then you will not escape suffering the disaster. In the midst of tribulation, your actions and deeds were not considered entirely appropriate, for your faith and love were hollow, and you only showed yourselves to be either timid or tough. Regarding this, I will only make a judgment of good or bad. My concern continues to be the way in which each of you acts and expresses himself, on the basis of which I shall determine your end. However, I must make this clear: Toward those who showed Me not the slightest loyalty during times of tribulation, I shall be merciful no more, for My mercy only extends so far. I have no liking, furthermore, for anyone who has once betrayed Me, much less do I like to associate with those who sell out the interests of their friends. This is My disposition, regardless of who the person may be. I must tell you this: Anyone who breaks My heart shall not receive clemency from Me a second time, and anyone who has been faithful to Me shall forever remain in My heart.

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the standard by which a person’s deeds are judged to be good or evil? It depends on whether or not you, in your thoughts, expressions, and actions, possess the testimony of putting the truth into practice and of living out truth reality. If you do not have this reality or do not live this out, then you are without a doubt an evildoer. How does God see evildoers? Your thoughts and external acts do not bear testimony for God, nor do they put Satan to shame or defeat Satan; instead, they shame God, and are riddled with marks that cause God to be ashamed. You are not testifying for God, not expending yourself for God, nor are you fulfilling your responsibility and obligations toward God; instead, you are acting for your own sake. What is the implication of “for your own sake”? For Satan. Therefore, in the end, God will say, “Depart from Me, you that work iniquity.” In God’s eyes, you have not done good deeds, but rather your behavior has turned evil. You will not be rewarded and God will not remember you. Is this not completely in vain? For each of you fulfilling your duty, no matter how profoundly you understand the truth, if you wish to enter truth reality, then the simplest way to practice is to think of the interests of God’s house in everything you do, and to let go of your selfish desires, your individual intent, motives, prestige, and status. Put the interests of God’s house first—this is the least you should do.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Most people who believe in God are glad to expend and devote themselves for Him. However, only those who are capable of genuine devotion and sacrifice possess the true reality. Most people happily pursue the truth, but relatively few are able to put it into practice or pay a price to gain it. When the crucial moment comes, and you are asked to sacrifice and forsake, you cannot bear to; this is unacceptable, and shows that you are not sincere toward God. If the more crucial a moment it is, the more able people are to submit and let go of their self-interests, vanity, and pride, and perform their duties properly, only then will they be remembered by God. Those are all good deeds! Regardless of what people do, which is more important—their vanity and pride, or God’s glory? (God’s glory.) Which are more important—your responsibilities, or your own interests? Fulfilling your responsibilities is what is most important, and you are duty-bound to them. This is not some slogan; if that is deep down what you think, and you try to practice that way, then will you not have entered a little of reality? At the very least, it means you possess that aspect of reality. When faced with certain things, your own ephemeral subjective desires and your vanity and pride will stop standing in your way, and you will give first priority to your own duty, to the will of God, to bearing testimony for Him, and to your own responsibilities. This is such a great way of bearing testimony, and it brings shame upon Satan! What does Satan think, after seeing all this? If you actually do this, using real actions to truly bear testimony to God and turn your back on Satan, and you are doing more than just chanting slogans, then there is no better way to shame Satan and testify to God. How wonderful it is to use various methods to bear witness for God and to make Satan see your determination to forsake and reject Satan!

Excerpted from “Gaining God and the Truth Is the Happiest of Things” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As church leaders, you should learn how to discover and cultivate talent, and not be jealous of talented people. In this way, your duty will be performed satisfactorily, and you will have fulfilled your responsibility; you will also have done your utmost to be loyal. Some people are always afraid that others will steal their limelight and surpass them, obtaining recognition while they themselves are neglected. This leads them to attack and exclude others. Is this not a case of being jealous of people more capable than themselves? Is such behavior not selfish and contemptible? What kind of disposition is this? It is malicious! Thinking only of oneself, satisfying only one’s own desires, showing no consideration for the duties of others, and thinking only about one’s own interests and not the interests of God’s house—people like this have a bad disposition, and God has no love for them. If you are truly capable of being considerate of God’s will, then you will be able to treat other people fairly. If you give someone your recommendation, and that person is cultivated into someone of talent, thereby bringing one more talented person into God’s house, will you not then have done your work well? Will you not then have been loyal in performing your duty? This is a good deed before God, and it is the sort of conscience and reason people should possess. Those who are capable of putting the truth into practice can accept God’s scrutiny when doing things. When you accept God’s scrutiny, your heart is set straight. If you only ever do things for others to see, and do not accept God’s scrutiny, then is God still in your heart? People like this have no reverence for God. Do not always do things for your own sake and do not constantly consider your own interests; give no thought to your own status, prestige, or reputation. Also do not consider the interests of man. You must first give thought to the interests of God’s house, and make them your first priority. You should be considerate of God’s will and begin by contemplating whether or not you have been impure in the fulfillment of your duty, whether you have done your utmost to be loyal, done your best to fulfill your responsibilities, and given your all, as well as whether or not you have wholeheartedly given thought to your duty and the work of God’s house. You must give consideration to these things. Think about them frequently, and it will be easier for you to perform your duty well. If you are of poor caliber, your experience is shallow, or you are not proficient in your professional work, then there may be some mistakes or deficiencies in your work, and the results may not be very good—but you will have put forth your best effort. When you are not thinking of your own selfish desires or considering your own interests in the things you do, and are instead giving constant consideration to the work of God’s house, bearing its interests in mind, and performing your duty well, then you will be accumulating good deeds before God. People who perform these good deeds are the ones who possess truth reality; as such, they have borne testimony.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whether you are fulfilling your duty or learning professional knowledge, you must adhere to principles in everything you do. You must treat everything you do in accordance with the truth, and practice in accordance with the truth. You must use the truth to resolve problems, to resolve the corrupt dispositions that have been revealed in you, and to resolve your erroneous ways and thoughts. You must continuously surmount these. For one thing, you must examine yourself. Once you have done so, if you discover a corrupt disposition, you must resolve it, subdue it, and forsake it. Once you have resolved these problems, when you no longer do things based on your corrupt dispositions, and when you can let go of your motives and interests and practice according to the truth principle, only then will you be doing what one who truly follows God is supposed to do. Does God find this particular behavior, way of acting, and conduct acceptable? He finds this acceptable; this is a good deed! Why is your acting that way considered to be a good deed? You do it to benefit others, for the sake of the work of God’s house, or for the interests of God’s house, and at the same time you are practicing the truth, and so God approves of it, and it is a good deed. If this is what you have lived out, it means you are bearing testimony for God. If, however, you do not do so, but remain like an unbeliever, living according to the behavioral principles and methods of unbelievers, is what you are doing bearing testimony? It is an insult to God!

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth in Everything Can One Enter Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sometimes, after finishing a job, you feel a little uneasy in your heart. On closer inspection, you find that there is indeed a problem. It must be amended, after which you will feel at ease. Your unease proves there is a problem on which you need to spend extra time and to which you must pay closer attention. This is a serious, responsible attitude toward performing one’s duty. When one can be serious, responsible, dedicated, and hard-working, the work will be done properly. Sometimes, you do not have such a heart, and you cannot find or discover a mistake that is clear as day. Were one to have such a heart, then, with the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they would be able to identify the issue. But if the Holy Spirit guided you and gave you such awareness, allowing you to sense that something is wrong, yet you did not have such a heart, you would still be incapable of identifying the problem. So, what does this show? It shows that it is very important that people cooperate; their hearts are very important, and where they direct their thoughts and intentions is very important. God scrutinizes and can see what people hold in their hearts as they perform their duty, and how much energy they exert. It is crucial that people put all their heart and strength into what they do. Cooperation, too, is a crucial component. Only if people strive to have no regrets about the duties they have completed and the things they have done, and not to be in debt to God, will they be acting with all their heart and strength. If, today, you do not give all your heart and strength, then, when something goes wrong later, and there are consequences, will it not be too late for regrets? You will be forever indebted; it will be a stain on you! A stain in the performance of one’s duty is a transgression. You must therefore strive to do properly the share of things you must and ought to do, with all your heart and strength. Those things must not be done carelessly or perfunctorily; you must not have any regrets. In this way, the duties you perform at this time shall be remembered by God. Those things remembered by God are good deeds. What, then, are the things that are not remembered? They are transgressions. People might not accept that they are evil deeds if they were described thus presently, but, if a day comes when there are serious consequences to these things, and they become a negative influence, then you will sense that these things are not mere behavioral transgressions, but evil deeds. When you realize this, you will be regretful, and think to yourself: I should have chosen an ounce of prevention! With a little more thought and effort, I wouldn’t have this problem. Nothing will wipe this eternal stain from your heart, and it would cause trouble if it should leave you in permanent debt. So, today, every time you perform your duty, or accept a commission, you must strive to do it with all your strength and all your heart. You must do it such that you are free of guilt and regret, so that it is remembered by God, and is a good deed. Do not act carelessly and perfunctorily, with one eye open and the other closed; you will regret it, and be unable to make amends. It will constitute transgression, and ultimately, in your heart, there will always be guilt, indebtedness, and accusation. Which of these two paths is best? Which path is the right way? Performing your duty with all your heart and strength, and preparing and accumulating good deeds, without any regrets. Do not let your transgressions accumulate, regret them, and fall into debt. What happens when a person has committed too many transgressions? They are accruing God’s anger at them in His presence! If you transgress ever more, and God’s wrath toward you grows ever greater, then, ultimately, you shall be punished.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

You should each do your own duty to the best of your ability, with open and honest hearts, and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary. As you have said, when the day comes, God will not be remiss toward anyone who has suffered or paid a price for Him. This kind of conviction is worth holding on to, and it is right that you should never forget it. Only in this way can I put My mind at ease about you. Otherwise, you will forever be people about whom I cannot put My mind at ease, and you will forever be the objects of My distaste. If all of you can follow your conscience and give your all for Me, sparing no effort for My work, and devoting the energy of a lifetime to My gospel work, then will My heart not often leap for joy on your account? This way, I will be able to put My mind entirely at ease regarding you, won’t I? It is a shame that what you can do is but a pitifully tiny part of what I expect. This being the case, how can you have the gall to seek from Me what you hope for?

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What I desire is your loyalty and obedience now, your love and testimony now. Even if you do not know at this moment what testimony is or what love is, you should bring to Me your all, and turn over to Me the only treasures you have: your loyalty and obedience. You should know that the testimony to My defeat of Satan lies within the loyalty and obedience of man, as does the testimony to My complete conquest of man. The duty of your faith in Me is to bear witness to Me, to be loyal to Me and none other, and to be obedient to the end. Before I begin the next step of My work, how will you bear witness to Me? How will you be loyal and obedient to Me? Do you devote all your loyalty to your function, or will you simply give up? Would you rather submit to My every arrangement (even if it be death or destruction), or flee midway to avoid My chastisement? I chastise you so that you will bear witness to Me, and be loyal and obedient to Me. What’s more, the chastisement at present is to unfold the next step of My work and to allow the work to progress unimpeded. Hence, I exhort you to be wise and treat neither your life nor the significance of your existence as worthless sand. Can you know exactly what My work to come will be? Do you know how I will work in the days to come, and how My work will unfold? You should know the significance of your experience of My work, and furthermore, the significance of your faith in Me. I have done so much; how could I give up halfway, as you imagine? I have done such extensive work; how could I destroy it? Indeed, I have come to bring this age to an end. This is true, but moreover you must know that I am to begin a new age, to begin new work, and, most of all, to spread the gospel of the kingdom. So you should know that the present work is only to begin an age and to lay the foundation for spreading the gospel in the time to come and bringing the age to an end in the future. My work is not so simple as you think, nor is it as worthless or meaningless as you may believe. Therefore, I still must say to you: You ought to give your life to My work, and moreover, you ought to devote yourself to My glory. Long have I yearned for you to bear witness to Me, and even longer have I yearned for you to spread My gospel. You ought to understand what is in My heart.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The Twenty Good Deeds That God’s Chosen People Must Prepare:

1. Frequently fellowship on the truth to resolve problems for God’s chosen people in the church life, constantly support those who truly believe in God and help them understand the truth and enter into reality. This is a good deed, and this is real love.

2. If you are not transactional or reward-seeking in doing your duty, you have no other kinds of motives, do not go through the motions, and there are practical results, this is a good deed. Only those who do their duty in this way are truly expending themselves for God.

3. If those who have been wrongly isolated or expelled from the church are found to be good people, strive to help and support them and accept them back into the church. This is a good deed. Receiving brothers and sisters from other places who are seeking the church, and being able to eat and drink the words of God and live the church life together with them is also a good deed.

4. Working your heart out, forgetting to eat and sleep so that God’s chosen people who truly believe in God may understand the truth, enter into reality and grow in life—this is a good deed. This is the reality that those who serve God and are truly considerate of God’s will should possess.

5. Focus on spreading the gospel, bear witness to God’s work of the last days whenever you encounter people who would be suitable to spread the gospel to, and bring more people before God; this is a good deed. If you can gain a few good people with true faith who really pursue the truth, this is even more of a good deed.

6. If you discover that a wicked person commits evil deeds to disrupt the church, and you are able to employ various kinds of wisdom to block and restrict them and use the truth and wisdom to resolve any resulting chaos so that church life can proceed normally, then you have done a good deed.

7. No matter what problems arise in the church, standing by God’s side, safeguarding the work of God, and protecting the life entry of God’s chosen people is a good deed. If you are able to use the truth to resolve problems so that God’s chosen people are able to understand the truth and discern good and evil, that is even more so a good deed.

8. Being able to expose and refute whenever you find out that the wicked are judging, attacking, and resisting the man whom the Holy Spirit uses, and to uphold God’s work, is a good deed. Anyone using the truth to resolve the disruptions of all kinds of wicked people and antichrists and bringing benefit to God’s chosen people is even more of a good deed.

9. Being able to seek the truth to refute and criticize all the various heresies and fallacies based on God’s words when they arise in the church, keeping God’s chosen people free from harm, and helping them achieve edification and growth in life—this is a good deed.

10. If it is found that there is a false leader, an antichrist, or a wicked person trying to establish an independent kingdom and lord it over others in the church, it is a good deed to immediately report such an occurrence, and work together with people who understand the truth to expose that person’s evil deeds and thus save God’s chosen people from being harmed by Satan the devil.

11. If it is discovered that true believers in God who are willing to pursue the truth have been deceived or controlled by false leaders, antichrists or all sorts of satanic forces, it is a good deed to do everything possible to rescue them, to patiently fellowship on the truth so they can forsake darkness for light, escape the hands of the wicked, and truly return to God.

12. When the church is subjected to an adverse environment or someone is captured, then making every effort to protect God’s chosen people, making appropriate arrangements for the money and goods of God’s house, and protecting God’s offerings from falling into the hands of Satan and the great red dragon is a good deed. Those who can succeed in doing this work are people who are truly devoted to God and who safeguard His work.

13. It is a good deed to provide cover for true believers to prevent their arrest and make use of all connections to rescue those brothers and sisters who have been arrested. It is even more of a good deed to employ wisdom to safeguard the church life and protect God’s chosen people.

14. When you see that those brothers and sisters who truly expend themselves for God and pursue the truth encounter hardships and difficulties, it is a good deed to throw everything into seeing them through the storm. It is also a good deed to be able to help leaders and workers who expend themselves for God full time and whose families are in difficulty, allowing them to have clothes to wear and food to eat.

15. It is a good deed if you can try every possible means to receive and help brothers and sisters who are being pursued and are wanted without fear of the dangers or the price you may pay.

16. It is a good deed to organize brothers and sisters who are true believers and pursue the truth to eat and drink the words of God, have fellowship on the truth, and live a church life in tribulations and trials. It is even more of a good deed to support the weak brothers and sisters to understand the truth and stand witness through trials and disasters.

17. Exposing and reporting evil people who steal offerings and embezzle the property of God’s house, and recovering those offerings in a timely manner, is a good deed. Protecting God’s offerings from falling into the hands of the wicked and being embezzled by people with ulterior motives is also a good deed.

18. It is a good deed to spare no effort to coordinate in the implementation of work arrangements from the man used by the Holy Spirit as well as to resolve all kinds of practical problems of the church and God’s chosen people, and to do a great deal of practical work in order to safeguard God’s work and bring God’s chosen people onto the right track of faith.

19. Actively cooperating with the leading and shepherding of the man used by the Holy Spirit, launching a life-and-death battle with false leaders and antichrists for the sake of bringing God’s chosen people onto the right track of believing in God, paying a great price to safeguard God’s work and achieving results—this is a good deed.

20. Being able to discern, determine, and expose false leaders and antichrists according to the work arrangements and the truth, persuading those people to resign, and protecting God’s chosen people from being harmed by them, is a good deed. Helping and protecting those leaders and workers who have transgressions, but are capable of genuine repentance and possess relatively good humanity so that they can continue to do their duty is also a good deed.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

85. The Principles of Offering Donations and Alms

(1) The church absolutely forbids any person from soliciting donations for any reason. Any who do so have ulterior motives, and should be exposed and reported;

(2) New believers who do not understand the truth are forbidden from offering donations. Only those with true faith in God may donate;

(3) When God’s chosen people offer donations or alms, they must undertake repeated prayer until they are willing and eager and able to make donations or give alms without ever having any regrets or seeking anything in return. Only these will be remembered by God;

(4) Alms should be targeted accurately. It hews closer to God’s will to donate mainly to brothers and sisters who have been expending themselves for God for a long time and are suffering financial hardship;

(5) Money and goods donated to God should be given to the church for safekeeping. One may also look after them oneself, or they may be handed to someone else who truly loves God, for safekeeping.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when you do your alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does: That your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret Himself shall reward you openly” (Mat 6:1–4).

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The Principles of the Giving of Offerings and Alms by God’s Chosen People

God’s salvation of mankind is not only by the expression of words. It also involves a large volume of work, such as spreading the gospel, watering the churches, audiovisual projects, artistic projects, and textual work. This work requires a significant amount of human, material and financial resources, thus all God’s chosen people should offer themselves up, expend themselves for God, and perform the duties and obligations of God’s creatures for the sake of the work of spreading the kingdom gospel. Only then will they be after God’s heart. All that is enjoyed by man is given by God, so God’s chosen people should donate a portion of all money they earn to be used in spreading the gospel work. This is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth, and is a bounden obligation. If people have donated nothing after several years of believing in God, this shows that they lack true faith, and that they do not understand the truth, have no conscience or sense, and are unfit to live before God. Therefore, everyone who believes in God should contribute their share to the work of God. The means by which one contributes should be determined according to one’s own understanding. Some people are committed to donating ten percent of everything they earn; some dedicate their whole being to God and expend themselves for God. Regardless of how they contribute, as long as they do so gladly, it shall be approved by God. Each church should set up an offerings box so that those who truly believe in God and have true faith in God can give voluntarily. The house of God stipulates that offerings given by God’s chosen people are determined based on the individual’s faith; as long as these contributions come after much prayer, are given willingly, and the person does not ask for anything in return, they are entirely after God’s heart. However, new believers who do not understand the truth and the poor do not need to make offerings. The church does not accept offerings made zealously by new believers or offerings that are likely to lead to family disputes. Moreover, the church does not permit anyone to solicit offerings for any reason. All who try to solicit offerings have ulterior motives and should be exposed and reported. All of God’s chosen people must understand that the offerings they donate are given to God, not to any church or individual. Donating to a church or individual is absolutely wrong. God’s chosen people should donate upon the foundation of an understanding of the significance and principles of giving offerings; only by doing this will they be remembered and blessed by God.

During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me” (Mat 25:40). Alms given in love to help brothers and sisters who earnestly make sacrifices and expend themselves for God and who are experiencing financial hardship in their lives are good deeds, and doing so accords entirely with God’s words. Certain people, however, only buy expensive items for leaders. Such gifts are not alms given out of love; they are nothing but a sycophantic philosophy of living that is tainted with personal motivations and aims, and they are not remembered by God. Almsgiving must be governed by principles and directed to the right recipients. Alms must not be given to the wicked, false leaders, or antichrists; to do so is facilitating evil, and it is evildoing, pure and simple. To truly give alms out of love means giving to those who sincerely expend themselves for God, who are able to provide for, water, and support God’s chosen people, and who make the greatest contribution to the work of the church and the growth of the chosen people’s lives. Giving alms to such people—people who are beloved of God and blessed by God—is entirely after God’s heart. Giving alms or gifts in order to curry favor with a certain person and achieve one’s personal aims is utterly at odds with the truth principle. Leaders and workers have an even greater obligation to consider the work of the house of God, perform their duty properly, accept God’s scrutiny, and not covet the blessings of status. It is the responsibility of all of God’s chosen people to supervise them in this regard.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Any donations of funds or materials by God’s chosen people must be done in accordance with the principles. First, they cannot make donations until they have been a believer for one or two years and have come to understand some truths. Second, it must be genuine and they must have already prayed about it multiple times; there cannot be any element of reluctance. If it’s a large amount of money, they have to write a letter of guarantee declaring the source of the funds and whether there is any possible clandestine danger or risk, that they are donating willingly and will not regret it. Only then can the church accept it. The church cannot accept donations from new believers who don’t understand the truth but are merely enthusiastic. In the past, there have been leaders and workers who have called on God’s chosen people to make donations—this is even further out of line with God’s will. This sort of thing is all too common in the religious world; in the house of God, no leader or worker is permitted to appeal to people to do a duty or to donate. If a false leader such as this appears, God’s chosen people should expose and report them. In addition, all donations given to God by His chosen people are offerings that belong to God; they do not belong to any individual or to any church. The church is not a charitable organization, so it cannot use God’s offerings as alms to give to the poor. God’s offerings are primarily used to expand the work of the gospel and for the necessary living expenses of those who do their duty full time. Anyone who violates the principles by privately misappropriating God’s offerings is a Judas guilty of stealing offerings, and they must be dealt with harshly. In serious cases, they must be purged, expelled. Anyone who loses offerings or uses them inappropriately, causing loss to the house of God, must provide equivalent compensation.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

86. The Principles of How to Treat Offerings to God

(1) The money and goods of God’s house, including all of its property, are offerings to God from His chosen people, and belong to no church or person;

(2) No one has the right to partake of offerings to God except for God and the priest. Any person who steals from them is a Judas, and must be punished;

(3) Offerings donated to God are to be arranged, transferred, and controlled by Him and the man used by the Holy Spirit, and no one may interfere with them or move them at will;

(4) One who causes a loss of offerings through their careless, perfunctory performance of duty, or their failure to act in line with the principles, should offer discretionary restitution, according to the truth principle;

(5) One who grossly misappropriates or steals offerings must be made to pay for what they took; if they refuse to do so, punitive retribution may be implemented.

Relevant Words of God:

The money, material objects, and all property in God’s household are the offerings that should be given by man. These offerings may be enjoyed by none but the priest and God, for the offerings of man are for the enjoyment of God. God only shares these offerings with the priest; no one else is qualified or entitled to enjoy any part of them. All of man’s offerings (including money and material things that can be enjoyed) are given to God, not to man, and so these things should not be enjoyed by man; if man were to enjoy them, then he would be stealing offerings. Anyone who does this is a Judas, for, in addition to being a traitor, Judas also helped himself to what was put in the money bag.

Excerpted from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is an offering? An offering is something a person devotes to God; it belongs to man no longer, but to God. Whatever is devoted to God—be it money or material things, and whatever its value—belongs entirely to God, and is not at man’s disposal, nor is it his to use. How might God’s offerings be conceptualized? Only God may dispose of that which belongs to Him, and, prior to obtaining His approval, none may disturb those things or make any plans for them. There are those who say, “If God isn’t using something, why doesn’t He let us use it? If it were to go bad after a while, wouldn’t that be a shame?” No, not even then; this is a principle. Offerings are things that belong to God, not to man; big or small, and whether or not they are valuable, once man has devoted them to God, their essence has changed, regardless of whether God wants them. Once a thing has become an offering, it is among the possessions of the Creator and at His disposal. What does one’s view of offerings involve? It involves one’s attitude toward God. If a person’s attitude toward God is one of impertinence and disdain, and of insouciance, then that person’s attitude toward all the things God owns will certainly be likewise. There are some who say, “Some offerings have no one looking after them. Doesn’t that mean they belong to whoever is in possession of them? Whether or not anyone knows it, it’s ‘finders, keepers’; whoever gets his hands on those things is their owner.” What do you think of that view? Quite clearly, it is incorrect. What is God’s attitude toward offerings? No matter what is offered, and whether or not He accepts it, once something has been designated as an offering, any person with further designs on it may wind up “stepping on a landmine.” What does this mean? (It means offending God’s disposition.) You all share this concept. Thus, what does this matter tell people? It tells them that God’s disposition brooks no offenses by humans, and that they are not to fiddle with His things. God’s offerings, for instance—if a person were to take them as his own, or to waste and squander them, then he would be liable to offend God’s disposition and be punished. Nevertheless, God’s fury has its principles; it is not as people imagine it, with God lashing out at anyone who makes a mistake. People must treat God’s offerings with caution, and the only way to be sure not to offend God’s disposition is to have reverence for Him.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (3)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

On the subject of offerings, the Bible records that in earliest times, God asked man to give the tithe to God as an offering. Whether the amount was great or small, and regardless of what exactly the offering was—be it money or physical items—as long as it was one tenth of people’s income, it was bona fide offering. This was what God asked of man, it was what believers in God were supposed to offer to God. This one tenth tithe is one kind of offering. Some people ask, “Can the one tenth only be money?” Not necessarily. For example, if a person harvests ten acres of grain, then regardless of the yield, one acre’s worth of this grain should ultimately be given to God; this one tenth is the tithe. Thus, the “one tenth” does not just refer to money—it does not just mean that when one earns a thousand dollars, they must give God a hundred, but to people’s income, which covers much more—material things, financial assets. This is all mentioned in the Bible. Of course, the house of God is not as strict as the Bible in requiring that people give one-tenth of their income; here I am merely fellowshiping and raising awareness of the concept and definition of the “one tenth” so that people are aware that the one tenth tithe is one kind of offering. The intention is not to call upon people to donate one tenth; donations should be based on people’s personal interpretation and inclination, and the house of God does not ask for anything more.

Another kind of offering are the things that people give to God. Broadly speaking, this of course includes the one tenth tithe; specifically, in addition to the one tenth tithe, anything that people give to God also falls into the category of an “offering.” Offerings to God include many things, for example food, equipment, daily necessities, health supplements, as well as the sheep that were offered on the altar in the Old Testament. These are all offerings. It depends on the intent of the offerer; if the offerer says this thing is offered to God, then regardless of whether it is given directly to God or placed in the custody of the house of God, it falls into the category of an offering, and may not be touched by people. … The objects that are given to God cover a broad category of things, for people live in a material world, and in addition to money, gold, silver, and jewelry, there is much that they consider good, and valuable. There are people who, when they think of God, when there is born in them the true love of God, or they long for God in their hearts, gladly give that which they consider precious and valuable to God. When these things are given to God, they are categorized as offerings; they become offerings. At the same time as becoming offerings, they are now handled by God; people can’t touch them, they are not under the control of people, they do not belong to people. Once you have offered it to God, this thing belongs to God, not you; it is no longer any of your concern. Regardless of how it is handled or treated by God, it is no longer connected to man. Objects given to God are also a kind of offering. Some people ask, “Can only money and precious metals and jewelry be offerings? Say someone gave God a pair of socks or shoes, or even some insoles or a handkerchief—do they count as offerings?” According to the definition above, no matter how great or small, how precious or cheap, an object is, as long as it is given to God—even if it is a pen or a piece of paper—it is an offering.

There is another kind of offering which are objects given to the house of God or churches, and they also fall into the category of offerings. What do such objects include? Say, for example, someone bought a car, and after driving it for a while felt it had gotten a little old, so bought another one, and gave the old one to the house of God, in order that the house of God could use it in its work; the car now belonged to God’s house. It is right that things that belong to the house of God should be classed as offerings. Of course, not just equipment is given to the churches and the house of God, but other things, too; this category is fairly large. Some people say, “The one tenth tithe is a kind of offering, as are the money and objects given to God; people have no objection to these being classed as offerings, there’s nothing questionable about this. But why do the things given to the churches and the house of God also count as offerings? That doesn’t make much sense.” What say you, does it make sense for them to be classed as offerings? (Yes.) And why do you say that? (It is only because of God that there are churches, and so what is given to the churches are also offerings to God.) Well said. The churches and the house of God are of God; it is only because there is a God that there is the house of God and the churches; it is only because there are the churches that there is somewhere for the brothers and sisters to assemble and live; and it is only because there is the house of God that all of the brothers and sisters’ problems have somewhere to be solved, and the brothers and sisters have a true home—all of this only exists on the foundation of God’s existence. People don’t just give to the churches and to the house of God because the people in the churches believe in God and are of the house of God—that is not the right reason. It is because of God that people donate to the churches and to the house of God. And what is the subtext? Who would casually give things to the church if not because of God? Without God, the churches would not exist. When people have things that they don’t use or that are surplus to requirements, they could throw them away or put them in storage. Some items could be sold, too. These are all ways of dealing with them, right? So why don’t they deal with them thus—why give them to the churches? Is it not because of God? (Yes.) It is because there is a God that people give to the churches, and so anything that is given to the churches or the house of God should be classed as an offering. Some people say, “I give this thing of mine to the church.” Giving to the churches is equivalent to giving to God, and the churches and the house of God have full authority over the handling of such things. When you give it to the church, the object loses any connection to you; the house of God and the churches will properly distribute, use, and handle these objects according to principles defined by the house of God. And where do these principles come from? From God. Basically, the principle for the use of these objects is that they should be used for the sake of God’s management plan, and for the sake of spreading the work of God. They are not for the exclusive use of any individual, much less any group, but relate to the work of spreading the gospel and the various work of the house of God. So no one has a special right to use these things; the only principle and basis for their use and distribution is according to the principles required by the house of God, which is reasonable and proper.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (12)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Once they understand the definition and concept of offerings, leaders and workers should have a clear grasp of the offerings that people donate; they should stay on top of them, and should first find someone trustworthy and of acceptable humanity to serve as a custodian. This person may be of average caliber and incapable of being a leader or worker, but they are dependable, and will not misappropriate anything; while the offerings are in their hands, they will not be lost or mixed up. There are rules for this work in the work arrangements: Only people who are trustworthy and of acceptable humanity should be found. Those who are of poor humanity covet nice things as soon as they see them, they are obsessed with having them for their own use, they constantly adopt underhand tactics, having theft in mind, and constantly try to create a false image, looking for the chance to take these things for themselves. Such people must not be used. At the very least, when things or money are handed over to them for safekeeping, people must be conscientious and painstaking in their care of them, with a heart that fears God; they must not expropriate things, or lend them to anyone. In sum, you can rest easy after leaving the offerings in their hands; not a cent will go missing, not a single thing will be misplaced. This is the kind of person that should be found. In addition, the house of God has a rule that not just one of such people should be found, but preferably two or three, so that there are people for recordkeeping and custodianship of offerings. Once people have been found, offerings must be classified, with whoever is suitable for a certain type of item given custodianship, and the items and financial assets systematically recorded, with records and accounts for how many things each person is looking after. And once suitable people have been found to categorize and record offerings, is that the end? (No.) So what should be done next? After a period of time, leaders and workers should observe incomings and outgoings, how much is going out and coming in, whether the books are balancing, whether the person keeping records is doing so accurately, whether they are missing anything out, whether the total balances with incomings and outgoings, and so on—all work in the area of finance and accounting has to be done scrupulously. If leaders and workers are not overly proficient in such work, someone with professional experience should be arranged to do this, then leaders and workers should regularly check up on things and receive reports. In sum, whether or not you understand financial and accounting issues or coordination work, you cannot wash your hands of this work or turn a blind eye to it and simply not get involved; instead, you must regularly check up on it, asking about reconciling accounts, whether they balance, then randomly selecting the incomings and outgoings for items of expenditure, looking at spending for this period, whether there has been any waste, whether the accounts can be balanced, how well the books are being kept. Whether by looking at the books or through oral reports, leaders and workers should stay on top of all of this.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (12)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The most direct manifestation of a person’s attitude toward God is their attitude toward offerings. Whatever your attitude toward offerings, that is your attitude toward God. If you treat offerings like you treat your own bank account, being meticulous, painstaking, rigorous, responsible, and diligent, then you have a pretty good attitude toward God. If you treat offerings like a public asset, like produce in a vegetable market, favoring the things that you want, that you wish to own, and disregarding whatever doesn’t belong to you, not caring where it is placed or heaped, heedless of who takes it, pretending not to see—as if it has nothing to do with you—when it falls on the ground and someone steps on it, then you’re trouble. When you have this kind of attitude toward offerings, are you someone with a sense of responsibility? Can people like this perform their duty properly? It’s not hard to imagine what your humanity is like. In sum, in addition to safekeeping, leaders and workers’ chief responsibility when it comes to this work and the treatment of offerings is follow-up work, which is even more important. While safekeeping, you must audit the books, and track, look into, and check up on expenditure, keeping a close eye on it, putting a stop to unreasonable expenditure before it leads to squandering or waste, holding people to account when waste and squandering do occur, and even issuing warnings and demanding compensation. If you can’t even do this work properly, then go ahead and step down—you shouldn’t be in the role of leader, because you can’t do this work. … If you can’t even do such simple work as this, then as a leader, as a keeper of the house of God, what can you do? All about, offerings are wasted and squandered—but you, a leader, feel nothing, it doesn’t pain you in the slightest. Is God in your heart? Does God have a place in your heart? This is questionable. You say you have a great love of God, that you fear God, but you feel nothing when people squander and waste God’s offerings, it doesn’t pain you in the slightest—so is your love and fear of God not questionable? Even your faith is questionable, to say nothing of your love and fear of God, which are simply baseless, unsupported. Is this work the responsibility that should be fulfilled by leaders and workers? (Yes.) Doing this job well is the responsibility of leaders and workers—it is the obligatory responsibility of leaders and workers.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (12)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Everything that involves the arbitrary use of sacrifices, the improper consumption and expenditure of sacrifices, invariably concerns administrative decrees, and is of the nature of an offense against them. There are some who, in managing church property, may say: “The property of the church is just sitting there. Nowadays, banks have all kinds of investment programs, such as high-interest loans, stocks, and funds, all giving a good rate of interest. If we take this money from the church and invest it, we could earn a bit of interest. Wouldn’t this bring benefit to God’s house?” Without discussing it, without getting the agreement of anyone from the church, they take it upon themselves to lend out the money. What is the purpose of doing that? To put it nicely, this is earning some interest for God’s house, taking thought for God’s house; but in actual fact, they are harboring a selfish motive. They want to lend the money without anyone knowing and then, in the end, return the principal amount to God’s house while keeping the interest for themselves. Wouldn’t this be a case of harboring a disloyal intention? This is called lending out money. Can lending out money be considered the proper use of sacrifices? (No, it cannot.) There are others who say: “God loves mankind, God’s house is warm. Sometimes, when our brothers and sisters are short of money, can’t we lend God’s offerings to them?” Some people will then take it upon themselves to make a decision, and there may even be antichrists who appeal to and incite the brothers and sisters, saying: “God loves mankind, God gives life, gives everything to man, so it wouldn’t be a big deal to lend some money, would it? Lending money to our brothers and sisters to tide them over in times of urgent need, to help them through the difficulties in their lives, isn’t that God’s will? If God loves mankind, how can people not love each other? Go on, lend them some money!” The great majority of ignorant people, hearing this, will say: “Sure, if you say so. In any case, the money came from everyone in the first place, so let’s just call this a case of all for one.” And so, with one person mouthing fine words on the one hand and a bunch of bootlickers sucking up to him on the other, out the money goes in the end. Now can you honestly say this money counts as having been offered up to God? If it does count, then the money already belongs to God and has now been sanctified, and so it would only be proper to use it according to the principles that God has put in place. If you say that it doesn’t count, if the money that you offer doesn’t count, then what is it that you have offered? Is it a prank? Are you playing a joke on God and deceiving Him? Having put the things that you want to sacrifice upon the altar, you start to begrudge them, thinking: There they are and God isn’t even using them, and it looks like He doesn’t have a use for them after all. But now you have a need for them, and so you take them and use them yourself. Or maybe you offered up too much and, regretting it afterward, you took some of it back. Or maybe you weren’t thinking clearly when you made the offering, and now you’ve discovered a use for it, so you are taking it back. What kind of behavior is that? This money and these things: once a person has offered them up to God, it is the same as presenting them on the altar, and things that have been presented on the altar are offerings. Be it no more than a stone, or a grain of sand, a steamed bun, or a cup of water, as long as you have placed it on the altar, this object belongs to God, not to man, and no human is to touch it anymore, whether or not you covet it for yourself or think you have a legitimate use for it; no human has a right to it anymore. There are some who say: “Doesn’t God love mankind? What of it if He lets mankind have a share? Right now, You’re not thirsty and You don’t need water, but I’m thirsty, so why can’t I have a drink?” But then you’ve got to see whether or not God is in agreement. If God agrees, this proves that He has given you the right and that you have the right to make use of it; but if God doesn’t agree, then you have no right to use it. In a situation where you do not have the right, where God has not given you the right, using something that belongs to God would be violating a taboo, which is what God abominates most of all.

People are always saying that God doesn’t tolerate offenses from man, but they have never understood what God’s disposition is really like, and which of the things they do is most likely to offend Him. In the matter of God’s sacrifices, a lot of people have them constantly in mind, wanting to use them or distribute them as they please, to make use of them according to their own will, to possess or even to squander them; but I tell you, you’re finished, you deserve death! Such is the disposition of God. These are God’s things, which He does not allow anyone to touch. Such is the dignity of God. There is only one situation in which people are given the right by God to use them, and that is their proper use according to church regulations and the principles governing their usage. Staying within these limits is acceptable to God, but straying outside these limits would be an offense against God’s disposition, against the administrative decrees. It is as strict as that, leaving no room for negotiation, and there is no alternative way. Therefore, those who do such things as squander, misappropriate or lend offerings are regarded as antichrists in the eyes of God. Why are they treated with such severity as to be deemed antichrists? If one who believes in God can go so far as to dare to touch, or use, or squander at will objects that belong to God and that have been sanctified, then such a person is God’s enemy. Only God’s enemies would hold such an attitude toward His objects; no ordinary corrupt person would do this, not even an animal would do this, only God’s enemies, Satan, and the great red dragon, would do this. Is this putting it too strongly? No, this is principle! Such is the dignity of God!

Excerpted from “They Control Church Finances As Well As Controlling People’s Hearts” in Exposing Antichrists

When someone offers an object to God, you must not get any ideas into your head. Whatever the object may be, whether or not it is valuable, whether you have a use for it or not, whether it is precious or not—you must not get any ideas about it. Go out and earn money if you’ve got the ability—earn as much as you like, no one will hinder you, but you absolutely must not get any ideas about the object being sacrificed to God. This much vigilance is something you should have; this much sense is something you should have. The above is one tenet. Another tenet is that whosoever engages in squandering, misappropriation, lending out, defrauding, and theft of sacrifices is looked upon as a person like Judas. People who have carried out these sorts of acts and practices have already offended against God’s disposition, and God will not save them, and you must not entertain any hopes of it being otherwise. I have put it like this and God will bring these things to pass. This is foreordained, and there is no room for negotiation. Some people will say: “There is a background to my misappropriation: I was young and ignorant when I was profligate with money, but I didn’t embezzle too much, just ten or twenty, thirty or fifty.” But it’s not about how much; the fact is that when you do these things, the object of your actions is God, you have touched God’s things, and it is wrong of you to have touched them. God’s things are not common property, they do not belong to everyone, they do not belong to the church, they do not belong to God’s house: They belong to God, and you must not get these distinctions mixed up. God doesn’t consider it to be, nor has He told you, that: “My things, My sacrifices are to be given into the possession of the church, to be distributed by the church. They are the collective property of the brothers and sisters of the church, and whoever wants to use them just needs to present a request and make a record.” God did not say this. So, what did God say? Something sacrificed to God is an object belonging to God, and once this object has been presented on the altar, it belongs to God once and for all, and henceforth no human has the right to make unauthorized use of it. Your calculations, appropriations, cheating, stealing, lending, and squandering—all these actions are condemned as offenses against God’s disposition, as the actions of the antichrists, and are tantamount to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, for which God will never forgive you. Such is the dignity of God, and mankind must not fail to respect it. Things that you have got from robbing banks, plunder, or theft can get you sentenced to one or two years or three or five years, and once you have served your time, you will no longer be guilty of any crime. But when you take and use God’s things, God’s sacrifices, this is a sin that in God’s eyes is permanent, a sin that cannot be forgiven.

Excerpted from “They Control Church Finances As Well As Controlling People’s Hearts” in Exposing Antichrists

You stinking little worms steal offerings from the altar of Me, Jehovah; in doing so, can you rescue your ruined, failed reputation and become the chosen people of Israel? You are shameless wretches! Those sacrifices on the altar were offered up to Me by people, as an expression of benevolent feelings from those who revere Me. They are for My control and for My use, so how can you possibly rob Me of the little turtledoves people have given Me? Do you not fear becoming a Judas? Are you not afraid that your land might become a field of blood? You shameless thing! Do you think that the turtledoves offered up by people are to nourish the belly of you maggot? What I have given you is what I am content and willing to give you; what I have not given you is at My disposal. You may not simply steal My offerings. The One who works is Me, Jehovah—the Lord of creation—and people offer sacrifices because of Me. Do you think this is recompense for all the running about you do? You really are shameless! Who do you run about for? Is it not for yourself? Why do you steal My sacrifices? Why do you steal money from My money bag? Are you not the son of Judas Iscariot? The sacrifices to Me, Jehovah, are to be enjoyed by priests. Are you a priest? You dare to smugly eat My sacrifices, and even lay them out on the table; you are worth nothing! You worthless wretch! My fire, the fire of Jehovah, will incinerate you!

Excerpted from “When Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots, You Will Regret All the Evil You Have Done” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I have worked and spoken in this way among you, I have expended so much energy and effort, yet when have you ever listened to what I plainly tell you? Where have you bowed down to Me, the Almighty? Why do you treat Me like this? Why does everything you say and do provoke My anger? Why are your hearts so hard? Have I ever struck you down? Why do you do nothing but make Me sorrowful and anxious? Are you waiting for the day of wrath of Me, Jehovah, to come upon you? Are you waiting for Me to send forth the anger provoked by your disobedience? Is everything I do not for you? Yet always have you treated Me, Jehovah, in this way: stealing My sacrifices, taking the offerings of My altar home to the wolf’s lair to feed the cubs and the cubs of the cubs; people fight against each other, facing one another with angry glares and swords and spears, tossing the words of Me, the Almighty, into the latrine to become as filthy as excrement. Where is your integrity? Your humanity has become beastliness! Your hearts have long since turned to stone. Do you not know that the time when My day of wrath arrives will be the time when I judge the evil you commit against Me, the Almighty, today? Do you think that by fooling Me in this way, by casting My words into the mire and not listening to them—do you think that by acting like this behind My back you can escape My wrathful gaze? Do you not know that you were already seen by the eyes of Me, Jehovah, when you stole My sacrifices and coveted My possessions? Do you not know that when you stole My sacrifices, you did so before the altar to which sacrifices are offered? How could you believe yourselves clever enough to deceive Me in this way? How could My wrath depart from your heinous sins? How could My raging fury pass over your evil doings? The evil that you commit today does not open a way out for you, but stores up chastisement for your tomorrow; it provokes the chastisement of Me, the Almighty, toward you.

Excerpted from “No One Who Is of the Flesh Can Escape the Day of Wrath” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The Principles of the Supervision of Offerings to the House of God

All offerings given by believers to God are the exclusive property of God and do not belong to any church or individual. Certain funds and property may be provided for use in the work of the churches, but they still belong to the house of God, and must be allocated centrally by God’s house; they can be used by anybody who needs them, but they must not be misused. Due to the extent of mankind’s corruption, many people are in love with money and blind to anything but their own interests. As such, it is vital for the house of God to establish a strict system for the supervision of offerings. To this end, God’s house expressly stipulates that each church must select three suitable individuals to supervise church offerings. Leaders, workers, and God’s chosen people all reserve the right to supervise church offerings. Investigating and handling any issues with offerings is the responsibility of the church leaders. Cooperation in said investigations should be provided by God’s chosen people. They must not turn a blind eye to such matters, and will be considered equally guilty if they do so. Below are specific details of the principles for the supervision of church offerings:

1. Each church must set up an offerings box. Regardless of the timing or the amount, offerings are not subject to any stipulations and are made freely. Three individuals must be selected to assume joint responsibility for the safekeeping of offerings. Withdrawal and use of funds must be made in strict accordance with accounting rules, and the selected three individuals must ensure the clarity of accounts and regularly report to the church’s leaders.

2. In each church, offerings must be supervised by three people: one to act as cashier, and two to carry out bookkeeping. The management of offerings and accounts must not be carried out by one person alone.

3. If someone is discovered to be unsuitable for safeguarding offerings, they must be promptly replaced. Where the appointment of unsuitable persons leads to the loss of church offerings, the church leaders must be held accountable.

4. Church finances must be managed and used in strict accordance with accounting rules. When church leaders entrust offerings to a custodian, a receipt in triplicate must be created for the actual amount as proof that the funds have been entrusted to the custodian. Custodians must not merely write a chit, but must produce a proof of receipt of funds for the payer. The movement or transferal of offerings by leaders at any level must be witnessed by two or three leaders and workers and accompanied by written evidence, to prevent theft by false leaders and antichrists. Where church work requires money, funds must be withdrawn by two or three people; they must not be withdrawn by one person alone. If the custodian is not acquainted with at least one of the withdrawees, the withdrawal must be blocked and cannot be released. On every occasion that funds are withdrawn, each withdrawee must personally write a guarantee that includes the date of withdrawal, monetary amount, intended use, and the withdrawee’s signature. A triplicate receipt must also be created as an accounting record, with one copy going to each person involved.

5. All income and expenditure of church offerings must be recorded in duplicate, with a copy given each to the two bookkeepers. All accounts handled by bookkeepers must be clearly kept and must be checked on a spontaneous or monthly basis by leaders, who should verify that income and expenditure of offerings are handled according to the principles, so that issues can be promptly identified and addressed. When leaders and workers are replaced, or reassigned due to the exigencies of work, accounts must be gone through clearly during the handover to prevent people with ulterior motives from having the opportunity to embezzle or misappropriate church offerings.

6. Offerings given by God’s chosen people must be placed in the offerings box. In the absence of an offerings box, the offering must be personally handed to the church’s two leaders. Offerings must not be given to one leader alone. No one leader or worker alone is permitted to receive an offering from a brother or sister; a minimum of two people is required. Upon receipt of the offering, the leaders and workers must produce a triplicate proof of receipt recording the monetary amount written in both numbers and letters, the date of receipt, and spiritual names of the offering’s handlers. The handlers each keep one copy. Moreover, the leaders and workers must provide the brother or sister who made the offering with a slip proving that the offering has been given to the house of God.

7. All offerings kept by a church to be handed over to the upper level must be jointly handled by two people. The offering must not be taken by one person alone. Specially assigned personnel must deliver the offering to the designated location and should not pass through or linger at potentially dangerous places. People who are avaricious, money-grubbing, and who are apt to take unfair advantage, or whose family owe money, must not be allowed to collect or send offerings or handle any matters for the house of God involving the expenditure of offerings (such as procurement for the church, etc.).

8. All who collect and send offerings, or have cause to use offerings, must truthfully write clear itemized accounts and an expenditure list and promptly verify the accounts. Anyone who is unwilling to voluntarily verify the accounts should be considered suspicious. Anyone who is discovered to have falsified accounts is to be dealt with strictly and must be kept away from offerings thereafter. In serious cases, they should be purged or expelled.

9. The custodians of offerings must abide by the principles and be completely faithful to God in the matter of offerings. If leaders are discovered to have deviated from the principles when withdrawing funds, custodians must request that they follow the principles. If the leaders ignore this advice and insist on withdrawing offerings, custodians have the right to refuse to process the withdrawal until they have asked for verification from the upper level. If it is discovered that leaders and workers deviated from the principles in withdrawing funds and the custodians did not refuse to process the withdrawal—if they obeyed unquestioningly, and blindly handed over the money—this is a serious contravention of the principles and total abnegation of responsibility. In nature, such custodians are no different from Judas, and they must be replaced or purged. If custodians do not follow the principles and allow Satan the devil to take advantage of them, leading to the loss of church offerings, they must compensate said loss unconditionally; if they refuse to make recompense, they can be purged or expelled.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

The chosen people’s offerings to God are the exclusive property of God; they do not belong to any individual or church and they are all allocated to and used by the house of God. Any misappropriation, lending, or embezzlement of offerings is considered theft. God’s disposition brooks no offense. All who steal offerings are Judases, they are grievous sinners who must be punished by God. Such people are bound to be eliminated. They must be punished by the house of God and their misdeeds put on record and made public to all. Protecting God’s offerings is of primary importance. Without well-formulated principles for the supervision of funds and the punishment of wrongdoing, Satan the devil will inevitably exploit loopholes. To this end, the house of God must adopt strict measures toward those who steal, embezzle, or cause loss to offerings. Specific methods for handling such matters are as follows:

1. For all who steal or embezzle offerings to God, if the amount involved is small, they show repentance, and promptly provide reimbursement, they will be given a single demerit. Thereafter, however, they will only be permitted to lead the church life, and are not permitted to act as leaders or workers or to undertake important commissions.

2. For all who steal and embezzle offerings to God, show no repentance, and refuse to provide reimbursement, the church must take all steps to recoup the offerings, after which the individuals concerned must be expelled from the church.

3. Where offerings are damaged or lost by a custodian, if the amount is small and the person shows repentance, they are to be given a single demerit. If the amount is large, and they show no repentance, then they are to be expelled from the church. However, regardless of whether the amount of offerings damaged or lost is great or small, it must be reimbursed within a limited time period. Should the person refuse to reimburse the amount, the church must adopt any and all measures to recover it.

4. If offerings are lost due to natural or man-made disasters, such as fire, theft, or other unforeseeable events, demerit and reimbursement will only be waived if there are multiple people to prove that the incident was unavoidable. Should the custodian fail to take subjective preventive measures into account and fails to properly store and keep offerings, and a fire or theft etc. occurs, then such a loss is caused by irresponsibility, and the amount lost must be reimbursed in full. The custodian will also be issued a demerit and prohibited from safeguarding offerings in the future.

5. If the selection of custodians is not handled according to principle and leads to the embezzlement or loss of offerings, the leaders at that level must be held accountable. At the very least, said leaders are to be issued a demerit; if the offerings cannot be recovered, the leaders are to reimburse half the amount. This is fair and reasonable. Leaders are not detached from custodians’ mishandling of offerings; the leaders must be held accountable. If the leaders wholly refuse to accept responsibility, they must be replaced. In serious cases, where a large amount of offerings has been lost, they must repay the amount in full and be expelled.

6. If any leader is remiss or reckless in their supervision of offerings, or they use offerings to conduct transactions and entrust them to unreliable individuals, then they must be held accountable, their positions as leaders must be annulled, and their eligibility to stand as a candidate for election removed. They must repay any losses in full, and in serious cases they must be expelled from the church.

7. If, upon discovering a risk to church offerings, leaders, deacons, or custodians do not take timely action, and significant economic loss is caused to the house of God as a result, the persons involved must be held accountable and said losses reimbursed in full. Such false leaders, false workers, and other such people who betray God must be replaced or expelled.

8. All leaders, workers, and custodians who supervise offerings must be faithful in their duties and loyal to God. Under no circumstances must they embezzle offerings, sell out God’s offerings, or use them to conduct transactions. Anyone who sells out God’s offerings is as guilty as Judas, and shall be cursed. They must also be expelled from the church.

Above are the eight principles for dealing with incidents involving church offerings. They must be strictly followed and implemented by leaders and workers at all levels. No matter who they are, anyone who causes a serious incident involving church offerings must be severely dealt with.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

87. The Principles of Cooperating With the Work of Leaders

(1) As long as leaders or workers can work according to work arrangements from the Above, and use the truth to resolve problems, they should be accepted and obeyed;

(2) When leaders or workers encounter difficulties in the course of their work, God’s chosen people should give them help and support, and safeguard the work of God’s house with one mind and spirit;

(3) One should be able to identify when a leader or worker is violating the work arrangements and, instead, working as they wish. Do not obey them blindly, but turn their course with loving fellowship;

(4) If a leader or worker is falsely accused and attacked by evil people, one should stand up and expose those people, safeguard the work of God’s house, and protect the leader or worker.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

All the leaders and workers in the house of God have been selected from within the church. They have shouldered the burden of leading and watering the church, as well as the work of spreading the gospel. The duty they perform in the house of God is also to accomplish what God has entrusted them with, so that God’s will may be carried out. Everyone should provide them with support and cooperation for their work. Should they be found to have some shortcoming or that they have deviated in their work, one may fellowship with them and help them, or else prune and deal with them; one absolutely should not adopt a hostile attitude toward them. However, there are some people who cannot treat leaders and workers appropriately. They find fault with them, and even belittle them, speak cuttingly, exclude them, and attack them. This is the revealing of their arrogant disposition. There are some people who even use rejection and hostility in their approach to leaders and workers. These tactics disrupt God’s work, and these are behaviors of resisting and betraying God. This is purely doing evil. God’s chosen people should all have discernment regarding the practices of that kind of person; they are terribly arrogant. When performing their duty, it is inevitable that leaders and workers will reveal some adulteration or something of a corrupt disposition. This is a perfectly normal thing. As long as their work is advantageous for the church work, as long as it is beneficial and edifying for other brothers and sisters, then anyone who has a conscience and reason should support and cooperate with them. If leaders and workers do things that do not benefit the work of God’s house or are not in line with the truth, then we must fellowship about the truth with them so that they may let go of that practice. This is upholding God’s work, and it is being both loving and helpful to them. This is the attitude one should have toward leaders and workers. On the one hand we provide support and cooperation, and on the other hand we can resolve issues by fellowshiping about the truth. This is beneficial overall, and only this kind of practice is in line with God’s will. All people must have an upright attitude toward leaders and workers, and focus on being considerate of God’s will and upholding His work. Any previous incorrect attitudes or viewpoints should be immediately remedied and rectified; God’s work must not be disrupted, and His feelings must not be hurt. This is a principle all God’s chosen people should put into practice.

Excerpted from The Fellowship From the Above

Just how should God’s chosen people discern and handle leaders and workers at all levels? This question is actually very easy to understand. If what they do can truly supply God’s chosen people, can use the truth to resolve the practical problems of the life entry of God’s chosen people, and can lead God’s chosen people to enter the right track of belief in God, then this leader or worker is recognized by God and approved by God as someone who truly serves Him. Such leaders and workers certainly have the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s chosen people should uphold them, support them, and cooperate with them. All those who do not provide for the life of God’s chosen people, who cannot lead God’s chosen people to understand the truth or enter into reality, who keep disrupting God’s chosen people’s pursuit of the truth and deceiving God’s chosen people so that they follow and obey them, who keep suppressing and harming God’s chosen people, and who do not care whether God’s chosen people live or die, are all false leaders, false workers, or antichrists without the work of the Holy Spirit. God despises and hates these people, which is why they do not have the work of the Holy Spirit. This completely verifies that God does not recognize them as people who serve God. God does not acknowledge these evildoers, so God’s chosen people should loathe them, expose them, dismiss them from their posts, and reject them. Doing so completely conforms with God’s will. Discerning and handling false leaders, false workers and antichrists in this way completely conforms with the truth and is entirely correct.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Leaders and workers at all levels in the church are responsible for watering and providing for God’s chosen people and leading them into truth reality. If the actions of leaders and workers are in accord with the truth principle and beneficial to the work of God’s house, then God’s chosen people must uphold, support, and cooperate with them—only this accords with God’s will. If, because someone has a private prejudice, they stubbornly label another as being a false leader or false worker due to one single transgression or one single revealing of corruption, or they speak at odds with the facts, make unfounded accusations, try to frame the other person and arbitrarily make them suffer, then are they not a wicked person who belongs to Satan and devils? Those who understand the truth should speak in accordance with the facts, and even more so should base their outlook on the truth and on God’s words. If, because of a personal prejudice, someone attacks a leader or worker who insists on acting in accordance with the truth principle and possesses a sense of justice, then such a person is a wicked person who disrupts the work of God’s house, and God’s chosen people should immediately take a stand to stop them, and should protect the leader or worker. Only this is standing on the side of God and upholding God’s work. Banning false leaders and workers is entirely in line with God’s will; protecting well leaders and workers who are in line with God’s will, and preventing them from being subjected to the traps of satanic forces is even more in line with God’s will. While banning false leaders and workers, no wrong should be done to a good person, nor can an evil person be let off. This is the way to accurately carry things out according to the truth principle. Only this is truly upholding God’s work, and this kind of practice is beneficial for God’s chosen people. A good leader, a good worker, will love and protect God’s chosen people. So, God’s chosen people must also love and protect good leaders and good workers. This is the bounden duty of God’s chosen people.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Brothers and sisters who pursue the truth should be of one accord with leaders and workers in expanding God’s kingdom gospel, so that more people who truly believe in God may come before Him and accept His work. If someone is unable to do this, then it means their stature is too meager and that they are incapable of doing work. Do not look at whether a person is perfect or not, what weaknesses they have, or what kind of corruption they reveal. As long as they are someone who pursues the truth and upholds God’s work, then they are someone who stands on God’s side, and someone who serves God with devotion. You should be of one mind with such a person, working and serving alongside them. People should make up for each other’s shortcomings, and through fellowshiping about the truth help each other to enter into reality and gradually cast off their corrupt dispositions. Being in accord is key! With a unified goal and direction, and by achieving accord together in order to complete God’s commission, the testimony of the church will become prominent. No matter what kind of satanic enemy forces there may be, when they see a handful of people in the church who are in accord this way, who are devoted to God and standing witness, they will be thoroughly humiliated. If someone sees in the church people who are of one mind and they always want to disrupt them and break them up, and become the main person themselves, what kind of person are they? They are a lackey of Satan, a minion of the great red dragon, Satan’s accomplice. A truly sensible person will stand together with those who pursue the truth, unite as one and combine their efforts. No matter how anyone treated such a sensible person in the past, whatever personal grievances they have or whatever misunderstandings there may be, they will let go of their prejudices and carry out God’s commission with one heart and mind, and be utterly devoted to Him. This kind of person is one who is considerate of His will and who is obedient to His work. If a person has this kind of resolve and is able to practice in this way, it shows that they possess conscience, reason, and humanity. Therefore, if there are some brothers and sisters, and leaders and workers in a church who are of one heart and mind, and who are united as one, it shows that those brothers and sisters possess the truth, that they have stature, and that they have started to enter into reality. And if someone starts to cause disturbances, what should people do? First, we must see through Satan’s cunning schemes, and then prune and deal with the wicked person, expose and rebuke them, and see whether or not they have any desire to repent. If they do not repent and show no signs of obedience no matter how one fellowships on the truth with them, then they should be eliminated and rejected.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

88. The Principles of Serving God

(1) It is necessary to be possessed of a heart that loves God, to be capable of showing concern for God’s will, and, in all matters, to be able to seek the truth in order to resolve problems, safeguarding the work of God’s house;

(2) It is necessary to be one who loves the truth and who is able to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, as well as being dealt with and pruned by Him, and be able to repent truly and practice the truth;

(3) It is necessary to have a heart that reveres God, and, in all matters, to be capable of self-reflection, amending transgressions and mistakes as soon as they are found, such that one is achieving life growth at all times;

(4) It is necessary to be a fundamentally honest person, honor-bound to take up God’s commissions and to do the work of your allotted vocation well, thus coming to perform your duty satisfactorily.

Relevant Words of God:

Since the beginning of His work throughout the universe, God has predestined many people to serve Him, including those from every walk of life. His purpose is to satisfy His will and bring His work on earth to smooth completion; this is God’s aim in choosing people to serve Him. Every person who serves God must understand His will. This work of His makes God’s wisdom and omnipotence, and the principles of His work on earth, more evident to people. God has actually come to earth to do His work, to engage with people, so that they may know His deeds more clearly. Today you, this group of people, are fortunate to serve the practical God. This is an incalculable blessing for you—truly, you are raised up by God. In selecting a person to serve Him, God always has His own principles. Serving God is by no means, as people imagine, that it is simply a matter of enthusiasm. Today, you see that all who serve before God do so because they have the guidance of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, and because they are people who pursue the truth. These are the minimum conditions for all those who serve God.

Excerpted from “Religious Service Must Be Purged” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who serve God should be God’s intimates, they should be pleasing to God, and capable of the utmost loyalty to God. Whether you act in private or in public, you are able to gain the joy of God before God, you are able to stand firm before God, and regardless of how other people treat you, you always walk the path you should walk, and give every care to God’s burden. Only people like this are intimates of God. That God’s intimates are able to serve Him directly is because they have been given God’s great commission and God’s burden, they are able to make God’s heart their own, and take God’s burden as their own, and they give no consideration to their future prospects: Even when they have no prospects, and they stand to gain nothing, they will always believe in God with a loving heart. And so, this kind of person is God’s intimate. God’s intimates are also His confidants; only God’s confidants could share His restlessness, and His thoughts, and although their flesh is painful and weak, they are able to endure pain and forsake that which they love to satisfy God. God gives more burdens to such people, and that which God desires to do is borne out in such people’s testimony. Thus, these people are pleasing to God, they are servants of God who are after His own heart, and only people such as this can rule together with God. When you have truly become God’s intimate is precisely when you will rule together with God.

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Everyone who has resolved to can serve God—but it must be that only those who give every care to God’s will and understand God’s will are qualified and entitled to serve God. I have discovered this among you: Many people believe that as long as they fervently spread the gospel for God, go on the road for God, expend themselves and give things up for God, and so on, then this is serving God. Even more religious people believe that serving God means running around with a Bible in their hands, spreading the gospel of the kingdom of heaven and saving people by making them repent and confess. There are also many religious officials who think that serving God consists of preaching in chapels after pursuing advanced studies and training in the seminary, and teaching people through readings of Bible scriptures. Moreover, there are people in impoverished regions who believe that serving God means healing the sick and casting out demons among their brothers and sisters or praying for them, or serving them. Amongst you, there are many who believe that serving God means eating and drinking the words of God, praying to God every day, as well as visiting and doing work in churches everywhere. There are other brothers and sisters who believe that serving God means never getting married or raising a family and dedicating their entire being to God. Yet few people know what it actually means to serve God. Although there are as many people who serve God as there are stars in the sky, the number of those who can serve directly, and who are able to serve in accordance with God’s will, is paltry—pifflingly small. Why do I say this? I say this because you do not understand the essence of the phrase “service to God,” and you understand so little of how to serve in accordance with God’s will. There is an urgent need for people to understand exactly what sort of service to God can be in harmony with His will.

If you wish to serve in accordance with God’s will, you must first understand what kind of people are pleasing to God, what kind of people are loathed by God, what kind of people are made perfect by God, and what kind of people are qualified to serve God. At the very least, you should be equipped with this knowledge. Moreover, you should know the aims of God’s work, and the work that God shall do in the here and now. After understanding this, and through the guidance of God’s words, you should first have entry, and first receive God’s commission. Once you have had actual experience of God’s words, and when you truly know God’s work, you will be qualified to serve God. And it is when you serve Him that God opens your spiritual eyes and allows you to have a greater understanding of His work and to see it more clearly. When you enter this reality, your experiences will be more profound and real, and all those of you who have had such experiences will be able to walk among the churches and offer provision to your brothers and sisters, so that you can each draw on each other’s strengths to make up for your own deficiencies, and gain richer knowledge in your spirits. Only after achieving this effect will you be able to serve in accordance with God’s will and be made perfect by God in the course of your service.

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Someone who truly serves God is someone who is after God’s heart, who is fit for use by God, and who is able to let go of religious notions. If you wish for your eating and drinking of the words of God to be effective, then you must let go of your religious notions. If you wish to serve God, then it is even more necessary first to let go of religious notions and obey the words of God in everything. This is what should be possessed by someone who serves God. If you lack this knowledge, then as soon as you serve, you will cause disruption and disturbances, and if you hold on to your notions, then you will inevitably be knocked down by God, never to get up again. Take the present, for example: Many of the utterances and work of today are incompatible with the Bible and with the work previously done by God, and if you have no desire to obey, then you may fall at any time. If you wish to serve in accordance with the will of God, then you must first let go of religious notions and rectify your own views. Much of what will be said will be incompatible with what was said in the past, and if you now lack the will to obey, you will be unable to walk the path that lies ahead. If one of God’s methods of working has taken root inside you and you never let it go, then this method will become your religious notion. If what God is has taken root within you, then you have gained the truth, and if the words and truth of God are capable of becoming your life, you will no longer have notions about God. Those who possess true knowledge of God will have no notions and will not abide by doctrine.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know the Work of God Today May Serve God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Starting from today, God will formally perfect those who have no religious notions, who are willing to set aside their old selves, and who obey God in a simple-hearted way. He shall perfect those who long for the words of God. These people should stand up and serve God. In God there is endless abundance and boundless wisdom. His amazing work and precious words await enjoyment by even greater numbers of people. As it stands, those with religious notions, those who assume seniority, and those who cannot put themselves aside find it hard to accept these new things. The Holy Spirit has no opportunity to perfect these people. If a person has not resolved to obey, and does not thirst for the words of God, then they have no means of accepting these new things; they will simply become more and more rebellious, more and more crafty, and will thus end up on the wrong track. In doing His work now, God will raise up more people who truly love Him and can accept the new light, and He will completely cut down the religious officials who presume upon their seniority; He does not want a single one of those who stubbornly resist change. Do you want to be one of these people? Do you perform your service according to your own preferences or what God requires? This is something you must know for yourself. Are you a religious official, or are you a newborn babe made perfect by God? How much of your service is commended by the Holy Spirit? How much of it will God not even bother to remember? How great a change in your life has there been as a result of all your years of service? Are you clear about all this? If you are truly of faith, you will cast aside your old religious notions from before, and will serve God better in a new way. It is not too late to stand up now. Old religious notions can forfeit a person’s entire life. The experience a person acquires can cause them to stray from God and do things their own way. If you do not put such things aside, they will become stumbling blocks to the growth of your life. God always perfects those who serve Him, and does not cast them out lightly. If you truly accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, if you can put aside your old religious practices and rules, and cease to use old religious notions as the measure of God’s words of today, only then will there be a future for you. But if you cling to old things, if you still treasure them, then there is no way you can be saved. God takes no notice of such people. If you really wish to be made perfect, then you must resolve to completely relinquish everything from before. Even if what was done before was right, even if it was God’s work, you must still be able to put it aside and stop clinging to it. Even if it was clearly the work of the Holy Spirit, done directly by the Holy Spirit, today you must put it aside. You must not hold onto it. This is what God requires. Everything must be renewed. In God’s work and God’s words, He makes no reference to the old things that went before, He does not dig into the old almanac; God is a God who is always new and never old, and does not cling even to His own words from the past—which shows that God does not follow any rules. So if you, as a human being, always cling to the things of the past, if you refuse to let them go, and rigidly apply them in a formulaic manner, while God no longer works using the means that He did before, then are your words and actions not disruptive? Have you not become an enemy of God? Are you willing to let your entire life go to wrack and ruin over these old things? These old things will make you into someone who obstructs God’s work—is that the kind of person you want to be? If you truly do not want that, then quickly stop what you are doing and turn around; start all over again. God will not remember your past service.

Excerpted from “Religious Service Must Be Purged” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In religion, many people suffer a great deal throughout their lives: They subdue their bodies and bear their cross, and they even continue to suffer and endure when on the very verge of death! Some are still fasting on the morning of their death. All their lives they deny themselves nice food and clothing, focusing only on suffering. They are able to subdue their body and forsake their flesh. Their spirit for enduring suffering is commendable. But their thinking, their notions, their mental attitude, and indeed their old nature, have not been dealt with in the slightest. They lack any true knowledge of themselves. Their mental image of God is that traditional one of a vague God. Their resolve to suffer for God comes from their zeal and the good character of their humanity. Even though they believe in God, they neither understand Him nor know His will. They merely work and suffer blindly for God. They place no value whatsoever on discernment, care little about how to ensure that their service actually fulfills God’s will, and much less are they aware of how to achieve the knowledge of God. The God they serve is not God in His inherent image, but a God they have imagined, a God of whom they have only heard, or of whom they have only read legends in writing. They then use their fertile imaginations and piousness to suffer for God and undertake God’s work that God wants to do. Their service is too inexact, such that practically none of them are truly able to serve in accordance with God’s will. Regardless of how gladly they suffer, their original perspective on service and their mental image of God remain unchanged, because they have not undergone God’s judgment, chastisement, refinement and perfection, and nor has anyone guided them using the truth. Even if they believe in Jesus the Savior, none of them has ever seen the Savior. They only know of Him through legend and hearsay. As a result, their service amounts to no more than serving randomly with eyes closed, like a blind man serving his own father. What, ultimately, can be achieved by such service? And who would approve of it? From beginning to end, their service remains the same throughout; they receive only man-made lessons and base their service only on their naturalness and their own preferences. What reward could this bring? Not even Peter, who saw Jesus, knew how to serve in accordance with God’s will; he only came to know this in the end, in his old age. What does this say about those blind people who have not experienced the slightest bit of being dealt with or of being pruned, and who have had no one guiding them? Is not the service of many among you today like that of these blind people? All those who have not received judgment, not received pruning and dealing, and who have not changed—are they not all incompletely conquered? Of what use are such people? If your thinking, your knowledge of life, and your knowledge of God show no new change and you do not truly gain anything, then you will never achieve anything remarkable in your service! Without a vision and a new knowledge of God’s work, you are not conquered. Your way of following God will then be like those who suffer and fast: of little value! It is precisely because there is little testimony in what they do that I say their service is futile! Throughout their lives, those people suffer and spend time in prison; they are ever forbearing, loving, and they ever bear the cross, they are ridiculed and rejected by the world, they experience every hardship, and although they are obedient to the very end, they are still not conquered, and can offer no testimony to being conquered. They have suffered a great deal, but inside they do not know God at all. None of their old thinking, old notions, religious practices, man-made knowledge, and human ideas have been dealt with. There is not the slightest hint of new knowledge in them. Not one bit of their knowledge of God is true or accurate. They have misunderstood God’s will. Does this serve God? Whatever your knowledge of God in the past, if it stays the same today and you continue to base your knowledge of God on your own notions and ideas no matter what God does, which is to say that if you possess no new, true knowledge of God and if you fail to know God’s true image and disposition, if your knowledge of God is still guided by feudal, superstitious thinking and is still born of human imagination and notions, then you have not been conquered. All the many words I now speak to you are meant to let you know, to have this knowledge lead you to a newer, accurate knowledge; they are also meant to eradicate the old notions and the old knowledge in you, so that you may possess new knowledge. If you truly eat and drink My words, then your knowledge will change considerably. As long as you eat and drink God’s words with a heart of obedience, then your perspective will be reversed. As long as you are able to accept the repeated chastisements, your old mentality will gradually change. As long as your old mentality is thoroughly replaced with the new, your practice will also change accordingly. In this way, your service will become increasingly on-target, increasingly able to fulfill God’s will.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Many serve God on the strength of their passion but have no understanding of the administrative decrees of God, still less any inkling of the implications of His words. And so, with their good intentions, they often wind up doing things that disrupt God’s management. In serious cases, they are thrown out, deprived of any further chance of following Him, and are cast into hell, all association with God’s house at an end. These people work in the house of God on the strength of their ignorant good intentions, and end by angering God’s disposition. People bring their ways of serving officials and lords to the house of God and try to put them into play, vainly thinking that they can be applied with effortless ease here. Never do they imagine that God has not the disposition of a lamb, but that of a lion. Therefore, those associating with God for the first time are unable to communicate with Him, for the heart of God is unlike that of man. Only after you understand many truths can you continuously come to know God. This knowledge is not made up of words and doctrines but can be used as a treasure by means of which you enter into close confidence with God, and as proof that He delights in you. If you lack the reality of knowledge and are not equipped with the truth, then your passionate service can only bring upon you the loathing and abhorrence of God.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the greatest taboo in man’s service of God? Do you know? Some people who serve as leaders always want to try to be different, to be head and shoulders above the rest, and to figure out some new tricks that will make God see just how capable they really are. However, they do not focus on understanding the truth and entering the reality of God’s words; they are always trying to show off. Is this not precisely the revelation of an arrogant nature? Some even say, “If I do this, I’m sure it’ll make God very happy; He’ll really like it. This time I am going to get God to have a look; I’ll give Him a nice surprise.” As a result of this “surprise,” they lose the work of the Holy Spirit and get eliminated by God. Do not just rashly do whatever comes into your mind. How can things be okay if you do not consider the consequences of your actions? When you offend God’s disposition and violate His administrative decrees, and are subsequently eliminated, there will be nothing left for you to say. Regardless of your intent, and whether or not you do it deliberately, if you do not understand God’s disposition or His will, you will easily offend Him and be liable to violate His administrative decrees; this is something against which everyone should be on guard. Once you have seriously violated God’s administrative decrees or offended His disposition, He will give no consideration as to whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally. This is a matter that you need to see clearly. If you cannot understand this issue, then you are bound to cause problems. In serving God, people wish to make great strides, do great things, speak great words, perform great work, hold great meetings, and be great leaders. If you always have such grand ambitions, then you will violate God’s administrative decrees; people who do this will die quickly. If you are not well-behaved, devout, and prudent in your service to God, then sooner or later, you will offend His disposition.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Serving God is no simple task. Those whose corrupt disposition remains unchanged can never serve God. If your disposition has not been judged and chastised by God’s words, then your disposition still represents Satan, which proves that you serve God out of your own good intentions, that your service is based on your satanic nature. You serve God with your natural character, and according to your personal preferences. What’s more, you always think that the things you are willing to do are what are delightful to God, and that the things you do not wish to do are what are hateful to God; you work entirely according to your own preferences. Can this be called serving God? Ultimately, there will not be the slightest change in your life disposition; instead, your service will make you even more stubborn, thus deeply ingraining your corrupt disposition, and as such, there will be formed within you rules about service to God that are primarily based on your own character, and experiences derived from your service according to your own disposition. These are the experiences and lessons of man. It is man’s philosophy of living in the world. People like this can be classed as Pharisees and religious officials. If they never wake up and repent, then they will surely turn into the false Christs and the antichrists who deceive people in the last days. The false Christs and the antichrists that were spoken of will arise from among such people. If those who serve God follow their own character and act according to their own will, they run the risk of being cast out at any time. Those who apply their many years of experience acquired to serving God in order to win the hearts of others, to lecture them and control them, and to stand on high—and who never repent, never confess their sins, never renounce the benefits of position—these people shall fall before God. They are of the same kind as Paul, presuming upon their seniority and flaunting their qualifications. God will not bring people like this to perfection. Such service interferes with the work of God. People always cling to the old. They cling to the notions of the past, to everything from times gone by. This is a great obstacle to their service. If you cannot throw them off, these things will throttle your whole life. God will not commend you, not in the slightest, not even if you break your legs running or your back with labor, not even if you are martyred in your service of God. Quite the contrary: He will say that you are an evildoer.

Excerpted from “Religious Service Must Be Purged” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Regarding work, man believes that work is to run around for God, preach everywhere, and expend for His sake. Though this belief is correct, it is too one-sided; what God asks of man is not solely to run around for Him; beyond just this, this work is concerned with ministry and provision within the spirit. Many brothers and sisters, even after all these years of experience, have never thought about working for God, because work as conceived by man is incongruous with what God asks. Therefore, man has no interest whatsoever in the matter of work, and this is precisely the reason why the entry of man is also quite one-sided. All of you should begin your entry with working for God, so that you may better undergo every aspect of experience. This is what you should enter into. Work refers not to running around for God, but to whether the life of man and what man lives out are able to give God enjoyment. Work refers to people using their devotion to God and their knowledge of God to testify about God, and also to minister to man. This is man’s responsibility and this is what all men should understand. One could say that your entry is your work, and that you are seeking to enter during the course of working for God. Experiencing God’s work does not merely mean that you know how to eat and drink of His word; more importantly, you must know how to testify about God and be able to serve God and be able to minister to and provide for man. This is work, and it is also your entry; this is what every person should accomplish. There are many who only focus on running around for God and preaching everywhere, yet overlook their individual experience and neglect their entry into the spiritual life. This is what has led those who serve God to become those who resist God. These people, who have been serving God and ministering to man all these years, have simply regarded working and preaching as entry, and none have taken their individual spiritual experience as an important entry. Instead, they have taken the enlightenment they derive from the Holy Spirit’s work as capital from which to teach others. When preaching, they are much burdened and receive the work of the Holy Spirit, and by means of this they are releasing the voice of the Holy Spirit. At this time, those who work are filled with complacency, as if the work of the Holy Spirit has become their individual spiritual experience; they feel that all the words they are speaking belong to their individual being, but then again as if their own experience is not as clear as they have described. What is more, prior to speaking they have no inkling what they will say, but when the Holy Spirit works in them, their words come flooding out in an unending stream. After you have preached once in such a way, you feel that your actual stature is not as small as you believed, and as in a situation where the Holy Spirit has worked in you several times, you then determine that you already have stature and mistakenly believe that the work of the Holy Spirit is your own entry and your own being. When you constantly experience in this way, you will become lax about your own entry, slip into laziness without noticing, and cease to place any importance on your individual entry. For this reason, when you are ministering to others you must clearly distinguish between your stature and the work of the Holy Spirit. This can better facilitate your entry and bring more benefit to your experience. When man takes the work of the Holy Spirit to be their individual experience, this becomes a source of depravity. This is why I say, whatever duty you perform, you ought to regard your entry as a vital lesson.

One works in order to satisfy the will of God, to bring all those who are after God’s heart before Him, to bring man to God, and to introduce the Holy Spirit’s work and God’s guidance to man, thereby perfecting the fruits of God’s work. Therefore, it is imperative that you are thoroughly clear on the essence of work. As one who is used by God, every man is worthy of working for God, that is, everyone has the opportunity to be used by the Holy Spirit. However, there is one point that you must realize: When man does the work commissioned by God, man has been given the opportunity to be used by God, but what is said and known by man are not entirely the stature of man. All you can do is to better know your own deficiencies during the course of your work, and come into possession of greater enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. In this way, you will be enabled to gain better entry in the course of your work.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Jesus was able to complete God’s commission—the work of all mankind’s redemption—because He gave every care to God’s will, without making any plans or arrangements for Himself. So, too, was He the intimate of God—God Himself—which is something you all understand very well. (Actually, He was the God Himself who was testified to by God. I mention this here to use the fact of Jesus to illustrate the issue.) He was able to place God’s management plan at the very center, and always prayed to the heavenly Father and sought the will of the heavenly Father. He prayed and said: “God the Father! Accomplish that which is Your will, and act not according to My desires but according to Your plan. Man may be weak, but why should You care for him? How could man be worthy of Your concern, man who is like an ant in Your hand? In My heart, I wish only to accomplish Your will, and I would that You can do what You would do in Me according to Your own desires.” On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was in agony, as if a knife were being twisted in His heart, yet He had not the slightest intention of going back on His word; always there was a powerful force compelling Him onward to where He would be crucified. Ultimately, He was nailed to the cross and became the likeness of sinful flesh, completing the work of the redemption of mankind. He broke free of the shackles of death and Hades. Before Him, mortality, hell, and Hades lost their power, and were vanquished by Him. He lived for thirty-three years, throughout which He always did His utmost to meet God’s will according to God’s work at the time, never considering His own personal gain or loss, and always thinking of the will of God the Father. Thus, after He was baptized, God said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Because of His service before God that was in harmony with God’s will, God placed the heavy burden of redeeming all mankind upon His shoulders and made Him accomplish it, and He was qualified and entitled to complete this important task. Throughout His life, He endured immeasurable suffering for God, and He was tempted by Satan countless times, but He was never disheartened. God gave Him such an enormous task because He trusted Him, and loved Him, and thus God personally said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” At that time, only Jesus could accomplish this commission, and this was one practical aspect of God’s completion of His work of redeeming all mankind in the Age of Grace.

If, like Jesus, you are able to give every care to God’s burden, and turn your back on your flesh, God will entrust His important tasks to you, so that you will meet the conditions required to serve God. Only under such circumstances will you venture to say that you are doing God’s will and completing His commission, and only then will you venture to say you are truly serving God. Compared to Jesus’ example, do you venture to say you are God’s intimate? Do you venture to say that you are doing God’s will? Do you venture to say that you are truly serving God? Today, you do not understand how to serve God, do you venture to say you are God’s intimate? If you say that you serve God, do you not blaspheme against Him? Think about it: Are you serving God, or yourself? You serve Satan, yet you stubbornly say you are serving God—in this, do you not blaspheme against God? Many people behind My back covet the benefits of status, they gorge themselves on food, they love to sleep and give every care to the flesh, always afraid that there is no way out for the flesh. They do not perform their proper function in the church, but freeload off the church, or else they admonish their brothers and sisters with My words, lording themselves over others from positions of authority. These people keep saying they are doing God’s will and always say they are God’s intimates—is this not absurd? If you have the right intentions, but are unable to serve in accordance with God’s will, then you are being foolish; but if your intentions are not right, and you still say you serve God, then you are someone who opposes God, and you ought to be punished by God! I have no sympathy for such people! In the house of God, they freeload, always coveting the comforts of the flesh, and give no consideration to the interests of God. They always seek what is good for them, and they pay no heed to God’s will. They do not accept the scrutiny of God’s Spirit in anything they do. They are always maneuvering and deceiving their brothers and sisters, and being two-faced, like a fox in a vineyard, always stealing grapes and trampling over the vineyard. Could such people be God’s intimates? Are you fit to receive God’s blessings? You take no burden for your life and the church, are you fit to receive God’s commission? Who would dare trust someone like you? When you serve like this, could God dare to entrust you with a greater task? Would this not cause delays to the work?

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Consider how Peter experienced Jesus’ work: In the beginning, he received the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and spoke to Jesus, saying: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Once the Holy Spirit had enlightened him, he gained some insight, and his heart was filled with light. Though he had no deeper understanding of the matter at the time, he sought to understand God, and embarked on the correct track of serving God. Serving God is a most glorious thing, and is also a most dangerous thing, for people are corrupt and rebellious—once they go astray, they resist God. People serve God, not other people. The path Peter walked was the right one, and He whom he served was the Lord Jesus, not a vague God. Paul, however, was different. He did not acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ. He hunted Jesus’ disciples unceasingly. After he witnessed the appearance of great light and was struck down, Paul still did not realize that God was the Lord of all things, nor that the Lord Jesus was God made manifest, nor did he know how man should obey God. He had no normal sense of reason; from beginning to end, he harbored such an arrogant mentality: “However much I give You, You must give me; however great the cost to me, that is what You must reward me in recompense.” His work, from beginning to end, was governed by this sort of thinking, so, in his heart, there was never reverence for God, nor fear of Him. Consider the tone of his words: “I have fought a good fight”—I have fought the fight You made me fight; “I have finished my course”—I have run the road You told me to run; “I have kept the faith”—wasn’t it You who make me keep it? I have kept it, so shouldn’t the glorious crown be reserved for me? Was this not his tone? Of course, he could not speak so bluntly within the epistle. He spoke somewhat euphemistically and cryptically, but these ideas were the impetus of his writing. What happened in the end? He still had to be punished. You must see clearly the choices man should make on the path of serving God, the path of belief in God—see which ways of serving God are those of Paul, which ways of belief are those of Paul, and how one can come to serve God with the piety of Peter. There is a path that created beings should follow in their worship of God; you must choose the right path and aim for the right goal. Do not be muddleheaded, but walk earnestly, on solid ground, with clarity of vision. It is dangerous for you to walk fatuously onward; to do so guarantees that you will one day offend against God’s administrative decrees or voice words of complaint.

Excerpted from “To Serve God One Should Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

89. The Principles of Coordinating in Service

(1) Treat others fairly. So long as one is not an evil person, an absurd person, or an evil spirit, you can practice coordination with them. Treating others with love is a fundamental principle;

(2) It is necessary to learn to submit to the truth. Whoever speaks in accordance with the truth must be accepted and obeyed, and the truth should be sought to resolve problems, no matter who may have them;

(3) It is necessary to learn to engage in self-reflection and to know yourself. First, rectify your arrogance and self-righteousness, your willfulness and wantonness, and your fleshly preferences. Only thus can one get along with others;

(4) It is necessary to uphold the principle of safeguarding the work of God’s house. If there is a problem in coordination, help the other with love; if the problem is serious enough that coordination is impossible, the coordination may then be annulled.

Relevant Words of God:

These days, many people do not pay attention to what lessons should be learned while coordinating with others. I have discovered that many of you cannot learn lessons at all while coordinating with others; most of you stick to your own views. When working in the church, you say your piece and someone else says theirs, and the one has no relation to the other; you do not actually cooperate at all. You are all so absorbed in merely communicating your own insights or in releasing the “burdens” you bear inside you, without seeking life in even the smallest way. You appear to only be doing the work perfunctorily, always believing that you should walk your own path regardless of what anyone else says or does; you think you should fellowship as the Holy Spirit guides you, no matter what the circumstances of others may be. You are not able to discover the strengths of others, and nor are you capable of examining yourselves. Your acceptance of things is really deviant and erroneous. It can be said that even now you still exhibit a lot of self-righteousness, as if you have relapsed into that old illness. You do not communicate with each other in a way that achieves complete openness, for example, about what kind of outcome you have attained from work in certain churches, or about the recent condition of your inner states, and so on; you simply never communicate about such things. You have absolutely no engagement in practices such as dropping your own notions or forsaking yourselves. Leaders and workers think only of how to keep their brothers and sisters from being negative and how to make them able to follow vigorously. However, all of you think following vigorously by itself is enough, and fundamentally, you have no understanding of what it means to know yourself and forsake yourself, much less do you understand what it means to serve in coordination with others. You think only of having the will yourselves to repay God for His love, of having the will yourselves to live out the style of Peter. Apart from these things, you think of nothing else. You even say that, no matter what other people do, you will not submit blindly, and that no matter what other people are like, you yourself will seek perfection by God, and that will be sufficient. The fact is, however, that your will has not in any way found a concrete expression in reality. Is all of this not the sort of behavior you exhibit nowadays? Each of you holds fast to your own insight, and you all desire to be perfected. I see that you have served for such a long time without having made much progress; in particular, in this lesson of working together in harmony, you have achieved absolutely nothing! When going down into the churches you communicate in your way, and others communicate in theirs. Seldom does harmonious coordination occur, and this is even more true of the followers who are below you. That is to say, rarely do any among you understand what serving God is, or how one should serve God. You are muddled and treat lessons of this sort as trifling matters. There are even many people who not only fail to practice this aspect of the truth, but who also knowingly do wrong. Even those who have served for many years fight and scheme against each other and are jealous and competitive; it is every man for himself, and they do not cooperate at all. Do all these things not represent your actual stature? You people serving together on a daily basis are like the Israelites, who directly served God Himself every day in the temple. How can it be that you people, who serve God, have no idea how to coordinate or how to serve?

Excerpted from “Serve As the Israelites Did” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The requirement made of you today—to work together in harmony—is similar to the service Jehovah required of the Israelites: Otherwise, just stop doing service. Because you are people who serve God directly, at the very minimum you must be capable of loyalty and submission in your service, and must also be able to learn lessons in a practical way. For those of you working in the church especially, would any of the brothers and sisters below you dare to deal with you? Would anyone dare to tell you of your mistakes to your face? You stand high above everyone else; you do reign as kings! You do not even study or enter into these sorts of practical lessons, yet you still talk of serving God! At present, you are asked to lead a number of churches, but not only do you not give up yourself, but you even cling to your own notions and opinions, saying things like, “I think this thing should be done this way, as God has said that we should not be restrained by others and that nowadays we should not submit blindly.” Therefore, each of you holds to your own opinion, and no one obeys each other. Though you clearly know that your service is at an impasse, you still say, “As I see it, my way is not far off the mark. In any case, we each have a side: You talk of yours, and I will talk of mine; you fellowship about your visions, and I will speak of my entry.” You never take responsibility for the many things that should be dealt with, or you simply make do, each of you venting your own opinions and prudently protecting your own status, reputation, and face. None of you is willing to humble yourself, and neither side will take the initiative to give yourself up and make up for each other’s deficiencies so that life may progress more rapidly. When you are coordinating together, you should learn to seek the truth. You may say, “I do not have a clear understanding of this aspect of truth. What experience do you have with it?” Or, you may say, “You have more experience than I with regard to this aspect; could you please give me some guidance?” Would that not be a good way of going about it? You have listened to a lot of sermons, and have some experience with doing service. If you do not learn from each other, help each other, and make up for each other’s shortcomings when doing work in the churches, then how can you learn any lessons? Whenever you encounter anything, you should fellowship with each other so that your lives can benefit. Moreover, you should carefully fellowship about things of any sort before making any decisions. Only by doing so are you taking responsibility for the church rather than simply acting perfunctorily. After you visit all the churches, you should gather together and fellowship about all the issues you discover and any problems encountered in your work, and then you should communicate about the enlightenment and illumination that you have received—this is an indispensable practice of service. You must achieve harmonious cooperation for the purpose of the work of God, for the benefit of the church, and so as to spur your brothers and sisters onward. You should coordinate with one another, each amending the other and arriving at a better work outcome, so as to care for God’s will. This is what true cooperation is, and only those who engage in it will gain true entry. While cooperating, some of the words you speak may be unsuitable, but that does not matter. Fellowship about it later, and gain a clear understanding of it; do not neglect it. After this sort of fellowship, you can make up for your brothers’ or sisters’ deficiencies. Only by moving ever deeper in your work like this can you achieve better outcomes. Each of you, as people who serve God, must be able to defend the interests of the church in everything you do, instead of simply considering your own interests. It is unacceptable to act alone, undermining each other. People who behave like that are not fit to serve God! Such people have a terrible disposition; not an ounce of humanity remains in them. They are one hundred percent Satan! They are beasts! Even now, such things still occur among you; you even go so far as to attack one another during fellowship, intentionally seeking pretexts and becoming all red in the face while arguing over some trivial matter, neither person willing to put himself aside, each person concealing his inner thoughts from the other, watching the other party intently and always being on guard. Does this sort of disposition befit service to God? Can such work as yours supply your brothers and sisters with anything? Not only are you unable to guide people onto a correct life course, but you actually inject your own corrupt dispositions into your brothers and sisters. Are you not hurting others? Your conscience is horrible, and it is rotten to the core! You do not enter reality, nor do you put the truth into practice. In addition, you shamelessly expose your devilish nature to others. You simply know no shame! These brothers and sisters have been entrusted to you, yet you are taking them to hell. Are you not someone whose conscience has become rotten? You have absolutely no shame!

Excerpted from “Serve As the Israelites Did” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to properly fulfill your duties and satisfy God’s will, then you first must learn how to work harmoniously with others. When coordinating with your brothers and sisters, you should consider the following: What is harmony? Is the way I speak to them harmonious? Do my thoughts lead to harmony with them? Does the way I am doing things lead to harmony with them? Consider how to be harmonious. At times, being harmonious involves forbearance and tolerance, but it also includes standing your ground and upholding principles; it does not mean reconciling differences regardless of principles, or trying to be “the good guy,” or sticking to the path of moderation. In particular, it does not mean ingratiating yourself to someone. These are the principles. Once you have grasped these principles, you will, without even realizing it, act in accordance with God’s will, and you also will live out the reality of the truth. In their interactions with each other, when people rely on philosophies for living, their notions, ideas, desires, and selfishness, and their own capabilities, gifts, specialties, and cleverness, then they are utterly incapable of achieving unity before God. Because they are living and doing things from within a corrupt satanic disposition, they cannot unify. What is the ultimate consequence of this? God does not work on them. When He does not work on them, and they continue to rely on their meager abilities, cleverness, and specialties, and the tiny bit of knowledge and skills they have gained, they have a very difficult time being put to full use in God’s house, and they also find it very hard to act in accordance with His will. This is because if God is not working on you, you can never grasp the principles of putting the truth into practice or of doing things; that is, you can never grasp the essence or the root of the principles behind the duty you are performing, nor can you know how to act in harmony with God’s will or what to do to bring Him joy. You also cannot know how to act in line with the truth principle. You are unable to grasp these essential things; you have no idea. Your confused attempts to fulfill your duty are bound to fail, and you are certain to be spurned by God.

Excerpted from “On Harmonious Coordination” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is harmonious coordination? You do your thing and I do mine; you finish yours and I finish mine. We each do our own thing, and there is no tacit understanding between us; there is no communication or fellowship. We have not reached any kind of mutual understanding. We simply know deep down, “I’m performing my duty and you’re performing yours; you carry out yours and I’ll carry out mine. What you do is no concern of mine, and what I do is no concern of yours. We aren’t interfering with each other, and we aren’t bothering or influencing each other.” Is that harmonious coordination? On the surface, it might seem that there is no conflict or complaints between two people such as these; they seem not to be interfering with each other, or controlling or restricting one another. However, spiritually, there is no harmonious coordination between them; they have no tacit understanding or care for one another. All that is happening is that each of them is putting effort into their own thing, and exerting individual effort, without any coordination. Is this a good way of doing things? It is not a good way of doing things. It seems that neither is managing the other, neither is listening to or giving guidance to the other, and they are not helping each other. They might seem to be rational, but a corrupt disposition is within each of them. Do you know what disposition that is? It is that they are both competing to be at the forefront, and they completely lack love, care, and willingness to help others. There is no harmonious coordination this way of being. Without coordinating with others, you are fighting a solitary battle, and many of the things you do will not be so perfect or complete. This is not the kind of state God wants to see in humans; it does not bring Him joy.

Excerpted from “On Harmonious Coordination” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What should people do to be useful when working alongside others? Making up for and pointing out one another’s shortcomings, keeping an eye on each other, seeking and consulting with each other. Pointing things out to each other is one part of working alongside others. Someone might say, “You’re doing it wrong, you’re not seeking the truth. How can you be so hasty in what you say and how you’re handling this?” And hearing this, they will say, “Oh no! It’s lucky that you pointed that out—if you hadn’t, it could have bred disaster.” And what about keeping an eye on each other? For each person, there are times to make mistakes, to be perfunctory, to not consider the interests of the house of God, to act up, or to be disobedient. When you see someone showing off, that they are protecting their own status and reputation, and not considering the interests of the house of God, at such times you must come forward, fellowship with them, and also take this as a warning to yourself. Is this not what it means to keep an eye on one another? What is the use of keeping an eye on one another? It is to protect the interests of the house of God and stop people from going astray.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Cooperation includes asking others for help and tips, seeking others’ advice, and being able to seek the truth principles when there is a problem. This has all been fellowshiped clearly; what happens next comes down to how you practice it. If you always feel yourself to be above others and treat your mission as an official posting, and you are always taking alternate routes, always hatching plans of your own, always undertaking your own management—this will cause problems. If this is how you always act, and you do not want to cooperate with anyone else, to disperse your authority to others, to have your thunder stolen, the halo snatched from your head—if you want only to have things all to yourself, then you are on the wrong road. Yet if you often seek the truth and practice putting such things aside, and if you can take the initiative in cooperating with others, often opening your heart to consult with others and seek their counsel, and if you can adopt others’ suggestions and listen carefully to their thoughts and words, then you are going on the right path, in the right direction. Get off your high horse and set your title aside. Pay no mind to these things, treat them as nothing important, and do not view them as a mark of status, as a laurel. Believe in your heart that you and others are equal; learn to put yourself on an equal footing with others, and be able even to stoop down to ask others for their opinions. Be able to listen earnestly, carefully, and attentively to what others have to say. In this way, you will engender peaceful cooperation between yourself and others. What function, then, does peaceful cooperation serve? It serves a great function, indeed. With it, you can gain from things others have seen that you have yet to see, things others have understood that you have yet to understand, and you can discover others’ strengths and virtues. And there is something else, too: the aspects amid your notions where you consider others daft, stupid, foolish, inferior to you—when you listen to others’ suggestions, or when others open their hearts to speak to you, you come unwittingly to realize that no one at all is simple, that everyone, no matter who they are, has a few thoughts of note. This keeps you from thinking yourself clever or feeling superior. It keeps you from living always in a narcissistic, self-admiring state. It serves to protect you, does it not?

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

At times, when cooperating to fulfill a duty, two people have a dispute over a matter of principle. They have different viewpoints and they have come to different opinions. What can be done in that case? Is this an issue that occurs frequently? It is a normal phenomenon, caused by differences in people’s minds, calibers, insights, ages, and experiences. It is impossible for two people’s heads to have precisely the same contents, so that two people might come to differ in their opinions and views is a very common phenomenon and a most regular occurrence. Do not tie yourself in knots about it. The critical question is how, when such an issue arises, you should cooperate and seek to achieve unity before God and unanimity of opinion. What is the goal of having a unanimous opinion? It is to seek the truth principles in this regard, and not to act according to your own or someone else’s intentions, but together to seek the intentions of God. This is the path to achieving harmonious cooperation. Only when you seek God’s intentions and the principles He requires will you be able to achieve unity. Otherwise, if it went your way, the other person was unsatisfied. If things went their way, you would feel displeased and frustrated. You can’t see it clearly and you can’t let go of it. “How is doing things this way? Is it suitable?” You’re not at ease internally, and you feel that if you don’t fight for it, you won’t be able to account for things in front of God, but if you do fight for it, you’ll feel, “Is this just putting myself forward for my own sake? Is this struggling for my own face, for my own status?” Either way, you feel it’s not suitable. Neither this nor that feels right. Could unity be achieved then? In that kind of situation you should seek the truth. You should seek what the principle is, and what the standard God requires is. Once you find the standard that God requires, you have fellowship with that person. After he hears it, he says, “Yes, my opinion was flawed.” You ponder it and think, “Mine wasn’t that great either. It was a little erroneous, a bit superficial. His idea was better and it came close to the standard that God requires. If there’s a little added to it and it’s adjusted a bit, it’s basically fine. I’ll put my opinion aside, I’ll obey. We should go forward based on his idea, and in the future I should learn some things from him, from that method of his.” Haven’t you been shown favor then? He gave a bit, and didn’t you gain from it? You enjoyed something ready-made. That’s called God’s grace, and you have been shown favor. Do you think it is really only when you are enlightened by the Holy Spirit that it is being shown favor? Someone else has an opinion, or some light to share with you in fellowship; or something is put into practice and done according to their principle, and you see it and think it’s not bad. Isn’t that gaining something? It is. Cooperation among brothers and sisters is itself a process of offsetting one’s weaknesses with another’s strengths. You use your strengths to compensate for others’ shortcomings, and others use their strengths to make up for yours. This is what it means to offset one’s weaknesses with others’ strengths, and to cooperate in harmony. Only when cooperating in harmony can people be blessed before God, and, the more of this one experiences, the more practicality they possess, the path becomes ever brighter, and they become ever more at ease. If you are always at loggerheads with others, and always unconvinced by others, who never wish to listen to you; if you try to preserve the dignity of others, yet they do not do the same for you, which you feel to be unbearable; if you back them into a corner over something they have said, and they remember it, and, the next time an issue arises, they do the same to you—can what you are doing be called offsetting each other’s weaknesses with your strengths and cooperating in harmony? It is called strife, and living by your hot blood and corrupt dispositions. It will not gain God’s blessing; it does not please Him.

Excerpted from “On Harmonious Coordination” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When you are coordinating with others to fulfill your duties, are you able to be open to differing opinions? Can you accept what others say? (I always used to cling to my own ideas, but after being exposed in situations arranged by God, I saw that when everyone got together and discussed things, we usually got things right, and many times it was my own personal perspective that had been wrong or shortsighted. I came to appreciate how important working in harmony with others is.) And what have you learned from this? Do you think anyone is perfect? No matter how strong people are, or how capable and talented, they still are not perfect. People must recognize this; it is a fact. This is also the most appropriate attitude of any who are correctly looking at their strengths and advantages or faults; this is the rationality that people should possess. With such rationality, you can properly deal with your own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of others, and this will enable you to work alongside them harmoniously. If you are armed with this aspect of the truth and can enter this aspect of the truth reality, then you can get along harmoniously with your brothers and sisters, drawing on each other’s strong points to offset any weaknesses you have. In this way, no matter what duty you are performing or what you are doing, you will always get better at it and have God’s blessing. If you always think you are pretty good and that others are worse by comparison, and if you always want to have the final say, then this will be troublesome. Someone might say something correct, but you think, “Even though what he said was right, if I agree with him, what will the others think of me? Won’t that mean I’m not as good as he? I can’t agree with him. I’ll have to find a way to keep the others from knowing I am following his advice, and make them think I’m doing it my way; then they’ll have a high opinion of me.” If this is how you always deal with other people, can you call it a harmonious cooperation? What will the side effects be? As time goes by, everyone will be able to see right through you. People will say you are too crafty, that you do not act in accordance with the truth, and that you are dishonest. Everyone will detest you, and you will be very liable to be forsaken. How does God regard someone whom everyone forsakes? God detests him, too. Why does He detest this kind of person? Such a person’s efforts to fulfill his duty might be honest, but what sort of approach is this? God detests it. The disposition such a person has revealed before God, everything in his heart and mind, and all of his intentions are loathsome to God; God finds them disgusting and evil. Using extremely undesirable methods and tricks to achieve one’s own goals and to gain the admiration of others is the sort of behavior that God detests.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing the Truth Can One Possess Normal Humanity” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the duty you can fulfill? It is to do all you can. If you have a bit of caliber, then say what you are thinking. And if you have strengths in a profession, then bring those strengths to bear. If your ability to understand is relatively strong, then voice your ideas. This is what peaceful cooperation means, and in this way, you can fulfill your duty. If you always try to take everything on, always trying to stand out from the crowd but never letting others do the same, that is not fulfilling your duty. This is called domination, putting yourself on show, and it is behavior of Satan. Even if someone has a special ability, a gift, or a special skill, they cannot bear the burden of work alone and complete it all. Everyone must learn to cooperate peacefully. What is the principle behind this? So long as you commit all your strength, give your loyalty, and contribute all that you are able to do, you will be fulfilling your duty. To fulfill your duty does not mean you need undertake as much as possible, nor should it leave you exhausted and spent, and even less should it back you into a corner. You must learn to cooperate peacefully, to fulfill all that you can, to fulfill your responsibility, and to commit all your strength. This is what is called fulfilling your duty. To fulfill your duty means to do what you can. Fulfill what you can and contribute what you can—that is enough. Do not be an obnoxious person, and do not always act autocratically, without sharing what you reap. Do not always seek to outshine others. If you always want to sound high-minded and say, “You say we should do it one way, but I insist we do it another way,” are you fulfilling your duty? This causes disturbance and undermines others. Is it the behavior of one with normal humanity to cause disturbance and undermine others? It is acting the role of Satan, and it is not fulfilling your duty. Therefore, when you cause disturbance or act destructively or autocratically, then no matter how much effort you make, it will not be commemorated by God. The strength you contributed might seem negligible and inconspicuous, but there may be a time when you say something that benefits everyone, or a time when something you do enables everyone to cooperate peacefully, and everyone may act together, in one direction, their opinions and views united. Although no one might remember that this is your doing, and you might not feel as if you made much effort, God will see that you are a person who practices the truth, a person who acts according to the principles. God will commemorate your having done so. This is called fulfilling your duty. Does fulfilling your duty involve anything difficult? Actually, it is easy—simply do not cause disturbance or act autocratically. You must remember: Fulfilling your duty is not a matter of undertaking your own endeavors or your own management. This work is God’s work, and you only contribute the strengths you have. You participate in a part of God’s management work, or you play a small role in one tiny area. Such is the responsibility you assume and your role. This work is not your personal work, so you must communicate whatever small or large matters arise with everyone. If you have no one at your side, what do you do? You must seek, pray to God, and look for the principles. This is the path of practice. If everyone is there with you, and you always want to have things your own way, what kind of behavior is that? You plan what you do on your own, without informing others, and do not discuss your opinions with anyone; you neither share them with anyone nor open them up but keep them hidden in your heart. When the time comes to act, you always want to amaze others with your brilliant feats, to give everyone a big surprise, so that they will think highly of you. Is that performing your duty? It is undertaking your own management—managing your own position, shoring up your own power and influence. Otherwise, why would you not tell anyone what you are doing? As this work is not yours alone, why would you act without discussing it with anyone and make decisions on your own? Why would you act in secret, operating in a black box, so that no one knows about it? Why would you always try to make people heed you alone? Clearly you view this work as your own personal work. You are the boss, and everyone else is a worker—they all work for you. Is that not trouble? Is what this kind of person reveals not the very disposition of Satan?

Excerpted from “The Proper Fulfillment of Duty Requires Harmonious Cooperation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In performing your duty, you must train yourself to work in harmony with your brothers and sisters, fellowship openly with them, lay everything out on the table, communicate openly, publicly, and honestly, and speak clearly. Then everyone divvies up the work and cooperates, working together in harmony. If there is anything still not understood, then everyone should get together and fellowship more. Those who do understand should fellowship their understanding without hesitation, and anyone who has gained the light of enlightenment should hurry up and tell others about it. If, while others are performing their duties, you are able to give them more help and support, then you should spare no effort to do so, without the slightest reservation. How do despicable girls tend to think? “I know this, but I won’t tell you.” “If you won’t tell me, then I won’t tell you.” This is how despicable girls think—mean, and very afraid that others will be better than they. That is not the sort of thinking that someone with normal humanity should possess. It is not normal humanity or a positive thing; this is a corrupt disposition. All these things that are selfish, mean, deceitful, shadowy, dirty, and shameful are not positive things; they are all negative things. You must therefore learn to let go of these things. You must not let them control, constrain, or dominate you; you have to break past them and strive to be someone in possession of the truth and who lives in the light. Honesty, openness, sincerity, the ability to be tolerant, forbearing, patient, and self-effacing; learning to cherish others, learning to find joy in helping others, doing good deeds, and having a good heart—all of these are positive things. As for those negative things, once you discover that you have such thoughts or ideas, or that you are in such states, you must learn to forsake them and relinquish them. If you do not, then they will control you, and once they have you under their control, you will be capable of doing this type of thing—and then, you will forever be a puppet, enslaved and controlled by your corrupt satanic disposition, and you will never gain the truth. If people wish to gain the truth, they must first recognize what corrupt dispositions they have, how they express those corrupt dispositions, what their thoughts are, what their ideas are, and what states they are in that are at odds with the truth. They should bring these negative, passive things out into the open and recognize them, and then resolve them one by one by learning to forsake them, break through them, and give them up. They should learn to use the truth in the way they treat others, in their approach to their duties, and in their approach to every single thing that happens in their lives, and they should learn to speak and act in accordance with the truth. In this way, little by little, people will come to possess human likeness; they will get better and better at performing their duties, and everyone will work more and more harmoniously together and will become increasingly unified.

Excerpted from “How to Experience God’s Words in One’s Duties” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

90. The Principles of Being a Church Leader

(1) It is necessary to lead God’s chosen people as they learn to eat and drink of God’s words, to fellowship on the truth, and to use the truth to resolve problems, coming to act according to the principles;

(2) It is necessary to safeguard God’s work. Protect God’s chosen people from the deception and disturbance of antichrists, evil people, evil spirits, and every manner of satanic force;

(3) It is necessary to coordinate harmoniously with one’s co-workers. At all times, be faithful to God’s commission, be able to set fleshly interests aside, and do not conduct your own business;

(4) It is necessary to understand the essential work of leadership. One must never do things unrelated to the truth, much less interfere with the affairs of God’s chosen people.

Relevant Words of God:

As leaders and workers in the church, if you want to lead God’s chosen people into truth reality and to serve as God’s witnesses, most importantly, you must have a deeper understanding of God’s aim in saving people and the purpose of His work. You must understand the will of God and His various requirements of people. You must be practical in your efforts; practice only as much as you understand and communicate only on that which you know. Do not boast, do not exaggerate, and do not make irresponsible remarks. If you exaggerate, people will detest you and you will feel reproached afterward; this is just too inappropriate. When you provide the truth to others, you don’t necessarily have to deal with them and scold them in order for them to attain the truth. If you yourself don’t have the truth and only deal with and scold others, they will fear you, but that doesn’t mean they understand the truth. In some administrative work, it’s fine for you to deal with and prune others and discipline them to a certain degree. But if you cannot provide the truth and know only how to be overbearing and to chide others, your corruption and ugliness will be revealed. With the passage of time, as people are unable to obtain the provision of life or practical things from you, they will come to detest you and feel disgusted by you. Those who lack discernment will learn negative things from you; they will learn to deal with and prune others, to get angry, and to lose their temper. Isn’t that tantamount to leading others onto the path of Paul, onto a path toward perdition? Is that not an evildoing? Your work should focus on communicating the truth and providing life to others. If all you do is blindly deal with and lecture others, how will they ever understand the truth? As time goes by, people will see you for who you really are, and they will abandon you. How can you expect to bring others before God in this way? How is this doing the work? You will lose everyone if you keep working in this way. What work do you hope to accomplish anyway? Some leaders are incapable of communicating the truth to resolve problems. Instead, they just blindly deal with others and flaunt their power so that others come to fear them and obey them—such people are of the false leaders and antichrists. Those whose disposition has not changed are incapable of performing church work, and are unable to serve God.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In their work, church leaders and workers must pay attention to two things: One is to do their work exactly according to the principles stipulated by the work arrangements, never violating those principles and not basing their work on anything that they might imagine or on any of their own ideas. In everything they do, they should show concern for the work of God’s house, and always put its interests first. Another thing—and this is most crucial—is that in all things, they must focus on following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do everything in strict keeping with God’s words. If you are still capable of going against the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or if you stubbornly follow your own ideas and do things according to your own imagination, then your actions will constitute a most serious resistance against God. Frequently turning your back on the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit will only lead to a dead end. If you lose the work of the Holy Spirit, then you will not be able to work; and even if you do somehow manage to work, you will accomplish nothing. These are the two main principles to abide by while working: One is to perform your work in exact accordance with the arrangements from the Above, as well as to act according to the principles that have been set forth by the Above; and the other is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. Once these two points are grasped, you will not be so liable to make mistakes. For you whose experience in this area is still limited, your own ideas adulterate your work a bit further. At times, you may not understand the enlightenment or guidance within you that comes from the Holy Spirit; at other times, you appear to understand it, but you are likely to ignore it. You always imagine or deduce in a human manner, acting as you think appropriate, with no concern at all for the Holy Spirit’s intentions. You go about your work solely according to your own ideas, setting aside any enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. Such situations occur frequently. Inner guidance from the Holy Spirit is not at all transcendental; it is, in fact, very normal. That is, in the depths of your heart, you know this is an appropriate way to act, and that it is the best way. This thought is actually quite clear; it did not come of your pondering, but was a sort of feeling you gave rise to from deep down, and sometimes you do not fully understand what makes you act this way. This is often none other than enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, and this is how it occurs most commonly in the majority of people. One’s own ideas often come from thinking and considering, and are all adulterated by self-will, ideas of what areas there are in which one can find self-benefit, and what advantages something might have for oneself; every human decision has these things in it. Guidance from the Holy Spirit, however, in no way contains such adulterations. It is necessary to pay careful attention to the guidance or enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; particularly in key issues, you must be careful in order to grasp it. People who like to use their brains, and who like to act on their own ideas, are the most liable to miss such guidance or enlightenment. Adequate leaders and workers pay attention to the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who obey the Holy Spirit fear God and tirelessly pursue the truth. To satisfy God and bear witness for Him properly, one should investigate one’s work for elements of adulteration and intents, and then try to see how much of the work is motivated by human ideas, how much is born of enlightenment by the Holy Spirit, and how much is in keeping with God’s words. You must constantly, and in all circumstances, examine your words and deeds. To practice frequently in this manner will put you on the right track of serving God. It is necessary to possess many truths to achieve service to God in a way that is in line with His intentions. People have the ability to discern only after they have understood the truth and are able to recognize what emerges from their own ideas and the things that indicate what motivates them. They are able to recognize human impurities, as well as what it means to act according to the truth. Only then can they know how to submit more purely. Without truth, it is impossible for people to practice discernment. A muddleheaded person might believe in God his entire life without knowing what it means to have his own corruption revealed or what it means to resist God, because he does not understand the truth; that thought does not even exist in his mind. The truth is beyond reach for people of overly low caliber; no matter how you fellowship on it with them, they still do not understand. Such people are muddleheaded. In their faith, muddleheaded people cannot testify to God; they can merely do a bit of service. In order to fulfill the work that God entrusts, it is necessary to comprehend these two principles. One must strictly adhere to the work arrangements from the Above, and must pay attention to obeying any guidance from the Holy Spirit. Only when these two principles are grasped can one’s work be effective and God’s will be satisfied.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the greatest taboo in man’s service of God? Do you know? Some people who serve as leaders always want to try to be different, to be head and shoulders above the rest, and to figure out some new tricks that will make God see just how capable they really are. However, they do not focus on understanding the truth and entering the reality of God’s words; they are always trying to show off. Is this not precisely the revelation of an arrogant nature? Some even say, “If I do this, I’m sure it’ll make God very happy; He’ll really like it. This time I am going to get God to have a look; I’ll give Him a nice surprise.” As a result of this “surprise,” they lose the work of the Holy Spirit and get eliminated by God. Do not just rashly do whatever comes into your mind. How can things be okay if you do not consider the consequences of your actions? When you offend God’s disposition and violate His administrative decrees, and are subsequently eliminated, there will be nothing left for you to say. Regardless of your intent, and whether or not you do it deliberately, if you do not understand God’s disposition or His will, you will easily offend Him and be liable to violate His administrative decrees; this is something against which everyone should be on guard. Once you have seriously violated God’s administrative decrees or offended His disposition, He will give no consideration as to whether you did it intentionally or unintentionally. This is a matter that you need to see clearly. If you cannot understand this issue, then you are bound to cause problems. In serving God, people wish to make great strides, do great things, speak great words, perform great work, hold great meetings, and be great leaders. If you always have such grand ambitions, then you will violate God’s administrative decrees; people who do this will die quickly. If you are not well-behaved, devout, and prudent in your service to God, then sooner or later, you will offend His disposition.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those who can lead churches, supply people with life, and be apostles to the people must have actual experience; they must have a correct understanding of spiritual things and a correct appreciation and experience of the truth. Only such people are qualified to be workers or apostles who lead the churches. Otherwise, they can only follow as the least and cannot lead, much less be apostles who are able to supply people with life. This is because the function of apostles is not to rush about or to fight; it is to do the work of ministering life and leading others in transforming their dispositions. Those who perform this function are commissioned to shoulder a heavy responsibility, one that not just anyone can shoulder. This kind of work can only be undertaken by those with life being, that is, those who have experience of the truth. It cannot be undertaken by merely anyone who can renounce, who can rush about, or who is willing to expend themselves; people who have no experience of the truth, who have not been pruned or judged, are unable to do this type of work. People with no experience, who are people without reality, are unable to see reality clearly because they themselves are without this kind of being. So, this type of person is not only unable to do leadership work, but, if they remain without the truth for a long while, they will become an object of elimination.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the cause of the emergence of the category of people who are leaders and workers, and how did they emerge? On a grand scale, they are required for God’s work; on a smaller scale, they are required by the brothers and sisters, they are required by God’s chosen people, who are following God. Regardless of their status and identity, and regardless of the role they play, what is the one thing this category of people has in common with all people? Before God, their identity and status are the same as others’. Although among people they hold the titles of “leaders” and “workers,” and although their duty is different than that of other brothers and sisters, before God they are called objects of creation just the same, and this identity will never change. The difference between their duty and that of other people is a matter of a special characteristic of theirs. What special characteristic is that? Its most prominent aspect is “leadership.” Suppose, for example, there is a team of people with a person leading them; if this person is referred to as a “leader” or as a “worker,” what is their function within the team? (The function of leadership.) What effect does this person’s leadership have on the people they lead and on the team as a whole? It affects the team’s direction and its path. This implies that if this person in a position of leadership walks the wrong path, then, at the very least, it will cause the people beneath them and the entire team to veer from the right path; beyond that, it might disrupt or destroy the entire team’s direction as they move forward, as well as their speed and pace. So when it comes to this group of people, the path they follow and the direction of the path they choose, the extent to which they understand the truth as well as their belief in God affect not only themselves, but all the brothers and sisters who are within the scope of their leadership. If a leader is a right person, one who is walking the right path and pursues and practices truth, then the people they lead will eat and drink properly and seek properly, and, at the same time, the leader’s personal progress will be constantly visible to others. So, what is the correct path that a leader should walk? It is being able to lead others to an understanding of the truth and an entry into the truth, and to lead others before God. What is an incorrect path? It is frequently to elevate oneself and to bear witness to oneself, pursuing status, fame, and profit, and never bearing witness to God. What effect does this have on the people beneath them? (It brings those people before them.) People will stray far from God and come under this leader’s control. If you lead people to come before you, then you are leading them to come before corrupt mankind, and you are leading them to come before Satan, not God. Only leading people to come before truth is leading them to come before God. These are the effects that these two types of people—those who walk the correct path and those who walk the incorrect path—have on those who are led.

Excerpted from “They Try to Win People Over” in Exposing Antichrists

Whatever duty you perform, you should do it in accordance with God’s requirements. For example, if you have been chosen to be a church leader, then church leadership is your duty—how should you do it if you see it as your duty? (In line with God’s requirements.) Working in line with God’s requirements is a general way of putting it. What are the specific details? First, you must know that this is a duty, not an office. It will cause problems if you think you have assumed an office. However, if you say, “I’ve been chosen to be a church leader, so I need to be a grade lower than others; all of you are higher up than I am and greater than I am,” then this, too, is an incorrect attitude; if you do not understand the truth, then no amount of pretense will do you any good. Rather, you must have a proper understanding of it. Firstly, you must know that this duty is very important. A church has dozens of members, and you must think about how to bring these people before God and enable a majority of them to understand the truth and enter truth reality. Furthermore, with weak, passive people, you must strive to make them stop being weak and passive so that they can actively fulfill their duties, and as to all those who are able to fulfill their duties, you should make them do so and perform to their utmost. Make them understand the truths related to fulfilling one’s duties so that they are not slipshod in fulfilling them, they fulfill them well, and they can have a normal relationship with God. There are also those who cause disruption and disturbances, or those who have believed in God for many years but have an evil humanity; of these people, you should deal with those who should be dealt with, and purge those who should be purged, making appropriate arrangements for each person according to their kind. It is also of importance that those few in the church with relatively good humanity, with a bit of caliber, who can take responsibility for an aspect of work, must all be cultivated. These are things that must be done to fulfill the duties of leadership, are they not? When you have accepted this duty, can you fulfill it properly without these things in your heart? (No.) Once you have accepted this duty, you must straighten these affairs out, one by one: First, cultivating talent; second, making all your brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life arrive at normality and, based on your understanding of the truth and the sermons you have listened to, enabling them all to enter these truth realities—this is the aspect of entry into life; third, having most of those who are capable of fulfilling their duties actually do so, and ensuring their fulfillment of their duties is not done in a slipshod way, but yields results; fourth, the timely handling and limitation of those who cause disruption and disturbances; and fifth, being able to discern all kinds of people, which remains necessary. For example, some people’s negativity and weakness are temporary; you cannot paint in broad strokes, treating and handling their cases as you would chronic negativity and weakness. You must make the most of every person, taking full advantage of their individual capabilities and arranging suitable duties for them according to what they can do, the quality of their caliber, how old they are, and how long they have believed in God. You must come up with a tailor-made plan for each type of person and vary it from person to person, so that they can fulfill their duties in God’s house and exert their functions to the greatest extent. If you have these things in your heart, your burden has arisen, so you must always pay attention and be observant. Observant of what? This does not mean looking to see who is pretty and then spending more time interacting with that person, nor does it mean looking to see who is ugly and then rejecting that person, and less still does it mean looking to see who defies you and then punishing them. Rather, it means looking at what God’s requirements are of each kind of person, then having each of them take their proper place. First, take a moment to arrange these people in the church in your head; organize those of good caliber into one sort, and those of poor caliber into another. Create separate categories for people who can devote themselves to their duties full-time, part-time, or not at all, and set as a category those who are constantly disruptive, always negative, and who constantly spread rumors. After that, you must contemplate and pray frequently, and then interact with these people. After a while, you will have gained insight into the various states and degrees of stature of each type of person. This arises from a burden, does it not? Is this not the correct attitude toward your duty? Once you have such a proper attitude and your burden has arisen, you will be able to do your work well.

Excerpted from “What Is the Adequate Performance of Duty?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The responsibilities of leaders and workers:

1. Lead people to eat and drink of God’s words and understand them, and to enter the reality of God’s words.

2. Be familiar with the states of each sort of person, and resolve the various difficulties relating to life entry they encounter in their lives.

3. Fellowship the truth principles that should be understood in order to perform each duty properly.

4. Keep abreast of the circumstances of supervisors of different work and personnel responsible for various important jobs, and promptly reallocate or replace them as necessary, so as to prevent or mitigate losses due to putting people to unsuitable use, and guarantee the efficiency and smooth progress of the work.

5. Maintain an up-to-date grasp and understanding of the status and progress of each project of the work, and be able promptly to resolve problems, correct deviations, and remedy oversights in the work so that it will progress smoothly.

6. Promote and nurture all manner of qualified talent so that all who pursue the truth can have the opportunity to undergo training and enter the truth reality as soon as possible.

7. Allocate and make use of different types of people sensibly, based on their humanity and strengths, such that each is put to their best use.

8. Promptly report and seek guidance regarding confusion and difficulties encountered in the work.

9. Accurately communicate, issue, and implement the various work arrangements of the house of God in accordance with its requirements, providing guidance, oversight, and supervision, and inspect and follow up on the status of their implementation.

10. Properly store and sensibly distribute the various possessions of the house of God (books, various equipment, foodstuffs, and so on), and carry out regular inspections, maintenance, and repair to minimize damage and waste; also, avert their misappropriation by evil people.

11. Choose dependable people of sufficient humanity especially for the task of systematically registering, tallying, and storing offerings; regularly check and verify incomings and outgoings so that cases of profligacy or waste, as well as unreasonable expenditures, can be identified promptly—put a stop to such things and demand reasonable compensation. Additionally, prevent, by any means, offerings falling into the hands of evil people and being misappropriated by them.

12. Promptly and accurately identify the various people, events, and things that disturb and interrupt God’s work and the normal order of the churches. Curb and limit them, and turn things aright. Additionally, fellowship the truth so that God’s chosen ones grow more discerning in such things and learn from them.

13. Protect God’s chosen ones from the disturbance, deception, control, and harm of antichrists, and teach them to identify antichrists and forsake them from their hearts.

14. Promptly identify, purge, and expel all manner of evil people and antichrists.

15. Protect important work personnel of all sorts, shielding them from the interference of the outside world, and keep them safe to ensure important work can proceed in an orderly fashion.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Church leaders should be able to guide all their brothers and sisters so that they know how to eat and drink God’s words. This is the responsibility of every single church leader. Be they young or old, all should regard the eating and drinking of God’s words as of great significance and should have His words in their hearts. Entering into this reality means entering the Age of Kingdom. Today, most people feel that they cannot live without eating and drinking the words of God, and feel that His words are fresh regardless of the time. This means that they are beginning to set upon the right track. God uses words to do His work and provide for man. When everyone yearns after and thirsts for the words of God, humanity shall enter into the world of His words.

God has spoken a great deal. How much have you come to know? How much have you entered into? If a church leader has not guided their brothers and sisters into the reality of God’s words, then they will have been derelict in their duty, and will have failed to fulfill their responsibilities! Whether your understanding is profound or superficial, regardless of the degree of your understanding, you must know how to eat and drink His words, you must pay great attention to His words, and understand the importance and the necessity of eating and drinking them.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the life of the churches, the first thing the leaders and workers must do is get to grips with the states of various kinds of people, then promptly and accurately identify, locate, and home in on those who walk the path of the antichrists, who have the essence of an antichrist. After that, they must pay close attention to such people, and maintain a timely understanding of and familiarity with the opinions they are spreading, and the moves they’re going to make. When these people try to limit, ensnare, and control others, the leaders and workers should promptly come forward to keep them in check, rather than passively waiting, waiting for them to be exposed by God, waiting for the brothers and sisters to be passively duped by them, or for the brothers and sisters to be passively enlightened by God, and passively recognize and identify them. So the workers and leaders should prepare for this in advance: In a group, as they come into contact with people, they should closely observe, pay close attention to, make wide-ranging inquiries and try to find out more about the disposition, essence, and the path walked by every member who partakes in church life, looking at who walks the path of the antichrists, who is always trying to take over, and has the essence of an antichrist, and is the kind of person who is an antichrist, an evil person. This is the first thing the leaders and workers should do among those who lead the life of the church. Why is this the first thing they should do? Because only when this is done can the basic normal order of the churches be upheld. When there exist those who are evil, who are antichrists, or who walk the path of the antichrists, church life cannot be well, and cannot quickly enter onto the right track, and most people will frequently be disturbed and affected. And so, the first most important thing leaders and workers should do among those within the ambit of church life is to identify, try to find out more about, familiarize themselves with, and home in on wicked people, antichrists, and those who walk the path of the antichrists. Only when these people are held in check can the basic normal order of the churches be upheld. If these people are not held in check among the brothers and sisters, if they are given free rein, and most people can’t tell them for what they really are, and cannot see their essence—and, moreover, are disturbed and beguiled by their various thoughts and perspectives—then it will be very difficult for people to set foot on the right track and enter the truth reality during church life. If, during this period, church life is very normal, and people eat and drink God’s words normally, and perform their duty normally, and have a hard-won understanding of a little superficial truth reality or a few principles, then as soon as an antichrist speaks words and doctrine to deceive them, people will not only lose what little they had, but will also take on many of the heresies and fallacies instilled by Satan, and will very rapidly backslide. This is something very troublesome. It is not easy for people to progress in their life entry. It takes years to see a little progress; progress is very slow. Having that little bit of stature is by no means easy for people, it is very hard to come by, and thanks to the duping and disturbance of the antichrists, they lose what little they had. And that’s not the end of it. Following disturbance by Satan and antichrists, people take on many satanic philosophies, satanic conspiracies, and the poison that Satan sows in man, which not only stop people from growing closer to God, and being more obedient to God, but actually take them further away from God, and make their dispositions even more corrupt, and them even more liable to turn their back on God. The consequences are serious. And given the seriousness of these consequences, would you say that limiting and curbing that type of person who, during church life, speaks words and doctrine to dupe people and make them think highly of them—would you say that this is important work? This is important work that leaders and workers must do properly.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (13)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You need to have an understanding of the many states that people will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate in service to God must have an even stronger grasp of the many states brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on people. If you only talk about a lot of experiences or ways of attaining entry, it shows that your experience is overly one-sided. Without knowing your true state and grasping the truth principle, it is not possible to achieve a change in disposition. Without knowing the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work or understanding the fruit it bears, it will be difficult for you to discern the work of evil spirits. You must expose the work of evil spirits, as well as the notions of man, and penetrate straight to the heart of the issue; you must also point out many deviations in people’s practice and problems they might have in their faith in God, so that they may recognize them. At the very least, you must not make them feel negative or passive. However, you must understand the difficulties that objectively exist for most people, you must not be unreasonable or “try to teach a pig to sing”; that is foolish behavior. To resolve the many difficulties people experience, you must first comprehend the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit; you must understand how the Holy Spirit performs work on different people, you must have an understanding of the difficulties people face and of their shortcomings, and you must see through to the key issues of the problem and get to its source, without deviating or making any errors. Only this kind of person is qualified to coordinate in service to God.

Whether or not you are able to grasp the key issues and see many things clearly depends on your individual experiences. The manner in which you experience is also the manner in which you lead others. If you understand letters and doctrines, then you will lead others to understand letters and doctrines. The way that you experience the reality of God’s words is the way in which you will lead others to attain entry to the reality of God’s utterances. If you are able to understand many truths and clearly gain insight into many things from God’s words, then you are capable of leading others to understand many truths, too, and those whom you lead will gain a clear understanding of the visions. If you focus on grasping supernatural feelings, then those whom you lead will do the same. If you neglect practice, instead placing emphasis on discussion, then those whom you lead will also focus on discussion, without practicing at all or attaining any transformation in their dispositions; they will only be enthusiastic superficially, without having put any truths into practice. All people supply others with what they themselves possess. The type of person someone is determines the path onto which they guide others, as well as the type of people that they lead. To be truly fit for God’s use, you not only must have an aspiration, but you also need a great deal of enlightenment from God, guidance from His words, the experience of being dealt with by Him, and the refinement of His words. With this as a foundation, in ordinary times, you should pay attention to your observations, thoughts, ponderances, and conclusions, and engage in absorption or elimination accordingly. These are all paths for your entry to reality, and each one of them is indispensable. This is how God works. If you enter into this method by which God works, you can have opportunities every day to be perfected by Him. And at any time, regardless of whether your environment is harsh or favorable, whether you are being tested or tempted, whether you are working or not, and whether you are living life as an individual or as part of a collective, you will always find opportunities to be perfected by God, without ever missing a single one of them. You will be able to discover them all—and in this way, you will have found the secret to experiencing God’s words.

from “What an Adequate Shepherd Should Be Equipped With” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The requirement made of you today—to work together in harmony—is similar to the service Jehovah required of the Israelites: Otherwise, just stop doing service. Because you are people who serve God directly, at the very minimum you must be capable of loyalty and submission in your service, and must also be able to learn lessons in a practical way. For those of you working in the church especially, would any of the brothers and sisters below you dare to deal with you? Would anyone dare to tell you of your mistakes to your face? You stand high above everyone else; you do reign as kings! You do not even study or enter into these sorts of practical lessons, yet you still talk of serving God! At present, you are asked to lead a number of churches, but not only do you not give up yourself, but you even cling to your own notions and opinions, saying things like, “I think this thing should be done this way, as God has said that we should not be restrained by others and that nowadays we should not submit blindly.” Therefore, each of you holds to your own opinion, and no one obeys each other. Though you clearly know that your service is at an impasse, you still say, “As I see it, my way is not far off the mark. In any case, we each have a side: You talk of yours, and I will talk of mine; you fellowship about your visions, and I will speak of my entry.” You never take responsibility for the many things that should be dealt with, or you simply make do, each of you venting your own opinions and prudently protecting your own status, reputation, and face. None of you is willing to humble yourself, and neither side will take the initiative to give yourself up and make up for each other’s deficiencies so that life may progress more rapidly. When you are coordinating together, you should learn to seek the truth. You may say, “I do not have a clear understanding of this aspect of truth. What experience do you have with it?” Or, you may say, “You have more experience than I with regard to this aspect; could you please give me some guidance?” Would that not be a good way of going about it? You have listened to a lot of sermons, and have some experience with doing service. If you do not learn from each other, help each other, and make up for each other’s shortcomings when doing work in the churches, then how can you learn any lessons? Whenever you encounter anything, you should fellowship with each other so that your lives can benefit. Moreover, you should carefully fellowship about things of any sort before making any decisions. Only by doing so are you taking responsibility for the church rather than simply acting perfunctorily. After you visit all the churches, you should gather together and fellowship about all the issues you discover and any problems encountered in your work, and then you should communicate about the enlightenment and illumination that you have received—this is an indispensable practice of service. You must achieve harmonious cooperation for the purpose of the work of God, for the benefit of the church, and so as to spur your brothers and sisters onward. You should coordinate with one another, each amending the other and arriving at a better work outcome, so as to care for God’s will. This is what true cooperation is, and only those who engage in it will gain true entry. While cooperating, some of the words you speak may be unsuitable, but that does not matter. Fellowship about it later, and gain a clear understanding of it; do not neglect it. After this sort of fellowship, you can make up for your brothers’ or sisters’ deficiencies. Only by moving ever deeper in your work like this can you achieve better outcomes. Each of you, as people who serve God, must be able to defend the interests of the church in everything you do, instead of simply considering your own interests. It is unacceptable to act alone, undermining each other. People who behave like that are not fit to serve God!

Excerpted from “Serve As the Israelites Did” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

91. The Principles of Being a Church Deacon

(1) A church deacon should cooperate harmoniously with church leaders, learn to submit to the truth, report any difficulties they face to a leader in a timely fashion, and resolve them by means of seeking the truth;

(2) It is necessary to safeguard all of the church’s work. When antichrists and evil spirits beguile God’s chosen people, a church deacon should protect them well, lest they be deceived;

(3) A church deacon should focus on their own life entry, and on practicing the truth and acting according to the principles, doing their duty well, and remaining true to God’s commission;

(4) It is necessary to supervise the work of church leaders in light of work arrangements. If they are found not to be doing practical work, a church deacon should offer them directions and help or report it to their superiors.

Relevant Words of God:

In their work, church leaders and workers must pay attention to two things: One is to do their work exactly according to the principles stipulated by the work arrangements, never violating those principles and not basing their work on anything that they might imagine or on any of their own ideas. In everything they do, they should show concern for the work of God’s house, and always put its interests first. Another thing—and this is most crucial—is that in all things, they must focus on following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do everything in strict keeping with God’s words. If you are still capable of going against the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or if you stubbornly follow your own ideas and do things according to your own imagination, then your actions will constitute a most serious resistance against God. Frequently turning your back on the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit will only lead to a dead end. If you lose the work of the Holy Spirit, then you will not be able to work; and even if you do somehow manage to work, you will accomplish nothing. These are the two main principles to abide by while working: One is to perform your work in exact accordance with the arrangements from the Above, as well as to act according to the principles that have been set forth by the Above; and the other is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. Once these two points are grasped, you will not be so liable to make mistakes.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You need to have an understanding of the many states that people will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate in service to God must have an even stronger grasp of the many states brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on people. If you only talk about a lot of experiences or ways of attaining entry, it shows that your experience is overly one-sided. Without knowing your true state and grasping the truth principle, it is not possible to achieve a change in disposition. Without knowing the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work or understanding the fruit it bears, it will be difficult for you to discern the work of evil spirits. You must expose the work of evil spirits, as well as the notions of man, and penetrate straight to the heart of the issue; you must also point out many deviations in people’s practice and problems they might have in their faith in God, so that they may recognize them. At the very least, you must not make them feel negative or passive. However, you must understand the difficulties that objectively exist for most people, you must not be unreasonable or “try to teach a pig to sing”; that is foolish behavior. To resolve the many difficulties people experience, you must first comprehend the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit; you must understand how the Holy Spirit performs work on different people, you must have an understanding of the difficulties people face and of their shortcomings, and you must see through to the key issues of the problem and get to its source, without deviating or making any errors. Only this kind of person is qualified to coordinate in service to God.

Excerpted from “What an Adequate Shepherd Should Be Equipped With” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The church is under construction, and Satan is trying its utmost to demolish it. It wants to demolish My construction by any means possible; for this reason, the church must be purified quickly. Not the slightest dregs of evil must remain; the church must be purified such that it becomes flawless and continues to be as pure as in the past. You must be awake and waiting at all times, and you must pray before Me more. You must recognize the various plots and cunning schemes of Satan, recognize the spirits, know people, and be able to discern all kinds of people, events, and things; you must also eat and drink more of My words and, more importantly, you must be able to eat and drink of them by yourselves. Equip yourselves with all of the truth, and come before Me so that I may open your spiritual eyes and allow you to see all the mysteries that lie within the spirit…. When the church enters its construction phase, the saints march to battle. Satan’s various hideous features are set before you: Do you stop and edge backward, or do you stand up and, relying upon Me, continue to move forward? Thoroughly expose Satan’s corrupt and ugly features, spare no feelings, and show no mercy! Fight Satan to the death! I am your backup, and you must have the spirit of the male child! Satan is lashing out in its final death throes, but it will still be unable to escape My judgment. Satan is beneath My feet and it is also being trodden under your own feet—this is a fact!

All those religious disruptors, and those who tear down the church’s construction, cannot be shown the smallest bit of tolerance but will be judged immediately; Satan will be exposed, trampled, destroyed utterly, and left with nowhere to hide. All manner of demons and ghosts will surely reveal their true forms before Me, and I will cast them all into the bottomless pit from which they will never be free; they will all be beneath our feet. If you want to fight the good fight for the truth, then first of all, you must not give Satan any chance to work—to this end, you will need to be of one mind and able to serve in coordination, relinquish all your own notions, opinions, views, and ways of doing things, quiet your heart within Me, focus on the voice of the Holy Spirit, be attentive to the work of the Holy Spirit, and experience God’s words in detail. You must have only one intention, which is that My will be done. You should have no other intention apart from this. You must look to Me with all your heart, watch closely My actions and the way I do things, and not be negligent at all. Your spirit must be sharp, your eyes open. Ordinarily, when it comes to those whose intentions and objectives are not right, as well as those who love to be seen by others, who are eager to do things, who are prone to causing disruptions, who are good at spouting religious doctrine, who are Satan’s lackeys, and so on—when these people stand up, they become difficulties for the church, and this causes their brothers’ and sisters’ eating and drinking of God’s words to come to nothing. When you encounter such people play-acting, ban them immediately. If, despite repeated admonitions, they do not change, then they will suffer loss. If those who stubbornly persist in their ways attempt to defend themselves and try to cover up their sins, the church should cut them out immediately and leave them no room to maneuver. Do not lose a lot by trying to save a little; keep your eye on the big picture.

Excerpted from “Chapter 17” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Work Responsibilities of Church Deacons of Watering

1. In church life, deacons of watering must take the lead in eating and drinking the words of God, integrate God’s words when they fellowship their experiences and understanding on all things, know and dissect their own corrupt dispositions, and reveal their own incorrect motivations and various satanic poisons, so that God’s chosen people may learn how to practice and experience God’s words, and come to know themselves, so that they are able to understand the truth and enter reality.

2. Deacons of watering must properly carry out the work of watering newcomers. Before anything else, they must address their own erroneous notions and understanding. They must attain genuine understanding of the truths relating to visions. They must be able to lovingly and patiently water newcomers, and ensure that newcomers understand these truths within six months, so that they may root themselves in the true way.

3. A church’s deacon of watering must attend assemblies with all groups by rotating between them. Upon discovering a problem, they should immediately address it by seeking the truth; major problems must be solved by fellowshiping with the church leaders. There must be no concealment of the true facts.

4. Deacons of watering must work in harmony with church leaders to carry out the work of the church. They should regularly communicate with church leaders regarding issues and difficulties that exist in the church, and jointly seek the truth principle in order to solve these problems. Deacons of watering should also monitor the work of church leaders and provide prompt fellowship and reminders should they discover any deviation or shortcoming. Should any serious problem be discovered, they should report it to their superiors immediately.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Work Responsibilities of Gospel Deacons

1. Gospel deacons should manage those in the church who are adept at spreading the gospel or willing to be trained in spreading the gospel. Gospel deacons should frequently fellowship truths, wisdom, and various effective means of spreading the gospel to such people, so that those who spread the gospel may understand the truth and grasp principles.

2. Gospel deacons must follow the principles of “five preach” and “eight never preach.” They must ensure that the recipients of the gospel are of relatively good humanity, yearn for the truth, and are capable of understanding the truth. The gospel must not be preached to those who are of evil humanity, have no interest in the truth, and do not truly believe in God.

3. Gospel deacons must mobilize God’s chosen people to go to different denominations to find out which of their members yearn for the appearance of God and love the truth, as well as to learn more about how long they have believed in God, their moral quality, and their caliber; where a practical plan for spreading the gospel can be ascertained, someone suitable should be arranged to go spread the gospel to them. In addition, the gospel deacons must discover which of the denomination member’s relatives, friends, and acquaintances are suitable gospel targets, so that someone can be arranged to spread the gospel to them.

4. Gospel deacons must mobilize God’s chosen ones to feel people out and find potential prospects to spread the gospel to, employing various appropriate and effective means to seek gospel targets. When such people are discovered, they must be reported to the church, after which a suitable method can be discovered and identified by which to preach to them.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Work Responsibilities of Deacons of General Affairs

1. Deacons of general affairs are responsible for distributing books of God’s words, the latest sermons and fellowships, and work arrangements to God’s chosen people, ensuring that there are no delays or omissions.

2. Deacons of general affairs must get to know and have an understanding of the practical difficulties faced by those of God’s chosen who perform their duties full time, and do everything possible to help them address their concerns.

3. Deacons of general affairs must regularly check on the custody situation of church assets and literature to ensure the integrity of all church assets.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

92. The Principles of Being a Preacher

(1) It is necessary for a preacher to eat and drink of God’s words often and to equip themselves with the truth. Be able to spot deficiencies and amend them in a timely fashion, and to resolve all manner of problems by fellowshiping on the truth in accordance with God’s words;

(2) It is necessary to grasp the true state of each church leader and deacon. If one finds a false leader or false worker among them, the problem must be reported and resolved at once;

(3) It is necessary to cooperate with district leaders in each aspect of that district’s work. There must be harmonious coordination, as well as a focus on discovering and cultivating talent;

(4) It is necessary to learn to supervise the work of district leaders and workers. Should one among them be found not to be doing practical work, they must be given direction and reported.

Relevant Words of God:

Those who can lead churches, supply people with life, and be apostles to the people must have actual experience; they must have a correct understanding of spiritual things and a correct appreciation and experience of the truth. Only such people are qualified to be workers or apostles who lead the churches. Otherwise, they can only follow as the least and cannot lead, much less be apostles who are able to supply people with life. This is because the function of apostles is not to rush about or to fight; it is to do the work of ministering life and leading others in transforming their dispositions. Those who perform this function are commissioned to shoulder a heavy responsibility, one that not just anyone can shoulder. This kind of work can only be undertaken by those with life being, that is, those who have experience of the truth. It cannot be undertaken by merely anyone who can renounce, who can rush about, or who is willing to expend themselves; people who have no experience of the truth, who have not been pruned or judged, are unable to do this type of work. People with no experience, who are people without reality, are unable to see reality clearly because they themselves are without this kind of being. So, this type of person is not only unable to do leadership work, but, if they remain without the truth for a long while, they will become an object of elimination.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You need to have an understanding of the many states that people will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate in service to God must have an even stronger grasp of the many states brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on people. If you only talk about a lot of experiences or ways of attaining entry, it shows that your experience is overly one-sided. Without knowing your true state and grasping the truth principle, it is not possible to achieve a change in disposition. Without knowing the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work or understanding the fruit it bears, it will be difficult for you to discern the work of evil spirits. You must expose the work of evil spirits, as well as the notions of man, and penetrate straight to the heart of the issue; you must also point out many deviations in people’s practice and problems they might have in their faith in God, so that they may recognize them. At the very least, you must not make them feel negative or passive. However, you must understand the difficulties that objectively exist for most people, you must not be unreasonable or “try to teach a pig to sing”; that is foolish behavior. To resolve the many difficulties people experience, you must first comprehend the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit; you must understand how the Holy Spirit performs work on different people, you must have an understanding of the difficulties people face and of their shortcomings, and you must see through to the key issues of the problem and get to its source, without deviating or making any errors. Only this kind of person is qualified to coordinate in service to God.

Whether or not you are able to grasp the key issues and see many things clearly depends on your individual experiences. The manner in which you experience is also the manner in which you lead others. If you understand letters and doctrines, then you will lead others to understand letters and doctrines. The way that you experience the reality of God’s words is the way in which you will lead others to attain entry to the reality of God’s utterances. If you are able to understand many truths and clearly gain insight into many things from God’s words, then you are capable of leading others to understand many truths, too, and those whom you lead will gain a clear understanding of the visions. If you focus on grasping supernatural feelings, then those whom you lead will do the same. If you neglect practice, instead placing emphasis on discussion, then those whom you lead will also focus on discussion, without practicing at all or attaining any transformation in their dispositions; they will only be enthusiastic superficially, without having put any truths into practice. All people supply others with what they themselves possess. The type of person someone is determines the path onto which they guide others, as well as the type of people that they lead. To be truly fit for God’s use, you not only must have an aspiration, but you also need a great deal of enlightenment from God, guidance from His words, the experience of being dealt with by Him, and the refinement of His words. With this as a foundation, in ordinary times, you should pay attention to your observations, thoughts, ponderances, and conclusions, and engage in absorption or elimination accordingly. These are all paths for your entry to reality, and each one of them is indispensable. This is how God works. If you enter into this method by which God works, you can have opportunities every day to be perfected by Him. And at any time, regardless of whether your environment is harsh or favorable, whether you are being tested or tempted, whether you are working or not, and whether you are living life as an individual or as part of a collective, you will always find opportunities to be perfected by God, without ever missing a single one of them. You will be able to discover them all—and in this way, you will have found the secret to experiencing God’s words.

from “What an Adequate Shepherd Should Be Equipped With” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In their work, church leaders and workers must pay attention to two things: One is to do their work exactly according to the principles stipulated by the work arrangements, never violating those principles and not basing their work on anything that they might imagine or on any of their own ideas. In everything they do, they should show concern for the work of God’s house, and always put its interests first. Another thing—and this is most crucial—is that in all things, they must focus on following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do everything in strict keeping with God’s words. If you are still capable of going against the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or if you stubbornly follow your own ideas and do things according to your own imagination, then your actions will constitute a most serious resistance against God. Frequently turning your back on the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit will only lead to a dead end. If you lose the work of the Holy Spirit, then you will not be able to work; and even if you do somehow manage to work, you will accomplish nothing. These are the two main principles to abide by while working: One is to perform your work in exact accordance with the arrangements from the Above, as well as to act according to the principles that have been set forth by the Above; and the other is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. Once these two points are grasped, you will not be so liable to make mistakes.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Work refers not to running around for God, but to whether the life of man and what man lives out are able to give God enjoyment. Work refers to people using their devotion to God and their knowledge of God to testify about God, and also to minister to man. This is man’s responsibility and this is what all men should understand. One could say that your entry is your work, and that you are seeking to enter during the course of working for God. Experiencing God’s work does not merely mean that you know how to eat and drink of His word; more importantly, you must know how to testify about God and be able to serve God and be able to minister to and provide for man. This is work, and it is also your entry; this is what every person should accomplish. There are many who only focus on running around for God and preaching everywhere, yet overlook their individual experience and neglect their entry into the spiritual life. This is what has led those who serve God to become those who resist God.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden you bear, and the greater the burden you bear, the richer your experience will be. When you are mindful of God’s will, God will lay a burden upon you, and then enlighten you about the tasks which He has entrusted to you. When God gives you this burden, you will pay attention to all the related truths while eating and drinking of God’s words. If you have a burden related to the state of your brothers’ and sisters’ lives, then this is a burden that has been entrusted to you by God, and you will always carry this burden with you in your daily prayers. What God does has been laden onto you, and you are willing to do that which God wants to do; this is what it means to take on God’s burden as your own. At this point, in your eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on these types of issues, and you will wonder, How am I going to solve these problems? How can I enable my brothers and sisters to achieve release and find spiritual enjoyment? You will also focus on solving these problems while fellowshiping, and when eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on eating and drinking of words that relate to these issues. You will also carry a burden while eating and drinking of His words. Once you have understood God’s requirements, you will have a clearer idea about which path to take. This is the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit brought by your burden, and this is also God’s guidance which has been bestowed upon you. Why do I say this? If you have no burden, then you will not be attentive while eating and drinking of God’s words; when you eat and drink of God’s words while carrying a burden, you can grasp their essence, find your way, and be mindful of God’s will.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As your life progresses, you must always have new entry and new, higher insight, which grow deeper with every step. This is what all humanity should enter into. Through communing, listening to sermons, reading the word of God, or handling some matter, you will gain new insight and new enlightenment, and will not live within the rules of old and times of old; you will always live in the new light, and will not stray from the word of God. This is what is meant by embarking upon the right track. Paying a price on some superficial level will not do; day by day, the word of God enters a higher realm, and new things appear every day, and man, too, must make a new entry every day. As God speaks, so He brings to fruition all that which He has spoken, and if you cannot keep up, then you will fall behind. You must go deeper in your prayers; eating and drinking of the word of God cannot be intermittent. Deepen the enlightenment and illumination you receive, and your notions and imaginings must gradually recede. You must also strengthen your judgment, and whatever you encounter, you must have your own thoughts about it and have your own viewpoints. By understanding some things in the spirit, you must gain insight into the outward things and grasp the essence of any issue. If you are not equipped with these things, how will you be able to lead the church? If you only speak of letters and doctrines without any reality and without a way of practice, you will only be able to get by for a short period of time. It may be marginally acceptable when speaking to new believers, but after a time, when new believers have had some actual experience, you will no longer be able to supply them. Then how are you fit for God’s use? Without new enlightenment, you cannot work. Those without new enlightenment are those who do not know how to experience, and such people never gain new knowledge or new experience. And, in the matter of supplying life, they can never perform their function, nor can they become fit for God’s use. This kind of person is good for nothing, a mere wastrel. In truth, such people are wholly incapable of performing their function in the work, they are all good for nothing. Not only do they fail to perform their function, but they actually place much unnecessary strain on the church. I exhort these “venerable old men” to make haste and leave the church, so that others no longer have to look upon you.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Work Duties of the District Preachers

The primary work of the district preachers is to properly water the leaders and deacons of churches everywhere within the district (including the workers fulfilling their duties concerning general affairs). Their specific tasks are as follows:

1. They must water and provide sustenance for all church leaders and workers in accordance with God’s words and in combination with sermons and fellowship on life entry, resolving any difficulties and problems with regard to their life entry.

2. They must fellowship on the truths in combination with people’s revelations of corruption as well as their mistakes and deviations in their fulfillment of duties, thus resolving issues that exist in reality.

3. They must get a good grasp of the real conditions and actual stature of all church leaders and deacons through contacts and heartfelt exchanges. If it is discovered that any of the seven types of people are in the roles of leaders and workers, such situations must be reported to the district leaders and these people must be replaced as soon as possible.

4. If people with the potential to be cultivated are discovered, the district preachers must cultivate and water them, and report to the senior leadership. All this must be done without delay.

5. They must strive to understand and have a good grasp of the issues that persist in each church, resolving them in a timely manner. With regard to those issues that cannot be resolved, they must be reported to the district leaders or regional coordinators, without hiding the facts or taking things lightly.

6. They must safeguard God’s chosen ones, keeping them from being deceived and controlled by false Christs, antichrists, and all manner of evil spirits. This is the bounden responsibility of all levels of leaders and workers in the church. If any serving as leaders do not take responsibility for God’s chosen, or cannot protect them, then this is a grave resistance against God and betrayal of Him, and God’s house must hold them accountable.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

93. The Principles of Watering and Provision

(1) It is necessary to choose which of God’s words to eat and drink of, and which truths to fellowship on, in light of work arrangements. Only in this way can one come gradually to understand the truth and enter reality;

(2) It is necessary to know the current work of the Holy Spirit on the basis of the sermons and fellowship of God and of the man He uses, and to train oneself in using the truth to solve practical problems;

(3) It is necessary to base one’s fellowship of the truth in each person’s stature, caliber, and practical difficulties. Do not employ one-size-fits-all methods, but suit your approach to your audience;

(4) God’s words must be read in a congregation, and corruption rectified through fellowshiping on the truth in a way that synthesizes people’s real states and actual problems, thereby giving them a path on which to practice.

Relevant Words of God:

As leaders and workers in the church, if you want to lead God’s chosen people into truth reality and to serve as God’s witnesses, most importantly, you must have a deeper understanding of God’s aim in saving people and the purpose of His work. You must understand the will of God and His various requirements of people. You must be practical in your efforts; practice only as much as you understand and communicate only on that which you know. Do not boast, do not exaggerate, and do not make irresponsible remarks. If you exaggerate, people will detest you and you will feel reproached afterward; this is just too inappropriate. When you provide the truth to others, you don’t necessarily have to deal with them and scold them in order for them to attain the truth. If you yourself don’t have the truth and only deal with and scold others, they will fear you, but that doesn’t mean they understand the truth. In some administrative work, it’s fine for you to deal with and prune others and discipline them to a certain degree. But if you cannot provide the truth and know only how to be overbearing and to chide others, your corruption and ugliness will be revealed. With the passage of time, as people are unable to obtain the provision of life or practical things from you, they will come to detest you and feel disgusted by you. Those who lack discernment will learn negative things from you; they will learn to deal with and prune others, to get angry, and to lose their temper. Isn’t that tantamount to leading others onto the path of Paul, onto a path toward perdition? Is that not an evildoing? Your work should focus on communicating the truth and providing life to others. If all you do is blindly deal with and lecture others, how will they ever understand the truth? As time goes by, people will see you for who you really are, and they will abandon you. How can you expect to bring others before God in this way? How is this doing the work? You will lose everyone if you keep working in this way. What work do you hope to accomplish anyway? Some leaders are incapable of communicating the truth to resolve problems. Instead, they just blindly deal with others and flaunt their power so that others come to fear them and obey them—such people are of the false leaders and antichrists. Those whose disposition has not changed are incapable of performing church work, and are unable to serve God.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You should spend more time talking of those essential things to do with life entry, such as fellowshiping on the truth, life entry, changes in disposition, and knowledge of oneself. Do not talk of matters that have nothing to do with the truth. If you frequently practice in this way, you will gain some truth reality. Given your current stature, you are not able to do work that provides life or use the truth to resolve problems. All you can do is coax and exhort people, saying, “Do not disobey or resist God. Despite our being so corrupt, God still saves us, so we should heed His words and submit to Him.” After hearing this, people understand doctrines, but they still lack energy and do not know how to practice or experience God’s words. This proves that you, as leaders and workers, are also not in possession of truth reality. If you yourselves have not achieved entry, then how can you provide for others? You cannot get to the root of other people’s difficulties and corrupt dispositions, you cannot grasp what is key, for you still do not know yourself. As such, providing for life in the church is beyond you, and you can only exhort people, telling them to be good and obey in earnest. You are incapable of solving actual problems, which is sufficient evidence that you have not truly understood the truth or achieved any life entry. Most of you know only how to preach spiritual doctrine and empty theological theories, but you cannot provide life; as such, you are too small of stature. There has yet to be a change in your view of faith in God. Your understanding and motivations remain the same. You ask that others change, but you offer no path, and you have nothing to provide them with. You can only lecture and exhort people with letters and doctrines. Ultimately, the chosen ones of God led by you will still not understand the truth, nor will they have true knowledge of God’s work. If that is the case, how will they be able to perform their duties well? How will they become energized as followers of God? As leaders and workers, you should understand and grasp just what kind of understanding the brothers and sisters in the church have of God’s words, and what kind of knowledge they have of themselves. This rests on whether you, as leaders and workers, possess truth reality.

Excerpted from “How to Cross Into the New Age” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You need to have an understanding of the many states that people will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate in service to God must have an even stronger grasp of the many states brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on people. If you only talk about a lot of experiences or ways of attaining entry, it shows that your experience is overly one-sided. Without knowing your true state and grasping the truth principle, it is not possible to achieve a change in disposition. Without knowing the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work or understanding the fruit it bears, it will be difficult for you to discern the work of evil spirits. You must expose the work of evil spirits, as well as the notions of man, and penetrate straight to the heart of the issue; you must also point out many deviations in people’s practice and problems they might have in their faith in God, so that they may recognize them. At the very least, you must not make them feel negative or passive. However, you must understand the difficulties that objectively exist for most people, you must not be unreasonable or “try to teach a pig to sing”; that is foolish behavior. To resolve the many difficulties people experience, you must first comprehend the dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit; you must understand how the Holy Spirit performs work on different people, you must have an understanding of the difficulties people face and of their shortcomings, and you must see through to the key issues of the problem and get to its source, without deviating or making any errors. Only this kind of person is qualified to coordinate in service to God.

Whether or not you are able to grasp the key issues and see many things clearly depends on your individual experiences. The manner in which you experience is also the manner in which you lead others. If you understand letters and doctrines, then you will lead others to understand letters and doctrines. The way that you experience the reality of God’s words is the way in which you will lead others to attain entry to the reality of God’s utterances. If you are able to understand many truths and clearly gain insight into many things from God’s words, then you are capable of leading others to understand many truths, too, and those whom you lead will gain a clear understanding of the visions. If you focus on grasping supernatural feelings, then those whom you lead will do the same. If you neglect practice, instead placing emphasis on discussion, then those whom you lead will also focus on discussion, without practicing at all or attaining any transformation in their dispositions; they will only be enthusiastic superficially, without having put any truths into practice. All people supply others with what they themselves possess. The type of person someone is determines the path onto which they guide others, as well as the type of people that they lead.

Excerpted from “What an Adequate Shepherd Should Be Equipped With” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You have deviated in your summing up the truth; after you do all this summing up, it has yielded only rules. Your “summing up the truth” is not done so that people gain life or attain changes in their dispositions from the truth. Instead, it causes people to master some knowledge and doctrines from within the truth. They appear to have understood the purpose behind God’s work, when actually they have only mastered some words and doctrines. They do not understand the intended meaning of the truth; it is no different from studying theology or reading the Bible. You compile these books or those materials, and so people become in possession of this aspect of doctrine and that aspect of knowledge. They are first rate speakers of doctrines—but what happens when they are done speaking? They are incapable of experiencing, they have no understanding of God’s work, nor do they have any understanding of themselves. Ultimately, all they will have gained are formulas and rules, and they can talk about those few things but nothing else. If God did something new, would you be able to match up all the doctrines that you know with that? Those things of yours are just rules and you are just having people study theology, not allowing them to experience the word of God or the truth. Therefore, those books that you compile can bring others only into theology and knowledge, into new formulas, and into rules and conventions. They cannot bring people before God or allow them to understand the truth or God’s will. You are thinking that by raising those questions one after another, which you then answer and for which you write down outlines and summaries, brothers and sisters will find it easy to understand, and you think that apart from being easy to remember, these issues are clear at a glance, and that this is a great way of doing things. But what people are understanding is not the real intended meaning of the truth and does not match up with reality—it is just words and doctrines. So it would be better if you did not do these things at all. Doing this is leading people to understand and master knowledge. You bring others into the doctrines, into religion, and have them follow and believe in God within religious doctrines. Isn’t that being just like Paul? You think that mastering knowledge of the truth is particularly important, and so is learning by heart many passages of God’s words. But how people understand the word of God is not important at all. You think it is extremely important for people to be able to memorize many of God’s words, to be able to speak much doctrine and to discover many formulas within God’s words. Therefore, you always want to systematize these things so that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, saying the same things, and talking about the same doctrines, so they have the same knowledge and keep the same rules—this is your objective. Your doing this appears to be for the sake of people gaining understanding, when on the contrary you have no idea that this is bringing people into the midst of rules that are outside of God’s word the truth. To allow people to have a real understanding of the truth, you must link it up with reality and with the work, and solve practical problems according to God’s word the truth. Only in this way can people understand the truth and enter into reality, and only achieving such a result is really bringing people before God. If all you talk about are spiritual theories, doctrines, and rules, if you only put effort into the literal words, all you can achieve is getting people to say the same things and follow rules, but you will not be able to guide people to understand the truth. You will be particularly unable to have people better understand themselves, and achieve repentance and transformation. If being able to talk about spiritual theories could substitute for people’s entering truth reality, then you would not be needed to lead the churches.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When, in your fellowship together, you do not fellowship about the doctrines you have heard or remembered, or the spiritual theories you have grasped, but are able instead to fellowship about your own recent states, about the ways in which your views and positions on some event have undergone change and been informed by new discoveries and new understandings, about things of yours that are contrary to God’s requirements and the truth, then, at such time as you are able to fellowship such things, you will have stature. If you have never examined all aspects of your views, positions, motives, and thoughts, or if, having examined them, you are unable to tell if they are right or wrong, and your accounting of them is muddled, then, were you to lead the church, with what would you water others? (The letters and doctrines.) It seems to Me that you would water others not only with spiritual theories and the letters and doctrines, but also, perhaps, with your absurd views and your personal notions of God, and, more than that, with your one-sided views and understandings of God, in total discord with the true state of things and God’s essence. And what happens to everyone brought up under such leadership? They become able only to speak on the letters and doctrines. If God truly wanted to effect something in them, their not resisting it would be a satisfactory outcome; they would be quite incapable of regarding it correctly. What does this show? It shows that what you instill in others is notions and imaginings. If others have not increased their understanding and diminished their misunderstandings of God due to your watering and leadership, then how has your performance of your duty been? Have you done it adequately or not? (Inadequately.) Are you now able to determine which parts of your watering and which parts of the work you do are truly helpful and beneficial to others, have truly resolved others’ misunderstandings of God, and have afforded others a true understanding of God and a normal relationship with Him? If you can achieve these results in your work, then you are able to do practical work and perform your duty adequately.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As your life progresses, you must always have new entry and new, higher insight, which grow deeper with every step. This is what all humanity should enter into. Through communing, listening to sermons, reading the word of God, or handling some matter, you will gain new insight and new enlightenment, and will not live within the rules of old and times of old; you will always live in the new light, and will not stray from the word of God. This is what is meant by embarking upon the right track. Paying a price on some superficial level will not do; day by day, the word of God enters a higher realm, and new things appear every day, and man, too, must make a new entry every day. As God speaks, so He brings to fruition all that which He has spoken, and if you cannot keep up, then you will fall behind. You must go deeper in your prayers; eating and drinking of the word of God cannot be intermittent. Deepen the enlightenment and illumination you receive, and your notions and imaginings must gradually recede. You must also strengthen your judgment, and whatever you encounter, you must have your own thoughts about it and have your own viewpoints. By understanding some things in the spirit, you must gain insight into the outward things and grasp the essence of any issue. If you are not equipped with these things, how will you be able to lead the church? If you only speak of letters and doctrines without any reality and without a way of practice, you will only be able to get by for a short period of time. It may be marginally acceptable when speaking to new believers, but after a time, when new believers have had some actual experience, you will no longer be able to supply them. Then how are you fit for God’s use? Without new enlightenment, you cannot work. Those without new enlightenment are those who do not know how to experience, and such people never gain new knowledge or new experience. And, in the matter of supplying life, they can never perform their function, nor can they become fit for God’s use. This kind of person is good for nothing, a mere wastrel. In truth, such people are wholly incapable of performing their function in the work, they are all good for nothing. Not only do they fail to perform their function, but they actually place much unnecessary strain on the church. I exhort these “venerable old men” to make haste and leave the church, so that others no longer have to look upon you.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

94. The Principles of Using the Truth to Resolve Problems

(1) When faced with the various problems of human corruption, seek the truth. See through to their essence and identify their source, and then use the truth to resolve them;

(2) It is necessary to fellowship on the essence of a problem in accordance with God’s words, so that others may understand the truth and know their own, corrupt essences, giving rise to genuine repentance;

(3) When resolving a problem, its essence must be made transparent through fellowship. Give others a true understanding of the truth, an abhorrence of the flesh, and a vantage on God’s love;

(4) It is necessary to synthesize one’s own experience when leading others to an understanding of the truth and an entry into reality and to galvanize their resolve to pursue the truth, which gives them a path on which to practice.

Relevant Words of God:

The truth that man needs to possess is found in the word of God, and it is a truth that is the most beneficial and helpful to mankind. It is the tonic and sustenance that your body needs, something that helps man restore his normal humanity. It is a truth that man should be equipped with. The more you practice God’s word, the more quickly your life will blossom, and the clearer the truth will become. As you grow in stature, you will see things of the spiritual world more clearly, and the more strength you will have to triumph over Satan. Much of the truth that you do not understand will be made clear when you practice the word of God. Most people are satisfied to merely understand the text of God’s word and focus on equipping themselves with doctrines rather than on deepening their experience in practice, but is that not the way of the Pharisees? So how can the phrase, “The word of God is life” be real for them? A person’s life cannot grow simply by reading God’s word, but only when the word of God is put into practice. If it is your belief that to understand God’s word is all that is needed to have life and stature, then your understanding is warped. Truly understanding God’s word occurs when you practice the truth, and you must understand that “only by practicing the truth can it ever be understood.” Today, after reading the word of God, you can merely say that you know God’s word, but you cannot say that you understand it. Some say that the only way to practice the truth is to understand it first, but this is only partially correct, and is certainly not entirely accurate. Before you have knowledge of a truth, you have not experienced that truth. Feeling that you understand something you hear in a sermon is not truly understanding—this is just taking possession of the literal words of the truth, and it is not the same as understanding the true meaning therein. Just having a superficial knowledge of the truth does not mean that you actually understand it or have knowledge about it; the true meaning of the truth comes from having experienced it. Therefore, only when you experience the truth can you understand it, and only then can you grasp the hidden parts of it. Deepening your experience is the only way to grasp the connotations, and to understand the essence of the truth. Therefore, you can go everywhere with the truth, but if there is no truth in you, then do not think of trying to convince even your family members, much less religious people. Without the truth you are like fluttering snowflakes, but with the truth you can be happy and free, and none can attack you. No matter how strong a theory is, it cannot overcome the truth. With the truth, the world itself can be swayed and mountains and seas moved, whereas a lack of the truth can lead to strong city walls being reduced to rubble by maggots. This is an obvious fact.

Excerpted from “Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why is it that most people have spent much effort reading God’s words, but merely have knowledge and cannot say anything about a real path afterward? Do you think that possessing knowledge amounts to possessing the truth? Is that not a confused point of view? You are able to speak as much knowledge as there is sand on a beach, yet none of it contains any real path. Are you not trying to fool people by doing this? Are you not making an empty show, with no substance to back it up? All such behavior is harmful to people! The higher the theory and the more it is devoid of reality, the more it is incapable of taking people into reality; the higher the theory, the more it makes you defy and oppose God. Do not treat the loftiest theories like precious treasure; they are pernicious and serve no purpose! Perhaps some people are able to talk of the loftiest theories—but these contain nothing of reality, for these people have not personally experienced them, and therefore have no path to practice. Such people are incapable of taking others onto the right track and will only lead them astray. Is this not harmful to people? At the very least, you must be able to solve people’s present troubles and allow them to achieve entry; only this counts as dedication, and only then will you be qualified to work for God. Do not always speak grandiose, fanciful words, and do not use a bunch of unsuitable practices to bind others into obeying you. Doing so will have no effect and can only increase their confusion. Carrying on like this will produce much doctrine, which will make people loathe you. Such is the shortcoming of man, and it truly is mortifying. So talk more of problems that actually exist. Do not treat other people’s experiences as your own personal property and hold them up for others to admire; you must search for your own, individual way out. This is what each person should put into practice.

If what you fellowship can give people a path to take, then that amounts to your possessing reality. No matter what you say, you must bring people into practice and give them all a path they can follow. Don’t only allow them to have knowledge; more important is having a path to take. For people to believe in God, they must walk the path led by God in His work. That is, the process of believing in God is the process of walking the path led by the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, you must have a path you can walk, no matter what, and you must set foot upon the path of being perfected by God. Do not fall too far behind, and do not concern yourself with too many things. Only if you walk the path led by God without causing interruptions can you receive the work of the Holy Spirit and possess the path of entry. Only this counts as being in line with God’s intentions and fulfilling humanity’s duty.

Excerpted from “Focus More on Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If the difficulties that people face in real life concern life entry, then they concern the word of God and must be resolved using the word of God; in addition, people must understand God’s words and use the correct and appropriate words of God to solve those problems. How can they be solved? By finding the requirements, standards, and principles of God in His words, as well as how God defines the matter, what relevant demands He makes, and whether or not there is a specific, detailed explanation of the matter. If the words of God only talk about it in general terms, you should then consider them, and if they do not yield their meaning to your solitary thought, then find others with whom to fellowship or fellowship in congregation. Feel about and seek as you perform your duty, and gain enlightenment and illumination, and gradually attain understanding of the essence of the problem, and finally, enter based on the principles of the word of God, such that your difficulty in this area is resolved.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When equipping yourself for life, you must focus on eating and drinking God’s words, you must be able to talk of knowledge of God, of your views on human life, and, in particular, of your knowledge of the work done by God during the last days. Since you pursue life, you must equip yourself with these things. When you eat and drink the words of God, you must measure the reality of your own state against them. That is, when you discover your shortcomings in the course of your real experience, you must be capable of finding a path to practice, of turning your back on your incorrect motivations and notions. If you always strive for these things and pour your heart into achieving them, then you will have a path to follow, you will not feel empty, and thus you will be able to maintain a normal state. Only then will you be someone who carries a burden in your own life, who has faith. Why is it that some people, after reading God’s words, are unable to put them into practice? Is it not because they cannot grasp the most crucial things? Is it not because they do not take life seriously? The reason that they cannot grasp the crucial things and have no path to practice is that when they read God’s words, they are unable to relate their own states to them, nor can they master their own states. Some people say: “I read God’s words and relate my state to them, and I know that I am corrupt and of poor caliber, but I am incapable of satisfying God’s will.” You have only seen the very surface; there are many real things that you do not know: how to put aside the enjoyments of the flesh, how to put aside self-righteousness, how to change yourself, how to enter into these things, how to improve your caliber, and from which aspect to begin. You only grasp a few things on the surface, and all that you know is that you are indeed very corrupt. When you meet your brothers and sisters, you talk about how corrupt you are, and it seems that you know yourself and carry a great burden for your life. In fact, your corrupt disposition has not changed, which proves you have not found the path to practice. If you are leading a church, you must be able to grasp the states of the brothers and sisters and point them out. Will it do just to say: “You people are disobedient and backward!”? No, you must speak specifically of how their disobedience and backwardness are manifested. You must speak of their disobedient states, their disobedient behaviors, and their satanic dispositions, and you must speak of these things in such a way that they are utterly convinced of the truth in your words. Use facts and examples to make your points, and say exactly how they can break away from rebellious behavior, and point out the path to practice—this is how to convince people. Only those who do so are capable of leading others; only they possess truth reality.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When an issue befalls you, you must have a cool head and a correct approach, and you must make a choice. You should learn to use the truth to resolve the issue. At normal times, what is the use of understanding some truths? It is not to fill your belly, and it is not merely to give you something to say, nor is it to resolve the problems of others. More importantly, its use is to resolve your own problems, your own difficulties—only after you resolve your own difficulties can you resolve the difficulties of others. Why is it said that Peter is a fruit? Because there are things of worth in him, things worth perfecting; he was resolved to seek the truth and was firm of will; he had reason, was willing to suffer hardship, and loved the truth in his heart, and he did not let go of what came to pass. These are all strong points. If you have none of these strong points, it means trouble. You are incapable of experience and have none, and you cannot resolve the difficulties of others. This is because you do not know how to enter. You are confused when things befall you; you feel distressed, weep, become negative, run away, and, no matter what you do, you are unable to handle them correctly.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Is your understanding of truth integrated with your own states? In real life, you first have to think of which truths relate to the people, events, and things you have encountered; it is among these truths that you can find God’s will and connect what you have encountered with His will. If you do not know which aspects of the truth relate to the things you have encountered but instead go directly to seek God’s will, this is a blind approach which cannot achieve results. If you want to seek the truth and understand God’s will, first you need to look at what kind of things have happened to you, which aspects of the truth they are related to, and look for the specific truth in the word of God that relates to what you have experienced. Then you look for the path of practice that is right for you in that truth; in this way you can gain an indirect understanding of God’s will. Searching for and practicing the truth is not mechanically applying a doctrine or following a formula. The truth is not formulaic, neither is it a law. It is not dead—it is life itself, it is a living thing, and it is the rule that a created being must follow in life and the rule a human must have in life. This is something that you must, as much as possible, understand through experience.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to put the truth into practice, and if you want to understand it, then first you must understand the essence of the difficulties you face and the things that happen around you, what the problems with these issues are, as well as what aspect of the truth these are related to. You must seek these things, and, afterward, you must seek the truth based on your actual difficulties. That way, as you gradually gain experience, you will be able to see the hand of God in everything that happens to you, as well as what He wants to do and the results that He wishes to achieve in you. Perhaps you never feel that anything that happens to you is connected to belief in God and the truth, and simply say to yourself, “I have my own way of dealing with this; I don’t need the truth or the words of God. When I attend gatherings, or when I read the words of God, or when I perform my duty, I’ll check myself against the truth and against God’s words.” If the everyday things that happen in your life—things to do with family, work, marriage, and your future—if you feel these various things have nothing to do with the truth, and you solve them using human methods, if this is the way you experience, then you will never gain the truth; you will never understand just what God wishes to do in you or the results He wishes to achieve.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When people have yet to gain the truth, they are always bewildered when something happens to them. They do not know how to make use of the truth or how to deal with it in a way that is in line with God’s intentions. Whether your environment is good or bad, and whether it is a temptation or trial for you, you remain utterly at a loss; you can only respond negatively, and are incapable of resolving the matter with a positive attitude and by using the truth. That is, no matter what environment you find yourself in, you lack the immunity to face up to it. You are incapable of actively using the truth to resolve the problem; even though all you need to do to resolve it and to satisfy God’s will in this matter is to seek the truth immediately, you still fail to achieve this. So, how much of your life and what you do is connected to God? How much does it have to do with the behavior and life that those who believe in God should have? If only 1% of it is connected to God, in appearance and in terms of your heartfelt subjective desires, while the remaining 99% has no connection to the truth, then, as God has said, “You have done much that is irrelevant to the truth.” Is this not very frightful and dangerous? Therefore, what are the problems people face? If they were divorced from the environments set out by God, if they did not have any of His deliberate grace, or if God did not create a suitable environment for them to pursue the truth and perform their duties, then they would be liable to leave God at any time or place.

Excerpted from “Six Indicators of Life Growth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When performing your duty, if you discover a problem, you must resolve it; unresolved problems remain forever and will worsen over time. What do I mean by worsen? I mean that if you do not resolve your problem, then it will affect your state, and it will affect other people as well. As time goes by, your problem will stop you from doing your duty well, understanding the truth, and coming before God. These are all issues, are they not? This is a serious problem, not a minor one. A person’s complaints, resentment, the misconceptions about God, misunderstandings with regard to God’s family, prejudices about others, and estrangement from people—over time, as these things build up and up within, what are their consequences? Do they lead you to the path of entering truth reality, or do they lead you onto the path of evil men? On that path, will you get better and better or worse and worse? (Worse and worse.) How much worse? When these things build up inside people over a long period of time, their faith gradually disappears; when that so-called faith of theirs disappears, so does their enthusiasm. Once their enthusiasm is gone, do they not have less and less energy and willpower to fulfill their duties? They become unable to feel the joy of believing in God, nor are they able to feel His blessings while performing their duties; as such, they cannot find their internal strength, and they become filled with and controlled by complaints, negativity, notions, and misconceptions. When they live within these things, and are enveloped and controlled by them, all they can do when performing their duties is to exert themselves, enduring and going through the motions; in everything they do, they must rely on perseverance and self-restraint. They are unable to see God’s guidance or His blessings. So what comes next? No matter how they do their duties, they are unable to find principles. As they continue, they get more and more befuddled and at a loss for a way forward, and they lose all enthusiasm for fulfilling their duties.

Excerpted from “Having a Human Likeness Requires Fulfilling Your Duty Properly With All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People reveal corrupt dispositions. This is a fact. No one can avoid or escape it; they must face this fact. Why is this so? Some say: “I’m always revealing my corrupt disposition. I can never change it. What’s there to do? Is this just the way I am? Does God dislike me, or hate me?” Is such an attitude correct? Is such thinking correct? That people have a corrupt disposition, and that they often reveal their corrupt disposition, does not mean that they are done for, incurable. That people frequently reveal a corrupt disposition proves their life is controlled by the corrupt disposition of Satan, and that their essence is the essence of Satan. People should acknowledge and accept this fact. There is a difference between the nature essence of man and the essence of God. What should they do after acknowledging this fact? When people betray a corrupt disposition; when they indulge in pleasures of the flesh and grow distant from God; or when God works in a way that is at odds with their own ideas, and complaints arise within them, they should make themselves aware at once that this is a problem, and a corrupt disposition; it is rebellion against God, opposition to God; it does not accord with the truth, and is anathema to God. When people realize these things, they should not complain, or become negative and idle, and less should they be upset; instead, they should become capable of more profound self-reflection and self-knowledge. In addition, they should become able to come before God proactively, and must not be passive. They should take it upon themselves to come before God to seek and accept God’s reproach and discipline, and should immediately turn their state around, such that they are able to practice according to the truth and the words of God, and can act according to the principles. In this way, your relationship with God will grow increasingly normal, as will the state within you. You will be able to identify corrupt dispositions, the essence of corruption, and the various ugly states of Satan with increasing clarity. No longer will you utter such foolish and childish words as “it was Satan interfering with me,” or “it was an idea Satan gave me.” Instead, you will have accurate knowledge of corrupt dispositions, of the essence of people’s opposition to God, and of the essence of Satan. You will have a more accurate way of treating these things, and these things will not constrain you. When you have revealed a bit of your corrupt disposition, or transgressed, or have done your duty perfunctorily, or when you often find yourself in a passive, negative state, you will not become weak or lose faith in God and in His salvation. You will not live amid such circumstances, but will face your own corrupt disposition correctly, and be capable of a normal spiritual life, and, when your corrupt disposition is revealed, you will immediately be able to reverse its course, live at once before God, and seek His discipline and reproach. You will not be controlled by your corrupt disposition, nor by the essence of Satan, by your various negative and passive states, but grow faith in the pursuit of truth, in salvation, and in accepting God’s judgment, chastisement, discipline, and reproach. In this way, will people not live freely? This is the path of practicing and gaining the truth, and so, too, is it the path of salvation. Corrupt dispositions have taken root deep within people; the essence and nature of Satan control their thoughts, behavior, and mentality; yet, in the presence of the truth, the work of God, and His salvation, none of this is of concern, and it presents no difficulties. Regardless of people’s corrupt dispositions, or the problems they have, or their constraints, there is a path they can take. There is a way of resolving these things, and there are corresponding truths with which to resolve them. Is there not thus hope for their salvation?

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

95. The Principles of Bringing Others Before God

(1) It is necessary, in all matters, to submit to God and exalt Him as great. Become one who fears God and shuns evil, and perform your duty and serve Him as He demands;

(2) It is necessary to learn to bear witness for God’s work, showing others how Satan corrupts people and how God saves them, so that they may truly return to God;

(3) It is necessary to practice using the truth to resolve problems, which leads one to an understanding of the truth and to true repentance, that all may submit before God and worship Him;

(4) It is necessary to lead others to eat and drink of God’s words and to experience God’s judgment and chastisement, so that they know God’s holiness and righteousness and praise Him unto eternity.

Relevant Words of God:

Humans were created by God, and ought to worship God, but they actually turned their backs on Him and worshiped Satan instead. Satan became the idol in their hearts. Thus, God lost His standing in their hearts, which is to say that He lost the meaning behind His creation of humanity. Therefore, to restore the meaning behind His creation of humanity, He must restore their original likeness and rid humanity of their corrupt dispositions. To reclaim humans from Satan, He must save them from sin. Only in this way can God gradually restore their original likeness and function, and finally, restore His kingdom. The ultimate destruction of those sons of disobedience will also be carried out in order to allow humans to better worship God and better live upon the earth. Because God created humans, He will make them worship Him; because He wishes to restore humanity’s original function, He will restore it completely and without any adulteration. Restoring His authority means making humans worship Him and submit to Him; it means that God will make humans live because of Him and cause His enemies to perish as a result of His authority. It means that God will cause everything about Him to persist among humans without resistance from anybody. The kingdom God wishes to establish is His own kingdom. The humanity He desires is one that will worship Him, one that will submit to Him completely and manifest His glory. If God does not save corrupt humanity, then the meaning behind His creation of humanity will be lost; He will have no more authority among humans, and His kingdom will no longer be able to exist upon the earth. If God does not destroy those enemies who are disobedient to Him, He will be unable to obtain His complete glory, nor will He be able to establish His kingdom upon the earth. These will be marks of the completion of His work and of His great accomplishment: to utterly destroy those among humanity who are disobedient to Him, and to bring into rest those who have been made complete. When humans have been restored to their original likeness, and when they can fulfill their respective duties, keep to their own proper places and submit to all of God’s arrangements, God will have obtained a group of people upon the earth who worship Him, and He will also have established a kingdom upon the earth that worships Him. He will have eternal victory upon the earth, and all those who are opposed to Him will perish for all eternity. This will restore His original intention in creating humanity; it will restore His intention in creating all things, and it will also restore His authority upon earth, among all things, and among His enemies. These will be the symbols of His total victory. Thenceforth, humanity will enter into rest and begin a life that is on the right track. God will also enter into eternal rest with humanity, and commence an eternal life shared by both Himself and humans. The filth and disobedience upon the earth will have disappeared, and all the wailing will have dissipated, and everything in this world that opposes God will have ceased to exist. Only God and those people to whom He has brought salvation will remain; only His creation will remain.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What should you pursue now? Whether or not you are capable of bearing witness for God’s work, whether or not you are able to become a testimony and a manifestation of God, and whether or not you are fit to be used by Him—these are the things you should seek. How much work has God really done in you? How much have you seen, how much have you touched? How much have you experienced, and tasted? Regardless of whether God has tested you, dealt with you, or disciplined you, His actions and His work have been carried out on you. But as a believer in God and as someone who is willing to pursue being perfected by Him, are you able to bear witness for God’s work on the basis of your practical experience? Can you live out God’s word through your practical experience? Are you able to provide for others through your own practical experience, and expend your whole life to bear witness for God’s work? To bear witness to God’s work, you must rely on your experience, knowledge, and the price you have paid. Only thus can you satisfy His will. Are you someone who bears witness to God’s work? Do you have this aspiration? If you are able to bear witness to His name, and even more, to His work, and if you can live out the image that He requires of His people, then you are a witness for God. How do you actually bear witness for God? You do it by seeking and longing to live out God’s word, and, by bearing witness with your words, allowing people to know His work and to see His actions. If you truly seek all of this, then God will perfect you. If all you seek is to be perfected by God and be blessed in the very end, then the perspective of your faith in God is not pure. You should be pursuing how to see God’s deeds in real life, how to satisfy Him when He reveals His will to you, and seeking how you ought to bear witness to His wondrousness and wisdom, and how to bear witness for how He disciplines and deals with you. All of these are things you should now be pondering. If your love for God is solely so that you can share in God’s glory after He perfects you, then it is still inadequate and cannot meet God’s requirements. You need to be able to bear witness to God’s work, satisfy His demands, and experience the work He has done on people in a practical way. Whether pain, tears, or sadness, you must experience all of these things in your practice. They are meant to perfect you as one who bears witness for God. What is it, exactly, that now compels you to suffer and seek perfection? Is your present suffering truly for the sake of loving God and bearing witness for Him? Or is it for the sake of blessings of the flesh, for your future prospects and fate? All of your intentions, motivations, and the goals that you pursue must be rectified and cannot be guided by your own will. If one person seeks perfection to receive blessings and to reign in power, while another person pursues perfection to satisfy God, to bear practical witness to God’s work, which of the two means of pursuit would you choose? If you were to choose the first, then you would still be too far away from God’s standards. I once said that My actions would be openly known across the entire universe and that I would reign as King in the universe. On the other hand, what you have been entrusted with is to go out to bear witness to God’s work, not to become kings and appear to the whole universe. Let God’s deeds fill the cosmos and the firmament. Let everyone see them and acknowledge them. These words are spoken in relation to God Himself, and what human beings should do is to bear witness for God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do the duties that each of you now performs, whether they be filming a movie or singing hymns to testify to God, have any value to mankind? Where does their value lie? Their value is in bringing people to read God’s words and walk the right path, so that they all understand they are numbered among created beings and all come before the Creator. Do they not have many problems they do not understand? Do they not feel helpless? Do they not feel empty? Do they not feel that they live without spiritual support? Do they not feel that life is wearisome? What is the root of all this? The answer is within God’s words. You perform these duties in order to bring about this effect: to guide their thinking, to guide them to seek God, to seek the right path, to find the Creator, and to accept, obey, understand, and know the sovereignty and arrangements of the Creator. Only in this way will they understand what they are living for, what the value and the meaning are of their lives, and how they should live. Therefore, when you do your duties, you must redouble your prayer and exert yourselves; be diligent, not lazy; and fellowship together more often, acting according to the principles. Once God created this mankind, there was a management plan. Over the past several thousand years, this mankind bore no substantial responsibility or commission to bear witness to the Creator, and the work God did among mankind was relatively discreet and simple. In the last days, however, things are different—you bear a substantial responsibility! In what way is it substantial? Beyond spreading the words of God, it is even more important is that you bear witness for the Creator to every created human being. Furthermore, you must also bring every created human being who has heard God’s gospel before the Creator, so that they may understand why He created mankind and that, as a created human being, they should come back before the Creator and accept His sovereignty, arrangements and orchestration. Can you achieve this merely by dancing or singing a hymn? Merely doing a single aspect of work will not suffice. You must employ a variety of methods and forms to bear witness to the deeds of the Creator, and to the Creator’s sovereignty and arrangements. In this way, you will then be able to bring even more people before the Creator, so that they may accept and obey His sovereignty and arrangements.

Excerpted from “Only by Performing the Duty of a Created Being Well Does One’s Life Have Value” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Having experienced God’s refinement for a while (the trial of the service-doers and the time of chastisement), some people ultimately said: “Believing in God is really difficult!” The fact that they used the words, “really difficult,” shows that God’s deeds are unfathomable, that God’s work is possessed of great significance and value, and that His work is highly worthy of being treasured by man. If, after I have done so much work, you had not the slightest knowledge, then could My work still have value? It will make you say: “Service to God is really difficult, the deeds of God are so wondrous, and God truly is wise! God is so lovely!” If, after undergoing a period of experience, you are able to say such words, then this proves that you have gained God’s work in you. One day, when you are spreading the gospel abroad and someone asks you: “How is your faith in God going?” you will be able to say: “God’s actions are so marvelous!” They will feel that your words speak of real experiences. This is truly bearing witness. You will say that God’s work is full of wisdom, and His work in you has truly convinced you and conquered your heart. You will always love Him because He is more than worthy of mankind’s love! If you can speak to these things, then you can move people’s hearts. All of this is bearing witness. If you are able to bear resounding witness, to move people to tears, that shows that you truly are one who loves God, for you are able to testify to loving God, and through you, God’s actions can be borne out in testimony. By your testimony, others are made to seek out God’s work, to experience God’s work, and in any environment they experience, they will be able to stand firm. This is the only genuine way of bearing witness, and this is exactly what is required of you now.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As leaders and workers in the church, if you want to lead God’s chosen people into truth reality and to serve as God’s witnesses, most importantly, you must have a deeper understanding of God’s aim in saving people and the purpose of His work. You must understand the will of God and His various requirements of people. You must be practical in your efforts; practice only as much as you understand and communicate only on that which you know. Do not boast, do not exaggerate, and do not make irresponsible remarks. If you exaggerate, people will detest you and you will feel reproached afterward; this is just too inappropriate. When you provide the truth to others, you don’t necessarily have to deal with them and scold them in order for them to attain the truth. If you yourself don’t have the truth and only deal with and scold others, they will fear you, but that doesn’t mean they understand the truth. In some administrative work, it’s fine for you to deal with and prune others and discipline them to a certain degree. But if you cannot provide the truth and know only how to be overbearing and to chide others, your corruption and ugliness will be revealed. With the passage of time, as people are unable to obtain the provision of life or practical things from you, they will come to detest you and feel disgusted by you. Those who lack discernment will learn negative things from you; they will learn to deal with and prune others, to get angry, and to lose their temper. Isn’t that tantamount to leading others onto the path of Paul, onto a path toward perdition? Is that not an evildoing? Your work should focus on communicating the truth and providing life to others. If all you do is blindly deal with and lecture others, how will they ever understand the truth? As time goes by, people will see you for who you really are, and they will abandon you. How can you expect to bring others before God in this way? How is this doing the work? You will lose everyone if you keep working in this way. What work do you hope to accomplish anyway? Some leaders are incapable of communicating the truth to resolve problems. Instead, they just blindly deal with others and flaunt their power so that others come to fear them and obey them—such people are of the false leaders and antichrists. Those whose disposition has not changed are incapable of performing church work, and are unable to serve God.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You have deviated in your summing up the truth; after you do all this summing up, it has yielded only rules. Your “summing up the truth” is not done so that people gain life or attain changes in their dispositions from the truth. Instead, it causes people to master some knowledge and doctrines from within the truth. They appear to have understood the purpose behind God’s work, when actually they have only mastered some words and doctrines. They do not understand the intended meaning of the truth; it is no different from studying theology or reading the Bible. You compile these books or those materials, and so people become in possession of this aspect of doctrine and that aspect of knowledge. They are first rate speakers of doctrines—but what happens when they are done speaking? They are incapable of experiencing, they have no understanding of God’s work, nor do they have any understanding of themselves. Ultimately, all they will have gained are formulas and rules, and they can talk about those few things but nothing else. If God did something new, would you be able to match up all the doctrines that you know with that? Those things of yours are just rules and you are just having people study theology, not allowing them to experience the word of God or the truth. Therefore, those books that you compile can bring others only into theology and knowledge, into new formulas, and into rules and conventions. They cannot bring people before God or allow them to understand the truth or God’s will. You are thinking that by raising those questions one after another, which you then answer and for which you write down outlines and summaries, brothers and sisters will find it easy to understand, and you think that apart from being easy to remember, these issues are clear at a glance, and that this is a great way of doing things. But what people are understanding is not the real intended meaning of the truth and does not match up with reality—it is just words and doctrines. So it would be better if you did not do these things at all. Doing this is leading people to understand and master knowledge. You bring others into the doctrines, into religion, and have them follow and believe in God within religious doctrines. Isn’t that being just like Paul? You think that mastering knowledge of the truth is particularly important, and so is learning by heart many passages of God’s words. But how people understand the word of God is not important at all. You think it is extremely important for people to be able to memorize many of God’s words, to be able to speak much doctrine and to discover many formulas within God’s words. Therefore, you always want to systematize these things so that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, saying the same things, and talking about the same doctrines, so they have the same knowledge and keep the same rules—this is your objective. Your doing this appears to be for the sake of people gaining understanding, when on the contrary you have no idea that this is bringing people into the midst of rules that are outside of God’s word the truth. To allow people to have a real understanding of the truth, you must link it up with reality and with the work, and solve practical problems according to God’s word the truth. Only in this way can people understand the truth and enter into reality, and only achieving such a result is really bringing people before God. If all you talk about are spiritual theories, doctrines, and rules, if you only put effort into the literal words, all you can achieve is getting people to say the same things and follow rules, but you will not be able to guide people to understand the truth. You will be particularly unable to have people better understand themselves, and achieve repentance and transformation. If being able to talk about spiritual theories could substitute for people’s entering truth reality, then you would not be needed to lead the churches.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The more truths you understand, the greater your understanding of how to perform your duty well and enter truth reality. As your understanding grows, so, too, does your life grow; as your life grows, the state within you becomes increasingly normal, and the people and things that used to disturb you, control you, and restrict you are no longer a problem for you. In this way, your relationship with God gradually becomes more and more normal. You know how to depend on God, how to seek His will, where your place is, what you should and should not do, what you should and should not be mindful of, and does your state not become increasingly normal as a result? And is it not easier to live like this? In living the easy life, does your heart not become bright and spacious, and are you not then happy more of the time? When you are happy more of the time, people enjoy your entire mental outlook; you become able to invisibly edify others. At such times, your words and actions are measured and principled, and when you see someone who is negative and weak, you are able to provide some essential help. You do not lecture people or restrain them, but use your own real experiences to help and benefit them. And so you are no longer just someone who exerts themselves in the house of God, but someone who is useful, who can bear a burden, who is able to do something more meaningful in God’s house. Are such people not liked and welcomed by others? And how does God look upon such people? (He takes joy in them.) Why does He take joy in them? If you have achieved life entry, if you are someone who often lives before God and the truth, and who also guides others in acting thus, then do you not lead them before God? If you are not possessed of these truths, of such experiences, can you lead others before God? If you yourself are incapable of living before God, you will be unable to lead others before God. If you merely exert yourself, most of the time only doing so for the sake of it, then you are not someone who lives before God. Can those who do not live before God accept God’s scrutiny? Can they bear up under His tests? Can they stand firm amid His trials? (No.) So can such people bear testimony on behalf of God? Can they testify to God? (No.) Are those who cannot testify to God people who truly believe in God? At the very least, they have yet to enter the doorway of the house of God! That is because they have believed in God for years, but have achieved no life entry, nor are they able to testify to God, or testify of Him to other people. Such people are not God’s witnesses!

Excerpted from “Life Entry Must Begin With the Experience of Performing One’s Duty” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

96. The Principles of Exalting and Testifying to God

(1) It is necessary to exalt God as great and high. Have reverence for Him, and neither worship nor suffer the constraints of any person; only worship and submit to God;

(2) Spread God’s words and testify to His work, and use His words as a basis from which to refute man’s religious notions and theological doctrines, so that people may come back before God in submission;

(3) Fellowship on your own personal experience and knowledge of God, according to His words. Lead others to an understanding of the truth and an entry into reality, and bring them before God;

(4) Be able to uphold the truth and safeguard the work of God. Do not compromise or yield to the forces of Satan, but use the truth to resolve each of the problems of God’s chosen people;

(5) In performing your duty, focus on practicing the truth and entering reality, so that you may act according to the principles and live out a true human likeness. To do so is to bear true testimony to God.

Relevant Words of God:

What you have experienced and seen surpasses that of the saints and prophets from all ages, but are you able to provide testimony greater than the words of these saints and prophets of times past? What I now bestow upon you surpasses Moses and eclipses David, so likewise I ask that your testimony surpass Moses and that your words be greater than David. I give you a hundredfold—so I likewise ask you to repay Me in kind. You must know I am the One who bestows life unto mankind, and it is you who receive life from Me and must bear witness for Me. This is your duty which I send down upon you and which you ought to do for Me. I have bestowed all My glory unto you, I have bestowed unto you the life that the chosen people, the Israelites, never received. By rights, you ought to bear witness to Me and devote to Me your youth and lay down your life. Whomsoever I bestow My glory unto shall bear Me witness and give their life for Me. This has long been predestined by Me. It is your good fortune that I bestow My glory upon you, and your duty is to testify to My glory. If you were to believe in Me only to gain blessings, then My work would bear little significance, and you would not be fulfilling your duty. The Israelites saw only My mercy, love, and greatness, and the Jews witnessed only My patience and redemption. They saw very, very little of the work of My Spirit, to the point that they understood but one-ten-thousandth of what you have heard and seen. What you have seen exceeds even the chief priests among them. The truths you understand today surpass theirs; what you have seen today exceeds what was seen in the Age of Law, as well as the Age of Grace, and what you have experienced surpasses even Moses and Elijah. For what the Israelites understood was only the law of Jehovah, and what they saw was only the sight of Jehovah’s back; what the Jews understood was only the redemption of Jesus, what they received was only the grace bestowed by Jesus, and what they saw was only the image of Jesus within the house of the Jews. What you see this day is the glory of Jehovah, the redemption of Jesus, and all My deeds of this day. So, too, have you heard the words of My Spirit, appreciated My wisdom, come to know My wonder, and learned of My disposition. I have also told you all of My management plan. What you have seen is not merely a loving and merciful God, but a God filled with righteousness. You have seen My wondrous work and known that I brim with majesty and wrath. Furthermore, you know that I once brought down My raging fury upon the house of Israel, and that today, it has come upon you. You understand more of My mysteries in heaven than Isaiah and John; you know more of My loveliness and venerableness than all the saints of ages past. What you have received is not merely My truth, My way, and My life, but a vision and revelation greater than that of John. You understand many more mysteries, and have also looked upon My true countenance; you have accepted more of My judgment and know more of My righteous disposition. And so, though you were born in the last days, your understanding is that of the former and the past, and you have also experienced the things of today, and this was all personally done by Me. What I ask of you is not excessive, for I have given you so much, and you have seen much in Me. Thus, I ask you to bear witness for Me to the saints of ages past, and this is My heart’s only desire.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What I desire is your loyalty and obedience now, your love and testimony now. Even if you do not know at this moment what testimony is or what love is, you should bring to Me your all, and turn over to Me the only treasures you have: your loyalty and obedience. You should know that the testimony to My defeat of Satan lies within the loyalty and obedience of man, as does the testimony to My complete conquest of man. The duty of your faith in Me is to bear witness to Me, to be loyal to Me and none other, and to be obedient to the end. Before I begin the next step of My work, how will you bear witness to Me? How will you be loyal and obedient to Me? Do you devote all your loyalty to your function, or will you simply give up? Would you rather submit to My every arrangement (even if it be death or destruction), or flee midway to avoid My chastisement? I chastise you so that you will bear witness to Me, and be loyal and obedient to Me. What’s more, the chastisement at present is to unfold the next step of My work and to allow the work to progress unimpeded. Hence, I exhort you to be wise and treat neither your life nor the significance of your existence as worthless sand. Can you know exactly what My work to come will be? Do you know how I will work in the days to come, and how My work will unfold? You should know the significance of your experience of My work, and furthermore, the significance of your faith in Me. I have done so much; how could I give up halfway, as you imagine? I have done such extensive work; how could I destroy it? Indeed, I have come to bring this age to an end. This is true, but moreover you must know that I am to begin a new age, to begin new work, and, most of all, to spread the gospel of the kingdom. So you should know that the present work is only to begin an age and to lay the foundation for spreading the gospel in the time to come and bringing the age to an end in the future. My work is not so simple as you think, nor is it as worthless or meaningless as you may believe. Therefore, I still must say to you: You ought to give your life to My work, and moreover, you ought to devote yourself to My glory. Long have I yearned for you to bear witness to Me, and even longer have I yearned for you to spread My gospel. You ought to understand what is in My heart.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God does the work of judgment and chastisement so that man may gain knowledge of Him, and for the sake of His testimony. Without His judgment of man’s corrupt disposition, man could not possibly know His righteous disposition, which brooks no offense, and nor would man be able to turn his old knowledge of God into a new one. For the sake of His testimony, and for the sake of His management, He makes His entirety public, thus enabling man, through His public appearance, to arrive at knowledge of God, to be transformed in his disposition, and to bear resounding testimony to God. The transformation of the disposition of man is achieved through many different kinds of God’s work; without such changes in his disposition, man would be unable to bear testimony to God and to be after God’s heart. The transformation of man’s disposition signifies that man has freed himself from Satan’s bondage and from the influence of darkness, and has truly become a model and specimen of God’s work, a witness of God, and one who is after God’s heart. Today, God incarnate has come to do His work on earth, and He requires that man achieve knowledge of Him, obedience to Him, testimony to Him, to know His practical and normal work, to obey all of His words and work which do not accord with the notions of man, and to bear testimony to all the work He does to save man, as well as all the deeds He accomplishes to conquer man. Those who bear testimony to God must have knowledge of God; only this kind of testimony is accurate and real, and only this kind of testimony can shame Satan. God uses those who have come to know Him through undergoing His judgment and chastisement, dealing and pruning, to bear testimony to Him. He uses those who have been corrupted by Satan to bear testimony to Him, and so too does He use those whose disposition has changed, and who have thus gained His blessings, to bear testimony to Him. He does not need man to praise Him with his mouth, nor does He need the praise and testimony of the ilk of Satan, who have not been saved by Him. Only those who know God are qualified to bear testimony to Him, and only those who have been transformed in their disposition are qualified to bear testimony to Him. God will not allow man intentionally to bring shame upon His name.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Bearing testimony to God is primarily a matter of speaking of your knowledge of God’s work, of how God conquers people, of how He saves people, of how He changes people; it is a matter of speaking of how He guides people to enter truth reality, allowing them to be conquered, made perfect, and saved by Him. Bearing testimony means speaking of His work and all that you have experienced. Only His work can represent Him, and only His work can reveal Him publicly, in His entirety; His work bears testimony to Him. His work and utterances directly represent the Spirit; the work He does is carried out by the Spirit, and the words He speaks are spoken by the Spirit. These things are merely expressed through the incarnate flesh of God, yet, in reality, they are expressions of the Spirit. All the work He does and all the words He speaks represent His essence. If, after clothing Himself in flesh and coming among man, God did not speak or work, and then asked you to know His realness, His normality, and His omnipotence, would you be able to? Would you be able to know what the essence of the Spirit is? Would you be able to know what the attributes of His flesh are? It is only because you have experienced each step of His work that He asks you to bear testimony to Him. If you were without such experience, then He would not insist that you bear testimony. Thus, when you bear testimony to God, you are not only testifying to His exterior of normal humanity, but also to the work He does and the path He leads; you are to testify to how you have been conquered by Him and in what aspects you have been made perfect. This is the kind of testimony you should bear. If, wherever you go, you cry out: “Our God has come to work, and His work is truly practical! He has gained us without supernatural acts, without any miracles and wonders at all!” Others will ask: “What do you mean when you say He does not work miracles and wonders? How can He have conquered you without working miracles and wonders?” And you say: “He speaks, and, without a show of any wonders or miracles, He has conquered us. His work has conquered us.” Ultimately, if you are unable to say anything of essence, if you cannot talk of specifics, is this true testimony? When God incarnate conquers people, it is His divine words that do so. Humanity cannot accomplish this; it is not something any mortal can achieve, and even those of the highest caliber among normal people are incapable of this, for His divinity is higher than any created being. This is extraordinary to people; the Creator, after all, is higher than any created being. Created beings cannot be higher than the Creator; if you were higher than He, He would not be able to conquer you, and He can only conquer you because He is higher than you. He who can conquer all humankind is the Creator, and none but He can do this work. These words are “testimony”—the kind of testimony you should bear. Step by step, you have experienced chastisement, judgment, refinement, trials, setbacks, and tribulations, and you have been conquered; you have put aside the prospects of the flesh, your personal motivations, and the intimate interests of the flesh. In other words, God’s words have conquered your heart completely. Although you have not grown in your life as much as He demands, you know all these things and you are utterly convinced by what He does. Thus, this may be called testimony, testimony that is real and true. The work God has come to do, the work of judgment and chastisement, is meant to conquer man, but He is also concluding His work, ending the age, and carrying out the work of conclusion. He is ending the entire age, saving all of humankind, delivering humankind from sin for once and for all; He is fully gaining humankind, which He created. You should bear testimony to all of this. You have experienced so much of God’s work, you have seen it with your own eyes and experienced it personally; when you have reached the very end, you must not be unable to perform the function incumbent upon you. What a pity that would be! In the future, when the gospel is spread, you should be able to speak of your own knowledge, testify to all that you have gained in your heart, and spare no effort. This is what a created being should attain. What is the actual significance of this stage of God’s work? What is its effect? And how much of it is carried out in man? What should people do? When you can speak clearly of all the work God incarnate has done since coming to earth, then your testimony will be complete. When you can speak clearly of these five things: the significance of His work; its contents; its essence; the disposition it represents; and its principles, then this will prove you are capable of bearing testimony to God, that you are truly possessed of knowledge. My requirements of you are not very high, and are attainable by all those who are in true pursuit. If you are resolved to be one of God’s witnesses, you must understand what God loathes and what God loves. You have experienced much of His work; through this work, you must come to know His disposition, understand His will and His requirements of mankind, and use this knowledge to testify about Him and perform your duty. You may say only: “We know God. His judgment and chastisement are very severe. His words are very stern; they are righteous and majestic, and they are unoffendable by any man,” but do these words ultimately provide for man? What is their effect on people? Do you really know that this work of judgment and chastisement is most beneficial to you? God’s judgment and chastisement are exposing your rebelliousness and corruption, are they not? They can cleanse and expel those filthy and corrupt things inside of you, can they not? Were there no judgment and chastisement, what would become of you? Do you actually recognize the fact that Satan has corrupted you to the most profound degree? Today, you should equip yourselves with these things and know them well.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When bearing testimony for God, you should mainly talk more about how God judges and chastises people, what trials He uses to refine people and change their dispositions. You should also talk about how much corruption has been revealed in your experience, how much you have endured and how you were eventually conquered by God; talk about how much real knowledge of God’s work you have, and how you should bear witness for God and repay Him for His love. You should put substance into this kind of language, while putting it in a simple manner. Do not talk about empty theories. Speak more down-to-earth; speak from the heart. This is how you should experience. Do not equip yourselves with profound-seeming, empty theories in an effort to show off; doing so makes you appear quite arrogant and senseless. You should speak more of real things from your actual experience that are genuine and from the heart; this is most beneficial to others, and most appropriate for them to see. You used to be people who opposed God the most and were least inclined to submit to Him, but now you have been conquered—never forget that. You should ponder and think about these matters more. Once people have understood them clearly, they will know how to bear testimony; otherwise, they will be liable to commit shameful and senseless acts.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What testimony does man ultimately bear to God? Man testifies that God is the righteous God, that His disposition is righteousness, wrath, chastisement, and judgment; man testifies to the righteous disposition of God. God uses His judgment to make man perfect, He has loved man, and saved man—but how much is contained within His love? There is judgment, majesty, wrath, and curse. Though God cursed man in the past, He did not completely cast man into the bottomless pit, but used that means to refine man’s faith; He did not put man to death, but acted in order to make man perfect. The substance of the flesh is that which is of Satan—God said it exactly right—but the facts carried out by God are not completed according to His words. He curses you so that you might love Him, and so that you might know the substance of the flesh; He chastises you so that you might be awakened, to allow you to know the deficiencies within you, and to know man’s utter unworthiness. Thus, God’s curses, His judgment, and His majesty and wrath—they are all in order to make man perfect. All that God does today, and the righteous disposition that He makes plain within you—it is all in order to make man perfect. Such is the love of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What should you pursue now? Whether or not you are capable of bearing witness for God’s work, whether or not you are able to become a testimony and a manifestation of God, and whether or not you are fit to be used by Him—these are the things you should seek. How much work has God really done in you? How much have you seen, how much have you touched? How much have you experienced, and tasted? Regardless of whether God has tested you, dealt with you, or disciplined you, His actions and His work have been carried out on you. But as a believer in God and as someone who is willing to pursue being perfected by Him, are you able to bear witness for God’s work on the basis of your practical experience? Can you live out God’s word through your practical experience? Are you able to provide for others through your own practical experience, and expend your whole life to bear witness for God’s work? To bear witness to God’s work, you must rely on your experience, knowledge, and the price you have paid. Only thus can you satisfy His will. Are you someone who bears witness to God’s work? Do you have this aspiration? If you are able to bear witness to His name, and even more, to His work, and if you can live out the image that He requires of His people, then you are a witness for God. How do you actually bear witness for God? You do it by seeking and longing to live out God’s word, and, by bearing witness with your words, allowing people to know His work and to see His actions. If you truly seek all of this, then God will perfect you. If all you seek is to be perfected by God and be blessed in the very end, then the perspective of your faith in God is not pure. You should be pursuing how to see God’s deeds in real life, how to satisfy Him when He reveals His will to you, and seeking how you ought to bear witness to His wondrousness and wisdom, and how to bear witness for how He disciplines and deals with you. All of these are things you should now be pondering. If your love for God is solely so that you can share in God’s glory after He perfects you, then it is still inadequate and cannot meet God’s requirements. You need to be able to bear witness to God’s work, satisfy His demands, and experience the work He has done on people in a practical way. Whether pain, tears, or sadness, you must experience all of these things in your practice. They are meant to perfect you as one who bears witness for God. What is it, exactly, that now compels you to suffer and seek perfection? Is your present suffering truly for the sake of loving God and bearing witness for Him? Or is it for the sake of blessings of the flesh, for your future prospects and fate? All of your intentions, motivations, and the goals that you pursue must be rectified and cannot be guided by your own will. If one person seeks perfection to receive blessings and to reign in power, while another person pursues perfection to satisfy God, to bear practical witness to God’s work, which of the two means of pursuit would you choose? If you were to choose the first, then you would still be too far away from God’s standards. I once said that My actions would be openly known across the entire universe and that I would reign as King in the universe. On the other hand, what you have been entrusted with is to go out to bear witness to God’s work, not to become kings and appear to the whole universe. Let God’s deeds fill the cosmos and the firmament. Let everyone see them and acknowledge them. These words are spoken in relation to God Himself, and what human beings should do is to bear witness for God. How much of God do you know now? How much of God can you bear witness to? What is the purpose of God perfecting man? Once you understand God’s will, how should you show consideration toward His will? If you are willing to be perfected and to bear witness to God’s work through what you live out, if you have this driving force, then nothing is too difficult. What people need now is faith. If you have this driving force, then it is easy to let go of any negativity, passiveness, laziness and notions of the flesh, philosophies for living, rebellious disposition, emotions, and so forth.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, you can seek to be made perfect or seek changes in your external humanity and improvements in your caliber, but of principal importance is that you can understand that everything that God does today has meaning and is of benefit: It enables you who are born in a land of filth to escape the filth and shake it off, it enables you to overcome the influence of Satan, and leave behind the dark influence of Satan. By focusing on these things, you are protected in this land of filth. Ultimately, what testimony will you be asked to give? You are born in a land of filth but are able to become holy, never again to be sullied by filth, to live under the domain of Satan but divest yourself of Satan’s influence, to be neither possessed nor harassed by Satan, and to live in the hands of the Almighty. This is the testimony, and the proof of victory in the battle with Satan. You are able to forsake Satan, you no longer reveal satanic dispositions in what you live out, but instead live out that which God required that man attain when He created man: normal humanity, normal sense, normal insight, normal resolve to love God, and loyalty to God. Such is the testimony borne by a creature of God. You say, “We are born in a land of filth, but because of God’s protection, because of His leadership, and because He has conquered us, we have rid ourselves of the influence of Satan. That we can obey today is also the effect of being conquered by God, and it is not because we are good, or because we naturally loved God. It is because God chose us, and predestined us, that we have been conquered today, are able to bear testimony to Him, and can serve Him; so, too, it is because He chose us and protected us, that we have been saved and delivered from the domain of Satan, and can leave behind the filth and be purified in the nation of the great red dragon.”

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who have the truth are those who, in their real experiences, can stand firm in their testimony, stand firm in their position, stand on the side of God, without ever retreating, and who can have a normal relationship with people who love God, who, when things happen to them, are able to completely obey God, and can obey God unto death. Your practice and revelations in real life are the testimony of God, they are man’s living out and the testimony of God, and this is truly enjoying God’s love; when you have experienced to this point, the due effect will have been achieved. You are possessed of actual living out and your every action is looked upon with admiration by others. Your clothing and outward appearance are unremarkable, but you live out a life of the utmost piety, and when you communicate the words of God, you are guided and enlightened by Him. You are able to speak God’s will through your words, communicate reality, and you understand much about serving in spirit. You are candid in your speech, you are decent and upright, non-confrontational and decorous, able to obey God’s arrangements and stand firm in your testimony when things befall you, and you are calm and composed no matter what you are dealing with. This kind of person has truly seen God’s love. Some people are still young, but they act as someone of middle age; they are mature, possessed of the truth, and admired by others—and these are the people who have testimony and are the manifestation of God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, the crucial point is that you must know the essence of man, and must know what you should enter into; you must talk of entry into life, and changes in disposition, how to actually be conquered, and how to completely obey God, how to bear final testimony to God, and how to achieve obedience unto death. You must focus on these things, and that which is not realistic or important must first be put aside and disregarded. Today, you should be aware of how to be conquered, and of how people conduct themselves after they have been conquered. You may say you have been conquered, but can you obey unto death? You must be able to follow to the very end regardless of whether there are any prospects, and you must not lose faith in God regardless of the environment. Ultimately, you must achieve two aspects of testimony: the testimony of Job—obedience unto death; and the testimony of Peter—the supreme love of God. In one respect, you must be like Job: He lost all material possessions, and was beset by the pain of the flesh, yet he did not forsake the name of Jehovah. This was Job’s testimony. Peter was able to love God unto death. When he was put on the cross and faced his death, he still loved God; he did not think of his own prospects or pursue beautiful hopes or extravagant thoughts, and he sought only to love God and to obey all of God’s arrangements. Such is the standard you must achieve before you can be considered to have borne testimony, before you become someone who has been made perfect after having been conquered.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people believe in God and experience God’s words with a heart that reveres God, then in such people there can be seen God’s salvation and God’s love. These people are able to testify of God; they live out the truth, and what they testify to is also the truth, what God is and God’s disposition. They live amid God’s love and have seen God’s love. If people wish to love God, they must taste God’s loveliness and see God’s loveliness; only then can there be roused in them a heart that loves God, a heart that inspires people to give of themselves loyally for God. God does not make people love Him through words and expressions or through their imagination, and He does not force people to love Him. Instead, He lets them love Him of their own volition, and He lets them see His loveliness in His work and utterances, after which there is borne in them the love of God. Only in this way can people truly bear testimony to God. People do not love God because they have been urged to do so by others, nor is it a momentary emotional impulse. They love God because they have seen His loveliness, they have seen that there is so much of Him that is worthy of people’s love, because they have seen God’s salvation, wisdom, and wondrous deeds—and as a result, they truly praise God and truly yearn for Him, and there is roused in them such a passion that they could not survive without gaining God. The reason why those who truly testify of God are able to give a resounding testimony to Him is because their testimony rests upon the foundation of the true knowledge and true yearning for God. Such testimony is not offered according to an emotional impulse, but according to their knowledge of God and His disposition. Because they have come to know God, they feel that they must surely testify of God and make all those who yearn for God know God, and be aware of God’s loveliness and His realness. Like people’s love for God, their testimony is spontaneous; it is real and has real significance and worth. It is not passive or hollow and meaningless. The reason only those who truly love God have the most value and meaning in their lives, the reason only they truly believe in God, is that these people are able to live in God’s light and are able to live for God’s work and management. It is because they do not live in darkness, but live in the light; they do not live meaningless lives, but lives that have been blessed by God. Only those who love God are able to testify of God, only they are God’s witnesses, only they are blessed by God, and only they are able to receive God’s promises.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All those who do not rise up and bear witness are the forbears of the blind and the kings of ignorance. They will become the eternally ignorant, the perpetual fools; the eternally dead who are blind. It is for this reason that our spirits should awaken! All the people should arise! Cheer, praise, and extol without end the King of glory, the Father of mercy, the Son of redemption, the bountiful seven Spirits, the Almighty God who brings majestic raging fire and righteous judgment and who is utterly sufficient, bountiful, almighty, and complete. His throne will be exalted forever! All the people should see that this is God’s wisdom; it is His wonderful path to salvation and the achievement of His glorious will. If we do not rise up and bear witness, then once the moment has passed, there will be no going back. Whether we will gain blessings or misfortune is being decided during this current stage of our journey, based on what we do, what we think, and what we are living out right now. How should you act? Bear witness for and exalt God forever; exalt Almighty God, Christ of the last days—the eternal, unique, true God!

From now on, you should see clearly that all those who do not bear witness for God—who do not bear witness for this unique, true God, as well as those who harbor doubts about Him—they are all sick and dead, and are ones who defy God! God’s words have already been proved from ancient times: All those who do not gather with Me scatter, and those who are not with Me are against Me; this is an unalterable truth that is etched in stone! Those who do not bear witness for God are Satan’s lackeys. Such people have come to disturb and deceive God’s children, and to interrupt His management; they must be put to the sword! All those who show them good intentions seek their own destruction. You should listen to and believe the utterances of God’s Spirit, walk the path of God’s Spirit, and live out the words of God’s Spirit. Moreover, you should exalt the throne of the almighty God to the end of time!

Excerpted from “Chapter 34” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Although your faith is very sincere, none among you is able to give a full account of Me, none can give full testimony to all of the facts you see. Think about it: Today, most of you are derelict in your duties, instead pursuing the flesh, satiating the flesh, and greedily enjoying the flesh. You possess little truth. How, then, can you bear testimony to all that you have seen? Are you really confident that you can be My witnesses? If a day comes when you are unable to testify to all that you have seen today, then you will have lost the function of created beings, and there will be no meaning whatsoever to your existence. You will be unworthy of being human. It could even be said that you will not be human! I have done immeasurable work on you, but because you are currently learning nothing, aware of nothing, and ineffective in your labors, when it is time for Me to expand My work, you will just stare blankly, tongue-tied and utterly useless. Will that not make you a sinner for all time? When that time comes, will you not feel the deepest regret? Will you not sink into dejection? All of My work today is not done out of idleness and boredom, but to lay a foundation for My future work. It is not that I am at an impasse and need to come up with something new. You should understand the work I do; it is not something done by a child playing in the street, but is a work done in representation of My Father. You should know that it is not Me doing all this Myself; rather, I represent My Father. Your role, meanwhile, is strictly to follow, obey, change, and testify. What you should understand is why you should believe in Me; this is the most important question for each of you to understand. My Father, for the sake of His glory, predestined all of you for Me from the moment He created the world. It was for the sake of My work, and for the sake of His glory, that He predestined you. It is because of My Father that you believe in Me; it is because of My Father’s predestination that you follow Me. None of this is of your own choosing. Even more important is that you understand that you are the ones My Father bestowed upon Me for the purpose of testifying to Me. Because He granted you to Me, you should abide by the ways I bestow upon you, as well as the ways and the words I teach you, for it is your duty to abide by My ways. This is the original purpose of your faith in Me. Therefore, I say to you this: You are merely people that My Father bestowed upon Me to abide by My ways. However, you only believe in Me; you are not of Me because you are not of the Israelite family, and are instead ilk of the ancient serpent. All I am asking you to do is to bear witness for Me, but today you must walk in My ways. All of this is for the sake of future testimony. If you function only as people who listen to My ways, then you will be without value, and the significance of My Father’s having bestowed you upon Me will be lost. What I insist on telling you is this: You should walk in My ways.

Excerpted from “What Is Your Understanding of God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

97. The Principles of Spreading and Bearing Witness to God’s Words

(1) One should focus on seeking the truth, putting it into practice, and entering the reality of God’s words, to the point that they use their actual experience to spread and bear witness to the words of God;

(2) Those who seek and examine should be met with love and patience. Select and promote God’s words in response to their specific questions, so as to testify to Him;

(3) When there are problems among God’s chosen people, one should choose all the more to fellowship about relevant words of God, effecting those problems’ resolution through the truth and entering into reality;

(4) Having discovered your brothers’ and sisters’ real difficulties and practical problems, you should select which of God’s words to fellowship and transmit, as a reminder and to demonstrate your care.

Relevant Words of God:

In the Age of Kingdom, God uses words to usher in the new age, to change the means by which He works, and to do the work of the entire age. This is the principle by which God works in the Age of Word. He became flesh to speak from different perspectives, so that man could truly see God, who is the Word appearing in the flesh, and could behold His wisdom and wondrousness. Such work is done in order better to achieve the goals of conquering man, perfecting man, and eliminating man, which is the true meaning of the use of words to work in the Age of Word. Through these words, people come to know the work of God, the disposition of God, the substance of man, and what man ought to enter into. Through words, the work God wishes to do in the Age of Word is brought to fruition in its entirety. Through these words, people are exposed, eliminated, and tried. People have seen God’s words, heard these words, and recognized the existence of these words. As a result, they have come to believe in the existence of God, in the omnipotence and wisdom of God, as well as in God’s love for man and His desire to save man. The word “words” may be simple and ordinary, but the words spoken from the mouth of the incarnate God shake the universe, they transform people’s hearts, transform their notions and old dispositions, and transform the way the whole world used to appear. Through the ages, only the God of today has worked in this way, and only He speaks thus and comes to save man thus. From this time forward, man lives under the guidance of God’s words, shepherded and supplied by His words. People live in the world of God’s words, amid the curses and the blessings of God’s words, and there are even more people who have come to live under the judgment and chastisement of His words. These words and this work are all for the sake of man’s salvation, for the sake of fulfilling God’s will, and for the sake of changing the original appearance of the world of old creation. God created the world using words, He leads people throughout the universe using words, and He conquers and saves them using words. Ultimately, He shall use words to bring the entire world of old to an end, thus completing the entirety of His management plan. Throughout the Age of Kingdom, God uses words to do His work, and to achieve the results of His work. He does not work wonders or perform miracles, but merely does His work through words. Because of these words, man is nourished and supplied, and gains knowledge and true experience. In the Age of Word, man has been exceptionally blessed. He suffers no physical pain and simply enjoys the bountiful supply of the words of God; without needing to go blindly seeking or journeying forth blindly, from amid his ease, he sees the appearance of God, hears Him speak with His own mouth, receives that which He supplies, and watches Him personally doing His work. These are things that the people of ages past were unable to enjoy, and they are blessings that they could never receive.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Throughout the universe I am doing My work, and in the East, thunderous crashes issue forth endlessly, shaking all nations and denominations. It is My voice that has led all men into the present. I cause all men to be conquered by My voice, to fall into this stream, and submit before Me, for I have long since reclaimed My glory from all the earth and issued it forth anew in the East. Who does not long to see My glory? Who does not anxiously await My return? Who does not thirst for My reappearance? Who does not pine for My loveliness? Who would not come to the light? Who would not look upon the richness of Canaan? Who does not long for the return of the Redeemer? Who does not adore Him who is great in power? My voice shall spread throughout the earth; I will face My chosen people and speak more words to them. Like the mighty thunders that shake the mountains and rivers, I speak My words to the whole universe and to mankind. Hence the words in My mouth have become man’s treasure, and all men cherish My words. The lightning flashes from the East all the way to the West. My words are such that man is loath to give them up and at the same time finds them unfathomable, but rejoices in them all the more. All men are glad and joyful, celebrating My coming, as if an infant had just been born. By means of My voice, I shall bring all men before Me. Thenceforth, I shall formally enter into the race of men so that they will come to worship Me. With the glory that I radiate and the words in My mouth, I shall make it such that all men come before Me and see that the lightning flashes from the East and that I have also descended unto the “Mount of Olives” of the East. They will see that I have already long been on earth, no longer as the Son of the Jews but as the Lightning of the East. For I have long since been resurrected, and have departed from mankind’s midst, and then reappeared with glory among men. I am He who was worshiped countless ages before now, and I am also the infant forsaken by the Israelites countless ages before now. Moreover, I am the all-glorious Almighty God of the present age! Let all come before My throne and see My glorious countenance, hear My voice, and look upon My deeds. This is the entirety of My will; it is the end and the climax of My plan, as well as the purpose of My management: to have every nation worship Me, every tongue acknowledge Me, every man repose his faith in Me, and every people be subject unto Me!

Excerpted from “The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying That the Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Spread Throughout the Universe” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Entering into the Age of Word—the Age of Millennial Kingdom—is the work that is being accomplished today. From now on, practice engaging in fellowship about the words of God. Only by means of eating and drinking as well as experiencing the words of God will you be able to live out the words of God. You must produce some practical experience in order to convince others. If you cannot live out the reality of God’s words, no one will be persuaded! All those who are used by God can live out the reality of God’s words. If you cannot produce this reality and bear testimony to God, this shows that the Holy Spirit has not worked in you, and that you have not been perfected. This is the importance of the words of God. Do you have a heart that thirsts for the words of God? Those who thirst for the words of God thirst for truth, and only people such as this are blessed by God. In the future, there are many more words that God will say to all religions and all denominations. He first speaks and utters His voice among you to make you complete before moving on to speak and utter His voice among the Gentiles to conquer them. Through His words, all will be sincerely and utterly convinced. Through the words of God and His revelations, man’s corrupt disposition diminishes, he gains the appearance of a man, and his rebellious disposition lessens. The words work upon man with authority and conquer man within the light of God. The work that God does in the present age, as well as the turning points of His work, can all be found within His words. If you do not read His words, you will understand nothing. Through your own eating and drinking His words, and through engaging in fellowship with your brothers and sisters and your actual experiences, you will gain the full knowledge of God’s words. Only then will you be able to truly live out their reality.

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do the duties that each of you now performs, whether they be filming a movie or singing hymns to testify to God, have any value to mankind? Where does their value lie? Their value is in bringing people to read God’s words and walk the right path, so that they all understand they are numbered among created beings and all come before the Creator. Do they not have many problems they do not understand? Do they not feel helpless? Do they not feel empty? Do they not feel that they live without spiritual support? Do they not feel that life is wearisome? What is the root of all this? The answer is within God’s words. You perform these duties in order to bring about this effect: to guide their thinking, to guide them to seek God, to seek the right path, to find the Creator, and to accept, obey, understand, and know the sovereignty and arrangements of the Creator. Only in this way will they understand what they are living for, what the value and the meaning are of their lives, and how they should live. Therefore, when you do your duties, you must redouble your prayer and exert yourselves; be diligent, not lazy; and fellowship together more often, acting according to the principles. Once God created this mankind, there was a management plan. Over the past several thousand years, this mankind bore no substantial responsibility or commission to bear witness to the Creator, and the work God did among mankind was relatively discreet and simple. In the last days, however, things are different—you bear a substantial responsibility! In what way is it substantial? Beyond spreading the words of God, it is even more important is that you bear witness for the Creator to every created human being. Furthermore, you must also bring every created human being who has heard God’s gospel before the Creator, so that they may understand why He created mankind and that, as a created human being, they should come back before the Creator and accept His sovereignty, arrangements and orchestration. Can you achieve this merely by dancing or singing a hymn? Merely doing a single aspect of work will not suffice. You must employ a variety of methods and forms to bear witness to the deeds of the Creator, and to the Creator’s sovereignty and arrangements. In this way, you will then be able to bring even more people before the Creator, so that they may accept and obey His sovereignty and arrangements.

Excerpted from “Only by Performing the Duty of a Created Being Well Does One’s Life Have Value” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Have you seen what work God will accomplish in this group of people? God once said, even in the Millennial Kingdom people must still follow His utterances onward, and in the future God’s utterances will yet directly guide man’s life in the good land of Canaan. When Moses was in the wilderness, God instructed and spoke to him directly. From heaven God sent food, water and manna for the people to enjoy, and today it is still thus: God has personally sent down things to eat and drink for people to enjoy, and He has personally sent curses to chastise people. And so, every step of His work is personally carried out by God. Today, people seek the occurrence of facts, they seek signs and wonders, and it is possible that all such people will be cast away, for the work of God is becoming increasingly practical. No one knows that God has descended from heaven, they are also unaware that God has sent down food and tonics from heaven—yet God actually exists, and the rousing scenes of the Millennial Kingdom that people imagine are also the personal utterances of God. This is fact, and only this is called reigning with God on earth. Reigning with God on earth refers to the flesh. That which is not of the flesh does not exist on earth, and thus all those who focus on going to the third heaven do so in vain. One day, when the entire universe returns to God, the center of His work throughout the cosmos will follow His utterances; elsewhere, some people will use the telephone, some will take a plane, some will take a boat across the sea, and some will use lasers to receive the utterances of God. Everyone will be adoring, and yearnful, they will all come close to God, and congregate toward God, and will all worship God—and all of this will be the deeds of God. Remember this! God will certainly never start again elsewhere. God will accomplish this fact: He will make all people throughout the universe come before Him and worship the God on earth, and His work in other places will cease, and people will be forced to seek the true way. It will be like Joseph: Everyone came to him for food, and bowed down to him, for he had things to eat. In order to avoid famine, people will be forced to seek the true way. The entire religious community will suffer severe famine, and only the God of today is the wellspring of living water, possessed of the ever-flowing wellspring provided for the enjoyment of man, and people will come and depend on Him. That will be the time when the deeds of God are revealed and when God gains glory; all people throughout the universe will worship this unremarkable “human being.” Will this not be the day of God’s glory? One day, old pastors will send telegrams seeking the water from the wellspring of living water. They will be elderly, yet still they will come to worship this person, whom they despised. They will acknowledge Him with their mouths and will trust Him with their hearts—is this not a sign and a wonder? When the whole kingdom rejoices will be the day of God’s glory, and whoever comes to you and receives God’s good news will be blessed by God, and the countries and people who do so will be blessed and cared for by God. The future direction will be thus: Those who gain the utterances from God’s mouth will have a path to walk on earth, and be they businessmen or scientists, or educators or industrialists, those who are without God’s words will have a hard time taking even a single step, and will be forced to seek the true way. This is what is meant by, “With the truth you will walk the entire world; without the truth, you will get nowhere.” The facts are thus: God will use the Way (which means all of His words) to command the whole universe and govern and conquer mankind. People are always hoping for a great shift in the means by which God works. To speak plainly, it is through words that God controls people, and you must do what He says whether you wish to or not; this is an objective fact, and must be obeyed by all, and so, too, is it inexorable, and known to all.

Excerpted from “The Millennial Kingdom Has Arrived” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s words will spread among countless homes, they will become known to all, and only then will His work spread throughout the universe. Which is to say, if God’s work is to spread throughout the entire universe, then His words must be spread. On the day of God’s glory, God’s words will show their power and authority. Every one of His words from time immemorial until today will be accomplished and will come to pass. In this way, glory will be to God on earth—which is to say, His words will reign on earth. All who are wicked will be chastised by the words spoken from the mouth of God, all who are righteous will be blessed by the words spoken from His mouth, and all will be established and made complete by the words spoken from His mouth. Nor will He manifest any signs or wonders; all will be accomplished by His words, and His words will produce facts. Everyone on earth will celebrate God’s words, whether they be adults or children, male, female, old or young, all people will submit beneath the words of God. God’s words appear in the flesh, allowing people to see them on earth, vivid and lifelike. This is what it means for the Word to become flesh. God has come to earth primarily to accomplish the fact of “the Word become flesh,” which is to say, He has come so that His words may be issued from the flesh (not like the time of Moses in the Old Testament, when God’s voice issued directly from the sky). After that, all of His words will be fulfilled during the Age of Millennial Kingdom, they will become facts visible before man’s eyes, and people will behold them using their own eyes without the slightest disparity. This is the supreme meaning of God’s incarnation. Which is to say, the work of the Spirit is accomplished through the flesh, and through words. This is the true meaning of “the Word become flesh” and “the Word’s appearance in the flesh.” Only God can speak the will of the Spirit, and only God in the flesh can speak on behalf of the Spirit; the words of God are made plain in God incarnate, and everyone else is guided by them. No one is exempt, they all exist within this scope. Only from these utterances can people become aware; those who do not gain in this way are daydreaming if they think they can gain the utterances from heaven. Such is the authority demonstrated in God’s incarnate flesh, causing all to believe in it with total conviction. Even the most venerable experts and religious pastors cannot speak these words. They must all submit beneath them, and none will be able to make another start. God will use words to conquer the universe. He will do this not by His incarnate flesh, but through using the utterances from the mouth of God become flesh to conquer all people in the entire universe; only this is the Word become flesh, and only this is the appearance of the Word in the flesh. Perhaps, to humans, it appears as if God has not done much work—but God has but to utter His words, and they will be thoroughly convinced and awed. Without facts, people shout and scream; with the words of God, they fall silent. God will surely accomplish this fact, for this is God’s long-established plan: accomplishing the fact of the Word’s arrival on earth. Actually, there is no need for Me to explain—the arrival of the Millennial Kingdom on earth is the arrival of God’s words on earth. New Jerusalem’s descent from heaven is the arrival of God’s words to live among man, to accompany man’s every action and all his innermost thoughts. This is also a fact that God will accomplish; this is the beauty of the Millennial Kingdom. This is the plan set by God: His words will appear on earth for a thousand years, and they will manifest all of His deeds, and complete all of His work on earth, after which this stage of mankind shall come to an end.

Excerpted from “The Millennial Kingdom Has Arrived” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

V. The Principles of Identifying Each Sort of Person, Event, and Thing

98. The Principles of Identifying Whether One Possesses the Holy Spirit’s Work

(1) Look to whether one can accept being judged and chastised, pruned and dealt with, and put through trials and refinement in God’s words; whether they are capable of true self-knowledge; and whether they have genuinely repented;

(2) Look to whether one’s relationship with God is normal; whether they revere and submit to Him; whether they commune with Him truly;

(3) Look to whether one performs their duty effectively and acts according to the principles; whether they can practice the truth; whether they have true love for God in their heart;

(4) Look to whether there is new light in one’s eating and drinking of God’s words; whether they can express a practical knowledge of the truth; and whether their views on things and their life disposition have undergone any transformation.

Relevant Words of God:

The work of the Holy Spirit is a form of proactive guidance and positive enlightenment. It does not allow people to be passive. It brings them solace, gives them faith and resolve, and enables them to pursue being made perfect by God. When the Holy Spirit works, people are able to enter actively; they are not passive or forced, but act at their own initiative. When the Holy Spirit works, people are glad and willing, willing to obey and happy to humble themselves. Even though they are pained and fragile inside, they have the resolve to cooperate; they suffer gladly, they are able to obey, and they are untainted by human will, untainted by the thinking of man, and certainly they are untainted by human desires and motivations. When people experience the work of the Holy Spirit, they are especially holy inside. Those who are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit live out the love of God and the love of their brothers and sisters; they delight in the things that delight God and loathe the things that God loathes. People who are touched by the work of the Holy Spirit have normal humanity, and they constantly pursue the truth and are possessed of humanity. When the Holy Spirit works within people, their condition becomes better and better, and their humanity becomes more and more normal, and though some of their cooperation may be foolish, their motivations are right, their entry is positive, they do not try to cause disruption, and there is no malevolence within them. The work of the Holy Spirit is normal and real, the Holy Spirit works in man according to the rules of the normal life of man, and He carries out enlightenment and guidance within people according to the actual pursuit of normal people. When the Holy Spirit works in people, He guides and enlightens them according to the needs of normal people. He provides for them according to their needs, and He positively guides and enlightens them according to what they lack, and according to their deficiencies. The Holy Spirit’s work is to enlighten and guide people in real life; only if they experience God’s words in their actual lives are they able to see the work of the Holy Spirit. If, in their everyday lives, people are in a positive state and have a normal spiritual life, then they are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit. In such a state, when they eat and drink the words of God, they have faith; when they pray, they are inspired; when they come up against something, they are not passive; and as things happen, they are able to see the lessons within those things that God requires them to learn. They are not passive or weak, and although they have real difficulties, they are willing to obey all the arrangements of God.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What effects are achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit? You may be foolish, and you may be devoid of discernment, but the Holy Spirit has but to work and there will be faith in you, and you will feel always that you cannot love God enough. You will be willing to cooperate, no matter how great the difficulties ahead. Things will happen to you and it will not be clear to you whether they come from God or from Satan, but you will be able to wait, and you will be neither passive nor remiss. This is the normal work of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit works within you, you still encounter real difficulties: Sometimes you will be brought to tears, and sometimes there will be things that you are incapable of overcoming, but this is all just a phase of the ordinary work of the Holy Spirit. Although you did not overcome those difficulties, and although at the time you were weak and full of complaints, afterward you were still able to love God with absolute faith. Your passiveness cannot prevent you from having normal experiences, and regardless of what other people say, and how others attack you, still you are able to love God. During prayer, you always feel that in the past you were so indebted to God, and you resolve to satisfy God and renounce the flesh whenever you encounter such things again. This strength shows that the work of the Holy Spirit is within you. This is the normal state of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people’s conditions are normal, then their spiritual lives and their lives in the flesh are normal and their reason is normal and orderly. When they are in this condition, what they experience and come to know within themselves can generally be said to come from being touched by the Holy Spirit (having insights or possessing some simple knowledge when they eat and drink the words of God, or being faithful in some things, or having the strength to love God in some things—this all comes from the Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit’s work in man is especially normal; man is incapable of feeling it, and it seems to come through man himself, although it is in fact the work of the Holy Spirit. In daily life, the Holy Spirit does work both great and small in everyone, and it is just the extent of this work that varies. Some people are of good caliber, and they understand things quickly, and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is especially great within them. Meanwhile, some people are of poor caliber, and it takes them longer to understand things, but the Holy Spirit touches them inside and they, too, are able to achieve faithfulness to God—the Holy Spirit works in all those who pursue God. When, in daily life, people do not oppose or rebel against God, do not do things that are at odds with the management of God and do not interfere with the work of God, then in each one of them the Spirit of God works to a greater or lesser extent; He touches them, enlightens them, gives them faith, gives them strength, and moves them to enter proactively, not being lazy or coveting the enjoyments of the flesh, willing to practice the truth, and longing for the words of God. All of this is work that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In experiencing God’s work, having the work of the Holy Spirit happens occasionally, whereas having the presence of the Holy Spirit is nearly constant. As long as people’s reason and thinking are normal, and as long as their states are normal, then the Holy Spirit is surely with them. When people’s reason and thinking are not normal, then their humanity is not normal. If, at this moment, the work of the Holy Spirit is in you, then the Holy Spirit will surely also be with you. But if the Holy Spirit is with you, it does not follow that the Holy Spirit is definitely working within you, for the Holy Spirit works at special times. Having the presence of the Holy Spirit can only maintain people’s normal existence, but the Holy Spirit only works at certain times. For example, if you are a leader or worker, when you water and provide sustenance for the church, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you to certain words that are edifying for others and can resolve some of your brothers’ and sisters’ practical problems—at such times, the Holy Spirit is working. Sometimes, when you are eating and drinking the words of God, the Holy Spirit enlightens you with certain words that are particularly relevant to your own experiences, allowing you to gain a greater knowledge of your own states; this is also the work of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, as I speak, you listen and are able to measure your own states against My words, and sometimes you are touched or inspired; all of this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people say that the Holy Spirit is working in them at all times. This is impossible. If they were to say that the Holy Spirit is always with them, that would be realistic. If they were to say that their thinking and sense are normal at all times, that would also be realistic, and would show that the Holy Spirit is with them. If they say the Holy Spirit is always working within them, that they are enlightened by God and touched by the Holy Spirit at every moment, and gain new knowledge all the time, then this is by no means normal! It is entirely supernatural! Without a shadow of a doubt, such people are evil spirits!

Excerpted from “Practice (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All those who are guided by the Spirit of God and who have been touched by the Spirit of God are possessed of the work of God, which shows that God’s words and God’s love have taken root within them. Some people say: “I am not as earnest as you in my prayers, nor am I so touched by God; sometimes—when I meditate and pray—I feel that God is lovely, and my heart is touched by God.” Nothing is more important than man’s heart. When your heart has turned to God, your entire being will have turned to God, and at that time your heart will have been touched by the Spirit of God. Most among you have had such an experience—it is just that the depths of your experiences are not the same. Some people say: “I don’t say many words of prayer, I just listen to the communion of others and the strength rises up within me.” This shows that you have been touched by God inside. People who have been touched by God inside are inspired when they hear the communion of others; if a person’s heart remains totally unmoved when they hear inspiring words, then this proves that the work of the Holy Spirit is not within them. There is no yearning inside them, which proves that they have no resolve, and thus they are without the work of the Holy Spirit. If a person has been touched by God, they will have a reaction when they hear the words of God; if they have not been touched by God, then they have not engaged with the words of God, they bear no relation to them, and they are incapable of being enlightened. Those who have heard the words of God and had no reaction are people who have not been touched by God—they are people who are without the work of the Holy Spirit. All those who are able to accept the new light are touched, and possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people may find reading the words of God tiresome, which is not a normal state. What is normal is never growing tired of reading God’s words, always thirsting for them, and always finding the words of God to be good. This is how one who has really entered eats and drinks the words of God. When you feel that the words of God are exceedingly practical and are exactly what man should enter into; when you feel that His words are greatly helpful and beneficial to man, and that they are the provision of man’s life—it is the Holy Spirit that gives you this feeling, and it is the Holy Spirit that moves you. This proves that the Holy Spirit is working in you and that God has not turned away from you. Some people, seeing that God is always speaking, become tired of His words, and think it of no consequence whether they read them or not—which is not a normal state. They lack a heart that thirsts to enter into reality, and such people neither thirst for nor place importance on being perfected. Whenever you find you do not thirst for the words of God, this shows that you are not in a normal state. In the past, whether God had turned away from you could be determined by whether you were at peace within, and whether you experienced enjoyment. Now the key is whether you thirst for the words of God, whether His words are your reality, whether you are faithful, and whether you are able to do all that you can for God. In other words, man is judged by the reality of the words of God. God directs His words to all of humanity. If you are willing to read them, He will enlighten you, but if you are not, He will not. God enlightens those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and He enlightens those who seek Him. Some say that God did not enlighten them even after they read His words. But in what way did you read these words? If you read His words in the way a man on horseback looks at flowers, and placed no importance on reality, how could God enlighten you? How can one who does not treasure God’s words be made perfect by Him? If you do not treasure the words of God, then you will have neither truth nor reality. If you treasure His words, then you will be able to put the truth into practice, and only then will you possess reality. … God having spoken so much, you should do your utmost to eat and drink His words, and then, without you realizing it, you will come to understand, and without you realizing it, the Holy Spirit will enlighten you. When the Holy Spirit enlightens man, it is often without man’s awareness. He enlightens and guides you when you thirst and seek. The principle by which the Holy Spirit works is centered around the words of God that you eat and drink. All those who place no importance on the words of God and are always of a different attitude toward His words—believing, in their befuddled thinking, it a matter of indifference whether they read His words or not—are those who do not possess reality. Neither the Holy Spirit’s work nor His enlightenment can be seen in such a person. People like this are merely coasting along, pretenders without true qualifications, like Mr. Nanguo of the parable.[a]

Excerpted from “The Age of Kingdom Is the Age of Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people’s state is not normal, they are forsaken by the Holy Spirit; in their minds they are prone to complaining, their motivations are wrong, they are lazy, they indulge in the flesh, and their hearts rebel against the truth. All of this comes from Satan. When people’s conditions are not normal, when they are dark inside and have lost their normal reason, have been forsaken by the Holy Spirit, and are unable to feel God within themselves, this is when Satan is working within them. If people always have strength within them and always love God, then generally, when things happen to them, those things come from the Holy Spirit, and whomever they meet, the meeting is the result of the arrangements of God. This is to say that when you are in a normal condition, when you are within the great work of the Holy Spirit, then it is impossible for Satan to make you waver. Upon this foundation it can be said that everything comes from the Holy Spirit, and although you may have incorrect thoughts, you are able to renounce them and you do not follow them. All this comes from the work of the Holy Spirit. In what situations does Satan interfere? It is easy for Satan to work within you when your conditions are not normal, when you have not been touched by God and are without the work of God, when you are dry and barren inside, when you pray to God but grasp nothing, and when you eat and drink the words of God but are not enlightened or illuminated. In other words, when you have been abandoned by the Holy Spirit and you cannot feel God, then many things happen to you that come from the temptation of Satan. As the Holy Spirit works, Satan also is working all the while. The Holy Spirit touches the inside of man, while at the same time Satan interferes in man. However, the work of the Holy Spirit takes the leading position, and people whose conditions are normal can triumph; this is the triumph of the work of the Holy Spirit over the work of Satan. While the Holy Spirit works, a corrupt disposition still exists within people; however, during the Holy Spirit’s work, it is easy for people to discover and recognize their rebelliousness, motivations, and adulterations. Only then do people feel remorse and grow willing to repent. As such, their rebellious and corrupt dispositions are gradually cast away within God’s work. The work of the Holy Spirit is especially normal; as He works in people, they still have troubles, they still weep, they still suffer, they are still weak and there is still much that is unclear to them, yet in this state they are able to stop themselves from regressing, and they can love God, and although they weep and are distressed, they are still able to praise God; the work of the Holy Spirit is especially normal, not the slightest bit supernatural. Most people believe that, as soon as the Holy Spirit begins to work, changes occur in people’s state and the things that are substantive to them are removed. Such beliefs are fallacious. When the Holy Spirit works within man, the passive things of man are still there and his stature remains the same, but he gains the illumination and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and so his state becomes more proactive, the conditions within him become normal, and he changes rapidly.

Excerpted from “The Work of the Holy Spirit and the Work of Satan” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sometimes God gives you a certain type of feeling, a feeling that causes you to lose your inner enjoyment and lose God’s presence, such that you are plunged into darkness. This is a type of refinement. Whenever you do anything, it always goes awry, or you hit a wall. This is God’s discipline. Sometimes, when you do something that is disobedient and rebellious toward God, nobody else may know of it—but God does. He will not let you off, and He will discipline you. The work of the Holy Spirit is very detailed. He very carefully observes people’s every word and action, their every act and move, and their every thought and idea so that people can gain internal awareness of these things. You do something once and it goes awry, you do something again and it still goes awry, and gradually you will come to understand the work of the Holy Spirit. Through many times of being disciplined, you will know what to do to be in line with God’s will and what is not in line with His will. In the end, you will have accurate responses to the Holy Spirit’s guidance from within you. Sometimes you will be rebellious and you will be rebuked by God from within. This all comes from God’s discipline. If you do not treasure God’s word, if you slight His work, then He will pay you no mind. The more seriously you take God’s words, the more He will enlighten you. Right now, there are some people in the church who have a muddled and confused faith, and they do a lot of inappropriate things and act without discipline, and so the work of the Holy Spirit cannot be clearly seen in them. Some people leave their duties behind for the sake of earning money, going out to run a business without being disciplined; that kind of person is in even more danger. Not only do they not currently have the work of the Holy Spirit, but in the future, they will be difficult to perfect. There are many people in whom the work of the Holy Spirit cannot be seen and in whom God’s discipline cannot be seen. They are those who are not clear on God’s will and who do not know His work.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sometimes, when in abnormal conditions, you lose the presence of God, and become unable to feel God when you pray. It is normal to feel afraid at such times. You should immediately start searching. If you do not, God will be apart from you, and you will be without the presence of the Holy Spirit—and, moreover, the work of the Holy Spirit—for a day, two days, even a month or two months. In these situations, you become so incredibly numb and are once more taken captive by Satan, to the point where you are capable of committing all manner of act. You covet wealth, deceive your brothers and sisters, watch movies and videos, play mahjong, and even smoke and drink without discipline. Your heart has strayed far from God, you have secretly gone your own way, and you have arbitrarily passed judgment on God’s work. In some cases, people sink so low that they feel no shame or embarrassment in committing sins of a sexual nature. This kind of person has been forsaken by the Holy Spirit; in fact, the work of the Holy Spirit has long been absent in such a person. One can only see them sink ever deeper into corruption as the hands of evil stretch out ever further. In the end, they deny the existence of this way, and are taken captive by Satan as they sin. If you discover that you only have the presence of the Holy Spirit, yet lack the work of the Holy Spirit, it is already a dangerous situation to be in. When you cannot even feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, then you are on the verge of death. If you do not repent, then you will have completely returned to Satan, and you shall be among those who are eliminated. So, when you discover that you are in a state where there is only the presence of the Holy Spirit (you do not sin, you hold yourself in check, and you do nothing in blatant resistance to God) but you lack the work of the Holy Spirit (you do not feel moved when you pray, you gain no obvious enlightenment or illumination when you eat and drink the words of God, you are indifferent about eating and drinking the words of God, there is never any growth in your life, and you have long been bereft of great illumination)—at such times, you must be more cautious. You must not indulge yourself, you must not give free rein to your own character any further. The presence of the Holy Spirit may disappear at any time. This is why such a situation is so dangerous. If you find yourself in this kind of state, try to turn things around as soon as you can. First, you should say a prayer of repentance and ask that God extend His mercy upon you once more. Pray more earnestly and, quiet your heart to eat and drink more of God’s words. With this foundation, you must spend more time in prayer; redouble your efforts in singing, praying, eating and drinking God’s words, and performing your duty. When you are at your weakest, your heart is most easily possessed by Satan. When that happens, your heart is taken from God and returned to Satan, whereupon you are without the presence of the Holy Spirit. At such times, it is doubly difficult to regain the work of the Holy Spirit. It is better to seek the work of the Holy Spirit while He is still with you, which will allow God to bestow more of His enlightenment upon you and not cause Him to abandon you. Praying, singing hymns, serving your function, and eating and drinking the words of God—all of this is done so that Satan has no opportunity to do its work, and so that the Holy Spirit may work within you.

Excerpted from “How to Enter Into a Normal State” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the work of spreading God’s gospel of the last days, only a minority of people can abandon everything and abandon their families, to the extent where they feel they will not return home for ten years, or a lifetime, and do not feel any suffering because of this; this is the strength that is given to people by the Holy Spirit. But this level cannot be reached through a person’s stature, because people do not possess the truth, only some sincerity to expend for God. If a person has some resolve to pursue the truth, on top of which the Holy Spirit gives them some grace, then they will feel especially gratified at that moment; they will gain a kind of strength, and be able to come forth and expend for God—this is the grace of God. But there are certain individuals who, in doing their duty, do not follow the correct path; they do not make the slightest effort to pursue the truth and are moreover even capable of doing all kinds of wrongdoing. In such cases, the Holy Spirit will not work on them. This would be a case of the person not being right, and even such work as the Holy Spirit might have done on them in the past would be forfeited, and, unbeknownst to themselves, they will have got onto the downhill path. If you are one who has the resolve to pursue the truth, then the Holy Spirit will give you grace to be enjoyed, and you can then go forth along the path led by the Holy Spirit; the truth will become more and more clear to you, your resolve will become more and more steady, and the Holy Spirit’s work on you will become increasingly easy. If a person does not walk the right path, then the Holy Spirit will, in the end, eliminate them. After being eliminated, their original resolution, their original passion, and their strength to cast aside and to expend will disappear, and they will be itching to say, “Why did I put my faith in God at that time? If I hadn’t believed in God, would I be facing all of this now?” At this moment, as these regrets, grievances, and negative feelings come out, the Holy Spirit will have long since stopped working. Even though this person can still be used to preach the gospel or do some other work, what they can do will not be of the work of the Holy Spirit, nor will it be enlightened or guided by the Holy Spirit. It will just be done relying on the little bit of intelligence and culture they have. Although they are capable of doing these outward things that can be achieved by the body of flesh, it does not represent the guidance of the Holy Spirit, nor does it represent the intent of the Holy Spirit. Just as with a service-doer, even if the Holy Spirit is not working on them, a person can still render service for a certain period. After all, they have human ideas, the functions of a human brain, and so are capable of doing some of the things that an average person can do. It is just that they have gone down the wrong path; they are not pursuing the truth, or salvation, or seeking to repay Him for His love, and so they find that their path runs out before long. Nowadays, a lot of people are saying: “I know that I am bad by nature! I have too much emotion, and I am too rebellious.” But no matter what they say, they do not know their own nature, nor do they understand any aspect of the truth; however good they make their doctrine sound, as if they understand everything there is to understand, they just cannot put it into practice, and this is enough to prove that the work of the Holy Spirit on them has already disappeared. Therefore, no matter what your humanity is like, or how much doctrine you understand, or how much suffering you have endured, or how much you have forsaken, as long as the Holy Spirit is not working on you, then everything will come to naught. In the absence of the work of the Holy Spirit, a person grows stupid; how much could their little jot of strength amount to? How much their tiny bit of faith? What use would their iota of knowledge be? Take being in prison for example: From the time people first began believing in God, they have encountered this; they are often persecuted and hunted, fleeing for refuge everywhere. These experiences engraved, within each person’s thoughts and heart, the indelible imprint: “I cannot be a Judas, I absolutely cannot speak about matters regarding the church.” Haven’t most people prepared themselves in this way? But when they are really caught, they may not be able to act as they wish. A person does not become a Judas in a moment of confusion. It has been said before that how you will wind up in the end depends first of all on whether you have been approved by God. That is to say, it will depend mainly on whether the Holy Spirit is at work in you, whether the Holy Spirit is enlightening and guiding you, and whether some grace abides with you.

Excerpted from “Those Who Have Lost the Holy Spirit’s Work Are Most at Risk” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Currently, there are some people who are negative as they undergo trials, and some even complain. Other people are no longer moving forward because God has finished speaking. People have not entered the right track of belief in God. They cannot live independently, and they cannot maintain their own spiritual life. Some people follow along and pursue with energy, and are willing to practice when God speaks, but when God does not speak, they no longer move forward. People still have not understood God’s will within their hearts and they do not have spontaneous love for God; in the past they followed God because they were forced. Now there are some people who are tired of God’s work. Are such people not in danger? A lot of people exist in a state of just coping. Although they eat and drink God’s words and pray to Him, they do so half-heartedly, and they no longer have the drive that they once had. Most people are not interested in God’s work of refinement and perfection, and indeed it is as if they are constantly without any internal drive. When they are overcome by transgressions, they do not feel indebted to God, nor do they have the awareness to feel remorse. They do not pursue the truth or leave the church, and instead pursue only temporary pleasures. These people are fools, utterly stupid! When the time comes, they will all be cast out, and not a single one will be saved! Do you think that if someone has been saved once they will always be saved? This belief is pure deception! All those who do not pursue entry into life will be chastised. Most people have absolutely no interest in entering into life, in visions, or in putting the truth into practice. They do not pursue entering in, and they certainly do not pursue entering in more deeply. Are they not ruining themselves? Right now, there is a portion of people whose conditions are constantly improving. The more the Holy Spirit works, the more confidence they gain; the more they experience, the more they feel the profound mystery of God’s work. The deeper they enter in, the more they understand. They feel that God’s love is so great, and they feel steady and enlightened within themselves. They have an understanding of God’s work. These are the people in whom the Holy Spirit is working. Some people say: “Although there are no new words from God, I must still seek to go deeper into the truth, I must be earnest about everything in my actual experience and enter into the reality of God’s words.” This kind of person possesses the work of the Holy Spirit. Although God does not show His countenance and is hidden from every single person, and though He does not utter a word and there are times that people experience some internal refinement, yet God has not completely left people. If a person cannot retain the truth that they should carry out, they will not have the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whether people seek in earnest is not determined by how others judge them or how the people around view them, but by whether the Holy Spirit works on them and whether they have attained the presence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, it depends on whether their dispositions change and on whether they have gained any knowledge of God after undergoing the Holy Spirit’s work over a certain period. If the Holy Spirit works upon a person, this person’s disposition will gradually change, and their perspective on believing in God will gradually grow purer. Regardless of how long people follow God, as long as they have changed, it means that the Holy Spirit is working on them. If they have not changed, it means that the Holy Spirit is not working on them. Even if these people do render some service, what drives them to do so is a desire to obtain good fortune. Only doing service occasionally cannot replace experiencing a change in their dispositions. Ultimately, they will still be destroyed, for in the kingdom there will be no need for service-doers, nor will there be a need for anyone whose disposition has not changed to be of service to those people who have been perfected and who are faithful to God.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the phrase “of the parable.”

99. The Principles of Identifying Letters and Doctrines

(1) Letters and doctrines are wholly a product of man’s analyses and explications of God’s words. They are hollow and impractical, and are counted, in their entirety, among human notions and imaginings;

(2) Letters and doctrines arise from the mind and thoughts of man. They are not in the least equivalent to the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, nor are they able to move and bring benefit to people;

(3) Letters and doctrines are nothing more than rules and externalities. They are devoid of the path of practice and its principles, and, rather than leading man to liberation, they put him in shackles;

(4) Those who frequently preach letters and doctrines do not know themselves at all. They cannot practice the truth, much less come to act according to the principles.

Relevant Words of God:

God’s work and word are meant to cause a change in your disposition; His goal is not merely to make you understand or know His work and word. That is not enough. You are a person who has the ability to comprehend, so you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, because most of God’s word is written in human language, and He speaks very plainly. For instance, you are perfectly capable of learning what it is that God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a normal person who has the faculty of comprehension should be able to do. In particular, the words that God is saying in the present stage are especially clear and transparent, and God is pointing out many things that people have not considered, as well as all manner of human states. His words are all-encompassing, and as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues, but there is still something missing—people putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of the truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, rather than simply waiting to absorb whatever is made available to them; otherwise they become little more than parasites. They know God’s word, yet do not put it into practice. This kind of person does not love the truth and will ultimately be eliminated. To be like a Peter of the 1990s, this means that each one of you should practice the word of God, have true entry in your experiences and gain even more and even greater enlightenment in your cooperation with God, which will be of ever increasing assistance to your own life. If you have read a lot of God’s word but only understand the meaning of the text and lack direct knowledge of God’s word through your practical experiences, then you will not know God’s word. As far as you are concerned, God’s word is not life, but just lifeless letters. And if you only live in observance of lifeless letters, then you cannot grasp the essence of God’s word, nor will you understand His will. Only when you experience His word in your actual experiences will the spiritual meaning of God’s word open itself to you, and it is only through experience that you can grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths and unlock the mysteries of God’s word. If you do not put it into practice, then no matter how clear His word, all that you have grasped are empty letters and doctrines, which have become religious regulations to you. Is this not what the Pharisees did? If you practice and experience God’s word, it becomes practical to you; if you do not seek to practice it, then God’s word to you is little more than the legend of the third heaven. In fact, the process of believing in God is the process of you experiencing His word as well as being gained by Him, or to put it more clearly, to believe in God is to have the knowledge and understanding of His word and to experience and live out His word; such is the reality behind your belief in God. If you believe in God and hope for eternal life without seeking to practice the word of God as something you have within you, then you are foolish. This would be like going to a feast and only looking at the food and learning the delicious things by heart without actually tasting any of it. Would such a person not be a fool?

Excerpted from “Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man is able to fellowship what he experiences and sees. No one can fellowship that which they have not experienced, have not seen, or their thinking cannot reach, those being things they do not have inside of them. If what man expresses is not from his experience, it is then his imagination or doctrine. Simply put, there is no reality in his words. Were you never to come into contact with the things of society, you would not be able to fellowship clearly the complex relationships of society. If you had no family, were others to talk about family issues, you would not understand most of what they said. So, what man fellowships and the work he does represent his inner being. If someone fellowshiped his understanding of chastisement and judgment, but you had no experience of it, you would dare not deny his knowledge, much less dare to be one hundred percent confident in it. This is because their fellowship is something that you have never experienced, something you have never known, and your mind cannot imagine it. From their knowledge, all you can take is a path to undergo chastisement and judgment in the future. But this path can only be one of doctrinal knowledge; it cannot take the place of your own understanding, much less your experience. Perhaps you think what they say is quite correct, but in your own experience, you find it impracticable in many ways. Perhaps you feel some of what you hear is completely impracticable; you harbor notions about it at the time, and although you accept it, you only do so reluctantly. But in your own experience, the knowledge from which you derived notions becomes your way of practice, and the more you practice, the more you understand the true value and meaning of the words you heard. After having had your own experience, you can then talk about the knowledge you should have of what you experienced. In addition, you can also distinguish between those whose knowledge is real and practical and those whose knowledge is based on doctrine and worthless. So, whether the knowledge you profess accords with the truth largely depends on whether you have practical experience of it. Where there is truth in your experience, your knowledge will be practical and valuable. Through your experience, you can also gain discernment and insight, deepen your knowledge, and increase your wisdom and common sense about how you should conduct yourself. The knowledge expressed by people who do not possess the truth is doctrine, no matter how lofty it may be. This type of person may well be very intelligent when it comes to matters of the flesh but cannot make distinctions when it comes to spiritual matters. This is because such people have no experience at all of spiritual affairs. These are people who are not enlightened in spiritual affairs and do not understand spiritual matters. Whatever sort of knowledge you express, as long as it is your being, then it is your personal experience, your real knowledge. What people who speak only of doctrine—those being people who possess neither the truth nor reality—discuss can also be called their being, because they have arrived at their doctrine only through deep contemplation and it is the result of their deep rumination. Yet it is only doctrine, nothing more than imagination!

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If a person does not pursue the truth, he will never understand it. You can say the letters and doctrines ten thousand times, but they will still just be letters and doctrines. Some people just say, “Christ is the truth, the way, and the life.” Even if you repeat these words ten thousand times, it will still be useless; you have no understanding of its meaning. Why is it said that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life? Can you articulate the knowledge you have gained about this from experience? Have you entered the reality of the truth, the way, and the life? God has uttered His words so that you can experience them and gain knowledge; merely voicing letters and doctrines is useless. You can only know yourself once you have understood and entered God’s words. If you do not understand God’s words, then you cannot know yourself. You can only discern when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot discern. You can only fully understand a matter when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot understand a matter. You can only know yourself when you have the truth; without the truth, you cannot know yourself. Your disposition can only change when you have the truth; without the truth, your disposition cannot change. Only after you have the truth can you serve in accordance with God’s will; without the truth, you cannot serve in accordance with God’s will. Only after you have the truth can you worship God; without the truth, your worship will be nothing more than a performance of religious rites. All of these things hinge on gaining the truth from God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Merely understanding doctrine is of no use; it cannot bring about life change. Merely understanding the literal meaning of God’s words is not the equivalent of understanding truth; it is those essential things illustrated in God’s words that are the truth. Every line of His utterances contains the truth, though people may not necessarily understand it. For example, when God says, “You must be honest people,” there is truth in this statement. There is even more truth in statements from Him such as, “You must become people who submit before God, who love God, and who worship God. You must fulfill your duties as humans.” Each line of God’s words contains much truth, and it takes a lot to explain the essence of each of these statements of truth; only when one has reached this point will one be considered to have an understanding of the truth. If you only understand and explain God’s words according to their literal meaning, then yours is not an understanding of truth; you are simply showing off with doctrine.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People who do not understand or love the truth often take the truth as an interpretation, as theory—and what becomes of them? When they encounter an issue, after having believed in God for years, they cannot see it for what it really is, nor are they able to submit, or seek the truth; when people fellowship with them, they answer with their “famous words of wisdom”: “Save it—I understand everything. I was preaching before you could even walk!” These are their famous words. If they understand everything, why can they not handle it when they encounter an issue? If you understand it, why are you unable to put it into practice? Why does the issue trip you up, why do you get stuck on it? Do you understand or not? If you understand, why can you not obey? If you understand, why can you not accept it? What is the first thing people should do after understanding the truth? They should obey, and nothing else. Some people say, “I understand everything. No one should fellowship with me—I don’t need anyone’s help.” They can forgo the help of others, but it is a pity that, when they are weak, the doctrine they understand is totally useless, and they even stop performing their duty. Some do not even want to believe in God anymore. They spent all those years preaching theological theory, but they give up their faith and retreat at the drop of a hat. Is there stature in this? (No.) And no stature means no life. If you had life, why would you be unable to handle it when you encountered that minor issue? Are you not good at talking? So have a go at convincing yourself; if you cannot even convince yourself, so just what do you understand? Is it the truth? The truth can solve people’s real problems and can also solve people’s corrupt dispositions. Why can the “truths” you understand not even solve your own difficulties? So just what is it you understand? It is doctrine.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

Some people work and preach and, despite superficially appearing to be fellowshiping on God’s utterances, they are only discussing the literal meaning of His words, and nothing essential is mentioned. Their sermons are like teachings from a language textbook—arranged item by item and aspect by aspect, and when they are done, everyone sings praises, saying, “This person possesses reality. He preached so well and in such detail.” After such people are done preaching, they tell others to compile their sermons and send them out to everybody. In doing this, they have gotten to where they are deceiving others and all that they preach are fallacies. On the surface, it looks as though they are preaching only God’s words and their sermons conform to the truth. However, with more careful discernment, you will see that they are nothing but letters and doctrines and false reasoning along with some human imaginings and notions, as well as some things that delimit God. Does this kind of preaching not amount to an interruption of God’s work? This is service that resists God.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You have deviated in your summing up the truth; after you do all this summing up, it has yielded only rules. Your “summing up the truth” is not done so that people gain life or attain changes in their dispositions from the truth. Instead, it causes people to master some knowledge and doctrines from within the truth. They appear to have understood the purpose behind God’s work, when actually they have only mastered some words and doctrines. They do not understand the intended meaning of the truth; it is no different from studying theology or reading the Bible. You compile these books or those materials, and so people become in possession of this aspect of doctrine and that aspect of knowledge. They are first rate speakers of doctrines—but what happens when they are done speaking? They are incapable of experiencing, they have no understanding of God’s work, nor do they have any understanding of themselves. Ultimately, all they will have gained are formulas and rules, and they can talk about those few things but nothing else. If God did something new, would you be able to match up all the doctrines that you know with that? Those things of yours are just rules and you are just having people study theology, not allowing them to experience the word of God or the truth. Therefore, those books that you compile can bring others only into theology and knowledge, into new formulas, and into rules and conventions. They cannot bring people before God or allow them to understand the truth or God’s will. You are thinking that by raising those questions one after another, which you then answer and for which you write down outlines and summaries, brothers and sisters will find it easy to understand, and you think that apart from being easy to remember, these issues are clear at a glance, and that this is a great way of doing things. But what people are understanding is not the real intended meaning of the truth and does not match up with reality—it is just words and doctrines. So it would be better if you did not do these things at all. Doing this is leading people to understand and master knowledge. You bring others into the doctrines, into religion, and have them follow and believe in God within religious doctrines. Isn’t that being just like Paul? You think that mastering knowledge of the truth is particularly important, and so is learning by heart many passages of God’s words. But how people understand the word of God is not important at all. You think it is extremely important for people to be able to memorize many of God’s words, to be able to speak much doctrine and to discover many formulas within God’s words. Therefore, you always want to systematize these things so that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, saying the same things, and talking about the same doctrines, so they have the same knowledge and keep the same rules—this is your objective. Your doing this appears to be for the sake of people gaining understanding, when on the contrary you have no idea that this is bringing people into the midst of rules that are outside of God’s word the truth. To allow people to have a real understanding of the truth, you must link it up with reality and with the work, and solve practical problems according to God’s word the truth. Only in this way can people understand the truth and enter into reality, and only achieving such a result is really bringing people before God. If all you talk about are spiritual theories, doctrines, and rules, if you only put effort into the literal words, all you can achieve is getting people to say the same things and follow rules, but you will not be able to guide people to understand the truth. You will be particularly unable to have people better understand themselves, and achieve repentance and transformation. If being able to talk about spiritual theories could substitute for people’s entering truth reality, then you would not be needed to lead the churches.

Excerpted from “Without the Truth, One Is Liable to Offend God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If one serving as a leader is possessed of the ability to understand God’s words and the caliber to understand the truth, then not only can they themselves understand God’s words and enter the reality of His words, but they are also able to advise, guide, and assist those they lead in understanding God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words. Such caliber, however, is the very thing that false leaders lack. They do not understand the words of God, and they do not know which states God’s words are referring to, which states they expose as those in which people reveal their corrupt dispositions, or those in which there is born opposition to God and grievances against God, or the motivations of man, and so on. They are incapable of measuring things against God’s words, and merely comprehend a few words, rules, and catchphrases at the superficial level of His words. When fellowshiping with others, they memorize a passage of God’s words and then explain their superficial meaning. False leaders’ understanding, knowledge, and acceptance of God’s words is limited to this alone. They lack the ability to understand God’s words. They merely understand the wording and depth of meaning that is universally evident at the literal level of these words—and think they have understood and comprehended His words as a result. So, too, do they use the literal meaning of God’s words to admonish and “help” others in daily life, believing that in this, they are doing their work, that they are guiding people in eating and drinking God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words. False leaders often fellowship God’s words to others and impart God’s words to them in various ways, telling them to eat and drink this passage of God’s words when they encounter some issue, and that passage of God’s words when they encounter another issue. When misunderstandings about God occur in people, they say, “Look, God’s words are perfectly clear and understandable about this. How could you still misunderstand God? Do God’s words not ask that we abide by such-and-such, and do they not ask that we abide by so-and-so?” Thus do they teach people how to understand and enter into God’s words. Under their guidance, many people become capable of reciting God’s words and able to recall certain of God’s words when they encounter an issue. But no matter how much they read and recite, they remain ignorant of what God’s words are referring to. When they are genuinely beset by adversity, or have certain doubts, the words of God they know and remember cannot solve their difficulties. This illustrates a problem: The words of God they understand are mere doctrine, nothing but a certain kind of rules; they are not reality, and they are not the truth. Thus, false leaders’ guidance of people in eating and drinking God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words is limited to teaching them the literal meaning of His words; it is incapable of allowing them to achieve enlightenment from His words and cannot let them know which corrupt dispositions are within them. The disposition and essence that are revealed in people each time something happens to them, and how they can be solved using God’s words, and what people’s states are each time such things happen to them, and how such states can be solved, and what God’s words have to say about this, what His words require, what the principles are, and what the truth is therein—they understand none of this. All they do is exhort people: “Eat and drink more of God’s words. God’s words contain the truth, and if you listen to His words more, over time you will understand the truth. The key parts of God’s words are the very ones you don’t understand, so you should pray more, search more, listen more, and contemplate more.” False leaders go on and on with such exhortations. Each time a problem of a certain kind arises, they say the same thing, and afterward, people still do not recognize the essence of the problem and still do not know how to practice God’s words; they merely abide by the literal rules and meaning of His words, but when it comes to the truth principles of practicing God’s words and the reality the truth demands, they do not understand.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Most people are liable to speak phrases and doctrine—they have all done so at one time or another. The type that is the ordinary speaking of words and doctrine should be treated as people being of small stature and not understanding the truth. As long as they do not take up too much time, and as long as they are not doing it deliberately, are not trying to be the only voice, are not demanding that everyone let them say whatever they want, are not demanding that everyone listen to them, are not trying to dupe people into thinking highly of them, then this does not constitute disturbances and disruptions. Because there is nothing unusual about most people speaking words and doctrine, to use a rather inappropriate term for it, it is excusable; it can be forgiven, and doesn’t have to be taken seriously. But there is one situation in which some people’s utterance of words and doctrine is deliberate. What do they deliberately do? They, too, lack the truth reality, and like everyone else, they speak words and doctrine, they repeat slogans, theorize, and so on—but there is one difference: When they are speaking words and doctrine, there is something else they want from people. They always want them to think highly of them, and they always try and pit themselves against the workers and leaders, or against certain individuals; even more ridiculously, they even go so far as to want people to think highly of them irrespective of how they speak and what they say. They have no other aim but to win people over, to dupe them, to make them think highly of them. And what is their aim in making people think highly of them? To give themselves status and prestige in people’s minds. They want to be preeminent in the group, the top dog, they want to be someone exceptional and extraordinary, they want to be some special figure whose words carry authority. Such situations, by their nature, are different from the ordinary speaking of words and doctrine; they constitute disturbances and disruptions. What makes them different from the ordinary speaking of words and doctrine? It is that these people always want to say these things, they do so any chance they get; as long as there is a meeting, as long as people are gathered and they have an audience, they speak up, they have this huge urge to speak. Their aim in doing so is not to share with the brothers and sisters the words in their heart, the things they have learned, their experiences, knowledge, and insights, so that from this, people gain knowledge and a path to practice; their aim, rather, is to use this as an opportunity to show off, to show people how talented and resourceful they are, to let people know they are smart, and well-informed, and well-educated, that they are loftier than others, that they are talented, and no ordinary person—after which, whenever people have any problems, they consult them, they ask them questions and seek them out; whenever the church has a problem, they are the first person the brothers and sisters think of, and the brothers and sisters can’t achieve anything without them, they don’t dare do anything without their say-so. This is the effect such people are after. What is their aim in speaking words and doctrine? It is to ensnare people, to control them, to which end the preaching of words and doctrine is but one of the methods and approaches they employ. And so, they do not speak words and doctrine because they lack the truth reality or do not understand the truth reality, but to inspire reverence and admiration in everyone’s hearts, even to make people fear them, and accept their rule and control. Speaking of words and doctrine which is of this nature causes disturbances and disruptions. In the life of the church, such people should be held in check, their behavior of speaking words and doctrine should be curbed, and not allowed to progress. Some people say, “If such people are to be held in check, should they be given the chance to speak?” To be fair, they can be given the chance to speak, but as soon as they go back to their old ways—when they start showing off again, and their ambitions flare up once more—then go ahead and cut them off. If they are often like this, if their ambitions often flare up, and they have trouble stifling the urge, what should be done? Simply restrict them and don’t let them speak. If, as soon as they start speaking, people don’t want to hear it—if, once they open their mouth, people take exception to their demeanor, posture, manner, speech, even the expression in their eyes and their tone as they speak—then the problem is a serious one. When things have gotten this bad, most brothers and sisters in the church have already identified these people, so should they take a bow for acting as a foil in the churches? And if they take a bow for this, does it mean that their service has reached its end? When their service has reached its end, they should be removed. They can’t be reined in. As soon as they open their mouth, out comes the same old thing; as soon as they open their mouth, the ugly face of Satan the devil is revealed. There’s no way to hold them in check. What kind of person is this? The kind that is an antichrist. If they are purged too early, most people will have notions in their minds, they will say, “The house of God is heartless. It doesn’t even put people under observation, it just purges them, and doesn’t give them any chance. All they did was say a few uninformed things, they betrayed a little corrupt disposition, they were a little arrogant—but their motivations weren’t bad. It’s not fair to treat them like this.” But when most people have seen through them, and can see them for what they really are, is it appropriate to still allow such wicked people to run riot in the churches and cause disturbances and disruptions? (It is not.) This is unfair to all the brothers and sisters. Under such circumstances, purge those people and let that be the end of it. Their service has reached its end, most people can tell them for what they really are, and if you purge them now, most will have nothing to say about it, and will not complain or misinterpret God.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (13)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some leaders and workers cannot see the real problems that exist within the church. While at a gathering, they feel like they have nothing worthwhile to say, so they just bite the bullet and voice some letters and doctrines. They know perfectly well that what they are saying is mere doctrine, yet they say it anyway. In the end, even they feel that their words are insipid, and as their brothers and sisters listen to them, they, too, feel that these people are dull. This is how it goes, is it not? If they have to force themselves to say those words, then on the one hand, the Holy Spirit is not working in them, and on the other hand, their words have no benefit for others. If you have not experienced the truth, yet you still want to speak about it, then no matter what you say, you will not be able to penetrate through to the truth; anything you say further will just be letters and doctrines. You may think that they are somewhat enlightened, but they are just doctrines; they are not truth reality, and no matter how hard they try, anyone listening will not be able to grasp anything real from them. While listening, they might feel that what you say is quite correct, but afterward, they will forget it completely. If you do not talk about your actual states, then you will not be able to touch people’s hearts; they will forget what you say even if they want to remember it, and you will be unable to help them. If you encounter this sort of situation, wherein you want to speak but feel you cannot talk about things in a way that penetrates through to the truth, and you merely have a bit of doctrinal knowledge while knowing nothing about essential things, and if others bring up questions of an essential nature, which you are unable to answer, then you would be better off not saying anything at all. There are also times when you might be discussing a topic at a gathering, and you feel that you are fairly knowledgeable about it and can fellowship about some actual things. However, everyone will understand what you are talking about if you discuss it rather superficially, but you have nothing to say on a deeper level, for others might not have experienced some things, and you might not have either. In such a case, you should not force yourself to keep talking; rather, you may get everyone to fellowship about the topic. If you think that it is doctrine, then it is useless to talk about, and people will not be able to be edified from it; in this situation, no matter what you say, the Holy Spirit will not do His work, and when you try to bulldog your way through anyway, you may end up saying absurd and deviant things, and can lead people astray. People cannot completely absorb relatively in-depth ideas within a short period of time; most people have a very poor foundation and are of low caliber, and cannot easily commit what they hear to memory. However, they are still quite quick to accept those absurd, regulatory and doctrinal ideas. How truly strange this is! Thus, in this respect, you must pay special attention. People are vain, and sometimes dominated by their vanity; they know perfectly well that what they are saying is doctrine, yet they keep on saying it anyway, believing that their brothers and sisters might not notice. In an effort to save face, they might ignore those things and instead just focus on dealing with the situation at hand. Is this not just fooling people? This is being disloyal to God! If you are a person who understands the truth, then you will feel reproached inside, feeling that you cannot speak that way anymore and that you should change the topic. You can fellowship about something you have experience with, or you can talk about some knowledge you have of the truth. If you cannot speak clearly about something, then all of you can fellowship on it together! Just having one person doing all the talking is never a good thing. Because you lack experience, no matter how well you are able to imagine and conceive of something, what you say will ultimately just be doctrine and the stuff of human notions. Those things that can be categorized as the truth must be experienced; without experience, no one can completely understand the essence of the truth, much less explain clearly the conditions of experiencing a truth. One must have experience of the truth before one can have something actual to talk about, and having no experience is not acceptable; even if you have experience, it will be limited in scope, and you will only be able to speak about some limited states, nothing more.

Excerpted from “Do You Know What the Truth Really Is?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do you now have a path to resolving the problem of preaching letters and doctrines? To resolve that problem, you must practice the truth; the more you do—the more effort you put into the truth and practicing—the fewer letters and doctrines there will be inside you. How does reality come about? It happens during the process of practicing the truth, as people have all sorts of experiences, and give rise to all sorts of states. There is a process of transformation in how people approach their various states, what thoughts and views they have, and how they seek the truth to resolve them. This process is reality. If you do not go through the process of practicing and experiencing God’s words, but merely know and understand them on a literal and doctrinal level, then all you have is doctrine, as there is a discrepancy between your literal understanding and your direct experience. How does doctrine arise? When one does not practice, but merely understands, analyzes, and explains the literal meaning of God’s words, and moreover preaches them, then doctrine arises. Can doctrine become reality? If you do not practice the truth, you will never understand it. Mere literal explanation will forever be doctrine. If, however, you practice, experience, feel, and learn, the knowledge, thoughts, ideas, and experience thus produced will be practical. Reality is achieved through practice; without practice, reality is forever absent. Has anyone said, “I don’t practice the truth, but I can still preach practical sermons”? What you preach may sound correct and quite practical to others in the moment, but they will still have no path of practice afterward. Everything you understand is thus still doctrine. If you do not put God’s words into practice and have no practical experience or understanding of the truth, when a state you have never considered before arises in someone else, you will not know how to resolve it. When one seldom practices the truth, they will never truly understand it. Only by increasing their practice of the truth can they understand it truly, and only then can they grasp the principles of practicing the truth. If you have no experience of the truth, you will naturally only be able to preach doctrine. You will tell others to adhere to rules just as you do. Without the reality of practice and experience, you will never be able to preach reality. Practicing the truth is not the same as studying. To study is invariably to apply oneself to the written word; it is fine merely to take notes, memorize, analyze, and scrutinize the words. The practice of the truth is the exact opposite; one must rely on practical experience for it to achieve results.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s requirements of people are not all that high. If they put in even a little bit of effort, they would receive a “pass grade.” Actually, understanding, knowing, and comprehending the truth is more complicated than practicing the truth. Knowing and comprehending the truth comes after practicing the truth; these are the steps and method by which the Holy Spirit works. How can you not obey? Can you gain the work of the Holy Spirit by doing things your way? Does the Holy Spirit work at your pleasure, or based on your deficiencies according to God’s words? It is pointless if you cannot see this clearly. Why is it that most people have spent much effort reading God’s words, but merely have knowledge and cannot say anything about a real path afterward? Do you think that possessing knowledge amounts to possessing the truth? Is that not a confused point of view? You are able to speak as much knowledge as there is sand on a beach, yet none of it contains any real path. Are you not trying to fool people by doing this? Are you not making an empty show, with no substance to back it up? All such behavior is harmful to people! The higher the theory and the more it is devoid of reality, the more it is incapable of taking people into reality; the higher the theory, the more it makes you defy and oppose God. Do not treat the loftiest theories like precious treasure; they are pernicious and serve no purpose! Perhaps some people are able to talk of the loftiest theories—but these contain nothing of reality, for these people have not personally experienced them, and therefore have no path to practice. Such people are incapable of taking others onto the right track and will only lead them astray. Is this not harmful to people? At the very least, you must be able to solve people’s present troubles and allow them to achieve entry; only this counts as dedication, and only then will you be qualified to work for God. Do not always speak grandiose, fanciful words, and do not use a bunch of unsuitable practices to bind others into obeying you. Doing so will have no effect and can only increase their confusion. Carrying on like this will produce much doctrine, which will make people loathe you. Such is the shortcoming of man, and it truly is mortifying. So talk more of problems that actually exist. Do not treat other people’s experiences as your own personal property and hold them up for others to admire; you must search for your own, individual way out. This is what each person should put into practice.

Excerpted from “Focus More on Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

100. The Principles of Identifying Whether One Possesses Truth Reality

(1) See whether one, when reading God’s words, can engage in self-reflection, is capable of discovering how their corruption is revealed in life, and can know themselves and genuinely repent;

(2) See whether one can seek the truth in performing their duty, can use it to resolve problems, can treat others fairly, and treat their brothers and sisters with love;

(3) See whether one can accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, as well as being pruned and dealt with by them such that their corruption is purified, and can express true testimony from their experience;

(4) See whether there has been any genuine transformation of their views on things, outlook on life, and values; whether they can view things in light of God’s words; and whether they are honest in both word and deed.

Relevant Words of God:

God is a practical God: All of His work is practical, all of the words He speaks are practical, and all of the truths He expresses are practical. Everything that is not His words is vacuous, non-existent, and unsound. Today, the Holy Spirit is to guide people into the words of God. If people are to pursue entry into reality, then they must seek reality, and know reality, after which they must experience reality, and live out reality. The more that people know reality, the more they are able to discern whether the words of others are real; the more people know reality, the fewer notions they have; the more people experience reality, the more they know the deeds of the God of reality, and the easier it is for them to break free from their corrupt, satanic dispositions; the more reality people have, the more they know God and the more they detest the flesh and love the truth; and the more reality people have, the closer they come to the standards of God’s requirements. People who are gained by God are those who are possessed of reality, who know reality, and who have come to know God’s real deeds through experiencing reality. The more you cooperate with God in a practical way and discipline your body, the more you will acquire the work of the Holy Spirit, the more you will gain reality, and the more you will be enlightened by God, and thus the greater your knowledge of God’s real deeds will become. If you are able to live in the present light of the Holy Spirit, then the present path to practice will become clearer to you, and you will be more able to separate yourself from the religious notions and old practices of the past. Today reality is the focus: The more reality people have, the clearer their knowledge of the truth, and the greater their understanding of God’s will. Reality can overcome all letters and doctrines, it can overcome all theory and expertise, and the more reality people focus on, the more they truly love God, and hunger and thirst for His words. If you always focus on reality, then your philosophy for living, religious notions, and natural character will naturally be expunged following the work of God. Those who do not pursue reality, and have no knowledge of reality, are likely to pursue that which is supernatural, and they will be easily tricked. The Holy Spirit has no means of working in such people, and so they feel vacant, and that their lives have no meaning.

Excerpted from “How to Know Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Holding up God’s words and being able to explain them unabashedly does not mean you are in possession of reality; things are not as simple as you imagine. Whether you are in possession of reality is not based on what you say; rather, it is based on what you live out. Only when God’s words become your life and your natural expression can you be said to have reality, and only then can you be counted as having gained true understanding and actual stature. You must be able to withstand examination over long periods of time, and you must be able to live out the likeness that is required by God. This must not be mere posturing; it must flow from you naturally. Only then will you truly possess reality, and only then will you have gained life. Let Me use the example of the trial of the service-doers with which everyone is familiar: Anyone can offer the loftiest theories regarding service-doers, and everyone has a decent understanding of the subject; they speak on it and each speech surpasses the last, as if it were a competition. However, if man has not undergone a major trial, then it is very difficult to say that he has good testimony to bear. In short, man’s living out is still very lacking, entirely contrary to his understanding. Therefore, it has yet to become man’s actual stature, and it is not yet man’s life. Because man’s understanding has not been brought into reality, his stature is still like a castle built on sand, teetering and on the verge of collapse. Man possesses far too little of reality; it is almost impossible to find any reality in man. There is too little reality naturally flowing from man, and all the reality they live out has been forced. This is the reason I say man possesses no reality. Although people claim their love of God never changes, this is merely what they say before they have faced any trials. When they are suddenly faced with trials one day, the things that they speak of will once again fall out of step with reality, and this will again prove that man possesses no reality. It can be said that whenever you encounter things that do not fit with your notions and that require you to put yourself aside, those things are your trials. Before God’s will is revealed, everyone goes through a rigorous test and an immense trial. Can you fathom this? When God wants to try people, He always allows them to make their choices before the actual truth has been revealed. This means that when God is subjecting man to trials, He will never tell you the truth; this is the manner in which people are exposed. This is one way that God carries out His work, to see whether you know the God of today, as well as whether you possess any reality. Are you truly free of doubts regarding God’s work? Will you be able truly to stand firm when a major trial comes upon you? Who dares to say, “I guarantee that there will be no problems”? Who dares to assert, “Others might have doubts, but I never will”? It is just as when Peter was subjected to trials: He always boasted before the truth had been revealed. This is not a personal flaw unique to Peter; this is the greatest difficulty currently facing every man. If I were to visit a few places or pay a visit to a few brothers and sisters to see what your understanding is of God’s work of today, you would certainly be able to say much about your knowledge, and you would seem not to have any doubts whatsoever. If I were to ask you, “Can you really determine that the work of today is performed by God Himself? Without any doubt?” you would certainly answer, “Without any doubt whatsoever, it is the work performed by the Spirit of God.” Once you had answered in such a way, you surely would not feel a shred of doubt, and you would even feel quite pleased, thinking you had gained a bit of reality. Those who tend to understand things in this way are people who possess less reality; the more one thinks one has gained it, the less one will be able to stand firm when faced with trials. Woe to those who are arrogant and haughty, and woe to those who have no knowledge of themselves; such people are adept at talking, yet fare the worst when putting their words into action. At the smallest sign of trouble, these people begin to have doubts, and the thought of quitting steals into their minds. They do not possess any reality; they merely have theories that are above religion, without any of the reality required now by God. I am most disgusted by those who only speak of theories without possessing any reality. They shout the loudest when carrying out their work, but as soon as they are faced with reality, they fall apart. Does this not show that these people have no reality? No matter how ferocious the wind and waves, if you can remain standing without allowing a shred of doubt to enter your mind, and can stand firm and remain free from denial, even when there is no one else left, then you will be counted as having true understanding and genuinely in possession of reality. If you turn whichever way the wind blows—if you follow the majority, and learn to parrot the speech of others—then no matter how eloquent you might be, it will not be proof that you possess reality. Therefore, I suggest that you not be premature in shouting out empty words. Do you know what God is going to do? Do not behave like another Peter, lest you bring shame upon yourself and lose the ability to hold your head high; that will not do anyone any good. Most people have no real stature. Though God has performed a great deal of work, He has not brought reality down upon people; to be more exact, He has never personally chastised anyone. Some people have been exposed by such trials, with their sinful hands reaching farther and farther out, thinking that it is easy to get the better of God, that they can do whatever they want. Since they are not able to withstand even this sort of trial, more challenging trials are out of the question for them, as is possession of reality. Are they not just trying to fool God? Possessing reality is not something that can be faked, nor is reality something that you can attain by knowing it. It depends on your actual stature, as well as whether or not you can withstand all trials. Do you understand?

Excerpted from “Only Putting the Truth Into Practice Is Possessing Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God does not require of people the mere ability to talk about reality; that would be too easy, would it not? Why, then, does God speak of entry into life? Why does He talk about transformation? If people are capable only of empty talk about reality, then can they achieve a transformation in their disposition? The good soldiers of the kingdom are not trained to be a group of people who can only talk about reality or boast; rather, they are trained to live out God’s words at all times, to remain unyielding no matter what setbacks they face, and to live constantly in accordance with God’s words and not to return to the world. This is the reality of which God speaks; this is God’s requirement of man. Thus, do not regard the reality spoken of by God as being overly simple. Mere enlightenment from the Holy Spirit does not equal the possession of reality. Such is not the stature of man—it is the grace of God, to which man contributes nothing. Each person must endure Peter’s sufferings, and, even more, possess Peter’s glory, which they live out after they have gained the work of God. Only this can be called reality. Do not think that you possess reality just because you can talk about it; that is a fallacy. Such thoughts do not accord with God’s will and have no actual significance. Do not say such things in the future—extinguish such sayings! All those with a false understanding of God’s words are unbelievers. They do not have any real knowledge, much less any real stature; they are ignorant people who lack reality. In other words, all those who live outside of the essence of God’s words are unbelievers. Those deemed unbelievers by people are beasts in the eyes of God, and those deemed unbelievers by God are people who do not have God’s words as their life. It can therefore be said that those who do not possess the reality of God’s words and who fail to live His words out are unbelievers. God’s intention is to cause everyone to live out the reality of His words—not merely to have everyone talk about reality, but, more than that, to enable everyone to live out the reality of His words. The reality that man perceives is too superficial; it has no value and cannot fulfill God’s will. It is too lowly and not even worthy of mention. It lacks too much and falls far too short of the standards of God’s requirements. You will each be subjected to a major inspection to see who among you merely know how to talk about your understanding without being able to point out the path, as well as to discover who among you are useless pieces of trash. Remember this from now on! Do not speak of empty knowledge; only talk about the path of practice and about reality. Transition from real knowledge to real practice, and then transition from practice to real living out. Do not lecture others, and do not talk about real knowledge. If your understanding is a path, then let your words go free upon it; if it is not, then please shut your mouth and stop talking! What you say is useless. You speak of understanding in order to deceive God and make others envy you. Is that not your ambition? Are you not deliberately toying with others? Is there any value in this? If you talk about understanding after you have experienced it, you will not be seen as boasting. Otherwise, you are someone who spits out arrogant words. There are many things in your actual experience that you cannot overcome, and you cannot rebel against your own flesh; you are always doing whatever you want, never satisfying God’s will—yet you still have the gall to talk about theoretical understanding. You are shameless! You still are so bold as to speak of your understanding of God’s words. How impudent of you! Orating and boasting have become your very nature, and you have become accustomed to doing so. Whenever you wish to speak, you do so with ease, but when it comes to practicing, you indulge in ornamentation. Is this not a way to fool others? You may be able to trick men, but God cannot be deceived. Men are unaware and have no discernment, but God is serious about such matters, and He will not spare you. Your brothers and sisters might advocate for you, praising your understanding and admiring you, but if you possess no reality, the Holy Spirit will not spare you. Perhaps the practical God will not seek your faults, but God’s Spirit will ignore you, and that will be difficult enough for you to bear. Do you believe this? Talk more about the reality of practice; have you forgotten already? Talk more about practical paths; have you forgotten already? “Offer fewer lofty theories and worthless, inflated talk; it is best to begin practice starting now.” Have you forgotten these words? Do you not understand at all? Do you have no comprehension of God’s will?

Excerpted from “Only Putting the Truth Into Practice Is Possessing Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How can it be seen whether a person is possessed of truth reality? It is apparent from the moment they open their mouth to speak. A person without truth reality speaks wholly of doctrine, no matter the topic; one knows at a glance that they do not generally practice the truth. As soon as one possessed of truth reality comes into contact with you, their fellowship can resolve the problems that beset you at once. With just a few words, they lay bare problems that have troubled you for years, problems that no one else has been able to clarify by preaching doctrine, and they enable you to understand the truth and God’s will. You are no longer troubled, and no longer do you feel fettered; you are no longer constrained, but free and liberated. So what those people say is truth reality, is it not? If you do not understand their words, no matter what they say, and if what they say does not solve your problem at its root, then what they are saying to you is merely letters and doctrines. Letters and doctrines cannot provide for people or help them, and they cannot resolve people’s practical difficulties.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

There is a precise indication of whether or not someone has entered the truth reality: when you are able to use the words of God to accurately assess what kind of person you are, and what your conscience and sense are like. For example, if you can’t tell whether or not your actions are arrogant, whether you have shown yourself to be arrogant, then you have no entry; you do not understand this aspect of the truth, and thus have no basis. If you understood the truth, you would understand what indicates arrogance, and what indicates a lack of arrogance, and how to present yourself, and act, rationally and with normal humanity; at times, you might not know how to improve, or how to practice the truth, but you would know there was room for entry in such matters. But if you do not pursue the truth, if you do not reflect on yourself based on the reality of God’s words the truth, and God’s revelation of people’s corrupt essence, and do not check yourself against these things, you will always be muddled. With the truth, you can tell the difference; the truth makes you smart, and wise, it gives you sense, it allows you to tell right from wrong, black from white, and positive from negative. If you do not understand the truth, the difference will never be clear to you, you will always be muddle-headed. That’s how it is. No matter how great your mistake, or how right your actions, you still can’t determine the nature of such things by yourself. You’ve no idea whether, to God or before the truth, these things are good or bad. There may be times when you feel something is good, and times when you feel it isn’t; you lack clarity, your state is constantly muddled and unclear—which shows you have never referred to the truth. Those who never refer to the truth never enter the truth reality. If you can refer to the truth in any number of things—if the difference between right and wrong, positive and negative, is clear and transparent to you, and your powers of differentiation are strong—then in such matters you have entered the truth reality. If you have not achieved entry, then you will always be confused about these things.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter how many years people have had faith, they never gain a sense of what is good about believing in God. They cannot sense what tangible benefits they can gain from having faith, and are often even like the unbelievers, unable to beat the world’s trends, or its various temptations and enticements, or the fame and gain of the flesh. They even feel quite empty, and this feeling emerges from time to time and becomes increasingly obvious. More and more, they wonder, “There isn’t any meaning to believing in God, is there? If my faith has developed to this degree, shouldn’t I be just about there? I guess this is just how it is then, and there’s no telling whether I can be saved.” What does this indicate? (Not understanding the truth, and not having entered truth reality.) That is it exactly; they have not entered truth reality. That is, people do not understand any of those truths they should understand that God has granted and provided to them. Why have they not understood? It is because they have not taken God’s words as principles and a path of practice to implement in their daily lives and turn into their own reality. None of what they do, how they live, how they exist, or the way they deal with people, events, and things is based on God’s words. You have not experienced or learned through practice any of these words of God, and you have not personally experienced, nor do you know, what the true meaning of His words is. For this reason, when God exposes the dark world, exposes people’s corruption, and reveals the various states of every type of person, you cannot fathom the essence of these issues. Because you lack experience and have not attained entry, you will never be able to fathom it. Nominally, you have believed in God for so many years, yet you are still just the same as worldly people; you have not changed at all. That is, with regard to the depths of your heart and to your nature essence, your corrupt disposition has not been purified, nor has your life disposition transformed in the least; thus, from start to finish, you cannot let go of the dark world, of satanic trends, of fame and gain, and of status, because you cannot see them for what they are. You often feel that life is empty and meaningless and that you have no path or confidence; this is because you do not know God’s work and are unable to give rise to genuine faith in God.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth in Everything Can One Enter Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What manifestations do people who lack the truth life exhibit? Without the truth, they will naturally be subject to the constraints and bonds of their satanic nature; they will naturally reveal a disposition that is arrogant and conceited, selfish and contemptible, reckless and willful, and liable to decide and act alone. Such people will lie and cheat, be deceitful and treacherous, and be prone to feeling suspicious of others, and to attacking and judging others; they will always assess others through the lens of their prejudices and motives. Such people will always rely on their own preferences in both word and deed, and when encountering setbacks or failures, they will become negative. At times they will be supremely arrogant, and at times they will fall into such negativity that they practically burrow a hole into the ground. These people go to extremes, and are never normal. When they are not baring their fangs, they are putting on puppy dog eyes. This is the sort of state you are currently in: You are willing to suffer and pay a price; your resolution and determination are complete—but you do not yet possess truth reality. How do people who possess truth reality to serve as their lives express themselves? I will tell you a few major indications. When people possess truth reality, on the one hand, they have understood some of the truth; on the other, they have begun to exhibit some changes in disposition. Changes in disposition have a characteristic, which is being able to submit to what is right and in line with the truth. No matter who gives you suggestions—whether they are young or old, whether you get along well, and whether the relationship between you is good or bad—as long as they say something that is correct and in line with the truth, and also is beneficial to the work of God’s house, then you can listen, adopt it, and accept it, and not be impacted by any other factors. This is the first aspect of that characteristic. First of all, you can accept the truth, as well as things that are correct and in line with the truth. Another aspect is being able to seek the truth whenever you encounter a problem. You must not only be able to accept the truth; you must also be able to seek it. For example, if you encounter a new problem that no one can fathom, then you can seek the truth and see what you should do or practice to bring the matter in line with the truth principles and meet God’s requirements. Yet another aspect is gaining the ability to be considerate of God’s will. How should you be considerate of His will? This depends on what duty you are performing and what requirements He has of it. You must grasp this principle: Carry out your duty according to God’s requirements, and fulfill it to His satisfaction. You must also understand God’s will and what the desired result of your duty is, and you must be able to act with responsibility and faithfulness. All of these are ways to be considerate of God’s will. If you do not know how to be considerate of God’s will in the thing that you are currently doing, then you must do some seeking in order to accomplish that and to satisfy Him. If you can put these three principles into practice, measure how well you are actually living by them, and find a path of practice, then you will be handling matters in a principled manner. Regardless of what you might encounter, and no matter what problems you might have to deal with, you must always search for the right principles to practice by, what details these each include, and how they should be practiced so that you will not be violating the principles. Once you have a clear understanding of these things, you will naturally be able to practice the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Putting the Truth Into Practice Can One Cast off the Shackles of a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People who have the truth are those who, in their real experiences, can stand firm in their testimony, stand firm in their position, stand on the side of God, without ever retreating, and who can have a normal relationship with people who love God, who, when things happen to them, are able to completely obey God, and can obey God unto death. Your practice and revelations in real life are the testimony of God, they are man’s living out and the testimony of God, and this is truly enjoying God’s love; when you have experienced to this point, the due effect will have been achieved. You are possessed of actual living out and your every action is looked upon with admiration by others. Your clothing and outward appearance are unremarkable, but you live out a life of the utmost piety, and when you communicate the words of God, you are guided and enlightened by Him. You are able to speak God’s will through your words, communicate reality, and you understand much about serving in spirit. You are candid in your speech, you are decent and upright, non-confrontational and decorous, able to obey God’s arrangements and stand firm in your testimony when things befall you, and you are calm and composed no matter what you are dealing with. This kind of person has truly seen God’s love. Some people are still young, but they act as someone of middle age; they are mature, possessed of the truth, and admired by others—and these are the people who have testimony and are the manifestation of God. Which is to say, when they have experienced to a certain point, inside they will have an insight toward God, and their external disposition will also stabilize. Many people do not put the truth into practice and do not stand firm in their testimony. In such people there is no love of God, or testimony to God, and these are the people most loathed by God. They read the words of God in the gatherings, but what they live out is Satan, and this is dishonoring God, vilifying God, and blaspheming God. In such people, there is no sign of God’s love, and they do not have the work of the Holy Spirit at all. So, people’s words and actions represent Satan. If your heart is always at peace before God, and you always pay attention to the people and things around you, and what is going on around you, and if you are mindful of God’s burden, and always have a heart that reveres God, then God will often enlighten you within. In the church there are people who are “supervisors”: They set out to watch the failings of others and then copy and emulate them. They are incapable of differentiating, they do not hate sin and do not loathe or feel disgusted by the things of Satan. Such people are filled with the things of Satan, and they will ultimately be utterly forsaken by God. Your heart should be ever reverent before God, you should be moderate in your words and actions and never wish to oppose or upset God. You should never be willing for God’s work in you to have been for nothing, or to allow all the hardship you have endured and all that you have put into practice to come to naught. You must be willing to work harder and to love God more on the path ahead. These are the people who have a vision as their foundation. These are the people who seek progress.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people have a genuine understanding of God’s disposition, and can give heartfelt praise to His holiness and righteousness, then it means they truly know Him and possess the truth; only then do they live in the light. Only once a person’s view of the world and of life changes does one undergo a fundamental transformation. When one has a life goal and comports oneself according to the truth, when one submits absolutely to God and lives by His words, when one feels peaceful and illuminated to the depths of one’s soul, when one’s heart is free of darkness, and when one can live entirely free and unrestrained in God’s presence, only then does one lead a genuine human life, and only then has one become a person who possesses the truth. In addition, all the truths in your possession have come from God’s words and from God Himself. The Ruler of the entire universe and all things—God Most High—approves of you as a real person living a true human life. What could be more meaningful than God’s approval? This is what it means to be in possession of the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

101. The Principles of Identifying Whether One Is of Caliber

(1) Look to how one is able to understand God’s words, and whether they are able to realize the truth through the synthesis of their own state and practical problems, and thus find the principles of practice;

(2) Look to whether one’s self-knowledge is practical, true, and specific. Those of poor caliber will speak only of hollow doctrine, and cannot enter into reality;

(3) Look to how capable one is of working. Those of good caliber can grasp accurate principles of practice based on the truth and resolve all manner of problems;

(4) Look to how capable one is of discerning, whether they can identify each sort of person based on the truth principle, and whether they can see to the heart of every manner of event and social dynamic.

Relevant Words of God:

How do we measure people’s caliber? The most accurate way is to measure their caliber based on the degree to which they understand the truth. Some people can learn some specialism very quickly, but when they hear the truth, they become muddled and they doze off, it baffles them, nothing they hear goes in, nor do they understand what they are hearing—that is what poor caliber is. With some people, you tell them they are of poor caliber and they disagree. They think that being highly educated and knowledgeable means they are of good caliber. Does a good education demonstrate high caliber? It does not. People’s caliber is measured based on the degree to which they understand God’s words and the truth. This is the most standard, the most accurate way of doing it. There is no use in trying to measure someone’s caliber by any other means. Some people are silver-tongued and quick-witted, and they are really good at getting on with others—but when they read God’s words and listen to sermons, they understand nothing. When they speak of their own experiences and testimony, they reveal themselves to be mere amateurs, and all can feel that they have no spiritual understanding. These are not people of good caliber. So would such people be competent to handle some external matter for the house of God? Handling things for the house of God—in other words, performing one’s duty: Performing one’s duty involves the truth, the work of God, and principles of conduct and the ways and methods by which one treats all kinds of people, and these issues all have a bearing on whether or not one’s performance of one’s duty is effective and adequate. Do these issues to do with performing one’s duty involve the truth? If they involve the truth, yet you do not understand the truth and are relying on your petty tricks and schemes, then will you be able to perform this duty properly? Will you be able to do it in accordance with God’s will? No. Even if someone does stay on track in some things, that could be because what they are doing does not involve the truth, and is purely an external thing. If they are asked to go and do something according to principle, and an unexpected situation occurs, they do not know what to do; they think they should be able to handle it based on their own experiences, but doing so causes disturbances and interruptions; it messes things up. Is there not something wrong here? And what is the cause of it? This is because their understanding is not pure, they do not understand the truth, and they have not grasped the principles. When they encounter something that involves the truth or principles, they do not know what to do; their own human ideas appear, and they end up harming the work and the interests of the house of God, and are disgraced. Do human experiences and methods work? (No.) So what do they have to boast about? These people who are ignorant, without spiritual understanding, and who lack the caliber to understand the truth will still brag thusly: “It is not true that I don’t understand the truth related to this matter; I understand it deep down. It’s just that I didn’t give the matter much thought before taking action. Had I put in more effort and contemplated it in detail, I would have done a good job. In the past, I would use these methods to handle such matters in the secular world. However, God’s house forbade me from using them, so I didn’t know what to do, and did it that way. So, it’s normal that I made a few mistakes.” Do such people possess knowledge of themselves? (No.) Why don’t they know themselves? Does this have anything to do with the truth? Isn’t this lack of knowledge similar to Paul’s reaction after resisting the Lord Jesus? These people do not know themselves, and instead of seeking truth in the matter, they try to think of ways to remedy and cover up the issue. They think they have simply made a mistake, a mere behavioral error or fault, and that this has nothing to do with the truth and is not caused by a lack of understanding of the truth. This is an example of being of low caliber. When something happens to people like this, they find some external phenomenon to blame, or they attribute it to their own behavior, believing that they have simply made a mistake and nothing more. At no point do they understand that they must seek the truth and come to know themselves. No matter what faults are pointed out to them, and no matter what within themselves is revealed or fellowshipped to them, they still do not recognize what truth principles they have violated nor what truths they should put into practice; they are utterly incapable of understanding the truth. This is what it means to be of poor caliber. No matter how clearly you fellowship on the truth, they still do not realize that it is the truth, they still use their own reasons and excuses to cover the truth, deny the truth, and deny that they have a corrupt disposition. Which is to say, no matter how many mistakes they make, how many corrupt dispositions they reveal, or how many states connected with these corrupt dispositions they produce, they still do not realize that this is their corrupt disposition, they do not realize what their essence is, nor do they realize how they should understand this issue, how they should seek the truth, and which aspect of the truth they should gain. They do not know any of this, and they have a numbness in their souls, and they have not the slightest sense of these things. This is what poor caliber is.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is manifested in people of good caliber? Regardless of how long they have believed in God, when they hear a sermon, they can tell the difference between this sermon they are listening to today and what was said in the Bible—this sermon is more profound, more detailed, and afterward, they start to apply it in their real lives. For example, God says to be honest. At the start, they do nothing more than cling to this rule, saying whatever is in their heart. But gradually, as they listen to sermons, they continually distill things from their own real-life experiences until finally, from what they undergo and experience, they figure out just what this aspect of the truth—being honest—is, and just what the reality of it is. They are able to apply the words spoken by God and the truths touched upon in sermons to their real lives, and they make them their reality, and use these real experiences to gradually take themselves deeper. That is, they are able to realize the truth contained within God’s words and the sermons they hear, and this truth is not some empty doctrine, it is not some interpretation or theory, but relates to the difficulties they encounter in their actual lives, and the states that they reveal. They are able to examine these states, compare them to what is revealed by God, and then practice in accordance with God’s words. This is what good caliber is. What is the chief manifestation of good caliber? When they listen to sermons, they are able to understand what is being said, and can understand what the relationship is between these words and their own actual states, what role these words play in them, and they are able to hold themselves up against these words. In addition, in their real lives, they are able to grasp the principles of practice and apply these principles to every difficulty or issue that they encounter. This is what it means to be insightful. Only people with such insights are truly of good caliber.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When measuring whether a person’s caliber is good or bad, look at their attitude toward everything in their daily lives—or, when things happen to them, whether they are able to grasp the will and attitude of God, the principles they should follow, the position they should take, and the attitude they should have. If you are able to grasp all these things, then you have caliber. If what you grasp has nothing to do with all that God arranges for you in your real life, then you either have no caliber or are of poor caliber. How did the true stature of Peter and Job come about, and how did they ultimately gain what they gained and reap what they reaped from their faith in God? They did not enjoy what you do today; you always have someone to provide for you, to support you, to help you, there is always someone to make the final checks for you. Most of the truths they understood were gained from what they had realized, what they had experienced, what they had gradually figured out and gone through in their daily lives. This is what being of high caliber is. When people are not possessed of such caliber, and do not have this attitude toward the truth and salvation, then they are incapable of gaining the truth.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is manifested in people of ordinary caliber? Hearing a sermon once leaves no impression on them. When things happen to them, they still do not know how to handle them or what to do. All they can do is speak empty doctrine and cling to rules. Hearing a sermon twice does leave some impression on them, but when things happen to them, they still do not know what to do, they still cling to rules, and they speak a few letters and use doctrine to lecture people and do their work. After listening to sermons for many years, they have equipped themselves with more and more doctrine. Before, they would only speak for two or three minutes of some experiences and knowledge, based on doctrine before running out of things to say. As the years increase, they can speak for twenty or thirty minutes—but they still do not understand what the truth is, or what reality is. They think the doctrine they speak is the truth. They hear none of what others say about reality, or about the experiences, knowledge, and path connected to truth reality; they think that the truth and doctrine are one and the same. That is, no matter how many sermons they hear, they come to no realization about truths related to changes in their disposition or to their own nature essence from within these sermons. After that, in their real lives, beyond clinging to rules and ceremony, beyond consistently going to assemblies, speaking doctrine to people, and toiling somewhat when performing their duty, they generally do not enter into, nor go any deeper into, the truths related to changes in disposition, to knowing their own corrupt dispositions, and to entry into life. This is an example of being of ordinary caliber. People of ordinary caliber can get no further than that. There are some people who have believed in God for twenty or thirty years, and they still only speak doctrine. This is what being of average caliber is.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is manifested in people of poor caliber? After years of listening to sermons, they think it is all the same, the same old things. They cannot even hear the thread of doctrine, to say nothing of the truth. No matter how hard they try when listening to sermons, or how many years they listen to sermons, they still do not understand what they are hearing; they cannot fathom what the truth is and what it means to know themselves. Whether they are listening to fresh content, in-depth content, or new words and work from the Holy Spirit, all they hear is the simple stuff. That is all they can remember, too—they cannot remember any more than that. And because their caliber is such that they are incapable of understanding so many things, how can they achieve truth reality? For this reason, they often repeat what religious people say: “I’ve believed in the Lord since I was in my mother’s womb, I was baptized and cleansed long ago.” That is what people who have accepted God’s new work for a few years still say. Are they not of poor caliber? Others say, “You say I don’t know myself—it’s you who don’t know yourselves. I’ve long been holy.” Needless to say, people who say such words are of the worst caliber. What sermons can you preach to such people? No matter how many sermons they hear, they still do not understand what the truth is, what practicing the truth is—they cannot comprehend these things, they are beyond them. When things happen to them, they just stick to those few rules, they pray, they seek God, they depend on God, they do not reject God, they do not mix with unbelievers, and they isolate themselves from the secular world—basically, they do not go any further than these formalities of religious faith. No matter how much they hear about God’s words and work, and no matter how many sermons about the truth they listen to, they cannot take them on board. If you ask them what is required of man during this stage of God’s work, they cannot tell you, and can only speak of some simple doctrine. This shows that they are too lacking in caliber; they cannot comprehend God’s words.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what issue they encounter, be it major or minor, the first thing a normal-minded person would do is to think it over in their minds and make a judgment. In this judgment is contained an attitude, as well as a specific plan for what to do specifically, and how to approach and handle this matter. Such plans are what ought to be produced by the minds of normal people; those who are able to produce such plans can be considered to possess normal intellects. If, when they encounter an issue—whether big or small—there is nothing specific in their minds, if their intellects are incapable of producing a specific plan, and all they have are some simple slogans based on theory, and they merely use slogans in place of an approach or plan for handling this issue, then do such people possess the ability to think or reflect? (No.) People who don’t have the ability to think are people of poor caliber. … And how is the absence of the intellect of normal humanity manifested? When someone encounters an issue—whether they didn’t expect it or were previously aware of it—they are unable to give it any thought, or make a judgment, and so naturally will not have a plan for handling the problem, or the ability to solve it. That’s obvious. To all appearances, this kind of person says the right thing, repeats the right slogans, preaches the right doctrine, and is able to lift people’s spirits. They seem to have the ability to lead people, but when they have to act on something specific, they lack any problem-solving skills—they are boorish and reckless, and incapable of thinking about any problem, and can only repeat slogans and preach doctrine. Such people are incapable of assessing the consequences of such a matter if this carries on or the seriousness of the situation, nor are they able to judge precisely why something happens. They are incapable of putting things in order. People like this are of poor caliber. Likewise, if, after receiving a work arrangement, a leader or worker just gives it a quick read and makes a fuss over its mere words and gives an interpretation of it—and if, though they bring the relevant people together to fellowship the work arrangement, and also pass it on to those below them, they remain ignorant of how to provide specific guidance and arrangements for the work arrangement’s specific requirements, principles, points of note, special situations and so on, and have no plans or ideas about this—then they have no problem-solving skills, and are of poor caliber.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (10)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Would you say Paul had caliber? Which class did Paul’s caliber belong to? (It was very good.) You have heard so many sermons but still cannot tell the difference. Could Paul’s caliber be considered good? (No, it was bad.) Why was Paul’s caliber bad? (He did not know himself and had a poor understanding of God’s words.) It was because he did not understand the truth. At the time, he, too, had heard the sermons given by the Lord Jesus, and during the period he worked there was, of course, the work of the Holy Spirit. So how, when he did all that work, wrote all those epistles, and walked among all those churches, did he still understand nothing of the truth? Everything he spoke was doctrine. This is someone of poor caliber. What’s more, Paul persecuted the Lord Jesus and His disciples, after which the Lord Jesus appeared to him and struck him down. Yet after undergoing such a momentous event, what approach did he take to it and how did he understand it? He thought, “The Lord Jesus struck me down, I have sinned, so I must work harder to make up for this, and once my merits have balanced out my demerits, I shall be rewarded.” Did he know himself? He did not. He did not say that his opposition to the Lord Jesus was because of his malicious nature, his nature of an antichrist; he did not possess such knowledge of himself. And how did he record this event in his epistles? What was his view of it? He believed that God had called upon him with a great light, and that God would start to make great use of him. Not having the slightest knowledge of himself, he believed that this was the most powerful proof that he would be rewarded and crowned, as well as the greatest capital that he could use to gain rewards and a crown. Also, he felt there was a “thorn” deep within him: his previous defiance of the Lord Jesus. And how did he approach this? He felt it was one of his life’s great mistakes, and it put his going to heaven and being crowned at risk. In his heart, he always felt uneasy about it. “How can I make up for this egregious mistake? How can I cancel it out, so it doesn’t affect my prospects and me being crowned? I must do more of the Lord’s work, pay a greater price, write more epistles, and spend more time running about, battling Satan, and bearing beautiful testimony.” That is how he approached it. He had not the slightest regret, much less any knowledge of himself; he had neither of these things. Such was the caliber of Paul. Partly because of his humanity and what he pursued, and partly because of his caliber, he could not grasp these things, nor did he realize, “This is the nature of man, man’s nature is too bad, too evil. Man’s nature is the nature of Satan and the antichrist, and man should receive God’s redemption; this is the root of man’s need of God’s redemption. So how should man come before God to accept His redemption?” He never said such things. He did not have any knowledge of his defiance at all, and all he thought about was how to cancel it out, how to make it not a transgression, how to earn enough merit to redeem his sins and atone for his misdeeds through good service, and ultimately receive the crown and reward that he expected. He never understood the truth or the will of God from anything that happened to him, which is someone of the poorest caliber.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Peter was of good caliber, but his circumstances were not like those of Paul: His parents persecuted Me, they were demons that had been possessed by Satan and, as a result, they taught nothing of God to Peter. Peter was clever, gifted, and doted on by his parents from a young age. Yet as an adult, he became their enemy because he never stopped pursuing the knowledge of Me, and subsequently turned his back on them. This was because, above all else, he believed that heaven and earth and all things are in the hands of the Almighty and that all positive things come from God and are directly issued from Him without being processed by Satan. The contradistinction of Peter’s parents gave him a greater knowledge of My lovingkindness and mercy, thus heightening his desire to seek Me. He focused not just on eating and drinking My words, but, moreover, on grasping My will, and was ever vigilant in his heart. As a result, he was always sensitive in his spirit, and hence he was after My own heart in all he did. He maintained a constant focus on the failures of people in the past to spur himself on, profoundly fearful of becoming ensnared in failure. So, too, did he concentrate on assimilating the faith and love of all those who had loved God throughout the ages. In this way—not only in negative aspects, but much more importantly, in positive aspects—he grew more quickly, such that his knowledge became the greatest of all in My presence. It is not difficult to imagine, then, how he put everything he had in My hands, how he even surrendered making decisions about food, clothing, sleeping and where he lived, and instead enjoyed My riches upon the basis of satisfying Me in all things. I subjected him to countless trials—trials, naturally, that left him half-dead—but amidst these hundreds of trials, he never once lost faith in Me or felt disappointed in Me. Even when I said I had forsaken him, still he was not discouraged, and continued to love Me in a practical way and in accordance with past principles of practice. I told him that I would not praise him even though he loved Me, that I would ultimately cast him into Satan’s hands. But amid such trials, trials that did not come upon his flesh, but were of words, he still prayed to Me and said, “O God! Among heaven and earth and all things, is there any human, any creature, or any thing that is not in the hands of You, the Almighty? When You are merciful toward me, my heart greatly rejoices with Your mercy. When You judge me, unworthy though I may be, I gain a greater sense of the unfathomableness of Your deeds, because You are filled with authority and wisdom. Though my flesh suffers hardship, my spirit is comforted. How could I not give praise to Your wisdom and deeds? Even if I were to die after knowing You, how could I not do so gladly and happily? Almighty One! Do You really not wish to let me see You? Am I really unfit to receive Your judgment? Could it be that there is something in me You do not wish to see?” During such trials, even though Peter was not able to accurately grasp My will, it was evident that he was proud and honored to be used by Me (even though he received My judgment so that humanity might see My majesty and wrath), and that he was not distressed by these trials. Because of his loyalty before Me, and because of My blessing of him, he has been an exemplar and model to man for thousands of years. Is this not precisely what you should emulate?

Excerpted from “Chapter 6” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People are all different. Their difference lies in their caliber and their attitude toward the truth. People who love the truth and are of good caliber enter truth reality quickly and are able to gain life. People of ordinary caliber are obstinate and numb; their entry into the truth is slow, and progress in their lives is also slow. People of poor caliber are not just ignorant, stubborn and arrogant; they also have numbness and dull-wittedness written all over their faces, their spirits are numb, and they are slow to understand the truth. Such people are devoid of life, for they do not understand the truth, and do nothing but speak doctrine, shout slogans, and stick by the rules. If they do not understand the truth, they cannot enter truth reality—and is there life within those who cannot enter truth reality? (No.) When things happen to people who are devoid of life, they act blindly, they never hit the mark, they show themselves to be pathetic and helpless, they are always at a loss. Over the years I have constantly heard people say that they do not know what to do when things happen to them. How can that still be so after they have listened to so many sermons? And one look at them shows that they really are at a loss; they have numbness and dull-wittedness written all over their faces. Some people say, “How am I numb? I’m pretty sensitive to what’s going on in the world: I know how to use software, mobile phones and electronic goods, and you don’t. How can your caliber be so poor?” But their little bit of cleverness is just one skill—it does not count as caliber. When they hear a sermon or something happens to them that relates to the truth, these people are exposed: In their spirits, they are awfully numb. How numb are they? They have believed in God for years, but they still cannot tell if they will be saved, nor are they clear about what type of person they are. If you ask them what they think of their caliber, they will say a bit below someone of good caliber, but a lot better than people of ordinary caliber. That is how poor their caliber is. Is this not a bit silly? No matter what it is, if something involves the truth or principle, they understand nothing of what they hear, and this is what poor caliber is.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whether it is understanding one aspect of the truth or learning a profession, people of good caliber are able to grasp the principles within, to get to the root of things, and to identify the reality and essence so that, in everything they do, every job they are engaged in, they make the right judgments, and determine the correct standards and principles. This is what good caliber is. People of good caliber are able to make the final checks on the various work of the house of God. Those of ordinary or poor caliber are incapable of such work. This is by no means a case of the house of God favoring some people or looking down on certain people—it is just that many people are incapable of this work because of their caliber. And the root cause of why they are unable to make the final checks is that they do not understand the truth. The reason why they do not understand the truth is because their caliber is too ordinary, or even poor; the truth is beyond them, and they are unable to understand the truth when they hear it. Some people may not understand the truth because they do not listen attentively, or it could be that they are young and have not yet put down roots in their faith in God, and it is of no great interest to them. But these are not the main reason; the main reason is that their caliber is not up to the task. For people of inferior caliber, no matter what their duty is, or how long they have been doing work, no matter how you try and teach them, or how many sermons they hear, they still cannot get their head around it, they drag out their work, make a complete mess of things, and achieve nothing.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Understanding what good and bad caliber is, and being clear about one’s own caliber, nature essence, are all beneficial to knowing oneself. When people know where they stand, they will make less mistakes. When people have the measure of themselves, they will stop being arrogant, and their behavior will be more conscientious and dutiful. Not knowing oneself can cause a lot of trouble. There are some people who are of ordinary caliber, but think they are of high caliber. They believe they have a gift for leadership; inside, they are chomping at the bit to be a leader, to head up the team, but no one ever chooses them. And does this not agitate them? When people are agitated by such things and they feel unsettled, they do not perform their duty well, and are liable to do foolish things that cause embarrassment, senseless things that are despised by God. As such, before anything else, they must address these fundamental revelations of their corrupt dispositions by knowing themselves. That includes being arrogant, senseless, always thinking their caliber is good, that they are better than other people, that they should coach others, and so on. Once these issues have been resolved, you will be steadfast in performing your duty well, more proper in your behavior, and such thoughts and behaviors as external aggressiveness, conceitedness, haughtiness, and thinking you are special will not bother you, and you will have become much more mature. At the very least, you will have the dignified and upright manner of a saint, and that is the only way you will be able to come before God.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

102. The Principles of Identifying Whether One Understands Spiritual Matters

(1) First, look at whether, in reading God’s words, one’s understanding of them is pure, and whether they can synthesize their own corrupt state, and measure them against what is revealed by God’s words;

(2) Look to whether one can seek the truth and put it into practice in word and deed, or whether they yet act according to notions and imaginings or adhere to rules;

(3) Look to whether one can identify each sort of person; whether they treat each in accordance with the principles; whether, in listening regularly to sermons and fellowship, they can understand the truth and have a path of practice;

(4) Look to whether one’s talk of self-knowledge is practical; whether they have repented truly; and whether their views on things, their outlooks on life, and their values have undergone true transformation.

Relevant Words of God:

Whether or not you understand spiritual matters has nothing to do with how long it takes you to understand the truth. It has to do with whether you can understand God’s word. If, after hearing it, you feel you understand it, but when you encounter an issue it turns out you do not, then you do not understand spiritual matters. If, at the time, someone feels like they have understood God’s word but do not completely get it, but after experiencing for a time it becomes clear to them, and they understand this aspect of the truth, then they have spiritual understanding. It has nothing to do with how many words and phrases they understand. This is related to people’s caliber, as well as to the path they walk, and their pursuit. There are some antichrists who are of good caliber. After you have preached to them, they are able to repeat what you said and even draw inferences from it, so that after others hear them speak, they think it clearer than the sermon you gave. But when something befalls these antichrists, their actions are utterly at odds with the doctrines they understood and they cannot apply what they understand. The sermons they give make it seem like they understand this aspect of the truth, and so they should know what to do, and be able to grasp the principles. But when something happens to them, they go off-message and are liable to espouse some other theory—which proves that they do not understand this aspect of the truth, and what they are preaching is only doctrine to them, a kind of theory, and they do not understand the truth. When you listen to them preach doctrine, it seems as if they understand it very well, but in fact, they have no spiritual understanding; they do not understand the truth, nor do they pursue the truth. Asked to pursue, they have no path for how to pursue—they do not understand. For example, when they encounter difficulty, they become negative, and when you fellowship with them, they say, “Don’t fellowship with me, I understand everything.” They do not, in fact, understand; if they truly did, then even if they didn’t practice the truth, at the very least they would not be so negative and absurd. As soon as you hear them say these absurd, ridiculous things, you know they understand nothing. Upon encountering something that is at odds with their notions, there are those who complain about God, those who try to reason with God, those who misinterpret, and those who spread notions; as soon as you hear the things they’re spreading, when you see what they’re saying, what is in their hearts, you know they have no understanding of the truth. Regardless of to what extent people understand spiritual things, as long as they are not antichrists that are especially evil, or people who lack humanity, or any conscience and sense, then if they are normal people who understand a little of the truth, they will have some fear of God, and when something happens to them, even if they are weak and negative, they will also be unlikely to spread nonsense and fallacies. Now, when you discern whether or not someone understands spiritual matters, most people are exposed as not understanding the truth; usually, they have no problem preaching words and phrases—it being particularly the case that the longer people have believed in God, the better they are at preaching, and the more they feel that they have capital—with the result they are exposed as not understanding spiritual things at all.

What does not understanding spiritual things specifically refer to? In short, to not understand spiritual things is to not understand the truth. Some people know how to say all the right things, and seem to have great vigor and conviction in their faith in God—how could they not understand spiritual things? You see that they always speak with such vigor, and are always so passionate. They are rarely negative, and easily able to suffer, and pay a price. Yet they do not understand the truth. Regardless of how long they have been a believer, those who have never understood the truth do not understand spiritual things. For those who understand spiritual things, there are principles to their actions. Whether this is informed by conscience or their understanding of the truth, there is principle to the way they handle everything that they encounter; they are not clueless, acting blindly, sticking to rules—which is a clear signal. When it comes to those who do not understand spiritual things, meanwhile, for some their actions are informed by experience, for some by their own gifts, for some by their expertise, for some by the expertise, theory, and theology they have been listening to for years, and for some by conscience, passion, and natural kindness. What does it prove, that in whatever area people understand spiritual things is the area in which their actions are principled? It proves that whatever area people understand the truth, that is the area their actions are principled.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Understand the Truth Understand Spiritual Matters” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What are expressions of people who understand spiritual matters and people who do not? Those who do not understand spiritual matters know absolutely nothing of the meaning of the truth or of the states, backgrounds, and referents of which God speaks. They cannot figure them out, nor can they hold themselves up against them for comparison. Those who do understand spiritual matters are quite the opposite. For example, when I fellowship on the topic of people’s disobedience, a thing that includes their hardness, selfishness, foolishness, their antagonism toward God and resistance against Him, and their misunderstandings of Him, and when I speak of all the states that involve this topic—whether through examples, or by speaking on an aspect of the truth, or by pointing out a state that is exactly the state in your heart, or perhaps simply by speaking on topics within related principles—you understand, and some images float to the surface of your mind and thoughts, and you say, “It turns out my state that one time was one of disobedience!” Or when talk turns to misunderstandings of God, if you look at the states and expressions you have revealed, and realize that it is a misunderstanding of God for people to have such ideas, or such requests and imaginings of Him, then this means you have held yourself up against these things for comparison. When I speak of antagonism toward God and resistance against Him, if you have such feelings and live in such a state, or such a disposition or essence is inside you, you can hold these things up for comparison. What things can you submit to such comparison? Ideas and thoughts, or the actions and behaviors you manifest, can universally be checked; this means you are able to understand what God says and what is preached in sermons, and to know which of your own behaviors and your own revelations, manifestations, states, and essences are the same as those revealed by God and preached in sermons. These are the expressions of one who understands spiritual matters.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In their regard of the words of God, those who do not understand spiritual matters neither know what those words say nor to what they refer; such people also do not know the states God reveals, nor can they hold themselves up for comparison against these things. They treat the words of God, one and all, as rules, letters, slogans, and doctrine, and at no point do they comprehend the true meaning of the phrase, “God’s words are the truth.” This is an expression of people who do not understand spiritual matters. … Those who understand spiritual matters are capable of understanding the truth, and are able to measure themselves against it; they know what God’s words reveal, what the truth is in His words, and what His requirements are. Is being able to understand these things the same as having attained entry? (It is not.) To what, then, does “being able to understand” refer? Toward what is it aimed? One who is able to examine themselves in light of these things; who is able to acknowledge humanity’s corrupt disposition and various states, as revealed by God; who is able to know, to some degree, God’s requirements; and who is able to know the principles spoken in God’s words and His will—such a person, who has clarity and understanding regarding all these things, is therefore said to understand spiritual matters. Those who understand spiritual matters can hold themselves up for comparison against God’s words as they eat and drink of them; they can understand His references and what His requirements are. This demonstrates that such people have the capacity for reception, as well as the caliber and capacity to receive the truth.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The primary expression of people who do not understand spiritual matters is strict adherence to rules. They often take a sentence or an event and designate it as a rule or a mode to follow. Do these people, then, treat the truth in the same way? Those who do not understand spiritual matters remember one aspect of the manifestations of the truth that you fellowshiped today; they designate those words and behaviors as rules that should be practiced, remembering each of them without fail. Then, next time, upon encountering a different situation, and without anyone fellowshiping, they will apply those prior methods and rules indiscriminately, and put them into practice. This is a concrete manifestation of people who do not understand spiritual matters. How do such people feel while they are adhering so to rules? (Tired.) They do not feel tired; if they did, they would stop. They feel they are practicing the truth; they do not feel they are adhering to a set of rules, nor do they feel they do not understand spiritual matters. Still less do they feel they have not understood the truth, or that they have no understanding of what the truth principles are. On the contrary, they think they have understood the practical side of the truth, as well as the principles of that side of the truth; at the same time, they think they have understood God’s will, and that, if they can act in line with their rules, they will have entered that aspect of the truth reality, believing all the while that they are satisfying God’s will and putting the truth into practice. Is such a dogmatic practice of the truth really an expression of pursuing it? (No.) This is an expression of the sort of person who does not understand spiritual matters, who is bound by convention, and who is lazy; upon encountering a problem, this sort of person does not seek the truth; they neither think about the truth nor examine it, nor do they investigate it in detail. Moreover, even if they were to examine the truth, they would still be unable to understand it. Why can they not understand it? At root, it is because they have no understanding of spiritual matters.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the primary expression of the way in which those who do not understand spiritual matters pursue the truth? Their practice of the truth manifests as rule-following to the letter; they speak to people of doctrine, and rigidly apply the methods of others. What, then, is the essence of such people? What causes them to confuse abiding by the rules with pursuing the truth? What has led to this problem? There is a root cause; can you find it? (Such people are arrogant and self-righteous by nature. They do not seek the truth; rather, they treat what they think is right as if it were the truth.) That is true of some who do not understand spiritual matters, but it is not the root cause. When these people, who have no understanding of spiritual matters and who love to follow rules, listen to the truth and to sermons, they do so quite diligently, with careful attention—especially to those things that have to do with their own practice. They listen intently to ideas of how to perform their duties, for example, or of how to do well what they ought to do. The key problem is that they cannot compare the contents of the sermons they hear to their own states. For instance, as soon as they hear a discussion of human rebelliousness, they say, “Rebelliousness? I’m not rebellious! Since that’s not allowed, if I ever come across this kind of situation, I’ll just keep my mouth shut, try to hold still, take stock of the situation, and do what everyone around me does.” After hearing something, they take from it their own set of logical stylings and methods of practice, but, deep down, their thoughts are muddied with regard to the truth and to the various states exposed and mentioned in the sermons. What does it mean that their thoughts are muddied? It means they do not understand what is being said, and think to themselves, “What is all this fellowshiping about? Why not put it all a bit more simply? Today, it’s one kind of fellowship, and tomorrow, it’s another!” In their view, it is simple to effect change in one’s disposition—simply do as you are told. They cannot hold themselves up against these states and this corrupt disposition for comparison. It is essentially the same with them when it comes to the various revelations, thoughts, ideas, intentions, and manifestations of man’s corrupt disposition that emerge in different environments in the process of life entry: They are blank, and cannot hold themselves up for comparison against these things. How do people who cannot hold themselves up against these things feel when they hear the truth? (They feel it refers to other people, and has no bearing on them.) That is their primary trait—when bad things are mentioned, they believe those all apply to others, but when rules they can follow and grasp are mentioned, they feel they are relevant to them. When it comes to those things that involve states, changes in disposition, and a person’s nature essence and disposition, they do not acknowledge any of them; they cannot accept them, nor do they understand them. Everyone who does not understand spiritual matters has this feature in common. That is, they cannot hold themselves up for comparison against all God says that reveals people’s various states and manifestations and revelations of their essence, and they have not the least discernment; they are always comparing apples with oranges. It is as if, when you ask them if they have eaten, they say they have not drunk any water; or, if you ask them if they are sleepy, they say they are not thirsty. Such a situation—such a state of affairs—happens quite often.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter how many years they have believed in God, or how they appear to pursue the truth, people who do not understand spiritual matters never make any progress. No matter how many years they have been a believer, people who do not understand spiritual matters are ignorant of what it means to know oneself, and what a corrupt disposition is. They are unaware of what the manifestation of an arrogant disposition is when they encounter an issue, or what the manifestation of submission to the truth is. They do not know how to conduct themselves as honest people, or what kind of behavior is deceitful. They do not know what obedience is, or what it means to rebel against, oppose, and reject the orchestrations and arrangements of God. They do not know what good human will is, or what it means to practice in accordance with the truth and submit to the orchestrations and arrangements of God. They have no idea as to the differences between these minutiae. They do not know if they have been loyal when performing their duty or if they have been slipshod, or what corrupt dispositions have been revealed in them, what their motivations are, or whether the path they walk is the right one. They do not know if the perspective of their practice is correct, or what kind of behavior is beloved by God, and what kind is despised by God. They believe that if they keep acting this way, they should not go wrong, and that they should just do whatever they wish—it is so simple and does not involve any details. Some people have spiritual understanding, but they do not pursue or practice the truth; they only seek to toil away and do some service. Some people have no spiritual understanding at all, and do not understand spiritual matters in life. They merely adhere to rules, and nothing more. They just stick to reading God’s words and leading a normal spiritual life. When performing their duty, they do not loaf or cause trouble. They do not deliberately do things that cause interruptions or disturbances. They do what they are asked to do and stick by simple principles. But when it comes to details, to the states involved in entry into life and the various perspectives and attitudes, they completely ignore them. When you speak of resolving notions, they do not think they have any notions, they think that all their notions have already been resolved and what you are fellowshiping has nothing to do with them. They do not know what notions you are referring to, or what truth reality of what you are fellowshiping is. When you speak of knowing oneself, they say, “Is man not rebellious and arrogant? When one encounters an issue, one should not be rebellious or show off, but should be unassuming and humble—is that not enough?” When you talk of obedience, they say, “Obedience? You go on about this being obedient, and that not—how can it be so complicated?” When you say people must forsake themselves and discipline their body, or that they must love God, and must put aside their own motivations and ambitions when they find themselves in a certain environment, they say, “I don’t have that many motivations and ambitions.” That is how simplistic their thinking is. Can such people ultimately gain the truth? (No.) What is their attitude toward the truth? They do not think they possess these corruptions. They think, “I’ve heard all these words before, and they are all more or less the same. Aren’t they all just about submitting and doing what you’re told?” But is it that simple? For some people, it is. Seeing others who are negative, they say, “Just love God! Why cry? What’s there to be negative about?” They do not understand spiritual matters. What does it mean when people do not understand spiritual matters? It means that no matter what God says, what aspect of the truth He speaks of, it all seems like theory to them. They do not understand the stakes involved, or why God is fellowshiping this. They understand none of what this aspect of the truth is, what its relationship with people’s entry and their life of faith in God is, what its relationship with the difficulties people encounter in real life and the corrupt dispositions they reveal is, what the relationship is between the truth and humanity, and between the truth and conscience. They are wholly ignorant of what these details and the words spoken by God have to do with what is revealed and manifested in people’s real lives, and what people must practice, and they do not understand these things; all they hear are words like, “Obedience, loyalty, do not be perfunctory, do not cause interruptions or disturbances”—from which they distill one thing: “I don’t need to remember any of that. I’ll just do what God asks; I’m happy to do service.” They do not know that in addition to doing service, man is possessed of many corruptions, as well as ambition, desires, preferences, notions, and imaginings. There are many things inside people, and when God speaks these words, He is asking that people resolve these things, and replace them with the truth. God’s aim in speaking these truths is to make you understand and accept them, after which these truths can be used to solve the problems in real life, to solve the difficulties you have, so that these truths become your reality, and are lived out in you. What is then revealed in you is no longer arrogance, ambition, desires, notions, imaginings, knowledge, and philosophy, but the reality of the truth. People who have no spiritual understanding don’t understand this. After years of listening to sermons, they think, “How is it that every sermon is more or less the same? You’ve been preaching for years about knowing oneself—isn’t it just a matter of recognizing one’s mortal weaknesses and corruption?” Others say that today’s sermons are deeper and more detailed than before, but they have no sense of that. These are the manifestations of people who have no spiritual understanding.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Understand the Truth Understand Spiritual Matters” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Astute people and those of true caliber who understand spiritual matters are seekers of the truth; should something happen to them ten times, then, in perhaps eight of those cases, they would be able to gain some inspiration, learn some lesson, attain some enlightenment, and make some progress. When things befall a fool ten times—one who does not understand spiritual matters—not once will it benefit their life, not once will it change them, and not once will it cause them to understand their nature, and that is the end for them. Each time something happens to them, they fall down, and each time they fall down, they need someone else to support them and coax them; without support and coaxing, they cannot rise. If, each time something happens, they are in danger of falling, and if, each time, they are in danger of being degraded, is this not the end for them? Are there any other grounds for such useless people to be saved? God’s salvation of mankind is a salvation of those who love the truth, a salvation of the part of them with will and resolve, and the part of them that is their yearning for truth and righteousness in their heart. A person’s resolve is the part of them in their heart that yearns for righteousness, goodness, and truth, and is possessed of conscience. God saves this part of people, and through it, He changes their corrupt disposition, so that they may understand and gain the truth, so that their corruption may be cleansed, and their life disposition may be transformed. If you do not have these things within you, you cannot be saved. If, within you, there is no love for the truth or aspiration for righteousness and light; if, whenever you encounter evil, you have neither the will to cast off evil things nor the resolve to suffer hardship; if, moreover, your conscience is numb; if your faculty for receiving truth is also benumbed, and you are unattuned to the truth and to events that arise; and if you are undiscerning in all matters, and unable to handle or resolve things on your own, then there is no way to be saved. Such a person has nothing to recommend them, nothing worth working on. Their conscience is numb, their mind is muddied, and they do not love the truth, nor yearn for righteousness deep in their heart, and, no matter how clearly or transparently God speaks of the truth, they do not respond, as if they were already dead. Are things not over for them? A person with a breath left in them may be saved by artificial respiration, but, if they have already died and their soul has left, artificial respiration will do nothing. If, whenever you encounter a problem, you shrink from it and try to avoid it, this means you have not borne witness; as such, you can never be saved, and you are completely done for.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When determining whether someone has spiritual understanding, is it acceptable to only look at whether they understand the literal meaning of God’s words? (No.) So just what exactly does it mean to have spiritual understanding? How can complete spiritual understanding be achieved? On the one hand, a person must hunger for God’s words, they must put effort into His words, and learn to contemplate them, pray-read them, fellowshiping on them, and seek them. What is the most important thing? They must practice and experience God’s words. Once you have practiced and experienced them, these words become your reality. Only then can you truly understand what the words are referring to, and just what truths they contain. Only then can you attain complete spiritual understanding. But attaining spiritual understanding is not the goal. What is the goal? The goal is to practice the truth, and to understand the truth. If you have a path to practicing the truth, and know how to practice it, and if, after practicing it, you are able to understand the truth within, and come to know the relationships and principles of practice within, then you are someone with spiritual understanding, and the outcome of understanding the truth will have been achieved.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Understand the Truth Understand Spiritual Matters” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are some who do not understand spiritual matters, but whose humanity is, nonetheless, quite good. They pay the price and expend themselves willingly, and heed whatever God says with hearts of obedience. Yet, when it comes to the truth, they do not have the capacity to be receptive. However, if they are able to understand some of God’s words, and can check themselves against them, and are then possessed of an entry and a practice, then such people have hope of being saved. They can come gradually to understand spiritual matters by undergoing such an experience for a while. The more intently they read the words of God, the more the Holy Spirit enlightens them; they will be able to compare whatever they understand of God’s words with their own states, to accept His dealing and pruning, His trials and refinement, and His judgment and chastisement. For this, they will pay the price, and, in the end, they will be able to achieve a corresponding change in disposition. Such a person, too, is counted as one who pursues the truth. Do people who can be counted as those who pursue the truth have hope of being saved? What do you say? They do; thus, such people cannot be handed the “death penalty.” On the contrary, it is hard to say what the outcome will be for the sort of people who can understand the truth and hold themselves up against it for comparison, yet never enter it. What is the root of this problem? It is their attitude toward the truth, which is one of contempt and disdain. What does “disdain” mean? It means not being able to accept the truth; it means to despise the truth. It means not to acknowledge the words of God as truth, and not to regard them as important. No matter how much they understand of what they hear, they do not practice; and, no matter the extent to which they hold themselves up against God’s words for comparison, and know what sort of people they are, they still do not practice. The very word “practice” has no bearing on such people, and their salvation will not come easily.

Excerpted from “Only in the Pursuit of the Truth Is There Life Entry” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

103. The Principles of Distinguishing the Wheat From the Tares

(1) Look to whether one has love for God’s word the truth; whether they read God’s words often; and whether, when faced with a problem, they can seek the truth and accept it;

(2) Look to whether one truly communes with God and prays to Him; whether they have a heart of reverence for Him; and whether they have the enlightenment, illumination, and guidance of the Holy Spirit;

(3) Look to whether one, having believed in God for several years, can genuinely understand the truth and put it into practice, and whether they can accept being pruned and dealt with and submit to the work arrangements of God’s house;

(4) Look to whether one truly performs their duty; whether they truly expend themselves for God; whether they have, in fact, done good deeds; and whether they have true faith in God.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn” (Mat 13:30).

“The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mat 13:39–43).

Relevant Words of God:

In His final work of concluding the age, God’s disposition is one of chastisement and judgment, in which He reveals all that is unrighteous, in order to publicly judge all peoples, and to perfect those who love Him with a sincere heart. Only a disposition such as this can bring the age to an end. The last days have already arrived. All things in creation will be separated according to their kind, and divided into different categories based on their nature. This is the moment when God reveals humanity’s outcome and their destination. If people do not undergo chastisement and judgment, then there will be no way of exposing their disobedience and unrighteousness. Only through chastisement and judgment can the outcome of all creation be revealed. Man only shows his true colors when he is chastised and judged. Evil shall be put with evil, good with good, and all humanity shall be separated according to their kind. Through chastisement and judgment, the outcome of all creation will be revealed, so that the evil may be punished and the good rewarded, and all people become subject to the dominion of God. All this work must be achieved through righteous chastisement and judgment. Because man’s corruption has reached its peak and his disobedience become exceedingly severe, only God’s righteous disposition, one that is principally compounded of chastisement and judgment and is revealed during the last days, can fully transform and complete man. Only this disposition can expose evil and thus severely punish all the unrighteous.

Excerpted from “The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man will be fully made complete in the Age of Kingdom. After the work of conquest, man will be subjected to refinement and tribulation. Those who can overcome and stand testimony during this tribulation are the ones who will ultimately be made complete; they are the overcomers. During this tribulation, man is required to accept this refinement, and this refinement is the last instance of God’s work. It is the last time that man will be refined prior to the conclusion of all the work of God’s management, and all those who follow God must accept this final test, and they must accept this last refinement. Those who are beset by tribulation are without the work of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God, but those who have been truly conquered and who truly seek after God will ultimately stand fast; they are the ones who are possessed of humanity, and who truly love God. No matter what God does, these victorious ones will not be bereft of the visions and will still put the truth into practice without failing in their testimony. They are the ones who will finally emerge from the great tribulation. Even though those who fish in troubled waters can still freeload today, no one is able to escape the final tribulation, and no one can escape the final test. For those who overcome, such tribulation is a tremendous refinement; but for those who fish in troubled waters, it is the work of complete elimination. No matter how they are tried, the allegiance of those who have God in their heart remains unchanged; but for those who do not have God in their heart, once the work of God is not advantageous to their flesh, they change their view of God, and even depart from God. Such are those who will not stand fast in the end, who only seek God’s blessings and have no desire to expend themselves for God and dedicate themselves to Him. Such base people will all be expelled when God’s work comes to an end, and they are unworthy of any sympathy. Those without humanity are incapable of truly loving God. When the environment is safe and secure, or there are profits to be made, they are totally obedient toward God, but once that which they desire is compromised or finally refuted, they immediately revolt. Even in the space of just one night, they may go from a smiling, “kind-hearted” person to an ugly-looking and ferocious killer, suddenly treating their benefactor of yesterday as their mortal enemy, without rhyme or reason. If these demons are not cast out, these demons that would kill without blinking an eye, will they not become a hidden danger? The work of saving man is not achieved following the completion of the work of conquest. Although the work of conquest has come to an end, the work of purifying man has not; such work will only be finished once man has been wholly purified, once those who truly submit to God have been made complete, and once those disguisers who are without God in their heart have been purged. Those who do not satisfy God in the final stage of His work will be completely eliminated, and those who are eliminated are of the devil. As they are incapable of satisfying God, they are rebellious against God, and even though these people follow God today, this does not prove that they are those who will finally remain. In the words that “those who follow God to the end will receive salvation,” the meaning of “follow” is to stand firm in the midst of tribulation. Today, many believe that following God is easy, but when God’s work is about to end, you will know the true meaning of “follow.” Just because you are still able to follow God today after being conquered, this does not prove that you are one of those who will be made perfect. Those who are unable to endure the trials, who are incapable of being victorious amid tribulation will, ultimately, be incapable of standing fast, and so will be unable to follow God to the very end. Those who truly follow God are able to withstand the test of their work, whereas those who do not truly follow God are incapable of withstanding any of God’s trials. Sooner or later they will be expelled, while the overcomers will remain in the kingdom. Whether or not man truly seeks God is determined by the test of his work, that is, by God’s trials, and has nothing to do with the decision by man himself. God does not reject any person on a whim; all that He does can utterly convince man. He does not do anything that is invisible to man, or any work that cannot convince man. Whether man’s belief is true or not is proved by the facts and cannot be decided by man. That “wheat cannot be made into tares, and tares cannot be made into wheat” is without doubt. All those who truly love God will ultimately remain in the kingdom, and God will not mistreat anyone who truly loves Him.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now do you truly know why you believe in Me? Do you truly know the purpose and significance of My work? Do you truly know your duty? Do you truly know My testimony? If you merely believe in Me, yet there is no sign of My glory or testimony in you, then I have long ago eliminated you. As for those who know it all, they are even more thorns in My eye, and in My house, they are nothing more than obstacles in My way, they are tares to be completely winnowed out in My work, they have no use, they are worthless, and I have long abhorred them. Often does My wrath befall all who are bereft of testimony, and never does My rod stray from them. I have long since turned them over to the hands of the evil one; they are bereft of My blessings. When the day comes, their chastisement will be more grievous even than that of foolish women. Today, I do only the work that is My duty to do; I will bind all the wheat into bundles, together along with those tares. This is My work today. Those tares shall all be winnowed out in the time of My winnowing, then the grains of wheat shall be gathered into the storehouse, and those tares that have been winnowed out shall be placed in the fire to be burned to dust. My work now is merely to bind all men into bundles; that is, to utterly conquer them. Then shall I begin winnowing to reveal the end of all men. And so you ought to know how you should satisfy Me now, and how you ought to set upon the right track in your faith in Me.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As I have said, Satan has sent those who do service for Me for the purpose of interrupting My management. These service-doers are tares, yet the word “wheat” does not refer to the firstborn sons, but to all the sons and people who are not the firstborn sons. “Wheat will always be wheat, tares will always be tares”; this means the nature of those who are of Satan can never change. So, in short, they remain Satan. “Wheat” refers to the sons and the people, because I instilled My quality into these people before the creation of the world. I have already said that man’s nature does not change, and that is why wheat will always be wheat.

Excerpted from “Chapter 113” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since you are called My people, you should be able to glorify My name; that is, stand testimony in the midst of trial. If anyone attempts to wheedle Me and conceal the truth from Me, or engage in disreputable dealings behind My back, such people will, without exception, be chased out and removed from My house to wait for Me to deal with them. Those who have been unfaithful and unfilial to Me in the past, and who rise up again today to judge Me openly—they, too, will be chased out of My house. Those who are My people must constantly show consideration for My burdens as well as seek to know My words. Only people like this will I enlighten, and they will surely live under My guidance and enlightenment, never meeting with chastisement. Those who, failing to show consideration for My burdens, concentrate on planning for their own futures—that is, those who do not aim with their actions to satisfy My heart, but rather who look for handouts—these beggar-like creatures I absolutely refuse to use, because from the time they were born, they have known nothing of what it means to show consideration for My burdens. They are people who lack normal sense; such people are suffering from “malnutrition” of the brain, and need to go home for some “nourishment.” I have no use for such people. Among My people, everyone will be required to regard knowing Me as an obligatory duty to be seen through to the end, like eating, dressing, and sleeping, something that one never forgets about for a moment, so that in the end, knowing Me will become as familiar as eating—something you do effortlessly, with a practiced hand. As for the words I speak, every single one must be taken with the utmost faith and fully assimilated; there can be no perfunctory half-measures. Anyone who does not pay attention to My words will be regarded as directly resisting Me; anyone who does not eat of My words, or does not seek to know them, will be regarded as not paying attention to Me, and will directly be swept out the door of My house. This is because, as I have said in the past, what I want is not a great number of people, but excellence. Out of a hundred people, if only one is able to know Me through My words, then I will willingly throw away all the others to focus on enlightening and illuminating this single one. From this you can see that it is not necessarily true that greater numbers alone can manifest Me and live Me out. What I want is wheat (even though the kernels may not be full) and not tares (even when the kernels are full enough to be admired). As for those who give no regard to seeking, but who instead behave in a slack manner, they should leave of their own accord; I do not wish to see them anymore, lest they continue to bring disgrace to My name.

Excerpted from “Chapter 5” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Maybe you have suffered a good deal in your time, but you still understand nothing; you are ignorant of everything about life. Even though you have been chastised and judged, you have not changed at all, and deep within, you have not gained life. When the time comes to test your work, you will experience a trial as fierce as fire and even greater tribulation. This fire will turn your entire being into ashes. As someone who does not possess life, someone without an ounce of pure gold inside, someone still stuck with the old corrupt disposition, and someone who cannot even do a good job at being a foil, how could you not be eliminated? Can a person worth less than a penny, and who does not possess life, be of any use for the work of conquest? When that time comes, your days will be harder than those of Noah and Sodom! Your prayers will do you no good then. How can you come back later and start to repent anew, when the work of salvation has already ended? Once all the work of salvation has been done, there will be no more; what there will be is the start of the work of punishing those who are evil. You resist, you rebel, and you do things that you know are evil. Are you not the target of severe punishment? I am spelling this out for you today. If you choose not to listen, then when disaster befalls you later, will it not be too late if you only then start to feel regret and start to believe? I am giving you a chance to repent today, but you are unwilling to do so. How long do you want to wait? Until the day of chastisement? I do not remember your past transgressions today; I forgive you again and again, turning away from your negative side to look only at your positive side, because all My present words and work are meant to save you and I have no ill intention toward you. Yet you refuse to enter; you cannot tell good from bad and do not know how to appreciate kindness. Do such people not merely await the arrival of punishment and righteous retribution?

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Nowadays, those who seek and those who do not are two entirely different types of people, whose destinations are also very different. Those who pursue knowledge of the truth and practice the truth are the ones to whom God will bring salvation. Those who do not know the true way are demons and enemies; they are the descendants of the archangel and will be objects of destruction. Even those who are pious believers of a vague God—are they not also demons? People who possess good consciences but do not accept the true way are demons; their essence is one of resistance to God. Those who do not accept the true way are those who resist God, and even if such people endure many hardships, they will still be destroyed. All those who are unwilling to relinquish the world, who cannot bear to part with their parents, and who cannot bear to rid themselves of their own enjoyments of the flesh are disobedient to God, and all will be objects of destruction. Anyone who does not believe in God incarnate is demonic and, moreover, will be destroyed. Those who have faith but do not practice the truth, those who do not believe in God incarnate, and those who do not at all believe in God’s existence will also be objects of destruction. All those who will be allowed to remain are people who have undergone the suffering of refinement and stood firm; these are people who have truly endured trials. Anyone who does not recognize God is an enemy; that is, anyone who does not recognize God incarnate—whether or not they are inside or outside this stream—is an antichrist! Who is Satan, who are demons, and who are God’s enemies if not resisters who do not believe in God? Are they not those people who are disobedient to God? Are they not those who claim to have faith, yet who lack truth? Are they not those who merely seek to obtain blessings while being unable to bear witness for God? You still mingle with those demons today and bear conscience and love toward them, but in this case are you not extending good intentions toward Satan? Are you not associating with demons? If people these days are still unable to distinguish between good and evil, and continue to blindly be loving and merciful without any intention of seeking God’s will or being able in any way to harbor God’s intentions as their own, then their endings will be all the more wretched. Anyone who does not believe in the God in the flesh is an enemy of God. If you can bear conscience and love toward an enemy, do you not lack a sense of righteousness? If you are compatible with those which I detest and with which I disagree, and still bear love or personal feelings toward them, then are you not disobedient? Are you not intentionally resisting God? Does such a person possess truth? If people bear conscience toward enemies, love for demons, and mercy for Satan, then are they not intentionally disrupting God’s work? Those people who believe only in Jesus and do not believe in God incarnate during the last days, as well as those who verbally claim to believe in God incarnate but do evil, are all antichrists, without even mentioning those who do not even believe in God. All these people will be objects of destruction. The standard by which humans judge other humans is based on their behavior; those whose conduct is good are righteous, while those whose conduct is abominable are wicked. The standard by which God judges humans is based on whether their essence submits to Him or not; one who submits to God is a righteous person, while one who does not is an enemy and a wicked person, regardless of whether this person’s behavior is good or bad and regardless of whether their speech is correct or incorrect. Some people wish to use good deeds to obtain a good destination in the future, and some people wish to use fine words to acquire a good destination. Everyone mistakenly believes that God determines people’s outcomes after watching their behavior or after listening to their speech; many people therefore wish to take advantage of this to deceive God into granting them a momentary favor. In the future, the people who will survive in a state of rest will all have endured the day of tribulation and will also have borne witness for God; they will all be people who have fulfilled their duties and who have deliberately submitted to God. Those who merely wish to use the opportunity to do service with the intention of avoiding practicing the truth will not be allowed to remain. God has appropriate standards for the arrangement of the outcome of every individual; He does not simply make these decisions according to one’s words and conduct, nor does He make them based on how one acts during a single period of time. He will absolutely not be lenient with regard to one’s wicked conduct due to their past service for Him, nor will He spare one from death because of any one-time expense for God. No one can evade retribution for their wickedness, and no one can cover up their evil behavior and thereby evade the torments of destruction. If people can truly fulfill their own duty, it means that they are eternally faithful to God and not seeking rewards, regardless of whether they receive blessings or suffer misfortune. If people are faithful to God when they see blessings, but lose their faithfulness when they cannot see any blessings, and if, in the end, they are still unable to bear witness for God or fulfill the duties incumbent upon them, then they will still be objects of destruction despite their having once previously rendered faithful service to God. In short, wicked people cannot survive through eternity, nor can they enter into rest; only the righteous are the masters of rest. Once humanity is on the right track, people will have normal human lives. They will all do their own respective duties and be absolutely faithful to God. They will utterly shed their disobedience and their corrupt dispositions, and they will live for God and because of God, devoid of both disobedience and resistance. They will all be able to completely submit to God. This will be the life of God and humanity; it will be the life of the kingdom, and it will be a life of rest.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

104. The Principles of Discerning Between Positive and Negative Things

(1) Determine whether something is a product of God’s work and meets with His approval, or whether it comes from Satan and evil spirits, or has been processed and disguised by them;

(2) Determine whether it is something God requires people to seek after and possess—something that accords with God’s word the truth—or whether it is something that belongs among worldly trends and is sought after by worldly people;

(3) Determine whether it is something edifying and beneficial to the life of man, something that makes one positive and uplifts them, or whether it corrupts and ruins man, making him negative and destroying him;

(4) Determine whether it is something that restores man to normal humanity and brings him to obey and worship God, or whether it is something that makes man depraved and degenerate and leads him toward death.

Relevant Words of God:

The disposition of God is one that belongs to the Ruler of all things and living beings, to the Lord of all creation. His disposition represents honor, power, nobility, greatness, and most of all, supremacy. His disposition is the symbol of authority, the symbol of all that is righteous, the symbol of all that is beautiful and good. More than that, it is a symbol of Him who cannot be[a] overcome or invaded by the darkness and any enemy force, as well as a symbol of Him who cannot be offended (nor will He tolerate being offended)[b] by any created being. His disposition is the symbol of the highest power. No person or persons can or may disturb His work or His disposition. But the personality of man is no more than a mere symbol of the slight superiority of man over beast. Man in and of himself has no authority, no autonomy, and no ability to transcend the self, but is in his essence one who cowers at the mercy of all manner of people, events, and things. The joy of God is due to the existence and emergence of righteousness and light, because of the destruction of darkness and evil. He takes delight in bringing the light and a good life to mankind; His joy is a righteous joy, a symbol of the existence of all that is positive and, even more, a symbol of auspiciousness. The anger of God is due to the harm that the existence and interference of injustice brings upon His mankind, because of the existence of evil and darkness, because of the existence of things that drive out the truth, and even more, because of the existence of things that oppose what is good and beautiful. His anger is a symbol that all things negative no longer exist and, even more than that, it is a symbol of His holiness. His sorrow is due to mankind, for whom He has hopes but who has fallen into darkness, because the work He does on man does not come up to His expectations, and because the mankind He loves cannot all live in the light. He feels sorrow for the innocent mankind, for the honest but ignorant man, and for the man who is good but lacking in his own views. His sorrow is a symbol of His goodness and of His mercy, a symbol of beauty and of kindness. His happiness, of course, comes from defeating His enemies and gaining the good faith of man. More than this, it arises from the expulsion and destruction of all enemy forces, and because mankind receives a good and peaceful life. The happiness of God is unlike the joy of man; rather, it is the feeling of garnering good fruits, a feeling even greater than joy. His happiness is a symbol of mankind breaking free of suffering from this time forth, and a symbol of mankind entering a world of light. The emotions of mankind, on the other hand, all arise for the sake of his own interests, not for righteousness, light, or what is beautiful, and least of all for the grace bestowed by Heaven. The emotions of mankind are selfish and belong to the world of darkness. They do not exist for the sake of the will, much less for the plan of God, and so man and God can never be spoken of in the same breath. God is forever supreme and ever honorable, while man is forever base, forever worthless. This is because God is forever making sacrifices and devoting Himself to mankind; man, however, forever takes and strives only for himself. God is forever taking pains for mankind’s survival, yet man never contributes anything for the sake of the light or for righteousness. Even if man makes an effort for a time, it cannot withstand a single blow, for the effort of man is always for his own sake and not for others. Man is always selfish, while God is forever selfless. God is the source of all that is just, good, and beautiful, while man is he who succeeds to and makes manifest all ugliness and evil. God will never alter His essence of righteousness and beauty, yet man is perfectly capable, at any time and in any situation, of betraying righteousness and straying far from God.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In His expression of the truth, God expresses His disposition and essence; His expression of the truth is not based on mankind’s summaries of the various positive things and statements that mankind recognizes. God’s words are God’s words; God’s words are truth. They are the foundation and the law by which mankind should exist, and those so-called tenets that originate with humanity are condemned by God. They do not meet with His approval, and less still are they the origin or basis of His utterances. God expresses His disposition and His essence through His words. All the words brought forth by God’s expression are truth, for He has the essence of God, and He is the reality of all positive things. The fact that God’s words are truth never alters, no matter how this corrupt mankind positions them or defines them, nor how it views them or understands them. No matter how many words of God have been spoken, and no matter how much this corrupt, sinful mankind condemns and rejects them, there remains a fact that cannot be changed: Even in these circumstances, the so-called culture and traditions that mankind values cannot become positive things, and cannot become the truth. This is unalterable. Mankind’s traditional culture and way of existence will not become truth because of the changes or passage of time, and neither will the words of God become the words of man due to mankind’s condemnation or forgetfulness. This essence will never change; truth is always truth. What fact exists herein? All those sayings that are summarized by mankind originate in Satan—they are human imaginings and notions, even arising from human hot-bloodedness, and have nothing at all to do with positive things. The words of God, on the other hand, are expressions of God’s essence and status. For what reason does He express these words? Why do I say they are truth? The reason is that God rules over all the laws, principles, roots, essences, actualities, and mysteries of all things, and they are grasped in His hand, and God alone knows their origins and what their roots really are. Therefore, only the definitions of all things mentioned in the words of God are most accurate, and the requirements for mankind within God’s words are the only standard for mankind—the only criteria by which mankind should exist. Nevertheless, the laws by which mankind exists are derived, in one regard, from a violation of the fact of God’s rule over all things, and in another regard from a violation of the fact of God’s sovereignty over the laws of all things. They come from man’s imaginings and notions, and come also from Satan. What sort of role does Satan play? First, Satan impersonates the truth; second, it destroys, disturbs, and tramples all the principles and laws of God’s creation of all things. Thus, things that come from Satan match its essence precisely, and are full of Satan’s wicked intentions, temptations, and disguises, as well as Satan’s never-ending ambition. These will never become truth, regardless of whether corrupt mankind can discern them, regardless of the degree to which corrupt mankind accepts them, and regardless of the longevity of the era during which corrupt mankind admires them, worships them, and preaches them, and regardless, too, of how many people admire, worship, and preach them. They will never become truth, and will always remain negative things, for their essence, origin, and root is Satan, the Satan that is the enemy of God and in enmity with truth. When there is no truth against which to contrast them, they may pretend that they are good and that they are positive, but when the truth is used to dissect and expose them, they are not without vulnerabilities. They cannot stand fast, and they are things quickly condemned, exposed, and cast aside. The truth God expresses is exactly in line with the needs of mankind’s normal humanity, which God created, while what Satan gives man is in precise violation of those needs. It makes a normal person abnormal, immoderate, narrow-minded, arrogant, foolish, evil, hard, vicious, and, above all, insufferably arrogant. At a certain point, that person becomes mentally deranged, no longer even knowing who they are. They refuse to be normal people but must act as non-normal human beings; they refuse to be ordinary people but insist instead on becoming superior human beings—and thus is people’s humanity warped, and thus are their instincts warped. Truth makes people more able to live instinctually in accordance with the principles and laws of normal humanity and all the principles that God has dictated, whereas these so-called sayings and laws of Satan are precisely what cause people to violate their instincts and try to escape the laws that God has decreed and dictated, and even abandon the path of normal humanity, doing immoderate things that people with normal humanity should not do and of which they should not think.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

What are positive things? All that directly comes from God is positive; the disposition of man, however, has been processed by Satan, and cannot represent God. Only the love, the will to suffer, the righteousness, submission, and humbleness and hiddenness of the incarnate God directly represent God. This is because when He came, He came without a sinful nature and came directly from God, without having been processed by Satan. Jesus is only in the likeness of sinful flesh and does not represent sin; therefore, His actions, deeds, and words, up to the time prior to His accomplishment of the work through crucifixion (including the moment of His crucifixion), are all directly representative of God.

Excerpted from “Corrupt Man Is Incapable of Representing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people don’t understand the truth is when they’re most likely to define people by external appearances. What is the basis of this? Partly, it is traditional culture and social education; partly, it is family education, as well as notions and concepts of right and wrong, black and white; and partly, it is school education. As a whole, it is the education of a satanic system that instills such concepts in people, makes them define certain things as good and bad, right and wrong. But what is the basis of these determinations? The theories of Satan; the basis does not come from the truth. Thus, be it the starting point or end result of how you define something, neither has any connection to the truth; it is all wrong, and at odds with the will of God, and unrelated to God and positive things. When God adjudges a person, matter or object, He does so according to His disposition and His essence. So what are the essence and disposition of God? They are the truth. The truth is the expression of all positive things; it is the reality of all positive things. On what basis does God adjudge all things, and the people, matters and objects that man encounters? On the basis of the truth. When God adjudges someone, He starts with their nature essence, their motives behind the things they do, the path they take, as well as their attitude to positive things and the truth; this is what His adjudgment is based on. The outcome of God’s adjudgment of all events and things is based on the truth, while Satan’s determination of all events and things is based on the philosophy and logic of Satan—the exact opposite of the truth. The whole of mankind has been corrupted by Satan. People have no truth, they represent Satan, they are the embodiment of Satan, and they define everything according to that which is of Satan. And what is the outcome of people defining everything in this way? It contradicts the truth; it is the opposite of the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those who are of the devil all live for themselves. Their life view and maxims mainly come from Satan’s sayings, such as, “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” The words spoken by those devil kings, great ones, and philosophers of the earth have become man’s very life. In particular, most of the words of Confucius, who is touted by Chinese people to be a “sage,” have become man’s life. There are also the famous proverbs of Buddhism and Taoism, and the oft-quoted classic sayings of various famous figures; these are all outlines of Satan’s philosophies and Satan’s nature. They are also the best illustrations and explanations of Satan’s nature. These poisons that have been infused into the heart of man all come from Satan; not the least bit of them comes from God. Such devilish words are also in direct opposition to God’s word. It is absolutely clear that the realities of all positive things come from God, and all those negative things that poison man come from Satan. Therefore, you can discern a person’s nature and to whom he belongs from his life view and values. Satan corrupts people through the education and influence of national governments and of the famous and great. Their devilish words have become man’s life nature. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost” is a well-known satanic saying that has been instilled into everyone, and that has become man’s life. There are other words of philosophies for living that are also like this. Satan uses each nation’s fine traditional culture to educate people, causing mankind to fall into and be engulfed by a boundless abyss of destruction, and in the end people are destroyed by God because they serve Satan and resist God. Imagine asking someone who has been active in society for decades the following question: “Given that you have lived in the world for so long and achieved so much, what are the main famous sayings that you live by?” He might say, “The most important one is, ‘Officials do not make things difficult for those who bear gifts, and those who do not flatter accomplish nothing.’” Are these words not representative of that person’s nature? Unscrupulously using any means to obtain position has become his nature, and being an official is what gives him life. There are still many satanic poisons in people’s lives, in their conduct and behavior; they possess almost no truth at all. For example, their philosophies for living, their ways of doing things, and their maxims are all filled with the poisons of the great red dragon, and they all come from Satan. Thus, all things that flow through people’s bones and blood are all things of Satan. All of those officials, those who hold power, and those who are accomplished have their own paths and secrets to success. Are such secrets not perfectly representative of their nature? They have done such big things in the world, and no one can see through the schemes and intrigues that lay behind them. This shows just how insidious and venomous their nature is. Mankind has been profoundly corrupted by Satan. Satan’s venom flows through the blood of every person, and it can be seen that man’s nature is corrupt, evil, and reactionary, filled by and immersed in the philosophies of Satan—it is, in its entirety, a nature that betrays God. This is why people resist God and stand in opposition to God.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Knowledge of ancient culture and history spanning several thousand years has closed off man’s thinking and notions and his mental outlook so tightly as to render them impervious and non-biodegradable.[1] People live in the eighteenth circle of hell, where, just as if they have been banished by God into the dungeons, the light may never be seen. Feudal thinking has so oppressed people that they can barely breathe and are suffocating. They have not the slightest jot of strength to resist; all they do is endure and endure in silence…. Never has anyone dared to struggle or stand up for righteousness and justice; people simply live a life worse than an animal’s, under the blows and abuse of feudal ethics, day after day, and year after year. They have never thought to seek out God to enjoy happiness in the human world. It is as if people have been beaten down to the point where they are like the fallen leaves of autumn, withered, desiccated, and yellow-brown. People have long since lost their memory; they live helpless in the hell which is called the human world, waiting for the coming of the last day so that they may perish together with this hell, as if the last day that they yearn for is the day when man shall enjoy restful peace. Feudal ethics have taken the life of man into “Hades,” further weakening man’s power to resist. All sorts of oppression push man, step by step, to fall deeper into Hades, farther and farther away from God, until today he has become a complete stranger to God and makes haste to avoid Him when they meet. Man does not heed Him and leaves Him standing alone to one side, as if man has never known Him, has never seen Him before. Yet God has been waiting for man all through the long journey of human life, never hurling His irrepressible fury toward him, merely waiting quietly, without a word, for man to repent and start anew. God long ago came into the human world to share the sufferings of the human world with man. In all the years that He has lived with man, no one has discovered His existence. God only endures in silence the misery of shabbiness in the human world while carrying out the work He brought in person. He continues to endure for the sake of the will of God the Father and for the sake of the needs of mankind, undergoing sufferings never before experienced by man. In man’s presence He has quietly waited upon him, and in man’s presence He has humbled Himself, for the sake of God the Father’s will and also for the sake of the needs of mankind. Knowledge of ancient culture has surreptitiously stolen man from the presence of God and turned him over to the king of devils and its progeny. The Four Books and Five Classics[c] have taken man’s thinking and notions into another age of rebellion, causing him to give even greater adulation than before to those who compiled the Book/Classic of Documents, and as a result to further exacerbate his notions about God. Unbeknownst to man, the king of devils heartlessly cast God out from his heart and then occupied it itself with triumphant glee. Since that time, man became possessed of an ugly and wicked soul and of the countenance of the king of devils. A hatred of God filled his chest, and the spiteful malice of the king of devils spread within man day after day until he was utterly consumed. Man no longer had the least bit of freedom and had no way of breaking free from the toils of the king of devils. He had no choice but to be taken captive on the spot, to surrender and fall down in submission in its presence. Long ago, when man’s heart and soul was still in its infancy, the king of devils planted in it the seed of the tumor of atheism, teaching him such fallacies as “study science and technology; realize the Four Modernizations; and there is no such thing as God in the world.” Not only that, it shouts out at every opportunity: “Let us rely on our industrious labor to build a beautiful homeland,” asking each and every person to be prepared from childhood to render faithful service to their country. Man, unwitting, was brought into its presence, where it unhesitatingly arrogated all the credit (meaning the credit belonging to God for holding all of mankind in His hands) unto itself. Never did it have any sense of shame. Moreover, it shamelessly seized God’s people and dragged them back into its house, where it leaped like a mouse onto the table and had man worship it as God. What a desperado! It cries out scandalous, shocking things, such as: “There is no such thing as God in the world. The wind comes from transformations according to natural laws; rain comes when water vapor, meeting with cold temperatures, condenses into drops that fall to earth; an earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the earth due to geological changes; drought is due to dryness in the air caused by nucleonic disruption on the sun’s surface. These are natural phenomena. Where, in all this, is there an act of God?” There are even those who shout out statements like the following, statements that should not be given voice: “Man evolved from apes in the ancient past, and the world today comes from a succession of primitive societies starting from approximately an eon ago. Whether a country flourishes or declines rests entirely in the hands of its people.” In the background, it makes man hang it on the wall or place it on the table to pay homage and make offerings to it. At the same time that it cries out, “There is no God,” it sets itself up as God, with summary roughness pushing God out of the bounds of the earth, while standing in God’s place and taking up the role of the king of devils. How utterly lost to reason! It makes one hate it to the very bone. It seems that God and it are sworn enemies, and the two cannot coexist. It schemes to chase God away while it roams free, outside the reach of law.[2] Such a king of devils it is! How can its existence be tolerated? It will not rest until it has made a mess of God’s work and left it all in a complete shambles,[3] as if it wants to oppose God to the bitter end, until either the fish dies or the net breaks, deliberately setting itself against God and pressing in ever closer. Its hideous face having long since been completely unmasked, it is now bruised and battered[4] and in a sorry condition, yet still it will not relent in its hatred of God, as if only by devouring God in one mouthful will it be able to relieve the hatred pent up in its heart. How can we tolerate it, this enemy of God! Only its eradication and complete extermination will bring our life’s wish to fruition. How can it be allowed to continue running rampant? It has corrupted man to such a degree that man does not know the heavensun, and has become deadened and devoid of feeling. Man has lost normal human reason. Why not offer up our whole being to destroy it and burn it up to eliminate all worries for the future and allow the work of God to sooner reach unprecedented splendor? This gang of scoundrels has come into the world of men and reduced it to turmoil. They have brought all of humanity to the edge of a precipice, secretly planning to push them over to be dashed to pieces so that they may then devour their corpses. They vainly hope to break up God’s plan and enter into a match with Him, staking everything on a single throw of the dice.[5] That is by no means easy! The cross has been prepared, after all, for the king of devils, who is guilty of the most heinous crimes. God does not belong to the cross. He has already tossed it aside for the devil. God has long before now emerged victorious and no longer feels sorrow over the sins of mankind, but will bring salvation to all mankind.

From top to bottom and from beginning to end, Satan has been disrupting the work of God and acting in opposition to Him. All this talk of “ancient cultural heritage,” valuable “knowledge of ancient culture,” “teachings of Taoism and Confucianism,” and “Confucian classics and feudal rites” has taken man into hell. Advanced modern-day science and technology, as well as highly developed industry, agriculture, and business are nowhere to be seen. Rather, all it does is emphasize the feudal rites propagated by the “apes” of ancient times in order to deliberately disrupt, oppose, and dismantle the work of God. Not only has it continued to afflict man until this day, but it even wants to swallow[6] man whole. The transmission of the moral and ethical teachings of feudalism and the passing down of the knowledge of ancient culture have long infected humanity, turning them into devils big and small. Few are those who would gladly receive God, few who would jubilantly welcome His coming. The face of all humanity is filled with murderous intent, and in every place, a killing breath pervades the air. They seek to cast God out from this land; with knives and swords in hand, they arrange themselves in battle formation to “annihilate” God. All across this land of the devil, where man is constantly taught there is no God, idols are spread, and the air above is permeated by a nauseating odor of burning paper and incense, so thick as to be suffocating. It is like the stench of sludge that wafts up with the writhing of the poisonous serpent, so much so that one cannot keep from vomiting. Besides this, there can faintly be heard the sound of evil demons chanting scriptures, a sound which seems to be coming from faraway in hell, so much so that one cannot keep from shivering. Everywhere in this land are placed idols of all colors of the rainbow, turning the land into a world of sensual delights, while the king of devils keeps laughing wickedly, as if its dastardly plot has succeeded. Meanwhile, man remains completely oblivious, and nor has he any inkling that the devil has already corrupted him to the point where he has become senseless and hangs his head in defeat.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since mankind’s contrivance of the social sciences, the mind of man has become occupied by science and knowledge. Science and knowledge then have become tools for the ruling of mankind, and there is no longer sufficient room for man to worship God, and no more favorable conditions for the worship of God. The position of God has sunk ever lower in the heart of man. Without God in his heart, man’s inner world is dark, hopeless and empty. Subsequently many social scientists, historians, and politicians have come to the fore to express theories of social science, the theory of human evolution, and other theories that contradict the truth that God created man, to fill the hearts and minds of mankind. And in this way, those who believe that God created everything have become ever fewer, and those who believe in the theory of evolution have become ever greater in number. More and more people treat the records of the work of God and His words during the age of the Old Testament as myths and legends. In their hearts, people become indifferent to the dignity and greatness of God, to the tenet that God exists and holds dominion over all things. The survival of mankind and the fate of countries and nations are no longer important to them, and man lives in a hollow world concerned only with eating, drinking, and the pursuit of pleasure. … Few people take it upon themselves to seek out where God does His work today, or to look for how He presides over and arranges the destination of man. And in this way, unbeknownst to man, human civilization becomes less and less able to hew to man’s wishes, and there are even many people who feel that, living in such a world, they are less happy than those who have already passed away. Even people of countries that used to be highly civilized air such grievances. For without the guidance of God, no matter how much rulers and sociologists wrack their brains to preserve human civilization, it is to no avail. No one can fill the emptiness in man’s heart, for no one can be the life of man, and no social theory can free man from the emptiness with which he is afflicted. Science, knowledge, freedom, democracy, leisure, comfort: these bring man only a temporary consolation. Even with these things, man still inevitably sins and bemoans the injustices of society. These things cannot restrain man’s craving and desire to explore. This is because man was made by God and the senseless sacrifices and explorations of man can only lead to more distress and can only cause man to exist in a constant state of fear, not knowing how to face the future of mankind or how to face the path that lies ahead. Man even comes to fear science and knowledge, and fear even more the feeling of emptiness. In this world, regardless of whether you live in a free country or one without human rights, you are utterly incapable of escaping the fate of mankind. Whether you are the ruler or the ruled, you are utterly incapable of escaping the desire to explore the fate, mysteries, and destination of mankind, much less are you capable of escaping the bewildering sense of emptiness. Such phenomena, which are common to all of mankind, are called social phenomena by sociologists, yet no great man can come forth to solve such problems. Man, after all, is man, and the position and life of God cannot be replaced by any man. Mankind does not just require a fair society in which everyone is well-fed and is equal and free; what mankind needs is the salvation of God and His provision of life to them. Only when man receives God’s provision of life and His salvation can the needs, the yearning to explore, and the spiritual emptiness of man be resolved. If the people of a country or a nation are unable to receive the salvation and care of God, then such a country or nation will tread the road of decline, toward darkness, and shall be annihilated by God.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan corrupts man through social trends. “Social trends” include many things. Some people say: “Does it mean the latest fashions, cosmetics, hairstyles, and gourmet foods?” Are these things considered social trends? They make up one part of social trends, but we will not be talking about them here. We only wish to talk about the ideas that social trends bring about in people, the way they cause people to conduct themselves in the world, and the life goals and outlook that they bring about in people. These are very important; they can control and influence man’s state of mind. These trends arise one after another, and they all carry an evil influence that continually debases mankind, causing people to lose conscience, humanity and reason, weakening their morals and their quality of character ever more, to the extent that we can even say that the majority of people now have no integrity, no humanity, and neither do they have any conscience, much less any reason. So what are these trends? They are trends that you cannot see with the naked eye. When a new trend sweeps through the world, perhaps only a small number of people are on the cutting edge, acting as the trendsetters. They start off doing some new thing, then accepting some kind of idea or some kind of perspective. The majority of people, however, will be continually infected, assimilated, and attracted by this kind of trend in a state of unawareness, until they all unknowingly and involuntarily accept it and become submerged in it and controlled by it. One after another, such trends cause people, who are not of sound body and mind, do not know what the truth is, and cannot differentiate between positive and negative things, to happily accept them as well as the life views and values that come from Satan. They accept what Satan tells them about how to approach life and the way to live that Satan “bestows” on them, and they have neither the strength nor the ability, much less the awareness, to resist. …

… Satan uses these social trends to lure people one step at a time into a nest of devils, so that people caught up in social trends unknowingly advocate money and material desires, wickedness and violence. Once these things have entered the heart of man, what then does man become? Man becomes the devil, Satan! Why? Because, what psychological inclination exists in the heart of man? What does man revere? Man begins to take pleasure in wickedness and violence, showing no love for beauty or goodness, much less peace. People are not willing to live the simple life of normal humanity, but instead wish to enjoy high status and great wealth, to revel in the pleasures of the flesh, sparing no effort to satisfy their own flesh, with no restrictions, no bonds to hold them back; in other words, doing whatever they desire. So when man has become immersed in these kinds of trends, can the knowledge that you have learned help you to free yourself? Can your understanding of traditional culture and superstitions help you escape from this dire predicament? Can the traditional morals and ceremonies known to man help people exercise restraint? Take the Three Character Classic, for example. Can it help people pull their feet out of the quagmire of these trends? (No, it cannot.) Thus, man becomes more and more evil, arrogant, condescending, selfish and malicious. There is no longer any affection between people, no longer any love between family members, no longer any understanding among relatives and friends; human relations have become characterized by violence. Each and every person seeks to use violent methods to live among their fellow man; they seize their daily bread using violence; they win their positions and obtain their profits using violence, and they use violent and evil ways to do anything they want. Is this humanity not horrifying?

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The knowledge man studies, the science he understands, and the means he chooses by which he fits in with social trends are without exception tools of Satan’s corruption of man. This is absolutely true. Therefore, man lives within a disposition that is completely corrupted by Satan, and man has no way of knowing what God’s holiness is or what God’s essence is. This is because on the surface one cannot find fault with the ways Satan corrupts man; one cannot tell from someone’s behavior that anything is amiss. Everyone goes about their work normally and lives normal lives; they read books and newspapers normally, they study and speak normally. Some people have learned a few ethics and are good at talking, are understanding and friendly, are helpful and charitable, and do not pick petty quarrels or take advantage of people. However, their corrupt satanic disposition is rooted deep within them and this essence cannot be changed by relying on external effort. Because of this essence, man is not able to know God’s holiness, and despite the essence of God’s holiness being disclosed to man, man does not take it seriously. This is because Satan has, through various means, already come to completely possess man’s feelings, ideas, viewpoints and thoughts. This possession and corruption is not temporary or occasional, but is present everywhere and at all times. Thus, a great many people who have believed in God for three or four years, or even five or six, still take these evil thoughts, views, logic, and philosophies that Satan has instilled in them as treasures, and are unable to let go of them. Because man has accepted the evil, arrogant and malicious things that come from the nature of Satan, inevitably in man’s interpersonal relationships there are often conflicts, arguments and incompatibility, which come about as a result of Satan’s arrogant nature. If Satan had given mankind positive things—for example, if the Confucianism and Taoism of traditional culture that man has accepted were good things—similar types of people should be able to get along with one another after accepting those things. So why is there such a great divide between people who have accepted the same things? Why is that? It is because these things come from Satan and Satan creates division among people. The things from Satan, no matter how dignified or great they appear on the surface, bring to man and bring out in man’s life only arrogance, and nothing more than the deceit of Satan’s evil nature. Is that not so? Someone who is able to disguise themselves, who possesses a wealth of knowledge or who has a good upbringing would still have a hard time concealing their corrupt satanic disposition. That is to say, no matter how many ways this person cloaked themselves, whether you thought of them as a saint, or if you thought they were perfect, or if you thought they were an angel, no matter how pure you thought they were, what is their real life like behind the scenes? What essence would you see in the revelation of their disposition? Without a doubt you would see the evil nature of Satan. Is it admissible to say that? (Yes.) For example, suppose you know someone close to you who you thought of as a good person, perhaps someone you idolized. With your current stature, what do you think of them? First, you evaluate whether or not this type of person has humanity, whether they are honest, whether they have true love for people, whether their words and actions benefit and help others. (They do not.) What is the so-called kindness, love or goodness that these people reveal? It is all false, it is all a facade. Behind this facade there is an ulterior evil purpose: to make that person adored and idolized. Do you see this clearly? (Yes.)

What do the methods Satan uses to corrupt people bring to mankind? Do they bring anything positive? Firstly, can man differentiate between good and evil? Would you say that in this world, whether it be some famous or great person, or some magazine or other publication, are the standards they use to judge whether something is good or evil, and right or wrong, accurate? Are their assessments of events and people fair? Do they contain truth? Does this world, this humanity, assess positive and negative things based on the standard of truth? (No.) Why do people not have that ability? People have studied so much knowledge and know so much about science, so they are possessed of great abilities, are they not? So why are they incapable of differentiating between positive and negative things? Why is this? (Because people do not have truth; science and knowledge are not truth.) Everything that Satan brings to humanity is evil, corrupt and lacking in truth, life and the way. With the evil and corruption that Satan brings to man, can you say that Satan has love? Can you say that man has love? Some people might say: “You’re wrong; there are many people around the world who help the poor or homeless. Aren’t those good people? There are also charitable organizations that do good work; isn’t the work they do good work?” What would you say to that? Satan uses many different methods and theories to corrupt man; is this corruption of man a vague concept? No, it is not vague. Satan also does some practical things, and it also promotes a viewpoint or a theory in this world and in society. In every dynasty and in every epoch, it promotes a theory and instills thoughts into the minds of man. These thoughts and theories gradually take root in people’s hearts, and then they begin to live by them. Once they start to live by these things, do they not unwittingly become Satan? Do people not then become one with Satan? When people have become one with Satan, what is their attitude toward God in the end? Is it not the same attitude that Satan has toward God?

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan builds its reputation through deceiving people, and often establishes itself as a vanguard and role model of righteousness. Under false pretenses of safeguarding righteousness, it harms people, devours their souls, and uses all sorts of means to benumb, deceive and incite man. Its goal is to make man approve of and go along with its evil conduct, to make man join it in opposing God’s authority and sovereignty. However, when one sees through its schemes and plots and sees through to its vile features, and when one does not wish to continue to be trampled upon and fooled by it or to continue slaving away for it, or to be punished and destroyed alongside it, then Satan changes its previously saintly features and tears off its false mask to reveal its true face, which is evil, vicious, ugly and savage. It would love nothing more than to exterminate all those who refuse to follow it and who oppose its evil forces. At this point Satan can no longer assume a trustworthy, gentlemanly appearance; instead, its true ugly and devilish features are revealed under sheep’s clothing. Once Satan’s schemes are brought to light and its true features exposed, it will fly into a rage and expose its barbarity. After this, its desire to harm and devour people will only be intensified. This is because it is enraged when man awakens to the truth, and it develops a powerful vindictiveness toward man for their aspiration to yearn for freedom and light and to break free of its prison. Its rage is intended to defend and uphold its evil, and it is also a true revelation of its savage nature.

In every matter, Satan’s behavior exposes its evil nature. Out of all the evil acts that Satan has carried out upon man—from its early efforts to delude man into following it, to its exploitation of man, in which it drags man into its evil deeds, to its vindictiveness toward man after its true features have been exposed and man has recognized and forsaken it—not one of these acts fails to expose Satan’s evil essence, nor to prove the fact that Satan has no relation to positive things and that Satan is the source of all evil things. Every single one of its actions safeguards its evil, maintains the continuation of its evil acts, goes against just and positive things, and ruins the laws and order of humanity’s normal existence. These acts of Satan are hostile to God, and they will be destroyed by God’s wrath. Although Satan has its own rage, its rage is just a means of venting its evil nature. The reason why Satan is exasperated and furious is this: Its unspeakable schemes have been exposed; its plots are not easily gotten away with; its wild ambition and desire to replace God and act as God have been struck down and blocked; and its goal of controlling all of humanity has now come to nothing and can never be achieved. What has stopped Satan’s plots from coming to fruition and cut short the spread and rampancy of Satan’s evil is God’s repeated summoning of His wrath, time after time. For this reason, Satan both hates and fears God’s wrath. Each time God’s wrath descends, it not only unmasks Satan’s true vile appearance, but also exposes Satan’s evil desires to the light, and in the process, the reasons for Satan’s rage against humanity are laid bare. The eruption of Satan’s rage is a true revelation of its evil nature and an exposure of its schemes. Of course, each time that Satan is enraged heralds the destruction of evil things and the protection and continuation of positive things; it heralds the truth that God’s wrath cannot be offended!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

1. “Non-biodegradable” is intended as satire here, meaning that people are rigid in their knowledge, culture, and spiritual outlook.

2. “Roams free, outside the reach of law” indicates that the devil goes berserk and runs amok.

3. “A complete shambles” refers to how the devil’s violent behavior is unbearable to see.

4. “Bruised and battered” refers to the ugly face of the king of devils.

5. “Staking everything on a single throw of the dice” means placing all one’s money on a single bet in hopes of winning in the end. This is a metaphor for the devil’s sinister and nefarious schemes. The expression is used mockingly.

6. “Swallow” refers to the vicious behavior of the king of devils, which ravishes people in their entirety.

a. The original text reads “it is a symbol of being unable to be.”

b. The original text reads “as well as a symbol of being unable to be offended (and not tolerating being offended).”

c. The Four Books and Five Classics are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China.

105. The Principles of Distinguishing Between the Pursuit of the Truth and Muddled Belief

(1) Determine whether someone focuses on eating and drinking of God’s words and accepting God’s judgment and chastisement, such that it brings them to true repentance and change, or whether one aimlessly follows others and thus idles away their days;

(2) Determine whether someone focuses on gaining an understanding of the truth, performing their duty well, and living out truth reality, or whether they focus on externalities, adherence to rules, and action guided exclusively by notions and imaginings;

(3) Determine whether someone focuses on seeking the truth in all matters and using it to resolve their corruption, or whether they seek comfort and indulge their flesh, and are content simply to understand doctrine;

(4) Determine whether someone focuses on seeking the truth in performing their duty, putting it into practice, and acting according to the principles, or whether they are careless and perfunctory, attempting to deceive God and unrepentant unto death.

Relevant Words of God:

Though many people believe in God, few understand what faith in God means, and what they must do to conform to God’s will. This is because, though people are familiar with the word “God” and phrases such as “the work of God,” they do not know God, and still less do they know His work. No wonder, then, that all those who do not know God are muddled in their belief of Him. People do not take belief in God seriously, and this is entirely because believing in God is too unfamiliar, too strange for them. In this way, they fall short of God’s demands. In other words, if people do not know God, and do not know His work, then they are not fit for God’s use, and still less are they able to satisfy His will. “Belief in God” means believing that there is a God; this is the simplest concept as regards believing in God. What’s more, believing that there is a God is not the same as truly believing in God; rather, it is a kind of simple faith with strong religious overtones. True faith in God means the following: On the basis of the belief that God holds sovereignty over all things, one experiences His words and His work, purges one’s corrupt disposition, satisfies the will of God, and comes to know God. Only a journey of this kind may be called “faith in God.” Yet people often see belief in God as a simple and frivolous matter. People who believe in God in this way have lost what it means to believe in God, and though they may continue to believe until the very end, they shall never gain God’s approval, because they tread upon the wrong path. There are still those today who believe in God according to letters and in hollow doctrine. They do not know that they lack the essence of belief in God, and they cannot receive God’s approval. Still they pray to God for blessings of safety and sufficient grace. Let us stop, quiet our hearts, and ask ourselves: Can it be that believing in God really is the easiest thing on earth? Can it be that believing in God means nothing more than receiving much grace from God? Are people who believe in God without knowing Him or who believe in God and yet oppose Him really able to satisfy the will of God?

Excerpted from Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of mankind has been corrupted by Satan, and man’s nature is to betray God. However, among all the humans who have been corrupted by Satan, there are some who can submit to God’s work and accept the truth; these are the ones who can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of disposition. There are also those who do not focus on seeking the truth. They are satisfied with merely understanding doctrines; they hear good doctrine and keep it, and after understanding it, they can perform their duties—to a point. These people do what they are told and have mediocre humanity. They are willing, to a certain extent, to expend, abandon worldliness, and endure suffering. However, they are not earnest with regard to the truth; they believe it is sufficient that they commit no sin, and are unable ever to understand the essence of the truth. If such people can stand firm in the end, then they can also be spared, but they cannot have their dispositions transformed. If you wish to be purified of corruption and undergo a change in your life disposition, then you must have a love for the truth and the ability to accept the truth. What does it mean to accept the truth? Accepting the truth indicates that no matter what sort of corrupt disposition you have, or which of the great red dragon’s poisons are in your nature, you acknowledge it when it is revealed by God’s words, and submit to these words; you accept them unconditionally, without making any excuses or trying to pick and choose, and you come to know yourself based on what He says. This is what it means to accept God’s words. No matter what He says, no matter how much His utterances might pierce your heart, and no matter what words He uses, you can accept them as long as what He says is the truth, and you can acknowledge them as long as they conform to reality. You can submit to God’s words regardless of how deeply you understand them, and you accept and submit to the light that is revealed by the Holy Spirit and fellowshiped by your brothers and sisters. When such a person has pursued the truth to a certain point, he can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of his disposition. Even if those who do not love the truth may be of decent humanity, when it comes to the truth, they are muddleheaded and do not take it seriously. Though they may be capable of a few good deeds, and can expend of themselves for God, and are capable of renunciation, they cannot achieve a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

At present there are many people who believe in a confused manner. You have too much curiosity, too much desire for blessings, and too little aspiration to seek life. People nowadays are full of enthusiasm in their belief in Jesus. Jesus is going to take them back to the heavenly home, so how can they not believe? Some people are believers their entire lives; even after having had faith for forty or fifty years, they still never tire of reading the Bible. This is because they think[a] that no matter what happens, as long as they have faith, they will get into heaven. You have followed God along this path for only a few years, yet already you have faltered; you have lost your endurance, because your desire to gain blessings is too strong. Your walking this true way is governed by your desire to obtain blessings and by your curiosity. You do not have much understanding at all regarding this stage of work. Much of what I am saying today is not directed at those who believe in Jesus, nor am I saying it just to counter their notions. Actually, these notions being exposed are the very ones that exist within you, for you do not understand why the Bible has been put aside, why I say that the work of Jehovah has grown old, or why I say that Jesus’ work has grown old. The fact is that you harbor many notions to which you have not given voice, as well as a lot of views enclosed deep within your hearts, and you just follow the crowd. Do you really think you do not harbor many notions? It is simply that you do not speak of them! Actually, you only follow God perfunctorily, you do not at all come to seek the true way and you have not come with the intention of gaining life. Your attitude is one of simply wanting to see what will happen. Because you have not let go of many of your old notions, there is not one amongst you who has been able to fully offer themselves up. Having arrived at this point, you continue to worry about your own fate, with your thoughts churning day and night, never able to let it go.

Excerpted from “You Must Understand the Work—Do Not Follow in Confusion!” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people follow along and pursue with energy, and are willing to practice when God speaks, but when God does not speak, they no longer move forward. People still have not understood God’s will within their hearts and they do not have spontaneous love for God; in the past they followed God because they were forced. Now there are some people who are tired of God’s work. Are such people not in danger? A lot of people exist in a state of just coping. Although they eat and drink God’s words and pray to Him, they do so half-heartedly, and they no longer have the drive that they once had. Most people are not interested in God’s work of refinement and perfection, and indeed it is as if they are constantly without any internal drive. When they are overcome by transgressions, they do not feel indebted to God, nor do they have the awareness to feel remorse. They do not pursue the truth or leave the church, and instead pursue only temporary pleasures. These people are fools, utterly stupid! When the time comes, they will all be cast out, and not a single one will be saved! Do you think that if someone has been saved once they will always be saved? This belief is pure deception! All those who do not pursue entry into life will be chastised. Most people have absolutely no interest in entering into life, in visions, or in putting the truth into practice. They do not pursue entering in, and they certainly do not pursue entering in more deeply. Are they not ruining themselves? Right now, there is a portion of people whose conditions are constantly improving. The more the Holy Spirit works, the more confidence they gain; the more they experience, the more they feel the profound mystery of God’s work. The deeper they enter in, the more they understand. They feel that God’s love is so great, and they feel steady and enlightened within themselves. They have an understanding of God’s work. These are the people in whom the Holy Spirit is working. Some people say: “Although there are no new words from God, I must still seek to go deeper into the truth, I must be earnest about everything in my actual experience and enter into the reality of God’s words.” This kind of person possesses the work of the Holy Spirit. Although God does not show His countenance and is hidden from every single person, and though He does not utter a word and there are times that people experience some internal refinement, yet God has not completely left people. If a person cannot retain the truth that they should carry out, they will not have the work of the Holy Spirit. During the period of refinement, of God not showing Himself, if you do not have confidence but instead cower away, if you do not focus on experiencing His words, then you are fleeing from God’s work. Later, you will be one of those who are cast out. Those who do not seek to enter into the word of God cannot possibly stand as a witness for Him. People who are able to bear witness for God and satisfy His will are all entirely reliant upon their drive to pursue God’s words. The work that God performs in people is primarily to allow them to gain the truth; having you pursue life is for the sake of perfecting you, and this is all to make you suitable for God’s use. All you are pursuing now is hearing mysteries, listening to God’s words, feasting your eyes, and looking around to see if there is some novelty or trend, and thereby satisfying your curiosity. If this is the intention in your heart, then there is no way for you to meet God’s requirements. Those who do not pursue the truth cannot follow until the very end. Right now, it is not that God is not doing something, but rather that people are not cooperating with Him, because they are tired of His work. They only want to hear words that He speaks to bestow blessings, and they are unwilling to hear the words of His judgment and chastisement. What is the reason for this? The reason is that people’s desires to gain blessings have not been fulfilled and they therefore have become negative and weak. It is not that God purposely does not allow people to follow Him, nor is it that He is purposely delivering blows to mankind. People are negative and weak only because their intentions are improper. God is the God that gives man life, and He cannot bring man into death. People’s negativity, weaknesses, and backsliding are all caused by their own doing.

Excerpted from “You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God is willing to perfect each and every one of you. As it stands now, although most people have already accepted the work of God for a very long time, they have limited themselves to merely basking in the grace of God, and are only willing to allow God to give them a little comfort of the flesh, yet are unwilling to receive more, and higher, revelations. This shows that the heart of man is still always on the outside. Even though the work of man, his service, and his heart of love for God have fewer impurities, as far as his inner substance and his backward thinking are concerned, man still constantly seeks the peace and enjoyment of the flesh, and cares nothing for what the conditions for and purposes of God perfecting man may be. And so, the lives of most people are still vulgar and decadent. Their lives have not changed in the slightest; they simply do not regard faith in God as a matter of importance, it is as if they just have faith for the sake of others, going through the motions and getting by any old how, adrift in a purposeless existence. Few are those who are able to seek to enter into the word of God in all things, gaining more and richer things, becoming people of greater wealth in the house of God today, and receiving more of God’s blessings. If you seek to be perfected by God in all things, and are able to receive what God has promised on earth, if you seek to be enlightened by God in all things and do not let the years slip idly by, this is the ideal path to enter actively. Only thus will you become worthy and eligible to be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Promises to Those Who Have Been Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you have no knowledge of God’s work, you will not know how to cooperate with God. If you do not know the principles of God’s work, and are unaware of how Satan works in man, you will have no path to practice. Zealous pursuit alone will not allow you to achieve the results demanded by God. Such a means of experiencing is akin to that of Lawrence: making no distinctions whatsoever and only focusing on experience, utterly unaware of what Satan’s work is, of what the work of the Holy Spirit is, of what state man is in without the presence of God, and what kind of people God wants to perfect. What principles should be adopted when dealing with different types of people, how to grasp God’s will in the present, how to know God’s disposition, and at which people, circumstances, and age God’s mercy, majesty, and righteousness are directed—he has no discernment in any of these. If people do not have multiple visions as a foundation for their experiences, then life is out of the question, and experience even more so; they can foolishly continue submitting to and enduring everything. Such people are very difficult to make perfect. It can be said that if you have nothing of the visions spoken of above, this is ample proof that you are a cretin, you are like a pillar of salt always standing in Israel. Such people are useless, good for nothing! Some people only ever submit blindly, they always know themselves and always use their own ways of conducting themselves when dealing with new matters, or they use “wisdom” to deal with trivial matters unworthy of mention. Such people are devoid of discernment, and it is as if their nature is to resign themselves to being picked on, and they are always the same; they never change. People like this are fools who lack even the slightest discernment. They never try to take measures appropriate to the circumstances or to different people. Such people do not have experience. I have seen some people who are so bound up in their knowledge of themselves that when confronted with people possessed by the work of evil spirits, they lower their heads and confess their sins, not daring to stand up and condemn them. And when faced with the obvious work of the Holy Spirit, they do not dare to obey. They believe that evil spirits are also in the hands of God, and have not the slightest courage to stand up and resist them. Such people bring shame to God, and are utterly incapable of bearing a heavy burden for Him. Such fools do not make distinctions of any kind. Such a means of experiencing, therefore, should be purged, for it is untenable in the eyes of God.

Excerpted from “On Experience” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If, in the pursuit of God, people do not have their own position to stand by, and do not know what truth they should hold to, then this means that they have no foundation, and so it becomes difficult for them to stand firm. Today, there are so many who do not understand the truth, who cannot distinguish between good and evil or tell what to love or hate. Such people can hardly stand firm. Key to the belief in God is being able to put the truth into practice, to care for God’s will, to know God’s work on man when He comes in the flesh and the principles by which He speaks. Do not follow the masses. You must have principles in what you should enter into, and you must hold to them. Holding firm to those things within you that are brought by God’s enlightenment will be of help to you. If you do not, today you will veer one way, tomorrow you will veer the other, and you will never gain anything real. To be like this is of no benefit to your own life. Those who do not understand the truth always follow others: If people say that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, then you, too, say it is the work of the Holy Spirit; if people say it is the work of an evil spirit, then you, too, become doubtful, or also say it is the work of an evil spirit. You always parrot the words of others, and are incapable of distinguishing anything by yourself, nor are you able to think for yourself. This is someone without a position, who is unable to differentiate—such a person is a worthless wretch! You always repeat the words of others: Today it is said that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, but there is a probability that one day someone will say it is not the work of the Holy Spirit, and that it is in fact nothing but the deeds of man—yet you cannot discern this, and when you witness it being said by others, you say the same thing. It is actually the work of the Holy Spirit, but you say it is the work of man; have you not become one of those who blaspheme against the work of the Holy Spirit? In this, have you not opposed God because you cannot differentiate? Perhaps one day some fool will appear who says that “this is the work of an evil spirit,” and when you hear these words you will be at a loss, and once again you will be bound up by the words of others. Every time someone stirs up disturbance, you are incapable of standing by your position, and this is all because you do not possess the truth. Believing in God and seeking to know God is no simple matter. These things cannot be achieved simply by gathering together and listening to preaching, and you cannot be perfected by passion alone. You must experience, and know, and be principled in your actions, and gain the work of the Holy Spirit. When you have undergone experiences, you will be able to discern many things—you will be able to distinguish between good and evil, between righteousness and wickedness, between what is of flesh and blood and what is of the truth. You should be able to distinguish between all these things, and in so doing, no matter the circumstances, you will never be lost. Only this is your real stature.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people put a lot of enthusiasm into their pursuit and yet fail to enter onto the right track. This is because they are too careless and pay no attention to spiritual things. They have no idea how to experience God’s words, and do not know what the work and presence of the Holy Spirit are. Such people are enthusiastic but foolish; they do not pursue life. That is because you lack the slightest bit of knowledge of the Spirit, you know nothing of development in the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work, and you are ignorant of the state within your own spirit. Is the faith of such people not a foolish kind of faith? The pursuit of such people ultimately yields nothing. The key to achieving growth in life in one’s faith in God is knowing what work God does in your experience, beholding the loveliness of God, and understanding the will of God, such that you defer to all of God’s arrangements, have God’s words wrought into you so that they become your life, and thereby satisfy God. If your faith is a foolish faith, if you pay no heed to spiritual matters and to changes in your life disposition, if you exert no effort toward the truth, will you be able to grasp God’s will? If you do not understand what God asks, then you will be incapable of experiencing, and will thus have no path to practice. What you must pay attention to as you experience God’s words is the effect they produce in you, so that you may come to know God from His words. If you only know to read God’s words, but do not know how to experience them, does this not show that you are ignorant of spiritual matters? Right now, most people are incapable of experiencing God’s words, and thus they do not know the work of God. Is this not a failing in their practice? If they carry on like this, at what point will they be capable of experiencing things in their rich fullness and achieving growth in their lives? Does this not amount merely to empty talk? There are many among you who focus on theory, who know nothing of spiritual matters, and yet still wish to be put to great use by God and to be blessed by God. This is totally unrealistic! Thus, you must put an end to this failing, so that you may all enter onto the right track in your spiritual lives, have real experiences, and truly enter into the reality of God’s words.

Excerpted from “How to Enter Into a Normal State” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All the things that arise each day, big or small, that can shake your resolution, occupy your heart, or restrict your ability to do your duty and your forward progress require diligent treatment; they should be examined carefully and their truth sought. These are all things that happen within the realm of experience. Some people quit their duties when negativity befalls them, and are unable to crawl back to their feet after each setback. All these people are fools who do not love the truth, and they would not gain it with even a lifetime of faith. How could such fools follow to the end? If the same thing happens to you ten times, but you gain nothing from it, then you are a mediocre, useless person. Astute people and those of true caliber who understand spiritual matters are seekers of the truth; should something happen to them ten times, then, in perhaps eight of those cases, they would be able to gain some inspiration, learn some lesson, attain some enlightenment, and make some progress. When things befall a fool ten times—one who does not understand spiritual matters—not once will it benefit their life, not once will it change them, and not once will it cause them to understand their nature, and that is the end for them. Each time something happens to them, they fall down, and each time they fall down, they need someone else to support them and coax them; without support and coaxing, they cannot rise. If, each time something happens, they are in danger of falling, and if, each time, they are in danger of being degraded, is this not the end for them? Are there any other grounds for such useless people to be saved? God’s salvation of mankind is a salvation of those who love the truth, a salvation of the part of them with will and resolve, and the part of them that is their yearning for truth and righteousness in their heart. A person’s resolve is the part of them in their heart that yearns for righteousness, goodness, and truth, and is possessed of conscience. God saves this part of people, and through it, He changes their corrupt disposition, so that they may understand and gain the truth, so that their corruption may be cleansed, and their life disposition may be transformed. If you do not have these things within you, you cannot be saved. If, within you, there is no love for the truth or aspiration for righteousness and light; if, whenever you encounter evil, you have neither the will to cast off evil things nor the resolve to suffer hardship; if, moreover, your conscience is numb; if your faculty for receiving truth is also benumbed, and you are unattuned to the truth and to events that arise; and if you are undiscerning in all matters, and unable to handle or resolve things on your own, then there is no way to be saved. Such a person has nothing to recommend them, nothing worth working on. Their conscience is numb, their mind is muddied, and they do not love the truth, nor yearn for righteousness deep in their heart, and, no matter how clearly or transparently God speaks of the truth, they do not respond, as if they were already dead. Are things not over for them? A person with a breath left in them may be saved by artificial respiration, but, if they have already died and their soul has left, artificial respiration will do nothing. If, whenever you encounter a problem, you shrink from it and try to avoid it, this means you have not borne witness; as such, you can never be saved, and you are completely done for. When an issue befalls you, you must have a cool head and a correct approach, and you must make a choice. You should learn to use the truth to resolve the issue. At normal times, what is the use of understanding some truths? It is not to fill your belly, and it is not merely to give you something to say, nor is it to resolve the problems of others. More importantly, its use is to resolve your own problems, your own difficulties—only after you resolve your own difficulties can you resolve the difficulties of others. Why is it said that Peter is a fruit? Because there are things of worth in him, things worth perfecting; he was resolved to seek the truth and was firm of will; he had reason, was willing to suffer hardship, and loved the truth in his heart, and he did not let go of what came to pass. These are all strong points. If you have none of these strong points, it means trouble. You are incapable of experience and have none, and you cannot resolve the difficulties of others. This is because you do not know how to enter. You are confused when things befall you; you feel distressed, weep, become negative, run away, and, no matter what you do, you are unable to handle them correctly.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When it comes to your faith in God, in addition to performing your duty properly, what is key is to understand the truth, enter truth reality, and make more effort to enter into life. When something happens to you, do not let it slip past you; when you encounter an issue and have certain thoughts, or manifest certain behaviors, and you feel something is wrong but still cannot say just what is going on, and do not know how to practice in this matter, you must speak up and fellowship it with everyone; if you discover something is a problem, you must fellowship on it. When you fellowship on this, you will unconsciously have fewer and fewer questions and doubts, and will understand more and more truths, and thus your stature will grow without you even being aware of it. You must try harder when it comes to the truth, you must put your heart into it. Some people say, “I have believed in God for several years and understood much doctrine. I now have a foundation. Now, life in our church overseas is good, the brothers and sisters gather to fellowship matters of faith in God all day long, and I am thus nourished without even realizing it—and that’s enough. I don’t need to put effort into solving the problems of my own entry into life, or problems of my own rebelliousness. Each day, I abide by my schedule to pray, eat and drink the words of God, sing hymns, and perform my duty. I do the work I ought to, not one thing less, and ultimately, my life unconsciously grows.” That is what people think who are muddled in their faith. The path of faith in God is the most realistic path of all; those who affect a high-sounding tone but never do anything real will gain nothing. Which people gain something? Those who are down-to-earth. These people are able to grasp certain key things on the path of their faith in God, they are pragmatic, and they are down to earth in everything they do and when they consider everything they do, when they face everything head on, and when they enter every truth. They are not people who affect a high-sounding tone or only focus on doing. Instead, they experience everything that happens to them with their hearts, they put their heart into all they do, after which they gain understanding after each thing that happens. When they have a difference of opinion, or at certain exceptional times, they have a lesson to draw on. This is what someone with heart is, and this is the kind of person that will ultimately gain the truth. People who are absent-minded are ultimately incapable of gaining the truth; they only focus on exerting themselves physically, on doing, on showing themselves off, and will have great difficulty gaining the truth. Reflect on this: Just what kind of person is able to enter truth reality? People who are grounded, people who use their hearts, who have a heart. In one regard, such people focus more on reality, on things that are real; in addition, they are more pragmatic, they love positive things, they love the truth, and they love things that are real. Such people will ultimately be able to understand and gain the truth.

Excerpted from “Entry Into Life Is Most Important to Faith in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

One can come to know God by believing in Him: This is the final goal, and the goal of man’s pursuit. You must put effort into living out the words of God so that they may come to fruition in your practice. If you have only doctrinal knowledge, then your faith in God will come to naught. Only if you then also practice and live out His word can your faith be considered complete and in accord with God’s will. On this road, many people can speak of much knowledge, but at their time of death, their eyes brim with tears, and they hate themselves for having wasted a lifetime and lived to a ripe old age for naught. They merely understand doctrines, but cannot put the truth into practice or bear witness to God; instead, they simply run hither and thither, busy as a bee, and only on the brink of death do they finally see that they lack true testimony, that they do not know God at all. And is this not too late? Why do you not seize the day and pursue the truth that you love? Why wait until tomorrow? If in life you do not suffer for the truth or seek to gain it, can it be that you wish to feel regret in your dying hour? If so, then why believe in God? In truth, there are many matters in which people, if they put in just the slightest exertion, can put the truth into practice and thereby satisfy God. It is only because people’s hearts are ever possessed by demons that they cannot act for the sake of God, and constantly rush about for the sake of their flesh, with nothing to show for it in the end. For this reason, people are constantly afflicted by troubles and difficulties. Are these not the torments of Satan? Is this not the corruption of the flesh? You should not try to fool God by flapping your lips. Rather, you must take tangible action. Do not deceive yourself—what would be the point of that? What can you gain by living for the sake of your flesh and struggling for profit and fame?

Excerpted from “You Ought to Live for the Truth Since You Believe in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the phrase “they think.”

106. The Principles of Distinguishing Between Performing Duty and Rendering Service

(1) The only way to genuinely perform one’s duty is to put every truth into practice as God requests and to undertake one’s responsibilities and obligations;

(2) Only by being able, in the performance of one’s duty, to reflect on oneself, in light of God’s words, cast off corruption, and be able to practice the truth can one come to perform their duty satisfactorily;

(3) To perform one’s duty for the sake of blessings and in hopes of attaining a crown of glory is to attempt to strike a bargain with God; in essence, it is to render service to God;

(4) One who constantly seeks reputation and status in their performance of their duty, and does not accept the truth in the least, but is consistently careless and perfunctory, is plainly a service-doer;

(5) The only way to perform one’s duty satisfactorily is to seek the truth in all matters and do things for the purpose of coming to love and satisfy God, and to be loyal unto the end.

Relevant Words of God:

Man’s performance of his duty is, in actuality, the accomplishment of all that is inherent within man, which is to say, that which is possible for man. It is then that his duty is fulfilled. The defects of man during his service are gradually reduced through progressive experience and the process of his undergoing judgment; they do not hinder or affect man’s duty. Those who cease to serve or yield and fall back for fear that there may be drawbacks to their service are the most cowardly of all. If people cannot express what they ought to express during service or achieve what is inherently possible for them, and instead fool about and go through the motions, they have lost the function that a created being should have. Such people are what are known as “mediocrities”; they are useless refuse. How can such people properly be called created beings? Are they not corrupt beings that shine on the outside but are rotten within?

Excerpted from “The Difference Between the Ministry of God Incarnate and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the difference between rendering service and performing one’s duty? Rendering service means that you do whatever you want to, at least, provided that what you do does not offend God’s disposition. As long as nobody investigates your actions and as long as what you do is passable, then that is good enough. You do not concern yourself with changes of disposition, with doing things in accordance with the truth principles, with satisfying God’s will, and even less with how to submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, or with how to do your duty well and give an account of it to God. You pay no mind to any of these things, and this is what is called service-doing. Service-doing is about exerting oneself with all that you have and working as though you were a slave, from morning until night. If you ask such a person, “All these years of bitter, hard work that you have immersed yourself in, what has it all been for?” then they will reply, “Why, so that I may gain blessings.” If you ask them whether their disposition has had some change as a result of all of their years of believing in God, whether they have become certain of God’s existence, whether they have some degree of true understanding or experience of the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements, the answer to all of these will be a categorical “No,” and they will be unable to speak about any of these things. When there has been no improvement or progression in any of the indicators relating to changes in disposition, such a person just constantly renders service. Supposing a person does service for many years and, without realizing it, comes to understand that they possess a corrupt disposition, that they often rebel against God, that they often utter complaints, that they often are unable to obey God, that they are deeply corrupted, that no matter how God tells them to submit to Him they are unable to do so. They attempt to restrain themselves but this does not work, and neither does cursing themselves or swearing oaths. In the end, they discover: “Man truly does possess a corrupt disposition, and that is why he is able to rebel against God. Whenever something happens people always have their own desires, and they are always researching God’s orchestrations and arrangements. Although they are willing to exert themselves, the moment something implicates their disposition and their wild ambitions and desires, intentions and wishes, they are unable to forsake them or let them go. They always want to do things in a way that satisfies themselves. This is me, and I am truly a handful to manage! What can be done?” If they have begun to ponder these things, then they already have some small understanding of human ways. If at some time people who are engaged in service-doing are able to take up the real work, are able to focus their minds upon changes of disposition, gain understanding that in fact they also have a corrupt disposition, that they too are arrogant and unable to submit to God, and that it will not do to continue in this way; when the time comes that they are able to think of these things, then they will have begun to turn themselves around and there is hope that their disposition might change and that they might attain salvation. Suppose that someone never thinks of these things, and all they know is how to labor, thinking that finishing the work in their hands is all that is required to complete God’s commission, and that once they have finished exerting themselves they will have properly performed their duty, never thinking about what God’s requirements are, about what the truth is, or about whether they may be counted as someone who obeys God—they never ponder these things. Can someone who approaches their duty in such a way attain salvation? The answer is no. They have not set foot upon the path to attaining salvation or on the right track of belief in God, nor have they established normal relations with God, and yet still they exert themselves and engage in service-doing in the house of God. This kind of person does service in the house of God, and God looks after and protects them, but He does not plan to save them, nor does He deal with them and prune them, nor judge and chastise them, nor subject them to trials or refinement; He only allows them to gain some measure of blessings in this lifetime, and nothing more. If a time comes when these people know to reflect on these things and understand the sermons they hear, they will realize: “So, this is what believing in God is all about. Well then, I must seek to attain salvation. If I don’t, and instead settle for rendering service, then that will have nothing to do with belief in God.” They then ponder: “What aspects of a corrupt disposition do I possess? What exactly is this thing, this corrupt disposition? No matter what, first I must submit to God!” These things relate to the truth and to changes of disposition, and there is hope for them.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what duty you fulfill, you must always seek to grasp God’s will and understand what His requirements are regarding your duty; only then will you be able to handle matters in a principled way. In performing your duty, you absolutely cannot go by your personal preferences, by just doing whatever you would like to do, whatever you would be happy and comfortable doing, or whatever would make you look good. If you forcibly impose your personal preferences on God or practice them as though they were the truth, observing them as if they were the truth principles, then that is not fulfilling your duty, and performing your duty in this way will not be remembered by God. Some people do not understand the truth, and they do not know what it means to fulfill their duties well. They feel that since they have put their heart and effort into it, forsaken their flesh and suffered, then the fulfilling of their duties should be up to standard—but why, then, is God always dissatisfied? Where have these people gone wrong? Their mistake was to not seek out God’s requirements, and instead act according to their own ideas; they treated their own desires, preferences, and selfish motives as the truth, and they treated them as though they were what God loved, as though they were His standards and requirements. They saw what they believed to be correct, good, and beautiful to be the truth; this is wrong. In fact, even though people might sometimes think something is right and that it accords with the truth, that does not necessarily mean that it accords with God’s will. The more people think something is right, the more cautious they should be and the more they should seek the truth to see whether what they are thinking meets God’s requirements. If it happens to run counter to His requirements and counter to His words, then it is unacceptable even if you think it is right, it is but a human thought, and it will not necessarily accord with the truth no matter how right you think it is. Your determination of right and wrong must be based solely on God’s words, and no matter how right you think something is, unless there is a basis for it in God’s words, you must discard it. What is duty? It is a commission entrusted by God to people. So how should you fulfill your duty? By acting in accordance with God’s requirements and standards, and by basing your behavior on the truth principles rather than on human subjective desires. In this way, your fulfilling of your duties will be up to standard.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whatever sort of talents, gifts, or skills one has, if they simply take action and exert themselves in performing their duty, and, no matter what they do, rely on their imaginings or notions, or on their own instincts as they exert themselves, and never seek the will of God, and there is not any concept or need in their heart that says, “I must put the truth into practice. I am performing my duty”; and their sole impetus is to do their job well and complete their tasks, then are they not someone who lives entirely by their gifts, talents, abilities, and skills? Are there many such people? In faith, they think only of exerting themselves, selling their own labor, and selling their own skills. Particularly when God’s house gives people general work to do, most will take such a point of view in doing it. All they do is exert themselves. Sometimes that means using their mouth to speak a bit; sometimes it means using their hands and physical strength; and sometimes it means using their legs to run about. Why is it said that relying on those things to live is using one’s strength, rather than putting the truth into practice? When someone has accepted a task given to them by God’s house, they think only of how to complete it as soon as possible, so that they can give an account to their leaders and gain their praise. They might lay out a step-by-step plan, and they may appear quite earnest, but they focus only on completing the task so that others may see, or when they are doing it, they set their own standards to judge their performance, based on how they can act such that they might arrive at happiness and contentment, and achieve the level of perfection they strive for. No matter what standards they set for themselves, if they are unconnected to the truth, and they do not seek the truth, or to understand and confirm what God asks of them before taking action, instead acting blindly, in bewilderment, then what they are doing is mere exertion. They are acting according to their own wishes, by dint of their own mind or their gifts, or on strength of their own abilities or skills. What is the consequence of acting this way? The task may have been accomplished, and perhaps no one found fault with it, and you may feel very pleased—but, in the course of doing it, firstly, you did not understand God’s will, and secondly, you did not act with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength—you did not put your whole heart into it. If you had sought the truth principles and sought the will of God, then you would have accomplished nine-tenths of the task, and you would also have been able to enter into the truth reality and to understand correctly that what you were doing was in accord with God’s will. If you acted carelessly and haphazardly, however, though the task was done, you would not know in your heart how well it was done. You would have no benchmark, and you would not know whether it accorded with God’s will or with the truth. Therefore, to describe any performance of duty in such a state, two words will suffice—exerting yourself.

Everyone who believes in God should understand His will. Only those who perform their duties well can satisfy God, and only by completing the tasks with which He entrusts them can one’s performance of their duty be satisfactory. There are standards for the accomplishment of God’s commission. The Lord Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Loving God is one aspect of what He requires of people. In truth, so long as God has given people a commission, and so long as they believe in Him and perform their duty, these are the standards that He requires of them: that they act with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and with all their strength. If you are present but your heart is not—if the memory and thoughts of your mind are present, but your heart is not—and if you accomplish things by means of your own abilities, are you fulfilling God’s commission? So, what is the standard that must be met in order to fulfill God’s commission, and to perform your duty loyally and well? It is to do your duty with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. If you attempt to perform your duty well without a heart of love for God, it will not work. If your love for God grows ever stronger and more genuine, then you will naturally be able to perform your duty with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Excerpted from “Exactly What People Have Been Relying on to Live” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Most people do their duties in this state of mind: “If someone leads, I follow. I will follow them wherever they lead, and do whatever they ask me to do.” Taking on responsibility or concern or paying extra attention, on the other hand, are things they cannot achieve and prices they are unwilling to pay. They have a share in exerting physical effort, but they do not share in the responsibility. This is not truly doing one’s duty. You must learn to put your heart into your duty; if one has a heart, one must be able to use it. If someone never uses their heart, this proves they are heartless, and a heartless person cannot attain the truth! Why can they not attain the truth? They do not know how to come before God; they do not know how to put their heart into perceiving God’s enlightenment and guidance, or how to put their heart into contemplation, or into seeking the truth, or into seeking, understanding and showing consideration for God’s will. Do you have those states in which, no matter what arises and no matter your duty, you are able to be quiet before God often, and use your heart to contemplate God’s words, and put your heart into seeking the truth and contemplating how your duty should be performed? Are there many such times? Putting your heart into your duty and being able to take responsibility require you to suffer and to pay a price—it is not enough simply to talk about it. If you do not put your heart into your duty, instead wanting always to exert physical effort, then your duty will certainly not be done well. You will simply go through the motions and nothing more, and you will not know how well you have done your duty. If you put your heart into it, you will gradually come to understand the truth; if you do not, then you will not. When you put your heart into performing your duty and pursuing the truth, you then become gradually able to understand God’s will, to discover your own corruption and deficiencies, and to master all your various states. If you do not use your heart to examine yourself, and focus only on making external efforts, then you will be unable to discover the different states that arise in your heart and all the reactions you have to different external environments; if you do not use your heart to examine yourself, then it will be hard for you to resolve the issues in your heart. Therefore, you must use your heart and your honesty to praise and worship God. To use your heart and honesty to worship God, you must have a heart that is quiet and sincere; in the deepest recesses of your heart, you must know to seek God’s will and the truth, and you must contemplate how to do your duty well, contemplating which parts of your duty you do not yet understand and how to do your duty better. Only by thinking of these things often in your heart will you be able to gain the truth. If these things are not what you contemplate often in your heart, and your heart is filled instead with things of the mind or external things, occupied with such things that have nothing to do with using your heart and honesty to worship God—nothing whatsoever to do with it—are you then able to gain the truth? Do you have a relationship with God?

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Your attitude toward your duty is, “I’ll see how little I can do, what I can get away with”; you drag your feet, unconcerned with how long a delay you cause. But if you took things seriously, you would get them done in no time at all. There are some things you do not know how to do, so I give you exact instructions. You do not have to think, you just have to listen and get on with it—but even that is beyond you. Where is your loyalty? It is nowhere to be seen! You are all talk and no heart. Even when your heart understands, you do nothing. This is someone who does not love the truth! If you can see it with your eyes and feel it in your heart but still do nothing, then why even have a heart? Your scrap of conscience does not govern your actions, it does not direct your thoughts—so what use is it? It counts for nothing; it is just decoration. Man’s faith is truly pathetic! And what is pathetic about it? Even when he does understand the truth, he does not put it into practice. Even when he thoroughly understands the problem, he does not take responsibility for it; he knows that it is his responsibility, but he does not put his heart into it. If you do not take on the responsibilities that are within your grasp, what is the value of those meager responsibilities that you do undertake? What effect do they have? You are just making a token effort, saying things for the sake of it. You do not put your heart into it, much less all your energy. This is not performing your duty to an acceptable standard, there is no loyalty involved; you are just living by the sweat of your brow, getting by as a follower of God. Is there any significance to faith like this? Such faith is so paltry—what is it worth? When you perform your duty, you must pay a price. You must take it seriously. What does it mean to take it seriously? Taking it seriously does not mean putting in a little effort or suffering some physical torment. What is key is that there is God in your heart, and a burden. In your heart, you must weigh the importance of your duty, and then carry this burden and responsibility in all you do and put your heart into it. You must make yourself worthy of the mission God has given you, as well as everything God has done for you, and His hopes for you. Only doing so is being serious. There is no use in you going through the motions; you may trick people, but you cannot fool God. If there is no real price and no loyalty when you perform your duty, then it is not up to standard. If you do not take your faith in God and performance of your duty seriously; if you always go through the motions and are perfunctory in your actions, like an unbeliever working for their boss; if you just make a token effort, muddling through each day as it comes, ignoring messes when you see them, seeing a spill and not cleaning it up, and indiscriminately dismissing everything that is not to your own benefit—then is this not trouble? How could someone like this be a member of God’s household? Such people are outsiders; they are not of the house of God. In your heart, you are clear about whether you are being true, being serious, when you perform your duty, and God keeps account, too. So, have you ever taken the performance of your duty seriously? Have you ever taken it to heart? Have you treated it as your responsibility, your obligation? Have you taken ownership of it? Have you ever spoken up when you have discovered a problem when performing your duty? If you have never spoken up after discovering a problem, nor even thought to, if you are disinclined to concern yourself with such things, and think the less trouble the better—if that is the principle you take toward them, then you are not performing your duty; you are living by the sweat of your brow, you are doing service. Service-doers do not belong to the house of God. They are employees; after finishing their work they take their money and leave, each goes their own way and becomes a stranger to the other. That is their relationship with the house of God. Members of the house of God are different: They take pains over everything in God’s house, they take responsibility, their eyes see what needs doing in God’s house and they keep those tasks in mind, they remember everything they think and see, they are emburdened, they have a sense of responsibility—these are members of God’s house. Have you reached this point? (No.) Then you still have a long way to go, so you must keep pursuing! If you do not consider yourself a member of God’s house and eliminate yourself, then how does God look upon you? God does not treat you as an outsider; it is you who put yourself beyond His door. So, objectively speaking, what kind of person are you exactly? You are not in His house. Does this have anything to do with what God says or determines? It is you who have placed your end and position outside the house of God—who else is there to blame?

Excerpted from “Performing Duty Well Requires a Conscience, at the Very Least” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

On the surface, some people do not seem to have any serious problems. They do not cause disruptions or disturbances, or do what the wicked do, and they do not walk the path of the antichrists. In performing their duty, they do not have any mistakes or problems of principle come up, yet, without realizing it, they are exposed. Why is this so? People cannot see an issue, but God scrutinizes their innermost hearts, and He sees the problem. As time goes on and they remain unrepentant, they ought to be exposed. What does it mean to remain unrepentant? It means they act always with the wrong attitude, an attitude of carelessness and perfunctoriness, a casual attitude, and they are never conscientious, much less devoted. They may put in a little effort, but they are just going through the motions. They are not giving it their all, and their transgressions are without end. God, from His vantage, has never seen them repent or seen them change their careless and perfunctory attitude—that is, they do not relinquish the evil in their hands and repent to Him. God does not see in them an attitude of repentance, and He does not see a reversal in their attitude. They are persistent in regarding their duty and God’s commission with such an attitude and such a method. Throughout, there is no change in this stubborn, intransigent disposition, and, what is more, they have never felt indebted to God, have never felt that their carelessness and perfunctoriness is a transgression, an evildoing. In their hearts, there is no indebtedness, no guilt, no self-reproach, and much less is there self-accusation. And, as much time passes, God sees that this person is beyond remedy. No matter what God says, and no matter how many sermons they hear or how much of the truth they understand, their heart is not moved and their attitude is not altered or turned around. God says: “There is no hope for this person. Nothing I say touches their heart, and nothing I say turns them around. There is no means of changing them. This person is unfit to perform their duty, and they are unfit to render service in My house.” And why is this so? It is because when they perform their duty and do work, no matter how much forbearance and patience extended to them, it has no effect and cannot make them change. It cannot make them do better, it cannot allow them to embark on the path of truly pursuing the truth. This person is beyond remedy. When God determines that a person is beyond remedy, will He still keep a tight hold on this person? He will not. God will let them go. Some people always beg, “God, go easy on me, don’t make me suffer, don’t discipline me. Give me some freedom! Let me do things a little carelessly and perfunctorily! Let me be a bit dissolute!” They do not want to be restrained. God says, “Since you do not wish to walk the right path, then I shall let you go. I shall give you free rein. Go and do what you want. I shall not save you, for you are beyond remedy.” Do those who are beyond remedy have any sense of conscience? Do they have any sense of indebtedness? Do they have any sense of accusation? Are they able to sense God’s reproach, discipline, smiting, and judgment? They cannot feel it. They are unaware of any of these things; these things are faint in their heart, or even absent. When a person has come to this stage, with God no longer in their heart, can they still achieve salvation? It is hard to say. When one’s faith has come to such a point, they are in trouble. Do you know how you should pursue, how you should practice, and what path you should choose to avoid this consequence and assure that such a state will not arise? What is most important is first to choose the correct path, and then to focus on performing well the duty you should perform at present. This is what is most important. The thing that most directly and perceptibly reflects the bond that links you to God is how you treat the matters God entrusts to you and the tasks He assigns you, and the attitude you have. What is observable most directly is this issue. When you have grasped this crucial point and fulfilled the commission God has given to you, your relationship with God will be normal. If, when God entrusts a task to you, or tells you to perform a certain duty, your attitude is cursory and apathetic, and you do not see it as a priority, is this not precisely the opposite of giving all your heart and strength? So, your attitude when performing your duty is of crucial importance, as are the method and path you choose. What is the result of performing your duty carelessly and perfunctorily, and treating it lightly? It is the poor performance of your duty, though you are capable of performing it well—your performance will not be up to standard, and God will not be satisfied with your attitude toward your duty. If, originally, you had sought and cooperated normally; if you had devoted all your thoughts to it; if you had put your heart and soul into doing it, and put all your effort into it, and had devoted a period of your labor, your striving, and your thoughts to it, or had devoted some time to referencing materials, and committed the whole of your mind and body to it; had you been capable of such cooperation, then God would be up ahead, guiding you. You do not need to exert much strength; when you spare no effort in cooperating, God will have already arranged everything for you. If you are wily and treacherous, and, halfway through the job, you have a change of heart and go astray, then God will show no interest in you; you will have lost this opportunity, and God will say, “You are not good enough; you are useless. Go stand off to the side. You like being lazy, no? You like being deceitful and cunning, do you not? You like resting? Well then, take a rest.” God will give this grace and opportunity to the next person. What do you say: Is this a loss or a win? It is an enormous loss!

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

For some people, no matter what issue they might encounter when performing their duties, they do not seek the truth, and they always act according to their own thoughts, notions, imaginings, and desires. They are constantly satisfying their own selfish desires, and their corrupt dispositions are always in control over their actions. Though they may complete the duties to which they have been assigned, they do not gain any truth. So, what are such people relying on when performing their duties? They are relying neither on the truth nor on God. That bit of truth that they do understand has not taken up sovereignty in their hearts; they are relying on their own gifts and abilities, on whatever knowledge that they have acquired, and on their talents, as well as on their own willpower or good intentions, to complete these duties. Is this doing their duty well? Is this doing their duty satisfactorily? Though you may sometimes rely on your naturalness, imagination, notions, knowledge, and learning to fulfill your duty, no issues of principle emerge in some of the things you do. On the surface, it looks as though you have not taken the wrong path, but there is one thing that cannot be overlooked: During the process of performing your duty, if your notions, imaginings, and personal desires never change and are never replaced with the truth, and if your actions and deeds are never done in accordance with the truth principle, then what will the final outcome be? You will become a service-doer. This is precisely what was written in the Bible: “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out devils, and in Your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity” (Mat 7:22–23). Why does God call these people who exert effort and who render service, “you that work iniquity”? There is one point we can be sure on, and that is that no matter what duties or work these people do, their motivations, impetus, intentions, and thoughts arise entirely from their selfish desires, are totally based on their own ideas and personal interests, and their considerations and plans completely revolve around their reputation, status, vanity, and future prospects. Deep down, they possess no truth, nor do they act in accordance with the truth principle. Thus, what is crucial for you to seek now? (We should seek the truth, and perform our duties in accordance with God’s will and requirements.) What specifically should you do when performing your duties in accordance with God’s requirements? With regard to your intentions and ideas when doing something, you must learn how to discern whether or not they accord with the truth, as well as whether your intentions and ideas are geared toward fulfilling your own selfish desires or the interests of God’s house. If your intentions and ideas accord with the truth, then you can do your duty in line with your thinking; however, if they do not accord with the truth, then you must quickly turn around and abandon that path. That path is not right, and you cannot practice that way; if you continue to walk that path, then you will end up committing evil.

Excerpted from “How to Experience God’s Words in One’s Duties” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Peter was made perfect through experiencing dealing and refinement. He said, “I must satisfy God’s desire at all times. In all that I do I only seek to satisfy God’s desire, and whether I am chastised, or judged, still I am happy to do so.” Peter gave his all to God, and his work, words, and entire life were all for the sake of loving God. He was someone who sought holiness, and the more he experienced, the greater was his love for God deep within his heart. Paul, meanwhile, did only outward work, and though he also worked hard, his labors were for the sake of doing his work properly and thus gaining a reward. Had he known that he would receive no reward, he would have given up his work. What Peter cared about was the true love within his heart, and that which was practical and could be achieved. He did not care about whether he would receive a reward, but about whether his disposition could be changed. Paul cared about working ever harder, he cared about outward work and devotion, and about the doctrines not experienced by normal people. He cared nothing for changes deep within him nor for the true love for God. The experiences of Peter were in order to achieve true love and true knowledge of God. His experiences were in order to gain a closer relationship to God, and to have a practical living out. The work of Paul was done because of that entrusted to him by Jesus, and in order to obtain the things that he longed for, yet these were unrelated to his knowledge of himself and God. His work was solely for the sake of escaping chastisement and judgment. What Peter sought was pure love, and what Paul sought was the crown of righteousness. Peter experienced many years of the work of the Holy Spirit, and had a practical knowledge of Christ, as well as a profound knowledge of himself. And so, his love of God was pure. Many years of refinement had elevated his knowledge of Jesus and life, and his love was an unconditional love, it was a spontaneous love, and he asked for nothing in return, nor did he hope for any benefits. Paul worked for many years, yet he did not possess a great knowledge of Christ, and his knowledge of himself was also pitiably small. He simply had no love for Christ, and his work and the course that he ran were in order to obtain the final laurel. What he sought was the finest crown, not the purest love. He did not seek actively, but passively; he was not performing his duty, but was compelled in his pursuit after having been seized by the work of the Holy Spirit. And so, his pursuit does not prove that he was a qualified creature of God; it was Peter who was a qualified creature of God who performed his duty. Man thinks that all those who make a contribution to God should receive a reward, and that the greater the contribution, the more it is taken for granted that they should receive God’s favor. The essence of man’s viewpoint is transactional, and he does not actively seek to perform his duty as a creature of God. For God, the more that people seek a true love for God and complete obedience to God, which also means seeking to perform their duty as a creature of God, the more they are able to gain God’s approval. God’s viewpoint is to demand that man recover his original duty and status. Man is a creature of God, and so man should not overstep himself by making any demands of God, and should do nothing more than perform his duty as a creature of God. The destinations of Paul and Peter were measured according to whether they could perform their duty as creatures of God, and not according to the size of their contribution; their destinations were determined according to that which they sought from the beginning, not according to how much work they did, or other people’s estimation of them. And so, seeking to actively perform one’s duty as a creature of God is the path to success; seeking the path of the true love for God is the most correct path; seeking changes in one’s old disposition, and seeking the pure love for God, is the path to success. Such a path to success is the path of the recovery of the original duty as well as the original appearance of a creature of God. It is the path of recovery, and it is also the aim of all of God’s work from beginning to end. If the pursuit of man is tainted with personal extravagant demands and irrational longings, then the effect that is achieved will not be changes in man’s disposition. This is at odds with the work of recovery. It is undoubtedly not work done by the Holy Spirit, and so this proves that pursuit of this kind is not approved of by God. What significance has a pursuit that is not approved of by God?

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the future, the people who will survive in a state of rest will all have endured the day of tribulation and will also have borne witness for God; they will all be people who have fulfilled their duties and who have deliberately submitted to God. Those who merely wish to use the opportunity to do service with the intention of avoiding practicing the truth will not be allowed to remain. God has appropriate standards for the arrangement of the outcome of every individual; He does not simply make these decisions according to one’s words and conduct, nor does He make them based on how one acts during a single period of time. He will absolutely not be lenient with regard to one’s wicked conduct due to their past service for Him, nor will He spare one from death because of any one-time expense for God. No one can evade retribution for their wickedness, and no one can cover up their evil behavior and thereby evade the torments of destruction. If people can truly fulfill their own duty, it means that they are eternally faithful to God and not seeking rewards, regardless of whether they receive blessings or suffer misfortune. If people are faithful to God when they see blessings, but lose their faithfulness when they cannot see any blessings, and if, in the end, they are still unable to bear witness for God or fulfill the duties incumbent upon them, then they will still be objects of destruction despite their having once previously rendered faithful service to God. In short, wicked people cannot survive through eternity, nor can they enter into rest; only the righteous are the masters of rest. Once humanity is on the right track, people will have normal human lives. They will all do their own respective duties and be absolutely faithful to God. They will utterly shed their disobedience and their corrupt dispositions, and they will live for God and because of God, devoid of both disobedience and resistance. They will all be able to completely submit to God. This will be the life of God and humanity; it will be the life of the kingdom, and it will be a life of rest.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

107. The Principles of Distinguishing Between Practicing the Truth and Good Behavior

(1) Determine whether a practice is based in God’s words or done according to the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit, or whether it is an action that relies on man’s feelings, preferences, notions, or imaginings, or on his experience;

(2) Determine whether one is acting based on the truths they understand, in accordance with the principles, or whether they are adhering to rules, going through the motions, focusing on externalities, and living amid notions and imaginings;

(3) Determine whether one truly comes to submit to God in their practice of the truth, or whether they make a great fuss over tiny trivialities and give others a false impression, thereby deceiving them and attempting to trick God;

(4) When one performs their duty, determine whether they expend themselves for God with a true heart, coming to bear witness for Him, or whether their work is careless and perfunctory, going through the motions, and whether they are merely engaging in disguise and trickery with an aim to strike a bargain with God.

Relevant Words of God:

How many religious practices do you observe? How many times have you rebelled against the word of God and gone your own way? How many times have you put God’s word into practice because you are truly considerate of His burdens and seek to satisfy His will? You should understand the word of God and put it into practice accordingly. Be principled in all your actions and deeds, though this does not mean abiding by rules or doing something grudgingly just for show; rather, it means practicing the truth and living by the word of God. Only practice such as this satisfies God. Any course of action that pleases God is not a rule, but the practice of truth. Some people have a penchant for drawing attention to themselves. In the presence of their brothers and sisters, they might say they are indebted to God, but behind their backs, they do not practice the truth and act entirely differently. Are these not religious Pharisees? A person who truly loves God and possesses the truth is one who is loyal to God but does not outwardly show off as such. Such a person is willing to practice the truth when situations arise, and does not speak or act in a way that goes against their conscience. This sort of person demonstrates wisdom when matters arise, and is principled in his or her deeds regardless of the circumstances. This kind of person can provide true service. There are some who often pay lip service to their indebtedness to God; they spend their days with brows locked in worry, putting on an affected air and pretending to be pitiable. How despicable! If you were to ask them, “Can you tell me about how you are indebted to God?” then they would be rendered speechless. If you are loyal to God, then do not talk outwardly about it; instead, demonstrate your love for God by way of actual practice, and pray to Him with a true heart. Those who just deal with God verbally and perfunctorily are all hypocrites! Some speak of indebtedness to God each time they pray, and begin to weep each time they pray, even without being moved by the Holy Spirit. People such as this are possessed by religious rituals and notions; they live by such rituals and notions, always believing that those actions please God and that He favors superficial godliness or sorrowful tears. What good can come of such absurd people? In order to demonstrate humility, some feign graciousness when speaking in the presence of others. Some are deliberately servile when in the presence of other people, acting like lambs without an ounce of strength. Is this a manner befitting people of the kingdom? People of the kingdom should be lively and free, innocent and open, honest and lovable, and be living in a state of freedom. They should have integrity and dignity and be able to stand witness wherever they go; such people are beloved by both God and man. Those who are novices in the faith have too many outward practices; they must first undergo a period of being dealt with and broken. People who have faith in God deep down are not outwardly distinguishable from others, but their actions and deeds are commendable. Only such people can be deemed to be living out the word of God. If you preach the gospel every day to various people in an effort to bring them to salvation, yet in the end are still living by rules and doctrines, then you cannot bring glory to God. Such people are religious figures, as well as hypocrites.

Excerpted from “In Faith, One Must Focus on Reality—Engaging in Religious Ritual Is Not Faith” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Most people place special emphasis on behavior in their belief in God, as a result of which certain changes occur in their behavior. After they have begun to believe in God, they stop contending with others, insulting and fighting with people, smoking and drinking, and stealing any public property—whether it be but a nail or a plank of wood—and they even go so far as to not take it to the courts whenever they suffer losses or are wronged. Without doubt, they do indeed undergo some behavioral changes. Because, once they believe in God, accepting the true way makes people feel especially good, and because they have also now tasted the grace of the work of the Holy Spirit, they are particularly fervent, and there is even nothing that they cannot forsake or suffer. Nevertheless, after having believed for three, five, ten, or thirty years, because there has been no change in their life dispositions, they end up sliding back into old ways; their arrogance and haughtiness grow more pronounced, they begin to compete for power and profit, they covet the church’s money, they do anything that serves their own interests, they crave status and pleasures, and they have become parasites of God’s house. In particular, most of those who serve as leaders are abandoned by people. And what do these facts prove? Mere behavioral changes are unsustainable; if there is no alteration in people’s life dispositions, then sooner or later, their vicious sides will show themselves. Because the source of the changes in their behavior is fervor, coupled with some work by the Holy Spirit at the time, it is extremely easy for them to become fervent or to exhibit temporary kindness. As the unbelievers say, “Doing one good deed is easy; what’s hard is doing a lifetime of good deeds.” People are incapable of doing good deeds throughout their entire lives. One’s behavior is directed by the life; whatever one’s life is, so is one’s behavior, and only that which is revealed naturally represents the life, as well as one’s nature. Things that are fake cannot last. When God works to save man, it is not to adorn man with good behavior—the purpose of God’s work is to transform people’s dispositions, to make them reborn into new people. Thus, God’s judgment, chastisement, trials, and refinement of man all serve to change his disposition so that he may achieve absolute submission and devotion to God, and come to worship Him normally. This is the aim of God’s work. Behaving well is not the same as submitting to God, much less does it equal being compatible with Christ. Changes in behavior are based on doctrine and born of fervor; they are not based upon true knowledge of God or upon the truth, much less do they rest upon guidance from the Holy Spirit. Even though there are times when some of what people do is directed by the Holy Spirit, this is not an expression of the life, much less is it the same as knowing God; no matter how good a person’s behavior is, it does not prove that they have submitted to God or that they put the truth into practice. Behavioral changes are but a momentary illusion; they are but manifestations of zealousness. They cannot be counted as expressions of the life.

Excerpted from “The Difference Between External Changes and Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Though a person may have done a great number of good works since coming to faith in God, many matters may yet be opaque to them, and less still may they have come to an understanding of the truth—yet, because of their many good works, they feel they have already come to live in God’s words, and have submitted to Him, and have quite satisfied His will. This is because when no adverse circumstances arise, you do whatever you are told; you have no qualms about performing any duty, and you do not resist. When you are told to spread the gospel, it is a hardship you can bear, and you offer no complaint, and when you are told to run here and there, or to do manual labor, you do so. Because of these displays, you feel you are one who submits to God and a true pursuer of the truth. Yet were one to question you more deeply and ask, “Are you an honest person? Are you a person who genuinely submits to God? A person with a changed disposition?” then, thus questioned, thus held up against the truth for scrutiny, you—and, it may be said, anyone at all—would be found wanting, and neither is any person able truly to practice according to the truth. Therefore, when the root of all man’s acts and deeds, as well as the essence and nature of his actions, are held up against the truth, all are condemned. What is the reason for this? It is that man does not know himself; he always believes in God in his own way, performs his duty in his own way, and serves God in his own way. What is more, he feels he is full of faith and reason, and, in the end, he feels he has gained much. Without his knowing it, he comes to feel he is already acting in line with God’s will and has satisfied it completely, and that he has already met God’s requirements and is following His will. If this is how you feel, or if, in your several years of belief in God, you feel you have reaped some gains, then all the more should you come back before God to reflect on yourself. You should look at the path you have walked over your years of faith and see whether all your actions and behavior before God have been entirely after His heart, what you do that resists God, what you do that is able to satisfy God, and whether what you do meets God’s requirements and can be entirely in accord with His will—you should be clear on all these things.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are people who believe themselves to be extremely kind-hearted. They never hate or harm others, and they always lend a hand to a brother or sister whose family is in need, lest their problem go unsolved; they have great goodwill, and do everything in their power to help everyone they can. What is the result of such helpfulness? They put their own lives on hold, yet are quite pleased with themselves, and extremely satisfied with all they have done. What is more, they take great pride in it, believing all they have done is surely enough to satisfy God’s will, and that they are true believers in God. They see their natural kindness as something to be capitalized on, and, as soon as they regard it as such, they come inevitably to see it as the truth. In reality, all they do is human good. They have not sought the truth in the least, and all their acts are in vain, for they do them in front of man, and not before God, and less still do they practice according to God’s requirements and the truth. None of the things they do is the practice of the truth, and none is the practice of God’s words, much less are they following His will; rather, they use human kindness and good behavior to help others. In summary, they do not seek God’s will in what they do, nor do they act in accordance with His requirements. Therefore, from God’s vantage, the good behavior of man is condemned, and does not merit His remembrance.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What do the superficial good deeds of humans represent? They represent the flesh, and even the best of outward practices do not represent life; they can only show your own individual temperament. The outward practices of humanity cannot fulfill the desire of God. You constantly speak of your indebtedness to God, yet you cannot supply the life of others or inspire them to love God. Do you believe that those actions of yours will satisfy God? You feel that your actions are in line with God’s will, and that they are of the spirit, but in truth, they are all absurd! You believe that what pleases you and what you are willing to do are precisely those things in which God delights. Can your likes represent God? Can a person’s character represent God? What pleases you is precisely that which God abhors, and your habits are those which God loathes and rejects. If you feel indebted, then go and pray before God; there is no need to speak of it to others. If you do not pray before God, and instead constantly draw attention to yourself in the presence of others, can this satisfy God’s will? If your actions always exist in appearance alone, then this means that you are vain in the extreme. What manner of humans are those who only carry out superficial good deeds and are devoid of reality? Such people are just hypocritical Pharisees and religious figures! If you do not shed your outward practices and are unable to make changes, then the elements of hypocrisy in you will grow even more. The greater your elements of hypocrisy, the more resistance there is toward God. In the end, such people will surely be eliminated!

Excerpted from “In Faith, One Must Focus on Reality—Engaging in Religious Ritual Is Not Faith” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people are able to bear hardships, can pay the price, are outwardly very well-behaved, are quite well-respected, and enjoy the admiration of others. Would you say that this kind of outward behavior can be regarded as putting the truth into practice? Could one determine that such people are satisfying God’s will? Why is it that time and time again people see such individuals and think that they are satisfying God, walking the path of putting the truth into practice, and keeping to God’s way? Why do some people think this way? There is only one explanation for it. What explanation is that? It is that for a great many people, certain questions—such as what it means to put the truth into practice, what it means to satisfy God, and what it means to genuinely possess truth reality—are not very clear. Thus, there are some people who are often deceived by those who outwardly seem spiritual, noble, lofty, and great. As for people who can speak eloquently of letters and doctrines, and whose speech and actions seem worthy of admiration, those who are deceived by them have never looked at the essence of their actions, the principles behind their deeds, or what their goals are. Moreover, they have never looked at whether these people truly submit to God, nor have they ever determined whether or not these people genuinely fear God and shun evil. They have never discerned the essence of the humanity of these people. Rather, beginning with the first step of getting acquainted with them, they have, little by little, come to admire and venerate these people, and in the end, these people become their idols. Furthermore, in some people’s minds, the idols whom they worship—and who they believe can abandon their families and jobs, and who seem superficially able to pay the price—are the ones who are truly satisfying God and who can really attain good outcomes and good destinations. In their minds, these idols are the ones whom God praises. What causes them to believe such a thing? What is the essence of this issue? What are the consequences it can lead to? Let us first discuss the matter of its essence.

Essentially, these issues regarding people’s viewpoints, their methods of practice, which principles of practice they choose to adopt, and what they each tend to focus on have nothing to do with God’s demands of humankind. Whether people focus on shallow matters or profound issues, or on letters and doctrines or reality, they do not adhere to that which they should adhere to most, nor do they know that which they most should know. The reason for this is that people do not like the truth at all; as such, they are not willing to put time and effort into seeking out and putting into practice the principles of practice found in God’s utterances. Instead, they prefer to use shortcuts, summing up what they understand and know to be good practice and good behavior; this summary then becomes their own goal to pursue, which they take as truth to be practiced. The direct consequence of this is that people use human good behavior as a substitute for putting the truth into practice, which also satisfies their desire to curry favor with God. This gives them capital with which to contend with the truth, which they also use to reason and compete with God. At the same time, people also unscrupulously put God aside, placing the idols they admire in His stead. There is only one root cause which makes people have such ignorant actions and viewpoints, or one-sided opinions and practices—and today I will tell you about it: The reason is that, although people may follow God, pray to Him every day, and read His utterances every day, they do not actually understand His will. Herein lies the root of the problem. If someone understood God’s heart and knew what He likes, what He loathes, what He wants, what He rejects, what kind of person He loves, what kind of person He dislikes, what kind of standard He uses when making demands of people, and what kind of approach He takes for perfecting them, then could that person still have their own personal opinions? Could people like this simply go and worship someone else? Could an ordinary human become their idol? People who understand God’s will possess a slightly more rational viewpoint than that. They are not going to arbitrarily idolize a corrupted person, nor will they, while walking the path of putting the truth into practice, believe that blindly adhering to a few simple rules or principles is tantamount to putting the truth into practice.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people say, “I feel that I am now able to put some truths into practice; it’s not that I absolutely cannot practice any truths. In some environments, I can do things in accordance with the truth, which means I count as a person who puts the truth into practice and as one who has the truth.” Actually, compared to before or when you first started believing in God, in this sort of situation you have exhibited a little change. In the past, you did not understand anything, nor did you know what the truth was or what a corrupt disposition was. Now you have come to know some things, and are capable of having some good ways of practicing, but this is only a small portion of your change; it is not a genuine transformation of your disposition, because you are unable to put advanced and deep truths that involve your nature into practice. In contrast to your past, you have indeed changed somewhat, but this transformation is only a small change in your humanity; when compared with the highest state of truth, you are way off the mark. That is, you have not hit the mark when putting the truth into practice.

Sometimes this is the sort of state people are in: Internally, they are not negative, and they still have some enthusiasm, but when it comes to their knowledge of the truth and putting it into practice, they feel they have no path forward and that they have no interest in this aspect. How can this be? Sometimes you do not see this state very clearly and are forced to act outwardly, doing this and that, yet your actual difficulties remain unresolved. You are also thinking, “I have done it and have completely devoted myself; why do I still not feel assured?” This is because your conduct and actions are based on your good intentions; they are done with subjective diligence. However, you have not sought God’s will, and you have not done things in accordance with the requirements of truth. You are off the mark by quite a ways, which results in your always feeling distant from God’s requirements. You no longer feel assured, and you unconsciously become negative. Personal subjective desires and subjective diligence are very different from the truth’s requirements; they are at variance with regard to their nature. People’s outward actions cannot replace truth, and such actions are not done in complete accordance with God’s intentions; rather, the truth is the true expression of God’s will. Some people who spread the gospel are thinking, “I’m not idle. How can You say I am not putting the truth into practice?” Well, I ask you this: How much truth is in your heart? In the time you have been spreading the gospel, how many things have you done in accordance with the truth? Do you understand God’s will? You cannot even say whether you are simply doing things or are putting truth into practice, because you only emphasize using your practice to satisfy God and make Him happy. You absolutely do not reciprocate His love with the conviction of “seeking God’s will in all things to satisfy God and be in line with the truth.” If you say you are putting the truth into practice, then how much has your disposition changed in the meantime? How much has your love for God increased? Measuring yourself against these things can determine whether or not you are putting the truth into practice.

Excerpted from “Understanding One’s Nature and Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Exactly what are the criteria for putting the truth into practice? How is whether you are putting the truth into practice measured and defined? How does God determine whether you are someone who accepts His words upon hearing them? He looks at whether, during the time that you have believed in Him and listened to sermons, there has been any change in your internal state, in your disobedience toward Him, and in the essence of the various aspects of your corrupt disposition. He looks at whether you have replaced these with the truth, and at whether you have changed in your external behavior and actions or in the essence of your corrupt disposition deep within your heart. God measures you according to these things. Having listened to sermons and eaten and drunk of God’s words for all these years, are your changes just superficial, or essential? Have there been changes in your disposition? Have there been changes in your misconceptions about God, your disobedience toward God, and in how you approach the commissions and duties that God entrusts to you? Has there been a reduction in your disobedience against God? When something happens and you are revealed to be disobedient, are you able to reflect upon yourself? Are you capable of obedience? Have you become more loyal to the commissions and duties that God entrusts to you, and is this loyalty pure? During the time that you have been listening to sermons, have your motives, ambitions, desires, and intentions been cleansed? Are these not criteria for measurement? Then there are also your misconceptions about God: Do you still cling to your original notions, vague and abstract imaginings, and conclusions? Do you still have complaints and other negative emotions? Have there been changes in terms of these things? If there has not been any change in these aspects, then what kind of person are you? This proves one fact: You are not someone who practices the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Practicing God’s Words Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Transformation in disposition does not happen overnight, and once you understand the truth you cannot necessarily put it into practice within every environment. This involves man’s nature. Sometimes it might seem as though you are putting the truth into practice, but in reality, the nature of your actions does not show that you are doing so. Many people have certain outward behaviors, such as being able to cast aside their families and careers and fulfill their duties, and therefore they believe they are practicing the truth. However, God does not recognize that they are practicing the truth. If everything you do has a personal motive behind it and is adulterated, then you are not practicing the truth; you are simply exhibiting superficial conduct. Strictly speaking, your conduct will probably be condemned by God; it will not be praised or remembered by Him. Dissecting this further, you are doing evil and your conduct is in opposition to God. From the outside, you are not interrupting or disturbing anything and you have not done real damage or violated any truth. It appears to be logical and reasonable, yet the essence of your actions pertains to doing evil and resisting God. Therefore, you should determine whether there has been a change in your disposition and whether you are putting the truth into practice by looking at the motives behind your actions in light of God’s words. It does not depend on a human view of whether your actions conform to the human imagination and human intentions, or whether they are suited to your taste; such things are not important. Rather, it depends on God saying whether or not you are conforming to His will, whether or not your actions possess truth reality, and whether or not they meet His requirements and standards. Only measuring yourself against God’s requirements is accurate. Transformation in disposition and putting the truth into practice are not as simple and easy as people imagine. Do you understand this now? Do you have any experience with this? When it comes to a problem’s essence, you might not understand it; your entry has been overly superficial. You run about all day long, from dawn until dusk, rising early and going to bed late, yet you have not achieved transformation in your life disposition, and you cannot grasp what such a transformation involves. This means your entry is too shallow, does it not? Regardless of how long you have believed in God, you might not sense the essence and deep things to do with achieving transformation in disposition. Can it be said that your disposition has changed? How do you know whether God praises you or not? At the very least, you will feel exceptionally steadfast regarding everything that you do, and you will feel the Holy Spirit guiding and enlightening you and working in you while you are fulfilling your duties, doing any work in God’s house, or ordinarily. Your conduct will fit hand-in-hand with God’s words, and once you have gained a certain degree of experience, you will feel that how you acted in the past was relatively suitable. If, however, after gaining experience for a period of time, you feel that some of the things you did in the past were not suitable, and you are dissatisfied with them, and feel that indeed there was no truth in the things you did, then this proves that everything you did was done in resistance to God. It is evidence that your service was full of rebelliousness, resistance, and human ways of acting.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If people have some knowledge of God, know how to live a meaningful life, and can do some things that satisfy God, then they will feel that this is real life, that only by living in this way will their lives have meaning, and that they have to live this way in order to bring a little satisfaction to God and feel gratified. If they can consciously satisfy God, put the truth into practice, forsake themselves, abandon their own ideas, and be obedient and considerate toward God’s will—if they are able to do all these things consciously—then this is what it means to accurately put the truth into practice, and to genuinely put the truth into practice, and this is very unlike their previous reliance on their imaginations and their sticking to doctrines and rules. In actual fact, it is exhausting to do anything when they do not understand the truth, exhausting to adhere to doctrines and rules, and exhausting to have no goals and to be doing things blindly. Only with the truth can they be free—this is no lie—and with it, they can do things easily and happily. Those who possess this sort of state are people who possess the truth; they are the ones whose dispositions have been transformed.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Achieve a Change in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

108. The Principles of Distinguishing Between Normal Humanity and a Corrupt Disposition

(1) Determine whether one is conscientious and sensible in word and deed; whether they are principled in their interactions with others; whether they are capable of tolerance and patience, treating others fairly;

(2) Determine whether one loves positive things, as well as the truth; whether they seek the truth when a matter arises; whether they yearn for the light and walk the right path in life;

(3) Determine whether, when faced with judgment and chastisement or being pruned and dealt with, one can accept them from God; whether they can accept and submit to the truth and come to know themselves through self-reflection;

(4) Determine whether one, in doing their duty, speaks the truth and acts practically, as an honest person, or whether they are careless and perfunctory, scheming and fraudulent, in an attempt to trick God.

Relevant Words of God:

The source of man’s opposition and rebelliousness against God is his corruption by Satan. Because of Satan’s corruption, man’s conscience has grown numb; he is immoral, his thoughts are degenerate, and he has a backward mental outlook. Before he was corrupted by Satan, man naturally followed God and obeyed His words after hearing them. He was naturally of sound sense and conscience, and of normal humanity. After being corrupted by Satan, man’s original sense, conscience, and humanity grew dull and were impaired by Satan. Thus, he has lost his obedience and love toward God. Man’s sense has become aberrant, his disposition has become the same as that of an animal, and his rebelliousness toward God is ever more frequent and grievous. Yet man still neither knows nor recognizes this, and merely opposes and rebels blindly. Man’s disposition is revealed in expressions of his sense, insight, and conscience; because his sense and insight are unsound, and his conscience has grown supremely dull, thus his disposition is rebellious against God. If man’s sense and insight cannot change, then changes in his disposition are out of the question, as is conforming to God’s will. If man’s sense is unsound, then he cannot serve God and is unfit for use by God. “Normal sense” refers to obeying and being faithful to God, to yearning for God, to being absolute toward God, and to having a conscience toward God. It refers to being of one heart and mind toward God, and not deliberately opposing God. Having an aberrant sense is not like this. Since man was corrupted by Satan, he has come up with notions about God, and he has had no loyalty to God or yearning for Him, to say nothing of a conscience toward God. Man deliberately opposes God and passes judgments on Him, and, furthermore, hurls invective at Him behind His back. Man passes judgment on God behind His back, with clear knowledge that He is God; man has no intention of obeying God, and merely makes blind demands and requests of Him. Such people—people who have aberrant sense—are incapable of knowing their own despicable behavior or of regretting their rebelliousness. If people are capable of knowing themselves, then they have regained a little of their sense; the more rebellious against God people who cannot yet know themselves are, the less are they sound of sense.

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When a person has a good humanity, a true heart, conscience, and reason, these are not empty or vague things that cannot be seen or touched, but rather they are things that can be discovered anywhere in daily life; they are all things of reality. Say a person is great and perfect: You cannot see, touch, or even imagine what it is to be perfect or great. But if you say someone is selfish, can you see that person’s acts—and does he correspond to the description? If someone is said to be honest with a true heart, can you see this behavior? If someone is said to be deceitful, crooked, and base, can you see those things? Even if you close your eyes, you can sense whether the person’s humanity is inferior or superior through what he says and how he acts. Is that not so? Therefore, “good or bad humanity” is not an empty phrase. Descriptions such as selfish and base, crooked and deceitful, or arrogant and self-righteous are all things that you can grasp in life when you come into contact with a person; these are the negative elements of humanity. Thus, can the positive elements of humanity that people should possess—such as honesty and a love of the truth—be perceived in everyday life? Can you then see and distinguish whether a person possesses the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, whether he can obtain God’s guidance, and whether or not the Holy Spirit works within him? How can these be discerned? You can prove the quality of a person’s humanity by what he lives out and the essence of his actions. When you come into contact with a person, what do you look at first? How can you distinguish whether he is a lover of the truth, whether he can accept it, and whether he can obtain it? Look first at the quality of his humanity. If a person’s mouth is full of sweet-sounding words, but he does nothing real—when it comes time to do something real, he only thinks of himself and never of others—then what kind of humanity is this? (Selfishness and baseness. He has no humanity.) Is it easy for a person without humanity to gain the truth? It is difficult for him. As soon as he encounters a period of suffering or has to pay some price, he thinks, “You guys go ahead first with all this suffering and paying the price, and after the results have pretty much been achieved, I’ll come join you.” What sort of humanity is this? Such behaviors are known collectively as “not possessing humanity.” Everyone has a corrupt disposition, but upon encountering an issue, some people’s consciences come into play and they feel self-reproach, so they do not behave that way. Even though they do not consciously say, “I am pursuing the truth and must be a good person,” they start by having a working conscience, thinking to themselves, “I can’t behave that way; I must be worthy of God’s grace and selection.” So, then, is such a person putting the truth into practice when his conscience works like this? Even though he may not be putting the truth into practice, he is still on the path of putting the truth into practice, and it is then easy for him to gain the truth. This is the most basic foundation of a person’s obtaining the truth. When encountering a problem, some people press forward, whereas others shrink back from it. When encountering danger, some just want to run and hide, whereas others rush to protect others. When facing an event, some people endure and yield, whereas others contend and compete. This is how you can see the quality of a person’s humanity. Are there not differences in humanity?

Many people have made firm resolutions and sworn oaths before God, handing their entire lives over to Him and expending for Him, while seeking nothing in return. However, people with bad humanity are always contending and struggling, never yielding or forbearing, and never acting according to conscience. Is it easy for someone like this to gain the truth? Is it easy for him to be perfected by God? (No.) For what type of person is it easy to be made perfect by God and to obtain truth? (People with good humanity.) There must be a standard for having good humanity. It does not involve taking the path of moderation, not sticking to principles, endeavoring not to offend anyone, currying favor everywhere you go, being smooth and slick with everyone you meet, and making everyone feel good. This is not the standard. So what is the standard? It includes treating God, other people, and events with a true heart, being able to take responsibility, and doing all this in a way that is evident for everyone to see and feel. Moreover, God searches people’s hearts and knows them, each and every one. Some people always boast that they possess good humanity, claiming never to have done anything bad, stolen others’ possessions, or coveted other people’s things. They even go so far as to allow others to benefit at their own expense when there is a dispute over interests, preferring to suffer loss, and they never say anything bad about anyone just so that everyone else thinks they are good people. However, when performing their duties in God’s house, they are wily and slippery, always scheming for themselves. Never do they think of the interests of God’s house, never do they treat as urgent the things God treats as urgent or think as God thinks, and never can they set aside their own interests so as to perform their duties. They never forsake their own interests. Even when they see evildoers committing evil, they do not expose them; they have no principles whatsoever. This is not an example of good humanity. Pay no attention to what such a person says; you must see what he lives out, what he reveals, and what his attitude is when he performs his duties, as well as what his internal state is and what he loves. If his love of his own fame and fortune exceeds his loyalty to God, if his love of his own fame and fortune exceeds God’s interests, or if his love of his own fame and fortune exceeds the consideration he shows for God, then he is not a person with humanity. His behavior can be seen by others and by God; therefore, it is very difficult for such a person to gain the truth.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The revelation of man’s corrupt disposition has its source in nothing more than man’s dulled conscience, his malicious nature, and his unsound sense; if man’s conscience and sense are able to become normal again, then he will become someone fit for use before God. It is simply because man’s conscience has always been numb, and because man’s sense, which has never been sound, is growing ever duller that man is increasingly rebellious toward God, such that he even nailed Jesus to the cross and refuses God’s incarnation in the last days entry into his home, and condemns God’s flesh, and sees God’s flesh as lowly. If man had but a little humanity, he would not be so cruel in his treatment of God’s incarnate flesh; if he had but a little sense, he would not be so vicious in his treatment of the flesh of God incarnate; if he had but a little conscience, he would not “give thanks” to God incarnate in this way. Man lives in the era of God become flesh, yet he is incapable of thanking God for giving him such a good opportunity, and instead curses the coming of God, or completely ignores the fact of God’s incarnation, and is seemingly against it and weary of it. Regardless of how man treats the coming of God, God, in short, has always carried on patiently with His work—even though man has not been the slightest bit welcoming toward Him, and blindly makes requests of Him. Man’s disposition has become supremely vicious, his sense has grown supremely dull, and his conscience has been completely trampled by the evil one and long ago ceased to be the original conscience of man. Man is not only ungrateful to God incarnate for bestowing so much life and grace upon mankind, but has even become resentful toward God for giving him the truth; it is because man has not the slightest interest in the truth that he has grown resentful toward God. Not only is man unable to lay down his life for God incarnate, but he also tries to extract favors from Him, and claims an interest that is dozens of times greater than what man has given to God. People of such conscience and sense think this is no great matter, and still believe that they have expended so much of themselves for God, and that God has given them too little. There are people who, having given Me a bowl of water, hold out their hands and demand I pay them for two bowls of milk, or, having given Me a room for one night, demand I pay rent for several. With such a humanity and such a conscience, how could you still wish to gain life? What contemptible wretches you are! This sort of humanity in man and this sort of conscience in man are what cause God incarnate to wander across the land, with no place to find shelter. Those who are truly possessed of conscience and humanity should worship and wholeheartedly serve God incarnate not because of how much work He has done, but even if He were to do no work at all. This is what should be done by those who are of sound sense, and it is the duty of man. Most people even speak of conditions in their service to God: They do not care whether He is God or man, and they only talk of their own conditions, and only seek to satisfy their own desires. When you cook for Me, you demand a service fee, when you run for Me, you ask for running fees, when you work for Me you demand work fees, when you wash My clothes you demand laundry fees, when you provide for the church you demand recuperation costs, when you speak you demand speaker’s fees, when you give out books you demand distribution fees, and when you write you demand writing fees. Those I have dealt with even demand recompense from Me, while those who have been sent home demand reparations for the damage to their name; those who are unmarried demand a dowry, or compensation for their lost youth; those who kill a chicken demand butcher’s fees, those who fry food demand frying fees, and those who make soup demand payment for that, too…. This is your lofty and mighty humanity, and these are the actions your warm conscience dictates. Where is your sense? Where is your humanity?

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What aspects does normal humanity include? Insight, sense, conscience, and character. If you can achieve normality in each of these aspects, your humanity will be up to par. You should have the likeness of a normal human being, you should resemble a believer in God. You do not have to achieve too much, or get involved in diplomacy; you just have to be a normal human being, with a normal person’s sense, to be able to see through things, and at least look like a normal human being. That will be enough. Everything required of you today is within your capabilities; this is not a case of trying to shoo a duck onto a perch. No useless words or useless work will be performed upon you. All the ugliness expressed or revealed in your life must be gotten rid of. You have been corrupted by Satan and brim with Satan’s venom. All that is asked of you is to get rid of this corrupt satanic disposition. You are not being asked to become some high-ranking figure, or a famous or great person. There is no point in that. The work that is done in you takes into account what is inherent in you. What I ask of people is defined within limits. If you practiced in the way and tone in which intellectuals speak, this would not do; you would not be able to do it. Given your caliber, you should at least be able to speak with wisdom and tact and explain things in a clear and comprehensible manner. That is all it takes to meet the requirements. If, at the very least, you gain insight and sense, then that will do. What is most important right now is casting off your corrupt satanic disposition. You must cast off the ugliness that is manifested in you. How can you talk about supreme sense and supreme insight, if you do not cast these off? Many people, seeing that the age has changed, lack any humility or patience, and they might as well not have any love or saintly decorum, either. How absurd such people are! Do they have even an ounce of normal humanity? Do they have any testimony to speak of? They are utterly without insight or sense. Of course, some aspects of people’s practice that are deviant and erroneous need to be corrected; their former rigid spiritual lives and their benumbed and imbecilic appearance, for example—all of these have to be changed. Change does not mean letting you become dissolute or indulge in the flesh, saying whatever you want. You must not talk loosely. To have the speech and comportment of a normal human being is to speak coherently, saying “yes” when you mean “yes,” and “no” when you mean “no.” Stick to the facts and speak appropriately. Do not cheat, do not lie. The limits that a normal person can reach regarding a change of disposition must be understood. If not, you will not be able to enter into reality.

Excerpted from “Raising Caliber Is for the Sake of Receiving God’s Salvation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the dispositions of normal people there is no crookedness or deceitfulness, people have a normal relationship with each other, they do not stand alone, and their lives are neither mediocre nor decadent. So, too, is God exalted among all; His words permeate among man, people live in peace with one another and under the care and protection of God, the earth is filled with harmony, without the interference of Satan, and the glory of God holds the utmost importance among man. Such people are like angels: pure, vibrant, never complaining about God, and devoting all their efforts solely to God’s glory on earth.

Excerpted from “Chapter 16” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You ought to know that God likes those who are honest. In essence, God is faithful, and so His words can always be trusted; His actions, furthermore, are faultless and unquestionable, which is why God likes those who are absolutely honest with Him. Honesty means giving your heart to God, being genuine with God in all things, being open with Him in all things, never hiding the facts, not trying to deceive those above and below you, and not doing things only to curry favor with God. In short, to be honest is to be pure in your actions and words, and to deceive neither God nor man. What I say is very simple, but to you it is doubly arduous. Many people would rather be condemned to hell than speak and act honestly. Little wonder that I have other treatment in store for those who are dishonest. Of course, I know full well how difficult it is for you to be honest. Because you are all so clever, so good at measuring people with your own petty yardstick, this makes My work much simpler. And since you each hug your secrets to your bosom, well then, I shall send you, one by one, into disaster to be “schooled” by fire, so that thereafter you may become dead set on your belief in My words. Ultimately, I shall wrest from your mouth the words “God is a faithful God,” whereupon you shall beat upon your breast and lament, “Devious is the heart of man!” What will be your state of mind at this time? I imagine you will not be as triumphant as you are now. And much less will you be as “profound and abstruse” as you are now. In the presence of God, some people are all prim and proper, they take pains to be “well-behaved,” yet they bare their fangs and brandish their claws in the presence of the Spirit. Would you number such people among the ranks of the honest? If you are a hypocrite, someone who is skilled in “interpersonal relations,” then I say that you are definitely someone who tries to trifle with God. If your words are riddled with excuses and valueless justifications, then I say that you are someone who is loath to put the truth into practice. If you have many confidences that you are reluctant to share, if you are highly averse to laying bare your secrets—your difficulties—before others to seek the way of the light, then I say that you are someone who will not attain salvation easily, and who will not easily emerge from the darkness. If seeking the way of the truth pleases you well, then you are someone who dwells always in the light. If you are very glad to be a service-doer in the house of God, working diligently and conscientiously in obscurity, always giving and never taking, then I say that you are a loyal saint, because you seek no reward and are simply being an honest person. If you are willing to be candid, if you are willing to expend your all, if you are able to sacrifice your life for God and stand firm in your testimony, if you are honest to the point where you know only to satisfy God and not to consider yourself or take for yourself, then I say that such people are those who are nourished in the light and who shall live forever in the kingdom.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You always wish to see Christ, but I urge you not to hold yourselves in such high esteem; anyone may see Christ, but I say no one is fit to see Christ. Because the nature of man brims with evil, arrogance, and rebelliousness, at the moment you see Christ, your nature will destroy you and condemn you to death. Your association with a brother (or a sister) may not show much about you, but it is not so simple when you associate with Christ. At any time, your notions may take root, your arrogance begin to sprout, and your rebelliousness bear figs. How can you with such humanity be fit to associate with Christ? Are you truly able to treat Him as God every moment of every day? Will you truly have the reality of submission to God? You worship the lofty God within your hearts as Jehovah while regarding the visible Christ as a man. Your sense is too inferior and your humanity too debased! You are incapable of always looking upon Christ as God; only occasionally, when it takes your fancy, do you grab hold of Him and worship Him as God. This is why I say you are not believers of God, but a posse of accomplices who fight against Christ. Even men who show kindness to others are repaid, and yet Christ, who has done such work among you, has received neither man’s love nor his recompense and submission. Is this not something heartrending?

Excerpted from “Those Who Are Incompatible With Christ Are Surely Opponents of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some may believe that, if association with God is so dangerous, then it might be wiser to keep God at a distance. What can people like this possibly gain? Can they be loyal to God? Assuredly, association with God is very difficult—but that is because man is corrupted, not because God is unable to associate with him. It would be best for you to dedicate more effort to the truth of knowing the self. Why have you not found favor with God? Why is your disposition abominable to Him? Why does your speech arouse His loathing? As soon as you have demonstrated a bit of loyalty, you sing your own praises, and you demand a reward for a small contribution; you look down upon others when you have shown a modicum of obedience, and become contemptuous of God upon accomplishing some petty task. For receiving God, you ask for money, gifts, and compliments. It makes you heartsore to give a coin or two; when you give ten, you wish for blessings and to be treated with distinction. A humanity such as yours is positively offensive to speak or hear of. Is there anything praiseworthy in your words and actions? Those who perform their duty and those who do not; those who lead and those who follow; those who receive God and those who do not; those who donate and those who do not; those who preach and those who receive the word, and so on: all such men praise themselves. Do you not find this laughable? Knowing full well that you believe in God, you nevertheless cannot be compatible with God. Knowing full well that you are utterly without merit, you persist in boasting all the same. Do you not feel your sense has deteriorated to the point that you no longer have self-control? With sense like this, how are you fit to associate with God? Are you not afraid for yourselves at this juncture? Your disposition has already deteriorated to the point where you are incapable of compatibility with God. This being so, is your faith not laughable? Is your faith not preposterous? How are you going to approach your future? How are you going to choose which path to take?

Excerpted from “Those Who Are Incompatible With Christ Are Surely Opponents of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Because the Jews in the age of the Old Testament took God to be an idol of fixed form that they held in their hearts, as if God could only be called the Messiah, and only He who was called the Messiah could be God, and because humanity served and worshiped God as if He were a (lifeless) clay statue, they nailed the Jesus of that time to the cross, sentencing Him to death—the guiltless Jesus was thus condemned to death. God was innocent of any offense, yet man refused to spare Him, and insisted on sentencing Him to death, and so Jesus was crucified. Man always believes that God is unchanging, and defines Him on the basis of one single book, the Bible, as though man has a perfect understanding of God’s management, as though man holds all that God does in the palm of his hand. People are absurd in the extreme, arrogant in the extreme, and they all have a flair for hyperbole. No matter how great your knowledge of God, I still say that you do not know God, that you are someone who opposes God the most, and that you have condemned God, because you are utterly incapable of obeying the work of God and walking the path of being made perfect by God. Why is God never satisfied with the actions of man? Because man does not know God, because he has too many notions, and because his knowledge of God in no way agrees with reality, but instead monotonously repeats the same theme without variation and uses the same approach for every situation. And so, having come to earth today, God is once more nailed to the cross by man. Cruel mankind! The connivance and intrigue, the snatching and grabbing one from another, the scramble for fame and fortune, the mutual slaughter—when will it ever end? Despite the hundreds of thousands of words God has spoken, no one has come to their senses. People act for the sake of their families, sons and daughters, for their careers, future prospects, position, vainglory, and money, for the sake of food, clothing, and the flesh. But is there anyone whose actions are truly for the sake of God? Even among those who act for the sake of God, there are but few who know God. How many people do not act out of their own interests? How many do not oppress or ostracize others in order to protect their own position? And so, God has been forcibly sentenced to death innumerable times, and countless barbaric judges have condemned God and once more nailed Him to the cross. How many can be called righteous because they truly act for the sake of God?

Excerpted from “The Wicked Will Surely Be Punished” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People do not make high demands of themselves, but they make high demands of God. They ask Him to show them special kindness, and to be patient and forbearing toward them, cherish them, provide for them, and even smile at them, be tolerant toward them, make allowances for them, and take care of them in multiple ways. They expect Him not to be strict with them at all or do anything that would upset them even slightly, and are only satisfied if He sweet-talks them every single day. Humans are so lacking in sense! They are not clear on what they should do, what they should accomplish, what viewpoints they should have, what position they should stand in to serve God, and what position is suitable to place themselves in. People with a little bit of status have a very high opinion of themselves, yet those without status also think quite highly of themselves. Humans never know themselves. You must come to a point in your belief in God where, regardless of how He speaks to you, how strict He is with you, and how much He might ignore you, you can keep on believing without complaint and continue to fulfill your duty as usual. You will then be a mature and experienced person, and you will truly have some stature and a bit of the sense of a normal person. You will not make demands of God, you will no longer have extravagant desires, and you will no longer make requests of others or of God based on your own likes and dislikes. This will show that to a certain extent, you possess the likeness of a human. Currently, you have too many requirements, and they are far too excessive. Having too many human intentions proves that you are not standing in the correct position; your position is too high, and you have viewed yourself as overly honorable—as though you are not much lower in position than God. You are therefore difficult to deal with, and this is precisely the nature of Satan.

Excerpted from “People Who Make Constant Demands of God Are the Least Reasonable People” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whenever one reveals a corrupt disposition or corrupt thoughts and ideas, it is no small matter. If you do not seek the truth to resolve them, it will be impossible to cleanse these corruptions. If, on the other hand, you can seek the truth rationally, then you will easily discern the root cause of your mistake and resolve the issue of your expressions of corruption. As you grow more able to withdraw into your spirit to wait and seek, it will be easy to find relevant passages of God’s words with which to discern the essence of the problem. By doing so, you will reveal your corruption less and less, and your rationality will grow more normal—and the more normal one’s rationality, the more they act within the boundaries, no longer speaking or acting based on their notions and imaginings. What does it mean to “act within the boundaries”? It means to act in a way that is in keeping with the standards of normal humanity, with one’s conscience, with the standards of God’s requirements, and with the truth principles. If, as soon as you are stirred to act, you do not think deeply, but wave your hands and say, “Just do it like that. It’ll be fine!” then are you acting with the good sense of normal humanity? Is there an expression of normal humanity in this? These are expressions that normal humanity should be without. Therefore, no matter what issue befalls you, you must first calm down and contemplate it, come before God, withdraw into your spirit, and become quiet—first seek from God how this matter should be done and how it should be discussed. Does this require a lot of time? No, it does not. Normal humanity contains these rational things, and people are able to restrain themselves and achieve them; whether they do simply depends on whether they are willing to practice in this way. If you wish always to show yourself off, always to stand on high, to parade yourself, to become an idol in others’ hearts and to establish your own image there, then you will always act rashly; you will never be able to come before God or withdraw into your spirit. If you always want to do things your own way, and if, having done so, you always think you have done something of great importance or accomplished some great undertaking, and that you are very talented and unlike ordinary people, then this means you are not walking the right path. Your heart must be quiet at all times, and when you encounter an issue, you must not become irritable and stubborn or act rashly. Do not be pretentious or false, but learn to be quiet, and act reasonably. These are the ways in which normal humanity should be manifested.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are very casual in their approach to contact with the opposite sex. They feel that it is no big deal so long as nothing happens, and neither is indulging in lustful thoughts or revealing some iniquitous passion. Should someone with normal humanity have such thoughts? Is this a sign of normal humanity? Once you are old enough to marry and come into contact with the opposite sex, and want to fall in love, do it normally, and no one will interfere. But some people don’t want to fall in love—they flirt for a couple of days with someone who catches their eye, and as soon as someone takes their fancy, they start to show off to the object of their desire. And how do they show off? A raised eyebrow, a wink of an eye, or a change in their tone of voice as they talk, or else they move a certain way or start making humorous remarks to get themselves noticed; this is showing off. When a person who is not normally like this exhibited these giveaway traits, you can be sure that there are some members of the opposite sex nearby who have caught their eye. Who are these people? You might say that they are unrestrained, or do not keep clear boundaries between men and women, but they have not exhibited any deplorable behavior. Some might say that they are simply being frivolous. In other words, they conduct themselves in an undignified way; frivolous people do not understand the need for self-respect. Some people exhibit these characteristics in everyday life, but the performance of their duties is not affected, nor has it affected the completion of their work, so is this really a problem? Some say: “As long as it does not hinder your pursuit of the truth, is there any need to talk about it?” What does this relate to? The shame and dignity of one’s humanity. A person’s humanity cannot be without shame and dignity, and without them theirs cannot be normal humanity. Some people are credible and are earnest and responsible in everything they do. They work hard, and are of good character, but they simply don’t take this aspect of their lives seriously. When you flirt with a member of the opposite sex, is this constructive, or destructive? What if the one you flirt with falls in love with you? You might say “That’s not what I wanted”; well, if you still flirt with someone when that’s not what you want, aren’t you toying with their feelings? You are harming them and acting without morals! People who do this are of very poor humanity. Furthermore, if you do not intend to pursue this relationship and are not serious about it, and yet you still raise your eyebrows and wink at the opposite sex, and show off with fun and humor, doing everything to show that you have style, that you are a handsome gentleman, showing off your good looks—if you show off like this, what are you actually doing? (Seducing people.) Now is this kind of seductive behavior a noble or an ugly thing? (It’s an ugly thing.) This is where there is no longer any dignity.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Your faith is very beautiful; you say that you are willing to expend your entire lifetimes on behalf of My work, and that you are willing to sacrifice your lives for it, but your dispositions have not changed much. You just speak arrogantly, despite the fact that your actual behavior is very wretched. It is as though people’s tongues and lips are in heaven but their legs are way down on earth, and as a result, their words and deeds and their reputations are still in tatters and ruins. Your reputations have been destroyed, your manner is depraved, your way of speaking is lowly, and your lives are despicable; even the entirety of your humanity has sunk into base lowliness. You are narrow-minded toward others, and you haggle over every little thing. You quarrel over your own reputations and status, even to the point that you are willing to descend into hell and into the lake of fire. Your current words and deeds are sufficient for Me to determine that you are sinful. Your attitudes toward My work are enough for Me to determine that you are unrighteous ones, and all of your dispositions are sufficient to point out that you are filthy souls that are full of abominations. Your manifestations and what you reveal are adequate to say that you are people who have drunk your fill of the blood of unclean spirits. When entering the kingdom is mentioned, you do not reveal your feelings. Do you believe that the way you are now is sufficient for you to walk through the gate to My kingdom of heaven? Do you believe that you can obtain entry into the holy land of My work and words, without your own words and deeds first being tested by Me? Who can pull the wool over My eyes? How could your despicable, lowly behaviors and conversations escape My sight? Your lives have been determined by Me to be lives of drinking the blood and eating the flesh of those unclean spirits because you imitate them in front of Me every day. Before Me, your behavior has been particularly bad, so how could I not find you disgusting? Your words contain the impurities of unclean spirits: You wheedle, conceal, and flatter just like those who engage in sorcery and like those who are treacherous and drink the blood of the unrighteous. All of man’s expressions are extremely unrighteous, so how can all people be placed in the holy land where the righteous are? Do you think that that despicable behavior of yours can distinguish you as being holy compared to those unrighteous ones? Your serpent-like tongue will eventually ruin this flesh of yours that wreaks destruction and carries out abominations, and those hands of yours that are covered with the blood of unclean spirits will also eventually pull your soul into hell. Why, then, do you not leap at this chance to cleanse your filth-covered hands? And why do you not take advantage of this opportunity to cut out that tongue of yours that speaks unrighteous words? Could it be that you are willing to suffer in the flames of hell for the sake of your hands, tongue, and lips? I keep watch over everyone’s heart with both eyes, because long before I created mankind, I had grasped their hearts within My hands. I had long ago seen through people’s hearts, so how could their thoughts escape My view? How could it not be too late for them to escape being burned by My Spirit?

Excerpted from “You Are All So Base in Character!” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

109. The Principles of Distinguishing Between Following God and Following Humans

(1) Affirm that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life, and seek the truth in all matters. Only thus can one come to follow God instead of humans;

(2) Understand the difference between the work of God and the work of man, and be able to see through to man’s essence. Only thus can one eradicate the problem of looking up to other humans from its root;

(3) It is God’s arrangement and His administrative decree that one should submit to the watering and shepherding of the man used by the Holy Spirit. This is not the same as looking up to or following a human;

(4) Understand the truth of the incarnation, know the divine essence of Christ, and see the actions of God in the flesh. Only thus can one submit to and worship the practical God.

Relevant Words of God:

Of principal importance in following God is that everything should be according to the words of God today: Whether you are pursuing entry into life or the fulfillment of God’s will, everything should be centered around the words of God today. If what you commune and pursue are not centered around the words of God today, then you are a stranger to the words of God, and totally bereft of the work of the Holy Spirit. What God wants are people who follow His footsteps. No matter how wonderful and pure what you understood before is, God does not want it, and if you are unable to put aside such things, then they will be a tremendous obstacle to your entry in the future. All those who are able to follow the present light of the Holy Spirit are blessed. The people of ages past also followed the footsteps of God, yet they could not follow until today; this is the blessing of the people of the last days. Those who can follow the present work of the Holy Spirit, and who are able to follow the footsteps of God, such that they follow God wherever He leads them—these are people who are blessed by God. Those who do not follow the present work of the Holy Spirit have not entered into the work of God’s words, and no matter how much they work, or how great their suffering, or how much they run about, none of it means anything to God, and He will not commend them. Today, all those who follow the present words of God are in the stream of the Holy Spirit; those who are strangers to the words of God today are outside of the stream of the Holy Spirit, and such people are not commended by God.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the words that “those who follow God to the end will receive salvation,” the meaning of “follow” is to stand firm in the midst of tribulation. Today, many believe that following God is easy, but when God’s work is about to end, you will know the true meaning of “follow.” Just because you are still able to follow God today after being conquered, this does not prove that you are one of those who will be made perfect. Those who are unable to endure the trials, who are incapable of being victorious amid tribulation will, ultimately, be incapable of standing fast, and so will be unable to follow God to the very end. Those who truly follow God are able to withstand the test of their work, whereas those who do not truly follow God are incapable of withstanding any of God’s trials. Sooner or later they will be expelled, while the overcomers will remain in the kingdom. Whether or not man truly seeks God is determined by the test of his work, that is, by God’s trials, and has nothing to do with the decision by man himself. God does not reject any person on a whim; all that He does can utterly convince man. He does not do anything that is invisible to man, or any work that cannot convince man. Whether man’s belief is true or not is proved by the facts and cannot be decided by man.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do you know what following God means? Without visions, what path would you walk? In the work of today, if you have no visions, you will not at all be able to be made complete. In whom do you believe? Why do you believe in Him? Why do you follow Him? Do you see your faith as a sort of a game? Are you handling your life as a kind of a plaything? The God of today is the greatest vision. How much of Him do you know? How much of Him have you seen? Having seen the God of today, is the foundation of your belief in God solid? Do you think that you will attain salvation as long as you follow along in this muddled way? Do you think you can catch fish in muddy water? Is it that simple? How many notions regarding the words God utters today have you set aside? Do you have a vision of the God of today? Wherein does your understanding of the God of today lie? You always believe that you can obtain Him[a] just by following Him, or just by seeing Him, and that no one will be able to get rid of you. Do not assume that following God is such an easy matter. The key is that you must know Him, you must know His work, and you must have the will to endure hardship for His sake, to sacrifice your life for Him, and to be perfected by Him. This is the vision that you should have. It will not do if your thoughts are always bent on enjoying grace. Do not suppose that God is here just for people’s enjoyment, or just to bestow grace upon them. You would be wrong! If one cannot risk their life to follow Him, and if one cannot abandon every worldly possession to follow, then they will certainly not be able to keep following Him to the end! You must have visions as your foundation. If misfortune befalls you one day, what ought you to do? Would you still be able to follow Him? Do not say lightly whether you would be able to follow to the end. You had better first open wide your eyes to see just what time it is now. Though you may currently be like pillars of the temple, a time will come when all such pillars will be gnawed by worms, causing the temple to collapse, for at present, there are so many visions that you lack. You only pay attention to your own little worlds, and you do not know what the most reliable and appropriate way of seeking is. You do not heed the vision of the work of today, nor do you hold these things in your hearts. Have you considered that one day your God will put you in a most unfamiliar place? Can you imagine what would become of you one day when I might snatch everything from you? Would your energy on that day be as it is now? Would your faith reappear? In following God, you must know this greatest vision that is “God”: This is the most important issue. Also, do not assume that in parting company with worldly men to become sanctified, you will necessarily be in God’s family. These days, it is God Himself who is at work among creation; it is He who has come among the people to do His own work—not to carry out campaigns. Among you, not even a handful are able to know that today’s work is the work of the God in heaven who has become flesh. This is not about having you made into outstanding persons of talent; this is to help you to know the significance of human life, know the destination of human beings, and know God and His entirety. You should know that you are an object of creation in the hands of the Creator. What you should understand, what you should do, and how you should follow God—are these not the truths that you must comprehend? Are they not the visions that you should see?

Excerpted from “You Must Understand the Work—Do Not Follow in Confusion!” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What, exactly, is belief in God? Is belief in religion equivalent to belief in God? When people believe in religion, they follow Satan. Only when they believe in God do they follow God, and only those who follow Christ truly believe in God. Is someone who will never accept God’s words as their life a person who believes in God? It is of no use, no matter how many years they have believed in God. Someone who always engages in religious ritual in their faith but does not practice the truth is not a believer in God, and God does not acknowledge them. On what basis does God acknowledge you? His acknowledgment of you is based on whether you act in all matters according to His requirements. His acknowledgment is meted in accordance with His words, not based on how many changes there are in your outward behavior, or how much time you spend running about for Him, but on the path you walk, and whether you pursue the truth. There are many who say they believe in God and speak words of praise for God—but, in their hearts, they do not love the words spoken by God, nor are they interested in the truth. In their hearts they believe always that only if they live by the philosophies of Satan and various doctrines of the outside world will they be normal, and able to protect themselves, that only living like this will give value to their lives in this world. Is this someone who believes in God and follows Him? All the sayings of renowned, great figures sound especially philosophical and are particularly capable of deceiving people. If you treat them as the truth and abide by them as maxims, but, when it comes to God’s words, to the most ordinary words of God, which ask that you be an honest person, that you stick scrupulously to your own, allotted station and perform the duty of a created being, and that you remain steadfast—you are incapable of practicing them, and you do not treat them as the truth, then you are no follower of God. You may say you have practiced His words, but what if God may press you for the truth and ask: “What have you practiced? Who spoke those words that you practice? What is the basis of the principles to which you adhere?” If that basis is not the words of God, then it is the words of Satan; what you live out is the words of Satan, yet you still say you practice the truth and satisfy God, is this not blasphemy against Him? God says people should be honest, yet there are those who do not ponder what being honest includes, how they should practice honesty, or which of the things they live out and reveal are not honest, and which of them are. They do not contemplate the essence of the truth in God’s words, but find a book of the unbelievers, and, upon reading it, they say, “These are good words—even better than God’s. ‘Guileless people ever prevail’—isn’t that the same as what God said? This is the truth, as well!” So, they abide by these words. What do they live out when they abide by these words? Are they able to live out the reality of the truth? Are there many such people? They gain a little knowledge, read a few books, and gain a bit of insight, and they hear some famous adage or popular saying and treat these as the truth. They act according to these words, and apply them to their duties and their lives of belief in God, and even think this satisfies Him. Is this not sleight of hand? Is this not trickery? It is blasphemy! There is much of this in people. They abide by pleasant-sounding, correct-seeming folk doctrines as if they were the truth. They put God’s words to one side and pay them no heed, and, no matter how many times they read them, they do not take them to heart or treat them as the truth. Is one who does so someone who believes in God? Do they follow God? Such a person believes in religion; they follow Satan! In their hearts, they think there is philosophy in the words spoken by Satan, that these words have profound meaning, that they are scripture, wise sayings, and, no matter what else they may forsake, they could never put these words aside. To do so would be, to them, like losing their life, or having their heart scooped out. What kind of person is this? This is a person who follows Satan.

Excerpted from “Belief in Religion Will Never Lead to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When they have no problems, when everything is going smoothly for them, most people feel that God is mighty, and righteous, and lovely. When God tests them, deals with them, chastens them, and disciplines them, when He asks them to put aside their own interests, to turn their backs on the flesh and practice the truth, when God does work on them, and orchestrates and reigns over their fates and their lives, they become rebellious, and create estrangement between themselves and God; they create conflict and a gulf between them and God. At such times, in their hearts, God is not lovely in the least; He is not at all mighty, for what He does does not fulfill their wishes. God makes them sad; He makes them upset; He brings them pain and suffering; He makes them feel unsettled. They therefore do not submit to God at all, instead rebelling against Him and shunning Him. Are they practicing the truth by doing this? Are they following the way of God? Do they follow God? No. So, regardless of how numerous your notions and imaginings about God’s work are, and regardless of how you previously acted according to your own will and rebelled against God, if you truly pursue the truth, and accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, and accept being pruned and dealt with by God’s words; if, in everything He orchestrates, you are able to follow the way of God, obey God’s words, seek His will, practice in accordance with His words and His will, are able to seek to submit, and can put all your own will, desires, considerations, motivations, and antagonism to God aside—only then are you following God! You say you follow God, but all you do, you do according to your own will. In everything you do, you have your own aims, your own plans; you do not leave it up to God. Is God still your God, then? If God is not your God, then, when you say you follow God, are these not empty words? Are such words not an attempt to fool people? You say you follow God, but all your actions and behaviors, your outlook on life, your values, and the attitude and principles with which you approach and handle matters all come from Satan—you handle all this entirely in accordance with the principles and logic of Satan. So, do you follow God?

… The simplest way to describe belief in God is trusting there is a God, and, on this foundation, following Him, obeying Him, accepting His dominion, orchestrations, and arrangements, listening to His words, living in accordance with His words, doing everything according to His words, being a true created being, and fearing Him and shunning evil; only this is true belief in God. This is what it means to follow God. You say you follow God, but, in your heart, you do not accept God’s words, and you do not accept His dominion, orchestrations, and arrangements. If you always have notions of what God does, and you always misunderstand what He does, and complain about it; if you are always dissatisfied, and you always measure and approach what He does using your own notions and imaginings; if you always have your own understandings—this will cause trouble. You are not experiencing God’s work, and you have no way to follow Him truly. Such is not belief in God.

Excerpted from “Belief in Religion Will Never Lead to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Look at the leaders of each denomination—they are all arrogant and self-righteous, and their interpretations of the Bible lack context and are guided by their own imaginings. They all rely on gifts and erudition to do their work. If they could not preach at all, would people follow them? They do, after all, possess some knowledge and can preach on some doctrine, or they know how to win others over and make use of some artifice. They use these to bring people before themselves and deceive them. Nominally, those people believe in God, but in reality, they follow their leaders. When they encounter someone preaching the true way, some of them say, “We have to consult our leader about our faith.” A human is the medium of their faith in God; is that not a problem? What have those leaders become, then? Have they not become Pharisees, false shepherds, antichrists, and stumbling blocks to people’s acceptance of the true way? Such people are of the same ilk as Paul. …

Previously, believers in God might have followed a person, or they might not have satisfied God’s will; in this final stage, they will have to come before God. If your foundation is your experience of this stage of work, yet you continue to follow a person, then you are unforgivable, and will end up as Paul did.

Excerpted from “Only to Pursue the Truth Is Truly to Believe in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people do not rejoice in the truth, much less judgment. Instead, they rejoice in power and riches; such people are called power seekers. They search only for those denominations in the world with influence, and they search only for pastors and teachers that come from seminaries. Though they have accepted the way of truth, they are only half-believing; they are incapable of giving all of their hearts and minds, their mouths speak of expending themselves for God, but their eyes are focused on the great pastors and teachers, and they do not spare Christ a second glance. Their hearts are fixated upon fame, fortune, and glory. They think it out of the question that such a meager person could be capable of conquering so many, that one so unremarkable could perfect man. They think it out of the question that these nobodies among the dust and dunghills are the people chosen by God. They believe that if such people were the objects of God’s salvation, then heaven and earth would be turned upside down, and all people would laugh themselves silly. They believe that if God chose such nobodies to be perfected, then those great men would become God Himself. Their perspectives are tainted with unbelief; more than not believing, they are simply preposterous beasts. For they value only status, prestige, and power, and they esteem only large groups and denominations. They have not the slightest regard for those led by Christ; they are simply traitors who have turned their backs on Christ, on truth, and on life.

What you admire is not the humility of Christ, but those false shepherds of prominent standing. You do not adore the loveliness or wisdom of Christ, but those libertines who wallow in the filth of the world. You laugh at the pain of Christ who has no place to lay His head, but you admire those corpses that hunt for offerings and live in debauchery. You are not willing to suffer alongside Christ, but you gladly throw yourself into the arms of those reckless antichrists, though they only supply you with flesh, words, and control. Even now, your heart still turns toward them, toward their reputation, toward their status, toward their influence. And yet you continue to hold an attitude whereby you find the work of Christ hard to swallow and you are unwilling to accept it. This is why I say that you lack the faith to acknowledge Christ. The reason you have followed Him to this day is only because you had no other option. A series of lofty images are forever towering in your heart; you cannot forget their every word and deed, nor their influential words and hands. They are, in your heart, forever supreme and forever heroes. But this is not so for the Christ of today. He is forever insignificant in your heart, and forever undeserving of reverence. For He is far too ordinary, has far too little influence, and is far from lofty.

In any case, I say that all those who do not value the truth are nonbelievers and traitors to the truth. Such men shall never receive the approval of Christ. Have you now identified how much unbelief is within you, and how much betrayal of Christ you have? I exhort you thus: Since you have chosen the way of truth, then you should devote yourself wholeheartedly; do not be ambivalent or half-hearted. You should understand that God does not belong to the world nor any one person, but to all those who truly believe in Him, all those who worship Him, and all those who are devoted and faithful to Him.

Excerpted from “Are You a True Believer in God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are some people who are often deceived by those who outwardly seem spiritual, noble, lofty, and great. As for people who can speak eloquently of letters and doctrines, and whose speech and actions seem worthy of admiration, those who are deceived by them have never looked at the essence of their actions, the principles behind their deeds, or what their goals are. Moreover, they have never looked at whether these people truly submit to God, nor have they ever determined whether or not these people genuinely fear God and shun evil. They have never discerned the essence of the humanity of these people. Rather, beginning with the first step of getting acquainted with them, they have, little by little, come to admire and venerate these people, and in the end, these people become their idols. Furthermore, in some people’s minds, the idols whom they worship—and who they believe can abandon their families and jobs, and who seem superficially able to pay the price—are the ones who are truly satisfying God and who can really attain good outcomes and good destinations. In their minds, these idols are the ones whom God praises. What causes them to believe such a thing? What is the essence of this issue? What are the consequences it can lead to? Let us first discuss the matter of its essence.

Essentially, these issues regarding people’s viewpoints, their methods of practice, which principles of practice they choose to adopt, and what they each tend to focus on have nothing to do with God’s demands of humankind. Whether people focus on shallow matters or profound issues, or on letters and doctrines or reality, they do not adhere to that which they should adhere to most, nor do they know that which they most should know. The reason for this is that people do not like the truth at all; as such, they are not willing to put time and effort into seeking out and putting into practice the principles of practice found in God’s utterances. Instead, they prefer to use shortcuts, summing up what they understand and know to be good practice and good behavior; this summary then becomes their own goal to pursue, which they take as truth to be practiced. The direct consequence of this is that people use human good behavior as a substitute for putting the truth into practice, which also satisfies their desire to curry favor with God. This gives them capital with which to contend with the truth, which they also use to reason and compete with God. At the same time, people also unscrupulously put God aside, placing the idols they admire in His stead. There is only one root cause which makes people have such ignorant actions and viewpoints, or one-sided opinions and practices—and today I will tell you about it: The reason is that, although people may follow God, pray to Him every day, and read His utterances every day, they do not actually understand His will. Herein lies the root of the problem. If someone understood God’s heart and knew what He likes, what He loathes, what He wants, what He rejects, what kind of person He loves, what kind of person He dislikes, what kind of standard He uses when making demands of people, and what kind of approach He takes for perfecting them, then could that person still have their own personal opinions? Could people like this simply go and worship someone else? Could an ordinary human become their idol? People who understand God’s will possess a slightly more rational viewpoint than that. They are not going to arbitrarily idolize a corrupted person, nor will they, while walking the path of putting the truth into practice, believe that blindly adhering to a few simple rules or principles is tantamount to putting the truth into practice.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter the level of leaders and workers within a church, if you always worship them and rely on them for everything in order to believe in God and achieve salvation, this impetus is wrong in itself. Regardless of their rank among the leadership, they are still common people, and if you see them as your superiors, if you feel that they are higher up than you, that they are greater or more competent than you, and that they should lead you, that they are in all ways a cut above anyone else, then that is wrong—it is your delusion. And what are the consequences that this delusion leads to? This delusion, this flawed understanding will lead you unconsciously to measure your leaders against requirements that do not conform with reality; at the same time, without your knowing it, you will also be profoundly drawn to their so-called flair and panache, or their abilities and talents, such that before you know it, you are worshiping them, and they have become your Gods. That path, from the moment they start to become your role model, the object of your worship, to the moment that you become one of their followers, is one that will lead you unconsciously away from God. And even as you gradually move away from God, you will still believe that you are following God, that you are in the house of God, that you are in the presence of God. Without knowing it, however, you will have been drawn away by someone who has been corrupted by Satan, or even an antichrist. This is a very dangerous state of affairs. In order to resolve this problem, you must therefore be able accurately to understand and discern the different dispositions of the antichrists and the ways in which they operate, as well as the nature of their actions and the methods and tricks they like to use; you must also start by working on yourself. Believing in God yet worshiping man is not the correct path. Some might say: “Well, I do have reasons for worshiping the leaders that I do—the ones I worship are in line with my notions and imaginings.” Why do you insist on worshiping man though you believe in God? When all is said and done, who is it who will save you? Who is it who truly loves you and protects you—can you truly not see? You follow God and listen to His word, and if someone speaks and acts correctly, and accords with the truth principles, is obeying the truth not enough for you? Why are you so base? You insist on finding someone whom you worship to follow—why do you like to be Satan’s slave? Why not be a servant of the truth instead? Look herein to see whether a person has sense and dignity. You should begin by working on yourself, equipping yourself with the truths that differentiate different people and events, developing discernment between all the ways in which each sort of event and person manifests, knowing in all cases what nature and disposition are being revealed; you must also understand what kind of person you are, what kind of people those around you are, and what kind of people are leading you. You must be able to regard them accurately. Once you are equipped with the truth, with this kind of stature, you will not fall easily for the antichrists’ tricks, nor will you fear their deceptions.

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

No matter how many people believe in God, as soon as their beliefs are defined by Him as being those of a religion or group, He has already determined that they cannot be saved. Why do I say this? In a gang or crowd of people who are without the work and guidance of God, and who do not worship Him at all, whom do they worship? Whom do they follow? In form and name, they follow a person, but whom do they essentially follow? Deep down, they acknowledge God, but in fact, they are subject to human manipulation, arrangements, and control. They follow Satan, the devil; they follow the forces that are hostile to God and that are His enemies. Would God save a pack of people such as this? (No.) Why not? Are they capable of repentance? (No.) They wave the flag of faith, carrying out human enterprises and conducting their own management, and they run counter to God’s management plan for mankind’s salvation. Their final outcome is one of being detested and rejected by God; He could not possibly save these people, they could not possibly repent, they have already been captured by Satan—they are entirely in Satan’s hands. In your faith, does how many years you have believed in God matter to whether or not you are praised by Him? Do the rituals and regulations you abide by matter? Does God look at people’s methods of practice? Does He look at how many people there are? He has selected one portion of mankind; how does He measure whether they can and should be saved? He bases this decision on the paths these people walk. In the Age of Grace, although the truths that God told people were less numerous than today, and not as specific, He could still perfect people at the time, and salvation was still possible. Thus, as for the people of this age who have heard many truths and have come to understand God’s will, if they are incapable of following His way and unable to walk the path of salvation, then what will their final outcome be? Their final outcome will be the same as that of believers in Christianity and Judaism; there will be no difference. This is God’s righteous disposition! Regardless of how many sermons you have heard or how many truths you have understood, if, ultimately, you still follow humans and Satan, and in the end, if you are still incapable of following God’s way and unable to fear Him and shun evil, then such people will be detested and rejected by God. To all appearances, such people who are detested and rejected by God can talk much about letters and doctrines, and may have come to understand many truths, yet they are incapable of worshiping God; they cannot fear God and shun evil, and are incapable of total submission to Him. In God’s eyes, He defines them as part of a religion, as just a group of humans—a gang of humans—and as a lodging place for Satan. They are collectively referred to as Satan’s gang, and these people are utterly despised by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

It would be best for those people who claim to follow God to open their eyes and take a good look to see exactly who they believe in: Is it really God that you believe in, or Satan? If you know that what you believe in is not God, but your own idols, then it would be best if you did not claim to be a believer. If you really do not know who you believe in, then, again, it would be best if you did not claim to be a believer. To say so would be blasphemy! No one is forcing you to believe in God. Do not say you believe in Me; I have had enough of such talk, and do not wish to hear it again, because what you believe in are the idols in your hearts and the local bullies among you. Those who shake their heads when they hear the truth, who grin when they hear talk of death, are all the spawn of Satan, and they are the ones who will be eliminated. Many in the church have no discernment. When something deceptive occurs, they unexpectedly stand on the side of Satan; they even take offense at being called Satan’s lackeys. Though people might say they have no discernment, they always stand on the side without truth, they never stand on the side of the truth at the critical time, they never stand up and argue for the truth. Do they truly lack discernment? Why do they unexpectedly take the side of Satan? Why do they never say one word that is fair and reasonable in support of the truth? Has this situation genuinely arisen as a result of their momentary confusion? The less discernment people have, the less able they are to stand on the side of truth. What does this show? Does it not show that people without discernment love evil? Does it not show that they are the loyal spawn of Satan? Why is it that they are always able to stand on the side of Satan and speak its language? Their every word and deed, the expressions on their faces, are all sufficient to prove that they are not any kind of lovers of the truth; rather, they are people who detest the truth. That they can stand on the side of Satan is enough to prove that Satan really loves these petty devils who spend their lives fighting for Satan’s sake. Are all these facts not abundantly clear? If you truly are a person who loves the truth, then why have you no regard for those who practice the truth, and why do you immediately follow those who do not practice the truth at the slightest look from them? What kind of problem is this? I do not care whether you have discernment or not. I do not care how great a price you have paid. I do not care how great your forces are, and I do not care whether you are a local bully or a flag-bearing leader. If your forces are great, then that is only with the help of Satan’s strength. If your prestige is high, then that is merely because there are too many around you who do not practice the truth. If you have not been expelled, then that is because now is not the time for the work of expelling; rather, it is time for the work of elimination. There is no rush to expel you now. I am simply waiting for the day when I will punish you after you have been eliminated. Whoever does not practice the truth will be eliminated!

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the word “Him.”

110. The Principles of Distinguishing Between Real and False Churches

(1) Determine whether the Holy Spirit is at work in the life of a church; whether its congregation eats and drinks of God’s words and genuinely fellowships on the truth; and whether or not this yields a practical effect;

(2) Determine whether the leaders of the church love and pursue the truth; whether they are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit; and whether they genuinely understand the truth and put it into practice;

(3) Determine whether it is, in fact, the truth that reigns in the church, or evil people; and whether it is pursuers of the truth who reign there, or evil people and troublemakers;

(4) Only an assembly of people who pursue the truth and are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit qualify as a church; where evil and muddled people gather is a venue of religion, not a church.

Relevant Words of God:

In each stage of God’s work there are also corresponding requirements of man. All those who are within the stream of the Holy Spirit are possessed of the presence and discipline of the Holy Spirit, and those who are not within the stream of the Holy Spirit are under the command of Satan, and without any of the work of the Holy Spirit. People who are in the stream of the Holy Spirit are those who accept the new work of God, and who cooperate in the new work of God. If those who are within this stream are incapable of cooperating, and unable to put into practice the truth required by God during this time, then they will be disciplined, and at worst will be forsaken by the Holy Spirit. Those who accept the new work of the Holy Spirit, will live within the stream of the Holy Spirit, and they will receive the care and protection of the Holy Spirit. Those who are willing to put the truth into practice are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and those who are unwilling to put the truth into practice are disciplined by the Holy Spirit, and may even be punished. Regardless of what kind of person they are, provided that they are within the stream of the Holy Spirit, God will take responsibility for all those who accept His new work for the sake of His name. Those who glorify His name and are willing to put His words into practice will receive His blessings; those who disobey Him and do not put His words into practice will receive His punishment. People who are in the stream of the Holy Spirit are those who accept the new work, and since they have accepted the new work, they should cooperate appropriately with God, and should not act as rebels who do not perform their duty. This is God’s only requirement of man. Not so for the people who do not accept the new work: They are outside the stream of the Holy Spirit, and the discipline and reproach of the Holy Spirit do not apply to them. All day, these people live within the flesh, they live within their minds, and all that they do is according to the doctrine produced by the analysis and research of their own brains. This is not what is required by the Holy Spirit’s new work, much less is it cooperation with God. Those who do not accept the new work of God are bereft of the presence of God, and, moreover, devoid of the blessings and protection of God. Most of their words and actions hold to the past requirements of the Holy Spirit’s work; they are doctrine, not truth. Such doctrine and regulation are sufficient to prove that the gathering together of these people is nothing but religion; they are not the chosen ones, or the objects of God’s work. The assembly of all those among them can only be called a grand congress of religion, and cannot be called a church. This is an unalterable fact. They do not have the Holy Spirit’s new work; what they do seems redolent of religion, what they live out seems replete with religion; they do not possess the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, much less are they eligible to receive the discipline or enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. These people are all lifeless corpses, and maggots that are devoid of spirituality. They have no knowledge of man’s rebelliousness and opposition, have no knowledge of all of man’s evildoing, much less do they know all of God’s work and God’s present will. They are all ignorant, base people, and they are scum that are unfit to be called believers! Nothing they do has any bearing on the management of God, much less can it impair God’s plans. Their words and actions are too disgusting, too pathetic, and simply unworthy of mention. Nothing done by those who are not within the stream of the Holy Spirit has anything to do with the new work of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, no matter what they do, they are without the discipline of the Holy Spirit, and, moreover, without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. For they are all people who have no love for the truth, and who have been detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit. They are called evildoers because they walk in the flesh and do whatever pleases them under the signboard of God. While God works, they are deliberately hostile to Him, and run in the opposite direction to Him. Man’s failure to cooperate with God is supremely rebellious in itself, so will not those people who deliberately run counter to God particularly receive their just retribution? At the mention of these people’s evildoing, some people are eager to curse them, whereas God ignores them. To man, it appears that their actions concern God’s name, but in fact, to God, they bear no relation to His name or to the testimony to Him. No matter what these people do, it is unrelated to God: It is unrelated to both His name and His current work. These people humiliate themselves, and manifest Satan; they are evildoers who are hoarding for the day of wrath.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What name does God give to the religion of those who believed in Jehovah? Judaism. They became a kind of religious group. And how does God designate the religion of those who believe in Jesus? (Christianity.) In God’s eyes, Judaism and Christianity represent religious groups. Why does God define them as such? Among all those who are members of these religious bodies defined by God, are there any who fear Him and shun evil, do His will, and follow His way? (No.) This makes it clear. In God’s eyes, can all those who nominally follow Him be ones whom He acknowledges to be believers? Do they all have a connection with God? Could they all be targets for His salvation? (No.) So, will a day come when you are reduced to what God views as a religious group? (It’s possible.) Being reduced to a religious group—that seems inconceivable. If people become part of a religious group in God’s eyes, will they be saved by Him? Are they of His house? (No, they aren’t.) So, let us try to summarize: These people who nominally believe in the true God, but whom He believes to belong to religious groups—what path do they walk? Could it be said that such people walk the path of waving the flag of faith without ever following God’s way, and of believing in Him yet never worshiping Him, instead forsaking Him? That is, they walk the path of believing in God but forsaking Him and not following His way; their way is one in which they believe in God but worship Satan, they worship the devil, they try to carry out their own management, and try to establish their own kingdom. Is this not the essence of it? Do people like this have any connection to God’s management plan for the salvation of humanity? (No.) No matter how many people believe in God, as soon as their beliefs are defined by Him as being those of a religion or group, He has already determined that they cannot be saved. Why do I say this? In a gang or crowd of people who are without the work and guidance of God, and who do not worship Him at all, whom do they worship? Whom do they follow? In form and name, they follow a person, but whom do they essentially follow? Deep down, they acknowledge God, but in fact, they are subject to human manipulation, arrangements, and control. They follow Satan, the devil; they follow the forces that are hostile to God and that are His enemies. Would God save a pack of people such as this? (No.) Why not? Are they capable of repentance? (No.) They wave the flag of faith, carrying out human enterprises and conducting their own management, and they run counter to God’s management plan for mankind’s salvation. Their final outcome is one of being detested and rejected by God; He could not possibly save these people, they could not possibly repent, they have already been captured by Satan—they are entirely in Satan’s hands. In your faith, does how many years you have believed in God matter to whether or not you are praised by Him? Do the rituals and regulations you abide by matter? Does God look at people’s methods of practice? Does He look at how many people there are? He has selected one portion of mankind; how does He measure whether they can and should be saved? He bases this decision on the paths these people walk. In the Age of Grace, although the truths that God told people were less numerous than today, and not as specific, He could still perfect people at the time, and salvation was still possible. Thus, as for the people of this age who have heard many truths and have come to understand God’s will, if they are incapable of following His way and unable to walk the path of salvation, then what will their final outcome be? Their final outcome will be the same as that of believers in Christianity and Judaism; there will be no difference. This is God’s righteous disposition! Regardless of how many sermons you have heard or how many truths you have understood, if, ultimately, you still follow humans and Satan, and in the end, if you are still incapable of following God’s way and unable to fear Him and shun evil, then such people will be detested and rejected by God. To all appearances, such people who are detested and rejected by God can talk much about letters and doctrines, and may have come to understand many truths, yet they are incapable of worshiping God; they cannot fear God and shun evil, and are incapable of total submission to Him. In God’s eyes, He defines them as part of a religion, as just a group of humans—a gang of humans—and as a lodging place for Satan. They are collectively referred to as Satan’s gang, and these people are utterly despised by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What exactly is the house of God? If it were defined theoretically, the house of God is a place where the truth reigns, an assemblage of people whose principles of practice are the words of God. … The house of God is the place where God works and speaks, where God saves people, where God’s words are practiced and brought to fruition by people, where God’s purpose and will can be carried out unobstructed, and where God’s management plan is implemented and accomplished. In sum, the house of God is the place where God holds power, where God’s words and the truth reign; it is not the place where any individual exercises authority, conducts their own operation, or achieves their own desires, schemes, or grand designs.

Excerpted from “They Treat the House of God Like Their Personal Domain” in Exposing Antichrists

No matter how many people perform their duties in a church, whether there are two or dozens, the moment they lose the work of the Holy Spirit, they are not experiencing the work of God, and they have no connection to and no part in God’s work. They have become a religious group. Aren’t these people in great danger? They never seek the truth when faced with problems and they don’t act according to the truth principles, but are subject to the arrangements and manipulations of human beings. There are even many who, while performing their duty, never pray or seek the truth principles; they only ask others and do as others say, acting on cues from others. Wherever other people may point, there they themselves go. In their faith, they feel that truth-seeking is vague and troublesome, while relying on others and doing what others say is easy and most practical, and so they do what is most straightforward and painless, asking others and doing as they say in everything. As a result, even after believing for many years, when faced with a problem, they have never once come before God, praying and seeking His will and the truth, and then achieving an understanding of the truth, and acting and behaving according to God’s will—they’ve never had such an experience. Do such people really practice faith in God? I wonder: Why, as soon as some people become part of a group, is it easy for them—in form—to instantly change from being someone who believes in God to someone who believes in man, and from being someone who follows God to someone who follows man? Why do they change so quickly? Why do they behave that way even after believing in God for so many years? They’ve believed in God all these years, but oddly, God has never had a place in their hearts. They’ve never had any connection to God. Their actions, words, life, their conduct and handling of matters, even the performance of their duty and their service to God—all that they do, all of the behaviors they reveal, all that they express, and even their every thought or idea—none of this has any connection to faith in God. So is this person one of the true believers? Can the sum of someone’s years in the faith reveal how great their stature in their belief in God is? Is it proof of whether they have a normal relationship with God? Absolutely not.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

False leaders often say things that seem correct on the surface, in order to confuse and mislead people, which in turn has a negative impact on those people’s life entry. This also leads to some consequences that should never occur. False leaders’ so-called spiritual sayings and turns of phrase may be called heresies and fallacies. It does not superficially sound like there is anything wrong with them, but they actually serve as obstacles, disruptions, and confusion in people’s life entry and on the path they walk. They even cause some people to develop misunderstandings toward God and to form doubts and resistance toward God’s words. These are the effects that false leaders’ words have on people. False leaders use such heresies and fallacies to guide others, so that at the very time these people are following God, they are constantly giving rise to notions, defenses, and doubts about Him. So, under the false leaders’ confusion and influence, a new religion takes hold. This sort of new religion is just like the Christianity of 2,000 years ago, which only upholds human words and human teachings, such as the teachings of Paul or some other disciple, without adhering to God’s own way. What false leaders do is misleading, and they stand in the way of people taking the normal and proper path of pursuing the truth. They wrest people off the right track of pursuing the truth and onto a pseudo-spiritual path; they bring them into faith in the religious mode. When people are confused, led, and guided by false leaders, they constantly come up with theories, sayings, actions, or perspectives that have nothing to do with the truth, though they appear totally correct. These things are utterly at odds with and utterly unrelated to the truth. But under the guidance of false leaders, everyone takes these things as the truth and they all mistakenly believe that they really are the truth. They think that as long as someone speaks well and has belief in their heart and professes faith with their mouth, that person has gained the truth. Misled by these thoughts and views, people not only become unable to enter into the truth reality, or to enter into God’s words, or to put them into practice, or to live within His words, but instead end up growing ever further from God’s words. They seem to be doing everything in accordance with God’s words, but these so-called words of God bear no relation whatsoever to God’s requirements and His will. They have nothing to do with the truth principles. What, then, do they have to do with? The teachings of false leaders, the intentions of false leaders, and those false leaders’ own personal desires and understandings. Their way of leading brings more people into religious rituals and rigid rules, into the mere letter of doctrine, toward knowledge and philosophy. Although, in contrast with antichrists, false leaders do not bring others before themselves or before Satan, people’s hearts become taken over by these heresies and fallacies all the same. When people, consumed by these heresies and fallacies, mistakenly believe that they have already gained life, they become dyed-in-the-wool, unmitigated enemies to the truth, to God’s words, and to what God demands.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (2)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Any church ruled by antichrists cannot be called a church, and anyone who has experienced this will understand it. There is no peaceful, happy, dynamic atmosphere; instead, an atmosphere of pandemonium prevails, in which everyone’s heart is deeply troubled with a sense of restlessness and unease, and they have a queasy feeling, as if a major disaster were about to occur. The speech and actions of antichrists can bring about a certain atmosphere, muddying people’s hearts, making them unable to distinguish between positive and negative things. In addition, when antichrists have deceived people for a long time, their hearts grow ever further from God, and their relationship with God is no longer a normal one, as though they are living within religion; nominally, they believe in God, yet God is not within their hearts. There is also a practical problem, which is that divisions appear in the church, and all those who love the truth neither enjoy meeting there nor gain a release, and they would like to leave the church and hold their own meetings. When the Holy Spirit is at work in a church, regardless of whether people understand the truth, everyone comes together to work toward a single endpoint, and the atmosphere is peaceful, stable, and undisturbed. However, as soon as the antichrists make a move, the atmosphere becomes restless and grotesque. Wherever they stir up trouble, cliques appear; people are on guard against each other, are judgmental of each other, attack each other, and undermine each other behind their back. What role are the antichrists obviously playing here? Their role is that of Satan’s lackeys. The consequences of the antichrists’ actions: One is that brothers and sisters judge each other, are suspicious of each other, and are on guard against each other; additionally, there are no longer any boundaries between men and women, and they gradually become close; another is that the visions in people’s hearts become blurred, and they no longer focus on practicing the truth, nor do they any longer know how to work in accordance with the truth principles. The few things they once understood are now gone, their thoughts are muddled, and they blindly follow the antichrists, focusing on outward displays and bustling about. Some people can sense that following the antichrists really is walking up a dead-end street, and they can sense how enjoyable it would be if everyone who pursued the truth were to meet together and perform their duty. When the antichrists seize power, the Holy Spirit is no longer at work, and brothers and sisters all fall into darkness inside, and they are no longer driven to believe in God or do their duty. If this continues for an extended period, will God not cast them out?

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

An antichrist turns their domain into a social group, into a gang of antichrists. They engage in abominable, destructive acts, and conduct themselves in speech and act as unbelievers. All of them are silver-tongued and glib, miscreants through and through, and they are insidious and evil. None of them accepts the truth. Outwardly, they pretend to be courteous, seem civilized, follow etiquette and the rules of comportment, and may even be educated, of good caliber and character. In reality, however, each of them is insidious, vile, deceitful, and evil. They conspire with one another, pulling strings. They care about power and prestige, about the relationships between ethnicities in society, about whose social power is greater, about whose status and renown is highest, and about who is best at social artifice. Hardly evident in this are God’s words, truth, and administrative decrees, as well as their faith. Their faith is but a game and a ruse. Such evil people turn the house of God into a social group, into the domain of evil people who conspire with one another, yet over and over, they say, “We believe in God and perform our duties in God’s house. We have done so-and-so in God’s house and followed God in such-and-such a way; we have done this for our brothers’ and sisters’ welfare, and that to help and support them, and the other to come together as a group,” and other grandiose statements like these. They treat their brothers and sisters with evil ways and human techniques and with satanic philosophies for living, in the ways that Satan treats evil people, and they replicate this formula in the house of God. All the while, they actually believe that they are acting for the sake of God’s house, helping their brothers and sisters, glorifying God, and bearing witness to Him. However, are these behaviors and tactics, in essence, not the behind-the-scenes manipulations of antichrists? The antichrists bring the followers of God under their sway, turning the church into their domain, into a social group, into a group of people who are under Satan’s domain. Could such a group be part of God’s family? (No.) Is it not disgusting that the antichrists do this? (It is.) Have you ever seen such a rabble of antichrists like this? What do you feel when you are among them? On the outside, they seem to be all gentleness—but when you fellowship the truth and the will of God with them, the attitude they display is diametrically opposed to their outward gentleness, that is, they are extremely repulsed and utterly uninterested. When you fellowship the truth with them, they feel you to be an outsider, and when you fellowship the work of the church, they feel so all the more; when you fellowship whether specific details of the work of the church have been carried out, and how well they have been carried out, they are likely to start nodding off and revealing a demonic likeness, they scratch their heads and pick their ears, they yawn, their eyes water, they might even sneeze. Is this not possession by an evil spirit? Why does their demonic likeness emerge as soon as you fellowship the truth? Does not each of them have much love in their hearts? How could they lose interest when you start to fellowship about the truth? Are they not thereby revealed? Do they not have great enthusiasm and commitment toward carrying out external tasks? And if they are committed, are they not possessed of reality? If they have reality, then they should be happy when they hear people fellowshiping the truth, they should yearn for it. So why does the phenomenon of possession by evil spirits arise? This proves that their usual gentleness is totally false—the truth has exposed them.

Excerpted from “They Treat the House of God Like Their Personal Domain” in Exposing Antichrists

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

111. The Principles of Identifying Heresy and Fallacy

(1) All that comes neither from God nor His words, and runs completely contrary to God’s word the truth, is heresy and fallacy;

(2) All ideas and theories that deny God, God’s word the truth, and run in opposition to God’s word the truth, are deceptive heresy and fallacy;

(3) All that comes from Satan, king of devils, and various evil spirits can beguile and corrupt mankind, and is heresy and fallacy;

(4) Anything among the inherited culture of corrupt mankind, as well as their mental and academic theories, that runs contrary to God’s word the truth is heresy and fallacy.

Relevant Words of God:

Since mankind’s contrivance of the social sciences, the mind of man has become occupied by science and knowledge. Science and knowledge then have become tools for the ruling of mankind, and there is no longer sufficient room for man to worship God, and no more favorable conditions for the worship of God. The position of God has sunk ever lower in the heart of man. Without God in his heart, man’s inner world is dark, hopeless and empty. Subsequently many social scientists, historians, and politicians have come to the fore to express theories of social science, the theory of human evolution, and other theories that contradict the truth that God created man, to fill the hearts and minds of mankind. And in this way, those who believe that God created everything have become ever fewer, and those who believe in the theory of evolution have become ever greater in number. More and more people treat the records of the work of God and His words during the age of the Old Testament as myths and legends. In their hearts, people become indifferent to the dignity and greatness of God, to the tenet that God exists and holds dominion over all things. The survival of mankind and the fate of countries and nations are no longer important to them, and man lives in a hollow world concerned only with eating, drinking, and the pursuit of pleasure. … Few people take it upon themselves to seek out where God does His work today, or to look for how He presides over and arranges the destination of man. And in this way, unbeknownst to man, human civilization becomes less and less able to hew to man’s wishes, and there are even many people who feel that, living in such a world, they are less happy than those who have already passed away. Even people of countries that used to be highly civilized air such grievances. For without the guidance of God, no matter how much rulers and sociologists wrack their brains to preserve human civilization, it is to no avail. No one can fill the emptiness in man’s heart, for no one can be the life of man, and no social theory can free man from the emptiness with which he is afflicted. Science, knowledge, freedom, democracy, leisure, comfort: these bring man only a temporary consolation. Even with these things, man still inevitably sins and bemoans the injustices of society. These things cannot restrain man’s craving and desire to explore. This is because man was made by God and the senseless sacrifices and explorations of man can only lead to more distress and can only cause man to exist in a constant state of fear, not knowing how to face the future of mankind or how to face the path that lies ahead. Man even comes to fear science and knowledge, and fear even more the feeling of emptiness. In this world, regardless of whether you live in a free country or one without human rights, you are utterly incapable of escaping the fate of mankind. Whether you are the ruler or the ruled, you are utterly incapable of escaping the desire to explore the fate, mysteries, and destination of mankind, much less are you capable of escaping the bewildering sense of emptiness. Such phenomena, which are common to all of mankind, are called social phenomena by sociologists, yet no great man can come forth to solve such problems. Man, after all, is man, and the position and life of God cannot be replaced by any man. Mankind does not just require a fair society in which everyone is well-fed and is equal and free; what mankind needs is the salvation of God and His provision of life to them. Only when man receives God’s provision of life and His salvation can the needs, the yearning to explore, and the spiritual emptiness of man be resolved. If the people of a country or a nation are unable to receive the salvation and care of God, then such a country or nation will tread the road of decline, toward darkness, and shall be annihilated by God.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Knowledge of ancient culture has surreptitiously stolen man from the presence of God and turned him over to the king of devils and its progeny. The Four Books and Five Classics[a] have taken man’s thinking and notions into another age of rebellion, causing him to give even greater adulation than before to those who compiled the Book/Classic of Documents, and as a result to further exacerbate his notions about God. Unbeknownst to man, the king of devils heartlessly cast God out from his heart and then occupied it itself with triumphant glee. Since that time, man became possessed of an ugly and wicked soul and of the countenance of the king of devils. A hatred of God filled his chest, and the spiteful malice of the king of devils spread within man day after day until he was utterly consumed. Man no longer had the least bit of freedom and had no way of breaking free from the toils of the king of devils. He had no choice but to be taken captive on the spot, to surrender and fall down in submission in its presence. Long ago, when man’s heart and soul was still in its infancy, the king of devils planted in it the seed of the tumor of atheism, teaching him such fallacies as “study science and technology; realize the Four Modernizations; and there is no such thing as God in the world.” Not only that, it shouts out at every opportunity: “Let us rely on our industrious labor to build a beautiful homeland,” asking each and every person to be prepared from childhood to render faithful service to their country. Man, unwitting, was brought into its presence, where it unhesitatingly arrogated all the credit (meaning the credit belonging to God for holding all of mankind in His hands) unto itself. Never did it have any sense of shame. Moreover, it shamelessly seized God’s people and dragged them back into its house, where it leaped like a mouse onto the table and had man worship it as God. What a desperado! It cries out scandalous, shocking things, such as: “There is no such thing as God in the world. The wind comes from transformations according to natural laws; rain comes when water vapor, meeting with cold temperatures, condenses into drops that fall to earth; an earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the earth due to geological changes; drought is due to dryness in the air caused by nucleonic disruption on the sun’s surface. These are natural phenomena. Where, in all this, is there an act of God?” There are even those who shout out statements like the following, statements that should not be given voice: “Man evolved from apes in the ancient past, and the world today comes from a succession of primitive societies starting from approximately an eon ago. Whether a country flourishes or declines rests entirely in the hands of its people.” In the background, it makes man hang it on the wall or place it on the table to pay homage and make offerings to it. At the same time that it cries out, “There is no God,” it sets itself up as God, with summary roughness pushing God out of the bounds of the earth, while standing in God’s place and taking up the role of the king of devils. How utterly lost to reason! …

From top to bottom and from beginning to end, Satan has been disrupting the work of God and acting in opposition to Him. All this talk of “ancient cultural heritage,” valuable “knowledge of ancient culture,” “teachings of Taoism and Confucianism,” and “Confucian classics and feudal rites” has taken man into hell. Advanced modern-day science and technology, as well as highly developed industry, agriculture, and business are nowhere to be seen. Rather, all it does is emphasize the feudal rites propagated by the “apes” of ancient times in order to deliberately disrupt, oppose, and dismantle the work of God. Not only has it continued to afflict man until this day, but it even wants to swallow[1] man whole. The transmission of the moral and ethical teachings of feudalism and the passing down of the knowledge of ancient culture have long infected humanity, turning them into devils big and small. Few are those who would gladly receive God, few who would jubilantly welcome His coming. The face of all humanity is filled with murderous intent, and in every place, a killing breath pervades the air. They seek to cast God out from this land; with knives and swords in hand, they arrange themselves in battle formation to “annihilate” God.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who are of the devil all live for themselves. Their life view and maxims mainly come from Satan’s sayings, such as, “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” The words spoken by those devil kings, great ones, and philosophers of the earth have become man’s very life. In particular, most of the words of Confucius, who is touted by Chinese people to be a “sage,” have become man’s life. There are also the famous proverbs of Buddhism and Taoism, and the oft-quoted classic sayings of various famous figures; these are all outlines of Satan’s philosophies and Satan’s nature. They are also the best illustrations and explanations of Satan’s nature. These poisons that have been infused into the heart of man all come from Satan; not the least bit of them comes from God. Such devilish words are also in direct opposition to God’s word. It is absolutely clear that the realities of all positive things come from God, and all those negative things that poison man come from Satan. Therefore, you can discern a person’s nature and to whom he belongs from his life view and values. Satan corrupts people through the education and influence of national governments and of the famous and great. Their devilish words have become man’s life nature. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost” is a well-known satanic saying that has been instilled into everyone, and that has become man’s life. There are other words of philosophies for living that are also like this. Satan uses each nation’s fine traditional culture to educate people, causing mankind to fall into and be engulfed by a boundless abyss of destruction, and in the end people are destroyed by God because they serve Satan and resist God. Imagine asking someone who has been active in society for decades the following question: “Given that you have lived in the world for so long and achieved so much, what are the main famous sayings that you live by?” He might say, “The most important one is, ‘Officials do not make things difficult for those who bear gifts, and those who do not flatter accomplish nothing.’” Are these words not representative of that person’s nature? Unscrupulously using any means to obtain position has become his nature, and being an official is what gives him life. There are still many satanic poisons in people’s lives, in their conduct and behavior; they possess almost no truth at all. For example, their philosophies for living, their ways of doing things, and their maxims are all filled with the poisons of the great red dragon, and they all come from Satan. Thus, all things that flow through people’s bones and blood are all things of Satan. All of those officials, those who hold power, and those who are accomplished have their own paths and secrets to success. Are such secrets not perfectly representative of their nature? They have done such big things in the world, and no one can see through the schemes and intrigues that lay behind them. This shows just how insidious and venomous their nature is. Mankind has been profoundly corrupted by Satan. Satan’s venom flows through the blood of every person, and it can be seen that man’s nature is corrupt, evil, and reactionary, filled by and immersed in the philosophies of Satan—it is, in its entirety, a nature that betrays God. This is why people resist God and stand in opposition to God.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Is knowledge something that everyone considers to be a positive thing? At the very least, people think that the connotation of the word “knowledge” is positive rather than negative. So why are we mentioning here that Satan uses knowledge to corrupt man? Is the theory of evolution not an aspect of knowledge? Are Newton’s scientific laws not a part of knowledge? The gravitational pull of the earth is also a part of knowledge, is it not? (Yes.) So why is knowledge listed among the things that Satan uses to corrupt mankind? What is your view on this? Does knowledge have even a shred of truth in it? (No.) Then what is the essence of knowledge? On what basis is all the knowledge that man acquires learned? Is it based on the theory of evolution? Is not the knowledge that man has gained through exploration and summation based on atheism? Does any of this knowledge have a connection to God? Is it connected with worshiping God? Is it connected to truth? (No.) So how does Satan use knowledge to corrupt man? I just said that none of this knowledge is connected with worshiping God or with truth. Some people think about it like this: “Knowledge might not have anything to do with truth, but still, it doesn’t corrupt people.” What is your view on this? Were you taught by knowledge that a person’s happiness must be created with their own two hands? Did knowledge teach you that man’s fate was in his own hands? (Yes.) What kind of talk is this? (It is devilish talk.) Absolutely right! It is devilish talk! Knowledge is a complicated subject to discuss. You may state simply that a field of knowledge is nothing more than knowledge. That is a field of knowledge that is learned on the basis of not worshiping God and on not understanding that God created all things. When people study this type of knowledge, they do not see God having sovereignty over all things; they do not see God being in charge of or managing all things. Instead, all they do is endlessly research and explore that area of knowledge, and seek out answers based on knowledge. However, is it not true that if people do not believe in God and instead only pursue research, they will never find the true answers? All that knowledge can give you is a livelihood, a job, income so that you do not go hungry; but it will never make you worship God, and it will never keep you far from evil. The more you study knowledge, the more you will desire to rebel against God, to subject God to your studies, to tempt God, and to resist God. So, what do we now see that knowledge is teaching people? It is all the philosophy of Satan. Do the philosophies and rules of survival spread by Satan among corrupt men have any relation to truth? They have nothing to do with truth and, in fact, are the opposite of the truth. People often say, “Life is motion” and “Man is iron, rice is steel, man feels famished if he skips a meal”; what are these sayings? They are fallacies, and hearing them causes a feeling of disgust. In man’s so-called knowledge, Satan has imbued quite a bit of its philosophy for living and its thinking. And as Satan does this, it allows man to adopt its thinking, philosophy, and points of view so that man may deny the existence of God, deny God’s dominion over all things and over man’s fate. So as man’s studies progress and he gains more knowledge, he feels the existence of God become vague, and might even no longer feel that God exists. As Satan has added viewpoints, notions, and thoughts into the mind of man, is not man corrupted during this process? (Yes.) What does man now base his life upon? Is he really living on the basis of this knowledge? No; man is basing his life on the thoughts, views and philosophies of Satan that are hidden within this knowledge. This is where the essential part of Satan’s corruption of man occurs; this is both Satan’s goal and its method for corrupting man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Money makes the world go round” is a philosophy of Satan, and it prevails among the whole of mankind, in every human society. You could say that it is a trend because it has been instilled in the heart of every single person. From the very beginning, people did not accept this saying, but then they gave it tacit acceptance when they came into contact with real life, and began to feel that these words were in fact true. Is this not a process of Satan corrupting man? Perhaps people do not understand this saying to the same degree, but everyone has different degrees of interpretation and acknowledgment of this saying based on things that have happened around them and on their own personal experiences. Is that not the case? Regardless of how much experience someone has with this saying, what is the negative effect that it can have on someone’s heart? Something is revealed through the human disposition of the people in this world, including each and every one of you. How is this thing that is revealed to be interpreted? It is the worship of money. Is it hard to remove this from someone’s heart? It is very hard! It seems that Satan’s corruption of man is deep indeed! So after Satan uses this trend to corrupt people, how is it manifested in them? Do you feel that you could not survive in this world without any money, that even one day without money would be impossible? People’s status is based on how much money they have, as is the respect they command. The backs of the poor are bent in shame, while the rich enjoy their high status. They stand tall and proud, speaking loudly and living arrogantly. What does this saying and trend bring to people? Is it not true that many people make any sacrifice in the pursuit of money? Do many people not lose their dignity and integrity in the pursuit of more money? Moreover, do many people not lose the opportunity to perform their duty and follow God for the sake of money? Is this not a loss for people? (Yes.) Is Satan not sinister to use this method and this saying to corrupt man to such a degree? Is this not a malicious trick? As you progress from objecting to this popular saying to finally accepting it as truth, your heart falls completely into Satan’s grasp, and therefore you inadvertently come to live by the saying. To what degree has this saying affected you? You might know the true way, and you might know the truth, but you are powerless to pursue it. You may clearly know that God’s words are the truth, but you are unwilling to pay the price or to suffer in order to gain the truth. Instead, you would rather sacrifice your own future and destiny to resist God to the very end. No matter what God says, no matter what God does, no matter whether you understand how deep and how great God’s love for you is, you would stubbornly insist on having your own way and pay the price for this saying. That is to say, this saying already controls your behavior and your thoughts, and you would rather have your fate controlled by it than give it all up. Does not the fact that people act in this way, that they are controlled by this saying and manipulated by it, illustrate that Satan’s corrupting of man is effective? Is this not the philosophy and corrupt disposition of Satan taking root in your heart? If you do this, has Satan not achieved its goal? (Yes.) Do you see how Satan has corrupted man in this way? Can you feel it? (No.) You have neither seen it nor felt it. Do you see Satan’s evil here? Satan corrupts man at all times and in all places. Satan makes it impossible for man to defend against this corruption and makes man helpless against it. Satan makes you accept its thoughts, its viewpoints and the evil things that come from it in situations where you are unknowing and when you have no recognition of what is happening to you. People accept these things and take no exception to them. They cherish and hold on to these things like a treasure, they let these things manipulate them and toy with them; this is how Satan’s corruption of man grows ever deeper.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

With regard to the words of God, when people fellowship together, and after they have pray-read the original text of God’s words, they may incorporate their personal experiences, and their enlightenments and illuminations as they talk of their own knowledge—you must not, however, interpret God’s words howsoever you wish, as if they were born of your own hand. God’s words do not need you to explain them, nor could you explain them clearly or understandably. It is enough that you have some minor enlightenment, illumination or experience, but to try to explain the truth, to try to use your explanation to allow people to understand God’s will? That would be impossible. It is the wrong thing to do. Some people read in God’s words that God loves those who are honest. God told man, “But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil” (Mat 5:37). Today, God’s words also call for people to be honest. So what is the right attitude to take toward God’s words and what He requires? Search in God’s words: God said, “But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no.” How exactly do those who are honest in the eyes of God behave? How do they speak, how do they act, how do they approach their duty, and how do they work well with others? People should search God’s words for these principles and paths of practice, that they may become the honest people He requires. This is the right attitude, the attitude that ought to be possessed by those who seek the truth. So how do those who do not seek the truth, who do not love the truth, and who have no fear of God and His words behave? They look at God’s words, and straight away they say, “God requires that people be honest. That’s what the Lord Jesus said. The God of today is once more saying for people to be honest. I know this already. Are honest people not guileless people? It is not as people say, that guileless people ever prevail, that the good have peaceful lives, and that it is a sin to exploit those who are guileless? Look, God is redressing the injustices suffered by the guileless.” Are these words the truth? Are these truth principles that they have identified? (No.) So what are these words? Could they be called heresies and fallacies? (They could.) Those who do not understand spiritual things or love the truth always connect God’s words with what, among mankind, is believed to be pleasing to the ear and right. Is this not downgrading God’s words? Is this not making the truth into a kind of slogan for mankind, an argument for how to act? They ignore what God says about being honest—how those who are honest behave, how to be honest, what the precepts are—and nonsensically claim that God asks that people be guileless, and that people who are guileless, good-for-nothings, and fools are all honest. Is this not a misinterpretation of God’s words? They misinterpret God’s words, yet think themselves very clever, and that God’s words are nothing more than this: “The truth isn’t so profound, is it not just being guileless? And is it not simple to be a guileless person? Don’t steal, don’t swear, don’t fight. ‘Execution does nothing but make heads roll; be lenient wherever it is possible.’ Be tolerant of others in all things, be good, and the good will have peaceful lives.” They say a lot, but none of it is in line with the truth, it is nothing but heresies and fallacies. It seems to bear some relation to the words of God, it appears to have some connection to them, but when one goes deeper and looks more closely, it is nothing but deception, it does nothing except discompose people’s thoughts.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Five)” in Exposing Antichrists

How does mankind regard the logics and ideologies of Satan, and those spiritual crutches that dominate people’s lives? Some people say they are spiritual nourishment, chicken soup for the soul, but actually they corrupt people; once people “eat” them, it is over for them. What happens if people continue to accept such things without expelling the old things? If they do not shed their former corrupt dispositions, and then embrace the newer corruptions of Satan, they are finished—they are doomed never to be saved. You should, while continually identifying and rejecting them, keep shedding them; you should not live by these things, and you should accept the words of God. Has anyone ever said, “I no longer accepted those things, and then God’s words automatically entered me”? That would be impossible. You must take it upon yourself to seek and accept the truth. During the process of your understanding of the truth, you will naturally identify heresies and fallacies, and you will gradually come to let them go. Thus, God’s words will gradually become the principles by which you act; whenever you do anything, you will know how to act in accordance with God’s will, and shall naturally practice it—and in this regard a change will occur in your disposition.

Excerpted from “Excursus One: What the Truth Is” in Exposing Antichrists

What is the difference in substance between the words of God and man, and between the truth and doctrine? God’s words cause people to grow in sense and conscience, to act with principle, and what they live out to become increasingly possessed of the reality of positive things. The words of man, on the other hand, may seem to sit perfectly with people’s tastes and perspectives, but because they are not the truth, they brim with pitfalls, temptation, and heresies and fallacies, and so if people act according to these words, what they live out will stray ever further from God, and from the standards of God. Even more serious, the way people live will become ever more evil and akin to Satan. When people live and act entirely by the heresies and fallacies of man, when they have wholly embraced these arguments, they live as Satan. And does living as Satan not imply that they are Satan? (Yes.) So you have “successfully” become a living Satan. Some people say, “I don’t believe it. I just want to be someone without guile who is liked by others. I want to be someone that most people regard as good, and then I’ll see whether God takes delight in me or not.” If you do not believe what God says, go and look, and—see if God’s words are the truth, or if man’s notions are the truth. This is the difference in essence between the words of God and the words of man. It is the essential distinction between the truth and heresies and fallacies. No matter how the heresies and fallacies of man seem to fit with people’s tastes, they can never become their life; meanwhile, no matter how unadorned the words of God seem, how vernacular, how at odds with people’s notions, their essence is the truth, and if what people do and live out is in accordance with God’s word principles, eventually, one day, they will become a genuine qualified creature of God, and will be capable of fearing God and shunning evil. For those who do not achieve this, meanwhile, what they live out and their ultimate path can only lead them to be detested and rejected by God: This is a fact.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Five)” in Exposing Antichrists

In His expression of the truth, God expresses His disposition and essence; His expression of the truth is not based on mankind’s summaries of the various positive things and statements that mankind recognizes. God’s words are God’s words; God’s words are truth. They are the foundation and the law by which mankind should exist, and those so-called tenets that originate with humanity are condemned by God. They do not meet with His approval, and less still are they the origin or basis of His utterances. God expresses His disposition and His essence through His words. All the words brought forth by God’s expression are truth, for He has the essence of God, and He is the reality of all positive things. The fact that God’s words are truth never alters, no matter how this corrupt mankind positions them or defines them, nor how it views them or understands them. No matter how many words of God have been spoken, and no matter how much this corrupt, sinful mankind condemns and rejects them, there remains a fact that cannot be changed: Even in these circumstances, the so-called culture and traditions that mankind values cannot become positive things, and cannot become the truth. This is unalterable. Mankind’s traditional culture and way of existence will not become truth because of the changes or passage of time, and neither will the words of God become the words of man due to mankind’s condemnation or forgetfulness. This essence will never change; truth is always truth. What fact exists herein? All those sayings that are summarized by mankind originate in Satan—they are human imaginings and notions, even arising from human hot-bloodedness, and have nothing at all to do with positive things. The words of God, on the other hand, are expressions of God’s essence and status. For what reason does He express these words? Why do I say they are truth? The reason is that God rules over all the laws, principles, roots, essences, actualities, and mysteries of all things, and they are grasped in His hand, and God alone knows their origins and what their roots really are. Therefore, only the definitions of all things mentioned in the words of God are most accurate, and the requirements for mankind within God’s words are the only standard for mankind—the only criteria by which mankind should exist. Nevertheless, the laws by which mankind exists are derived, in one regard, from a violation of the fact of God’s rule over all things, and in another regard from a violation of the fact of God’s sovereignty over the laws of all things. They come from man’s imaginings and notions, and come also from Satan. What sort of role does Satan play? First, Satan impersonates the truth; second, it destroys, disturbs, and tramples all the principles and laws of God’s creation of all things. Thus, things that come from Satan match its essence precisely, and are full of Satan’s wicked intentions, temptations, and disguises, as well as Satan’s never-ending ambition. These will never become truth, regardless of whether corrupt mankind can discern them, regardless of the degree to which corrupt mankind accepts them, and regardless of the longevity of the era during which corrupt mankind admires them, worships them, and preaches them, and regardless, too, of how many people admire, worship, and preach them. They will never become truth, and will always remain negative things, for their essence, origin, and root is Satan, the Satan that is the enemy of God and in enmity with truth. When there is no truth against which to contrast them, they may pretend that they are good and that they are positive, but when the truth is used to dissect and expose them, they are not without vulnerabilities. They cannot stand fast, and they are things quickly condemned, exposed, and cast aside. The truth God expresses is exactly in line with the needs of mankind’s normal humanity, which God created, while what Satan gives man is in precise violation of those needs. It makes a normal person abnormal, immoderate, narrow-minded, arrogant, foolish, evil, hard, vicious, and, above all, insufferably arrogant. At a certain point, that person becomes mentally deranged, no longer even knowing who they are. They refuse to be normal people but must act as non-normal human beings; they refuse to be ordinary people but insist instead on becoming superior human beings—and thus is people’s humanity warped, and thus are their instincts warped. Truth makes people more able to live instinctually in accordance with the principles and laws of normal humanity and all the principles that God has dictated, whereas these so-called sayings and laws of Satan are precisely what cause people to violate their instincts and try to escape the laws that God has decreed and dictated, and even abandon the path of normal humanity, doing immoderate things that people with normal humanity should not do and of which they should not think.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

Footnotes:

1. “Swallow” refers to the vicious behavior of the king of devils, which ravishes people in their entirety.

a. The Four Books and Five Classics are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China.

112. The Principles of Identifying the Great Red Dragon and Satan

(1) Satan is the master architect of mankind’s corruption; the great red dragon is Satan’s embodiment, and it is the chief source of all the forces of evil;

(2) The great red dragon exploits lies, as well as all manner of heresy and fallacy, in order to beguile, control, and cripple people, making them oppose and betray God;

(3) It is necessary to be able to identify the various rumors and reactionary theories concocted by the great red dragon, and to see through to its demonic essence—one that resists and harbors hatred toward God;

(4) All mankind is corrupted by Satan and filled with a satanic disposition. One should use the truth to dissect and identify it and cast off their satanic disposition; only in doing so does one forsake Satan.

Relevant Words of God:

The manifestations of the great red dragon are resistance to Me, lack of understanding and comprehension of the meanings of My words, frequent persecution of Me, and seeking to use schemes to interrupt My management. Satan is manifested as follows: struggling with Me for power, wanting to possess My chosen people, and releasing negative words to deceive My people. The manifestations of the devil (those who do not accept My name, who do not believe, are all devils) are as follows: coveting the pleasures of the flesh, indulging in evil lusts, living in bondage to Satan, some resisting Me and some supporting Me (but not proving they are My beloved sons). The manifestations of the archangel are as follows: speaking insolently, being ungodly, often adopting My tone to lecture people, focusing only on outwardly imitating Me, eating what I eat and using what I use; in short, wanting to be on equal footing with Me, being ambitious but lacking My caliber and not having My life, and being a piece of waste. Satan, the devil, and the archangel are all typical demonstrations of the great red dragon, so those who are not predestined and chosen by Me are all the offspring of the great red dragon: This is absolutely how it is! These are all My enemies. (However, Satan’s disruptions are excluded. If your nature is My quality, no one can change it. Because now you still live in the flesh, occasionally you will be faced with Satan’s temptations—this is inevitable—but you must always be careful.) Therefore, I will abandon all the offspring of the great red dragon outside of My firstborn sons. Their nature can never change—it is the quality of Satan. It is the devil that they manifest, and it is the archangel that they live out. This is completely true. The great red dragon I speak of is not a big red dragon; rather it is the evil spirit in opposition to Me, for which the “great red dragon” is a synonym. So, all the spirits other than the Holy Spirit are evil spirits, and can also be said to be the offspring of the great red dragon. This should all be crystal clear to everyone.

Excerpted from “Chapter 96” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

For thousands of years this has been the land of filth. It is unbearably dirty, misery abounds, ghosts run rampant everywhere, tricking and deceiving, making groundless accusations,[1] being ruthless and vicious, trampling this ghost town and leaving it littered with dead bodies; the stench of decay covers the land and pervades the air, and it is heavily guarded.[2] Who can see the world beyond the skies? The devil tightly trusses all of man’s body, it veils both his eyes, and seals his lips firmly shut. The king of devils has rampaged for several thousand years, right up until today, when it still keeps a close watch on the ghost town, as if it were an impenetrable palace of demons; this pack of watchdogs, meanwhile, stare with glaring eyes, deeply fearful that God will catch them unawares and wipe them all out, leaving them without a place of peace and happiness. How could the people of a ghost town such as this ever have seen God? Have they ever enjoyed the dearness and loveliness of God? What appreciation have they of the matters of the human world? Who of them can understand God’s eager will? Small wonder, then, that God incarnate remains completely hidden: In a dark society such as this, where the demons are merciless and inhumane, how could the king of devils, who kills people without batting an eye, tolerate the existence of a God who is lovely, kind, and also holy? How could it applaud and cheer the arrival of God? These lackeys! They repay kindness with hate, they have long since disdained God, they abuse God, they are savage in the extreme, they have not the slightest regard for God, they plunder and pillage, they have lost all conscience, they go against all conscience, and they tempt the innocent into senselessness. Forefathers of the ancient? Beloved leaders? They all oppose God! Their meddling has left all beneath heaven in a state of darkness and chaos! Religious freedom? The legitimate rights and interests of citizens? They are all tricks for covering up sin! Who has embraced the work of God? Who has laid down their life or shed blood for the work of God? For generation after generation, from parents to children, enslaved man has unceremoniously enslaved God—how could this not incite fury? Thousands of years of hate are concentrated in the heart, millennia of sinfulness are inscribed upon the heart—how could this not inspire loathing? Avenge God, completely snuff out His enemy, do not allow it to run rampant any longer, and do not permit it to kick up as much trouble as it wishes anymore! Now is the time: Man has long since gathered all his strength, he has devoted all his efforts and paid every price for this, to tear off the hideous face of this demon and allow people, who have been blinded, and who have endured every manner of suffering and hardship, to rise up from their pain and turn their backs on this evil old devil. Why put up such an impenetrable obstacle to the work of God? Why employ various tricks to deceive God’s folk? Where is the true freedom and the legitimate rights and interests? Where is the fairness? Where is the comfort? Where is the warmth? Why use deceitful schemes to trick God’s people? Why use force to suppress the coming of God? Why not allow God to freely roam upon the earth that He created? Why hound God until He has nowhere to rest His head? Where is the warmth among men? Where is the welcome among people? Why cause such desperate yearning in God? Why make God call out again and again? Why force God to worry for His beloved Son? In this dark society, why do its sorry guard dogs not allow God to freely come and go among the world which He created? Why does man not understand, man who lives amid pain and suffering? For your sakes, God has endured great torment, with great pain He has bestowed His beloved Son, His flesh and blood, to you—so why do you still turn a blind eye? In full view of everyone, you reject the arrival of God, and refuse God’s friendship. Why are you so unconscionable? Are you willing to endure the injustices in a dark society such as this? Why, instead of filling your bellies with millennia of enmity, do you stuff yourselves with the king of devils’ “shit”?

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (8)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Knowledge of ancient culture and history spanning several thousand years has closed off man’s thinking and notions and his mental outlook so tightly as to render them impervious and non-biodegradable.[3] People live in the eighteenth circle of hell, where, just as if they have been banished by God into the dungeons, the light may never be seen. Feudal thinking has so oppressed people that they can barely breathe and are suffocating. They have not the slightest jot of strength to resist; all they do is endure and endure in silence…. Never has anyone dared to struggle or stand up for righteousness and justice; people simply live a life worse than an animal’s, under the blows and abuse of feudal ethics, day after day, and year after year. They have never thought to seek out God to enjoy happiness in the human world. It is as if people have been beaten down to the point where they are like the fallen leaves of autumn, withered, desiccated, and yellow-brown. People have long since lost their memory; they live helpless in the hell which is called the human world, waiting for the coming of the last day so that they may perish together with this hell, as if the last day that they yearn for is the day when man shall enjoy restful peace. Feudal ethics have taken the life of man into “Hades,” further weakening man’s power to resist. All sorts of oppression push man, step by step, to fall deeper into Hades, farther and farther away from God, until today he has become a complete stranger to God and makes haste to avoid Him when they meet. Man does not heed Him and leaves Him standing alone to one side, as if man has never known Him, has never seen Him before. Yet God has been waiting for man all through the long journey of human life, never hurling His irrepressible fury toward him, merely waiting quietly, without a word, for man to repent and start anew. God long ago came into the human world to share the sufferings of the human world with man. In all the years that He has lived with man, no one has discovered His existence. God only endures in silence the misery of shabbiness in the human world while carrying out the work He brought in person. He continues to endure for the sake of the will of God the Father and for the sake of the needs of mankind, undergoing sufferings never before experienced by man. In man’s presence He has quietly waited upon him, and in man’s presence He has humbled Himself, for the sake of God the Father’s will and also for the sake of the needs of mankind. Knowledge of ancient culture has surreptitiously stolen man from the presence of God and turned him over to the king of devils and its progeny. The Four Books and Five Classics[a] have taken man’s thinking and notions into another age of rebellion, causing him to give even greater adulation than before to those who compiled the Book/Classic of Documents, and as a result to further exacerbate his notions about God. Unbeknownst to man, the king of devils heartlessly cast God out from his heart and then occupied it itself with triumphant glee. Since that time, man became possessed of an ugly and wicked soul and of the countenance of the king of devils. A hatred of God filled his chest, and the spiteful malice of the king of devils spread within man day after day until he was utterly consumed. Man no longer had the least bit of freedom and had no way of breaking free from the toils of the king of devils. He had no choice but to be taken captive on the spot, to surrender and fall down in submission in its presence. Long ago, when man’s heart and soul was still in its infancy, the king of devils planted in it the seed of the tumor of atheism, teaching him such fallacies as “study science and technology; realize the Four Modernizations; and there is no such thing as God in the world.” Not only that, it shouts out at every opportunity: “Let us rely on our industrious labor to build a beautiful homeland,” asking each and every person to be prepared from childhood to render faithful service to their country. Man, unwitting, was brought into its presence, where it unhesitatingly arrogated all the credit (meaning the credit belonging to God for holding all of mankind in His hands) unto itself. Never did it have any sense of shame. Moreover, it shamelessly seized God’s people and dragged them back into its house, where it leaped like a mouse onto the table and had man worship it as God. What a desperado! It cries out scandalous, shocking things, such as: “There is no such thing as God in the world. The wind comes from transformations according to natural laws; rain comes when water vapor, meeting with cold temperatures, condenses into drops that fall to earth; an earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the earth due to geological changes; drought is due to dryness in the air caused by nucleonic disruption on the sun’s surface. These are natural phenomena. Where, in all this, is there an act of God?” There are even those who shout out statements like the following, statements that should not be given voice: “Man evolved from apes in the ancient past, and the world today comes from a succession of primitive societies starting from approximately an eon ago. Whether a country flourishes or declines rests entirely in the hands of its people.” In the background, it makes man hang it on the wall or place it on the table to pay homage and make offerings to it. At the same time that it cries out, “There is no God,” it sets itself up as God, with summary roughness pushing God out of the bounds of the earth, while standing in God’s place and taking up the role of the king of devils. How utterly lost to reason! It makes one hate it to the very bone. It seems that God and it are sworn enemies, and the two cannot coexist. It schemes to chase God away while it roams free, outside the reach of law.[4] Such a king of devils it is! How can its existence be tolerated? It will not rest until it has made a mess of God’s work and left it all in a complete shambles,[5] as if it wants to oppose God to the bitter end, until either the fish dies or the net breaks, deliberately setting itself against God and pressing in ever closer. Its hideous face having long since been completely unmasked, it is now bruised and battered[6] and in a sorry condition, yet still it will not relent in its hatred of God, as if only by devouring God in one mouthful will it be able to relieve the hatred pent up in its heart. How can we tolerate it, this enemy of God! Only its eradication and complete extermination will bring our life’s wish to fruition. How can it be allowed to continue running rampant? It has corrupted man to such a degree that man does not know the heavensun, and has become deadened and devoid of feeling. Man has lost normal human reason. Why not offer up our whole being to destroy it and burn it up to eliminate all worries for the future and allow the work of God to sooner reach unprecedented splendor? This gang of scoundrels has come into the world of men and reduced it to turmoil. They have brought all of humanity to the edge of a precipice, secretly planning to push them over to be dashed to pieces so that they may then devour their corpses. They vainly hope to break up God’s plan and enter into a match with Him, staking everything on a single throw of the dice.[7] That is by no means easy! The cross has been prepared, after all, for the king of devils, who is guilty of the most heinous crimes. God does not belong to the cross. He has already tossed it aside for the devil. God has long before now emerged victorious and no longer feels sorrow over the sins of mankind, but will bring salvation to all mankind.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From top to bottom and from beginning to end, Satan has been disrupting the work of God and acting in opposition to Him. All this talk of “ancient cultural heritage,” valuable “knowledge of ancient culture,” “teachings of Taoism and Confucianism,” and “Confucian classics and feudal rites” has taken man into hell. Advanced modern-day science and technology, as well as highly developed industry, agriculture, and business are nowhere to be seen. Rather, all it does is emphasize the feudal rites propagated by the “apes” of ancient times in order to deliberately disrupt, oppose, and dismantle the work of God. Not only has it continued to afflict man until this day, but it even wants to swallow[8] man whole. The transmission of the moral and ethical teachings of feudalism and the passing down of the knowledge of ancient culture have long infected humanity, turning them into devils big and small. Few are those who would gladly receive God, few who would jubilantly welcome His coming. The face of all humanity is filled with murderous intent, and in every place, a killing breath pervades the air. They seek to cast God out from this land; with knives and swords in hand, they arrange themselves in battle formation to “annihilate” God. All across this land of the devil, where man is constantly taught there is no God, idols are spread, and the air above is permeated by a nauseating odor of burning paper and incense, so thick as to be suffocating. It is like the stench of sludge that wafts up with the writhing of the poisonous serpent, so much so that one cannot keep from vomiting. Besides this, there can faintly be heard the sound of evil demons chanting scriptures, a sound which seems to be coming from faraway in hell, so much so that one cannot keep from shivering. Everywhere in this land are placed idols of all colors of the rainbow, turning the land into a world of sensual delights, while the king of devils keeps laughing wickedly, as if its dastardly plot has succeeded. Meanwhile, man remains completely oblivious, and nor has he any inkling that the devil has already corrupted him to the point where he has become senseless and hangs his head in defeat. It wishes, in one fell swoop, to wipe out everything about God, and once again to defile and assassinate Him; it is intent upon tearing down and disrupting His work. How can it allow God to be of equal status? How can it tolerate God “interfering” with its work among men on earth? How can it allow God to unmask its hideous face? How can it allow God to put its work in disarray? How can this devil, apoplectic with rage, allow God to have control over its imperial court on the earth? How can it willingly bow down to His superior might? Its hideous countenance has been revealed for what it is, so that one knows not whether to laugh or cry, and it is truly difficult to speak of. Is this not its substance? With an ugly soul, it still believes that it is beautiful beyond belief. This gang of accomplices in crime![9] They come down into the mortal realm to indulge in pleasures and cause a commotion, stirring things up so much that the world becomes a fickle and inconstant place and the heart of man is filled with panic and unease, and they have toyed with man so much that his appearance has become that of an inhuman beast of the field, supremely ugly, and from which the last trace of the original holy man has been lost. Furthermore, they even wish to assume sovereign power on earth. They impede the work of God so much that it can barely inch forward, and they close man off as tightly as walls of copper and steel. Having committed so many grievous sins and caused so many disasters, are they still expecting something other than chastisement? Demons and evil spirits have been running amok on earth for a time, and have sealed off both the will and the painstaking effort of God so tightly that they are impenetrable. Truly, this is a mortal sin! How can God not feel anxious? How can God not feel wrathful? They have gravely hindered and opposed the work of God: How rebellious! Even those demons, big and small, behave like jackals at the heels of the lion, and follow the evil current, contriving disturbances as they go. Knowing the truth, they deliberately oppose it, these sons of rebellion! It is as if, now that their king of hell has ascended to the kingly throne, they have become smug and complacent, treating all others with contempt. How many among them seek the truth and follow righteousness? They are all beasts, no better than pigs and dogs, at the head of a gang of stinking flies, wagging their heads in smug self-congratulation and stirring up all kinds of trouble,[10] in the middle of a dung heap. They believe that their king of hell is the greatest king of all, little knowing that they themselves are no more than stinking flies. And yet, they take advantage of the power of the pigs and dogs they have for parents to malign the existence of God. As diminutive flies, they believe their parents to be as large as toothed whales.[11] Little do they know that, while they themselves are tiny, their parents are unclean pigs and dogs hundreds of millions of times larger than they. Unaware of their own lowliness, they rely on the stench of putrefaction exuded by those pigs and dogs to run amok, vainly thinking to procreate future generations, oblivious to shame! With green wings upon their backs (this refers to their claiming to believe in God), they are full of themselves and boast everywhere of their own beauty and allure, while they secretly fling the impurities on their own bodies onto man. Furthermore, they are exceedingly pleased with themselves, as if they can use a pair of rainbow-colored wings to conceal their own impurities, and by these means they bring their oppression to bear on the existence of the true God (this refers to what goes on behind the scenes in the religious world). How would man know that, as enchantingly beautiful as the wings of a fly may be, the fly itself is after all no more than a tiny creature, with a belly full of filth and a body covered with germs? On the strength of the pigs and dogs they have for parents, they run amok across the land (this refers to the way in which the religious officials who persecute God rely on the strong backing of the government of the nation to rebel against the true God and the truth), unrestrained in their savagery. It is as if the ghosts of the Jewish Pharisees have returned along with God to the nation of the great red dragon, back to their old nest. They have begun yet another round of persecution, picking up their work of several thousand years ago. This group of degenerates is sure to perish on earth in the end! It would appear that, after several millennia, the unclean spirits have become even more crafty and sly. They are constantly thinking of ways to undermine the work of God in secret. With tricks and wiles galore, they wish to reenact in their homeland the tragedy of several thousand years ago, goading God nearly to the point of crying out. He can hardly keep Himself from returning to the third heaven to annihilate them. For man to love God, he must grasp His will, know His joys and sorrows, and understand what it is that He abhors. Doing this will spur on even more the entry of man. The faster man’s entry, the sooner God’s will is satisfied, the more clearly man sees through the king of devils, and the closer he draws to God, so that His desire may be brought to fruition.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan corrupts people through the education and influence of national governments and of the famous and great. Their devilish words have become man’s life nature. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost” is a well-known satanic saying that has been instilled into everyone, and that has become man’s life. There are other words of philosophies for living that are also like this. Satan uses each nation’s fine traditional culture to educate people, causing mankind to fall into and be engulfed by a boundless abyss of destruction, and in the end people are destroyed by God because they serve Satan and resist God. Imagine asking someone who has been active in society for decades the following question: “Given that you have lived in the world for so long and achieved so much, what are the main famous sayings that you live by?” He might say, “The most important one is, ‘Officials do not make things difficult for those who bear gifts, and those who do not flatter accomplish nothing.’” Are these words not representative of that person’s nature? Unscrupulously using any means to obtain position has become his nature, and being an official is what gives him life. There are still many satanic poisons in people’s lives, in their conduct and behavior; they possess almost no truth at all. For example, their philosophies for living, their ways of doing things, and their maxims are all filled with the poisons of the great red dragon, and they all come from Satan. Thus, all things that flow through people’s bones and blood are all things of Satan. All of those officials, those who hold power, and those who are accomplished have their own paths and secrets to success. Are such secrets not perfectly representative of their nature? They have done such big things in the world, and no one can see through the schemes and intrigues that lay behind them. This shows just how insidious and venomous their nature is. Mankind has been profoundly corrupted by Satan. Satan’s venom flows through the blood of every person, and it can be seen that man’s nature is corrupt, evil, and reactionary, filled by and immersed in the philosophies of Satan—it is, in its entirety, a nature that betrays God. This is why people resist God and stand in opposition to God.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In man’s so-called knowledge, Satan has imbued quite a bit of its philosophy for living and its thinking. And as Satan does this, it allows man to adopt its thinking, philosophy, and points of view so that man may deny the existence of God, deny God’s dominion over all things and over man’s fate. So as man’s studies progress and he gains more knowledge, he feels the existence of God become vague, and might even no longer feel that God exists. As Satan has added viewpoints, notions, and thoughts into the mind of man, is not man corrupted during this process? (Yes.) What does man now base his life upon? Is he really living on the basis of this knowledge? No; man is basing his life on the thoughts, views and philosophies of Satan that are hidden within this knowledge. This is where the essential part of Satan’s corruption of man occurs; this is both Satan’s goal and its method for corrupting man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During the process of man’s learning of knowledge, Satan employs all manner of methods, whether it be telling stories, simply giving them some individual piece of knowledge, or allowing them to satisfy their desires or ambitions. What road does Satan want to lead you down? People think there is nothing wrong with learning knowledge, that it is entirely natural. To put it in a way that sounds appealing, to foster lofty ideals or to have ambitions is to have drive, and this should be the right path in life. Is it not a more glorious way for people to live if they can realize their own ideals, or successfully establish a career? By doing these things, one can not only honor one’s ancestors but also has the chance to leave one’s mark on history—is this not a good thing? This is a good thing in the eyes of worldly people, and to them it should be proper and positive. Does Satan, however, with its sinister motives, take people on to this kind of road and that’s all there is to it? Of course not. In fact, no matter how lofty man’s ideals are, no matter how realistic man’s desires are or how proper they may be, all that man wants to achieve, all that man seeks for, is inextricably linked to two words. These two words are vitally important to the life of every person, and they are things Satan intends to instill in man. What are these two words? They are “fame” and “gain.” Satan uses a very subtle kind of method, a method very much in concert with people’s notions, which is not at all radical, through which it causes people to unknowingly accept its way of living, its rules to live by, and to establish life goals and their direction in life, and in doing so they also unknowingly come to have ambitions in life. No matter how grand these life ambitions may seem, they are inextricably linked to “fame” and “gain.” Everything that any great or famous person—all people, in fact—follow in life relates only to these two words: “fame” and “gain.” People think that once they have fame and gain, they can then capitalize on those things to enjoy high status and great wealth, and to enjoy life. They think fame and gain are a kind of capital that they can use to obtain a life of pleasure-seeking and wanton enjoyment of the flesh. For the sake of this fame and gain which mankind so covets, people willingly, albeit unknowingly, hand over their bodies, minds, all that they have, their futures and their destinies, to Satan. They do so without even a moment’s hesitation, ever ignorant of the need to recover all that they have handed over. Can people retain any control over themselves once they have taken refuge in Satan in this way and become loyal to it? Certainly not. They are completely and utterly controlled by Satan. They have completely and utterly sunk into a quagmire, and are unable to free themselves. Once someone is mired in fame and gain, they no longer seek that which is bright, that which is righteous, or those things that are beautiful and good. This is because the seductive power that fame and gain have over people is too great; they become things for people to pursue throughout their lives and even for all eternity without end. Is this not true? Some people will say that learning knowledge is nothing more than reading books or learning a few things that they do not already know so as not to lag behind the times or be left behind by the world. Knowledge is only learned so they can put food on the table, for their own future, or to provide the basic necessities. Is there any person who would endure a decade of hard study just for the basic necessities, just to resolve the issue of food? No, there are none like this. So why does a person suffer these hardships for all these years? It is for fame and gain. Fame and gain are waiting for them in the distance, beckoning them, and they believe that only through their own diligence, hardships and struggles can they follow the road that will lead them to attain fame and gain. Such a person must suffer these hardships for their own future path, for their future enjoyment and to gain a better life. What on earth is this knowledge—can you tell Me? Is it not rules of living instilled in people, rules that Satan teaches them in the course of their learning of knowledge? Is it not life’s “lofty ideals” instilled into man by Satan? Take, for example, the ideas of great people, the integrity of the famous or the brave spirit of heroic figures, or take the chivalry and kindness of the protagonists and swordsmen in martial arts novels—are these not all ways in which Satan instills these ideals? (Yes, they are.) These ideas influence one generation after another, and the people of each generation are brought to accept these ideas, to live for these ideas and to pursue them endlessly. This is the way, the channel, through which Satan uses knowledge to corrupt man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What science does is merely to allow people to see the objects in the physical world, and to satisfy man’s curiosity, but it cannot enable man to see the laws by which God has dominion over all things. Man seems to find answers in science, but those answers are puzzling and bring only temporary satisfaction, a satisfaction that only serves to confine the heart of man to the material world. Man feels that they have received answers from science, so whatever issue arises, they use their scientific views as a basis to prove and accept that issue. Man’s heart becomes possessed by science and seduced by it to the point that man no longer has the mind to know God, worship God and believe that all things come from God and that man should look to Him for answers. Is this not so? The more a person believes in science, the more absurd they become, believing that everything has a scientific solution, that research can solve anything. They do not seek God and they do not believe He exists; even some people who have followed God for many years will go and research bacteria on a whim or look up some information for the answer to an issue. Such people do not look at the issues from the perspective of truth and in most cases they want to rely on scientific views or knowledge or scientific solutions to solve problems; they do not rely on God and they do not seek God. Do people like this have God in their hearts? (No.) There are even some people who want to research God in the same way as they study science. For example, there are many religious experts who have gone to the mountain where the ark came to rest, and thus they proved the existence of the ark. But in the appearance of the ark they do not see the existence of God. They believe only in the stories and the history; this is the result of their scientific research and study of the material world. If you research material things, whether it be microbiology, astronomy, or geography, you will never find a result that determines that God exists or that He has sovereignty over all things. So what does science do for man? Does it not distance man from God? Does it not cause people to subject God to studies? Does it not make people more doubtful about God’s existence? (Yes.) So how does Satan want to use science to corrupt man? Does Satan not want to use scientific conclusions to deceive people and make them numb, and use ambiguous answers to hold on to people’s hearts so that they will not seek out or believe in God’s existence? (Yes.) So this is why I say that science is one of the ways in which Satan corrupts people.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan has fabricated and invented many folk stories or stories that appear in history books, leaving people with deep impressions of traditional cultural or superstitious figures. For example, in China there are the “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Journey to the West,” the Jade Emperor, “Nezha Conquering the Dragon King,” and “The Investiture of the Gods.” Have these not become deeply rooted in the minds of man? Even if some of you do not know all the details, you still know the general stories, and it is this general content that sticks in your heart and your mind, so that you cannot forget them. These are various ideas or legends that Satan prepared for man long ago, and which have been disseminated at different times. These things directly harm and erode people’s souls and put people under one spell after another. That is to say that once you have accepted such traditional culture, stories, or superstitious things, once they are established in your mind, and once they are stuck in your heart, then it is like you are spellbound—you become enmeshed and influenced by these cultural trappings, these ideas and traditional stories. They influence your life, your outlook on life, and your judgment of things. Even more so they influence your pursuit for the true path of life: This is indeed a wicked spell. Try as you might, you cannot shake them off; you chop at them but you cannot chop them down; you beat at them but you cannot beat them away. Furthermore, after people are unknowingly put under this kind of spell, they unknowingly begin to worship Satan, fostering the image of Satan in their hearts. In other words, they establish Satan as their idol, an object for them to worship and look up to, even going so far as to regard it as God. Unknowingly, these things are in people’s hearts, controlling their words and deeds. Moreover, you first regard these stories and legends to be false, but then you unknowingly acknowledge their existence, making of them real figures and turning them into real, existing objects. In your unawareness, you subconsciously receive these ideas and the existence of these things. You also subconsciously receive devils, Satan, and idols into your own home and into your own heart—this is indeed a spell.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan corrupts man through social trends. “Social trends” include many things. Some people say: “Does it mean the latest fashions, cosmetics, hairstyles, and gourmet foods?” Are these things considered social trends? They make up one part of social trends, but we will not be talking about them here. We only wish to talk about the ideas that social trends bring about in people, the way they cause people to conduct themselves in the world, and the life goals and outlook that they bring about in people. These are very important; they can control and influence man’s state of mind. These trends arise one after another, and they all carry an evil influence that continually debases mankind, causing people to lose conscience, humanity and reason, weakening their morals and their quality of character ever more, to the extent that we can even say that the majority of people now have no integrity, no humanity, and neither do they have any conscience, much less any reason. So what are these trends? They are trends that you cannot see with the naked eye. When a new trend sweeps through the world, perhaps only a small number of people are on the cutting edge, acting as the trendsetters. They start off doing some new thing, then accepting some kind of idea or some kind of perspective. The majority of people, however, will be continually infected, assimilated, and attracted by this kind of trend in a state of unawareness, until they all unknowingly and involuntarily accept it and become submerged in it and controlled by it. One after another, such trends cause people, who are not of sound body and mind, do not know what the truth is, and cannot differentiate between positive and negative things, to happily accept them as well as the life views and values that come from Satan. They accept what Satan tells them about how to approach life and the way to live that Satan “bestows” on them, and they have neither the strength nor the ability, much less the awareness, to resist. …

… Satan uses these social trends to lure people one step at a time into a nest of devils, so that people caught up in social trends unknowingly advocate money and material desires, wickedness and violence. Once these things have entered the heart of man, what then does man become? Man becomes the devil, Satan! Why? Because, what psychological inclination exists in the heart of man? What does man revere? Man begins to take pleasure in wickedness and violence, showing no love for beauty or goodness, much less peace. People are not willing to live the simple life of normal humanity, but instead wish to enjoy high status and great wealth, to revel in the pleasures of the flesh, sparing no effort to satisfy their own flesh, with no restrictions, no bonds to hold them back; in other words, doing whatever they desire. So when man has become immersed in these kinds of trends, can the knowledge that you have learned help you to free yourself? Can your understanding of traditional culture and superstitions help you escape from this dire predicament? Can the traditional morals and ceremonies known to man help people exercise restraint? Take the Three Character Classic, for example. Can it help people pull their feet out of the quagmire of these trends? (No, it cannot.) Thus, man becomes more and more evil, arrogant, condescending, selfish and malicious. There is no longer any affection between people, no longer any love between family members, no longer any understanding among relatives and friends; human relations have become characterized by violence. Each and every person seeks to use violent methods to live among their fellow man; they seize their daily bread using violence; they win their positions and obtain their profits using violence, and they use violent and evil ways to do anything they want. Is this humanity not horrifying? (Yes.)

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are six primary tricks that Satan employs to corrupt man.

The first is control and coercion. That is, Satan will do everything possible to take control of your heart. What does “coercion” mean? It means using threatening and forceful tactics to make you obey it, making you think of the consequences if you do not obey. You are afraid and dare not defy it, so you then submit to it.

The second is cheating and trickery. What does “cheating and trickery” entail? Satan makes up some stories and lies, tricking you into believing them. It never tells you that man was created by God, but neither does it say directly that you were not made by God. It does not use the word “God” at all, but instead uses something else as a substitute, using this thing to deceive you so that you basically have no idea of the existence of God. Of course, this “trickery” includes many aspects, not just this one.

The third is forceful indoctrination. With what are people forcefully indoctrinated? Is forceful indoctrination done by man’s own choice? Is it done with man’s consent? (No.) Even if you do not consent, there is nothing you can do about it. In your unawareness, Satan indoctrinates you, instilling you with its thinking, its rules of life and its essence.

The fourth is intimidation and beguilement. That is, Satan employs various tricks to cause you to accept it, follow it and work in its service. It will do anything to achieve its goals. It sometimes bestows small favors on you, all the while luring you into committing sin. If you do not follow it, it will make you suffer and punish you, and use various ways to attack and ensnare you.

The fifth is deception and paralysis. “Deception and paralysis” is when Satan spins some sweet-sounding words and ideas that align with people’s notions, to make it seem as though it is being considerate of people’s fleshly situation, of their lives and futures, when actually its only goal is to fool you. It then paralyzes you so that you do not know what is right and what is wrong, so that you are unwittingly tricked and thereby come under its control.

The sixth is the destruction of body and mind. What part of man does Satan destroy? (Man’s mind and entire being.) Satan destroys your mind, making you powerless to resist, meaning that, little by little, your heart turns toward Satan in spite of yourself. It instills these things in you every day, every day using these ideas and cultures to influence and groom you, undermining your will little by little, so that eventually you no longer desire to be a good person, so that you no longer wish to stand up for what you call “righteousness.” Unknowingly, you no longer have the willpower to swim against the current, but instead flow along with it. “Destruction” means Satan tormenting people so much that they become shadows of themselves, no longer human. This is when Satan strikes, seizing and devouring them.

Each one of these tricks that Satan employs to corrupt man renders man powerless to resist; any one of them can be deadly to man. In other words, anything Satan does and any tricks it employs can cause you to degenerate, can bring you under Satan’s control and can mire you in a quagmire of evil and sin. Such are the tricks Satan employs to corrupt man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan builds its reputation through deceiving people, and often establishes itself as a vanguard and role model of righteousness. Under false pretenses of safeguarding righteousness, it harms people, devours their souls, and uses all sorts of means to benumb, deceive and incite man. Its goal is to make man approve of and go along with its evil conduct, to make man join it in opposing God’s authority and sovereignty. However, when one sees through its schemes and plots and sees through to its vile features, and when one does not wish to continue to be trampled upon and fooled by it or to continue slaving away for it, or to be punished and destroyed alongside it, then Satan changes its previously saintly features and tears off its false mask to reveal its true face, which is evil, vicious, ugly and savage. It would love nothing more than to exterminate all those who refuse to follow it and who oppose its evil forces. At this point Satan can no longer assume a trustworthy, gentlemanly appearance; instead, its true ugly and devilish features are revealed under sheep’s clothing. Once Satan’s schemes are brought to light and its true features exposed, it will fly into a rage and expose its barbarity. After this, its desire to harm and devour people will only be intensified. This is because it is enraged when man awakens to the truth, and it develops a powerful vindictiveness toward man for their aspiration to yearn for freedom and light and to break free of its prison. Its rage is intended to defend and uphold its evil, and it is also a true revelation of its savage nature.

In every matter, Satan’s behavior exposes its evil nature. Out of all the evil acts that Satan has carried out upon man—from its early efforts to delude man into following it, to its exploitation of man, in which it drags man into its evil deeds, to its vindictiveness toward man after its true features have been exposed and man has recognized and forsaken it—not one of these acts fails to expose Satan’s evil essence, nor to prove the fact that Satan has no relation to positive things and that Satan is the source of all evil things. Every single one of its actions safeguards its evil, maintains the continuation of its evil acts, goes against just and positive things, and ruins the laws and order of humanity’s normal existence. These acts of Satan are hostile to God, and they will be destroyed by God’s wrath. Although Satan has its own rage, its rage is just a means of venting its evil nature. The reason why Satan is exasperated and furious is this: Its unspeakable schemes have been exposed; its plots are not easily gotten away with; its wild ambition and desire to replace God and act as God have been struck down and blocked; and its goal of controlling all of humanity has now come to nothing and can never be achieved. What has stopped Satan’s plots from coming to fruition and cut short the spread and rampancy of Satan’s evil is God’s repeated summoning of His wrath, time after time. For this reason, Satan both hates and fears God’s wrath. Each time God’s wrath descends, it not only unmasks Satan’s true vile appearance, but also exposes Satan’s evil desires to the light, and in the process, the reasons for Satan’s rage against humanity are laid bare. The eruption of Satan’s rage is a true revelation of its evil nature and an exposure of its schemes. Of course, each time that Satan is enraged heralds the destruction of evil things and the protection and continuation of positive things; it heralds the truth that God’s wrath cannot be offended!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The purpose of God’s management is to gain a group of people who worship God and submit to Him. Although these people have been corrupted by Satan, they no longer see Satan as their father; they recognize the repulsive face of Satan and reject it, and they come before God to accept God’s judgment and chastisement. They come to know what is ugly and how it contrasts with that which is holy, and to recognize the greatness of God and the evil of Satan. A mankind such as this will no longer work for Satan, or worship Satan, or enshrine Satan. This is because they are a group of people who have truly been gained by God. This is the significance of God’s work of managing mankind. During the work of God’s management of this time, mankind is the object both of Satan’s corruption and God’s salvation, and man is the product that God and Satan are fighting over. As God performs His work, He is gradually recovering man from the hands of Satan, and so man comes ever closer to God …

Excerpted from “Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

1. “Making groundless accusations” refers to the methods by which the devil harms people.

2. “Heavily guarded” indicates that the methods by which the devil afflicts people are especially vicious, and control people so much that they have no room to move.

3. “Non-biodegradable” is intended as satire here, meaning that people are rigid in their knowledge, culture, and spiritual outlook.

4. “Roams free, outside the reach of law” indicates that the devil goes berserk and runs amok.

5. “A complete shambles” refers to how the devil’s violent behavior is unbearable to see.

6. “Bruised and battered” refers to the ugly face of the king of devils.

7. “Staking everything on a single throw of the dice” means placing all one’s money on a single bet in hopes of winning in the end. This is a metaphor for the devil’s sinister and nefarious schemes. The expression is used mockingly.

8. “Swallow” refers to the vicious behavior of the king of devils, which ravishes people in their entirety.

9. “Accomplices in crime” are of the same ilk as “a band of hoodlums.”

10. “Stirring up all kinds of trouble” refers to how people who are demonic run riot, obstructing and opposing the work of God.

11. “Toothed whales” is used mockingly. It is a metaphor for how flies are so small that pigs and dogs appear as big as whales to them.

a. The Four Books and Five Classics are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China.

113. The Principles of Identifying Various Evil Spirits

(1) All who are possessed by demons, or who often have evil spirits at work in them, are themselves evil spirits. All the demons who hate the truth and ferociously resist God are evil spirits;

(2) All who masquerade as God’s firstborn sons or angels; who do not bear witness for the true God, but for themselves; and who wish to become gods through self-cultivation, are evil spirits;

(3) Any who cannot purely understand God’s words, but are especially false and absurd, constantly misinterpreting His words and spouting fallacies, are surely evil spirits;

(4) Any who deny, attack, and blaspheme against God, who harbor a special hatred for the truth, for positive things, and for God’s chosen people are surely evil spirits.

Relevant Words of God:

The manifestations of the great red dragon are resistance to Me, lack of understanding and comprehension of the meanings of My words, frequent persecution of Me, and seeking to use schemes to interrupt My management. Satan is manifested as follows: struggling with Me for power, wanting to possess My chosen people, and releasing negative words to deceive My people. The manifestations of the devil (those who do not accept My name, who do not believe, are all devils) are as follows: coveting the pleasures of the flesh, indulging in evil lusts, living in bondage to Satan, some resisting Me and some supporting Me (but not proving they are My beloved sons). The manifestations of the archangel are as follows: speaking insolently, being ungodly, often adopting My tone to lecture people, focusing only on outwardly imitating Me, eating what I eat and using what I use; in short, wanting to be on equal footing with Me, being ambitious but lacking My caliber and not having My life, and being a piece of waste. Satan, the devil, and the archangel are all typical demonstrations of the great red dragon, so those who are not predestined and chosen by Me are all the offspring of the great red dragon: This is absolutely how it is! These are all My enemies. (However, Satan’s disruptions are excluded. If your nature is My quality, no one can change it. Because now you still live in the flesh, occasionally you will be faced with Satan’s temptations—this is inevitable—but you must always be careful.) Therefore, I will abandon all the offspring of the great red dragon outside of My firstborn sons. Their nature can never change—it is the quality of Satan. It is the devil that they manifest, and it is the archangel that they live out. This is completely true. The great red dragon I speak of is not a big red dragon; rather it is the evil spirit in opposition to Me, for which the “great red dragon” is a synonym. So, all the spirits other than the Holy Spirit are evil spirits, and can also be said to be the offspring of the great red dragon. This should all be crystal clear to everyone.

Excerpted from “Chapter 96” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If, during the present day, there is to emerge a person who is able to display signs and wonders, cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform many miracles, and if this person claims that they are Jesus who has come, then this would be a counterfeit produced by evil spirits which imitate Jesus. Remember this! God does not repeat the same work. Jesus’ stage of work has already been completed, and God will never again undertake that stage of work. The work of God is irreconcilable with the notions of man; for example, the Old Testament foretold the coming of a Messiah, and the result of this prophecy was Jesus’ coming. This having already happened, it would be wrong for another Messiah to come again. Jesus has already come once, and it would be wrong if Jesus were to come again this time. There is one name for every age, and each name contains a characterization of that age. In the notions of man, God must always display signs and wonders, must always heal the sick and cast out demons, and must always be just like Jesus. Yet this time, God is not like that at all. If, during the last days, God still displayed signs and wonders, and still cast out demons and healed the sick—if He did exactly the same as Jesus—then God would be repeating the same work, and the work of Jesus would have no significance or value. Thus, God carries out one stage of work in every age. Once each stage of His work has been completed, it is soon imitated by evil spirits, and after Satan begins to follow on the heels of God, God changes to a different method. Once God has completed a stage of His work, it is imitated by evil spirits. You must be clear about this.

Excerpted from “Knowing God’s Work Today” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are some who are possessed by evil spirits and cry out vociferously, “I am God!” Yet, in the end, they are revealed, for they are wrong in what they represent. They represent Satan, and the Holy Spirit pays them no heed. However highly you exalt yourself or however strongly you cry out, you are still a created being and one that belongs to Satan. I never cry out, “I am God, I am the beloved Son of God!” But the work I do is God’s work. Need I shout? There is no need for exaltation. God does His own work Himself and does not need man to accord Him a status or give Him an honorific title: His work represents His identity and status. Prior to His baptism, was not Jesus God Himself? Was He not the incarnate flesh of God? Surely it cannot be said that it was only after receiving witness that He became the only Son of God? Long before He began His work, was there not already a man by the name of Jesus? You are unable to bring forth new paths or to represent the Spirit. You cannot express the work of the Spirit or the words that He speaks. You are unable to do the work of God Himself, and that of the Spirit you are unable to do. The wisdom, wonder, and unfathomability of God, and the entirety of the disposition by which God chastises man—all of these are beyond your capacity to express. It would therefore be useless to try to claim to be God; you would have only the name and none of the substance. God Himself has come, but no one recognizes Him, yet He continues on in His work and does so in representation of the Spirit. Whether you call Him man or God, the Lord or Christ, or call Her sister, it does not matter. But the work He does is that of the Spirit and represents the work of God Himself. He does not care about the name by which man calls Him. Can that name determine His work? Regardless of what you call Him, as far as God is concerned, He is the incarnate flesh of the Spirit of God; He represents the Spirit and is approved by the Spirit. If you are unable to make way for a new age, or to bring the old to an end, or to usher in a new age, or to do new work, then you cannot be called God!

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people say that the Holy Spirit is working in them at all times. This is impossible. If they were to say that the Holy Spirit is always with them, that would be realistic. If they were to say that their thinking and sense are normal at all times, that would also be realistic, and would show that the Holy Spirit is with them. If they say the Holy Spirit is always working within them, that they are enlightened by God and touched by the Holy Spirit at every moment, and gain new knowledge all the time, then this is by no means normal! It is entirely supernatural! Without a shadow of a doubt, such people are evil spirits! Even when the Spirit of God comes into the flesh, there are times when He must eat and must rest—to say nothing of humans. Those who have been possessed by evil spirits seem to be without the weakness of the flesh. They are able to forsake and give up everything, they are free of the emotion, capable of enduring torment and do not feel the slightest fatigue, as if they have transcended the flesh. Is this not extremely supernatural? The work of evil spirits is supernatural—no human could achieve such things! Those who lack discernment are envious when they see such people: They say they have such vigor in their belief in God, have great faith, and never show the slightest sign of weakness! In fact, these are all manifestations of the work of an evil spirit. For, normal people inevitably have human weaknesses; this is the normal state of those who have the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Practice (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are some people who, when no issues arise, are pretty normal, who talk and converse pretty normally, who seem normal, and who do not do anything bad. But when God’s words are being read in gatherings, when the truth is being fellowshiped, they suddenly start behaving abnormally. Some cannot bear to listen, some become drowsy, and some get sick, saying they feel bad and do not wish to hear anymore. Then they are completely without awareness—what is actually going on here? They have been possessed by an evil spirit. Why, when they have been possessed by an evil spirit, do they keep saying the words “I don’t want to hear it”? Sometimes people cannot understand what is happening here, but it is crystal clear to an evil spirit. This is the spirit within antichrists. You ask them why they are so hostile toward the truth, and they say they are not, and they steadfastly refuse to acknowledge this. But in their hearts, they know that they do not love the truth. When not reading God’s words, they seem normal when engaging with others. You would not know what is inside them. When they try and read God’s words, out come the words “I don’t want to hear it”; their nature has been exposed, and this is what they are. Have God’s words provoked them, or revealed them, or hit them where it hurts? None of the above. What has happened is that when everyone is reading God’s words, they say they do not want to hear it. Are they not wicked? What does it mean to be wicked? It means being so hostile toward something and toward positive things for no discernible reason and without even knowing why. They say, “As soon as I hear the words of God, I don’t want to hear them; as soon as I hear testimony to God, I feel aversion, and I don’t even know why. When I see someone who pursues the truth, or who loves the truth, I want to challenge them, I always want to scold them, to do something harmful to them behind their back, I want to kill them.” By saying this they are wicked. In fact, right from the off, antichrists have never had the spirit of a normal person and have never had normal humanity—this is what is really going on.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Have you ever seen such a rabble of antichrists like this? What do you feel when you are among them? On the outside, they seem to be all gentleness—but when you fellowship the truth and the will of God with them, the attitude they display is diametrically opposed to their outward gentleness, that is, they are extremely repulsed and utterly uninterested. When you fellowship the truth with them, they feel you to be an outsider, and when you fellowship the work of the church, they feel so all the more; when you fellowship whether specific details of the work of the church have been carried out, and how well they have been carried out, they are likely to start nodding off and revealing a demonic likeness, they scratch their heads and pick their ears, they yawn, their eyes water, they might even sneeze. Is this not possession by an evil spirit? Why does their demonic likeness emerge as soon as you fellowship the truth? Does not each of them have much love in their hearts? How could they lose interest when you start to fellowship about the truth? Are they not thereby revealed? Do they not have great enthusiasm and commitment toward carrying out external tasks? And if they are committed, are they not possessed of reality? If they have reality, then they should be happy when they hear people fellowshiping the truth, they should yearn for it. So why does the phenomenon of possession by evil spirits arise? This proves that their usual gentleness is totally false—the truth has exposed them.

Excerpted from “They Treat the House of God Like Their Personal Domain” in Exposing Antichrists

In order to have the brothers and sisters develop discernment and learn a practical lesson, God arranged for someone who had been possessed by a demon to live among them. At the start, this person’s way of speaking and doing things was normal, as was their reasoning; he did not appear problematic at all. But after a period of contact, the brothers and sisters discovered that everything he said seemed beside the point—it was neither here nor there. Later, certain “supernatural” things occurred: He would always tell the brothers and sisters he had seen this or that, or that God had revealed such and such to him. One day, for example, God revealed to him that he must make steamed buns—he had to—and the day after that, as it happened, he needed to go out, so he took the buns with him and didn’t need to make any other food. The following day, God revealed to him in a dream that he must head south; there was someone waiting for him six miles away. He went to look, and right there was a believer in Jesus who had gotten lost; he testified to this believer of God’s work of the last days, and they accepted it. He was always gaining revelations, he was always hearing a voice, supernatural things were always happening. Each day, when it came to what to eat, where to go, what to do, who to interact with, he did not follow the laws of normal human life, nor did he seek the words of God as a basis or principle, neither did he seek out people to fellowship with. Instead, he always waited for a voice, or a revelation, or a dream. Was this person normal? (No.) Some people were able to see through him and said: “This guy might not be running around naked and disheveled in the street, but these are the manifestations of an evil spirit.” Slowly but surely, the brothers and sisters started to see through him, up until the day when his issue erupted and he did run around the streets naked and disheveled, saying crazy things. The demon had appeared; things had finally come to light. So during this time, were the brothers and sisters able to see through him? Did they gain insight into what an evil spirit is, what the work of an evil spirit is, and what the manifestations of evil spirits’ work in people are? (Yes.) Some people, of course, gained insight and discernment. Some people were likely taken in by him, and only saw him for what he was when he had his outburst. But regardless of whether they were taken in or were able to see through him, if God had not arranged this environment, would it have been clear to people what the work of an evil spirit was? (No.) So just what was the significance and purpose of God arranging this environment and doing these things? It was to allow people to develop practical discernment and learn a lesson, to identify this type of person. If people were just told what the work of an evil spirit is, just as when a teacher teaches a lesson, without any actual exercise or practice, people would only ever gain theory and words. You can only clearly explain just what the work of an evil spirit is, and what the specific manifestations of it are, when you have personally witnessed it—seeing it with your own eyes, hearing it with your own ears. And then when you encounter such people again, you will be able to identify them and reject them; you will be able to properly address and handle such matters.

Excerpted from “They Do Not Believe in the Existence of God, and Deny the Essence of Christ (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Many in the church have no discernment. When something deceptive occurs, they unexpectedly stand on the side of Satan; they even take offense at being called Satan’s lackeys. Though people might say they have no discernment, they always stand on the side without truth, they never stand on the side of the truth at the critical time, they never stand up and argue for the truth. Do they truly lack discernment? Why do they unexpectedly take the side of Satan? Why do they never say one word that is fair and reasonable in support of the truth? Has this situation genuinely arisen as a result of their momentary confusion? The less discernment people have, the less able they are to stand on the side of truth. What does this show? Does it not show that people without discernment love evil? Does it not show that they are the loyal spawn of Satan? Why is it that they are always able to stand on the side of Satan and speak its language? Their every word and deed, the expressions on their faces, are all sufficient to prove that they are not any kind of lovers of the truth; rather, they are people who detest the truth. That they can stand on the side of Satan is enough to prove that Satan really loves these petty devils who spend their lives fighting for Satan’s sake. Are all these facts not abundantly clear? If you truly are a person who loves the truth, then why have you no regard for those who practice the truth, and why do you immediately follow those who do not practice the truth at the slightest look from them? What kind of problem is this? I do not care whether you have discernment or not. I do not care how great a price you have paid. I do not care how great your forces are, and I do not care whether you are a local bully or a flag-bearing leader. If your forces are great, then that is only with the help of Satan’s strength. If your prestige is high, then that is merely because there are too many around you who do not practice the truth. If you have not been expelled, then that is because now is not the time for the work of expelling; rather, it is time for the work of elimination. There is no rush to expel you now. I am simply waiting for the day when I will punish you after you have been eliminated. Whoever does not practice the truth will be eliminated!

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The most obvious characteristic of the work of evil spirits is that it is supernatural. The words evil spirits speak or the things they ask people to do are abnormal and illogical, and even betray the basic morals and ethics of normal humanity, and that the nature of their words and actions is such that they do nothing but deceive, disturb, and corrupt people. It makes them only capable of harming, tormenting, and devouring people, and means they are never beneficial or helpful for people. When evil spirits possess people, they feel anxious and uneasy. Some even become abnormal, while others fall into a daze, and still others find themselves incredibly anxious and appear unable to sit still. At any rate, when evil spirits possess people, those people change into something that is neither human nor demon, and lose their normal humanity and reason. This is sufficient proof that the essence of evil spirits is one of evil and ugliness, which is precisely the essence of Satan.

The main manifestations of those in whom evil spirits are working (those who are possessed by demons) are:

1. People in whom evil spirits are at work often tell others to do this and that, or tell someone something, or often speak false prophecies.

2. People in whom evil spirits are at work often speak in so-called “tongues” in prayer, in a way that no one understands, and even the speakers themselves do not understand. Some of the speakers can even “interpret these tongues” themselves.

3. People in whom evil spirits are at work are always receiving revelations with great frequency; the evil spirits send them in one direction one minute, and in another direction the next, causing these people to be in a state of constant anxiety.

4. People in whom evil spirits are at work always urgently want to do this or that, too impatient to wait and giving no consideration to whether or not conditions permit; they even run out in the middle of the night, exhibiting particularly abnormal behavior.

5. People in whom evil spirits are at work are wildly arrogant, they lack reason, and their speech all tends to be condescending and they lord it over others. They put others at a loss of what to do, and like demons, they force them to do things.

6. People in whom evil spirits are at work do not know how to fellowship about the truth, much less pay attention to God’s work. They have no regard for Him and are always trying to be a law unto themselves, and are capable of committing all kinds of outrages to disturb and destroy the normal order of the church.

7. People in whom evil spirits are at work inexplicably pass themselves off as someone else, claiming to be someone’s spirit or sent by someone and that people should listen to them.

8. People in whom evil spirits are at work usually have no normal sense. They cannot understand any truth at all; they absolutely do not possess any capacity for understanding, nor are they enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and their thoughts are chaotic. When understanding things, these people are exceptionally absurd.

9. People in whom evil spirits are at work pay particular focus to lecturing others while working. Everything they do and say is meant to attack, bind, and corrupt other people, and they even go as far as to break people’s resolve and cause them to become negative to the point that they cannot lift themselves back up; only then will they lay off. Their actions are all about causing disturbances and disruptions, and committing all kinds of outrages. They are devils, pure and simple, who harm, toy with, and devour others, and as soon as they get their way, they feel happy. This is the primary goal of the work of evil spirits.

10. People in whom evil spirits are at work live utterly abnormal lives. There is an ominous glint to their eyes, and the words they utter are extremely gruesome, as if a demon had descended to the world. There is no order to this kind of person’s daily life, they are as erratic as undomesticated beasts. They are extremely repulsive and odious to others. This is precisely how people bound by demons express themselves.

These are the ten main ways in which the work of evil spirits manifests. Any person who displays any one of these expressions is certainly one in whom evil spirits are at work. To be exact, all those who manifest any of the aforementioned expressions of the work of evil spirits, regardless of which one, are people in whom evil spirits are at work. A person in whom evil spirits are at work often hates and deliberately distances themselves from people in whom the Holy Spirit is at work and who can fellowship about the truth. Often, the better someone is, the more they want to attack and condemn them. The more foolish someone is, the more they try to fawn upon and flatter them, and desire especially to come in contact with them. When evil spirits work, they always confuse black and white, portraying positive as negative and negative as positive. This is precisely how evil spirits act. Though there are many ways in which the work of evil spirits manifests, the only way to recognize it easily is by using the truth to measure and discern it. This is because the aftermath of the work of evil spirits is completely opposite and antagonistic to the results of the work of the Holy Spirit. All those who have experienced the work of the Holy Spirit and have a relatively good understanding of the truth can easily recognize the work of evil spirits, whereas people who do not have enough experience tend to have a hard time discerning it.

People who are possessed by demons do not have any normal sense. Their words are hysterical and irrational, and this is a clear manifestation of demonic possession. Of course, this is not the same as the reincarnations of devils and personification of the king of devils. The reincarnations of devils may appear normal, but they hate the truth to an extreme, and in every regard, they are hostile to the truth, to justice, and they can frantically resist God’s work. This, too, is a case of possession by evil spirits, but it is an innate personification of the king of devils, and though it may outwardly appear different from an acquired possession by an evil spirit, in nature essence, both contain a wicked, satanic nature, and are evil spirits. People who have obviously been possessed by demons are easy to identify. When it is less obvious, they appear somewhat normal, but closer inspection reveals them to be abnormal; these people unquestionably also have the work of evil spirits. Anyone of abnormal sense, who is utterly unfettered in their behavior, is unquestionably possessed by a demon. Strictly speaking, all who exhibit any of the “ten manifestations of the work of evil spirits” have been possessed by demons. People who have the work of evil spirits (no matter in which way it manifests), if it persists for several months or one or two years, have been possessed by demons. If a person has the work of evil spirits for a few days on occasion, or one or two months at most, after which it disappears, and they return to normal, and there is no more sign of it, then they count as one who previously had the work of evil spirits, and must not be treated in the same way as one possessed by demons. For something to be identified as a manifestation of the work of evil spirits, it must fall within the ten manifestations; if a manifestation is not among the ten, then it is not necessarily the work of evil spirits. For example, some people say that sleepwalking is the work of evil spirits; that grievous lascivious desire is an example of the work of evil spirits. But there are differences; these things are not absolute. You cannot be sure that it is the work of evil spirits based on these manifestations alone; something only counts as the work of evil spirits or possession by a demon if its manifestation is especially abnormal, to the extent that it is unreasonable. If someone occasionally manifests something a little unusual, or sees something, hears something, or dreams something, this absolutely cannot be classed as the work of evil spirits. Therefore, the primary manifestations of the work of evil spirits are the ten listed. Identifying them in this way is relatively reliable and accurate. Things that are not so clear require more moderation, or else people can easily be harmed and wronged.

Simply put, the work of evil spirits can be discerned using the following ten principles:

1. Anyone who impersonates God or Christ is possessed by an evil spirit.

2. Anyone who impersonates the spirit of an angel is possessed by an evil spirit.

3. Anyone who claims to be another incarnation of God is possessed by an evil spirit.

4. Anyone who claims words expressed by God as their own, or asks others to treat their own words as the words of God, is possessed by an evil spirit.

5. Anyone who impersonates the man used by the Holy Spirit, and asks others to follow and obey them, is possessed by an evil spirit.

6. Anyone who often speaks in tongues, interprets tongues, can see any sort of supernatural vision, or who often hears voices in their head that command them to act, is possessed by an evil spirit.

7. Anyone who claims to be able to supernaturally hear spirits speak inside their head, who can frequently hear the voices of spirits or see ghosts, and who has visibly lost the faculties of reason, is possessed by an evil spirit.

8. Anyone who loses the mental faculties of normal humanity, who often speaks devilish words, speaks to themselves, or speaks in insane terms, is possessed by an evil spirit.

9. Anyone who seems to go insane at times, who occasionally falls into a trance, or who is occasionally manic and cannot communicate normally with others, is possessed by an evil spirit.

10. Anyone who usually expresses themselves normally, but who can be provoked into bouts of insanity every few months or every year or two and appears to be identical to those possessed by demons, and who is still normal at times, is possessed by an evil spirit. (If someone had episodes of insanity many years ago, but has never had such an episode since, this is one who is no longer possessed by an evil spirit.)

It is accurate to say that anyone in whom the work of evil spirits persists for several months or even one or two years, has been possessed by demons—and such people must be expelled. If they only have the work of evil spirits for a short time, and it disappears after a few instances, and there are no further relapses, then they should not be classified as people with the work of evil spirits, so as not to cause them mental stress. So long as people are able to pursue and understand the truth, then the matter of whether they once had the disturbance or work of evil spirits should be dropped and not raised again. This is because if people are able to understand the truth now, and they have been enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, then they are unquestionably people with the work of the Holy Spirit, and they are objects of God’s work and salvation. Such people, without doubt, do not have the work of evil spirits; this is absolute. If a person has believed in God for years, but has never been enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit and is incapable of understanding the truth, just like those who do not understand spiritual matters, then such people are not wanted by God, and they could perhaps have the work of evil spirits. Despite believing in God for years, people who have the work of evil spirits are bereft of any knowledge of God, and are even bereft of true faith. This is an irrefutable fact. The state of people who have the work of the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, grows increasingly normal, and their understanding of the truth grows increasingly lucid; more and more, they have a path to entry into reality, and their life disposition increasingly changes. These, too, are irrefutable facts. Thus, people who have the work of the Holy Spirit absolutely do not possess the work of evil spirits. If they really did have the work of evil spirits, they could no longer have the work of the Holy Spirit; this is an irrefutable fact, and it is also the principle of identifying those who possess the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

114. The Principles of Identifying Evil Spirits That Beguile Man

(1) Anyone who impersonates Christ or an angel, and who often spews devilish words that do not accord in the least with God’s words, is an evil spirit that beguiles man;

(2) All who call themselves God’s beloved children, His firstborn sons, angels, or prophets who have come to speak and work, and who say all manner of specious things, are evil spirits that beguile man;

(3) All whose understanding is especially absurd; who constantly let fly heresies and fallacies, and skew facts; and who deny Christ and the words of God are evil spirits that beguile man;

(4) All who focus on the supernatural, who often hear voices and see visions, and who can detect and point out sin and work signs and wonders, are evil spirits that beguile man.

Relevant Words of God:

There are today some evil spirits that deceive man with supernatural things; that is nothing but imitation on their part, to deceive man through work that is not presently done by the Holy Spirit. Many people perform miracles and heal the sick and drive out demons; these are nothing but the work of the evil spirits, for the Holy Spirit no longer does such work in the present day, and all those who have imitated the work of the Holy Spirit from that time onward are evil spirits indeed. All the work carried out in Israel at that time was work of a supernatural nature, though the Holy Spirit does not now work in such a manner, and any such work now is the imitation and disguise of Satan and its disturbance. But you cannot say that whatsoever is supernatural comes from evil spirits—this would depend on the age of God’s work.

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If, during the present day, there is to emerge a person who is able to display signs and wonders, cast out demons, heal the sick, and perform many miracles, and if this person claims that they are Jesus who has come, then this would be a counterfeit produced by evil spirits which imitate Jesus. Remember this! God does not repeat the same work. Jesus’ stage of work has already been completed, and God will never again undertake that stage of work. The work of God is irreconcilable with the notions of man; for example, the Old Testament foretold the coming of a Messiah, and the result of this prophecy was Jesus’ coming. This having already happened, it would be wrong for another Messiah to come again. Jesus has already come once, and it would be wrong if Jesus were to come again this time. There is one name for every age, and each name contains a characterization of that age. In the notions of man, God must always display signs and wonders, must always heal the sick and cast out demons, and must always be just like Jesus. Yet this time, God is not like that at all. If, during the last days, God still displayed signs and wonders, and still cast out demons and healed the sick—if He did exactly the same as Jesus—then God would be repeating the same work, and the work of Jesus would have no significance or value. Thus, God carries out one stage of work in every age. Once each stage of His work has been completed, it is soon imitated by evil spirits, and after Satan begins to follow on the heels of God, God changes to a different method. Once God has completed a stage of His work, it is imitated by evil spirits. You must be clear about this.

Excerpted from “Knowing God’s Work Today” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are some who are possessed by evil spirits and cry out vociferously, “I am God!” Yet, in the end, they are revealed, for they are wrong in what they represent. They represent Satan, and the Holy Spirit pays them no heed. However highly you exalt yourself or however strongly you cry out, you are still a created being and one that belongs to Satan. I never cry out, “I am God, I am the beloved Son of God!” But the work I do is God’s work. Need I shout? There is no need for exaltation. God does His own work Himself and does not need man to accord Him a status or give Him an honorific title: His work represents His identity and status. Prior to His baptism, was not Jesus God Himself? Was He not the incarnate flesh of God? Surely it cannot be said that it was only after receiving witness that He became the only Son of God? Long before He began His work, was there not already a man by the name of Jesus? You are unable to bring forth new paths or to represent the Spirit. You cannot express the work of the Spirit or the words that He speaks. You are unable to do the work of God Himself, and that of the Spirit you are unable to do. The wisdom, wonder, and unfathomability of God, and the entirety of the disposition by which God chastises man—all of these are beyond your capacity to express. It would therefore be useless to try to claim to be God; you would have only the name and none of the substance. God Himself has come, but no one recognizes Him, yet He continues on in His work and does so in representation of the Spirit. Whether you call Him man or God, the Lord or Christ, or call Her sister, it does not matter. But the work He does is that of the Spirit and represents the work of God Himself. He does not care about the name by which man calls Him. Can that name determine His work? Regardless of what you call Him, as far as God is concerned, He is the incarnate flesh of the Spirit of God; He represents the Spirit and is approved by the Spirit. If you are unable to make way for a new age, or to bring the old to an end, or to usher in a new age, or to do new work, then you cannot be called God!

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people have some understanding of God, they can willingly suffer for Him and devote their lives to Him. However, Satan is still in control of the weaknesses within them, and can still cause them to suffer. Evil spirits can still work in people, interfering with them and causing them to be in a confused state of mind, to take leave of their senses, to feel ill at ease, and to be disturbed in every respect. There are things of the mind or soul in people that can still be controlled and manipulated by Satan. This is why you fall ill and become troubled, and it is possible for you to commit suicide, and at times you also feel that the world is desolate or that life has no meaning. In other words, these human sufferings are still under Satan’s command; they comprise one of man’s fatal weaknesses. Satan is still able to use those things that it has corrupted and trampled; they are weapons Satan can use against humanity. … Evil spirits latch onto every opportunity to do their work; they can speak to you from within or whisper into your ear, or they can throw your thoughts and mind into disarray. They can even suppress the Holy Spirit’s touch so that you cannot feel it. After that, they begin to interfere with you by confusing your thinking and addling your brain, leaving you restless and unhinged. Such is the work that evil spirits do on people. If they cannot discern it, then they will find themselves in great danger.

Excerpted from “The Significance of God’s Tasting of Worldly Suffering” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

All who impersonate Christ when they speak and deceive people are false Christs, and all false Christs are possessed by evil spirits, they are deceivers. But how can people distinguish false Christs if they keep uttering words of deceit? Judging from a single speech, people may be unable to understand what it is all about or see just what this evil spirit is doing. If you keep tracking this evil spirit, and look at everything they say together, then it is easy to see just what they are, what they are doing, just what they are saying, what their plans are for people, and what path they give people—it becomes easy to distinguish these things. We see that the words of evil spirits all fundamentally share the same characteristic: They are only able to mimic the words and phrases of God, and do not possess the essence of God’s words. God’s words elucidate cause and effect, they have purpose, it is clear what the ultimate aim and effect God wishes to achieve in expressing these words are. People can see in God’s words that they are possessed of authority and power, that they can enthrall them, and touch their souls. The words of all kinds of evil spirits and Satan, meanwhile, are unable to elucidate cause and effect, they achieve nothing, they are like a pool of stagnant water, and after reading them, people’s hearts feel clouded, and they gain nothing. And so, these myriad evil spirits are bereft of the truth, inside they are unquestionably turbid and dark, and their words do not bring people light, and do not show people the path they should walk. In the words of evil spirits, it is not clear what their ultimate aim is, what they ultimately wish to achieve; they say nothing of anything to do with the essence and origins of the truth, these are totally absent, and there cannot be found in their words any sign of what people should understand, and what they should gain. And so, the words of evil spirits can do nothing except deceive people, and leave them turbid and dark inside, negative and depressed; they provide people with nothing. From this can we see that the nature essence of evil spirits is wicked and dark, that they have no vitality, that they are filled with the aura of death, and are surely negative and deserve to be cursed. In the words spoken by evil spirits, there is not a shred of truth, they are nothing but bilge and devilish words, they are offensive and disgusting to look upon, making people feel like they are eating a dead fly. People who pursue the truth and possess the caliber to understand God’s words are able to tell the words of evil spirits for what they really are upon reading them, while those who do not understand spiritual things and lack the power to understand God’s words will surely be deceived by their devilish words. All who have been enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, have knowledge of God’s words, and understand some truths will naturally be able to discern the devilish words of evil spirits, and when reading any of their utterances, will be able to see that evil spirits lack the truth, lack what God has and is, have not the slightest power and authority, and that their words are as different from the words of God as heaven is from earth.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

115. The Principles of Identifying Nonbelievers

(1) Whoever consistently bears an attitude of doubt toward the incarnation, God’s words, and God’s work, and whose faith in God merely relies on notions and imaginings, is a nonbeliever;

(2) Whoever does not read God’s words, does not listen to sermons and fellowship, and does not do their duty willingly, but complains constantly, spreading negativity, is a nonbeliever;

(3) Whoever neither seeks the truth nor accepts it when faced with an issue, but tries always to penetrate into matters and the people involved, and who follow rules rigidly, is a nonbeliever;

(4) Whoever does not accept being judged or chastised, or pruned or dealt with, and neither has a heart of reverence for God nor submits to Him in the least, is a nonbeliever.

Relevant Words of God:

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man?

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who truly believe in God have a sense of conscience, they trust that the words of God are the truth, that all God does is right, and of benefit to man. If they do something wrong and violate the truth, they feel a sense of reproach, indebtedness and anguish deep within their hearts. And as for those who do not truly believe in God, let us put aside the question of whether they have a sense of conscience, and first talk about their attitude toward the existence of God and His words. To begin with, what is their view on the existence of God? “You say God exists—but where is He? I do not see Him. I do not know if there is a God or not. Those who believe in Him say there is, those who don’t say there isn’t.” Such is their view. But, on further reflection, they think, “All these people believe in Him and bear testimony to Him, so maybe there is a God. I hope so; if there is, I’ll have pulled a fast one and been blessed. I’ll have made the right bet.” They are just along for the ride, rolling the dice, taking their chances. They do not think it will cost them anything. Their attitude and view toward whether God exists is like this: “Does God exist or not? I can’t tell. Where is He exactly? I don’t really know. So many people bear testimony, but is it true or false? I can’t tell this either.” In their minds, there are question marks about all of this; they cannot be sure, and so they are skeptical. And with such skepticism and uncertainty, what is their attitude toward God’s words when He speaks, and expresses the truth? Do they take God’s words as the truth? On occasion, they might listen out of curiosity, to ponder them a while, and, having done so, they think, “Are these words the truth? They supposedly contain power and authority—why don’t I hear that or have any sense of it? Apparently, they can change people—so why haven’t they changed me? I still love to eat and sleep. I’m just as short-tempered as ever, and I haven’t become more capable of anything. I’m still afraid when the great red dragon inflicts its persecution. I haven’t become superhuman! God’s words are supposedly the reality of all positive things. What is a positive thing? It is asking that people be good and honest. People who are honest are fools. People are asked to fear God and shun evil. That means when you do evil, you have to rein yourself in, you must place strictures on yourself, and not do bad things—how many people can do that? Man’s nature is to do bad things, to be selfish. Every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost. No one in this world thinks of anyone but themselves. Your fate is in your hands; it is up to you to strive for happiness. If everyone practices God’s words, fearing God and shunning evil, would the people of the world not become ascetic monks and nuns? What would be the fun in living, then?” Is this not their attitude toward the truth in the depths of their hearts? “If people do not strive and fight for themselves, if they do not live for wealth and recognition, then what meaning would life have?” Such is the view of such people—of nonbelievers. This is the nonbelievers’ attitude toward the truth. In their hearts, they do not know what the truth is; God’s words do not equal the truth, and the truth does not equal life. What do they consider the truth to be, deep within their hearts? Something that can make them supernatural, that can give them powers, and make them gifted, something that is of physical benefit to them, that can make their lives happier, that can be of the greatest possible benefit to them—that is the truth. They think: These words of God are too ordinary; they are mere trivialities, beneath mentioning. Asking that people be honest, that they fear God and shun evil, that they free themselves of their corrupt dispositions—that is too hard. No one can do this! People do not live in a vacuum; they have myriad desires and emotions. No one can live out these words. The nonbelievers do not believe that God’s words are the truth; they do not believe that God’s words are the life, much less do they believe that God’s words can change the fate of mankind, or that God’s words can change people’s corrupt dispositions and allow them to cast off their corrupt dispositions. That is their attitude toward God’s words. And so, in the depths of their hearts, they have never accepted that the words of God are the truth, nor do they ever accept them as the truth. All in all, they do not accept the words of God as their life, as the direction and purpose of their existence and their conduct. Can those who do not accept that God’s words are the truth believe in the existence of God? Do they truly believe in the existence of God? (No.) Can those who do not believe in the existence of God believe that there is also truth in this world? Can those who do not believe in the existence of the truth believe that mankind can be saved? (No.) If they do not believe any of that, can they believe in the fact of God’s incarnation? Can they believe in God’s management plan? (No.) They are nonbelievers, through and through.

Excerpted from “Performing Duty Well Requires a Conscience, at the Very Least” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are some people whose faith has never been acknowledged within God’s heart. In other words, God does not recognize that they are His followers, because He does not praise their beliefs. For these people, regardless of how many years they have followed God, their ideas and views have never changed; they are like the unbelievers, adhering to the unbelievers’ principles and ways of doing things and to the unbelievers’ laws of survival and faith. They have never accepted the word of God as their life, never believed that God’s word is truth, never intended on accepting God’s salvation, and never recognized God as their God. They see believing in God as some kind of amateur hobby, treating Him as mere spiritual sustenance; as such, they do not think it is worth it to try and understand God’s disposition or essence. It can be said that all that corresponds to the true God has nothing to do with these people; they are not interested, nor can they be bothered to pay heed. This is because deep in their hearts, there is an intense voice that is always telling them, “God is invisible and untouchable, and does not exist.” They believe that trying to understand this sort of God would not be worth their efforts, and that in doing so they would be fooling themselves. They believe that by merely acknowledging God with words without taking any real stand or investing themselves in any real actions, they are being pretty clever. How does God look upon such people? He views them as unbelievers. Some people ask, “Can unbelievers read God’s words? Can they fulfill their duties? Can they say the words, ‘I’ll live for God’?” What humans often see are the displays people exhibit on the surface; they do not see people’s essences. However, God does not look at these superficial displays; He only sees their inner essences. Thus, this is the kind of attitude and definition God has toward these people.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Above all, there is one fact you should understand in your faith in God: Belief in God does not merely mean believing in God’s name, much less is it having faith in the vague God of your imagination. Instead, you must believe that God is real, you should believe in God’s essence, in His disposition, and in what He has and is; you must believe in the fact that God rules the destiny of mankind, and that He rules your destiny. So what counts as faith? Is there not a side to it whereby people should actually cooperate in it and put it into practice? For example, some people are disturbed by a situation that befalls them, and it causes them some minor spiritual turmoil, and they think to themselves, “So-and-so is to blame for what’s happened to me. If it wasn’t for his nitpicking, it wouldn’t have been so embarrassing.” They cast about for excuses, and ultimately lay the blame on someone else, which puts them at ease, and they then think the problem has been solved, that the difficulty is over. What do you think of this method of solving problems? Can one gain the truth by practicing in this way? Does it show an attitude of obedience toward God? With what perspective, and by what means, do such people believe in God? Have they applied the words “God rules the destiny of mankind, all things and all events are in His hands” to their everyday lives? When they analyze the problem using the mind of man, when they address the matter using human means, are they believing in God’s sovereignty, are they submitting to God’s sovereignty over and arrangement of people, matters, and things? (No.) Firstly, they do not submit; and secondly, they make an even graver mistake: They are unable to accept from God the situation and people, matters, and things He arranges for them; they do not look beyond the surface. They look only at how the situation appears from the outside, before then analyzing it using their human mind and trying to resolve it with human methods. Is this not a big mistake? (It is.) How is it so? They do not believe that everything is ruled by God. They think to themselves, “Everything is ruled by God? Can God rule over so many things? That is the blind application of doctrine. What happened to me is different, it’s an exception!” This is an exception, that is an exception. In their eyes, everything is an exception; not a single thing is ruled by God, it is all born of man. Is this faith in God? Does this reflect the essence of faith in God? They do not believe that God can rule over everything or that God can arrange all things, all events, and all situations. They cannot accept these things from God. They feel that all these situations just occur randomly, that they are caused by human actions and are not arranged by God. So what is the essence of their belief? They are nonbelievers! The view of nonbelievers is to never accept a single thing from God, but instead to employ human perspectives, mindsets, and methods to think hard about and rack their brains to cope with whatever they encounter. This is what a nonbeliever does. When you run into this kind of person in the future, you should develop some discernment regarding them. Nonbelievers are good at engaging their brains and coming up with ideas when issues arise; they constantly study the matter at hand, try to resolve it using human methods, and they love to talk reason and go by the philosophies of Satan or the law. They do not believe that God’s words are the truth, much less that God rules over all things, or that everything is done by God. They have never accepted from God any kind of situation He has arranged or anything that has happened around them. They generally insist that they believe that mankind’s fate is in God’s hands and that they are willing to submit to His rule and His arrangements. However, that is not what they believe when they encounter an issue, that is not how they understand things, and they never obey in such a way. This is what a nonbeliever is.

Excerpted from “Corrupt Dispositions Can Only Be Resolved by Seeking the Truth and Relying on God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If, in their belief in God, people do not frequently live before Him, then they will not be able to have any reverence for Him, and so will they be incapable of shunning evil. These things are connected. If deep down you often live before God, you will be held in check, and will fear Him in many things. You will not go too far or do anything that is dissolute, nor will you do anything which is loathed by God or speak words that are not sensible. If you accept God’s scrutiny, and accept His discipline, you will avoid doing many evil things. As such, will you not have shunned evil? If, in your belief in God, you often exist in a state of bewilderment, not knowing whether He is in your heart and not knowing what you wish to do deep down; if you are incapable of being at peace before God, and do not pray or seek the truth whenever something happens to you; if you often act according to your own will, live according to your satanic disposition, and reveal your arrogant disposition; and if you do not accept God’s scrutiny or discipline, and do not submit, then deep down people like this will always live before Satan and be controlled by Satan and by their corrupt disposition. Such people are therefore without the slightest reverence for God. They are simply incapable of shunning evil, and even if they do not do evil things, everything they think is still evil, and is both unconnected to the truth and runs against it. Do such people, then, fundamentally have no connection to God? Though they are ruled by Him, they have never reported before Him; they have never treated God as God, they have never treated Him as the Creator who rules over them, they have never acknowledged that He is their God and their Lord, and they have never considered worshiping Him in earnest. Such people do not understand what it means to fear God, and they think it is their right to commit evil. They say, “I’ll do what I want. I’ll take care of my own business, it’s not up to anyone else.” Meanwhile, they treat faith in God as a kind of mantra, a form of ceremony. Does this not make them nonbelievers? They are nonbelievers! And what does God name these people in His heart? All day long, everything they think is evil. They are the degenerates of the house of God, and He does not acknowledge such people as members of His house.

Excerpted from “Only by Constantly Living Before God Can One Walk the Path to Salvation” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When things arise, some people are always critical of others and of circumstances. This is a big problem. They always think that others are being hard on them, or that others make things difficult for them on purpose, or they find faults with other people. Is this not biased? They make no effort with the truth, and they are always trying to save face and seek justification in front of or among others, and they always want to use human methods to set things right. This is the greatest obstacle to life entry. If you act in this way, practice in this way, and believe in God in this way, you will never be able to gain the truth, because you never come before God. You never come before God to accept all that He sets before you, you never apply the truth to resolve it. Instead, you want always to use human methods to resolve it. As God sees it, you are too far from Him—not only is your heart far from Him, but the entirety of your being does not live in His presence. This is how God sees people who are critical of others and of circumstances. Some people are silver-tongued and quick of thought. They think, “I’m a good speaker. When I’m around other people, they all envy me and admire me. They exalt me, and in general, they obey me.” Is this of any use? Your prestige among other people is established, but when you are before God, He will always ignore you. He will say you are a nonbeliever and that you are hostile toward the truth. You conduct yourself among others in a way that is smooth and slick, and you can deal with anyone, and are very capable at handling matters, and you are able to get along with anyone—but, in the end, with such an appraisal from God, you will be finished. There will be no good outcome for you, and your fate will be set. God will say: “This is a nonbeliever, waving the banner of belief in God in order to gain blessings. This person is hostile toward the truth. They have never made any effort with the truth, nor have they ever accepted the truth.” What do you think of this kind of appraisal? Is it something you want? It certainly is not. Maybe some people do not care, saying, “Whatever. We can’t see God anyway. Our most tangible issue is getting along with the people around us. If we don’t make these relationships work, it will be hard to get by in the group. At the very least, we have to become familiar to these people and maintain good relations with them. We can talk about tomorrow’s affairs tomorrow.” Are such people still believers in God? (No.) One must often live before God, and come before God to seek the truth at all times and in all matters, so that, in the end, God will say: “You are someone who loves the truth. You are pleasing to God and delightful to Him. God has seen your heart and your behavior.” What do you think of this appraisal? Only such people can gain God’s approval.

Excerpted from “If You Cannot Always Live Before God, You Are a Nonbeliever” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Many people do not understand the truth, and do not pursue the truth, either. What do they treat their duty as? They treat it as work, or as a hobby, or as an interest. They do not treat it as a task or mission given to them by God, or as a responsibility for them to bear, much less do they seek to understand the truth and the will of God in the course of performing their duty. And so, there are some who, in the course of performing their duty, suffer a little hardship and have a change of heart, and start thinking of how to get out of it. When they encounter a difficulty or setback, they backtrack, and, again, are liable to try and get out of it. Instead of seeking the truth, they think about a way out. They are like tortoises: As soon as something happens, they hide in their shell, only coming out again when it is over. There are many such people. In particular, there are some who, when asked to undertake a duty, give no thought to how to perform it loyally, how to do it properly, or how to complete this work well. Instead, they think about how to shirk their responsibility, how to avoid being dealt with, how to offload their responsibility, how to entirely absent themselves from a problem or failure when it occurs. The first thing they think about is their own escape route; before all else, they consider their own preferences and predilections, not how they can do their duty and do it loyally. Can such people gain the truth? They put no effort into the truth. For them, the grass is always greener: Today, they want to do this, tomorrow, they want to do that. Everyone’s duty seems better than the one they are doing, and they all seem easier. They simply put no effort into the truth. They do not reflect on what the problem is when they have such thoughts, nor do they solve the problem. They only ever focus on external practices, looking at who has taken the limelight, who has been recognized by the Above, who gets to have contact with the Above, who does not need to be dealt with when they work. These things are all they ever think about. Would you say that people who only ever think about these things are able to perform their duty faithfully? That will never happen. So what kind of people are those who perform their duty in this way? Do they pursue the truth? First of all, if one thing is for certain, it is that this kind of person does not pursue the truth. All they pursue is ingratiating themselves into the house of God, enjoying some blessings, making a name for themselves, being seen and noticed—which is no different to being in society. What kind of people are they in terms of essence? They are nonbelievers. Nonbelievers perform their duty in the house of God as if they were at work in the world. Who is promoted, who is made head of a group, who is made leader of the church, who is appointed to a position, who is appreciated by all in their work, and is exalted and held high—these things are what they value—just as in a company, who is promoted, who gets a raise, who is appreciated by their superiors, and who is on familiar terms with leadership are what people value. Is pursuing such things in the house of God and valuing them all the day not the same thing that unbelievers do? Such a person is a standard nonbeliever, who does not pursue the truth, who does not seek to understand the truth in the performance of their duties, and cannot be loyal as they should.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

Some people do not rejoice in the truth, much less judgment. Instead, they rejoice in power and riches; such people are called power seekers. They search only for those denominations in the world with influence, and they search only for pastors and teachers that come from seminaries. Though they have accepted the way of truth, they are only half-believing; they are incapable of giving all of their hearts and minds, their mouths speak of expending themselves for God, but their eyes are focused on the great pastors and teachers, and they do not spare Christ a second glance. Their hearts are fixated upon fame, fortune, and glory. They think it out of the question that such a meager person could be capable of conquering so many, that one so unremarkable could perfect man. They think it out of the question that these nobodies among the dust and dunghills are the people chosen by God. They believe that if such people were the objects of God’s salvation, then heaven and earth would be turned upside down, and all people would laugh themselves silly. They believe that if God chose such nobodies to be perfected, then those great men would become God Himself. Their perspectives are tainted with unbelief; more than not believing, they are simply preposterous beasts. For they value only status, prestige, and power, and they esteem only large groups and denominations. They have not the slightest regard for those led by Christ; they are simply traitors who have turned their backs on Christ, on truth, and on life.

What you admire is not the humility of Christ, but those false shepherds of prominent standing. You do not adore the loveliness or wisdom of Christ, but those libertines who wallow in the filth of the world. You laugh at the pain of Christ who has no place to lay His head, but you admire those corpses that hunt for offerings and live in debauchery. You are not willing to suffer alongside Christ, but you gladly throw yourself into the arms of those reckless antichrists, though they only supply you with flesh, words, and control. Even now, your heart still turns toward them, toward their reputation, toward their status, toward their influence. And yet you continue to hold an attitude whereby you find the work of Christ hard to swallow and you are unwilling to accept it. This is why I say that you lack the faith to acknowledge Christ. The reason you have followed Him to this day is only because you had no other option. A series of lofty images are forever towering in your heart; you cannot forget their every word and deed, nor their influential words and hands. They are, in your heart, forever supreme and forever heroes. But this is not so for the Christ of today. He is forever insignificant in your heart, and forever undeserving of reverence. For He is far too ordinary, has far too little influence, and is far from lofty.

In any case, I say that all those who do not value the truth are nonbelievers and traitors to the truth. Such men shall never receive the approval of Christ. Have you now identified how much unbelief is within you, and how much betrayal of Christ you have? I exhort you thus: Since you have chosen the way of truth, then you should devote yourself wholeheartedly; do not be ambivalent or half-hearted. You should understand that God does not belong to the world nor any one person, but to all those who truly believe in Him, all those who worship Him, and all those who are devoted and faithful to Him.

Excerpted from “Are You a True Believer in God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

116. The Principles of Identifying Various Evil People

(1) Evil people have a special hatred for the truth. They never accept it, nor do they accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and less still do they accept being pruned and dealt with;

(2) Evil people cannot be reasoned with. They are skilled at inverting right and wrong and skewing facts, they attack and target others, and they will employ any means to achieve their ends;

(3) Evil people have not the least conscience or sense, and no matter how much evil they do or the extent to which they cripple others, they are completely unaware, like cold-blooded animals;

(4) No evil people read God’s words, nor do they fellowship on the truth. They focus only on status, reputation, and personal gain, and only speak up for the sake of their own status, reputation, and gain.

Relevant Words of God:

In the nation of the great red dragon, I have carried out a stage of work unfathomable to human beings, causing them to sway in the wind, after which many quietly drift away with the blowing of the wind. Truly, this is the “threshing floor” I am about to clear; it is what I yearn for and it is also My plan. For many wicked ones have crept in while I am at work, but I am in no hurry to drive them away. Rather, I shall disperse them when the time is right. Only after that shall I be the fountain of life, allowing those who truly love Me to receive from Me the fruit of the fig tree and the fragrance of the lily. In the land where Satan sojourns, the land of dust, there remains no pure gold, only sand, and so, meeting with these circumstances, I do such a stage of work. You should know that what I gain is pure, refined gold, not sand. How can the wicked remain in My house? How can I allow foxes to be parasites in My paradise? I employ every conceivable method to drive these things away. Before My will is revealed, no one is aware of what I am about to do. Taking this opportunity, I drive away those wicked ones, and they are forced to leave My presence. This is what I do to the wicked, but there will still be a day for them to do service for Me.

Excerpted from “The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying That the Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Spread Throughout the Universe” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now, as soon as possible, I wish to make a group of people who are after My heart, a group of people who are able to be considerate of My burdens. However, I cannot refrain from cleansing and purifying My church; the church is My heart. I despise all the evil people who prevent you from eating and drinking of My word. This is because there are some other people who do not truly want Me. These people are full of deceit, they do not get close to Me with their true heart; they are evil, and they are people who obstruct the carrying out of My will; they are not people who put the truth into practice. These people are full of self-righteousness and arrogance, they are wildly ambitious, they love to be condescending, and though the words they speak are pleasant to hear, in secret they do not practice the truth. These evil people shall all be cut off and swept away; they shall languish amid disaster.

Excerpted from “Chapter 24” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination. All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan. Their behavior interrupts and disturbs God’s work, it impairs the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, and it damages the normal life of the church. Sooner or later, these wolves in sheep’s clothing must be cleared out; an unsparing attitude, an attitude of rejection, should be adopted toward these lackeys of Satan. Only this is standing on the side of God, and those who fail to do so are wallowing in the mire with Satan. People who genuinely believe in God always have Him in their hearts, and they always carry within them a God-revering heart, a God-loving heart. Those who believe in God should do things cautiously and prudently, and all that they do should be in accordance with God’s requirements and able to satisfy His heart. They should not be headstrong, doing whatever they please; that does not befit saintly propriety. People must not run amok, waving the flag of God all over the place while swaggering and swindling everywhere; this is the most rebellious sort of conduct. Families have their rules, and nations have their laws—and isn’t it even more so in the house of God? Aren’t the standards even stricter? Aren’t there even more administrative decrees? People are free to do what they want, but the administrative decrees of God cannot be altered at will. God is a God who does not tolerate offense from humans; He is a God who puts people to death. Do people really not know this already?

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The wicked like evil, vicious, malicious things; they love all these things that are related to negative things. At the mention of positive things—when they are told that something is of benefit to people, that it comes from God—they do not like what they hear and become uninterested. That being so, there is no way they can be saved. No matter how well-articulated the truth, how true this way, their interest cannot be roused—but at the mention of eating, drinking, having fun, of whoring, gambling, stealing, robbing, they perk up. This is a vicious and evil disposition, there is no goodness in their hearts, and so they are incapable of loving positive things. How do they regard positive things, in their hearts? With contempt. They despise them and will make fun of them. At the mention of being honest, they think to themselves, “Honest people do nothing but suffer. I’m not going to be honest. You’re foolish for being honest, look at how arduous it is for you to perform your duty. You’ve never thought to give yourself a way out, you’ve never considered your health. Who will look after you when you’re burnt out? I cannot let myself get burnt out.” Some say, “We have to leave ourselves a way out; we can’t keep blindly toiling on by the sweat of our brows. We have to prepare a way out, then we can just make some token effort.” Talk of their own mindset makes them happy, but any mention of absolute obedience, of faithfully expending oneself and performing one’s duty, disgusts them, they feel aversion to it, and it falls on deaf ears. Are such people not vicious? There is nothing but viciousness in their hearts. At the mention of the truth, and of practicing the truth, if their own interests are infringed upon they become averse, they do not want to hear it: “All day long you go on about the truth, the principles of practice, and being honest. Can being honest put food on the table? Can I make money by being honest? I can make a profit by lying.” What logic is this? This is “highwayman’s logic.” Is this disposition not vicious? Are such people’s hearts kind? (No.) Such people cannot gain the truth. Thus there is an objective to the little that they dedicate, expend and forsake. They have thought it all through: They will dedicate one part, and get back ten parts in return. Only this seems worthwhile to them. What kind of disposition is this? It is wickedness and viciousness.

Excerpted from “Only When You Know Yourself Can You Pursue the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

One major aspect of the dispositions of the wicked is malevolence. Toward anyone’s well-intentioned exhortations or reminders, or even on those occasions when people point out a few of their shortcomings, the attitude of the wicked is not one of gratitude, of humble acceptance, but rather hostility and hatred—it may even give rise to vengefulness. There are some who deal with an antichrist by saying, “You have consistently flaunted yourself whilst performing your duty during this period, and you made a complete mess of doing your duty. Are you worthy of standing before God? When you were fulfilling your duty, you behaved wantonly and refused to act according to principle. Why did you not seek the truth? Why did you not act according to principle? Why did you ignore the brothers and sisters when they fellowshiped with you? Why did you continue to do as you pleased?” These several “whys,” these supremely unexceptional words, words that expose their essence, get under their skin. So they think to themselves, “Why? There is no ‘why’—I do whatever I want to do! Who are you to deal with me?” Though they don’t say these things out loud, a vengeful and hostile wrath arises in their heart. And what does this wrath give rise to? “What gives you the right to deal with me? On what basis do you say that I behaved wantonly? So what if I do behave wantonly, what can you do about it? In all my life, no one has ever dared say such things to me! Only I have the right to say these things to other people—others don’t have the right to say them to me. The person able to teach me a lesson, who is worthy of teaching me a lesson, hasn’t been born yet! And yet you presume to try and lecture me?” In this way, enmity arises. And once enmity appears, given the malevolent dispositions of the antichrists, will they be content to let it end here? Absolutely not. Next, they’ll start thinking to themselves: “Does this person who dealt with me hold any power in the church? If I take revenge on them, will anyone stick up for them? If I try to fix them, will the church punish me for it? I’ve got it—I won’t visit my revenge directly on them, I’ll do something totally under the radar, I’ll find out what they’re called, where their home is, who lives with them. I must take revenge on them, I cannot simply let this drop. How could I put up with this kind of mistreatment? I don’t believe in God in order to be mistreated, to be picked on by whoever feels like it—I came to be blessed, to get into the kingdom of heaven. People live for reputation, and must have the spine to fight for their dignity; if you bully me, if you treat me like dirt, I’ll make sure you suffer the consequences. Let the two of us see which one is tougher, who can beat whom!” A few simple words of truth and honesty will infuriate the antichrist, produce so much enmity, so much resentment, and make them go to extraordinary lengths to avenge themselves upon that person. Naturally, they don’t only choose one type of person to take revenge on, but are ready to hate anyone who is a threat to them, who can see through them, who understands the truth and is able to expose their essence and can deal with and prune them, who has the integrity to state the facts and is able to expose them for what they really are. There are even those who say, “Whoever deals with me, I’ll go hard on them. Anyone who deals with and prunes me, who robs me of my share of blessings, and gets me expelled by the house of God, I’ll never leave them be. That’s how I am in the secular world: No one dares give me trouble, the person who dares to bother me hasn’t been born yet!” That’s the kind of smack they talk when they face being pruned and dealt with. When they talk smack, it’s not to intimidate others, or to mouth off for the sake of protecting themselves—it’s what they really plan to do. And so there are certain leaders and workers who, when they encounter such people, dare not approach or provoke them; instead, they always keep these people under their protection, with the result that these people become set in their ways, and persist in causing disruption and disturbance to the church, and end up controlling the brothers and sisters. This is how disaster comes about. It can even come to the point where some antichrists, because their tactics have been exposed and reported by the brothers and sisters, then take revenge on them after finding out, handing them over to the great red dragon, to the government. Is this not malevolence? (Yes.) Therefore, it is most certainly wrong to consider antichrists and evildoers as brothers and sisters. If you lack discernment and water and nourish antichrists and evildoers as your brothers and sisters, promoting them, using them in important positions, and even assigning important tasks to them as if they were brothers and sisters who pursue the truth, then you are doing great evil in your leadership and have a hand in the antichrists’ evil, and you should be eliminated.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

Such is the extent of some people’s evil that they have the utmost hatred of others, their relationship with them is nothing but loathing, not even separating them for assembly works; they still find the chance to attack each other, to get in each other’s faces, and they do everything possible to disrupt the brothers and sisters—in which case principle dictates that such people be purged from the church. Are such people evil? As is evident from the extent of their hostility toward others, no one is allowed to insult them, no one can hurt or wound them, you can’t harm them in the slightest, or else they’ll get their own back on you, and never let it go. There is no patience, tolerance, or acceptance in their humanity. What principle is their behavior based on? “I’d rather offend all beneath heaven, than for one of them to offend me.” No one is allowed to insult them. Is this the logic of the wicked? Such is the logic of the wicked: No one is allowed to offend them. You’re not allowed to wound them at all, or else you’ll become their enemy, and they’ll never leave you alone, or never let it go—this is how wicked people are. Under such circumstances, the wicked individual should be removed as hastily and promptly as possible before they create a serious disturbance. Don’t wait for them to start doing things in the church, don’t wait for them to cause disruption among the brothers and sisters.

Once someone has been determined to be wicked, is there any use fellowshiping with them? Giving them a chance is pointless; giving the wicked opportunities is against principle. And why is it against principle? Given their essence, they will never repent; the word “repentance” is not in their dictionary. No matter how you fellowship with them, they will not put aside their inclinations, ideas, and interests—they can put nothing aside. When they’ve latched onto something, no one can persuade them to let it go. Sooner or later, they will take retribution on anyone who has become the object of their hate. Can such people repent? They are incapable of repentance, so is it not foolish to have clearly seen that they are evil, and yet still give them a chance?

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (14)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How do antichrists and the wicked get along? They generally laugh and joke around; they flatter and curry favor with each other. The wicked flock to wherever the antichrists are; they are always together, like flies following stench. No serious work is done when they are in each other’s company; they just gossip about who bad-mouthed whom or who lambasted the leaders, or if they see people who displease them, they will contemplate how to squeeze them out. All they talk about is how to give others a hard time. They also discuss how to take a stand against the Above, how to know in advance if someone plans to report an issue with them, and what to do about it once they do know. Such are the matters that this pack of wicked ones talk about. When together, they never fellowship about which brothers and sisters might be weak or negative, lack conviction in performing their duties, or have been deceived because of something, and they never fellowship about how best to help and support those brothers and sisters; nor do they ever fellowship about which areas the church could do better in or the ways and methods to resolve these problems. They do not talk about such matters. They only gossip about who is unhappy with them, who is a threat to their status, who is going to report an issue with them, and who is in contact with the Above. After discussing something, antichrists then go and put it into play across the churches, and their meddling turns the churches upside down. Everyone is then thrown into a panic, and the brothers and sisters ultimately begin to be suspicious and jealous of each other, tearing each other apart and exposing one another—thereby achieving the antichrists’ goals. This is how the antichrists lead the churches. If the wicked do as they say, the antichrists protect them. If the wicked do not do as they say, then the wicked are the first to be dealt with. If those wicked ones follow the antichrists, and can be recruited and drawn in, then the antichrists will turn those wicked ones into accomplices and informers to carry out evil acts for them. They will plant those wicked ones among the other brothers and sisters to find out who has been bad-mouthing them behind their backs, who has complaints about them, who has some insights into God’s words and wants to exercise discernment about them and about certain things that might expose them for what they really are, who beneath them plans to report them, and who often wants to be in contact with the Above. They specifically keep an eye on these things, and then, when they are all together, they discuss countermeasures, deliberating on whom they can expel each day, and then making it seem official by putting it to a vote. These are the things that antichrists do; this is how they lead the churches. In locations with antichrists and the wicked, a turbid atmosphere pervades the churches. This is called the devil being in charge. Can anything good come from the devil being in charge? It can only bring calamity upon God’s chosen ones.

Excerpted from “They Confound, Draw In, Threaten, and Control People” in Exposing Antichrists

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who do not strive for progress always wish for others to be as negative and indolent as themselves. Those who do not practice the truth are jealous of those who do, and always try to deceive those who are muddle-headed and lack discernment. The things these people give vent to can cause you to degenerate, slip downward, develop an abnormal state, and be filled with darkness. They cause you to become distant from God, and to cherish the flesh and indulge yourself. People who do not love the truth and who are always perfunctory toward God have no self-awareness, and the disposition of such people seduces others into committing sins and defying God. They do not practice the truth, nor do they allow others to practice it. They cherish sin and have no loathing of themselves. They do not know themselves, and they stop others from knowing themselves; they also stop others from desiring the truth. Those they deceive cannot see the light. They fall into darkness, do not know themselves, are unclear about the truth, and become more and more distant from God. They do not practice the truth and they stop others from practicing the truth, bringing all those fools before them. Rather than say that they believe in God, it would be better to say that they believe in their ancestors, or that what they believe in are the idols in their hearts. It would be best for those people who claim to follow God to open their eyes and take a good look to see exactly who they believe in: Is it really God that you believe in, or Satan? If you know that what you believe in is not God, but your own idols, then it would be best if you did not claim to be a believer. If you really do not know who you believe in, then, again, it would be best if you did not claim to be a believer. To say so would be blasphemy! No one is forcing you to believe in God. Do not say you believe in Me; I have had enough of such talk, and do not wish to hear it again, because what you believe in are the idols in your hearts and the local bullies among you. Those who shake their heads when they hear the truth, who grin when they hear talk of death, are all the spawn of Satan, and they are the ones who will be eliminated. Many in the church have no discernment. When something deceptive occurs, they unexpectedly stand on the side of Satan; they even take offense at being called Satan’s lackeys. Though people might say they have no discernment, they always stand on the side without truth, they never stand on the side of the truth at the critical time, they never stand up and argue for the truth. Do they truly lack discernment? Why do they unexpectedly take the side of Satan? Why do they never say one word that is fair and reasonable in support of the truth? Has this situation genuinely arisen as a result of their momentary confusion? The less discernment people have, the less able they are to stand on the side of truth. What does this show? Does it not show that people without discernment love evil? Does it not show that they are the loyal spawn of Satan? Why is it that they are always able to stand on the side of Satan and speak its language? Their every word and deed, the expressions on their faces, are all sufficient to prove that they are not any kind of lovers of the truth; rather, they are people who detest the truth. That they can stand on the side of Satan is enough to prove that Satan really loves these petty devils who spend their lives fighting for Satan’s sake. Are all these facts not abundantly clear? If you truly are a person who loves the truth, then why have you no regard for those who practice the truth, and why do you immediately follow those who do not practice the truth at the slightest look from them? What kind of problem is this? I do not care whether you have discernment or not. I do not care how great a price you have paid. I do not care how great your forces are, and I do not care whether you are a local bully or a flag-bearing leader. If your forces are great, then that is only with the help of Satan’s strength. If your prestige is high, then that is merely because there are too many around you who do not practice the truth. If you have not been expelled, then that is because now is not the time for the work of expelling; rather, it is time for the work of elimination. There is no rush to expel you now. I am simply waiting for the day when I will punish you after you have been eliminated. Whoever does not practice the truth will be eliminated!

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who genuinely believe in God are those who are willing to put God’s word into practice and are willing to practice the truth. People who are truly able to stand firm in their testimony to God are also those who are willing to put His word into practice and can genuinely stand on the side of the truth. People who resort to trickery and injustice all lack the truth, and they all bring shame to God. Those who cause disputes in the church are Satan’s lackeys, they are the embodiment of Satan. Such people are so malicious. Those who have no discernment and are incapable of standing on the side of the truth all harbor evil intentions and tarnish the truth. More than that, they are the archetypal representatives of Satan. They are beyond redemption, and shall naturally be eliminated. God’s family does not allow those who do not practice the truth to remain, nor does it allow to remain those who deliberately dismantle the church. However, now is not the time to do the work of expulsion; such people will simply be exposed and eliminated in the end. No more useless work is to be expended on these people; those who belong to Satan cannot stand on the side of the truth, whereas those who seek the truth can. People who do not practice the truth are unworthy of hearing the way of the truth and unworthy of bearing witness to the truth. The truth is simply not for their ears; rather, it is directed at those who practice it. Before every person’s end is revealed, those who disturb the church and interrupt God’s work will first be left aside for now, to be dealt with later. Once the work is complete, these people will each be exposed, and then they will be eliminated. For the time being, while the truth is being provided, they will be ignored. When the whole truth is revealed to humanity, those people should be eliminated; that will be the time when all people will be classed according to their kind. The petty tricks of those without discernment will lead to their destruction at the hands of the wicked, they will be lured away by them, never to return. And such treatment is what they deserve, because they do not love the truth, because they are incapable of standing on the side of the truth, because they follow evil people and stand on the side of evil people, and because they collude with evil people and defy God. They know perfectly well that what those evil people radiate is evil, yet they harden their hearts and turn their backs on the truth to follow them. Are these people who do not practice the truth but who do destructive and abominable things not all committing evil? Although there are those among them who style themselves as kings and others who follow them, are their God-defying natures not all the same? What excuse can they have to claim that God does not save them? What excuse can they have to claim that God is not righteous? Is it not their own evil that is destroying them? Is it not their own rebelliousness that is dragging them down into hell? People who practice the truth will, in the end, be saved and made perfect because of the truth. Those who do not practice the truth will, in the end, bring destruction upon themselves because of the truth. These are the ends that await those who practice the truth and those who do not. I advise those who are not planning on practicing the truth to leave the church as soon as possible to avoid committing even more sins. When the time comes, it will be too late for regret. In particular, those who form cliques and create schisms, and those local bullies within the church, must leave even sooner. Such people, who have the nature of evil wolves, are incapable of change. It would be better if they left the church at the earliest opportunity, never again to disturb the normal life of the brothers and sisters, and thereby avoid God’s punishment. Those of you who have gone along with them would do well to make use of this opportunity to reflect upon yourselves. Will you leave the church along with the evil ones, or remain and follow obediently? You must consider this matter carefully. I give you this one more opportunity to choose, and I await your answer.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

117. The Principles of Identifying False Leaders and Workers

(1) All who work only for status, reputation, and gain, who do not pursue the truth, and who do not possess truth reality are false leaders and workers;

(2) All who are arrogant and self-righteous, who do not accept the truth in the least, and who act without principles, being capable of willful, arbitrary action, are false leaders and workers;

(3) Those who only preach letters and doctrines, who cannot use the truth to resolve problems, and who cannot do practical work, are false leaders and workers;

(4) All who do not know themselves, who have not genuinely repented, and who cannot offer practical testimonies from experience are false leaders and workers.

Relevant Words of God:

The work of a qualified worker can bring people to the right way and grant them greater entry into the truth. His work can bring people before God. In addition, the work he does can vary from individual to individual and is not bound by rules, allowing people liberation and freedom, and the capacity gradually to grow in life and to have a more profound entry into the truth. The work of an unqualified worker falls far short. His work is foolish. He can only bring people into rules, and what he demands of people does not vary from individual to individual; he does not work according to people’s actual needs. In this type of work, there are too many rules and too many doctrines, and it cannot bring people into reality, nor into normal practice of growth in life. It can only enable people to adhere to a few worthless rules. Such guidance can only lead people astray. He leads you to become like him; he can bring you into what he has and is. For followers to discern whether leaders are qualified, the key is to look at the path on which they lead and the results of their work, and to see whether followers receive principles in accordance with the truth, and whether they receive ways of practice suitable for their transformation. You should distinguish between the different work of different types of people; you should not be a foolish follower. This bears on the matter of people’s entry. If you are unable to distinguish which person’s leadership has a path and which does not, you will easily be deceived. All of this has a direct bearing on your own life.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How can it be judged whether a leader is fulfilling their responsibilities, whether they are a false leader? Most fundamental is to look at whether they are able to do practical work, at whether or not they have this ability. Secondly, look at whether they actually do this practical work. Disregard the words that come from their mouths, how well they understand the truth, whether, when they are carrying out external tasks or anything else, they possess a certain degree of caliber, intelligence, gift, or ability—disregard all that, and look only at whether they do practical work; if they do not, then no matter how capable they are, they are a false leader. Some people say, “Who cares whether they do or not? They have great ability, and they’re skilled; when they get down to work, they’re better than most people. What’s more, though they don’t do real work, and spend a lot of time hanging around, they’ve done nothing bad, nor have they committed evil, nor caused disruptions or disturbances. They have not caused any loss or ill effect to the brothers and sisters or to the church. So how can You say they are a false leader?” How to explain this? Right now, forget how talented you are, how great your caliber is, or how well-educated you are; what matters is whether or not you do practical work, and whether or not you fulfill the responsibilities of a leader. During your time as leader, did you take part in every specific piece of work within the scope of your responsibility, how many problems that arose during work did you effectively solve, how many people, because of your work, your leadership, your guidance, came to understand the truth principles, how much of the work of the house of God was advanced and pushed forward? These are what matter. Forget how many mantras you can repeat, how many words and doctrines you have mastered, forget how many hours you spend toiling each day, how exhausted you are, and forget how much time you have spent out on the road, how many churches you have visited, how many risks you have taken, how many meals you have missed—forget all this, and look only at the accomplishments of all the work for which you are responsible. How much work within the scope required by the house of God, that you are responsible for, has been implemented, whether it be human resources, administrative, or related to professional work; how well it has been implemented, how well it has been followed up, how many oversights, deviations, issues and mistakes related to principle you have helped to rectify and remedy, how many problems you have helped solve, whether you solved them according to principle and the requirements of the house of God, and so on—these are all the criteria by which it is assessed whether or not a leader is fulfilling their responsibilities.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As leaders and workers in the church, if you want to lead God’s chosen people into truth reality and to serve as God’s witnesses, most importantly, you must have a deeper understanding of God’s aim in saving people and the purpose of His work. You must understand the will of God and His various requirements of people. You must be practical in your efforts; practice only as much as you understand and communicate only on that which you know. Do not boast, do not exaggerate, and do not make irresponsible remarks. If you exaggerate, people will detest you and you will feel reproached afterward; this is just too inappropriate. When you provide the truth to others, you don’t necessarily have to deal with them and scold them in order for them to attain the truth. If you yourself don’t have the truth and only deal with and scold others, they will fear you, but that doesn’t mean they understand the truth. In some administrative work, it’s fine for you to deal with and prune others and discipline them to a certain degree. But if you cannot provide the truth and know only how to be overbearing and to chide others, your corruption and ugliness will be revealed. With the passage of time, as people are unable to obtain the provision of life or practical things from you, they will come to detest you and feel disgusted by you. Those who lack discernment will learn negative things from you; they will learn to deal with and prune others, to get angry, and to lose their temper. Isn’t that tantamount to leading others onto the path of Paul, onto a path toward perdition? Is that not an evildoing? Your work should focus on communicating the truth and providing life to others. If all you do is blindly deal with and lecture others, how will they ever understand the truth? As time goes by, people will see you for who you really are, and they will abandon you. How can you expect to bring others before God in this way? How is this doing the work? You will lose everyone if you keep working in this way. What work do you hope to accomplish anyway? Some leaders are incapable of communicating the truth to resolve problems. Instead, they just blindly deal with others and flaunt their power so that others come to fear them and obey them—such people are of the false leaders and antichrists. Those whose disposition has not changed are incapable of performing church work, and are unable to serve God.

Excerpted from “Only Those With Truth Reality Can Lead” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Many people behind My back covet the benefits of status, they gorge themselves on food, they love to sleep and give every care to the flesh, always afraid that there is no way out for the flesh. They do not perform their proper function in the church, but freeload off the church, or else they admonish their brothers and sisters with My words, lording themselves over others from positions of authority. These people keep saying they are doing God’s will and always say they are God’s intimates—is this not absurd? If you have the right intentions, but are unable to serve in accordance with God’s will, then you are being foolish; but if your intentions are not right, and you still say you serve God, then you are someone who opposes God, and you ought to be punished by God! I have no sympathy for such people! In the house of God, they freeload, always coveting the comforts of the flesh, and give no consideration to the interests of God. They always seek what is good for them, and they pay no heed to God’s will. They do not accept the scrutiny of God’s Spirit in anything they do. They are always maneuvering and deceiving their brothers and sisters, and being two-faced, like a fox in a vineyard, always stealing grapes and trampling over the vineyard. Could such people be God’s intimates? Are you fit to receive God’s blessings? You take no burden for your life and the church, are you fit to receive God’s commission? Who would dare trust someone like you? When you serve like this, could God dare to entrust you with a greater task? Would this not cause delays to the work?

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If one serving as a leader is possessed of the ability to understand God’s words and the caliber to understand the truth, then not only can they themselves understand God’s words and enter the reality of His words, but they are also able to advise, guide, and assist those they lead in understanding God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words. Such caliber, however, is the very thing that false leaders lack. They do not understand the words of God, and they do not know which states God’s words are referring to, which states they expose as those in which people reveal their corrupt dispositions, or those in which there is born opposition to God and grievances against God, or the motivations of man, and so on. They are incapable of measuring things against God’s words, and merely comprehend a few words, rules, and catchphrases at the superficial level of His words. When fellowshiping with others, they memorize a passage of God’s words and then explain their superficial meaning. False leaders’ understanding, knowledge, and acceptance of God’s words is limited to this alone. They lack the ability to understand God’s words. They merely understand the wording and depth of meaning that is universally evident at the literal level of these words—and think they have understood and comprehended His words as a result. So, too, do they use the literal meaning of God’s words to admonish and “help” others in daily life, believing that in this, they are doing their work, that they are guiding people in eating and drinking God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words. False leaders often fellowship God’s words to others and impart God’s words to them in various ways, telling them to eat and drink this passage of God’s words when they encounter some issue, and that passage of God’s words when they encounter another issue. When misunderstandings about God occur in people, they say, “Look, God’s words are perfectly clear and understandable about this. How could you still misunderstand God? Do God’s words not ask that we abide by such-and-such, and do they not ask that we abide by so-and-so?” Thus do they teach people how to understand and enter into God’s words. Under their guidance, many people become capable of reciting God’s words and able to recall certain of God’s words when they encounter an issue. But no matter how much they read and recite, they remain ignorant of what God’s words are referring to. When they are genuinely beset by adversity, or have certain doubts, the words of God they know and remember cannot solve their difficulties. This illustrates a problem: The words of God they understand are mere doctrine, nothing but a certain kind of rules; they are not reality, and they are not the truth. Thus, false leaders’ guidance of people in eating and drinking God’s words and entering the reality of God’s words is limited to teaching them the literal meaning of His words; it is incapable of allowing them to achieve enlightenment from His words and cannot let them know which corrupt dispositions are within them. The disposition and essence that are revealed in people each time something happens to them, and how they can be solved using God’s words, and what people’s states are each time such things happen to them, and how such states can be solved, and what God’s words have to say about this, what His words require, what the principles are, and what the truth is therein—they understand none of this. All they do is exhort people: “Eat and drink more of God’s words. God’s words contain the truth, and if you listen to His words more, over time you will understand the truth. The key parts of God’s words are the very ones you don’t understand, so you should pray more, search more, listen more, and contemplate more.” False leaders go on and on with such exhortations. Each time a problem of a certain kind arises, they say the same thing, and afterward, people still do not recognize the essence of the problem and still do not know how to practice God’s words; they merely abide by the literal rules and meaning of His words, but when it comes to the truth principles of practicing God’s words and the reality the truth demands, they do not understand.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The chief characteristic of the work of false leaders is that, after shouting out their slogans, after issuing their orders, they simply wash their hands of the matter. They ask no questions about the project’s subsequent development; they do not ask whether any problems, abnormalities, or difficulties have arisen. They consider it finished as soon as they hand it over. In fact, keeping track of a project’s progress is something that leaders can do. Even if you are a total novice in these matters—even if you lack any knowledge of it—you can carry out such work; find someone who is knowledgeable, who understands the work in question, to check the situation and give suggestions. From their suggestions you can identify the appropriate principles, and thus you will be able to keep track of the work. Whether or not you have any familiarity with, or understanding of, the type of work in question, at the very least you must preside over it, keep track of it, make enquiries and ask questions to inform yourself about its progress. You must maintain a grasp of such matters; this is your responsibility, the part you must play. Not keeping track of the work—washing your hands of it—are the actions of false leaders. Not taking specific action to keep track of specific items of work—having no understanding and no grasp of the specific progress of these specific items of work—is also the manifestation of a false leader.

Because false leaders do not understand the status of the work’s progress, this often leads to repeated delays. In certain work, because people have no grasp of the principles and, moreover, there is no one suitable to preside over it, those who are carrying out the work frequently reside in a state of negativity, passivity, and waiting, which severely affects the progress of the work. If, in the first place, the leader had fulfilled their responsibilities—if they had taken charge, pushed the work forward, hurried them along, and found someone who understands the type of work involved to give guidance, then the work would have progressed more quickly rather than suffer repeated delays. For leaders, then, it is vital to understand and grasp the actual situation of the work. It is, of course, highly necessary for leaders to understand and grasp how work is progressing—for progress relates to the efficiency of the work and the results that this work is intended to achieve. If a leader lacks even a grasp of how the work is progressing, then it can be said that, most of the time, the work will develop slowly and passively. Most people who are engaged in performing their duty will work slowly and passively without the presence of someone who has a sense of burden and some ability in that type of work, someone to urge them on, to provide supervision and guidance. This is also the case when there is no criticism, discipline, pruning or being dealt with. It is of the utmost importance that leaders and workers maintain an up-to-date grasp and understanding of their work’s progress, for people are indolent, and without guidance, urging, and following-up by leaders, without leaders who possess an up-to-date understanding of the work’s progress, people are liable to slack off, to be lazy, to be perfunctory—if this is their approach to their work, progress and effectiveness will be severely impacted. Given these circumstances, leaders and workers should promptly keep track of every item of work and stay informed about the situation regarding staff and the work. False leaders, of course, are careless and indifferent in this work; they are incapable of taking responsibility. And so, whether in terms of the present status or progress of work, false leaders always “admire the flowers from the back of a galloping horse”; they are careless and indifferent, as well as perfunctory; they speak high-sounding and empty words, preach doctrine, and go through the motions. In general, this is the way false leaders work. To compare them with antichrists, although they do nothing overtly evil and are not deliberately maleficent, does not their attitude toward work eclipse even evil? Though their work cannot be defined as evil in nature, it is fair to say that from the perspective of effectiveness, its nature is carelessness and perfunctoriness, a lack of any sense of burden; they have no loyalty to their work.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (4)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Within the ambit of the work for which false leaders are responsible, a few people who truly pursue the truth and are fit for promotion and cultivation are frequently stifled. Some of these people spread the gospel, and some of them are arranged to cook. In truth, they are capable of doing work, though they may not show it—yet a false leader is blind to this, and neither engages with nor makes inquiries of those people. Meanwhile, those people with a bit of special talent, flatterers, those who like to appear in public, smooth talkers, and those who wish for office and status are brought up through the ranks, to the extent that those who served in society as village chiefs and secretaries, and those who were corporate executives, and those who studied business management are all given positions of importance. It matters not whether these people are true believers or whether they pursue the truth—wherever false leaders are responsible for the work, they are promoted and given positions of prominence. Is this not just the same as in society? Under the tenure of false leaders, those hard workers who can truly endure suffering, who have a sense of righteousness, who love positive things, and who should, in truth, be promoted and cultivated, yet are not—they hardly have a chance to train, while those of poor caliber and evil humanity, who are eager to take action, love to show off and have no real talent whatsoever, occupy important jobs and supervisory positions in the house of God. This leads to much of the work of God’s house being delayed and unable to progress smoothly and with the efficiency that God’s house requires, and to its not being done according to the principles, and to a failure in the implementation of the requirements of God’s house. This is the consequence and the impact brought about by false leaders’ improper employment of people.

False leaders are poor of caliber, blind of eye and heart, and they do not understand the truth principles, which itself is a very grave problem. They have another, more serious problem still, which is that when they have understood and mastered a few letters and words of doctrine and can shout out a few slogans, they think they understand the truth reality. Whatever work they do and whomever they choose to employ, they do not seek and do not deliberate, and they do not fellowship with others, and less still do they look in detail at the work arrangements and the principles of God’s house. They are quite confident, believing that whatever they think is what should be done and that whatever they believe is accurate, that it is all in accord with the principles. They also mistakenly believe that having worked for many years, they have sufficient experience serving as a leader in God’s house, that they know how the work of God’s house operates and develops, and that all this is within their hearts. They measure the work of God’s house and do the work of God’s house by means of their experience and their own notions and imaginings, which causes the work of God’s house during their tenure to be a mess, in chaos, and without order. If, within a group, there are a few competent people, people who can suffer and pay a price and perform their duties with loyalty, then the work they do may continue to be carried out well, but this has nothing at all to do with the false leader. And where there are no such people, a false leader cannot be of the least use in the work being done. For one thing, a false leader will not pick the right people for the work, those who would see to it that the work picks up and makes progress and improves; for another thing, where there is a weak link in the work, they do not positively and proactively participate or provide coaching in its specifics. Say, for instance, that, for some batch of work, several people doing that work are new believers without much of a foundation, who do not understand the truth well, are not very familiar with the task, and have not quite grasped the principles of the work. A false leader, being blind, cannot see these problems. They believe that as long as someone is doing the work, it does not matter whether it is done well or badly. They do not know that all weak links in the work should be inquired after, observed often, supported often, and may even call for their personal supervision and participation, their personal counsel regarding the work, and their constant support, until those people have understood the truth and embarked on the proper track. Only with suitable supervisors can they cease to fret. Yet false leaders do not work in this way. They do not see that it is their work to do this, so, in the scope of their work, they treat all work and all people identically. They do not go more often to places where there are weak links in the work or where no one suitable is in charge, nor do they provide counsel or participate personally in the specific tasks to be done; and, where someone suitable and capable of undertaking the work is supervising, they do not go and investigate or provide guidance in the work, nor do they participate personally in the details of the work, and they certainly do not try to emulate the strengths of the supervisor there. In brief, false leaders do not do the specifics of the work. They believe that no matter the work, as long as the personnel are in place and the supervisor has been chosen, then everything is just dandy. They believe there is nothing more for them to do there and that it has nothing more to do with them, that all they have to do is convene a congregation every so often and make a phone call if an issue arises. Even as false leaders work in this way, they think they are doing a good job and are quite pleased with themselves, thinking, “There are no problems with any of the work programs. The personnel are all neatly arranged, and the supervisors are in place. How’d I come to be so good at this work, so talented?” Is this not shameless? They are so blind of eye and heart that they cannot see any tasks to be done and cannot find any problems. In some places, the work has ground to a halt, yet there they are, contented, thinking that the brothers and sisters of that place are all young and fresh-blooded, that they will perform their duties with fiery verve and that they will certainly be able to do the work well, when, in fact, those young people understand nothing and cannot do anything. There are those who know a bit about some task, but nothing they do turns out as it should. None of what they do is principled, and it all requires correction and ceaseless reworking. There are such gaping flaws in the work; and there are so many things these personnel do not understand; and there are so many principles that need to be fellowshiped to them, so many matters in which they need guidance, so many problems that need to be resolved … and a false leader cannot see anything or find any problems, yet think themselves just fine. Where, then, are their thoughts all day? They are thinking how, as an office-holder, they might enjoy the felicities of status. A false leader is a heartless thing.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The type of false leaders who are pseudo-spiritual believe that working means preaching words and doctrine, repeating mantras, going through the motions, preaching phrases from the words of God; they don’t know how to actually do work, or what the duties of leaders and workers truly are, nor why the house of God chooses an individual to be a leader or worker, what problem it is meant to solve. Thus, no matter how you fellowship about how they should dive into their work, stay on top of it, identify problems within it, and so on, they don’t take any of it in, nor do they understand any of what they hear. They are incapable of practicing what the house of God asks of leaders and workers, and they will never achieve it. They fail to identify all manner of work-related problems—personnel issues, questions of principle, technological or professional issues. And so, under the leadership of such pseudo-spiritual people, there is a constant stream of personnel issues and other work problems; technological or professional issues, too, keep on coming, keep on piling up, and the more they pile up, the more problems arise. Within the scope of these false leaders’ responsibilities, personnel and work matters become ever more chaotic, and work performance and efficiency decline further and further. As far as managing people goes, those who are somewhat skilled and are smooth talkers are allowed to take charge—they get their own way, and they are able to control the work, and control people. The wicked are not curbed, held in check, or purged, and some who perform their duty faithfully are so disturbed that they become negative and weak, unwilling to perform their duty or eat and drink the words of God. They lose faith in their duty, lose faith in God, and lose faith in pursuing the truth. Those who possess certain skills, who are technologically proficient, are not properly put to use. The lines are blurred between who is a good person and who is a bad person, who possesses caliber and who does not, who should be cultivated and who should not—there is just total chaos. However, pseudo-spiritual false leaders are utterly blind to this; they cannot see it. When it comes to personnel issues, no matter what the house of God fellowships and stresses regarding the principles to be followed about who to purge, who to expel, who to rein in, and who to promote, pseudo-spiritual leaders do not comprehend, do not understand what they hear. They unquestioningly stick to their own pseudo-spiritual viewpoints. These false leaders think that with their own explanations and tutelage, each person has a role to play; there is no disorder, everyone is doing well, they all have faith, and are all willing to perform their duty. They believe that no one fears either prison or danger, because all have the fortitude to suffer, and none are willing to be a Judas. These leaders think that everything is going wonderfully. No matter what grievous problems may arise or what evil people may appear, no matter how glaring the problem is, they do not see it. Even if they do, they don’t know it is a problem, and even if they do know it is a problem, they do not know how to solve it. Likewise, pseudo-spiritual leaders are even more blind to those myriad problems that crop up during work that are at odds with the principles. They say, “I have conveyed the work principles that I ought to, I have exhorted them over and over, and even made people write them down.” Yet whether they conveyed all this to the right person, whether the points they conveyed are correct, in line with the principles, in line with the words of God, and practical—this, they do not know. As for that morsel of doctrine they preached, what kind of people can be satisfied digesting it? Those who are foolish and ignorant, the uneducated, the dolts, the idiots, the fools. These people are left muddled, they believe that it’s all the words of God, and that none of it could be wrong. Only such people can be sated by this doctrine. Pseudo-spiritual leaders are incapable of identifying problems that arise during work; they are blind to them. And of course, they are even more blind to things involving technology or expertise—these things are even more beyond them.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is the chief characteristic of pseudo-spiritual false leaders? They excel at preaching. But what they preach is not the true way, and it is not the way preached by God. It is not the way of the truth, but instead it is just literal doctrine. They are good at preaching literal doctrine, good at applying themselves to mere words and texts of God’s words, whether it be reciting them or pondering them. In sum, they are particularly diligent and perseverant when it comes to preaching the doctrine. On the outside, whatever they do appears to be relevant to the truth; they don’t seem to disrupt or interfere, to behave inappropriately, or to say or do the wrong thing. And yet, they are incapable of undertaking any practical work or fulfilling the slightest responsibility, which ultimately leads to them being unable to identify any problems with work. They work like blind men; they are blind, they can’t see the problem, can’t identify it, and so are they able to promptly report the problem and engage in seeking? Absolutely not. Is the problem of pseudo-spiritual false leaders a serious one? Are such people abhorrent, are they disgusting? (They are disgusting.) They believe themselves to have some tricks of the trade, to be able to preach some doctrine and recite many of God’s words, that they are capable of summarizing all aspects of God’s requirements of people thoroughly and accurately—but they can’t do practical work. The words and doctrines that they equip themselves with, understand, and know cannot help them perform the duties of a leader or worker, much less help them discover and address the issues they encounter in work. Is this kind of leader or worker qualified for this position? Clearly not. Should you elect a pseudo-spiritual false leader who is not qualified? (No.) So have you ever elected such leaders? (Yes.) I expect you’ve elected quite a few. Whoever has believed in God for many years, has read a lot of God’s words, listened to plenty of sermons, has rich work and preaching experience, can preach for hours—you think that kind of person has to be capable in work. And the result? After electing them, you discover a serious problem: They can never be found, their door is always shut, they have retreated from the brothers and sisters. However, others think to themselves, “He’s been a believer all these years, he understands the truth and he has a foundation. He should have stature and be able to solve problems—so why is he always closed off? This shows that he has a great burden! Since being elected as a leader, he’s become taciturn, he speaks differently, and he’s not like the rest of us anymore. This is why he’s mostly out of sight.” Is that what you believe? Will you elect this kind of false leader again? (No.) Why not? What would you say are the consequences of choosing a blind man as your guide? Can a blind man lead you onto a good path? He is blind, so how could he guide you? Wherever he goes and whatever work he does, he needs someone else to guide him; he himself has no direction or goals, and the doctrine he understands he only preaches for others to hear—it has no real impact or value. If you revere him for being able to preach words and doctrine, what kind of person are you? You are blind, foolish, a dolt. You are delighted to encounter a blind man and you ask him to lead the way. Then are you not blind, too? What do you have eyes for? There is a saying among unbelievers: the blind leading the blind. Electing the pseudo-spiritual as leaders is the blind leading the blind.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (8)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

False leaders often say things that seem correct on the surface, in order to confuse and mislead people, which in turn has a negative impact on those people’s life entry. This also leads to some consequences that should never occur. False leaders’ so-called spiritual sayings and turns of phrase may be called heresies and fallacies. It does not superficially sound like there is anything wrong with them, but they actually serve as obstacles, disruptions, and confusion in people’s life entry and on the path they walk. They even cause some people to develop misunderstandings toward God and to form doubts and resistance toward God’s words. These are the effects that false leaders’ words have on people. False leaders use such heresies and fallacies to guide others, so that at the very time these people are following God, they are constantly giving rise to notions, defenses, and doubts about Him. So, under the false leaders’ confusion and influence, a new religion takes hold. This sort of new religion is just like the Christianity of 2,000 years ago, which only upholds human words and human teachings, such as the teachings of Paul or some other disciple, without adhering to God’s own way. What false leaders do is misleading, and they stand in the way of people taking the normal and proper path of pursuing the truth. They wrest people off the right track of pursuing the truth and onto a pseudo-spiritual path; they bring them into faith in the religious mode. When people are confused, led, and guided by false leaders, they constantly come up with theories, sayings, actions, or perspectives that have nothing to do with the truth, though they appear totally correct. These things are utterly at odds with and utterly unrelated to the truth. But under the guidance of false leaders, everyone takes these things as the truth and they all mistakenly believe that they really are the truth. They think that as long as someone speaks well and has belief in their heart and professes faith with their mouth, that person has gained the truth. Misled by these thoughts and views, people not only become unable to enter into the truth reality, or to enter into God’s words, or to put them into practice, or to live within His words, but instead end up growing ever further from God’s words. They seem to be doing everything in accordance with God’s words, but these so-called words of God bear no relation whatsoever to God’s requirements and His will. They have nothing to do with the truth principles. What, then, do they have to do with? The teachings of false leaders, the intentions of false leaders, and those false leaders’ own personal desires and understandings. Their way of leading brings more people into religious rituals and rigid rules, into the mere letter of doctrine, toward knowledge and philosophy. Although, in contrast with antichrists, false leaders do not bring others before themselves or before Satan, people’s hearts become taken over by these heresies and fallacies all the same. When people, consumed by these heresies and fallacies, mistakenly believe that they have already gained life, they become dyed-in-the-wool, unmitigated enemies to the truth, to God’s words, and to what God demands.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (2)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

118. The Principles of Identifying Antichrist Demons

(1) All antichrist demons are arrogant and conceited, submitting to no one. They never exalt God or bear witness to Him, but are most talented at preaching letters and doctrines that beguile others;

(2) All antichrist demons hate and resist the truth. They do not know themselves in the least, have no insight into themselves, and are especially arrogant and self-righteous;

(3) Antichrist demons act sneakily, behave individualistically and dictatorially, and never fellowship with people. They would have others obey only them, not the truth or God;

(4) Antichrist demons do not in any way accept being dealt with or pruned. They have no attitude of repentance about any wrongdoings at all. On the contrary, they disseminate notions and pass open judgment on God;

(5) None who is an antichrist demon believes in God’s existence. They despise Christ and the truth, and they flagrantly violate principles and disregard the arrangements of God’s house;

(6) Antichrist demons always want to control the church’s finances, usurp offerings to God, and proscribe the work of God’s house, all while engaging in religious rituals and activities;

(7) All who number among antichrist demons harbor a bone-deep hatred of the man used by the Holy Spirit, and they employ a hundred methods to discredit, defame, and attack him in the hope of taking his place;

(8) Antichrist demons are interested only in fighting for power and profit. They seek always to beguile, ensnare, and control others—to establish their own kingdoms and to make God’s house their own, personal household.

Relevant Words of God:

What is God’s definition of an antichrist? One who is hostile to God. This is an enemy of God! One who is hostile to God, hostile to the truth, who loathes the truth, loathes God, and who loathes absolutely anything that is positive—this is no common person who is momentarily weak, foolish, and slightly mistaken in their thoughts and views, nor one with a slightly absurd understanding that does not accord with the truth. This is not the kind of person they are. This is an antichrist, an enemy of God. His role is that of someone who hates absolutely anything that is positive, hates all truth, and hates all of God’s disposition and essence. How does God treat one in this role? God will not save them! Such people despise and detest the truth by nature. What is exposed here is evil, ferocity, and detestation of the truth—these are the most serious manifestations and dispositions among corrupt dispositions, and they are the things most typical of and essential to Satan. This is no minor revelation of the corrupt disposition that is in common, corrupted people, but is a force that is hostile to God. They can disrupt and control a church, and they can destroy and interrupt God’s management work. Is this something that common, corrupted people do? Absolutely not, and you should therefore not underestimate it. Common people can also have an evil disposition; some of them behave selfishly and despicably, and some fiendishly, not allowing others to push them around, and thinking to themselves, “If people don’t offend me, I won’t offend them.” But how are the antichrists different from this? Their main disposition is not arrogance, but full-blown evil. And how is this evil mainly manifested? It can be seen in their bizarre way of doing things, which common people with some intelligence, with some knowledge and some social experience, find difficult to detect; this has risen to evil, and it is not deceit. They can play shadow games and tricks, and play them “better” than most people; most ordinary people cannot compete with them and cannot deal with them. This is an antichrist. Why is it said that ordinary people cannot deal with them? It is because their evil is so extreme that they possess an enormous power to deceive people. Why are we fellowshiping about the manifestations of antichrists? Because antichrists are all too able to deceive people. They deceive swaths of people at once, like a lethal plague, which, through its contagion, can harm and kill many in a single outbreak; it is highly contagious and wide reaching, and its infectiousness and mortality rates are greater than those of common diseases. Are these not severe consequences?

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

In the time when God had not yet become flesh, the measure of whether man opposed God was based on whether man worshiped and looked up to the invisible God in heaven. The way in which opposition to God was defined at that time was not all that practical, for man could not see God, nor did he know what the image of God was like, or how He worked and spoke. Man had no notions about God whatsoever, and he believed in God vaguely, because God had not yet appeared to man. Therefore, no matter how man believed in God in his imagination, God did not condemn man or make too many demands of him, because man was completely unable to see God. When God becomes flesh and comes to work among men, all behold Him and hear His words, and all see the deeds that God works from within His body of flesh. At that moment, all man’s notions become foam. As for those who have seen God appearing in the flesh, they shall not be condemned if they willingly obey Him, whereas those who purposefully stand against Him shall be deemed an opponent of God. Such people are antichrists, enemies who willfully stand against God.

Excerpted from “All People Who Do Not Know God Are People Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Anyone who does not understand the purpose of God’s work is one who opposes Him, and one who has come to understand the purpose of God’s work but still does not seek to satisfy God is even more to be deemed an opponent of God. There are those who read the Bible in grand churches and recite it all day long, yet not one among them understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one among them is able to know God; still less can any one among them accord with God’s will. They are all worthless, vile people, each standing on high to lecture God. They willfully oppose God even as they carry His banner. Claiming faith in God, still they eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such people are devils that devour the soul of man, head demons that deliberately get in the way of those trying to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks impeding those who seek God. They may appear of “sound constitution,” but how are their followers to know that they are none other than antichrists who lead people to stand against God? How are their followers to know that they are living devils dedicated to the devouring of human souls?

Excerpted from “All People Who Do Not Know God Are People Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Look at the leaders of each denomination—they are all arrogant and self-righteous, and their interpretations of the Bible lack context and are guided by their own imaginings. They all rely on gifts and erudition to do their work. If they could not preach at all, would people follow them? They do, after all, possess some knowledge and can preach on some doctrine, or they know how to win others over and make use of some artifice. They use these to bring people before themselves and deceive them. Nominally, those people believe in God, but in reality, they follow their leaders. When they encounter someone preaching the true way, some of them say, “We have to consult our leader about our faith.” A human is the medium of their faith in God; is that not a problem? What have those leaders become, then? Have they not become Pharisees, false shepherds, antichrists, and stumbling blocks to people’s acceptance of the true way?

Excerpted from “Only to Pursue the Truth Is Truly to Believe in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are some who are entirely too cavalier in their attitude toward work arrangements from the Above. “The Above makes the work arrangements,” they think, “and we’re down here, doing the work. Some of what’s said and some of the tasks can be implemented flexibly—they can be altered when they come down to us. The Above just talks, after all, and we’re the ones doing practical work. We understand the situation in the church, but the Above doesn’t, so the people and work of the church that are given to us are ours to do with as we see fit. We can do as we like, and no one has the right to interfere.” To such people, the principle of serving God is this: “If I think something’s right, I’ll take note of it; if I think something isn’t workable, I’ll ignore it. I can resist you if I like, or go against you, and I don’t have to implement or carry out anything I don’t want to. If something you say strikes me as unsuitable, I’ll edit it for you, and, once I’ve filtered it, I’ll pass it on down. Nothing I haven’t approved may go to print.” Everywhere else, they disseminate the arrangements from the Above in their original form, but this person sends their edited version of the work arrangements to the people in the area they lead. Such a person wishes always to set God off to the side, and desperately wants everyone to follow and believe in them. The way they see it, God is not their equal in certain areas—they should be God, too, and everyone should believe in them. That is the nature of what they do. If you understood this, would you still cry when such a person is removed and replaced? Would you still feel sympathy for them? Would you still think, “What the Above does is uncalled for and unjust—how could the Above dismiss someone who’s suffered so much?” For whose sake have they suffered? They have suffered for the sake of their own status. Are they serving God? Are they performing their duty? Are they loyal and submissive to God? They are nothing but a lackey of Satan, and their work is the devil’s dominion; it destroys God’s management plan and disturbs His work. What sort of faith is that? They are nothing but a devil, an antichrist!

Excerpted from “What Is It to Offend God?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What kind of person sets up his own kingdom? (An antichrist.) And why is such a person called “an antichrist”? First of all, “anti” means being antagonistic and hostile, and it involves being antagonistic and hostile toward Christ, toward God, and toward the truth. What does it mean to be “antagonistic and hostile?” (To stand in direct opposition.) (To have hatred.) Can people who hate God and who are in direct opposition to Him accept the truth? Can they love the truth? They certainly cannot. The very first way in which they express themselves is to not love the truth. Whenever someone speaks the truth, they do not express anything to that person’s face, but in their hearts they do not accept the truth, and deep down they resist it. While resisting, with regard to all positive things—all these truths such as submitting to God, loyally performing their duties, being honest people, seeking the truth in all things, and so on—do they have a little bit of subjective yearning or love? No, not in the slightest. Therefore, given this sort of nature essence that they have, they are already standing in direct opposition to God and the truth. So, inevitably, such people do not, deep down, love the truth or any positive thing. For example, people in positions of leadership have to be able to accept the various opinions of their brothers and sisters, they must be able to open themselves up to the brothers and sisters and accept the reproach of the brothers and sisters, and they must not take up status. What would an antichrist think of all of these correct ways of practicing? Perhaps he would say, “If I heard the brothers’ and sisters’ opinions, then would I still be a leader? Would I then still have status and prestige? Would I still be able to make people fear me? If I cannot make people fear me, and if I have no prestige, then what work can I do?” This is precisely the kind of disposition possessed by an antichrist; he does not accept the truth in even the tiniest way, and the more proper a method of practice is, the more he resists it. He does not admit that these correct methods of practice are ways of practicing the truth. What is the truth, as he believes it to be? It is that one should always use an iron fist, evil deeds, cruel methods, and shadowy tricks when dealing with anyone; one should never use truth, love, and God’s words. His way is an evil way. This is the nature essence of those who are of an antichrist’s ilk, and it is also the way they do things and the impetus behind their actions, the source from which they spring. This is what their motivation and their intentions are like. The essence of their motivations and intentions, which they often reveal, is precisely the essence of an antichrist—an aversion and hatred toward the truth. This is their essence. What, then, does it mean to stand in opposition to the truth and to God? It means hating the truth and positive things. For example, as an object of creation, one should fulfill the duty of a created being; no matter what God might say, people should submit, for humans are objects of creation. But how does an antichrist think? “It’s not untrue that I am an object of creation, but when it comes to submitting, that depends on the situation. First and foremost, there has to be some benefit in it for me; I mustn’t be put at a disadvantage, and I must put my own interests first. If there are rewards and great blessings to be gained and You want me to submit, then that’s fine, but without rewards and without a destination, then I can’t submit.” That is how an antichrist sees it. As another example, God would have people be honest, but what does an antichrist think of this? “Only idiots are honest; clever people aren’t honest.” Do these opinions constitute the antichrists’ attitude of not accepting of the truth? What is the essence of this sort of attitude? Its essence is a hatred for the truth. This is precisely the essence of antichrists, and their essence determines what kind of path they walk and, in turn, the path they walk determines what things they will do while fulfilling this sort of duty.

Excerpted from “They Try to Win People Over” in Exposing Antichrists

Some people have certain manifestations of an antichrist and certain outpourings of the disposition of an antichrist, but also accept and acknowledge the truth, and love the truth. They are possible objects of salvation. There are some people who, regardless of their appearance, are hostile and loathsome toward the truth by their nature essence. As soon as you speak of the truth or preach to them, they grow annoyed and oppositional: They start to doze off, they fall asleep, they are bored, and are not interested even when they do understand; or they may seem diligent on the outside, but measure the truth with a different attitude, or with some body of knowledge and theory. If this is the case, then regardless of how many of God’s words they have read or how many sermons they have listened to, there will ultimately never be the least change in their attitude, which is the pursuit of status and worldly things, enmity to God, and hostility to the truth. This is typical of the antichrist. Therefore, when you say that their actions are meant to win people to their side, and that they exalt and testify about themselves to vie for God’s status, to deceive people, and that their actions are those of Satan and antichrists, do they accept such condemnation? They do not. They think: “It is right and proper for me to act in this way. This is how I do things. You can condemn and criticize me all you want—I will not give up on this pursuit, this desire, or this way of doing things.” It is settled: They are antichrists. Nothing you say can alter their perspective, nor can it alter their motivations and intentions, nor their ambitions and desires. Such is the nature essence of a typical antichrist. No matter how their circumstances change, or how the people, matters, and things around them change, or how the times change, and regardless of the signs and miracles performed by God, and how much grace God gives them—even if He punishes them—their intentions will never change. Their way of being a human and way of doing things will never change, nor will their attitude of hostility to the truth. When others point out that what they are doing is exalting and testifying about themselves and trying to deceive people, they change their manner of speaking to one with which others can find no fault and which no one can discern. They use even more crafty means to carry on their management and achieve their secret aims. This is what is manifested in an antichrist, and it is engendered by the essence of an antichrist. Even if God told them they would be punished, that their end had come, that they were cursed and damned, could this change their essence? Could it change their attitude toward the truth? Could it change their love of status, fortune, and prestige? It could not. Turning people who have been corrupted by Satan into people with normal humanity who worship God is the work of God; it can be achieved. But is it possible to turn demons, people who are dressed in human skin but whose essence is satanic, who worship Satan in Satan’s camp and are hostile to God, into normal people? That would be impossible. God does not do this kind of work; these people are not included among those God saves. How, then, does God define such people? They belong to Satan. They are not objects of God’s selection or salvation; God does not want such people. No matter how long they have been in the house of God, how much they have suffered or what they have accomplished, their intentions do not change. They will not put aside their ambitions or desires, much less will they relinquish their motivation and craving to vie for status and for people with God. Such people are living antichrists.

Excerpted from “They Exalt and Testify About Themselves” in Exposing Antichrists

All antichrists would rather die than repent. They vow to resist God to the death, and fight to the very end. Even though, deep down, they acknowledge that there is a God, that He created man, and that He can save mankind, their nature makes them incapable of changing the path they have chosen, and incapable of changing the fact of their hostility to God. Thus, the essence of the behavior of antichrists is to constantly use various means and methods to achieve their goal of having status, of winning people over and making them follow and venerate them. It is possible that in the depths of their hearts they are not deliberately vying over humanity with God, but one thing is certain: Even when they do not vie with God for humans, they still wish to have status and power among them. Even if the day comes when they realize that they are vying with God for status, and they rein themselves in, they still employ other methods to gain status among people and be validated. In short, though everything antichrists do appears to comprise a faithful performance of their duties, and they seem to be true followers of God, their ambition to control people—and to gain status and power among them—will never change. No matter what God says or does, and no matter what He asks of people, they do not do what they should do or fulfill their duties in a way that befits His words and requirements, nor do they give up their pursuit of power and status as a result of understanding His utterances and the truth; throughout, their ambition consumes them, controls and directs their behavior and thoughts, and determines the path they walk. This is the epitome of an antichrist. What is emphasized here? Some people ask, “Are antichrists not those who vie with God to gain people, and who do not recognize Him?” They may recognize God, they may genuinely recognize and believe in His existence, and they may be willing to follow Him and pursue the truth, but one thing will never change: They will never relinquish their ambition for power and status, nor will they give up their pursuit of those things due to their environments or God’s attitude toward them. These are the characteristics of antichrists. However much a person has suffered, however much of the truth they have understood, however many truth realities they have entered, and however much knowledge of God they possess, beyond these external phenomena and manifestations, they will never rein in or relinquish their ambition for, and pursuit of, status and power, and this determines precisely their nature essence. There is not the slightest inaccuracy in God’s defining such people as antichrists; it has been determined by their very nature essence. Some people, perhaps, used to believe that an antichrist was anyone who tried to vie over humanity with God. However, sometimes antichrists do not necessarily have to vie with Him; they simply have to be those whose knowledge, understanding, and need for status and power is unlike that of normal people. Normal people can be vainglorious; they can try to win credit with others and make a good impression on them, and they can try to vie for a good ranking. This is the ambition of normal people. When they are replaced as leaders, losing their positions, they get over it; with a change in their environment, some growth in their stature, some attainment of entry to the truth, or the gaining of a deeper understanding of the truth, their ambition gradually cools. A change occurs in the path they take and in the direction they travel, and their pursuit of status and power fades. Their desires, too, gradually lessen. Antichrists, however, are different: They could never give up their pursuit of status and power. At any given time, in any environment, and no matter what people they have around them and however old they might be, their ambition will never change. What indicates that their ambition will never change? Supposing they are church leaders: They would want to control everyone in the church. They might then go to another church, where they are not the leaders, yet, they still yearn for that status. Wherever such people go, they want to wield power. Are their hearts not swollen with ambition? What they manifest goes beyond the realm of normal humanity. Is there not something abnormal about this? What is abnormal about it? What they manifest is not what ought to be manifested by normal humanity. What do they manifest? What is it that causes this to manifest? It is caused by their nature. They are evil spirits. This is not the same as ordinary corruption; there is a difference. Antichrists will stop at nothing in their pursuit of status and power; they are utterly engrossed by it. This is their nature essence; it is their original form, and their true face. They do not merely compete with God for status, but they compete with people for status, too. Whether others are willing or in agreement or not, antichrists actively try to control them and be their leaders, without regard for their wishes. Wherever they go, antichrists want to be in charge and have the last word. Is this their nature? Do people want to listen to you? Did they choose you? Did they elect you? Do they agree with your having the last word? No one wants these people to have the last word, and no one listens to them, but they still try to have it. Is this a problem? They are utterly shameless and unapologetic. When such people are leaders, they are antichrists; when they are not leaders, they are also antichrists.

Excerpted from “They Confound, Draw In, Threaten, and Control People” in Exposing Antichrists

The antichrists’ cherishment of their status and prestige goes beyond that of normal people, and is something within their disposition and essence; it is not a temporary interest, or the transient effect of their surroundings—it is something within their life, their bones, and so it is their essence. This is to say that in everything an antichrist does, their first consideration is their own status and prestige, nothing else. For an antichrist, status and prestige are their life, and their lifelong goal. In all they do, their first consideration is: “What will happen to my status? And to my prestige? Will doing this give me prestige? Will it elevate my status in people’s minds?” That is the first thing they think about, which is ample proof that they have the disposition and essence of antichrists; they would not strive thus otherwise. It can be said that for an antichrist, status and prestige are not some additional requirement, much less something extraneous that they could do without. They are part of the nature of antichrists, they are in their bones, in their blood, they are innate to them. Antichrists are not indifferent toward whether they possess status and prestige; this is not their attitude. Then, what is their attitude? Status and prestige are intimately connected to their daily lives, to their daily state, to what they strive for on a daily basis. And so for antichrists, status and prestige are their life. No matter how they live, no matter what environment they live in, no matter what work they do, no matter what they strive for, what their goals are, what their life’s direction is, status and prestige are the purpose they pursue, the goal they pursue that they cannot let go of in their hearts. This is the true face of the antichrists, and their essence. You could put them in a primeval forest deep in the mountains, and still they would not forsake status and prestige; you can put them among a group of ordinary people, and all they think about is still status and prestige. And so, once they acquire faith, they see their own status and prestige as tantamount to the pursuit of faith in God; which is to say, as they walk the path of faith in God, they also pursue their own status and prestige. It can be said that in their hearts, they believe that faith in God and the pursuit of the truth is the pursuit of status and prestige; pursuit of status and prestige is also the pursuit of the truth, and to gain status and prestige is to gain the truth and life. On the path of faith in God, if they feel that they have not gained substantial status—if no one reveres or looks up to them, if they are not exalted among others, and have no real power—then they are much discouraged, and believe that there is no significance or worth to faith in God. “Is the way I believe disapproved of by God? Have I not gained life?” In their minds, they often calculate about these things; they plan how they can gain a position in the house of God or environment they are in, how they can gain an elevated reputation and a certain level of authority, how they can make people listen to them and flatter them when they speak, how they can have them do as they say, how, in a group, they can have unilateral say over things and assert their presence. This is what they often think about in their minds. This is what such people strive for. Why are they always thinking about such things? After hearing the truth, after listening to the sermons, after reading the words of God, do they really not understand all this? Are the words of God and the truth really not able to change their notions, ideas, and opinions? This is a problem of people’s nature and essence.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

One of the most obvious characteristics of the essence of an antichrist is that they are like despots running their own dictatorship: They do not listen to anyone, they look down on everyone, and what anyone else says, does, the insights they have, their viewpoint, their strengths—in their eyes, they are all inferior to them. It seems to them that no one is fit to participate in what they want to do, nor are they qualified to be consulted, or to give suggestions—that is the kind of disposition of an antichrist. Some people say this is being of poor humanity—how could it just be commonplace poor humanity? This is entirely a satanic disposition; this kind of disposition is supremely fierce. Why do I say that their disposition is supremely fierce? Antichrists think of the work of the house of God, including the interests of the church, as entirely their own, as their personal property that should be entirely managed by them, without anyone else interfering. And so the only things they think about when doing the work of the house of God are their own interests, their own status and prestige. They reject anyone who, in their eyes, is a threat to their status and reputation; they suppress and ostracize them. They even exclude and suppress people who are useful and suitable for performing certain special duties. They do not give the slightest consideration to the work of the house of God, nor to the interests of the house of God. If anyone may be a threat to their status, does not submit to them, does not pay them any mind, then they exclude them and keep them at a distance. They do not allow them to cooperate with them, and they particularly do not let them play any important role or be of any important use within their scope of power. No matter how deserving of merit these people’s deeds or how great the thing they have done for God’s house, antichrists cover it up, play it down, don’t let it show in front of the brothers and sisters, and keep them in the dark. Furthermore, the antichrists often bring up these people’s failings and corruptions among the brothers and sisters, they say these people are arrogant, that they make a fuss over people and issues, that they are liable to sell out the interests of the house of God, that they help outsiders instead of God’s house, that they are ignorant, and so on. They find every kind of excuse they can to exclude and suppress these people. In fact, some of these people have a special skill, and some just have a slight fault. Overall, they are suitable for performing a duty, they accord with the principles for those who perform a duty. But in the eyes of the antichrists, they think, “There’s no way I’m going to put up with this. You want to have a role within my domain, to compete with me. That’s impossible, don’t even think about it. You’re more capable than me, more articulate than me, more educated than me, and more popular than me. What would I do if you stole my thunder? You want me to work alongside you? Don’t even think about it!” Are they considering the interests of the house of God? No. All they are thinking about is how to preserve their own status, so they would rather harm the interests of the house of God than use these people. This is exclusion.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)” in Exposing Antichrists

The evil of antichrists has one major characteristic—I will share with you the secret of how to discern it. The secret is this—firstly, whether in their speech or their actions, they are unfathomable to you; you cannot read them. When they are speaking to you, their eyes are always swiveling to and fro, and you cannot tell what sort of scheme they are hatching. Even when they do appear very “sincere” and “honest,” you still cannot figure them out. You have a particular feeling in your heart, a sense that there is a deep subtlety within their thoughts, an unfathomable depth. They seem secretive and strange. This is the first characteristic, and this alone is a characteristic of evil. The second characteristic of the evil of antichrists is that they speak and behave in very delusive ways. Where can this delusiveness be seen? It can be seen in the fact that they are particularly skilled in grasping the psychology of others, their words sound pleasant and correct; they expound upon profound theories and say the right things, things that others find acceptable from the standpoints of emotions, conscience and reason, and ideology. But there is one thing that you should discern: All those pleasant-sounding things that they say, they never personally honor. Suppose, for example, they tell you how to be an honest person, how to pray when you are confronted with a problem, or how to let God take charge in your life—just look at what they do when they are the one confronted with problems. They rely on their own ideas, their own thinking, and they rely on their own abilities, racking their brains, doing this and that. They try everything possible to make other people do service for them, to take care of their own affairs. What they do not do is pray to God. Also, they pay lip service to how people should accept and submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, but when faced with their own problems, the very first thing they do is look for a way out. They do not accept God’s orchestrations and arrangements—what people see is that they do not submit in their actions but just try to find a way out for themselves. This is the evil side of antichrists, which lies behind their delusive aspect. In their work, sometimes they labor late into the night or even eschew food and sleep, yet when they are faced with an arrangement made by the house of God, they do not implement it or put it into practice, and they do not accept the truth. Another behavior they reveal is that when brothers and sisters express an opinion they don’t agree with, they reject it in a very roundabout way, talking in circles. It makes you feel like they are taking your idea very seriously; they share fellowship and discuss it with everyone, but when all is said and done, you still have to do as they say. They will do whatever it takes to negate other people’s ideas, to make others go along with them and do as they say. Is this seeking the truth principles? What is the principle that they are putting into practice? It is to make everyone listen and submit to them, and that listening to other people can never be as good as listening to them, that their ideas are the best, the most elevated, and they themselves are the truth and what they say is absolutely correct. Is this not evil? The third characteristic of the evil of an antichrist is that whenever they bear witness to themselves—bearing witness to their own merit, the price they paid, and some things that they did well on the surface that everyone can see, or some things that can bring others some benefits along with them—every time they finish saying all these things, they end by saying something particularly spiritual, like “Thanks be to God; this was all done by Him,” making you see that they are so capable, yet still is able to bear witness to God, when in fact, they are just bearing witness to themselves and making God a footnote. They have not borne witness to God in the least, but are using this as an opportunity to bear witness to themselves alone. Is this not a cunning trick on the part of an antichrist? Is this not evil? With these three things as a basis, antichrists can easily be discerned.

There is another major characteristic of antichrists, which is also one of the primary expressions of their evil disposition and essence. Whether they are hearing sermons and fellowship, or taking part in a gathering—regardless of how other brothers and sisters fellowship on their knowledge of themselves, on acceptance of being judged, chastised, dealt with, and pruned, on properly performing duties, on standing in a position befitting a created being, and on letting go of their longing for blessings, what is antichrists’ attitude to this? No matter how others fellowship or how many people share their fellowship, the antichrists never change their motive to pursue status and blessings. This is why, each time they have worked for a certain period, they tally the things they did, what contribution they made to God’s house, and what matters they handled for the brothers and sisters. They are always surreptitiously making calculations, tallying things within their heart, and haggling with God. Why would they haggle over these things? It is because, deep within their heart, their aim in their pursuit and in their faith from the beginning has always been to chase after blessings. No matter how many years they listen to sermons or how much of God’s words they eat and drink, they will never let go of their desire and motive to receive blessings. If you ask them to be a dutiful created being and accept God’s rule and arrangements, they say, “That is not the right path, it is not what I should be pursuing. What I’m after is, when I have fought the fight, when I have made the requisite effort and suffered the requisite hardship, once I have done everything according to God’s standards, what sort of reward God will give me, whether I will be one of the ones kept, what kind of position I will have in God’s kingdom, and what my final destination will be.” No matter how you fellowship, you can never dispel this motive and longing that they harbor. They are of the same ilk as Paul. Is there not a certain kind of ferocious disposition harbored within this kind of evil?

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

No matter what their circumstances, antichrists always feel that this ordinary person who is the incarnate flesh of God is superfluous to them, an obstacle to their getting to know God. They think to themselves, “As soon as human beings come into contact with Christ, He shows us up to be so insignificant and so corrupt in comparison. As long as we do not come into contact with Christ, we are so holy, but as soon as we come into contact with Christ, we feel ourselves to be so lacking. Before meeting Christ, we understand a good many things, and our stature is great. This Christ is just too much trouble.” Thus do they believe that it would be best to only read The Word Appears in the Flesh as much as possible when they have time on their hands. Regardless of what means they employ, or what their situation, the chief manifestation of antichrists is that they try to deny the fact of God’s incarnation and the fact that the words from Christ’s mouth are the truth. It’s as if denying the essence of the incarnate God and the fact that the words from Christ’s mouth are the truth gives them hope of salvation. In their inborn nature, the antichrists and the incarnate flesh of God are as fundamentally incompatible as fire and water and can never be reconciled. What these antichrists believe is, “As long as Christ continues to exist, there will be no hope that my day will come, and I will be in danger of being condemned and eliminated, of being destroyed and punished. But so long as this Christ does not make utterances or do His work and people do not look up to Him, even to the point of forgetting Him and consigning Him to the back of their minds, then there will be a chance for me.” The nature and essence of antichrists is that they can’t help but loathe and abhor Christ; they compare themselves with Christ in the size of their talent and the level of their skill, and vie with Him to see whose words are more powerful and who is more capable. In doing the same thing as Christ, they try to show people that Christ, though likewise a human being, has not even the talent or learning of an ordinary human being. In every respect, the antichrists pit themselves against Christ and compete with Him. In every respect, they try to deny the fact that Christ is God, the embodiment of God’s Spirit, and the incarnation of the truth. In every respect, they rack their brains to find ways to stop Christ from holding sway among the brothers and sisters, to prevent His words from finding fruition among them, and, furthermore, to prevent the things Christ does, the words He speaks, and the demands He makes of people and the expectations He has of them from being realized among them. It’s as if, with Christ present, these antichrists are going to be cast aside and will become that contingent of people within the church who are condemned, forsaken, and placed in a dark corner. From all kinds of manifestations, it can be seen that antichrists are in essence so utterly inimical to Christ that they are irreconcilable. Antichrists are born with the desire to separate themselves from Christ and stand against Him, to defeat Christ and strike Him down, to make the work done by Christ cease to exist, become untenable, and be unable to come to fruition among God’s chosen ones; no matter what work Christ is doing, and where He is working, they wish to see it utterly in ruins and without fruit. But when none of this goes as they would wish, there is darkness and depression in their hearts; they feel that these are dark times and their day will never come. They feel that they have been cast aside. Do these manifestations of the antichrists show that their essence of opposition and enmity to God is something acquired? (No.) In that case, it is innate. Therefore, it is impossible for people who are antichrists to accept the truth, to tolerate Christ. Seen from the outside, they don’t seem to have said or done anything, and they, too, are capable of doing their bit and paying a price in a down-to-earth manner. But as soon as they get the chance, as soon as the time is ripe, scenarios of the antichrists’ fundamental incompatibility with Christ will begin to appear, and the fact of the antichrists’ war against God and their rupture with God will become plainly visible. All these things have happened before in places where there are antichrists, and have become especially numerous during these years of God’s work of the last days. Many people have experienced them at first hand.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Flagrantly Violate the Principles, and Disregard the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Four)” in Exposing Antichrists

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man? Most rebellious of all are those who intentionally defy and resist God. They are the enemies of God, the antichrists. Theirs is always an attitude of hostility toward the new work of God; they never have the slightest inclination to submit, nor have they ever gladly submitted or humbled themselves. They exalt themselves before others and never submit to anyone. Before God, they consider themselves the best at preaching the word, and the most skillful in working on others. Never do they discard the “treasures” in their possession, but treat them as family heirlooms for worship, for preaching about to others, and they use them to lecture those fools who idolize them. There are indeed a certain number of people like this in the church. It can be said that they are “indomitable heroes,” generation after generation sojourning in the house of God. They take preaching the word (doctrine) to be their highest duty. Year after year, generation after generation, they go about vigorously enforcing their “sacred and inviolable” duty. None dare touch them; not a single person dares openly reproach them. They become “kings” in the house of God, running rampant as they tyrannize others from age to age. This pack of demons seeks to join hands and demolish My work; how can I allow these living devils to exist before My eyes? Even those who are only half obedient cannot carry on until the end, much less these tyrants without the slightest obedience in their hearts! The work of God is not easily gained by man. Even using all the strength they have, people can only gain a mere portion of it, ultimately allowing them to be made perfect. What, then, of the children of the archangel, who seek to destroy the work of God? Do they not have even less hope of being gained by God?

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How should God’s chosen ones treat antichrists? They must identify them, expose them, report them, and cast them out. No matter how an antichrist comes into a position of leadership, he invariably is one who resists God. You must not accept the leadership of an antichrist, and you also must not recognize him as your leader, for what he does is not to lead you into the words of God; he wants to drag you down to hell and haul you along the same path of the antichrists that he is walking. He causes you to join with him in resistance against God and in disrupting and destroying God’s work. He tugs and pulls at you so that you come to wallow with him in the mire. Will you consent to this? If you do, and if you compromise with him, beg him for mercy, or are conquered by him, then you have not borne witness, and you are a person who betrays both the truth and God—and such people cannot be saved. What are the conditions a person must meet in order to receive salvation? First of all, they must possess the ability to identify satanic antichrists; they must have this aspect of the truth. It is only by possessing this aspect of the truth that they can genuinely believe in God and refrain from worshiping or following man; only people who can identify antichrists have the ability to truly believe in God and follow and bear witness to Him. In order to identify antichrists, people must first learn to see people and things with complete clarity and understanding; they must be able to perceive the essence of antichrists, and they must see through all of their conspiracies, tricks, inner motivations, and objectives. If you can do this, then you can stand firm. If you want to obtain salvation, then the first test you must pass is to learn how to defeat Satan and how to overcome and triumph over hostile forces and interference from the outside world. Once you possess stature and sufficient truth to persevere to the end in a battle against Satan’s forces, and have defeated them, then—and only then—can you pursue the truth steadily, and only then can you step steadfastly and without mishap upon the path of pursuing the truth and being granted salvation. If you cannot pass this test, then it can be said that you are in great danger, and you are liable to be captured by an antichrist and come to live under Satan’s influence. It is possible that there are currently some among you who hinder and trip people who are pursuing the truth, and they are those people’s enemies. Do you accept this? There are those who do not dare to face this fact, nor do they dare to accept it as fact. In reality, these things do indeed exist in the church; it is just that people cannot discern them. If you cannot pass this test—the test of antichrists, then you are either deceived and controlled by antichrists or made to suffer, tortured, pushed out, suppressed, and abused by them. Ultimately, your measly little life will not withstand for long, and will wither; you will no longer have faith in God, and you will leave Him, saying, “God isn’t even righteous; where is God? There is no righteousness or light in this world, and there’s no such thing as God’s salvation of humanity. We might as well pass our days going to work and making money!” You deny God and no longer believe that He exists; any hope that you will obtain salvation is entirely gone. So, if you want to get to where you can be granted salvation, the first test you must pass is one of being able to see through Satan, and you must also have the courage to stand up and expose and forsake Satan. Where, then, is Satan? Satan is at your side and all around you; it might even be living inside your heart. If you are living within Satan’s disposition, it can be said that you belong to Satan. You cannot see or touch the Satan of the spiritual realm, but the Satan that exists in practical life is everywhere. Any person who detests the truth is evil, and any leader or worker who does not accept the truth is an antichrist and an evil person. Are such people not living Satans? These people might be the very ones you worship and look up to; they could be the people who lead you or the people you have long hoped for, admired, trusted and relied upon in your hearts. In fact, however, they are roadblocks standing in your way and hindering you from obtaining salvation; they are antichrists. They can take control of your life and the path you walk, and they can ruin your chance to be granted salvation. If you fail to identify them and see through them, then at any moment, you could plummet into their traps or be captured and taken away by them. Thus, you are in great danger.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

119. The Principles of Identifying Pharisees

(1) Pharisees are essentially hypocrites, outwardly humble and patient, but by nature insidious and malicious. They hate the truth and oppose God;

(2) Pharisees are especially arrogant and self-righteous. They often preach letters and doctrines to beguile others and make others worship and obey them, yet they do not accept the truth in the least;

(3) Pharisees suffer and pay a price only so that they may gain blessings and be crowned. They focus on adherence to rules and religious ritual, without ever practicing the truth;

(4) Pharisees only pursue false spirituality. They speak empty words of self-knowledge, deceiving and ensnaring others, and never truly repent or change.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men” (Mat 6:5).

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi” (Mat 23:2–7).

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

“Woe to you, you blind guides, which say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, Whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is guilty. You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and by all things thereon. And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it, and by Him that dwells therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him that sits thereon.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. You blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like to white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Why you be witnesses to yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill you up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? Why, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you whip in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, All these things shall come on this generation” (Mat 23:13–36).

Relevant Words of God:

What is the definition of the appellation, “Pharisees”? They are people who are hypocritical, completely fake, and put on an act in everything they do, while pretending to be good, kind, and positive. Is this what they are actually like? Given that they are hypocrites, everything that is manifested and revealed in them is false; it is all pretense—it is not their true face. Their true face is hidden within their hearts; it is out of sight. If people do not pursue the truth, and if they do not understand the truth, then what do those theories they have gained become? Do they not become the letters and doctrines to which people often refer? People use these so-called correct doctrines to camouflage and package themselves so nicely. Wherever they go, the things they talk about, the things they say, and their external behavior all appear right and good to others; they are all in line with human notions and tastes. In others’ eyes, they are both devout and humble, capable of forbearance and tolerance, and can love others and love God. Actually, though, all of this is fake; it is all just pretense and a way in which they package themselves. On the outside, they appear loyal to God, but they are actually just performing for others to see. When no one is looking, they are not the slightest bit loyal, and everything they do is perfunctory. Superficially, they have given up their families and careers, appearing to work hard and expend themselves; in actual fact, however, they are secretly profiting from the church and stealing offerings. Everything they outwardly reveal—all their behavior—is fake. This is what is meant by a hypocritical Pharisee. Where do “Pharisees”—these people come from? Do they emerge among the unbelievers? All of them emerge among believers. Why do these believers transform thusly? Could God’s words have made them that way? (No.) What is the reason? It is because of the path they have taken. They have taken God’s words as a tool with which to arm themselves; they arm themselves with these words, treating them as capital with which to secure a living and get something for nothing. They merely preach doctrines, yet have never put those words into practice. What sort of people are those who continue to preach words and doctrines despite never having followed God’s way? These are hypocritical Pharisees. That little bit of supposedly good behavior and good ways of expressing themselves, and what little they have given up and expended, are entirely forced; they are all just acts that they put on. They are entirely fake; all those actions are pretense. In these people’s hearts, there is not the slightest reverence for God, nor do they even have any genuine faith in God. More than that, they are of the nonbelievers. If people do not pursue the truth, then they will walk this sort of path, and they will become Pharisees. Is that not frightful? In what place do the Pharisees gather? It is a marketplace. In God’s eyes, that is religion; it is not the church of God, nor is it a place in which He is worshiped. Thus, if people do not pursue the truth, then no matter how many literal words and superficial doctrines about God’s utterances they absorb, it will be of no use.

Excerpted from “Six Indicators of Life Growth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In Israel, “Pharisee” used to be a sort of title. Why is it now a label instead? This is because the Pharisees have become representatives of a type of person. What are the characteristics of this type of person? They chant slogans, they are skilled at pretending, at ornament, at hiding their true selves, and they affect great nobility, great holiness and uprightness, great fair-handedness and honor. As a result, they do not practice the truth in the least. How do they act? They read scripture, they preach, they teach others to do good, not to do evil, not to resist God, and they behave well in front of others, yet, when others’ backs are turned, they steal offerings. The Lord Jesus said they “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” This means that all their behavior seems good on its surface—they chant slogans ostentatiously, they speak lofty theories, and their words sound pleasant, yet their deeds are a disordered mess, entirely resistant of God. Their behaviors and outward appearances are all pretense, all fraud; in their hearts, they have not the slightest love for the truth, nor for positive things. They detest truth, detest all that comes from God, and detest positive things. What do they love? Do they love fairness and righteousness? (No.) How can you tell they do not love these things? (The Lord Jesus spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, which they not only refused to accept, but also condemned.) If their condemnation were absent, would you be able to tell? Before the Lord Jesus came to do work, what might have told you that they did not love fairness and righteousness? You would not have been able to tell, would you? All their behavior is pretense, and they use this pretense of good behavior to defraud others of their trust. Is this not hypocrisy and deceit? Can such deceivers love the truth? What is the hidden purpose of this good behavior of theirs? One part of their purpose is to cheat others; the other part is to deceive others, to win them over and be worshiped by them, and, in the end, to receive rewards. How clever must their techniques be, to pull off such a large swindle? Do such people love fairness and righteousness, then? Of course not. They love status, they love fame and fortune, and they wish to receive rewards. They do not put God’s words of teachings for people into practice at all. They do not live out a bit of them; they just use ornament and disguise to trick people and win them over, to shore up their own status and reputation. Once these things are secure, they use them to procure capital and a source of income. Is this not contemptible? It can be seen in all these behaviors of theirs that it is their essence not to love the truth, for they never put the truth into practice. What is the sign that they do not put the truth into practice? This was the biggest sign: The Lord Jesus came to do work and everything He said was right, everything He said was the truth. How did they treat that? (They did not accept it.) Did they not accept the Lord Jesus’ words because they believed them to be wrong, or did they not accept them despite knowing they were right? (They did not accept them despite knowing they were right.) And what could cause this? They do not love the truth, and they abhor positive things. All the Lord Jesus said was correct, without any error, and though they could not find any fault in the Lord Jesus’ words to use against Him, they condemned Him, and then they conspired: “Have Him crucified. It’s either Him or us.” In this way, they pit themselves against the Lord Jesus. Though they did not believe that Lord Jesus was the Lord, He was a good person who broke neither legal laws nor Jehovah’s[a] laws; why would they condemn the Lord Jesus? Why did they treat the Lord Jesus so? It can be seen in how wicked and malicious these people are—they are evil in the extreme! The evil countenance the Pharisees expose could not be more different from their camouflage of kindness. There are many who cannot discern which is their true countenance and which is the falsehood, yet the Lord Jesus’ appearance and work revealed them all. How well Pharisees disguise themselves, how kind they seem on the outside—had the facts not been revealed, no one would be able to see them for what they are.

Excerpted from “The Most Important Part of Believing in God Is Putting the Truth Into Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What was the chief manifestation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees? They only pored over Scripture and did not seek the truth. When they read God’s words, they did not pray or seek; instead, they studied the words of God, they studied what God said and did, and so turned His words into a kind of theory, into a doctrine that they taught to others. This is what poring over God’s words is. So why did they do that? What was it they pored over? In their eyes, these were not the words of God, they were not the expressions of God, much less were they the truth, but rather a form of scholarship. Such scholarship, in their eyes, should be passed on, it should be spread, and only this would have been spreading the way of God and the gospel. This is what they called “preaching,” and the sermon they preached was theology.

… The Pharisees treated the theology and theory they had mastered as a kind of knowledge, as a tool for condemning people and measuring whether they were right or wrong. They even used it on the Lord Jesus—that was how the Lord Jesus was condemned. Their appraisal of people, and the way they treated them, was never based on their essence, or on whether what they said was right or wrong, much less on the source or provenance of their words. They just condemned and measured people based on unyielding words and doctrines that they had mastered. And so, even though these Pharisees knew that what the Lord Jesus did was not a sin, and did not contravene the law, they still condemned Him, because what the Lord Jesus said appeared to be at odds with the knowledge and scholarship they had mastered and the theological theory they expounded. And the Pharisees just would not loosen their grip on these words and phrases, they clung onto this knowledge and would not let it go. What was the only possible outcome in the end? They would not acknowledge that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah who would come, or that there was truth in what the Lord Jesus said, much less that what the Lord Jesus did was in keeping with the truth. They found some unsubstantiated charges to condemn the Lord Jesus with—but in fact, in their hearts, did they know whether these sins they condemned Him with were valid? They did. So why did they still condemn Him thus? (They did not want to believe that the high and mighty God in their minds could have been the Lord Jesus, this image of an ordinary Son of man.) They did not want to accept this fact. And what was the nature of their refusal to accept this? Was there not something of trying to reason with God in this? What they meant was, “Could God do that? If God were incarnated, He must surely be born of distinguished lineage. What’s more, He must accept the tutelage of scribes and Pharisees, learn this knowledge, and read much Scripture. Only after He possesses this knowledge can He take on the title of ‘incarnation’.” They believed that, firstly, You are not thus qualified, so You are not God; secondly, without this knowledge You cannot do the work of God, much less can You be God; thirdly, You cannot work outside the temple—You are not in the temple now, You are always among the sinners, so the work You do is beyond the scope of God’s work. Where did the basis of their condemnation come from? From Scripture, from the mind of man, and from the theological education they had received. Because they were swollen with notions, imaginings, and knowledge, they believed this knowledge to be right, to be the truth, to be the basis, and at no time could God contravene these things. Did they seek the truth? They did not. What they sought were their own notions and imaginings, and their own experiences, and they tried to use these to define God and determine whether He was right or wrong. What was the ultimate outcome of this? They condemned the work of God and nailed Him to the cross.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

Do you wish to know the root of why the Pharisees opposed Jesus? Do you wish to know the essence of the Pharisees? They were full of fantasies about the Messiah. What is more, they believed only that the Messiah would come, yet did not pursue the life truth. And so, even today they still await the Messiah, for they have no knowledge of the way of life, and do not know what the way of truth is. How, say you, could such foolish, stubborn and ignorant people gain God’s blessing? How could they behold the Messiah? They opposed Jesus because they did not know the direction of the Holy Spirit’s work, because they did not know the way of truth spoken by Jesus, and, furthermore, because they did not understand the Messiah. And since they had never seen the Messiah and had never been in the company of the Messiah, they made the mistake of clinging to the mere name of the Messiah while opposing the essence of the Messiah by any means possible. These Pharisees in essence were stubborn, arrogant, and did not obey the truth. The principle of their belief in God was: No matter how profound Your preaching, no matter how high Your authority, You are not Christ unless You are called the Messiah. Is this belief not preposterous and ridiculous?

Excerpted from “By the Time You Behold the Spiritual Body of Jesus, God Will Have Made Heaven and Earth Anew” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Most people nowadays focus on methods of practice, yet they do not do so in order to pursue the truth and achieve life growth. This is where they have gone astray. There are also some who are capable of receiving new light, but their methods of practice do not change. They bring their old religious notions with them as they look to receive God’s words of today, so what they receive is still doctrine colored by religious notions; they are not receiving today’s light simply. As a result, their practices are tainted; they are the same old practices in new packaging. However well they might practice, they are hypocrites. God leads people in doing new things every day, demanding that each day they gain new insight and understanding, and requiring that they not be old-fashioned and repetitive. If you have believed in God for many years, yet your methods of practice have not changed at all, and if you are still zealous and busy about external matters, yet do not have a quiet heart to bring before God to enjoy His words, then you will obtain nothing. When it comes to accepting God’s new work, if you do not plan differently, do not go about your practice in a new way, and do not pursue any new understanding, but instead cling to the old and receive only some limited new light, without changing the way you practice, then such people as you are in this stream in name only; in actuality, they are religious Pharisees outside the stream of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Regarding a Normal Spiritual Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people only arm themselves with certain truths for emergencies or to forsake themselves and help others, and not to solve their own troubles; we call them “selfless people.” They regard others as puppets of the truth and themselves as its masters, teaching others to hold fast to the truth and not to be passive, while they themselves remain as spectators on the sidelines. What kind of people are these? They arm themselves with some words of truth but merely use them to lecture others, while doing nothing at all to keep from meeting their own destruction. How pathetic! If their words can help others, then why can they not help themselves? We should label them as hypocrites who have no reality. They supply words of truth to others and ask others to put them into practice, while making no effort to practice them themselves. Are they not despicable? They themselves clearly cannot do it, yet they force others to put the words of truth into practice—what a cruel method this is! They are not using reality to help others; they are not using love to provide for others. They are simply deceiving and harming people. If this continues, with each person passing the words of truth onto the next, then will this not end up with everyone merely speaking the words of truth while being incapable themselves of putting it into practice? How can such people change? They do not recognize their own problems at all; how can there be a path forward for them?

Excerpted from “Those Who Love the Truth Have a Path Forward” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people have a penchant for drawing attention to themselves. In the presence of their brothers and sisters, they might say they are indebted to God, but behind their backs, they do not practice the truth and act entirely differently. Are these not religious Pharisees? A person who truly loves God and possesses the truth is one who is loyal to God but does not outwardly show off as such. Such a person is willing to practice the truth when situations arise, and does not speak or act in a way that goes against their conscience. This sort of person demonstrates wisdom when matters arise, and is principled in his or her deeds regardless of the circumstances. This kind of person can provide true service. There are some who often pay lip service to their indebtedness to God; they spend their days with brows locked in worry, putting on an affected air and pretending to be pitiable. How despicable! If you were to ask them, “Can you tell me about how you are indebted to God?” then they would be rendered speechless. If you are loyal to God, then do not talk outwardly about it; instead, demonstrate your love for God by way of actual practice, and pray to Him with a true heart. Those who just deal with God verbally and perfunctorily are all hypocrites! Some speak of indebtedness to God each time they pray, and begin to weep each time they pray, even without being moved by the Holy Spirit. People such as this are possessed by religious rituals and notions; they live by such rituals and notions, always believing that those actions please God and that He favors superficial godliness or sorrowful tears. What good can come of such absurd people? In order to demonstrate humility, some feign graciousness when speaking in the presence of others. Some are deliberately servile when in the presence of other people, acting like lambs without an ounce of strength. Is this a manner befitting people of the kingdom? People of the kingdom should be lively and free, innocent and open, honest and lovable, and be living in a state of freedom. They should have integrity and dignity and be able to stand witness wherever they go; such people are beloved by both God and man. Those who are novices in the faith have too many outward practices; they must first undergo a period of being dealt with and broken. People who have faith in God deep down are not outwardly distinguishable from others, but their actions and deeds are commendable. Only such people can be deemed to be living out the word of God. If you preach the gospel every day to various people in an effort to bring them to salvation, yet in the end are still living by rules and doctrines, then you cannot bring glory to God. Such people are religious figures, as well as hypocrites.

…………

What do the superficial good deeds of humans represent? They represent the flesh, and even the best of outward practices do not represent life; they can only show your own individual temperament. The outward practices of humanity cannot fulfill the desire of God. You constantly speak of your indebtedness to God, yet you cannot supply the life of others or inspire them to love God. Do you believe that those actions of yours will satisfy God? You feel that your actions are in line with God’s will, and that they are of the spirit, but in truth, they are all absurd! You believe that what pleases you and what you are willing to do are precisely those things in which God delights. Can your likes represent God? Can a person’s character represent God? What pleases you is precisely that which God abhors, and your habits are those which God loathes and rejects. If you feel indebted, then go and pray before God; there is no need to speak of it to others. If you do not pray before God, and instead constantly draw attention to yourself in the presence of others, can this satisfy God’s will? If your actions always exist in appearance alone, then this means that you are vain in the extreme. What manner of humans are those who only carry out superficial good deeds and are devoid of reality? Such people are just hypocritical Pharisees and religious figures! If you do not shed your outward practices and are unable to make changes, then the elements of hypocrisy in you will grow even more. The greater your elements of hypocrisy, the more resistance there is toward God. In the end, such people will surely be eliminated!

Excerpted from “In Faith, One Must Focus on Reality—Engaging in Religious Ritual Is Not Faith” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the word “Jehovah’s.”

120. The Principles of Identifying One’s Nature Essence

(1) To identify someone’s nature essence, look to what they seek to gain in their pursuit, whom they worship, and the path they walk, according to their preferences;

(2) To identify a person’s nature essence, look to their consistent behavior and the aspects of disposition they often reveal, as well as whose company they keep;

(3) To identify a person’s nature essence, look to their weaknesses, their Achilles’ heel, and to what exercises the greatest control over them;

(4) To establish a person’s nature essence, look to their views on things, and to the worldviews, outlooks on life, and values they uphold.

Relevant Words of God:

Man’s nature is his life; it is a principle on which he relies to survive, and he cannot change it. Take the nature of betrayal as an example. If you can do something to betray a relative or friend, it proves that it is part of your life and a nature with which you were born. This is something nobody can deny. For example, if a person enjoys stealing from others, then this enjoyment of stealing is a part of their life, though they may steal sometimes and not steal sometimes. Whether they steal or not, it cannot prove that their stealing is just a type of behavior. Rather, it proves that their stealing is a part of their life—that is, their nature. Some will ask: Since it is their nature, then why, when they see nice things, do they sometimes not steal them? The answer is very simple. There are many reasons they do not steal. They may not steal something because it is too large to snatch from under watchful eyes, or because there is no suitable time to act, or something is too expensive, guarded too tightly, or perhaps they have no particular interest in it, or cannot see what use it may have to them, and so forth. All of these reasons are possible. But no matter what, whether they steal something or not, it cannot prove that this thought only exists as a momentary, passing flash. On the contrary, it is a part of their nature that is hard to change for the better. Such a person is not satisfied with stealing just once; such thoughts of claiming others’ possessions as their own arise whenever they encounter something nice, or a suitable situation. This is why I say the origin of this thought is not something that is simply picked up every now and then, but is in this person’s own nature.

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Anyone can use their own words and actions to represent their true countenance. This true countenance is, of course, their nature. If you are someone who speaks in a tortuous way, then you have a tortuous nature. If your nature is cunning, then you act in a sly way, and you make it very easy for others to be tricked by you. If your nature is sinister, your words might be pleasant to hear, but your actions cannot conceal your sinister tricks. If your nature is lazy, then all you say is meant to shirk responsibility for your perfunctoriness and laziness, and your actions will be slow and perfunctory, and quite adept at concealing the truth. If your nature is empathetic, then your words will be reasonable, and your actions, too, will conform well with the truth. If your nature is loyal, then your words are certainly sincere and the way you act is grounded, free of anything that might make your master uneasy. If your nature is lustful or greedy for money, then your heart will often be filled by these things, and you will unwittingly commit deviant, immoral acts that people will not forget lightly and that will disgust people.

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How can you tell what a person’s essence is? You cannot tell what a person’s nature essence is when they do either nothing or when they do something trivial. These are shown in what they regularly reveal, in the motives behind their actions, in the intents behind what they do, in the desires they harbor, and in the path they walk. Even more importantly, these things are shown in how they react when they encounter an environment arranged by God, when they encounter something personally done to them by God, when they are tried and refined, or are dealt with and pruned, or else when God personally illuminates and guides them. What does all of this relate to? It relates to a person’s actions, the way they live, and the principles by which they conduct themselves. It also relates to the direction and goals of their pursuit, and the means by which they pursue. In other words, it relates to the path this person takes, how they live, what they live by, and what the basis of their existence is.

Excerpted from “How to Discern the Nature Essence of Paul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When it comes to knowing man’s nature, the most important thing is to see it from the perspective of man’s world view, life view, and values. Those who are of the devil all live for themselves. Their life view and maxims mainly come from Satan’s sayings, such as, “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.” The words spoken by those devil kings, great ones, and philosophers of the earth have become man’s very life. In particular, most of the words of Confucius, who is touted by Chinese people to be a “sage,” have become man’s life. There are also the famous proverbs of Buddhism and Taoism, and the oft-quoted classic sayings of various famous figures; these are all outlines of Satan’s philosophies and Satan’s nature. They are also the best illustrations and explanations of Satan’s nature. These poisons that have been infused into the heart of man all come from Satan; not the least bit of them comes from God. Such devilish words are also in direct opposition to God’s word. It is absolutely clear that the realities of all positive things come from God, and all those negative things that poison man come from Satan. Therefore, you can discern a person’s nature and to whom he belongs from his life view and values. Satan corrupts people through the education and influence of national governments and of the famous and great. Their devilish words have become man’s life nature. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost” is a well-known satanic saying that has been instilled into everyone, and that has become man’s life. There are other words of philosophies for living that are also like this. Satan uses each nation’s fine traditional culture to educate people, causing mankind to fall into and be engulfed by a boundless abyss of destruction, and in the end people are destroyed by God because they serve Satan and resist God. Imagine asking someone who has been active in society for decades the following question: “Given that you have lived in the world for so long and achieved so much, what are the main famous sayings that you live by?” He might say, “The most important one is, ‘Officials do not make things difficult for those who bear gifts, and those who do not flatter accomplish nothing.’” Are these words not representative of that person’s nature? Unscrupulously using any means to obtain position has become his nature, and being an official is what gives him life. There are still many satanic poisons in people’s lives, in their conduct and behavior; they possess almost no truth at all. For example, their philosophies for living, their ways of doing things, and their maxims are all filled with the poisons of the great red dragon, and they all come from Satan. Thus, all things that flow through people’s bones and blood are all things of Satan. All of those officials, those who hold power, and those who are accomplished have their own paths and secrets to success. Are such secrets not perfectly representative of their nature? They have done such big things in the world, and no one can see through the schemes and intrigues that lay behind them. This shows just how insidious and venomous their nature is. Mankind has been profoundly corrupted by Satan. Satan’s venom flows through the blood of every person, and it can be seen that man’s nature is corrupt, evil, and reactionary, filled by and immersed in the philosophies of Satan—it is, in its entirety, a nature that betrays God. This is why people resist God and stand in opposition to God.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Until people have experienced God’s work and gained the truth, it is Satan’s nature that takes charge and dominates them from within. What, specifically, does that nature entail? For example, why are you selfish? Why do you protect your own position? Why do you have such strong emotions? Why do you enjoy those unrighteous things? Why do you like those evils? What is the basis for your fondness for such things? Where do these things come from? Why are you so happy to accept them? By now, you have all come to understand that the main reason behind all these things is that Satan’s poison is within you. As for what Satan’s poison is, it can be fully expressed with words. For example, if you ask some evildoers why they committed evil, they will answer, “Because it’s every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost.” This single phrase expresses the very root of the problem. Satan’s logic has become people’s lives. They may do things for this purpose or that, but they are only doing it for themselves. Everyone thinks that since it is every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost, people should live for their own sakes, and do everything in their power to secure a good position for the sake of food and fine clothing. “Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost”—this is the life and the philosophy of man, and it also represents human nature. These words of Satan are precisely the poison of Satan, and when people internalize it, it becomes their nature. Satan’s nature is exposed through these words; they represent it completely. This poison becomes people’s lives as well as the foundation of their existence, and corrupted humanity has been consistently dominated by this poison for thousands of years. Everything Satan does is for itself. It wishes to surpass God, break free of Him, and wield power itself, and to possess all of God’s creations. Therefore, man’s nature is Satan’s nature. In fact, a lot of people’s mottos can represent and reflect their nature. No matter how people try to disguise themselves, in everything they do and in everything they say, they cannot hide who they are. There are some who never speak the truth and are good at pretending, but once others have interacted with them for a while, their deceitful nature and complete dishonesty are found out. In the end, others draw the following conclusion: That person never speaks a word of truth, and is deceitful. This statement represents such a person’s nature; it is the best illustration and proof of their nature essence. Their philosophy of life is to not tell anyone the truth, as well as to not trust anyone. Man’s satanic nature contains a great deal of this philosophy. Sometimes you yourself are not even aware of that, and do not understand it; nevertheless, every moment of your life is based on it. Moreover, you think that this philosophy is quite correct and reasonable, and not at all mistaken. This suffices to show that Satan’s philosophy has become people’s nature, and that they are living in complete accordance with it, without rebelling against it in the slightest. Therefore, they are constantly revealing their satanic nature, and in all aspects, they continue to live by Satan’s philosophy. Satan’s nature is humanity’s life.

Excerpted from “How to Walk the Path of Peter” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How do you understand human nature? Understanding your nature actually means dissecting the depths of your soul; it involves what is in your life. It is the logic of Satan and the viewpoints of Satan by which you have been living; that is, it is the life of Satan that you have been living by. Only by unearthing the deep-down parts of your soul can you understand your nature. How can these things be unearthed? They cannot be unearthed or dissected through a mere one or two events; many times, after you are finished doing something, you still have not come to an understanding. It could take three or five years before you are able to gain even a tiny bit of realization and understanding. In many situations, you must self-reflect and come to know yourself, and only when you practice digging deep will you see results. As your understanding of the truth grows more and more profound, you will gradually come to know your own nature essence through self-reflection and self-knowledge. In order to know your nature, you must accomplish a few things. First, you must have a clear understanding of what you like. This does not refer to what you like to eat or wear; rather, it means the kinds of things you enjoy, the things you envy, the things you worship, the things you seek, and the things you pay attention to in your heart, the types of people you enjoy coming into contact with, the type of things you like to do, and the types of people you idolize in your heart. For example, most people like people of great standing, people who are elegant in their speech and deportment, or like those who speak with eloquent flattery or those who put on an act. The aforementioned is about what people they like to interact with. As for the things people enjoy, these include being willing to do certain things that are easy to do, enjoying doing things that others think are good and that would cause people to sing praises and give compliments. In people’s natures, there is a common characteristic of the things they like. That is, they like people, events, and things that others are envious of due to outward appearances, they like people, events, and things that look beautiful and luxurious, and they like people, events and things that make others worship them due to appearances. These things that people are fond of are great, dazzling, gorgeous, and grand. People all worship these things. It can be seen that people do not possess any of the truth, nor do they have the likeness of genuine human beings. There is not the slightest degree of significance in worshiping these things, yet people still like them. These things that people like seem especially good to those who do not believe in God, and they are especially willing to pursue these things. … To aspire to these things is to wallow in the mire with the worldly people. This is detested by God. It lacks truth, it lacks humanity, and it is satanic. This is what it is to unearth a person’s nature from within their preferences. People’s preferences can be seen in the way they dress: Some people are willing to wear attention-grabbing, colorful clothing, or bizarre outfits. They will carry accessories no one else has carried before, and they love things that can attract the opposite sex. That they wear these clothes and accessories shows the preference they have for these things in their lives and deep within their hearts. The things they like are not dignified or decent. They are not the things of a truly genuine person. In their like of them, there is unrighteousness. Their outlook is precisely the same as that of worldly people. One cannot see the least truth in them. Therefore, what you like, what you focus on, what you worship, what you envy, and what you think about in your heart every day are all representative of your nature. It is enough to prove that your nature is fond of unrighteousness, and in serious situations, your nature is evil and incurable. You should analyze your nature in this way; that is, examine what you are fond of and what you forsake in your life. You might be good to someone for a time, but this does not prove that you are fond of them. What you are truly fond of is precisely what is in your nature; even if your bones were broken, you would still enjoy it and could never forsake it. This is not easy to change. Take finding a partner, for example. If a woman really fell in love with someone, then no one would be able to stop her. Even if her legs were broken, she would still want to be with him; she would want to marry him even if it meant she had to die. How can this be? It is because no one can change what people have deep inside of themselves. Even if a person died, his soul would still like the same things; these are the things of human nature, and they represent a person’s essence.

Excerpted from “What Should Be Known About Transforming One’s Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is it to know one’s own nature? How can it be known? From what aspects is it known? Furthermore, how specifically should one’s nature be viewed through the things one reveals? First of all, you can see man’s nature through his interests. For example, some people particularly love to dance, some especially love singers or movie stars, and some particularly idolize certain famous people. From these interests, we can see what the nature of these people is. For example: Some might really idolize a certain singer, even to the point where they are obsessed with the singer’s every move, every smile, and every word. They fixate on the singer, and even photograph everything the singer wears and imitate it. What does this level of idolization show about this person’s nature? It shows that such a person has only those things in his heart, and not God. All the things that this person thinks, loves, and seeks are of Satan; they occupy this person’s heart, which is given over to those things. What is the problem here? If something is loved to an extreme, then that thing can become someone’s life and occupy his heart, fully proving that the person is an idol worshiper who does not want God and instead loves the devil. We therefore can conclude that such a person’s nature is one that loves and worships the devil, does not love the truth, and does not want God. Is this not the correct way to view someone’s nature? It is completely correct. This is how man’s nature is dissected. For example, some people particularly idolize Paul. They like to go out and give speeches and do work, they like to attend gatherings and preach, and they like people listening to them, worshiping them, and revolving around them. They like to have status in the minds of others, and they appreciate it when others value the image they present. Let us analyze their nature from these behaviors: What is their nature? If they really behave like this, then it is enough to show that they are arrogant and conceited. They do not worship God at all; they seek a higher status and wish to have authority over others, to possess them, and to have status in their minds. This is the classic image of Satan. The aspects of their nature that stand out are arrogance and conceit, an unwillingness to worship God, and a desire to be worshiped by others. Such behaviors can give you a very clear view into their nature. To give another example, some people especially love to take unfair advantage at the expense of others, and these people seek to fulfill their own interests in everything. Whatever they do must benefit them, or else they will not do it. They do not bother with anything unless it gives them some advantage, and there are ulterior motives behind all their actions. They speak well of anyone who benefits them and exalt anyone who flatters them. Even when their favorites have problems, they will say those people are correct and try hard to cover for and defend them. What nature do such people have? You can completely see their nature clearly based on these behaviors, right? They strive to take unfair advantage through their actions, constantly engaging in transactional behavior in every situation, and you can be certain that their nature is one of wholeheartedly coveting profit. They are out for themselves in everything they do. They will not rise early unless it benefits them to do so; they are the most selfish of people, utterly insatiable, so their nature is demonstrated by their love of profit and lack of any love for the truth. Some men are captivated by women, always thinking about them in everything they do and chasing them wherever they go. Beautiful women are the objects of such people’s affections and hold the highest esteem in their hearts. They are willing to give their lives, and sacrifice everything, for beautiful women; women are what fill their hearts. What is the nature of these men? Their nature is to love beautiful women and to worship them, so they are lechers with an evil, greedy nature. Their actions reveal a greedy nature—these behaviors are not merely occasional transgressions, nor are such people only a little worse than ordinary people—and they have grown to be completely occupied by these things, which have become their very nature and essence. Thus, these things have become manifestations of their nature.

The ingredients of a person’s nature are constantly revealing themselves. Anything a person does, regardless of what it is, can reveal that person’s nature. People have their own motives and purposes for everything they do, and whether it be providing hospitality, preaching the gospel, or any other kind of work, they can reveal the parts of their nature without any consciousness of it, because one’s nature is his life, and people are driven by their natures for as long as they live. The nature of a person is not revealed just on occasion or by happenstance; rather, it can completely represent the person’s essence, and everything that flows from within the person’s bones and blood is representative of his nature and life. Some people love beautiful women. Others love money. Some particularly love status. Some especially value reputation and their personal image. Some particularly love or worship idols. And some people are especially arrogant and conceited, yielding to no one in their hearts and striving for stature, they like to stand out from others and have authority over them. There is a variety of different natures, and they can differ among people, but their common elements are resistance to and betrayal of God. In that way they are all identical.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are in human nature certain characteristics that all people have in common: these you must get to know. That all people are capable of betraying God is a shared characteristic, but everyone has their own particular Achilles’ heel. Some people like this, some people like that, some people hold this in esteem, and some people hold that in esteem. These are the differences in people’s natures. Some people are able to bear up under a great deal of suffering, some grow negative and begin to complain after a little suffering and have difficulty bearing up. Why is it that, faced with the same event, everyone reacts differently? It is because the things in their natures are different. The corrupt dispositions of some people are more severe in their manifestation, while those of others are more mild; however, they are essentially the same. This is a shared characteristic. The way that a person’s nature is decides what kind of person they are. Even though they have characteristics in common with others, they may not be the same kind of people. Why do I say they are not the same kind of people? Because this thing which is in their nature may not be all that obvious or that intense. For example, lust is a shared human characteristic. Everyone has it. Moreover, this area is very difficult to overcome. However, it is especially intense for some people. When faced with this issue, they are unable to overcome it, and then they can run off with other people or lead them to run off. It may be said that these people are evil in their nature. Some people are a little weak in facing this issue, or they are a little susceptible to lustful passion, but they wouldn’t do shameful things, they would be able to control themselves and shun these acts. In that case, you cannot say that these people are evil in their nature. As long as there is flesh, there will always be lustful passion. Some people indulge in their lusts and do whatever they want in wanton. But some people are not like this at all. They are able to pursue the truth and base their actions on the truth, and are able to forsake the flesh. Even though they do have lusts of the flesh, they behave differently. This is where people differ from each other. Some people covet money; when they see money and nice things, they desire to have them, and their possessive desire is exceptionally strong. The nature of these people is greedy and avaricious. When they see something, they become greedy; they even dare spend and steal the church’s money, even to the tune of tens of thousands of yuan; the more money there is, the more they dare to do it; they simply do not fear God. This is a greedy nature. Some people are pricked by their conscience if they spend 10 or 20 yuan of the church. They hurry to kneel down in God’s presence to pray, and with tears of remorse, ask God to forgive them. Everyone has weaknesses: You can’t say that this is an avaricious person—it is merely a case of a corrupt disposition showing itself. Some people love to judge others. They will say: “This guy spent a few yuan of the church’s money, but he still didn’t come to pray in God’s presence. Next time, he’ll go on to spend dozens more. This is a greedy man!” It is not right to talk like this. So long as people have corrupt dispositions, they are bound to have normal weaknesses. Some human weaknesses also constitute part of their corrupt dispositions, but there is a difference between a corrupt disposition and that kind of nature. You can’t lump it all together or arbitrarily judge people. Judging others does the greatest harm to others. If you can’t distinguish or see things clearly, then avoid making baseless assertions so as not to hurt people. It is unprincipled to speak and act without understanding the truth and it brings no benefit either to others or to oneself.

Excerpted from “One Must Understand That There Are Similarities and Differences Among People’s Natures” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Matters of nature are not things done only in a moment of weakness but are persistent throughout life. Everything a person does carries his scent, carries the elements of his nature. Even if those elements are not apparent at times, they are present within him. For example, when a deceitful person speaks honestly in one instance, there is actually still speech within his speech and the deceitfulness is mixed in. A deceitful person will play his tricks on anybody, including his relatives—even his own children. No matter how forthright you are with him, he will play games with you. This is the true face of his nature—he is of this nature. It is difficult to change and he is like that all the time. Honest people may sometimes say something sly and deceitful, but such a person is usually relatively honest; he handles affairs directly and does not take unfair advantage of others in his dealings with them. When he speaks with others, he does not say things intentionally to test them; he can open up his heart and communicate with others, and everyone says he is quite honest. There are times when he speaks with some deceitfulness; that is simply a manifestation of a corrupt disposition and does not represent his nature, because he is not a deceitful person. When it comes to a person’s nature you must understand what are elements of that nature and what is the corrupt disposition; you must be able to distinguish clearly between the two.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Understanding your own nature primarily involves understanding what kind of person you really are. The kind of person you are indicates what sort of nature you have. For example, saying that someone is such-and-such a person is most descriptive of his nature; the type of nature one possesses determines the type of person he is. A person’s nature is his life. How do you see what a person’s nature is like? You must come into contact with him more frequently, and spend more time observing what sort of person he is. Whatever sticks out about him most, and is representative of his essence and characteristics, can be said to be his nature essence. The character of one’s essence is the character of his nature. When it comes to seeing what kind of person someone really is, this is a more accurate way of looking at him. Whatever the essence of a man, such is his nature. A person’s nature determines what sort of person he is. For example, if someone’s most prominent feature is that he has a particular love for money, then his nature can be summarized in a few words: He is money-loving. If someone’s most prominent feature is having a love for women—and he is always womanizing—then this person loves evil and has an evil nature. Some people most love to eat. If you can give such a person a few drinks and some meat, or order him some other sort of good food, then he will act in your favor; this therefore shows this person to have a gluttonous nature. Every person has a fatal flaw that exerts its influence over every moment of his life, is insinuated in everything about that person, and becomes the object of everything he does. That thing ends up representing this person’s nature. His nature can be said to be the part of him that is most fatal; his fatal flaw is his nature. Some people seem to have an acceptable humanity and do not exhibit any major flaws on the surface, but their outstanding trait is fragility. They have no life goals or aspirations; they just muddle through life, falling down if someone says even just a few hurtful things and becoming negative at the drop of a hat, to the point that they no longer want to have faith. The unique characteristic of such people is fragility, and their nature is one helpless cowardice. Some people have an extremely sentimental nature; in what they say and do every day, and in all of their behavior, they exist in a world of emotion. They feel affection for this person and that person, and every day they feel obliged to pay back favors and return good feelings; in everything they do, they live in the realm of emotion. When such a person’s non-believing relative dies, he has to cry for three days. Others want to bury him, but this person does not allow it; he still has feelings for the deceased: His emotions are too acute. You could say that emotions are this person’s fatal flaw, his greatest weakness, which can completely bring him to his doom and ruin him. Overly intense emotions prevent him from putting the truth into practice, and this shows that he is without truth and acts without principle. He only shows consideration for the flesh; he is foolish and muddle-headed. His nature is one of attaching particular importance to feelings and living by emotions. Therefore, if you want to seek a change in your disposition, then you must know your nature. “Rivers and mountains change easily, but altering one’s nature is difficult.” If one’s nature is too bad, then one will never change, and God will not save that person. Do not assume that nature can be changed.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Demonic people are those who do not practice the truth; their essence is one of resistance and disobedience to God, and they do not have the slightest intention of submitting to Him. Such people will all be destroyed. Whether you have truth and whether you resist God depend on your essence, not on your appearance or how you might occasionally speak or conduct yourself. Whether or not an individual will be destroyed is determined by one’s essence; it is decided according to the essence revealed by one’s behavior and one’s pursuit of the truth. Among people who are the same as each other in that they are doing work, and who do similar amounts of work, those whose human essences are good and who possess truth are the people who will be allowed to remain, while those whose human essences are evil and who disobey the visible God are those who will be objects of destruction. All of God’s work or words related to humanity’s destination will deal with people appropriately according to each individual’s essence; not the slightest error will occur, and not a single mistake will be made. It is only when people do work that human emotion or meaning enters the mix. The work God does is most appropriate; He absolutely does not bring false claims against any creature. There are currently many people who are unable to perceive humanity’s future destination and who do not believe the words I utter. All those who do not believe, as well as the ones who do not practice truth, are demons!

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

VI. The Principles of Living Out Normal Humanity

121. The Principles of Living Out Normal Humanity

(1) It is necessary to discern the difference between normal humanity and expressions of corruption, and to learn to use the truth to amend each sort of expression of corruption. Only thus can one live out normal humanity;

(2) It is necessary to train oneself at all times to be an honest person, and to speak and act truly, rather than engaging in trickery and disguising oneself. Learn to practice the truth and to act according to the principles;

(3) Interact lovingly with others. Be capable of tolerance and patience, and of understanding and respect. Help and support each other. Do not be overly critical of others, but treat them fairly;

(4) It is necessary to seek the truth in all matters. Only thus can one forsake the flesh and practice the truth. More than that, one should persevere in their quest to love and submit to God, and perform their duty well and faithfully.

Relevant Words of God:

God created humans and placed them upon earth, and He has led them ever since. He then saved them and served as a sin offering for humanity. At the end, He still must conquer humanity, save humans entirely, and restore them to their original likeness. This is the work that He has been engaged in ever since the beginning—restoring humanity to their original image and likeness. God will establish His kingdom and restore the original likeness of human beings, which means that God will restore His authority upon earth and among all creation. Humanity lost their God-fearing heart as well as the function incumbent upon God’s creatures after being corrupted by Satan, thereby becoming an enemy disobedient to God. Humanity then lived under Satan’s domain and followed Satan’s orders; thus, God had no way to work among His creatures, and became all the more unable to win their fearful reverence. Humans were created by God, and ought to worship God, but they actually turned their backs on Him and worshiped Satan instead. Satan became the idol in their hearts. Thus, God lost His standing in their hearts, which is to say that He lost the meaning behind His creation of humanity. Therefore, to restore the meaning behind His creation of humanity, He must restore their original likeness and rid humanity of their corrupt dispositions. To reclaim humans from Satan, He must save them from sin. Only in this way can God gradually restore their original likeness and function, and finally, restore His kingdom.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The source of man’s opposition and rebelliousness against God is his corruption by Satan. Because of Satan’s corruption, man’s conscience has grown numb; he is immoral, his thoughts are degenerate, and he has a backward mental outlook. Before he was corrupted by Satan, man naturally followed God and obeyed His words after hearing them. He was naturally of sound sense and conscience, and of normal humanity. After being corrupted by Satan, man’s original sense, conscience, and humanity grew dull and were impaired by Satan. Thus, he has lost his obedience and love toward God. Man’s sense has become aberrant, his disposition has become the same as that of an animal, and his rebelliousness toward God is ever more frequent and grievous. Yet man still neither knows nor recognizes this, and merely opposes and rebels blindly. Man’s disposition is revealed in expressions of his sense, insight, and conscience; because his sense and insight are unsound, and his conscience has grown supremely dull, thus his disposition is rebellious against God. If man’s sense and insight cannot change, then changes in his disposition are out of the question, as is conforming to God’s will. If man’s sense is unsound, then he cannot serve God and is unfit for use by God. “Normal sense” refers to obeying and being faithful to God, to yearning for God, to being absolute toward God, and to having a conscience toward God. It refers to being of one heart and mind toward God, and not deliberately opposing God. Having an aberrant sense is not like this. Since man was corrupted by Satan, he has come up with notions about God, and he has had no loyalty to God or yearning for Him, to say nothing of a conscience toward God. Man deliberately opposes God and passes judgments on Him, and, furthermore, hurls invective at Him behind His back. Man passes judgment on God behind His back, with clear knowledge that He is God; man has no intention of obeying God, and merely makes blind demands and requests of Him. Such people—people who have aberrant sense—are incapable of knowing their own despicable behavior or of regretting their rebelliousness. If people are capable of knowing themselves, then they have regained a little of their sense; the more rebellious against God people who cannot yet know themselves are, the less are they sound of sense.

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What aspects does normal humanity include? Insight, sense, conscience, and character. If you can achieve normality in each of these aspects, your humanity will be up to par. You should have the likeness of a normal human being, you should resemble a believer in God. You do not have to achieve too much, or get involved in diplomacy; you just have to be a normal human being, with a normal person’s sense, to be able to see through things, and at least look like a normal human being. That will be enough. Everything required of you today is within your capabilities; this is not a case of trying to shoo a duck onto a perch. No useless words or useless work will be performed upon you. All the ugliness expressed or revealed in your life must be gotten rid of. You have been corrupted by Satan and brim with Satan’s venom. All that is asked of you is to get rid of this corrupt satanic disposition. You are not being asked to become some high-ranking figure, or a famous or great person. There is no point in that. The work that is done in you takes into account what is inherent in you. What I ask of people is defined within limits. If you practiced in the way and tone in which intellectuals speak, this would not do; you would not be able to do it. Given your caliber, you should at least be able to speak with wisdom and tact and explain things in a clear and comprehensible manner. That is all it takes to meet the requirements. If, at the very least, you gain insight and sense, then that will do. What is most important right now is casting off your corrupt satanic disposition. You must cast off the ugliness that is manifested in you. How can you talk about supreme sense and supreme insight, if you do not cast these off? Many people, seeing that the age has changed, lack any humility or patience, and they might as well not have any love or saintly decorum, either. How absurd such people are! Do they have even an ounce of normal humanity? Do they have any testimony to speak of? They are utterly without insight or sense. Of course, some aspects of people’s practice that are deviant and erroneous need to be corrected; their former rigid spiritual lives and their benumbed and imbecilic appearance, for example—all of these have to be changed. Change does not mean letting you become dissolute or indulge in the flesh, saying whatever you want. You must not talk loosely. To have the speech and comportment of a normal human being is to speak coherently, saying “yes” when you mean “yes,” and “no” when you mean “no.” Stick to the facts and speak appropriately. Do not cheat, do not lie. The limits that a normal person can reach regarding a change of disposition must be understood. If not, you will not be able to enter into reality.

Excerpted from “Raising Caliber Is for the Sake of Receiving God’s Salvation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the dispositions of normal people there is no crookedness or deceitfulness, people have a normal relationship with each other, they do not stand alone, and their lives are neither mediocre nor decadent. So, too, is God exalted among all; His words permeate among man, people live in peace with one another and under the care and protection of God, the earth is filled with harmony, without the interference of Satan, and the glory of God holds the utmost importance among man. Such people are like angels: pure, vibrant, never complaining about God, and devoting all their efforts solely to God’s glory on earth.

Excerpted from “Chapter 16” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You ought to know that God likes those who are honest. In essence, God is faithful, and so His words can always be trusted; His actions, furthermore, are faultless and unquestionable, which is why God likes those who are absolutely honest with Him. Honesty means giving your heart to God, being genuine with God in all things, being open with Him in all things, never hiding the facts, not trying to deceive those above and below you, and not doing things only to curry favor with God. In short, to be honest is to be pure in your actions and words, and to deceive neither God nor man. What I say is very simple, but to you it is doubly arduous. Many people would rather be condemned to hell than speak and act honestly. Little wonder that I have other treatment in store for those who are dishonest. Of course, I know full well how difficult it is for you to be honest. Because you are all so clever, so good at measuring people with your own petty yardstick, this makes My work much simpler. And since you each hug your secrets to your bosom, well then, I shall send you, one by one, into disaster to be “schooled” by fire, so that thereafter you may become dead set on your belief in My words. Ultimately, I shall wrest from your mouth the words “God is a faithful God,” whereupon you shall beat upon your breast and lament, “Devious is the heart of man!” What will be your state of mind at this time? I imagine you will not be as triumphant as you are now. And much less will you be as “profound and abstruse” as you are now. In the presence of God, some people are all prim and proper, they take pains to be “well-behaved,” yet they bare their fangs and brandish their claws in the presence of the Spirit. Would you number such people among the ranks of the honest? If you are a hypocrite, someone who is skilled in “interpersonal relations,” then I say that you are definitely someone who tries to trifle with God. If your words are riddled with excuses and valueless justifications, then I say that you are someone who is loath to put the truth into practice. If you have many confidences that you are reluctant to share, if you are highly averse to laying bare your secrets—your difficulties—before others to seek the way of the light, then I say that you are someone who will not attain salvation easily, and who will not easily emerge from the darkness. If seeking the way of the truth pleases you well, then you are someone who dwells always in the light. If you are very glad to be a service-doer in the house of God, working diligently and conscientiously in obscurity, always giving and never taking, then I say that you are a loyal saint, because you seek no reward and are simply being an honest person. If you are willing to be candid, if you are willing to expend your all, if you are able to sacrifice your life for God and stand firm in your testimony, if you are honest to the point where you know only to satisfy God and not to consider yourself or take for yourself, then I say that such people are those who are nourished in the light and who shall live forever in the kingdom.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People do not make high demands of themselves, but they make high demands of God. They ask Him to show them special kindness, and to be patient and forbearing toward them, cherish them, provide for them, and even smile at them, be tolerant toward them, make allowances for them, and take care of them in multiple ways. They expect Him not to be strict with them at all or do anything that would upset them even slightly, and are only satisfied if He sweet-talks them every single day. Humans are so lacking in sense! They are not clear on what they should do, what they should accomplish, what viewpoints they should have, what position they should stand in to serve God, and what position is suitable to place themselves in. People with a little bit of status have a very high opinion of themselves, yet those without status also think quite highly of themselves. Humans never know themselves. You must come to a point in your belief in God where, regardless of how He speaks to you, how strict He is with you, and how much He might ignore you, you can keep on believing without complaint and continue to fulfill your duty as usual. You will then be a mature and experienced person, and you will truly have some stature and a bit of the sense of a normal person. You will not make demands of God, you will no longer have extravagant desires, and you will no longer make requests of others or of God based on your own likes and dislikes. This will show that to a certain extent, you possess the likeness of a human.

Excerpted from “People Who Make Constant Demands of God Are the Least Reasonable People” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whenever one reveals a corrupt disposition or corrupt thoughts and ideas, it is no small matter. If you do not seek the truth to resolve them, it will be impossible to cleanse these corruptions. If, on the other hand, you can seek the truth rationally, then you will easily discern the root cause of your mistake and resolve the issue of your expressions of corruption. As you grow more able to withdraw into your spirit to wait and seek, it will be easy to find relevant passages of God’s words with which to discern the essence of the problem. By doing so, you will reveal your corruption less and less, and your rationality will grow more normal—and the more normal one’s rationality, the more they act within the boundaries, no longer speaking or acting based on their notions and imaginings. What does it mean to “act within the boundaries”? It means to act in a way that is in keeping with the standards of normal humanity, with one’s conscience, with the standards of God’s requirements, and with the truth principles. If, as soon as you are stirred to act, you do not think deeply, but wave your hands and say, “Just do it like that. It’ll be fine!” then are you acting with the good sense of normal humanity? Is there an expression of normal humanity in this? These are expressions that normal humanity should be without. Therefore, no matter what issue befalls you, you must first calm down and contemplate it, come before God, withdraw into your spirit, and become quiet—first seek from God how this matter should be done and how it should be discussed. Does this require a lot of time? No, it does not. Normal humanity contains these rational things, and people are able to restrain themselves and achieve them; whether they do simply depends on whether they are willing to practice in this way. If you wish always to show yourself off, always to stand on high, to parade yourself, to become an idol in others’ hearts and to establish your own image there, then you will always act rashly; you will never be able to come before God or withdraw into your spirit. If you always want to do things your own way, and if, having done so, you always think you have done something of great importance or accomplished some great undertaking, and that you are very talented and unlike ordinary people, then this means you are not walking the right path. Your heart must be quiet at all times, and when you encounter an issue, you must not become irritable and stubborn or act rashly. Do not be pretentious or false, but learn to be quiet, and act reasonably. These are the ways in which normal humanity should be manifested.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When a person does not understand the truth, how great a role his conscience can play depends on what his humanity is like. If this person does not understand the truth and does not act according to his conscience, and you can neither see any aspect of his actions that shows any consideration for God’s intentions nor shows any reverence for God in him, then can this person be counted as possessing a conscience and humanity? What kind of person is this? This sort of person is precisely defined as someone without humanity who has fallen below the minimum standard of human conduct. He has no conscience, and he does things neither based in reason nor according to conscience. Some people do not understand many truths; they do not know what the right thing is to do when they encounter problems, and they have not mastered principles. What is to be done, then? The lowest standard they should meet is to act according to conscience. How should one act according to conscience? The particulars are that, when a person acts, he must do so relying on a true heart, and be worthy of God’s having given us this life, and worthy of this God-given opportunity to attain salvation. Once you have met this bare minimum of standards, you will have obtained protection; you will not then so easily do things to disobey God or shirk your responsibilities, nor will you be so liable to act in a perfunctory manner. You will also not be so prone to scheming for your own position, fame, fortune, and future. This is the role that conscience plays. Conscience and reason should both be components of a person’s humanity. These are both most fundamental and most important. What kind of person is one who lacks conscience and does not have the reason of normal humanity? Generally speaking, he is a person who lacks humanity, a person of bad humanity.

Excerpted from “Give Your True Heart to God, and You Can Obtain the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those things that touch on humanity—the attitudes, thoughts, and opinions that people reveal in their treatment of people, events, and things—are very telling. Of what do they tell? They tell of how one can see the quality of a person’s humanity, of whether they are a decent and upright person. If they are indeed a decent and upright person, then, no matter what they do, they do it with a certain mentality: “No matter whether I like doing this thing or not, nor whether it falls within the scope of my interests or is something in which I have little interest—it was given to me to do, and I will do it well. I will begin studying it from scratch, and, with my feet on the ground, I’ll undertake it one step at a time. In the end, no matter how far I’ve gotten in the task, I’ll have done my best.” At the very least, you must possess a sort of the attitude and mentality that is down-to-earth-ness. If, from the moment you take over a task, you do it in a muddle and do not care about it in the least—if you do not treat it earnestly, and do not refer to relevant resources, make detailed preparations, or seek others’ counsel and consult with them; and if, beyond that, you do not increase the time you spend studying this thing so that you may constantly improve at it, attaining mastery of this skill or profession, but maintain a cavalier attitude toward it and an attitude of just getting by in your treatment of it, then this is a problem in your humanity. Is this not just muddling along? Some say, “I don’t like it when you give me this kind of duty.” If you do not like it, do not accept it—and if you do accept it, you should approach it with an earnest, responsible attitude. That is the sort of attitude you should have. Is this not the attitude that normal humanity ought to possess? This is what it is to be decent and upright. In this regard, you need, at the very least, normal humanity’s attentiveness, rigor, and willingness to pay a price, along with its quality of being down to earth, its earnestness, and its sense of responsibility. To have these things is enough.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

In order to restore the likeness of a normal person, that is, to achieve normal humanity, people cannot merely please God with their words. They only harm themselves in doing so, and it does not benefit their entry or transformation. Therefore, to attain transformation, people must practice little by little. They must enter slowly, seek and explore bit by bit, enter in from the positive, and live a practical life of truth; a life of a saint. Thereafter, real things, real events, and real environments allow people to have practical training. People are not required to pay any lip service; instead, they are to train in real environments. People first come to realize that they are of poor caliber, and then they eat and drink of God’s words normally, and enter into and practice normally as well; only in this way can they obtain reality, and this is how entry may occur even more rapidly. In order to transform people, there must be some practicality; they must practice with real things, real events, and real environments. Can one achieve true training by relying on church life alone? Could people enter into reality this way? No! If people are unable to enter into real life, then they are unable to transform their old lifestyle and ways of doing things. This is not entirely due to people’s laziness and high level of dependency, but rather it is because people simply do not have the capacity for living, and, moreover, they have no understanding of God’s standard of the likeness of a normal person. In the past, people were always talking, speaking, communicating—and they even became “orators”—yet none of them sought transformation in their life disposition; instead, they blindly sought profound theories. Thus, people of today must change this religious style of belief in God in their lives. They must enter into practice by focusing on one event, one thing, one person. They must do it with focus—only then can they attain results. People’s transformation begins with a change in their essence. The work must be aimed at people’s essence, their life, and at their laziness, dependency, and slavishness—only in this way can they be transformed.

Even though church life can produce results in some areas, the key is still that real life can transform people. One’s old nature cannot be transformed without real life. Let us take, for example, the work of Jesus during the Age of Grace. When Jesus abolished the previous laws and established the commandments of the new age, He spoke using actual examples from real life. As Jesus was leading His disciples through the wheat field on a Sabbath, His disciples became hungry and plucked ears of grain to eat. The Pharisees saw this and said that they were not observing the Sabbath. They also said that people were not allowed to save the calves that had fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, saying that no work might be performed during the Sabbath. Jesus cited these incidents to gradually promulgate the commandments of the new age. At the time, He used many practical matters to help people understand and transform. This is the principle by which the Holy Spirit performs His work, and it is the only way that can transform people. Without practical matters, people can only gain a theoretical and intellectual understanding—this is not an effective way to transform. So how does one acquire wisdom and insight through training? Can people acquire wisdom and insight simply from listening, reading, and advancing their knowledge? How could this be so? People must understand and experience in real life! Therefore, one must train, and one must not depart from real life. People must pay attention to different aspects and have entry in various aspects: level of education, expressiveness, the ability to see things, discernment, the ability to understand God’s words, the common sense and rules of humanity, and other things relating to humanity that people must be equipped with. After understanding has been attained, people must focus on entry, and only then can transformation be attained. If someone has attained understanding, yet they neglect practice, how can transformation occur? Presently, people understand much, but they do not live out reality; thus, they possess little essential understanding of God’s words. You have only been marginally enlightened; you have received a little illumination from the Holy Spirit, yet you have no entry into real life—or you might not even care about entry—thus your transformation is lessened. After such a long time, people understand a lot. They are able to talk a lot about their knowledge of theories, but their external disposition remains the same, and their original caliber remains as it was, not advancing in the slightest. If this is the case, when will you finally enter in?

Excerpted from “Discussing Church Life and Real Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In believing in God, if people desire transformation of their disposition, then they must not detach themselves from real life. In real life, you must know yourself, forsake yourself, practice the truth, as well as learn the principles, common sense, and rules of self-conduct in all things before you are able to achieve gradual transformation. If you only focus on the theoretical knowledge and only live among religious ceremonies without going deep into reality, without entering into real life, then you will never enter into reality, you will never know yourself, the truth, or God, and you will forever be blind and ignorant. God’s work of saving people is not to allow them to live normal human lives after a short period of time, nor is it to transform their erroneous notions and doctrines. Rather, His purpose is to change people’s old dispositions, to change the entirety of their old way of life, and to change all of their outdated ways of thinking and mental outlook. Focusing only on church life will not change people’s old life habits or change the old ways in which they have lived for a long time. No matter what, people must not become detached from real life. God asks that people live out normal humanity in real life, not just in church life; that they live out the truth in real life, not just in church life; and that they fulfill their functions in real life, not just in church life. To enter into reality, one must turn everything toward real life. If, in believing in God, people cannot come to know themselves through entry into real life, and if they cannot live out normal humanity in real life, then they will become failures. Those who disobey God are all people who cannot enter into real life. They are all people who speak of humanity, but live out the nature of demons. They are all people who speak of the truth, but live out doctrines instead. Those who cannot live out the truth in real life are those who believe in God, but are detested and rejected by Him. You have to practice your entry in real life, know your own deficiencies, disobedience, and ignorance, and know your abnormal humanity and weaknesses. That way, your knowledge will be integrated into your actual condition and difficulties. Only this kind of knowledge is real and can allow you to truly grasp your own condition and achieve dispositional transformation.

Now that the perfecting of people has formally begun, you must enter into real life. Therefore, to achieve transformation, you must start from entry into real life, and transform little by little. If you avoid normal human life and only talk about spiritual matters, then things become dry and flat; they become unrealistic, and then how could people transform? Now you are told to enter into real life to practice, in order to establish a foundation for entering into true experience. This is one aspect of what people must do. The work of the Holy Spirit is mainly to guide, while the rest depends on people’s practice and entry. Everyone may attain entry into real life through different paths, such that they can bring God into real life, and live out a real normal humanity. This is the only kind of life with meaning!

Excerpted from “Discussing Church Life and Real Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who have the truth are those who, in their real experiences, can stand firm in their testimony, stand firm in their position, stand on the side of God, without ever retreating, and who can have a normal relationship with people who love God, who, when things happen to them, are able to completely obey God, and can obey God unto death. Your practice and revelations in real life are the testimony of God, they are man’s living out and the testimony of God, and this is truly enjoying God’s love; when you have experienced to this point, the due effect will have been achieved. You are possessed of actual living out and your every action is looked upon with admiration by others. Your clothing and outward appearance are unremarkable, but you live out a life of the utmost piety, and when you communicate the words of God, you are guided and enlightened by Him. You are able to speak God’s will through your words, communicate reality, and you understand much about serving in spirit. You are candid in your speech, you are decent and upright, non-confrontational and decorous, able to obey God’s arrangements and stand firm in your testimony when things befall you, and you are calm and composed no matter what you are dealing with. This kind of person has truly seen God’s love. Some people are still young, but they act as someone of middle age; they are mature, possessed of the truth, and admired by others—and these are the people who have testimony and are the manifestation of God. Which is to say, when they have experienced to a certain point, inside they will have an insight toward God, and their external disposition will also stabilize.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people experience until the day their outlook on life and the meaning, the basis of their existence have entirely changed, when they have been altered to their very bones and have become someone else, is this not incredible? This is a great change, an earth-shattering change. Only when you become disinterested in the fame and fortune, status, money, pleasure, power and glory of the world, and can easily forgo them, will you have the likeness of a human being. Those who will ultimately be made complete are a group such as this; they live for the truth, live for God, and live for that which is just. This is the likeness of a true human being.

Excerpted from “One Must Understand That There Are Similarities and Differences Among People’s Natures” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

122. The Principles of Being an Honest Person

(1) In training oneself to be an honest person, it is necessary to rely on God. Give your heart over to Him, and accept His scrutiny. Only thus can one, over time, cast off their lies and deceit;

(2) It is necessary to accept the truth and reflect on one’s every word and deed. Dissect the origin and essence of the corruption that is revealed in you, and come to really know yourself;

(3) It is necessary to investigate in which matters one has outbursts of lying and harbors deceptiveness. Dare to dissect yourself and lay yourself bare, and apologize to others and make amends;

(4) One’s speech and actions must be based on God’s words. Pray to God, forsake your fleshly preferences and intents, and speak and act in accordance with the truth principle;

(5) It is necessary to be true to God’s commissions; to do your duty well according to His requirements, and neither be careless and perfunctory nor false and deceptive, but be honest and trustworthy in both word and deed.

Relevant Words of God:

You ought to know that God likes those who are honest. In essence, God is faithful, and so His words can always be trusted; His actions, furthermore, are faultless and unquestionable, which is why God likes those who are absolutely honest with Him. Honesty means giving your heart to God, being genuine with God in all things, being open with Him in all things, never hiding the facts, not trying to deceive those above and below you, and not doing things only to curry favor with God. In short, to be honest is to be pure in your actions and words, and to deceive neither God nor man. What I say is very simple, but to you it is doubly arduous. Many people would rather be condemned to hell than speak and act honestly. Little wonder that I have other treatment in store for those who are dishonest. Of course, I know full well how difficult it is for you to be honest. Because you are all so clever, so good at measuring people with your own petty yardstick, this makes My work much simpler. And since you each hug your secrets to your bosom, well then, I shall send you, one by one, into disaster to be “schooled” by fire, so that thereafter you may become dead set on your belief in My words. Ultimately, I shall wrest from your mouth the words “God is a faithful God,” whereupon you shall beat upon your breast and lament, “Devious is the heart of man!” What will be your state of mind at this time? I imagine you will not be as triumphant as you are now. And much less will you be as “profound and abstruse” as you are now. In the presence of God, some people are all prim and proper, they take pains to be “well-behaved,” yet they bare their fangs and brandish their claws in the presence of the Spirit. Would you number such people among the ranks of the honest? If you are a hypocrite, someone who is skilled in “interpersonal relations,” then I say that you are definitely someone who tries to trifle with God. If your words are riddled with excuses and valueless justifications, then I say that you are someone who is loath to put the truth into practice. If you have many confidences that you are reluctant to share, if you are highly averse to laying bare your secrets—your difficulties—before others to seek the way of the light, then I say that you are someone who will not attain salvation easily, and who will not easily emerge from the darkness. If seeking the way of the truth pleases you well, then you are someone who dwells always in the light. If you are very glad to be a service-doer in the house of God, working diligently and conscientiously in obscurity, always giving and never taking, then I say that you are a loyal saint, because you seek no reward and are simply being an honest person. If you are willing to be candid, if you are willing to expend your all, if you are able to sacrifice your life for God and stand firm in your testimony, if you are honest to the point where you know only to satisfy God and not to consider yourself or take for yourself, then I say that such people are those who are nourished in the light and who shall live forever in the kingdom. You should know whether there is true faith and true loyalty within you, whether you have a record of suffering for God, and whether you have wholly submitted to God. If you lack these, then there remains within you disobedience, deceit, greed, and complaint. As your heart is far from honest, you have never received positive recognition from God and never lived in the light. How one’s fate will work out in the end hinges upon whether they have an honest and blood-red heart, and whether they have a pure soul. If you are someone who is very dishonest, someone with a heart of malice, someone with an unclean soul, then you are sure to end up in the place where man is punished, as is written in the record of your fate. If you claim to be very honest, and yet never manage to act in accordance with the truth or to speak a word of truth, then are you still waiting for God to reward you? Do you still hope for God to regard you as the apple of His eye? Is such thinking not preposterous? You deceive God in all things; how could the house of God accommodate one such as you, whose hands are unclean?

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I take pleasure in those who are not suspicious of others, and I like those who readily accept the truth; toward these two kinds of people I show great care, for in My eyes they are honest people. If you are deceitful, then you will be guarded and suspicious toward all people and matters, and thus your faith in Me will be built upon a foundation of suspicion. I could never acknowledge such faith. Lacking true faith, you are even more devoid of true love. And if you are liable to doubt God and speculate about Him at will, then you are, without question, the most deceitful of all people. You speculate whether God can be like man: unpardonably sinful, of petty character, devoid of fairness and reason, lacking a sense of justice, given to vicious tactics, treacherous and cunning, pleased by evil and darkness, and so on. Is not the reason that people have such thoughts because they lack the slightest knowledge of God? Such faith is nothing short of sin! There are even some who believe that the ones who please Me are precisely those who flatter and bootlick, and that those lacking in such skills will be unwelcome in the house of God and will lose their place there. Is this the only knowledge you have acquired after all these years? Is this what you have gained? And your knowledge of Me does not stop at these misunderstandings; even worse is your blasphemy against God’s Spirit and vilification of Heaven. This is why I say that such faith as yours will only cause you to stray further from Me and be in greater opposition against Me.

Excerpted from “How to Know the God on Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

That God asks for people to be honest proves that He truly loathes those who are deceitful, and that He does not like deceitful people. The fact that God does not like deceitful people means that He dislikes their actions, disposition, and motivations; that is, He does not like the way they do things. Therefore, if we are to please God, we must first change our actions and the way in which we exist. Previously, we relied on lies and pretense to live among people, using these as our capital and as the existential basis, life, and foundation by which we conducted ourselves. This was something that God despised. Among the world’s unbelievers, if you do not know how to be manipulative or deceitful, then it could be difficult for you to stand firm. You could only tell lies, engage in trickery, and use conniving and insidious methods to protect and camouflage yourself in order to obtain a better life. In God’s house, it is precisely the opposite: The more deceitful you are, and the more you employ sophisticated manipulation to put on an act and package yourself, the less able you are to stand firm and the more God despises and rejects you. God has predestined that only honest people can be a part of the kingdom of heaven. If you are not honest, and if, in your life, your practice is not directed toward being honest and you do not reveal your own true face, then you will never have any chance of gaining God’s work or praise.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Only if people seek to be honest can they know how deeply corrupted they are and whether or not they have any human likeness; only when they are practicing honesty can they become aware of how many lies they tell and how deeply hidden their deceit and dishonesty are. Only while having the experience of practicing being honest can people gradually come to know the truth of their own corruption and recognize their own nature essence, and only then can their corrupt dispositions be constantly purified. Only in the course of their corrupt dispositions being constantly purified will people be able to gain the truth. Take your time experiencing these words. God does not perfect those who are deceitful. If your heart is not honest—if you are not an honest person—then you will never be gained by God. Likewise, you will never gain the truth, and will also be incapable of gaining God. If you cannot gain God and you do not understand the truth, then what does this mean? It means that you are hostile to God, you are incompatible with Him, and He is not your God. And if God is not your God, then you cannot attain salvation. If you cannot attain salvation, you will forever be a bitter enemy of God, and your outcome will be set. Thus, if people wish to be saved, then they must start by being honest. There is a sign that marks those who shall ultimately be gained by God. Do you know what it is? It is written in Revelation, in the Bible: “And in their mouth was found no lie; they are without blemish.” Who are “they”? They are those who are perfected and gained by God, and are saved. How does God describe these people? What are the characteristics and the expressions of their actions? (They are without blemish. They speak no lies.) You should all understand and grasp what speaking no lies means: It means being honest. What does it mean to be without blemish? How does God define someone who is without blemish? Those without blemish are able to fear God and shun evil; they are the ones who can abide by God’s way. Such people are perfect in God’s eyes; they are without blemish.

Excerpted from “Six Indicators of Life Growth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What are the expressions of an honest person? The crux of the matter is to practice the truth in all things. If you say you are honest, but you always put God’s words to the back of your mind and do whatever you want, then is this an expression of an honest person? You say, “My caliber is low, but I am honest at heart.” When a duty falls to you, however, you are afraid of suffering or that if you do not fulfill it well, you will have to bear the responsibility, so you make excuses to shirk it and recommend others to do it. Is this an expression of an honest person? It clearly is not. How, then, should an honest person behave? They should accept and obey, and then be utterly devoted in doing their duties to the best of their ability, striving to meet God’s will. This is expressed in several ways. One way is that you should accept your duty with honesty, not think about anything else, and not be half-hearted about it. Do not plot for your own benefit. This is an expression of honesty. Another way is putting all your strength and heart into it. You say, “This is everything I can do; I will put it all into play, and dedicate it completely to God.” Is this not an expression of honesty? You dedicate all you have and all you can do—this is an expression of honesty. If you are unwilling to dedicate all you have, if you keep it hidden and tucked away, are slippery in your actions, evade your duty and get someone else to do it because you are afraid of having to bear the consequences for not doing a good job, then is this being honest? No, it is not. Being an honest person, therefore, is not merely a matter of having a desire. If you do not put it into practice when things befall you, then you are not an honest person. When you encounter issues, you must practice the truth and have practical expressions. This is the only way to be an honest person, and only these are the expressions of an honest heart. Some people feel that to be an honest person, it is enough to just speak the truth and not tell lies. Is the definition of being honest really so narrow? Absolutely not. You must reveal your heart and give it to God; this is the attitude an honest person ought to have. Therefore, honesty is so very precious. What is the implication here? It is that this heart is able to control your behavior and control your states. This heart is so precious. If you have this sort of honesty, then you should live in this sort of state, exhibit this sort of behavior, and have this sort of expenditure.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People must approach both duty and God with an honest heart—this is the fear of God. What attitude should people have in treating God with an honest heart? People should expend themselves for God in their duty without questioning whether this will bring them disaster or blessing, without making conditions, and by submitting to God’s orchestrations; such a person is possessed of an honest heart. Are those who always doubt, who always make conditions, and who engage in ceaseless research possessed of an honest heart? What lies within the heart of such a person? Within their heart there is deceit and evil, and they are always engaging in research. When something happens that affects their personal interests, they ponder: “What was God thinking when He did this thing to me and when He arranged this situation for me? Is this something that has happened to other people? After I am finished going through this, what will the consequences be?” They research these questions; they research what they may gain or lose, whether the matter at hand will bring them disaster or blessing. Once they start researching these questions, are they capable of practicing the truth? Are they capable of obeying God? When they begin a duty, they research it and ask: “Will I suffer if I carry out this duty? Will I need to spend much time away? Will I be able to get regular meals and rest? And what kind of people will I come into contact with?” Although on the surface they accept this duty, in their heart they harbor deceit and are constantly researching such things. In fact, all of these things that they research relate to their personal interests; they do not consider the interests of God’s house, only their own interests. If people only consider their own interests, it is not easy for them to practice the truth and they do not have true obedience to God. What happens in the end to many of these people who engage in this kind of research? Some rebel against God; that is, they do things full of negative emotions, keeping their eyes peeled while they work. What kind of disposition is it that brings these emotions? It is deceit and evil; having gone so far as to be evil, these people are pitting themselves against God! When people are constantly researching, their attention is divided, so can they properly perform their duty in this state? They do not worship God with honesty and with their spirits, they do not have honest hearts, and while they carry out their duty they are always watching and holding back. What comes of this? God does not do work upon them, no matter what they do they cannot find the principles, and whatever they do, it always goes wrong. Why do things always go wrong? Sometimes, it is not that God exposes them, it is that they ruin themselves. They do not give any consideration to the work of the house of God or to the interests of the house of God; they are always plotting on their own behalf and making plans for their prestige and status. They keep on doing this and then they start to deviate. Between making plans for their own interests and future prospects, and being considerate of the work of the house of God and the interests of the house of God, is the result from their actions the same? No, the result is certainly not the same. They are exposed, and this behavior does not constitute performing one’s duty; the essence and nature of this person’s actions have changed.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Principles Can One Perform Their Duty Well” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When practicing to be an honest person, one first must learn to open their heart to God and pray every day, telling God what is in their heart. Suppose today you have spoken falsely; no one has yet discovered it, and you have not yet mustered up the courage to be open with everyone. At the very least, you must at once take to God the mistakes and falsehoods and lies you have scrutinized and found in your conduct today, and confess your sins, and say: “Oh God, I have told a lie again. I did it for the sake of such-and-such. I beg You to discipline me.” If you have such an attitude, God will accept you, and He will remember it. Perhaps it will be very strenuous and laborious for you to resolve the defect or corrupt disposition of lying, but never fear—God is with you, and He will guide you and help you past this recurring difficulty, giving you the courage not to tell lies or the courage to acknowledge that you have told lies; to acknowledge what lies you have told, why you lied, and what your intentions and aims were; to acknowledge that you are not an honest person; to acknowledge that you are a deceitful person; and He will give you the courage to break through this barrier, and break out of Satan’s cage and away from its control. In this way, you will gradually come to live in the light, under God’s guidance and blessing. When you have broken through this barrier of fleshly constraints and are able to submit to the truth, you will have become free and liberated. When you live this way, not only will people like you, but God too, will like you. Though you will at times still be capable of wrong actions, and though you will at times still be capable of telling lies, and though you will at times still have your own intentions, as well as selfish motives, and selfish and contemptible actions and ideas, you can accept God’s scrutiny and reveal your heart, your actual state, and your corrupt disposition before God—and thus will you have a correct path of practice. If your path of practice is correct and your direction forward is correct, your prospects will be beautiful and bright. In this way, you will live with your heart at ease; your spirit will be nourished, and you will feel enriched and joyful. If you are unable to break through this barrier of fleshly constraints and are always bound up in emotions and satanic philosophies, and your speech and actions are always furtive and secret, never in broad daylight, then you are one who lives under the domain of Satan. When you understand the truth and are able to break through the barrier of fleshly constraints, you gradually take on a human likeness. You speak and act frankly and straightforwardly, and show others any view or thoughts you may have or anything you have done wrong, so that everyone may see it clearly—and, ultimately, they will say you are a transparent person. What is a transparent person? It is someone who does not tell lies, who is exceedingly honest in speech, and whose words everyone believes to be true. Even if they tell a lie unconsciously or say something wrong, everyone is able to forgive them, knowing that they do it unconsciously. Once they are aware of it, they will come back to apologize and put it right. This is a transparent person. Everyone likes and can trust this kind of person. If you reach this level and gain God’s and others’ trust, you will have accomplished no simple task—this is the highest dignity a person can have, and only such people have self-respect.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As an honest person, you must first lay your heart bare so that everyone can look into it, see all that you are thinking, and glimpse your true face; you must not try to disguise or package yourself to look good. Only then will people trust you and consider you honest. This is the most fundamental practice, and the prerequisite, of being an honest person. You are always pretending, always feigning holiness, virtuousness, greatness, and feigning high moral qualities. You do not let people see your corruption and your failings. You present a false image to people so that they believe you are upstanding, great, self-sacrificing, impartial, and selfless. This is deceitfulness. Do not put on a disguise, and do not package yourself; instead, lay yourself and your heart bare for others to see. If you can lay your heart bare for others to see, and lay bare all your thoughts and plans—both positive and negative—then are you not being honest? If you can lay yourself bare for others to see, then God, too, will see you and say, “You have laid yourself bare for others to see, and so you are surely honest before Me, too.” If you only lay yourself bare to God when out of view of other people, and always pretend to be great and virtuous or just and selfless when in their company, then what will God think and say? He will say, “You are genuinely deceitful; you are purely hypocritical and petty; and you are not an honest person.” God will condemn you thusly. If you wish to be an honest person, then regardless of what you do before God or others, you should be able to open yourself up and lay yourself bare. Is this easy to achieve? It requires time; it requires an internal struggle, and we must practice constantly. Little by little, our hearts will open up and we will be able to lay ourselves bare.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Today, most people are too afraid to bring their actions before God; while you may deceive His flesh, you cannot deceive His Spirit. Any matter that cannot withstand God’s scrutiny is at odds with the truth, and should be cast aside; to do otherwise is to commit a sin against God. So, you must lay your heart before God at all times, when you pray, when you speak and fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and when you perform your duty and go about your business. When you fulfill your function, God is with you, and so long as your intent is correct and is for the work of God’s house, He will accept all that you do; you should sincerely devote yourself to fulfilling your function. When you pray, if you have love for God in your heart and seek God’s care, protection and scrutiny, if these things are your intent, your prayers will be effective. For example, when you pray at meetings, if you open your heart and pray to God and tell Him what is in your heart without speaking falsehoods, then your prayers will surely be effective.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, all who cannot accept God’s scrutiny cannot receive His approval, and those who do not know God incarnate cannot be perfected. Look at all that you do, and see if it can be brought before God. If you cannot bring all that you do before God, this shows that you are an evildoer. Can evildoers be perfected? All that you do, every action, every intention, and every reaction should be brought before God. Even your daily spiritual life—your prayers, your closeness to God, how you eat and drink of God’s words, your fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and your life within the church—and your service in partnership can be brought before God for His scrutiny. It is such practice that will help you achieve growth in life. The process of accepting God’s scrutiny is the process of purification. The more you can accept God’s scrutiny, the more you are purified and the more you are in accord with God’s will, so that you will not be drawn into debauchery, and your heart will live in His presence. The more you accept His scrutiny, the greater are Satan’s humiliation and your ability to forsake the flesh. So, the acceptance of God’s scrutiny is a path of practice people should follow. No matter what you do, even when communing with your brothers and sisters, you can bring your acts before God and seek His scrutiny and aim to obey God Himself; this will make what you practice much more correct. Only if you bring all you do before God and accept God’s scrutiny can you be someone who lives in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Being an honest person is a multifaceted thing, which means it involves one’s conduct in many different things. It is not as simple as whether you say “yes” or “no” when someone asks you a question. In short, no matter what matter you face, whether it is something with which God has directly commissioned you or the duty you should perform, or whether it is something someone has told you, and no matter whether it involves how you conduct yourself or how you handle matters, you must always approach it with an honest heart. How should one practice approaching things with an honest heart? Say what you think and speak honestly; do not speak official jargon, do not say pleasant-sounding, flattering, or hypocritical false things, but speak the words that are in your heart and express the true thoughts and views that are in your heart—this is what honest people are supposed to do. If you never say or divulge what you think in your heart, and the words on your lips are never the same as what you think in your heart, this is not how an honest person behaves. Say, for example, you did not perform a duty well. Someone asks you what happened, and you say, “I wanted to do the duty well, but I didn’t, for this or that reason.” In actual fact, you know in your heart that you have been inattentive, but you do not speak openly and honestly, and you pass the buck, or else you look for all kinds of reasons that hide the actual truth. Is this being an honest person? Saying this allows you to get by, but you have not brought out things within yourself into the light to be resolved, which will make you ill at heart. If this takes root in your heart, it is a troubling matter. You must speak openly and honestly: “I have been a little negligent while performing this duty and have not taken it seriously. I work hard for a bit and then I slack off for a bit. When I’m in a good mood, I can pay a bit of a price, but when I’m not in a great mood, I slacken in my efforts, I become unwilling to pay the price, I become idle and I covet physical comforts, so my performance of my duty doesn’t achieve anything. In these past few days I’ve been turning myself around, and I’m striving to get better and better at my duties going forward, to improve my efficiency and work faster.” Can one hear which of these two responses is honest? What do you say? It is clear that the first response is a preemptive attack from someone who, because they are afraid of being dealt with, afraid of others discovering there is a problem, and afraid of investigating and being found responsible, preemptively finds excuses to cover up the truth and to stifle accusations, passing the buck so as not to be dealt with. This is the source of their lie. The second was someone telling the truth, and, though it stands to reason that they should be dealt with and should take responsibility, it is the truth. This is what people’s normal state is like—even if you say nothing, people will still know. You did not choose not to speak, and you did not choose to justify or defend yourself, but instead spoke directly. This proves that you have an honest attitude and are pursuing change, rather than rigidly and stubbornly clinging to your own excuses to cover the actual truth or to deceive others. Which path is right? Which is the way that honest people practice? Being open and laying oneself bare, speaking honestly, giving an account of your actual state and the actual problem—this is how honest people practice, and it is right to practice thus.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When you interact with others, you must first have them perceive your true heart and sincerity. If, in speaking and making contact and working together with others, someone’s words are perfunctory, grandiloquent, pleasantries, flattery, irresponsible, and imaginary, or if they simply speak to seek the other’s favor, then their words lack all credibility, and they are not sincere in the least. This is their mode of interaction with others, no matter who those others are. Does such a person have an honest heart? This is not an honest person. Say someone has some shortcoming, and they say to you sincerely and truthfully: “Tell me why, exactly, I’m so negative. I just can’t figure it out!” And say you do, in fact, understand their problem in your heart, but you do not tell them, instead saying: “It’s nothing. I often get negative, too.” These words are a great consolation to their hearer, but is your attitude sincere? No, it is not. You are being perfunctory with the other person; so as to make them feel more comfortable and consoled, you have refrained from speaking honestly with them. You are not helping them in earnest so that they can leave their negativity behind. All for the sake of trying to console them and make sure there is no estrangement or conflict between you, you have done the bare minimum with them—and this is not what it is to be an honest person. So, as an honest person, what should you do when encountering this kind of situation? Tell them what you have seen and identified: “I will tell you what I have seen and what I have experienced. You decide whether what I say is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, you don’t have to accept it. If it’s right, I hope you will. If I say something that is hard for you to hear and hurts you, I hope you can accept from God. My intention and purpose is to help you. I see the issue clearly: Your personal pride has been wounded. No one feeds your ego, and you think everyone else looks down on you, that you are being attacked, and that you have never been so wronged. You can’t bear it and become negative. What do you think—is this what’s really going on?” And, hearing this, they feel it is indeed the case. This is what is actually in your heart, but if you are not an honest person, you will not say it. You will say, “I often get negative, too,” and when the other person hears that everyone gets negative, they think this is normal, and, in the end, they do not leave their negativity behind. If you are an honest person and you help them with an honest attitude and an honest heart, you can help them understand the truth and leave their negativity behind.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What are the principles by which people should interact with Christ? What are the principles that people should uphold regarding the use of flattery, attempting to curry favor and choosing their words to have a pleasing effect? Be sincere and do not concern yourself with flattery or currying favor. There is no need for fawning—simply be sincere. How should this be put into practice specifically? To be sincere, you must first put aside your personal desires. Instead of focusing on how God treats you, say what is in your heart, and do not ponder or consider what the consequences of your words will be; say whatever you are thinking, put aside your motivations, and do not say things just to achieve some objective. When you have too many personal intentions, you are always calculated in the way you speak. “I should say this, not that, I must be careful about what I say, I have to achieve my objective”—are there personal motivations involved here? In your mind, you are already talking in circles before the words have even left your mouth, you have processed what you were going to say many times, and filtered it many times in your head. Upon coming out of your mouth, these words carry the deceitful schemes of Satan. That is, the words from your mouth harbor motives and personal objectives; such words are not genuine and they do not come from the heart. This is not being sincere. What is this called? It is called harboring evil intentions. Apart from this, you may constantly observe the expressions of the face and eyes while speaking, only continuing to speak if His expression is favorable. When you detect an unfavorable expression, you hold back your words. As soon as you see He does not like what He is hearing, you stop speaking. As soon as He seems disinterested and unwilling to acknowledge you, you inwardly think, “What can I say that will interest You and make You want to pay attention to me? How can I make You think I am good? How can I make You like me? How can I change Your impression of me? What can I say that will make You happy, so that You do not deal with me? What can I say to keep You from finding out the actual situation? How can I skirt around a topic that You find unpleasant to hear about? Whatever must be said to achieve this, I will say.” Is this what is called being sincere? (No, it is not.) Some people think, “If You are unaware of this thing then I will not report it. Instead, I will wait for someone else to report it and only then will I follow everyone else in speaking about it. By doing this I make You aware that my report is true, whereas if I am the first to report it then I might be dealt with. The bird that pokes its head out gets shot, and I do not want to be that bird. I certainly will not be the one to come forward first.” Is that being sincere? Suppose you learn some true information about someone and if you are the only one who knows and everybody else is unaware, and they still think that person is a good person, and if Christ is also unaware of this information, under these circumstances would you tell Christ about it in full truthfulness? If you wrap it up, tuck it away, and never say anything about it, never reveal it, and if you only stand up and speak out when that person is shown for what they really are and relieved of their position or purged from God’s house, is that being sincere? No matter who might be exposed as having a problem or what other problem might be reported, you are always the last to speak up. Is this being sincere? Suppose that you personally dislike someone, or that someone has a grudge against you. That person might not necessarily be an evil person or have committed any evil acts, but you hate them and want to cause their downfall, to make them appear foolish, and so you think of ways and look for chances to say something bad about them. Even though you might just be talking without making definitive statements about this person, your motives become obvious in every part of your description of the matter. You are attempting to use the hand of the Above to deal with them. On the surface it might seem that you are just talking about true facts, but they are tainted by your personal motives; this is not being sincere.

Excerpted from “They Despise the Truth, Publicly Flout Principles, and Ignore the Arrangements of God’s House (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Being able to be upright and straightforward is being an honest person. It means someone having their heart and spirit completely opened to God, with nothing to hide and nothing to hide from. The hearts of these kinds of people are given to God and fully shown to God. That is, all they are is given to God. If God says they are bad, they admit that. If God says they are arrogant and self-righteous, they admit that and accept it completely. Can they just admit it, and then have that be it? They still have to repent, strive to attain the truth principle, rectify the errors that they learn of, and pursue the root of their mistakes. Then before they know it, they have corrected all sorts of their erroneous behavior, and the ways they deceive, cheat, skate through, and are slipshod in things diminish more and more. The longer they live this way, the more aboveboard and straightforward they become and the closer they draw to the goal of being an honest person. This is living in the light. All this glory goes to God! It is God who makes people live in the light—people have nothing to boast about. When people live in the light, they understand all truths, they have a God-fearing heart, they know to seek the truth in every issue they encounter, and they live with a human likeness. Although they cannot completely be called a good person, in God’s eyes they have some human likeness and are no longer quarrelsome or adversarial, and they are no longer in danger of rebelling against God or rejecting Him. Though they may not have a very deep understanding of the truth, they are able to obey, and when they are given a task or a duty, they are able to use all their heart and mind, and do it to their utmost ability. They are trustworthy and God has no worries about them—people like this live in the light. Are those who live in the light able to accept God’s scrutiny? Might they still hide their hearts from God? Do they still employ any little tricks? Do they have any secrets? (No.) Their hearts are opened wide to God. That is, nothing is concealed whatsoever, there is nothing they are ashamed to say, and nothing for which they must hang their heads in shame. They give it all to God—and God knows all. When people are able to achieve this, they live lightly and easily, and they live freely.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

123. The Principles of Acting Wisely in One’s Faith in God

(1) It is necessary to know the essential difference between wisdom and deceit. The goal of being wise is to do one’s duty well and to follow God’s will. It is a positive thing;

(2) Wise methods must be employed against those who belong to the devil Satan, lest evil people gain leverage, exploit their advantage, and disrupt and disturb the work of God’s house;

(3) The pursuit of honesty is the principle of being human, and is pleasing to God, yet one must stress wisdom when dealing with Satan’s ilk, for Satan is exceedingly wicked;

(4) When spreading the gospel, one must search for those who can accept the truth, and never spread it to Satan’s ilk, who hate the truth. This is entirely in keeping with the truth principle.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the middle of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will whip you in their synagogues; And you shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. … But when they persecute you in this city, flee you into another” (Mat 10:16–23).

Relevant Words of God:

One must use wisdom in every aspect and use wisdom to walk My perfect way. Those who act within My word are the wisest of all, and those who act in accordance with My word are the most obedient. What I say goes, and you need not debate with Me or try to reason with Me. Everything I say, I say with you in mind (no matter if I am strict or gentle). If you focus on being obedient that will be fine, and this is the way of true wisdom (and of preventing the judgment of God befalling you).

Excerpted from “Chapter 49” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must possess My courage within you, and you must have principles when it comes to facing relatives who do not believe. For My sake, however, you also must not yield to any dark forces. Rely on My wisdom to walk the perfect way; do not allow any of Satan’s conspiracies to take hold. Put all your efforts into placing your heart before Me, and I shall comfort you and bring you peace and happiness. Do not strive to be a certain way in front of other people; does making Me satisfied not carry more value and weight? In satisfying Me, will you not be even further filled with eternal and lifelong peace and happiness?

Excerpted from “Chapter 10” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you discover that someone is an antichrist, I tell you, if you think they have great power and that if you expose them, you may be purged, isolated, or have your books of God’s words confiscated, then do not go head-to-head with them. You should think of ways promptly to expose and report them and to renounce them, while keeping your books and not severing your contact with the church. Do not confront them directly. It would be useless for you to reason with them, it would be useless for you to try to reform them through love, and it would be useless for you to fellowship the truth to them. You cannot change them. It being so that you cannot change them, your best course is to avoid any personal conversations or attempts to reason with them in expectation that they will repent. Rather, expose and report them in a way they do not know of it. Let your superiors handle them, or rouse more people to expose, report, and renounce them, and thereby having the church cut them off. Is this not a good way to go about it? If you recognize an antichrist, and they try to draw out your inner thoughts and see whether you have identified them, what will you do? You must see through the trickery of the devil Satan; you must not fall into their trap or into the pit they have dug for you. Faced with the devil Satan, you must be wise. You must not speak truthfully to them. The ones to whom you can speak truthfully are God and your true brothers and sisters, so you can never tell the truth to Satan, devils, or antichrists. God alone is worthy of knowing what you think in your heart; God alone is worthy of sovereignty and scrutiny of your heart. No one, least of all the devil Satan, is qualified to control your thoughts or scrutinize your heart. Therefore, should the devil Satan try to draw out your truthful words, you have the right to say “no,” to refuse to answer, not to tell them what you are thinking. This is your right. If you say, “You, devil—try to draw words from me, and I won’t tell you the truth; I won’t tell you. I’ll report you, and what of it? If you dare to fix me, I’ll report you. If you fix me, God will curse and punish you,” will that do? (No.) The Bible says, “Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Mat 10:16). At these times, you must be shrewd as snakes, and you must be wise. We must let God alone scrutinize our hearts, and we must let Him alone occupy them. We must give our hearts to God alone; He alone is worthy of possessing our hearts—Satan the devil is not! Therefore, antichrists are unqualified to know how or what we think. They try to draw words out of you, to probe you. Their purpose is to control you. You must see this clearly. So, do not speak truthfully to an antichrist. You have to find a way to come together with more of your brothers and sisters to expose them, forsake them, and pull them down from their position. Never let them prevail. Cut them off from the church and permit them no further chance to cause disturbance or wield power in the house of God.

Excerpted from “They Treat the House of God Like Their Personal Domain” in Exposing Antichrists

At that time when Jesus worked in Judea, He did so openly, but now, I work and speak among you in secret. The unbelievers are completely unaware of it. My work among you is closed to those on the outside. These words, these chastisements and judgments, are known only to you and no others. All of this work is carried out in your midst and unveiled only to you; none among the unbelievers knows of this, for the time has not yet come. These people here are near to being made complete after enduring chastisements, but those on the outside know nothing of this. This work is much too hidden! To them, God become flesh is hidden, but to those in this stream, one can say that He is open. Although in God all is open, all is revealed, and all is set free, this is only true for those who believe in Him; as far as the rest, the unbelievers, are concerned, nothing is made known. The work that is currently being done among you and in China is strictly closed off, in order to keep them from knowing. Should they become aware of this work, then all they would do is condemn it and subject it to persecution. They would not believe in it. To work in the nation of the great red dragon, this most backward of places, is no easy task. If this work were to be put out into the open, it would be impossible to continue. This stage of work simply cannot be carried out in this place. If this work were to be carried out in the open, how could they allow it to go forward? Would this not put the work under even greater risk? If this work were not concealed, but rather carried out as in the time of Jesus, when He spectacularly healed the sick and cast out demons, then would it not have long ago been “seized upon” by the devils? Would they be able to tolerate the existence of God? If I were to now enter into the synagogues to preach and lecture man, then would I not have long ago been dashed to pieces? And if this had happened, how could My work have continued to be carried out? The reason that no signs and wonders are openly manifested at all is for the sake of concealment. So, to unbelievers, My work cannot be seen, known, or discovered. If this stage of work were to be done in the same manner as that of Jesus in the Age of Grace, it could not be so steady as it now is. So, to work secretly in this way is of benefit to you and to the work as a whole.

Excerpted from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Deceitful people practicing deceit is an exposure of their nature. Honest people utilizing wisdom is what God demands and is also a necessity in work; still more, being equipped with wisdom is necessary in fulfilling one’s duty. If an honest person is foolishly ignorant, they are not suitable for being used by God, because without wisdom they cannot achieve good results in their work. What is wisdom? It is being able to employ all sorts of ways and means to do God’s will and put the truth into practice. In any matter involving doing God’s will and completing what God has entrusted to us, no matter what methods we adopt, as long as we achieve good results, it shows that we have wisdom. People who employ styles and methods to get things done have wisdom. As wisdom is a positive thing and it is what is employed to achieve goals that are proper, making use of it is something that God commends. Deceit, however, is a negative thing, and is a tactic that people of Satan employ to achieve their reactionary aims and individual ambitions. Although sometimes wisdom and deceit might seem to employ similar methods on the outside, as the significance of each and the aims that each achieves are different, they are thus different by nature. Deceitful people adopt all sorts of different tactics to achieve personal, despicable aims—this cannot be referred to as wise, but only crafty or scheming. God’s people use wisdom to defeat the enemy, to uphold God’s work, and to be able to satisfy God’s will. This is altogether positive, and this is true wisdom. Employing wisdom is right and proper. If someone says that this is crafty, that is denigrating what is positive and upending right and wrong; it is also a fallacy of foolish, ignorant people who lack discernment. In looking at an issue you must look at its essence, you must feel out its source, and only then reach a fitting conclusion. You cannot just judge by external appearances and spout some nonsense.

Excerpted from The Fellowship From the Above

Deal with people with wisdom. Some people say: “Does getting along with brothers and sisters require wisdom?” Yes, it does, because using wisdom provides even greater benefits for your brothers and sisters. Some will ask: “Isn’t being wise with brothers and sisters being cunning?” Wisdom is not deceit. Rather, wisdom and deceit are complete opposites. Using wisdom means paying attention to some ways of speaking and doing things to brothers and sisters when they are small of stature, so as to keep them from not being able to accept what you say and do. For people with small stature, especially those who do not understand the truth and have many corrupt dispositions, if your approach to them is too simple and open, and you tell them everything, this can sometimes make it easy for them to gain information that can be used against you or for them to use you. This is not good. You therefore must more or less take certain precautions and use certain methods. However, being cautious with people does not mean not helping them or not having any love for them. It just means not speaking to them about some things that touch upon the important work of God’s family, and only fellowshiping about the truth to them. If they need spiritual assistance in life and the truth to be supplied to them, we have to do everything in our ability to satisfy them in this regard. However, if they are inquiring about this and that to do with God’s house, or asking about the situations of leaders and workers, there is no need to tell them. If you tell them, they are likely to leak this information and this will do harm to the work of God’s household. In other words, if it is something they should not know or something they have no need to know, then do not let them know about it. If it is something they ought to know, then do all you can to let them know about it, practically and without reservation. So what are things they ought to know? They should know, when believing in God, how to pursue the truth; which truths they should understand and be in possession of; what duties they should fulfill and which duties are appropriate for different people; how to fulfill their duties; how to live out normal humanity; and how to lead a church life. These are all things people should know. In addition, the rules and principles of God’s house, the work of the church, and the situations of your brothers and sisters must not be disclosed to any unbelievers, nor to any members of your family who do not have faith; this is also something that people should know. These are principles that must be abided by when we use wisdom. The names and addresses of your leaders, for example, are things that should not be discussed. If you talk about these things, you never know when that information might fall into the ears of unbelievers, and things could get very troublesome if it then gets passed on to some secret service villain. You must be wise about these things. This is the reason I say that it is very important to be wise. Moreover, when you open up and fellowship your experiences, you must not reveal certain private information to anyone. You have to consider the statures of your brothers and sisters; after you tell them something, if they are not devout, then they might joke about what you have said and gossip about it, and that would be troublesome and do damage to your reputation. Thus, communicating simply and openly requires wisdom, too.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

The purpose of spreading the gospel is to bring all those who believe there is a God, and who are willing to accept the true way before Him, to eat and drink of His words, experience His work, attain salvation, and enter His kingdom. This is the purpose and meaning of preaching the gospel. The principles and methods of evangelism are of course determined based on the goals and meaning of preaching the gospel. If people’s practicing principles and methods cannot achieve the purpose and effect of evangelism, then this proves that such principles and methods are wrong and that there is a deviation. In order to achieve good results, when preaching the gospel, people must pay particular attention to using wisdom and certain techniques. It is because in this current world of evil and darkness, even in countries with religious freedom, all religious communities are being controlled by antichrists and demons and are condemning and resisting God’s work. Furthermore, all manner of satanic regimes are doing their utmost to resist God and destroy His work, and attempting to crack down on it. Therefore, carrying out God’s will and spreading His kingdom gospel all over the world requires adopting smart techniques; only in this way can the goal of bringing people salvation be achieved. This is the practicing principle of evangelism. Due to the persecution, suppression and pursuit by Satan’s forces, it is not easy to preach the gospels given that God’s chosen ones have to achieve gaining people while also protecting themselves. If wise methods are not used, one is liable to fail; it then is very likely that not only will they fail to win anyone over, but on the contrary, they could be sold out by the evil forces that are resisting God or captured by the great red dragon. There are so many lessons like this to be learned. Therefore, when spreading the gospel, God’s chosen must pay special attention to employing techniques that are based in wisdom. Some people do not have principles or wisdom when spreading the gospel, and instead use more direct methods, going by the book—such practice is bound to fail to achieve results. Regardless of the environment, people may go ahead and spread the gospel as long as they can guarantee that they will win others over and that they themselves will not be captured by Satan.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

When being interrogated by the great red dragon, death is preferable to giving anything away. This is the height of wisdom. Practicing the truth and being honest are things to be done before God and before one’s brothers and sisters; people are under no obligation to tell the truth to Satan and demons. The only way to treat Satan is to hate it, curse it, and say no to it. This is the immutable stance of Christians. During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus said, “Be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Mat 10:16). These words tell people to be wise when dealing with Satan, and not to tell it the truth. The most foolish act of all is to tell the truth to Satan and to give it information; that is to give yourself over to its snare and to invite your own destruction. This is annihilation by ignorance, pure and simple. So when it comes to Satan, you must be smart; if you are not, you are liable to be plunged into temptations. Not acknowledging that you believe in God when interrogated by the great red dragon is mere human weakness; God would not condemn you. He would not condemn you as one who lies to Him and denies Him, much less could the church condemn you; it will still welcome you, and treat you with love. But if you tell the great red dragon things about the church—particularly, if you sell out your brothers and sisters, church leaders and workers, or the households where offerings are kept—then you are a Judas who has turned his back on God. God will condemn you, and the church will expel you forever. You must be clear about the consequences.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

124. The Principles of Interacting With Others

(1) One must be principled in their interactions with others. One should interact with people who love the truth, walk the right path, and engage in decent work, and never keep company with wolves and jackals;

(2) People must be honest, capable of mutual respect, understanding, tolerance, and patience, and able to sincerely help each other. This is what it means to love one another;

(3) Learn to treat others fairly, neither overestimating nor undervaluing them. Address their shortcomings and transgressions with loving assistance;

(4) One should learn to identify each sort of person. Come in contact more with those who love the truth, and shun deceitful and evil people who do not love the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

A normal relationship between people is established on the foundation of giving their hearts to God, and not through human effort. Without God in their hearts, interpersonal relationships between people are merely relationships of the flesh. They are not normal, but rather, are an abandonment to lust. They are relationships that God detests, that He loathes. If you say that your spirit has been moved, but you always want to have fellowship with people who you like, with whomever you think highly of, and if another person is seeking but you do not like them, even hold a bias against them and will not engage with them, this is more proof that you are subject to your emotions and you do not have a normal relationship with God at all. You are attempting to deceive God and cover up your own ugliness. Even if you can share some understanding yet you carry wrong intentions, then everything you do is good only by human standards. God will not praise you—you are acting according to the flesh, not according to God’s burden. If you are able to quiet your heart in front of God and have normal interactions with all those who love God, only then are you fit for God’s use. This way, no matter how you associate with others, it will not be according to a philosophy for living, but it will be before God, living in a way that is considerate of His burden. How many people like this are there amongst you? Are your relationships with others really normal? On what foundation are they built? How many philosophies for living are there within you? Have they been cast off? If your heart cannot completely turn to God, then you are not of God—you come from Satan, and you will be returned to Satan in the end. You are not worthy of being one of God’s people.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to have a normal relationship with God, then your heart must turn to God. With this as a foundation, you will also have a normal relationship with other people. If you do not have a normal relationship with God, then no matter what you do to maintain your relationships with other people, no matter how hard you work or how much energy you exert, it will all just pertain to a human philosophy for living. You are maintaining your position among people through a human perspective and a human philosophy so that people will praise you, but you are not following the word of God to establish normal relationships with people. If you do not focus on your relationships with people but maintain a normal relationship with God, if you are willing to give your heart to God and learn to obey Him, then naturally your relationships with all people will become normal. This way, these relationships are not established in the flesh, but on the foundation of God’s love. There are almost no fleshly interactions, but in the spirit there is fellowship, mutual love, mutual comfort, and provision for one another. This is all done on the foundation of a heart that satisfies God. These relationships are not maintained by relying on a human philosophy for living, but are formed very naturally through carrying a burden for God. It does not require man-made effort. You need only practice according to God’s word principle. Are you willing to be considerate of the will of God? Are you willing to be a person who is “without reason” before God? Are you willing to completely give your heart to God and to disregard your position among people? Of all the people you have contact with, with whom do you have the best relationships? With whom do you have the worst relationships? Are your relationships with people normal? Do you treat all people equally? Are your relationships with others maintained according to your philosophy for living, or are they built on the foundation of God’s love? When a person does not give their heart to God, then their spirit becomes obtuse, numb and unconscious. This kind of person will never understand God’s words and will never have a normal relationship with God; this kind of person’s disposition will never be changed.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If a relationship between people is established within the scope of normal humanity, and does not involve personal interest, hatred, transactions, or fleshly needs, then basically, relationship established through this kind of interpersonal interaction can be considered to be a normal one. When people are able to get along and interact with each other normally and according to the principles, can do things in line with the principles, and can help, support, and supply one another according to the principles, these are all things that fall in the range of normal relationships between people. That is to say, when things are done fairly and according to the rules, not as transactions and not in a way that involves personal interests, hatred, or the demands of fleshly desires, then they are within the scope of proper relationships. This is a broad scope, is it not? The main precondition for proper interpersonal relationships is that they fall within the scope of normal humanity. One aspect of this is to converse and communicate within the rationality and conscience of normal humanity, while the other is to interact, associate, and act in accordance with the rationality and principles of normal humanity. At a higher level, this means to interact and associate according to the truth principles. This is a general definition of proper interpersonal relationships between people.

… When you meet someone, being able to greet them and talk with them normally without affecting a certain tone, mincing your words, putting on airs, trying to tear the other person down, or talk big about yourself, and being able to speak and communicate in a proper, gentle manner—this is the most proper and basic way of handling interpersonal relationships that people can see. Where work or handling affairs is concerned, the most fundamental thing is being in line with the standards of conscience, associating, interacting, and doing things in accordance with the sense of normal humanity. Of course, the best and deepest version of this is associating, interacting, and doing things in line with the truth principles as God requires. What are these truth principles? They involve being able to understand people’s negativity and weakness when they are negative and weak, being able to care about their difficulties and misery, and then being able to ask, help, and support them so that they are no longer weak, bringing them before God, and using God’s words to help them. This form of practice is in line with the principles, is it not? It is, and of course, this is also the sort of relationship that is in line with the principles. As for people who deliberately cause disruptions and disturbances, or those who deliberately muddle through in the performance of their duties, you also need to be able to act according to the principles when you encounter these people. You need to be able to point these things out, criticize these people’s actions, and help them instead of indulging them and covering up for them, nor should you ignore what they do, say pleasant things to them, compliment them, praise them, or utter falsities. Doing those things would not be acting in line with the principles. Are relationships in which people do not act in line with the principles proper or improper? (Improper.) Such a way of handling things, dealing with problems, and interacting with people is obviously not in line with the principles, and clearly not in line with God’s requirements, either.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (14)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In God’s house, what people live out and reveal should, in all situations, have the truth as its principle and foundation. If you live in such an environment, there is equality among people, and everyone’s relationship with God is the relationship between a created being and the Creator; as such, interactions between people become much simpler and easier. Only then can people genuinely be liberated and free in how they live, and be genuinely happy. Have you achieved this yet or not? (No.) Well, what do you live by, then? (Satan’s philosophies and a corrupt disposition.) You have not yet broken free of those philosophies for living or extricated yourselves from the life environment of struggle for fame and fortune, and of jealousy and strife; what rules and controls you is entirely a corrupt satanic disposition. Therefore, your way of living is very tiring, and you often feel thus: “Why is it that life in God’s house is so similar to life in the world? Life’s exhausting here, too, and I always have to be careful in everything I do, and I always observe people’s facial expressions before I act.” How did this situation come about? It happened because your principles of behavior, perspective on things, and methods of handling things are all wrong; you do not act in accordance with the truth principles. All matters have beginnings and foundations—so, what is the first, most fundamental thing you should resolve? First, you should dissect and come to know your thoughts, your ideas, your knowledge, and your viewpoints. What then? (Seek what sort of perspective with which you should regard the things around you, how you should deal with them, and what principles you should employ in your actions.) This involves practice. In real life, there must be a most fundamental principle of human interaction: Everyone must stand in the proper station of a created being, keeping to their own duty; no one is better or worse than another. People must all act according to the truth principles, breaking free of philosophies for living, of Satan’s principles and methods of doing things, and treat others in accordance with the truth principles, demanding that others treat them according to those same truth principles. Right now, this is the sort of atmosphere that should be formed among you; throughout the entire church, among all the brothers and sisters, a sort of atmosphere should be produced—the sort that God’s family should have and which should exist among the brothers and sisters, so that neither you nor anyone else will be restricted. You do not restrict others, and they do not restrict you—this is another principle of practice, and it is the most fundamental principle of maintaining normal interpersonal relationships.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you have yet to find the feeling and the principles of being a saint, this proves that your life entry is too shallow, and that you have not yet understood the truth. In your conduct and the environment in which you live each day, this requires you to savor and to ponder, to fellowship with each other, to encourage each other, to keep each other alert, to help and care for each other, and to support and provide for each other. Do not always focus on others’ faults, but reflect on yourself frequently, and be proactive afterward in admitting to another what you have done that constitutes interference or harm to them. Learn to open yourself up and fellowship, and often discuss together how to fellowship practically on the basis of God’s words. When the environment of your lives is frequently thus, relationships among the brothers and sisters become normal—not complicated, indifferent, cold, or cruel like relationships between unbelievers. You will slowly divest yourselves of such relationships. Brothers and sisters become closer and more intimate with each other; you are able to support one another, and to love each other; there is goodwill in your hearts, or you have a mentality with which you are capable of tolerance and compassion toward each other, and you support and care for each other, rather than a state and attitude in which you fight with each other, trample over one another, are jealous of each other, engage in secret competition, harbor hidden scorn or contempt for each other, or in which none obeys another. Living in such states or circumstances creates terrible relationships between people. It not only creates all sorts of negative influences on you and causes you harm, but also negatively influences and harms others to varying degrees. It is very difficult, in general, for people to overcome this—you get angry when people look at you the wrong way, or when they say something that is out of line with your will, and when someone does something that stops you from getting a look-in, you resent them, and feel uncomfortable and unhappy, and can think only of how to restore your reputation. Women and young people are particularly incapable of overcoming this. They are always ensnared in these petty dispositions, these tantrums, these petty emotions, and it is difficult for them to come before God. Entangled in these complex, weblike relationships, entwined in them, it is difficult for people to quiet themselves before God, and quiet themselves in God’s words. Therefore, you must first learn how to get along well with your brothers and sisters. You must be tolerant of each other, lenient with each other, be able to see what is exceptional about one another, what each other’s strengths are—and you must learn to accept others’ opinions, and to retreat deep into yourself to engage in self-reflection and gain self-knowledge. You must not indulge yourself, or give free rein to your ambitions, desires, or your merest strengths, forcing others to listen to you, to do as you say, to think highly of you, and to raise you on high, yet be oblivious to the strengths of others while exaggerating and magnifying their shortcomings without restraint, at all turns publicizing, belittling and despising their shortcomings, or using words and others means to hurt and aggravate others, such that you will have made them obey you, heed you, fear you, and hide from you. Would you want to see such a relationship between people come about or exist? Would you want to feel what it is like?

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If brothers and sisters are to be capable of confiding in each other, helping each other out, and providing for one another, then each person must speak of his or her own true experiences. If you do not talk of your own true experiences, and only speak catchphrases and words that are doctrinal and superficial, then you are not an honest person, and you are incapable of being an honest person. For example, while living together for several years, a husband and wife try to get used to each other, occasionally locking horns. However, if you are both of normal humanity, you will always speak to him from the heart, and he to you. Whatever difficulties you encounter in life, whatever problems occur in your work, whatever you are thinking deep down, however you plan to sort things out, whatever ideas and plans you might have for your children—you will tell your partner everything. As such, will the two of you not feel especially close and intimate with each other? If he never tells you his innermost thoughts, and does nothing but bring home a paycheck, and if you never speak to him of your own thoughts and never confide in him, then is there not an emotional distance between the two of you? There surely is, for you do not understand each other’s thoughts or intentions. Ultimately, you cannot tell what kind of person your partner is, nor can he tell what kind of person you are; you do not understand his needs, nor does he understand yours. If people have no verbal or spiritual communication, then there is no possibility of intimacy between them, and they cannot provide for each other or help one another. You have experienced this before, have you not? If your friend confides everything to you, giving voice to all that he is thinking and whatever suffering or happiness he harbors, then do you not feel particularly intimate with him? The reason he is willing to tell you these things is that you have confided your innermost thoughts to him as well; you are especially close, and it is because of this that you are able to get along and help each other out. Without this kind of communication and exchange between brothers and sisters in the church, harmony could never exist. This is one of the requisites of being honest.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You must draw close to people who speak the truth, who rebuke and expose you when you deserve it, regardless of your status, yet, no matter how they expose and rebuke you, can help you and keep an eye on you. You must draw close to such people; they are upstanding people who pursue the truth. Do not seek the company of deceitful people who are slippery; stay away from such people. This is the right way. Upstanding people who pursue the truth do not care about your status and contributions; even if you threaten to replace them, they are willing to take that risk, still speaking frankly and acting according to principle, treating you according to the principles by which the house of God treats people. When your actions violate principle, these people expose you, give you advice, and point out your problems openly and unreservedly. They are not afraid of hurting your pride, and will even embarrass you in front of a crowd and back you into a corner. How should you treat such people? Should you crack down on them, or should you keep them close? (Keep them close.) That is right, but do not go out of your way to do so—that is a bit false. When you are in a bad mood, it is fine to stay away from them for a while; wait until you understand to go and fellowship with them: “Your suggestion was right; I had vanity and concern for status in my heart. I thought that since I’ve been a leader all these years, you should have spared my pride in front of all those people, but now I see my actions really were at odds with principle and without the truth, and I shouldn’t have done them. What is the point of having such status? Is it not duty? We’re all equal. I just have a little more responsibility than you do, that’s all. In the future, say what you must. There’s no ill will between us. In the house of God, before God, and before the truth, we are united, and there is nothing between us.” This is the attitude of practicing and loving the truth. What should you do if you wish to shun the path of the antichrists? You should actively draw close to upstanding people who love the truth. Draw close to people who can give you advice, who will criticize you to your face, who do not apple-polish, who point out when you do something wrong, and when you exalt and testify about yourself and try to deceive others. This is the correct path.

Excerpted from “They Exalt and Testify About Themselves” in Exposing Antichrists

Regardless of the group you are in, if you are able to overcome envy, disputes, mockery, and belittling that exist between people, and the various kinds of hurtfulness and techniques that people employ in their dealings with each other, if you are able to recognize them, and not be governed by these things, and approach them correctly, without falling back on hot-bloodedness, naturalness, or a corrupt satanic disposition, then your relationships with other people will become normal, and you will be able, on the whole, to get along harmoniously with others. If you can get along harmoniously with the average person, and not be controlled or disturbed by any person, matter, or thing when you are with other people, then your state will be normal, and you will live before God. Wherever there are people, there will be disputes. If you do not live by the truth when there are disputes, you will be drawn into them. What do disputes involve? Discord, envy, hate, contempt, competitiveness, passing judgment on one another, vying with one another for high positions, comparing gifts, capabilities, figures, beauty, caliber, status, reputation, roles, whose speech carries more weight, who is more useful, and who is stronger. You spend all day comparing yourself to others in these things, caught up in these disputes, incapable of a normal spiritual life, and of being at normal peace before God. In your heart, you will often be caught up in these disputes, in fights and quarrels, which will not hurt you alone, but others, too, and thus you will never be able to come before God. When someone says something unkind to you, you will become negative; when someone is more gifted than you, has a higher caliber than you, and has a quicker mind than you, you feel uncomfortable, and you wish to contest with them. What a pitiable, exhausting, painful way to live, always to be enmeshed in these states. And does this not interfere with the spiritual life? If you cannot find your way out of this, your life will often suffer loss.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People have been too deeply corrupted by Satan, and they lack any understanding of the truth, so it is necessary to practice tolerance of all manner of people—and what have My many years of tolerance cost Me? I tolerate all; I am tolerant to all, and never harsh; I confer and fellowship with people, gently directing the conversation, making them aware, making them understand the reason behind things, and I behave thus toward all. If nothing works, no matter what I say, I let them go. Do not hold yourself in such high regard that when others do not heed you, you are affronted and feel you have suffered some great indignity. It does not matter. The crucial thing is that whatever you do, you do it before God; you must give account of yourself to God. Everything you do must be of benefit to others. To you, this might seem a slightly onerous requirement, but that is because people lack that humanity and stature. Above all, you must consider how to maintain a normal state as you live before God. What must you do when naturalness and hot-bloodedness are about to burst forth? Hurry before God and call out His name. When you call out His name, you will feel your anger and resentment disappear and dissipate. Where do they go? Why are you suddenly unable to recall the strange thoughts and theories of your mind? What is going on? God clears away the things Satan did, and the justifications and hot-blooded things in the mind of man, giving you peace and joy, placating your heart a bit at a time, and you say to yourself: “How could I have been so impulsive just now? How could I have been so stupid? So foolish? What did it matter? I was so angry—it’s a good thing I called out to God and He helped me and gave me strength; God was really there, at my back. He protected me and stopped me from sinning against Him. I can truly feel His grace.” God’s tolerance, love and compassion are without limit, and people must learn to come before God to ask for them and receive them. As long as you have faith and sincerity, God will give these things to you, and help you achieve them all. A human being cannot do such things, but God can. So, before doing anything, you must think first whether it is truly necessary. If you have not yet thought it through, make sure you are at peace. Before everything you do, before your hot-bloodedness bursts forth, you must calm yourself, call out God’s name, and think about whether what you are doing is in accordance with His will; if what you are doing is unsatisfactory to God, He will help you tame your hot-bloodedness, little by little, and sort the situation out. Will this be of benefit to you? If people are too intractable when they are together, it will be difficult for them to return to the earliest state of their relationship, so, when you are about to vent, when naturalness and hot-bloodedness are about to burst forth from you, and when this naturalness and hot-bloodedness are liable to hurt others, you had better think a while, and be sure to pray more to God. The brothers and sisters of the church, or members of your family—you have to get along with all of them. This is the minimum requirement. When one has sorted out these relationships, their stature will have matured, and they will truly be capable of taking tasks on and bearing responsibility, and they will be able to accept God’s commission.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Currently, many people’s stature is still juvenile, and they are incapable of ridding themselves of the disputes around them; they often become trapped, as if they were being ground in a meat grinder, and its roil rips them to pieces and leaves them in tatters—and, ultimately, when the house of God commissions you to do a certain job and to perform your duty, you are incapable of undertaking it. It is not that you do not want to, and it is not that you have not resolved to, or made up your mind to, or that you lack conviction, much less that you lack ability. Instead, it is because your stature is too small, and you are unable to deal with the complex people, matters, and things around you, which cause you varying degrees of interference, and stop you from taking on that job, and from accepting your commission and completing the work of your duty. Ultimately, if you are not mired in the temptations of wealth or romance, you will be mired in various other complex, interpersonal relations, and caught up in disputes, or you will be clueless about how to do certain things, and will be brought to a standstill, or you will be entangled in certain matters, trapped in negativity, and incapable of moving forward. Where will your resolve, determination, faith, and perseverance have gone? Faced with such matters, your faith, determination and resolve will be unworthy of the slightest mention, and will fall at the first blow. So, if you have a hope and a will that are good and positive, and take an oath before God, in hope that God helps you achieve your will, the prerequisite is that you must possess sufficient stature and truth to be able to handle the disputes, as well as the people, matters, and things, around you. No matter what is happening around you, and regardless of your context of people, matters, and things, or of the environment you live in, when you are capable of faithfully performing your duty, and facing these things with the truth, and abiding by the truth principle, and are not brought to your knees, overwhelmed, or disturbed by these things—that is when you will be able to continue along the path forward; only then will your stature and your entry into the truth ascend to the next level.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

125. The Principles of Opening One’s Heart to Others

(1) When speaking with one who loves the truth, one should speak from the heart. Lay bare your true state and your difficulties, and seek the truth, that you may obtain loving aid;

(2) It is necessary to treat others with sincerity and to interact with them lovingly, and to speak in line with the truth, thereby helping and edifying others. Never attack or have suspicions about people;

(3) One must understand others’ weaknesses and difficulties. Be able to stand on equal footing with them and help them by speaking from your heart, that they may feel comforted and unconstrained;

(4) In conversation with others, one should fellowship their experience of God’s words, so that others may be edified and brought benefit. Help others feel God’s love and salvation, and help them embark on the right path of life.

Relevant Words of God:

If two people want to get along well, they must open their hearts to each other; this is even more necessary between people who would work in harmony together. Sometimes, when two people interact, their personalities clash, or their family environments, backgrounds or economic conditions do not match. Yet if those two people can open their hearts to each other and be entirely open about their issues, and communicate without any lies or deceit, and are able to show their hearts to each other, then, in this way, they will be able to become genuine friends, which means to become intimate friends. Perhaps, when the other person has a difficulty, they will look for you and no one else. Even if you give them a telling off, they know you speak truly, because they know you are an honest person with a sincere heart. Can you be such people? Are you such people? If not, then you are not honest people. When you interact with others, you must first have them perceive your true heart and sincerity. If, in speaking and making contact and working together with others, someone’s words are perfunctory, grandiloquent, pleasantries, flattery, irresponsible, and imaginary, or if they simply speak to seek the other’s favor, then their words lack all credibility, and they are not sincere in the least. This is their mode of interaction with others, no matter who those others are. Does such a person have an honest heart? This is not an honest person. Say someone has some shortcoming, and they say to you sincerely and truthfully: “Tell me why, exactly, I’m so negative. I just can’t figure it out!” And say you do, in fact, understand their problem in your heart, but you do not tell them, instead saying: “It’s nothing. I often get negative, too.” These words are a great consolation to their hearer, but is your attitude sincere? No, it is not. You are being perfunctory with the other person; so as to make them feel more comfortable and consoled, you have refrained from speaking honestly with them. You are not helping them in earnest so that they can leave their negativity behind. All for the sake of trying to console them and make sure there is no estrangement or conflict between you, you have done the bare minimum with them—and this is not what it is to be an honest person. So, as an honest person, what should you do when encountering this kind of situation? Tell them what you have seen and identified: “I will tell you what I have seen and what I have experienced. You decide whether what I say is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, you don’t have to accept it. If it’s right, I hope you will. If I say something that is hard for you to hear and hurts you, I hope you can accept from God. My intention and purpose is to help you. I see the issue clearly: Your personal pride has been wounded. No one feeds your ego, and you think everyone else looks down on you, that you are being attacked, and that you have never been so wronged. You can’t bear it and become negative. What do you think—is this what’s really going on?” And, hearing this, they feel it is indeed the case. This is what is actually in your heart, but if you are not an honest person, you will not say it. You will say, “I often get negative, too,” and when the other person hears that everyone gets negative, they think this is normal, and, in the end, they do not leave their negativity behind. If you are an honest person and you help them with an honest attitude and an honest heart, you can help them understand the truth and leave their negativity behind.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

“Sharing and communing experiences” means giving voice to every thought in your heart, your state of being, your experiences and knowledge of God’s words, and the corrupt disposition within you, and then letting others discern them, accept the positive parts, and recognize that which is negative. Only this is sharing, and only this is truly communing. It does not simply involve having certain insights into God’s words or a part of a hymn, and then communing as you please without taking it any further or saying anything related to your own actual life. Everyone talks about doctrinal and theoretical knowledge, but says nothing of knowledge gained from actual experiences. You all avoid talking about such things—about your personal lives, about your life in the church with your brothers and sisters, about your own inner world. In doing so, how can true communication between people occur? How can there be any real trust? There cannot be any! If a wife never voices the words in her heart to her husband, are they confidants? Do they know what is on each other’s mind? Suppose that they are constantly saying, “I love you!” They say only this, yet have never laid bare what they are actually thinking deep down, what they want of each other, or what problems they have. They have never spoken to each other of such things, nor have they ever confided in each other—so are they really a couple who love each other? If, when together, they have nothing but superficial niceties for each other, then are they truly husband and wife? Certainly not! If brothers and sisters are to be capable of confiding in each other, helping each other out, and providing for one another, then each person must speak of his or her own true experiences. If you do not talk of your own true experiences, and only speak catchphrases and words that are doctrinal and superficial, then you are not an honest person, and you are incapable of being an honest person. For example, while living together for several years, a husband and wife try to get used to each other, occasionally locking horns. However, if you are both of normal humanity, you will always speak to him from the heart, and he to you. Whatever difficulties you encounter in life, whatever problems occur in your work, whatever you are thinking deep down, however you plan to sort things out, whatever ideas and plans you might have for your children—you will tell your partner everything. As such, will the two of you not feel especially close and intimate with each other? If he never tells you his innermost thoughts, and does nothing but bring home a paycheck, and if you never speak to him of your own thoughts and never confide in him, then is there not an emotional distance between the two of you? There surely is, for you do not understand each other’s thoughts or intentions. Ultimately, you cannot tell what kind of person your partner is, nor can he tell what kind of person you are; you do not understand his needs, nor does he understand yours. If people have no verbal or spiritual communication, then there is no possibility of intimacy between them, and they cannot provide for each other or help one another. You have experienced this before, have you not? If your friend confides everything to you, giving voice to all that he is thinking and whatever suffering or happiness he harbors, then do you not feel particularly intimate with him? The reason he is willing to tell you these things is that you have confided your innermost thoughts to him as well; you are especially close, and it is because of this that you are able to get along and help each other out. Without this kind of communication and exchange between brothers and sisters in the church, harmony could never exist.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When you fellowship on the truth, and describe something clearly and understandably so that it can edify and benefit others, make them understand God’s will and help them to escape misunderstandings and fallacies, is there any need to be condescending? Do you have to use a lecturing tone? You do not need to scold them, nor do you need to speak loudly; there also is no need to shout, much less be blunt in your words, tone, or intonation. You just need to learn to use a normal tone, fellowship from a position of equality, talk calmly, voice the words in your heart, and endeavor to speak clearly and obviously of what you understand and what others need to understand. When you speak understandably, other people will know what you mean, your burden will be released, they will cease to misunderstand, and you will be clearer on what you are communicating. Does this not edify you both? Is there any need to harangue them? In many cases, there is no need to force this upon them. If you do not force any teachings on them, yet they still refuse to accept what you have to say, what should you do? Some of what you say is the truth, and is fact, but could people accept your words as soon as you utter them? What do they need in order to accept these words, and to change? They need a process; you must give them a process by which to change. … The purpose of speaking heart-to-heart is for there to be normal human communication between people, and for an exchange of minds to occur. That is a narrow way of putting it. Broadly speaking, the point is for people to understand each other’s states, draw on each other’s strengths to make up for one another’s deficiencies, support each other, and help one another. This is the effect of this. Does this not lead to a normal interaction between people?

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Every time you finish doing something, the parts you think you did right must be held up for scrutiny—and, moreover, the part you think you did wrong must also be held up for scrutiny. This requires the brothers and sisters to spend more time together fellowshiping, seeking, and helping each other out. The more we fellowship, the more light enters our hearts; God will then enlighten us with regard to all our issues. If none of us speaks up, and we all just package ourselves to look good, hoping to leave a good impression in the minds of others and wanting them to think highly of us and not scoff at us, then we will have no means of growing. If you always package yourself to look good, you will not grow, and you will forever live in darkness. You will also be incapable of transformation. If you wish to change, then you must pay a price, lay yourself bare, and open up your heart to others, and by doing so, you will benefit both yourself and other people. When someone says, “Why don’t you say a few things about your recent experiences?” no one talks about issues of essence; no one dissects himself or lays himself bare. When people speak of words and doctrines, no one has a problem, but when they talk about knowing themselves, no one says anything. Those who do have a little knowledge of themselves do not dare to lay it bare, either; they do not have the courage to do that. What ends up happening? When people are together, they toady up to each other with mutual flattery. No one is willing to present his true face to be dissected and known by everyone. Once such a situation has developed, can a true church life be had? It cannot.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you wish to seek the truth, if you wish to bring about a wholesale change in your wrong motivations, states, or moods, then before all else, you must learn to open up and fellowship. Naturally, you can choose who you open up and fellowship to. Normal people would surely not choose someone who would laugh at them, denigrate them, mock them, take advantage of their weaknesses, and try to make things even worse for them after they have opened up; they would undoubtedly look for someone who is better at seeking the truth, someone of better humanity, someone whose character is more honest and upstanding, someone who, after they have fellowshiped with them, is able to help them. These are the people they look for to open up and fellowship to, to help them solve their difficulties. Opening up and laying oneself bare—first of all, this is a kind of attitude that a person should have before God, and this attitude is of critical importance. Do not hold things in, saying, “These are my motivations, these are my difficulties, I have a bad state inside me, I’m negative, but I still won’t tell anyone, I’ll just keep it all to myself.” If you always keep things to yourself, over time you will stop wanting to pray, your state will slip further and further downhill, and turning things around will be hard. And so, no matter what your state is, regardless of whether you are negative, or in difficulty, regardless of your own personal motivations or plans, no matter what you have come to know or realize through examination, you must learn to open up and fellowship, and as you fellowship, the Holy Spirit works. And how does the Holy Spirit work? He allows you to see the severity of the problem, He makes you aware of the root and essence of the problem, and then, little by little, He allows you to understand the truth, to enter truth reality, and understand the will of God. When people are able to open up and fellowship, then above all, this represents a certain attitude toward the truth—an honest kind of attitude—and it also shows exactly whether or not you are sincere and what your attitude toward the truth is. When people who are sincere are beset by hardship and negativity, they unfailingly try to find someone to fellowship with, they seek a path of resolution, and they look for a way to satisfy God’s will and solve this problem or difficulty. They do not find someone to offload to because they are having a hard time, but seek a means of resolution, to attain entry into truth reality; they thereby resolve their difficulty and leave it behind them. If these things stay hidden within people for long, they become a sickness! When it comes to people who are not sincere toward God, they appear quite normal on the outside when encountering a problem, but internally, their negativity has grown so much that they are not able to get back up, even though you cannot see this. Nor is it obvious when they have grievances, misunderstandings, and personal motivations within them. They just hold things in and keep them to themselves. Though they may still be performing their duty, they will not have life entry, and there is no principle to anything they do, and they appear unmotivated and unenthusiastic on the outside. This is a problem.

Excerpted from “The Principles of Practice Concerning Submission to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

126. The Principles of Love Between Brothers and Sisters

(1) Brothers and sisters who truly believe in God and love the truth must love and encourage one another, and cooperate in harmony. Only thus will their lives grow;

(2) Read God’s words and fellowship on the truth together frequently, communicating what they know through experience. Support each other, help one another, and share in your progress as you pursue the truth;

(3) Keep a heart of goodwill, and be capable of tolerance and pity for your counterpart. If you find they have a problem, help them; if you cannot help them, do not trivialize, belittle, or prejudge them;

(4) Mutual love must be built upon a foundation of the truth principle. If one commits acts in violation of the principles, they should be criticized, exposed, pruned, and dealt with.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another” (Jhn 13:34–35).

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like to it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mat 22:37–39).

Relevant Words of God:

If you want to have a normal relationship with God, then your heart must turn to God. With this as a foundation, you will also have a normal relationship with other people. If you do not have a normal relationship with God, then no matter what you do to maintain your relationships with other people, no matter how hard you work or how much energy you exert, it will all just pertain to a human philosophy for living. You are maintaining your position among people through a human perspective and a human philosophy so that people will praise you, but you are not following the word of God to establish normal relationships with people. If you do not focus on your relationships with people but maintain a normal relationship with God, if you are willing to give your heart to God and learn to obey Him, then naturally your relationships with all people will become normal. This way, these relationships are not established in the flesh, but on the foundation of God’s love. There are almost no fleshly interactions, but in the spirit there is fellowship, mutual love, mutual comfort, and provision for one another. This is all done on the foundation of a heart that satisfies God. These relationships are not maintained by relying on a human philosophy for living, but are formed very naturally through carrying a burden for God. It does not require man-made effort. You need only practice according to God’s word principle. Are you willing to be considerate of the will of God? Are you willing to be a person who is “without reason” before God? Are you willing to completely give your heart to God and to disregard your position among people? Of all the people you have contact with, with whom do you have the best relationships? With whom do you have the worst relationships? Are your relationships with people normal? Do you treat all people equally? Are your relationships with others maintained according to your philosophy for living, or are they built on the foundation of God’s love? … A normal relationship between people is established on the foundation of giving their hearts to God, and not through human effort. Without God in their hearts, interpersonal relationships between people are merely relationships of the flesh. They are not normal, but rather, are an abandonment to lust. They are relationships that God detests, that He loathes. If you say that your spirit has been moved, but you always want to have fellowship with people who you like, with whomever you think highly of, and if another person is seeking but you do not like them, even hold a bias against them and will not engage with them, this is more proof that you are subject to your emotions and you do not have a normal relationship with God at all. You are attempting to deceive God and cover up your own ugliness. Even if you can share some understanding yet you carry wrong intentions, then everything you do is good only by human standards. God will not praise you—you are acting according to the flesh, not according to God’s burden. If you are able to quiet your heart in front of God and have normal interactions with all those who love God, only then are you fit for God’s use. This way, no matter how you associate with others, it will not be according to a philosophy for living, but it will be before God, living in a way that is considerate of His burden.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Establish a Normal Relationship With God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You must focus on the truth. Don’t bother about what others do incorrectly. We should do our utmost to help them strive for the truth. When they do something wrong, we must still examine ourselves, and strive to achieve a situation where everyone does things right. This is the sort of atmosphere you must have within the church—everyone focusing on the truth and striving to attain it. It does not matter how old or young people are, whether or not they are veteran believers, or how capable they are; the things you must look at are which people speak correctly, which people speak in conformity with the truth, which people are thinking of the interests of God’s house and which ones hold its work in their hearts the most, which people have a good deal of understanding about positive things, which people share a sense of righteousness, and which people are willing to pay the price. Such people should be supported and applauded by their brothers and sisters. This atmosphere of uprightness that comes from pursuing the truth must prevail within the church; in this way, you will have the work of the Holy Spirit, and God will bestow blessings and guidance. If the atmosphere that prevails within the church is one of telling tales, making a fuss about one another, bearing grudges against each other, being jealous of each other, and arguing with each other, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not work in you. Struggling against each other and secretly fighting, deceiving, tricking, and plotting against one another—this is an atmosphere of evil! If such an atmosphere prevails within the church, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not do His work. The Lord Jesus said a certain line that was related. Can you remember what it was? (“Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the middle of them” [Mat 18:19–20].) This is the truth. God does as He says. If you go against His will and do not do as He says, then He will be distant with you. Therefore, you will always look at others’ faults and focus on what displeases you about others, and will constantly focus on the fact that others dislike you. This is going to cause problems. If the Holy Spirit does not work in you, if God does not bless or guide you, if you rely solely on your own strength and gifts and abilities, then nothing you do will be done well, nothing you do will be in line with God’s will, and no matter how hard you work, it will be a waste of energy. You will slowly come to learn this through experience. In everything you do, you must be of one mind. And how can you be of one mind? You must practice the truth; only then will you be able to become strong like a bundle of sticks—all together, and all of one mind.

Excerpted from “Having a Human Likeness Requires Fulfilling Your Duty Properly With All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you have yet to find the feeling and the principles of being a saint, this proves that your life entry is too shallow, and that you have not yet understood the truth. In your conduct and the environment in which you live each day, this requires you to savor and to ponder, to fellowship with each other, to encourage each other, to keep each other alert, to help and care for each other, and to support and provide for each other. Do not always focus on others’ faults, but reflect on yourself frequently, and be proactive afterward in admitting to another what you have done that constitutes interference or harm to them. Learn to open yourself up and fellowship, and often discuss together how to fellowship practically on the basis of God’s words. When the environment of your lives is frequently thus, relationships among the brothers and sisters become normal—not complicated, indifferent, cold, or cruel like relationships between unbelievers. You will slowly divest yourselves of such relationships. Brothers and sisters become closer and more intimate with each other; you are able to support one another, and to love each other; there is goodwill in your hearts, or you have a mentality with which you are capable of tolerance and compassion toward each other, and you support and care for each other, rather than a state and attitude in which you fight with each other, trample over one another, are jealous of each other, engage in secret competition, harbor hidden scorn or contempt for each other, or in which none obeys another. Living in such states or circumstances creates terrible relationships between people. It not only creates all sorts of negative influences on you and causes you harm, but also negatively influences and harms others to varying degrees. It is very difficult, in general, for people to overcome this—you get angry when people look at you the wrong way, or when they say something that is out of line with your will, and when someone does something that stops you from getting a look-in, you resent them, and feel uncomfortable and unhappy, and can think only of how to restore your reputation. Women and young people are particularly incapable of overcoming this. They are always ensnared in these petty dispositions, these tantrums, these petty emotions, and it is difficult for them to come before God. Entangled in these complex, weblike relationships, entwined in them, it is difficult for people to quiet themselves before God, and quiet themselves in God’s words. Therefore, you must first learn how to get along well with your brothers and sisters. You must be tolerant of each other, lenient with each other, be able to see what is exceptional about one another, what each other’s strengths are—and you must learn to accept others’ opinions, and to retreat deep into yourself to engage in self-reflection and gain self-knowledge. You must not indulge yourself, or give free rein to your ambitions, desires, or your merest strengths, forcing others to listen to you, to do as you say, to think highly of you, and to raise you on high, yet be oblivious to the strengths of others while exaggerating and magnifying their shortcomings without restraint, at all turns publicizing, belittling and despising their shortcomings, or using words and others means to hurt and aggravate others, such that you will have made them obey you, heed you, fear you, and hide from you. Would you want to see such a relationship between people come about or exist? Would you want to feel what it is like?

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God lifts the needy from the dust; the humble must be made high. I will use My wisdom in all its forms to govern the universal church, to govern all nations and all peoples, so that they are all within Me, and so that all of you in the church might submit to Me. Those who did not obey before must now be obedient before Me, must submit to each other, forbear each other; your lives must be interconnected, and you must love one another, all drawing on each other’s strong points to offset your own weaknesses, and serving in coordination. In this way will the church be built, and Satan will have no opportunity to exploit. Only then will My management plan not have failed. Let Me give you another reminder here. Do not allow misunderstandings to arise in you because such-and-such person is a certain way, or acted in such-and-such a way, with the result that you become degenerate within your spiritual condition. As I see it, this is not appropriate, and it is a worthless thing. Is the One you believe in not God? It is not some person. The functions are not the same. There is one body. Each does his duty, each in his place and doing his very best—for each spark there is one flash of light—and seeking maturity in life. Thus will I be satisfied.

Excerpted from “Chapter 21” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whether you are a younger or an older brother or sister, you know the function you ought to perform. Those in their youth are not arrogant; those who are older are not passive, nor do they regress. Moreover, they are able to use each other’s strengths to make up for their weaknesses, and they can serve one another without any prejudice. A bridge of friendship is built between younger and older brothers and sisters, and because of God’s love, you are able to better understand one another. Younger brothers and sisters do not look down on older brothers and sisters, and the older brothers and sisters are not self-righteous: Is this not a harmonious partnership? If you all have such resolve, then the will of God will certainly be accomplished in your generation.

Excerpted from “On Everyone Performing Their Function” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In performing your duty, you must train yourself to work in harmony with your brothers and sisters, fellowship openly with them, lay everything out on the table, communicate openly, publicly, and honestly, and speak clearly. Then everyone divvies up the work and cooperates, working together in harmony. If there is anything still not understood, then everyone should get together and fellowship more. Those who do understand should fellowship their understanding without hesitation, and anyone who has gained the light of enlightenment should hurry up and tell others about it. If, while others are performing their duties, you are able to give them more help and support, then you should spare no effort to do so, without the slightest reservation. How do despicable girls tend to think? “I know this, but I won’t tell you.” “If you won’t tell me, then I won’t tell you.” This is how despicable girls think—mean, and very afraid that others will be better than they. That is not the sort of thinking that someone with normal humanity should possess. It is not normal humanity or a positive thing; this is a corrupt disposition. All these things that are selfish, mean, deceitful, shadowy, dirty, and shameful are not positive things; they are all negative things. You must therefore learn to let go of these things. You must not let them control, constrain, or dominate you; you have to break past them and strive to be someone in possession of the truth and who lives in the light. Honesty, openness, sincerity, the ability to be tolerant, forbearing, patient, and self-effacing; learning to cherish others, learning to find joy in helping others, doing good deeds, and having a good heart—all of these are positive things. As for those negative things, once you discover that you have such thoughts or ideas, or that you are in such states, you must learn to forsake them and relinquish them. If you do not, then they will control you, and once they have you under their control, you will be capable of doing this type of thing—and then, you will forever be a puppet, enslaved and controlled by your corrupt satanic disposition, and you will never gain the truth. If people wish to gain the truth, they must first recognize what corrupt dispositions they have, how they express those corrupt dispositions, what their thoughts are, what their ideas are, and what states they are in that are at odds with the truth. They should bring these negative, passive things out into the open and recognize them, and then resolve them one by one by learning to forsake them, break through them, and give them up. They should learn to use the truth in the way they treat others, in their approach to their duties, and in their approach to every single thing that happens in their lives, and they should learn to speak and act in accordance with the truth. In this way, little by little, people will come to possess human likeness; they will get better and better at performing their duties, and everyone will work more and more harmoniously together and will become increasingly unified.

Excerpted from “How to Experience God’s Words in One’s Duties” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

127. The Principles of Helping Others Lovingly

(1) It is necessary to discern between the various sorts of people on the basis of God’s words. Interact lovingly with good people who have true faith in God; treat each other with sincerity and help one another;

(2) One who helps others lovingly should not do so for the sake of some ulterior motive or to get something in return; rather, they should do it solely in order to practice the truth, perform their duties well, and bring others before God;

(3) When people help one another, they should each understand the other’s difficulties and seek the truth to resolve each other’s problems in ways they feel are appropriate and acceptable;

(4) One should treat others fairly based in God’s words. One must not use their notions and imaginings to stereotype others, or condemn others on the basis of their transgressions.

Relevant Words of God:

You must focus on the truth. Don’t bother about what others do incorrectly. We should do our utmost to help them strive for the truth. When they do something wrong, we must still examine ourselves, and strive to achieve a situation where everyone does things right. This is the sort of atmosphere you must have within the church—everyone focusing on the truth and striving to attain it. It does not matter how old or young people are, whether or not they are veteran believers, or how capable they are; the things you must look at are which people speak correctly, which people speak in conformity with the truth, which people are thinking of the interests of God’s house and which ones hold its work in their hearts the most, which people have a good deal of understanding about positive things, which people share a sense of righteousness, and which people are willing to pay the price. Such people should be supported and applauded by their brothers and sisters. This atmosphere of uprightness that comes from pursuing the truth must prevail within the church; in this way, you will have the work of the Holy Spirit, and God will bestow blessings and guidance. If the atmosphere that prevails within the church is one of telling tales, making a fuss about one another, bearing grudges against each other, being jealous of each other, and arguing with each other, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not work in you. Struggling against each other and secretly fighting, deceiving, tricking, and plotting against one another—this is an atmosphere of evil! If such an atmosphere prevails within the church, then the Holy Spirit will certainly not do His work. The Lord Jesus said a certain line that was related. Can you remember what it was? (“Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the middle of them” [Mat 18:19–20].) This is the truth. God does as He says. If you go against His will and do not do as He says, then He will be distant with you. Therefore, you will always look at others’ faults and focus on what displeases you about others, and will constantly focus on the fact that others dislike you. This is going to cause problems. If the Holy Spirit does not work in you, if God does not bless or guide you, if you rely solely on your own strength and gifts and abilities, then nothing you do will be done well, nothing you do will be in line with God’s will, and no matter how hard you work, it will be a waste of energy. You will slowly come to learn this through experience. In everything you do, you must be of one mind. And how can you be of one mind? You must practice the truth; only then will you be able to become strong like a bundle of sticks—all together, and all of one mind.

Excerpted from “Having a Human Likeness Requires Fulfilling Your Duty Properly With All Your Heart, Mind, and Soul” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When you interact with others, you must first have them perceive your true heart and sincerity. If, in speaking and making contact and working together with others, someone’s words are perfunctory, grandiloquent, pleasantries, flattery, irresponsible, and imaginary, or if they simply speak to seek the other’s favor, then their words lack all credibility, and they are not sincere in the least. This is their mode of interaction with others, no matter who those others are. Does such a person have an honest heart? This is not an honest person. Say someone has some shortcoming, and they say to you sincerely and truthfully: “Tell me why, exactly, I’m so negative. I just can’t figure it out!” And say you do, in fact, understand their problem in your heart, but you do not tell them, instead saying: “It’s nothing. I often get negative, too.” These words are a great consolation to their hearer, but is your attitude sincere? No, it is not. You are being perfunctory with the other person; so as to make them feel more comfortable and consoled, you have refrained from speaking honestly with them. You are not helping them in earnest so that they can leave their negativity behind. All for the sake of trying to console them and make sure there is no estrangement or conflict between you, you have done the bare minimum with them—and this is not what it is to be an honest person. So, as an honest person, what should you do when encountering this kind of situation? Tell them what you have seen and identified: “I will tell you what I have seen and what I have experienced. You decide whether what I say is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, you don’t have to accept it. If it’s right, I hope you will. If I say something that is hard for you to hear and hurts you, I hope you can accept from God. My intention and purpose is to help you. I see the issue clearly: Your personal pride has been wounded. No one feeds your ego, and you think everyone else looks down on you, that you are being attacked, and that you have never been so wronged. You can’t bear it and become negative. What do you think—is this what’s really going on?” And, hearing this, they feel it is indeed the case. This is what is actually in your heart, but if you are not an honest person, you will not say it. You will say, “I often get negative, too,” and when the other person hears that everyone gets negative, they think this is normal, and, in the end, they do not leave their negativity behind. If you are an honest person and you help them with an honest attitude and an honest heart, you can help them understand the truth and leave their negativity behind.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you have a good relationship with a brother or a sister, and they ask you to point out what is wrong with them, how should you do it? This relates to what approach you take to the matter. Is your approach that of practicing the truth, or do you use philosophies for living? If you say, “You’re good in every area and you’re better than me. You’re able to bear hardships, and your caliber is good. There’s no need for you to be negative. You’re so good; what’s there to be humble about?”—if you clearly see there are things wrong with them, yet do not clearly say what they are so as not to harm the peace between the two of you—then you are using a philosophy for living. One who takes a different approach to such a matter says, “My stature is small now and I don’t understand your problems thoroughly. When I do, I’ll tell you.” Is this not trying to fool others? Could they really not understand anything thoroughly at all? Could they have no thoughts on the issue at all? They have thoughts; they simply do not say them for fear of causing offense. They say nothing to you and leave you unable to grasp the matter, making you think you are great. Perhaps you will fail and fall one day, and they will be laughing behind your back. When that happens, they will look better by comparison; this is how they play tricks on you. Is such a person not bad? Of these two approaches, which is preferable? They are both disgusting; neither is preferable. Some people say they must tell the truth. They say, “You’re a bad person, and evil. I can tell at a glance you won’t be saved.” Though they speak honestly, and such a person does think so in their heart, there is a hint of an ulterior motive in their saying so: “If I say this, then you sure won’t be arrogant or haughty.” This approach is wrong, as well—it does not take the other’s feelings into account, nor does it consider the consequences. What do you think of the disposition of this sort of person? Are they practicing the truth? No—to act in this way might make the other negative or cause them to stumble. This would severely block the path they walk. One must consider all these things. This approach is also no good; it carries within it a disposition. It is not speaking or acting from within the rationality of normal humanity, nor is it behaving according to the truth principle.

According to the truth principle, then, how should you approach this matter? What action accords with the truth? How many relevant principles are there? You must have a firm grasp on the principles. Firstly, do not cause others to stumble. You must first consider the other’s weaknesses and what way of speaking with them will not cause them to stumble. This is the very least that ought to be considered. Next, you should consider the positive side of things—what you could do to help the other person. The goal of helping them is to allow them to understand God’s will, to bring them before God, and to have them leave such difficult circumstances behind and gain the truth, as you have done. This is the best sort of person with the kindest of hearts; this is the practice of the truth. First: Do not cause them to stumble. Second: Be able to help them. Third: Allow them to gain the truth. You must grasp these three principles. But how are they enacted, specifically? Do you truly understand the other’s difficulty? Is this not another problem? You must also think: “What is the origin of their problem? Can I help them? If I cannot and I speak arbitrarily and carelessly, I may point them onto the wrong path. Beyond that, how well can this person understand the truth, and what is their caliber? Are they opinionated? Do they understand spiritual matters? Can they accept the truth? Do they pursue the truth? If they see that I am better than them, and I still fellowship with them, will jealousy or negativity arise in them?” These questions must all be considered; this is a thing of humanity. So, when you encounter this issue, you must first consider these things, then go fellowship with them with a positive, proactive mind, and, as you do, pray and seek how to help them, how you can adhere to these principles, and how you can enable them to leave their difficulty behind and be benefited. Is this a simple thing to do? It requires sincerity. If one feels it suffices merely to employ the bare minimum of thought and say, “Read God’s words and love God. You have to repay His love. What’s so hard about that? What are you negative about?” then what they are doing is just going through the motions, and their treatment of others is insincere. Such people are disingenuous, unkind at heart, without sympathy for others, and without love for others. If you truly have a conscience, you must think carefully, pondering thus: “Seeing as they asked me, they must be in quite a tough spot. They normally pursue so ardently and are so positive while performing their duty. If this difficulty really causes them to stumble, or makes them negative and affects their duty, that won’t be beneficial for them or for the house of God. How must I help them so that their problem is resolved?” You ponder this and you then find the way forward in your heart and you know what to do, and then you fellowship with them. Sometimes, your first fellowship will not be entirely clear, as you yourself are also pondering, seeking and praying and cannot yet understand the matter thoroughly. You must take the time to think of the right words to say, and think about how you can say these things such that the other person will be edified and not likely to become negative, and so that they will be able to find the path forward. All these things require careful thought, and they require that you make the effort to ponder them carefully. Thus you ponder carefully, you pray and pray, and the words you say at first will perhaps not have much structure, but, as you speak, what you mean will grow more and more distinct and clear—and when you understand the matter thoroughly, so will the other. As you resolve the problem, you act according to the truth principle, and you, too, will be able to gain an aspect of the truth and be edified, all while being of help to another. This is the special treatment God gives man when he practices the truth, and the special favor in which man is held.

Excerpted from “Only by Pursuing the Truth Can One Resolve Their Notions and Misunderstandings of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In your everyday lives, in what situations, and in how many situations, are you God-fearing, and in what things are you not? Are you capable of hating people? When you hate someone, can you crack down on that person or take revenge against him? (Yes.) Well then, you are quite scary! You are not God-fearing. That you could do such things means your disposition is quite vile, to quite a serious degree! Love and hatred are things which normal humanity should possess, but you must differentiate clearly between what you love and what you hate. In your heart, you should love God, love the truth, love positive things, and love your brothers and sisters, whereas you should hate the devil Satan, hate negative things, hate antichrists, and hate wicked people. If you harbor hatred for your brothers and sisters, then you will be inclined to suppress them and take revenge on them; this would be very frightening. Some people only have thoughts of hatred and evil ideas. After a while, if such people cannot get along with the person they hate, they will start to distance themselves from him; however, they do not let this affect their duties or influence their normal interpersonal relationships, because they have God in their hearts and they revere Him. They do not want to offend God, and are afraid to do so. Though these people might harbor certain views about someone, they never put those thoughts into action or even utter a single word that is out of line, unwilling to offend God. What sort of behavior is this? This is an example of conducting themselves and handling things with principle and impartiality. You might be incompatible with someone’s personality, and you may not like him, but when you work together with him, you remain impartial and will not vent your frustrations in doing your duty, sacrifice your duty, or take out your frustrations on the interests of God’s family. You can do things according to principle; as such, you have a basic reverence for God. If you have a bit more than that, then when you see that someone has some faults or weaknesses—even if he has offended you or harmed your own interests—you still have it in you to help him. Doing so would be even better; it would mean that you are a person who possesses humanity, truth reality, and reverence for God. If you cannot achieve this with your current stature, but can do things, conduct yourself, and treat people in accordance with principle, then this also counts as being God-fearing; this is most fundamental. If you cannot even achieve this, and cannot restrain yourself, then you are in great danger and are quite frightening. If you were given a position, you could punish people and give them a hard time; you would then be liable to turn into an antichrist at any moment. What sort of person is one who becomes an antichrist? Is he or she not one who will be eliminated? As for whether someone is good or bad, and how he or she should be treated, people should have their own principles of behavior; however, as for what the outcome of that person will be—whether he or she ends up getting punished by God, or whether he or she ends up getting judged and chastised—that is God’s business. People should not interfere; God would not allow you to take the initiative on His behalf. How to treat that person is God’s business. As long as God has not decided what sort of outcome such people will have, has not expelled them, and has not punished them, and they are being saved, then you should help them patiently, out of love; you should not hope to determine the outcome of such people, nor should you use human means to crack down on them or punish them. You may deal with and prune such people, or you may open your heart and engage in heartfelt fellowship to help them. However, if you contemplate punishing, ostracizing, and framing these people, then you will be in trouble. Would doing so be in line with the truth? Having such thoughts would result from being hot-blooded; those thoughts come from Satan and originate from human resentment, as well as from human jealousy and loathing. Such conduct does not conform to the truth. This is something that would bring down retribution upon you, and is not in line with God’s will.

Excerpted from “The Five States Necessary to Be on the Right Track in One’s Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

128. The Principles of How to Treat One’s Brothers and Sisters

(1) All who read God’s words often, can accept the truth, and perform their duty to the best of their ability are brothers and sisters, and should be treated accordingly;

(2) Whenever brothers or sisters have difficulties or experience negativity and weakness, they should be visited and supported. One should lovingly fellowship on the truth with them, and help them resolve their problems to the best of one’s ability;

(3) Brothers and sisters who are amid trials and tribulations should be visited and the truth fellowshiped with them all the more often. Support each other, and help the other to taste of God’s love;

(4) One should not act indifferently regarding the practical difficulties faced by brothers and sisters who have committed transgressions and are of relatively poor humanity, but should do all they can to help resolve their difficulties;

(5) To call on your brothers and sisters is not merely to resolve their issues of life entry; they should also be given aid whenever they are experiencing hardship in their households. This is what it means to have a truly loving heart.

Relevant Words of God:

“All truth-loving people are brothers and sisters.” Only those who love the truth belong to God’s family; only they are real brothers and sisters. Do you think that all those who are in God’s house and can believe in God are brothers and sisters? What people are not brothers and sisters? Those who do not accept and detest the truth, those who are wicked, and some people with bad humanity. There are even some who appear to have good humanity on the surface, but who excel at playing with philosophies for living; these people will employ crafty maneuvers and use, wheedle, and cheat others. As soon as someone mentions the truth, they are not interested, they detest it, they cannot stand to hear about it, they feel it is boring and cannot stay seated. These sorts of people are unbelievers, and you really must not regard them as brothers and sisters. They might bribe you with some sort of benefit, or do you a few small favors. However, the moment you start fellowshiping with them on truth, they just start chatting about ordinary things. They always talk about matters of the flesh, work matters, worldly matters, matters concerning the trends of the unbelievers, matters of affections and of family. They just chat about these external things; nothing they say has anything to do with the truth, with having faith in God, or with practicing the truth. What kind of people are these? (They are unbelievers and nonbelievers.) Some of these people are even still doing their duties, and some who perform their duties do no more than exert some physical effort in silence; they never read God’s words or fellowship on the truth. Are such people brothers and sisters? These simply are not brothers and sisters.

Excerpted from “People Can Only Truly Be Happy by Being Honest” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You cannot treat your brothers and sisters in the same way as the unbelievers treat people; you must be fair and reasonable. You cannot be close to this one, but not that one; nor should you form cliques or gang up. You cannot bully people because you have taken a dislike to them, or fawn over those who are formidable. This is what is meant by principles. You must be principled in the way you deal with other people; you must treat them all fairly. If you entice those you think are pretty good over to your side while excluding those you find difficult to approach, then do you not lack principles? This is the unbelievers’ philosophy for living in the world, and it is the principle behind the manner in which they treat other people. This is both a satanic disposition and satanic logic. According to which principle should you treat the members of God’s family? (Treat each and every brother and sister fairly.) How do you treat them fairly? Everyone has minor faults and shortcomings, as well as certain idiosyncrasies; people all possess self-righteousness, weakness, and areas in which they are lacking. You should help them with a loving heart, be tolerant and forbearing, and not be too harsh or make a fuss over every tiny detail. With people who are young or who have not believed in God for very long, or have only recently started to perform their duties, these people who have certain special requests, if you just grab hold of these things and use them against them, then you are being harsh. You ignore the evil done by those false leaders and antichrists, and yet upon spotting minor shortcomings and faults in your brothers and sisters, you refuse to help them, instead choosing to make a fuss over those things and judge them behind their backs, thereby causing even more people to oppose, exclude, and ostracize them. What sort of behavior is this? This is just you doing things based on your personal preferences, and not being able to treat people fairly. This shows a corrupt satanic disposition and it is a transgression! When people do things, God is watching; whatever you do and however you think, He sees! If you wish to grasp the principles, then you must first understand the truth. Once you understand the truth, you can comprehend the will of God. The truth tells you how to treat people, and once you have understood this, you will know how to treat people in line with God’s will. If you do not understand the truth, you certainly will not understand God’s will. How you are to treat others is clearly shown or hinted at in God’s words; the attitude with which God treats humanity is the attitude people should adopt in their treatment of one another. How does God treat each and every person? Some people are of immature stature, or are young, or have believed in God for only a short time. God might see these people as being neither bad nor malicious by nature essence; it is simply that they are somewhat ignorant or lacking in caliber, or that they have been polluted too much by society. They have not entered truth reality, so it is difficult for them to keep from doing some foolish things or committing some ignorant acts. However, from God’s perspective, such matters are not important; He looks only at these people’s hearts. If they are resolved to enter truth reality, if they are headed in the right direction, and this is their objective, then God is watching them, waiting for them, and giving them time and opportunities that allow them to enter. It is not the case that God knocks them down with one blow, nor is it that He grabs hold of a transgression they once committed and refuses to let go; He has never treated people like this. That being said, if people treat each other in such a manner, then does this not show their corrupt disposition? This is precisely their corrupt disposition. You have to look at how God treats ignorant and foolish people, how He treats those with immature stature, how He treats the normal manifestations of humanity’s corrupt disposition, and how He treats those who are malicious. God treats different people in different ways, and He also has various ways of managing different people’s myriad conditions. You must understand these truths. Once you have understood these truths, you will then know how to experience them.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you have yet to find the feeling and the principles of being a saint, this proves that your life entry is too shallow, and that you have not yet understood the truth. In your conduct and the environment in which you live each day, this requires you to savor and to ponder, to fellowship with each other, to encourage each other, to keep each other alert, to help and care for each other, and to support and provide for each other. Do not always focus on others’ faults, but reflect on yourself frequently, and be proactive afterward in admitting to another what you have done that constitutes interference or harm to them. Learn to open yourself up and fellowship, and often discuss together how to fellowship practically on the basis of God’s words. When the environment of your lives is frequently thus, relationships among the brothers and sisters become normal—not complicated, indifferent, cold, or cruel like relationships between unbelievers. You will slowly divest yourselves of such relationships. Brothers and sisters become closer and more intimate with each other; you are able to support one another, and to love each other; there is goodwill in your hearts, or you have a mentality with which you are capable of tolerance and compassion toward each other, and you support and care for each other, rather than a state and attitude in which you fight with each other, trample over one another, are jealous of each other, engage in secret competition, harbor hidden scorn or contempt for each other, or in which none obeys another. Living in such states or circumstances creates terrible relationships between people. It not only creates all sorts of negative influences on you and causes you harm, but also negatively influences and harms others to varying degrees. It is very difficult, in general, for people to overcome this—you get angry when people look at you the wrong way, or when they say something that is out of line with your will, and when someone does something that stops you from getting a look-in, you resent them, and feel uncomfortable and unhappy, and can think only of how to restore your reputation. Women and young people are particularly incapable of overcoming this. They are always ensnared in these petty dispositions, these tantrums, these petty emotions, and it is difficult for them to come before God. Entangled in these complex, weblike relationships, entwined in them, it is difficult for people to quiet themselves before God, and quiet themselves in God’s words. Therefore, you must first learn how to get along well with your brothers and sisters. You must be tolerant of each other, lenient with each other, be able to see what is exceptional about one another, what each other’s strengths are—and you must learn to accept others’ opinions, and to retreat deep into yourself to engage in self-reflection and gain self-knowledge. You must not indulge yourself, or give free rein to your ambitions, desires, or your merest strengths, forcing others to listen to you, to do as you say, to think highly of you, and to raise you on high, yet be oblivious to the strengths of others while exaggerating and magnifying their shortcomings without restraint, at all turns publicizing, belittling and despising their shortcomings, or using words and others means to hurt and aggravate others, such that you will have made them obey you, heed you, fear you, and hide from you. Would you want to see such a relationship between people come about or exist? Would you want to feel what it is like?

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If two people want to get along well, they must open their hearts to each other; this is even more necessary between people who would work in harmony together. Sometimes, when two people interact, their personalities clash, or their family environments, backgrounds or economic conditions do not match. Yet if those two people can open their hearts to each other and be entirely open about their issues, and communicate without any lies or deceit, and are able to show their hearts to each other, then, in this way, they will be able to become genuine friends, which means to become intimate friends. Perhaps, when the other person has a difficulty, they will look for you and no one else. Even if you give them a telling off, they know you speak truly, because they know you are an honest person with a sincere heart. Can you be such people? Are you such people? If not, then you are not honest people. When you interact with others, you must first have them perceive your true heart and sincerity. If, in speaking and making contact and working together with others, someone’s words are perfunctory, grandiloquent, pleasantries, flattery, irresponsible, and imaginary, or if they simply speak to seek the other’s favor, then their words lack all credibility, and they are not sincere in the least. This is their mode of interaction with others, no matter who those others are. Does such a person have an honest heart? This is not an honest person. Say someone has some shortcoming, and they say to you sincerely and truthfully: “Tell me why, exactly, I’m so negative. I just can’t figure it out!” And say you do, in fact, understand their problem in your heart, but you do not tell them, instead saying: “It’s nothing. I often get negative, too.” These words are a great consolation to their hearer, but is your attitude sincere? No, it is not. You are being perfunctory with the other person; so as to make them feel more comfortable and consoled, you have refrained from speaking honestly with them. You are not helping them in earnest so that they can leave their negativity behind. All for the sake of trying to console them and make sure there is no estrangement or conflict between you, you have done the bare minimum with them—and this is not what it is to be an honest person. So, as an honest person, what should you do when encountering this kind of situation? Tell them what you have seen and identified: “I will tell you what I have seen and what I have experienced. You decide whether what I say is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, you don’t have to accept it. If it’s right, I hope you will. If I say something that is hard for you to hear and hurts you, I hope you can accept from God. My intention and purpose is to help you. I see the issue clearly: Your personal pride has been wounded. No one feeds your ego, and you think everyone else looks down on you, that you are being attacked, and that you have never been so wronged. You can’t bear it and become negative. What do you think—is this what’s really going on?” And, hearing this, they feel it is indeed the case. This is what is actually in your heart, but if you are not an honest person, you will not say it. You will say, “I often get negative, too,” and when the other person hears that everyone gets negative, they think this is normal, and, in the end, they do not leave their negativity behind. If you are an honest person and you help them with an honest attitude and an honest heart, you can help them understand the truth and leave their negativity behind.

Excerpted from “Only by Being Honest Can One Live Out a True Human Likeness” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In performing your duty, you must train yourself to work in harmony with your brothers and sisters, fellowship openly with them, lay everything out on the table, communicate openly, publicly, and honestly, and speak clearly. Then everyone divvies up the work and cooperates, working together in harmony. If there is anything still not understood, then everyone should get together and fellowship more. Those who do understand should fellowship their understanding without hesitation, and anyone who has gained the light of enlightenment should hurry up and tell others about it. If, while others are performing their duties, you are able to give them more help and support, then you should spare no effort to do so, without the slightest reservation. How do despicable girls tend to think? “I know this, but I won’t tell you.” “If you won’t tell me, then I won’t tell you.” This is how despicable girls think—mean, and very afraid that others will be better than they. That is not the sort of thinking that someone with normal humanity should possess. It is not normal humanity or a positive thing; this is a corrupt disposition. All these things that are selfish, mean, deceitful, shadowy, dirty, and shameful are not positive things; they are all negative things. You must therefore learn to let go of these things. You must not let them control, constrain, or dominate you; you have to break past them and strive to be someone in possession of the truth and who lives in the light. Honesty, openness, sincerity, the ability to be tolerant, forbearing, patient, and self-effacing; learning to cherish others, learning to find joy in helping others, doing good deeds, and having a good heart—all of these are positive things. As for those negative things, once you discover that you have such thoughts or ideas, or that you are in such states, you must learn to forsake them and relinquish them. If you do not, then they will control you, and once they have you under their control, you will be capable of doing this type of thing—and then, you will forever be a puppet, enslaved and controlled by your corrupt satanic disposition, and you will never gain the truth. If people wish to gain the truth, they must first recognize what corrupt dispositions they have, how they express those corrupt dispositions, what their thoughts are, what their ideas are, and what states they are in that are at odds with the truth. They should bring these negative, passive things out into the open and recognize them, and then resolve them one by one by learning to forsake them, break through them, and give them up. They should learn to use the truth in the way they treat others, in their approach to their duties, and in their approach to every single thing that happens in their lives, and they should learn to speak and act in accordance with the truth. In this way, little by little, people will come to possess human likeness; they will get better and better at performing their duties, and everyone will work more and more harmoniously together and will become increasingly unified.

Excerpted from “How to Experience God’s Words in One’s Duties” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

129. The Principles of Making Amends and Apologizing to Others

(1) If one has tricked or hurt a brother or sister and made them negative and weak, they must proactively make amends and apologize, and seek to obtain that person’s forgiveness;

(2) An apology must be based in fact. One must apologize with a sincere and genuine heart, and not just disingenuously offer a few minimal, perfunctory words;

(3) When misunderstood by someone, one may explain the truth of the facts to that person, if there is need. One should not be fraudulent, making amends and apologizing without principles;

(4) In interactions with their brothers and sisters, one should fellowship frequently on the truth and reflect on themselves. Come to love each other and know each other’s hearts, and you will be able to get along in harmony.

Relevant Words of God:

Against a certain background or in a certain environment, you may have felt that acting a certain way was quite wise or that you had ample reasons to do so, and so you acted; afterward, you felt you were fully justified in your actions and had no remorse. When evening came, and you reflected upon what you had done—or, one day when you gained enlightenment or were reproached—you then felt that the reason you had given at that time was not a reason at all, and that you should have behaved in another way. At such times, how should you practice? For example, let us say you cheated someone, or spoke adulterations to him and had your own ulterior motives. Well, you should go and find that person and dissect your actions. You should say, “I had an ulterior motive in saying what I said to you at that time. If you can accept my apology, then please forgive me.” In this way, you dissect yourself and lay yourself bare. It takes courage to be an honest person who dissects and lays himself bare. Whether people come before God to pray and admit their mistakes, to repent, or to dissect their corrupt dispositions, they can say whatever they want, because people cannot see anything with their eyes closed. It is like speaking to the air; they can bring themselves to light, and when doing so, they can voice whatever they were thinking and saying before, whatever motives they might have been harboring, and whatever treachery they were engaging in. However, if you lay yourself bare to another person, you may lose your courage and your resolve to act because you want to save face; as such, it will be very difficult for you to put these things into practice. If you are asked to speak in generalities, you are able to say that there are occasionally personal incentives and ulterior motives behind the things you do or say, and that your words and actions contain treachery, impurities, lies, and deceit. However, when you encounter a problem that makes you have to uncover how what happened to you played out from beginning to end, which of the words you said were deceptive, what kinds of ulterior motives they contained, what you were thinking, and how malicious and insidious you were, then you could well lose your nerve and be unwilling to reveal yourself to that level of detail or be so specific in what you say. There will even be people who gloss over it and say, “It was just one of those things. Suffice to say, humans are pretty deceitful, insidious, and unreliable.” This shows an inability to correctly face your corrupt essence, deceitfulness, and insidiousness; your attitude is always evasive, and you are always in an evasive state of being. You are constantly forgiving yourself, and in this matter, you are incapable of suffering and paying a price. There are therefore many people who have cried out for years, always saying, “I’m so deceitful and insidious; I’m often duplicitous in my actions, and not at all genuine toward others.” To this day, however, they remain totally and utterly deceitful, for you have never heard them express remorse for, or dissect the deceitfulness and insidiousness exposed in their words or actions. Although there is no way for us to be sure that they have or have not confessed their sins and repented before God, when faced with other people, once they have finished cheating, tricking, or manipulating them, they have never apologized, dissected themselves, or come to know themselves, or spoken of what they have learned from this matter. That they do not do so proves something: In such matters, they have never rebelled against themselves; they merely voice catchphrases and doctrines. They may speak catchphrases and doctrines to follow the trend, or may have been forced to do so by their environments. Whatever the case, uttering such catchphrases and doctrines can never change them.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Practice of Being an Honest Person” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do not always focus on others’ faults, but reflect on yourself frequently, and be proactive afterward in admitting to another what you have done that constitutes interference or harm to them. Learn to open yourself up and fellowship, and often discuss together how to fellowship practically on the basis of God’s words. When the environment of your lives is frequently thus, relationships among the brothers and sisters become normal—not complicated, indifferent, cold, or cruel like relationships between unbelievers. You will slowly divest yourselves of such relationships. Brothers and sisters become closer and more intimate with each other; you are able to support one another, and to love each other; there is goodwill in your hearts, or you have a mentality with which you are capable of tolerance and compassion toward each other, and you support and care for each other, rather than a state and attitude in which you fight with each other, trample over one another, are jealous of each other, engage in secret competition, harbor hidden scorn or contempt for each other, or in which none obeys another. Living in such states or circumstances creates terrible relationships between people. It not only creates all sorts of negative influences on you and causes you harm, but also negatively influences and harms others to varying degrees.

Excerpted from “The Most Fundamental Principle for the Practice of Entering Truth Reality” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

People who love the truth can, after listening to God’s word the truth, hurry up and put it into practice, regardless of how much of it they understand. For example, when doing work, some people, due to not having gained a clear understanding of the truth of a matter, end up pruning and dealing with their brothers and sisters, only later to realize through understanding that they have dealt with them mistakenly; they then rush over to apologize to those brothers and sisters, asking their forgiveness. Some people, while working, always try to show off by speaking letters and doctrines. Upon hearing them, their brothers and sisters get turned off and have opinions about them and reproach them. They can admit fault and say sorry to everyone, and guarantee that they will never again speak letters and doctrines. People like these are willing to practice the truth, are they not? During work, if they can correct any deviations or mistakes that occur, and practice the aspects of the truth that they understand, then these are people who are willing to practice the truth, and such people can achieve an understanding of the truth and enter reality. Some people, even after doing something wrong and being pointed out by others, continue to brazenly rationalize, stubbornly refusing to admit fault. People like these cannot practice the truth, because if they cannot concede to having made a mistake and are unable to accept the truth, then how can they even consider putting it into practice? If someone has clearly made a mistake but still will not admit fault, claiming, in order to protect their pride, that wrong is right, then what sort of nature is this person being controlled by? Is this not the demonic nature of Satan? Is it not the nature of the great red dragon? If we who believe in God have actually committed a mistake, then what should we do? We should be brave enough to bring our mistakes to light, have the courage to admit fault, say that one is one and two is two, understand where we went wrong so that we can change, and guarantee that in the future we will never make the same sort of mistake again. This is what it means to be people who are willing to practice the truth. If you are not brave enough to practice this way, and remain capable of not relenting and continue to rationalize your actions, or attack and suppress anyone who is dissatisfied with you and has an opposing opinion about you, then this shows you detest the truth and hate it, and are not someone who practices it. Furthermore, when practicing the truth, making amends and apologizing to people must come from the heart. For example, if you have done someone a disservice, and you want to voice a verbal apology but do not feel apologetic deep down, then this apology is just a bunch of words; it is not sincere, and is just a façade. This is deceit and lies, is it not? Practicing the truth must come from within; you must have a heartfelt desire to practice it—and only then can you succeed.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

If God’s chosen people’s criticism and reproach of you are not in line with the facts, then how do you react? Is it okay for you to directly deny it and refuse to admit it? You must start by accepting their criticism, and say, “I hadn’t previously recognized this issue you’ve brought up, but based on the fact of my corrupt nature, I am definitely capable of making such a mistake; I simply had not yet become conscious of it. Regardless, I should first accept it, but as for where specifically I have acted unsuitably, I should take some time to self-reflect and seek knowledge. So, thank you for voicing this opinion to me.” Would it be alright to say that? The requirements of God’s chosen people are not very high; if you are fair and reasonable, they will be understanding. If you are not, and instead fail to treat their constructive criticism in the right manner, then that is your problem; it means you do not possess truth reality or normal humanity. If one of God’s chosen people misunderstands what you have said, assuming it to have been suppressive against them, how should you deal with this situation? You should say, “When I said those things, it was not at all my intention to try to suppress you; I also never thought it would put you under so much pressure. If you feel like what I said was suppressive toward you, then I accept that, because judging by the consequences of the objective facts, that, too, was a form of suppression. So I offer you an apology; I’m sorry, and from now on, I won’t do that again.” Speaking like this would be quite practical and in line with the facts, as it was spoken from the heart. Even if that offense was never your intention, you should have accepted the criticism, admitted to your mistakes, and expressed willingness to repent. Such behavior conforms with the standards of normal humanity, and is completely correct and in line with God’s will. In future, whenever you encounter this sort of situation, this is what you should do.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

130. The Principles of Interacting With the Opposite Sex

(1) See clearly the evil essence of the depths of mankind’s corruption. Any person may fall into temptation at any time, so one must be cautious in their interactions with the opposite sex;

(2) As far as possible, avoid working in tandem with a member of the opposite sex. Should any evil thoughts arise, pray to God to eliminate them, and bend your mind and vigor to practicing the truth and performing your duty;

(3) The prudent see danger and take refuge. One should keep their distance from lascivious people, and should pray to God when faced with temptation, fleeing from the evil opposite sex and problematic situations;

(4) Learn to accept God’s scrutiny in all matters. One must redouble their reading of God’s words and reflect on whether they have evil intents, and should seek the truth in order to resolve their evil disposition.

Relevant Words of God:

There are currently some people in the church who embezzle money, some who do not keep clear boundaries between men and women, and some who judge, defy and try to demolish God’s work in secret. Why is all yet well with them? When doing such things, they possess awareness and feel reproach in their hearts and because of this they sometimes suffer chastisement and refinement, but they are just too shameless! Just like when people engage in promiscuity—they are aware of what they are doing at the time, but their lust is too great and they cannot control themselves. Even if the Holy Spirit disciplines them, it will be to no avail, so the Holy Spirit will not administer discipline. If the Holy Spirit does not discipline them then, if they feel no reproach and nothing happens to their flesh, what reproach could there be afterward? The deed is done—what discipline could there be? It only proves that they are too shameless and lacking in humanity, and that they are deserving of curses and punishment! The Holy Spirit does not work needlessly. If you know the truth very well but do not put it into practice, if you are capable of committing any evil, then all you can await is the coming of that day when you will be punished along with the evil one. This is the best end for you! Now I have repeatedly preached about conscience, which is the minimum criterion. If people lack conscience, then they have lost the discipline of the Holy Spirit; they can do whatever they wish and God pays them no mind. Those who truly have conscience and reason will be aware of it when they do something wrong. They will feel uneasy once they feel a bit of reproach in their conscience; they will undergo an inner battle and ultimately forsake the flesh. They will not reach the point where they do something that opposes God too gravely. Regardless of whether the Holy Spirit disciplines and chastises them, people will all have some feeling when they do something wrong. Therefore, people now understand all kinds of truths and if they do not practice them then that is a human issue. I do not react to people like this at all, nor do I hold onto any hope for them. You can do as you please!

Excerpted from “Practice (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people are very casual in their approach to contact with the opposite sex. They feel that it is no big deal so long as nothing happens, and neither is indulging in lustful thoughts or revealing some iniquitous passion. Should someone with normal humanity have such thoughts? Is this a sign of normal humanity? Once you are old enough to marry and come into contact with the opposite sex, and want to fall in love, do it normally, and no one will interfere. But some people don’t want to fall in love—they flirt for a couple of days with someone who catches their eye, and as soon as someone takes their fancy, they start to show off to the object of their desire. And how do they show off? A raised eyebrow, a wink of an eye, or a change in their tone of voice as they talk, or else they move a certain way or start making humorous remarks to get themselves noticed; this is showing off. When a person who is not normally like this exhibited these giveaway traits, you can be sure that there are some members of the opposite sex nearby who have caught their eye. Who are these people? You might say that they are unrestrained, or do not keep clear boundaries between men and women, but they have not exhibited any deplorable behavior. Some might say that they are simply being frivolous. In other words, they conduct themselves in an undignified way; frivolous people do not understand the need for self-respect. Some people exhibit these characteristics in everyday life, but the performance of their duties is not affected, nor has it affected the completion of their work, so is this really a problem? Some say: “As long as it does not hinder your pursuit of the truth, is there any need to talk about it?” What does this relate to? The shame and dignity of one’s humanity. A person’s humanity cannot be without shame and dignity, and without them theirs cannot be normal humanity. Some people are credible and are earnest and responsible in everything they do. They work hard, and are of good character, but they simply don’t take this aspect of their lives seriously. When you flirt with a member of the opposite sex, is this constructive, or destructive? What if the one you flirt with falls in love with you? You might say “That’s not what I wanted”; well, if you still flirt with someone when that’s not what you want, aren’t you toying with their feelings? You are harming them and acting without morals! People who do this are of very poor humanity. Furthermore, if you do not intend to pursue this relationship and are not serious about it, and yet you still raise your eyebrows and wink at the opposite sex, and show off with fun and humor, doing everything to show that you have style, that you are a handsome gentleman, showing off your good looks—if you show off like this, what are you actually doing? (Seducing people.) Now is this kind of seductive behavior a noble or an ugly thing? (It’s an ugly thing.) This is where there is no longer any dignity.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Some adorn themselves beautifully, but superficially: The sisters adorn themselves as prettily as flowers, and the brothers dress like princes or rich young dandies. They care only about external things, like the things they eat and wear; inside, they are destitute and have not the slightest knowledge of God. What meaning can there be in this? And then there are some who are dressed like poor beggars—they really look like East Asian slaves! Do you really not understand what I ask of you? Commune among yourselves: What have you actually gained? You have believed in God for all these years, and yet this is all that you have reaped—are you not embarrassed? Are you not ashamed? You have been pursuing on the true way for all these years, yet today your stature is still lower than a sparrow’s! Look at the young ladies among you, pretty as pictures in your clothes and makeup, comparing yourselves to one another—and what do you compare? Your pleasure? Your demands? Do you think I have come to recruit models? You have no shame! Where is your life? Is what you pursue not just your own extravagant desire? You think you are so beautiful, but though you might be dressed in all manner of finery, are you not in truth a wriggling maggot, born in a dung heap? Today, you are fortunate to enjoy these heavenly blessings not because of your pretty face, but because God is making an exception by raising you up. Is it still unclear to you where you came from? At the mention of life, you shut your mouth and say nothing, as dumb as a statue, yet still you have the gall to dress yourself up! Still you are inclined to apply blush and powder to your face! And look at the dandies among you, wayward men who spend the whole day sauntering about, unruly, with nonchalant expressions on their faces. Is this how a person should behave? What does each among you, man or woman, devote your attention to all day? Do you know upon whom you depend to feed yourselves? Look at your clothing, look at what you have reaped in your hands, rub your belly—what have you profited from the price of blood and sweat that you have paid over all these years of faith? You still think to go sightseeing, you still think to embellish your stinking flesh—worthless pursuits! You are asked to be a person of normality, yet now you are not simply abnormal, you are aberrant. How can such a person have the audacity to come before Me? With a humanity such as this, parading your charms and flaunting your flesh, living always within the lusts of the flesh—are you not a descendant of filthy demons and evil spirits? I will not allow such a filthy demon to remain in existence for long! And do not suppose I do not know what you think in your heart. You might keep your lust and your flesh under tight control, but how could I not know the thoughts you harbor in your heart? How could I not know all that your eyes desire? Do you young ladies not make yourselves so pretty in order to parade your flesh? What benefit are men to you? Can they truly save you from the sea of affliction? As for the dandies among you, you all dress to make yourselves seem gentlemanly and distinguished, but is this not a ruse designed to bring attention to your dashing looks? Who are you doing this for? What benefit are women to you? Are they not the source of your sin? You men and women, I have said many words to you, yet you have complied with but a few of them. Your ears are hard of hearing, your eyes have grown dim, and your hearts are hard to the point that there is nothing but lust in your bodies, such that you are ensnared in it, unable to escape. Who wants to go anywhere near you maggots, you who squirm in the filth and grime? Do not forget that you are nothing more than those whom I have raised from the dung heap, that you were not originally possessed of normal humanity. What I ask of you is the normal humanity that you did not originally possess, not that you parade your lust or give free rein to your rancid flesh, which has been trained by the devil for so many years. When you dress yourselves so, do you not fear that you will become more deeply ensnared? Do you not know that you were originally of sin? Do you not know that your bodies are filled so full with lust that it even seeps from your clothing, revealing your states as unbearably ugly and filthy demons? Is it not the case that you know this more clearly than anyone? Your hearts, your eyes, your lips—have they not all been defiled by filthy demons? Are these parts of you not filthy? Do you think that as long as you do not act, then you are the most holy? Do you think that dressing up in beautiful clothes can conceal your sordid souls? That will not work! I advise you to be more realistic: Do not be fraudulent and fake, and do not parade yourselves. You flaunt your lust to each other, but all you will receive in return is everlasting suffering and ruthless chastening! What need have you to bat your eyes at each other and indulge in romance? Is this the measure of your integrity, the extent of your uprightness? I loathe those among you who engage in evil medicine and sorcery; I loathe the young men and women among you who love their own flesh. You had better restrain yourselves, because you are now required to possess normal humanity, and you are not allowed to flaunt your lust—yet you take every opportunity you can, for your flesh is too plentiful, and your lust too great!

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Humans are worthless wretches, for they do not treasure themselves. If they do not even love themselves, trampling on themselves instead, then does this not show their worthlessness? Humanity is like an immoral woman who plays games with herself and gives herself willingly to others to be violated. Even so, people still do not recognize just how lowly they are. They find pleasure in working for others or in talking with others, putting themselves under the control of others; is this not precisely the filthiness of humankind? Although I have not experienced a life among humanity, and have not truly experienced human life, I have gained a very clear understanding of every move, every action, every word, and every deed that humans make. I am even able to expose humans to their deepest shame, to the point that they no longer dare to reveal their own connivery or give way to their lust. Like snails that retreat into their shells, they no longer dare to expose their own ugly state. Because humans do not know themselves, their greatest flaw is a willingness to parade their charms before others, showing off their ugly countenances; this is a thing that God detests most. This is because the relations between people are abnormal, and there is a lack of normal interpersonal relationships between people, much less normal relationships between them and God.

Excerpted from “Chapter 14” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I am able to see clearly all people, events, and things. I understand with complete clarity the substance of every person, which is to say, I completely see through to the things a person harbors within themselves. I can see clearly if a person is a jezebel or a harlot, and I know who does what in secret. Do not flaunt your charms before Me, you wretch! Get out of here now! So as to avoid bringing shame on My name, I make no use of that kind of person! They cannot bear witness to My name, and instead act counterproductively and bring disgrace to My family! They shall be expelled from My house immediately. I do not want them. I will not tolerate a delay of even one second! For those people, no matter how they seek, it is futile, for in My kingdom all are holy and unblemished in any way. If I say I do not want someone—and that includes My own people—then I mean it; do not wait for Me to change My mind. I do not care how good you were to Me before!

Excerpted from “Chapter 90” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man has a corrupt disposition and is moreover possessed of emotions. As such, it is absolutely prohibited for two members of the opposite sex to work together unaccompanied when serving God. Any who are discovered doing so will be expelled, without exception.

Some brothers insist on fellowshiping only with sisters, and even on doing so alone. They really open up to the sisters when they fellowship with them, and refuse to do so with anyone else. These people are no good! Some sisters do not fellowship with other sisters, and never open up to them, exclusively seeking out brothers to fellowship with. What kind of people are these? Is there not a single sister who can support you? Is there not a single sister who will fellowship with you? Do they all despise you—is none right for you? Can you only get along with brothers? I think you have other motivations! There are people who stick exclusively to the opposite sex. You must overcome this using your resolve—do not indulge yourself wantonly. People have corrupt dispositions. If no strictures are imposed on them, they become terribly licentious. There must always be things to hold people in check and make them always bear these things in mind. With such things in place, people’s behavior is much better.

Excerpted from “A Talk About God’s Administrative Decrees in the Age of Kingdom” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When certain people go into a group, they always try to attract the opposite sex. They wink and beckon with their eyes, their faces become highly expressive when they speak, and they love to show off. To use a rather inappropriate term for it, they become coquettish. They like to be seen as exceedingly funny, humorous, handsome, romantic, elegant, heroic, beautiful, gentlemanly, refined, knowledgeable, and so on; they especially love to show off. Why do such people try to show off? They do it to attract the opposite sex. The more attention they receive from the opposite sex—the more admiration, appreciation, and reverence they receive—the more they get into their performance. In church life, over time, such people tend to lock on to a few different targets. They try to sink their hooks into a few different members of the opposite sex, they seduce with their glances, and their words are often provocative or even sexually harassing. Are such interpersonal relationships proper? (No.) These relationships are improper. Such people do not even bother to drop their performances during gatherings. When in front of these members of the opposite sex whom they like and favor, their words become very funny, interesting, and inviting as they move their eyes and eyebrows animatedly, are bubbling with excitement, and even gesticulate and move around. And what is their purpose? It is to attract the opposite sex and have improper relationships. Despite the fact that this behavior disgusts many of their brothers and sisters, and even though many people around them may have warned them that this is a problem, nothing sinks in, and they refuse to give up or stop. If two people have this kind of relationship outside of church life and flirt with each other, if it does not affect the others in their church life, or if at least others do not hear about it, so it does not affect the moods of others or the efficacy of gatherings, then we can ignore such behavior for the moment. However, if this happens continuously within church life, and actually disturbs others, then restrictions should be placed on such an improper relationship, or the people involved should even be removed from church life. Would that be appropriate? (Yes.) If it is only a matter of a young person falling in love and dating normally, that sort of courtship should be kept low-key during gatherings so as not to affect others. This is a place where people worship God, where they pray-read His words and conduct spiritual devotionals, and personal feelings should not be brought into church life. If a relationship is brought into church life and it becomes a disruption to others, if it has an impact on the mood of other gathering attendees, if it affects people’s ability to read God’s words and gain knowledge and understanding of them, if it causes more people to be distracted and disturbed, then this relationship can be defined as an improper one. Even a proper romantic relationship can become improper if the participants cause a disturbance for others, and that is even more so of relations with the opposite sex that fall outside the bounds of a proper romantic relationship. Therefore, when such improper relationships arise in church life, everyone involved should be warned and prevented from going further, rather than acquiesced to or their actions condoned. Such people should be restricted, or even purged, according to the principles.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (14)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people are blessed with good looks, and are constantly finding themselves pursued by the opposite sex; the more people pursue them, the more they feel they can afford to show off. Isn’t this dangerous? What should you do in this situation? (Recognize and avoid this pitfall.) This really is a pitfall, which you must avoid—if you don’t, you may very well find that that person has snared you. You need to avoid this pitfall before you become ensnared; this is called self-control. People who have self-control have a sense of shame and a sense of dignity. Those who do not can be lured away by anyone who catches them; they respond to anyone who pursues them, which can land them in a great deal of trouble. Furthermore, they will also deliberately show off, preen and dress up, and whatever clothes they have to wear that can make themselves look more handsome, more attractive and pretty, they will specifically choose those to wear, and will wear them each and every day; this is dangerous and it shows that they are someone who is consciously attempting to seduce others. If you look too conspicuous, too seductive in these clothes, then you must forsake them and choose different clothes to wear. If you are resolved in this regard, there is nothing to stop you achieving this. If, however, you do not have this resolve, yet you want to look for a partner, then go ahead and find one: Interact normally with each other, without luring or seducing the other. If you are not looking for a partner, but lure and seduce others, this can only be termed as lacking a sense of shame. You have to be clear about what you are choosing, whether the path you are taking is right, and whether this is what you should be doing. Can you all abide by this? (We have this resolve.) If you have this resolve, then you have the energy, the motivation, and it will be easy to abide by this. Some people are essentially decent by nature, and moreover, having found faith in God, they are keen to pursue the truth and take the right path; they do not have that desire, and do not respond to anyone who attempts to lure them. Some people are quite prone to this, while others don’t pay it any heed; some people seem to have this resolve, but even they themselves cannot tell whether they in fact do or do not. This is something you must deal with correctly and re-examine, and understand how this is an integral part of the dignity and shame of normal humanity.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Resolving one’s nature begins with forsaking the flesh, and forsaking the flesh also requires having principles. Can one forsake the flesh while muddleheaded? As soon as you encounter a problem, you give in to the flesh. Some brothers may stop in their tracks at the sight of a beautiful woman; if you do this, too, then you must establish a motto for yourself. When a beautiful woman comes up to you, should you leave or what? What should you do if she reaches out to hold your hand? If you have no principles, facing such a situation will cause you to stumble. What should you do if your eyes go green with envy at the sight of money and wealth? You should specifically put your mind to this problem, and focus on training yourself to resolve it, and you will gradually be able to forsake the flesh. There is a principle which is quite crucial, and that is that you should bring your issues before God and seek more. In addition, every evening, you must examine your conditions and scrutinize your own behavior: Which of your acts were done in accordance with the truth, and which were in violation of principles? This is yet another principle. These two points are most vital: One is that you must examine the issues when they happen, and the other is to self-reflect afterward. The third principle is to be perfectly clear on what is meant by practicing truth and what is referred to as handling matters in a principled manner. Once you are crystal clear on this, you will handle matters correctly. By adhering to these three principles, you will be able to exercise restraint. Your corrupt nature will not be able to reveal itself or resurface. These are also the fundamental principles for resolving human nature.

Excerpted from “Practicing the Truth and Resolving One’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whether you can be saved does not depend on how great your seniority or how many years you have been working, and much less does it depend on how many credentials you have built up. Rather, it depends on whether your pursuit has borne fruit. You ought to know that those who are saved are the “trees” that bear fruit, not the trees with lush foliage and abundant flowers that yet yield no fruit. Even if you have spent many years wandering the streets, what does that matter? Where is your testimony? Your reverence for God is far less than your love for yourself and your lustful desires—is this kind of person not a degenerate? How could they be a specimen and model for salvation? Your nature is incorrigible, you are too rebellious, you are beyond salvation! Are such people not those that will be eliminated? Is the time when My work is finished not the time of the arrival of your last day? I have done so much work and spoken so many words among you—how much of it has truly entered your ears? How much of it have you ever obeyed? When My work ends, that will be the time when you stop opposing Me, when you stop standing against Me. As I work, you act against Me constantly; you never comply with My words. I do My work, and you do your own “work,” making your own little kingdom. You are nothing but a pack of foxes and dogs, doing everything in opposition to Me! You are constantly trying to bring those who offer you their undivided love into your embrace—where is your reverence? Everything you do is deceitful! You have no obedience or reverence, and everything you do is deceitful and blasphemous! Can such people be saved? Men who are sexually immoral and lascivious always want to draw coquettish harlots to them for their own enjoyment. I absolutely will not save such sexually immoral demons. I hate you filthy demons, and your lasciviousness and coquettishness will plunge you into hell. What have you to say for yourselves? You filthy demons and evil spirits are repulsive! You are disgusting! How could such trash be saved? Can they who are ensnared in sin still be saved? Today, this truth, this way, and this life do not attract you; rather, you are attracted to sinfulness; to money; to standing, fame and gain; to the enjoyments of the flesh; to the handsomeness of men and charms of women. What qualifies you to enter My kingdom? Your image is even greater than God’s, your status even higher than God’s, to say nothing of your prestige among men—you have become an idol that people worship. Have you not become the archangel? When people’s outcomes are revealed, which is also when the work of salvation will draw near its end, many of those among you will be corpses beyond salvation and must be eliminated.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, all who cannot accept God’s scrutiny cannot receive His approval, and those who do not know God incarnate cannot be perfected. Look at all that you do, and see if it can be brought before God. If you cannot bring all that you do before God, this shows that you are an evildoer. Can evildoers be perfected? All that you do, every action, every intention, and every reaction should be brought before God. Even your daily spiritual life—your prayers, your closeness to God, how you eat and drink of God’s words, your fellowship with your brothers and sisters, and your life within the church—and your service in partnership can be brought before God for His scrutiny. It is such practice that will help you achieve growth in life. The process of accepting God’s scrutiny is the process of purification. The more you can accept God’s scrutiny, the more you are purified and the more you are in accord with God’s will, so that you will not be drawn into debauchery, and your heart will live in His presence. The more you accept His scrutiny, the greater are Satan’s humiliation and your ability to forsake the flesh. So, the acceptance of God’s scrutiny is a path of practice people should follow. No matter what you do, even when communing with your brothers and sisters, you can bring your acts before God and seek His scrutiny and aim to obey God Himself; this will make what you practice much more correct. Only if you bring all you do before God and accept God’s scrutiny can you be someone who lives in the presence of God.

Excerpted from “God Perfects Those Who Are After His Own Heart” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

VII. The Principles of Treating Others Fairly

131. The Principles of Treating Others Fairly

(1) It is necessary to treat all people, events, and things according to God’s word the truth. Only treating others in keeping with the truth principle accords with God’s will;

(2) Treat others’ strengths and weaknesses properly. Do not ask too much of people or demand they do more than they are able, and do not overestimate or belittle them;

(3) Be loving to God’s chosen ones. Do not be guided by emotion or harbor prejudice in your treatment of others, and do not delimit them arbitrarily. Regard them from a developmental point of view;

(4) Do not be jealous of virtue and talent, and do not exclude or suppress those with dissenting views. When you discover people of good caliber who love the truth, recommend and promote them;

(5) It is necessary to treat others according to their essences. A good person who has committed a transgression should be helped and supported with loving fellowship of the truth, whereas an evil person should be loathed and rejected.

Relevant Words of God:

How does God ask that people treat others? (Fairly.) What does “fairly” mean? You should not treat others according to their appearance, status, family background, wealth, amount of learning, or their position within the church. So what should it be according to? According to the truth principle. The duty they are arranged to perform should be based on the duty they are able to perform—and if they are incapable of performing a duty, and even go so far as to interfere, then if they merit being purged, they should be purged, even if they have a good relationship with you. This is being fair, this is what is included in the principles of fairness, it relates to principles of conduct.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Understand the Truth Understand Spiritual Matters” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What does acting according to principle involve, specifically? For example, with regard to how to treat others, what are the principles behind how you treat those with status and those without, as well as ordinary brothers and sisters and various levels of leaders and workers? You cannot treat your brothers and sisters in the same way as the unbelievers treat people; you must be fair and reasonable. You cannot be close to this one, but not that one; nor should you form cliques or gang up. You cannot bully people because you have taken a dislike to them, or fawn over those who are formidable. This is what is meant by principles. You must be principled in the way you deal with other people; you must treat them all fairly. If you entice those you think are pretty good over to your side while excluding those you find difficult to approach, then do you not lack principles? This is the unbelievers’ philosophy for living in the world, and it is the principle behind the manner in which they treat other people. This is both a satanic disposition and satanic logic. According to which principle should you treat the members of God’s family? (Treat each and every brother and sister fairly.) How do you treat them fairly? Everyone has minor faults and shortcomings, as well as certain idiosyncrasies; people all possess self-righteousness, weakness, and areas in which they are lacking. You should help them with a loving heart, be tolerant and forbearing, and not be too harsh or make a fuss over every tiny detail. With people who are young or who have not believed in God for very long, or have only recently started to perform their duties, these people who have certain special requests, if you just grab hold of these things and use them against them, then you are being harsh. You ignore the evil done by those false leaders and antichrists, and yet upon spotting minor shortcomings and faults in your brothers and sisters, you refuse to help them, instead choosing to make a fuss over those things and judge them behind their backs, thereby causing even more people to oppose, exclude, and ostracize them. What sort of behavior is this? This is just you doing things based on your personal preferences, and not being able to treat people fairly. This shows a corrupt satanic disposition and it is a transgression! When people do things, God is watching; whatever you do and however you think, He sees! If you wish to grasp the principles, then you must first understand the truth. Once you understand the truth, you can comprehend the will of God. The truth tells you how to treat people, and once you have understood this, you will know how to treat people in line with God’s will. If you do not understand the truth, you certainly will not understand God’s will. How you are to treat others is clearly shown or hinted at in God’s words; the attitude with which God treats humanity is the attitude people should adopt in their treatment of one another. How does God treat each and every person? Some people are of immature stature, or are young, or have believed in God for only a short time. God might see these people as being neither bad nor malicious by nature essence; it is simply that they are somewhat ignorant or lacking in caliber, or that they have been polluted too much by society. They have not entered truth reality, so it is difficult for them to keep from doing some foolish things or committing some ignorant acts. However, from God’s perspective, such matters are not important; He looks only at these people’s hearts. If they are resolved to enter truth reality, if they are headed in the right direction, and this is their objective, then God is watching them, waiting for them, and giving them time and opportunities that allow them to enter. It is not the case that God knocks them down with one blow, nor is it that He grabs hold of a transgression they once committed and refuses to let go; He has never treated people like this. That being said, if people treat each other in such a manner, then does this not show their corrupt disposition? This is precisely their corrupt disposition. You have to look at how God treats ignorant and foolish people, how He treats those with immature stature, how He treats the normal manifestations of humanity’s corrupt disposition, and how He treats those who are malicious. God treats different people in different ways, and He also has various ways of managing different people’s myriad conditions. You must understand these truths. Once you have understood these truths, you will then know how to experience them.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In your everyday lives, in what situations, and in how many situations, are you God-fearing, and in what things are you not? Are you capable of hating people? When you hate someone, can you crack down on that person or take revenge against him? (Yes.) Well then, you are quite scary! You are not God-fearing. That you could do such things means your disposition is quite vile, to quite a serious degree! Love and hatred are things which normal humanity should possess, but you must differentiate clearly between what you love and what you hate. In your heart, you should love God, love the truth, love positive things, and love your brothers and sisters, whereas you should hate the devil Satan, hate negative things, hate antichrists, and hate wicked people. If you harbor hatred for your brothers and sisters, then you will be inclined to suppress them and take revenge on them; this would be very frightening. Some people only have thoughts of hatred and evil ideas. After a while, if such people cannot get along with the person they hate, they will start to distance themselves from him; however, they do not let this affect their duties or influence their normal interpersonal relationships, because they have God in their hearts and they revere Him. They do not want to offend God, and are afraid to do so. Though these people might harbor certain views about someone, they never put those thoughts into action or even utter a single word that is out of line, unwilling to offend God. What sort of behavior is this? This is an example of conducting themselves and handling things with principle and impartiality. You might be incompatible with someone’s personality, and you may not like him, but when you work together with him, you remain impartial and will not vent your frustrations in doing your duty, sacrifice your duty, or take out your frustrations on the interests of God’s family. You can do things according to principle; as such, you have a basic reverence for God. If you have a bit more than that, then when you see that someone has some faults or weaknesses—even if he has offended you or harmed your own interests—you still have it in you to help him. Doing so would be even better; it would mean that you are a person who possesses humanity, truth reality, and reverence for God. If you cannot achieve this with your current stature, but can do things, conduct yourself, and treat people in accordance with principle, then this also counts as being God-fearing; this is most fundamental. If you cannot even achieve this, and cannot restrain yourself, then you are in great danger and are quite frightening. If you were given a position, you could punish people and give them a hard time; you would then be liable to turn into an antichrist at any moment. What sort of person is one who becomes an antichrist? Is he or she not one who will be eliminated? As for whether someone is good or bad, and how he or she should be treated, people should have their own principles of behavior; however, as for what the outcome of that person will be—whether he or she ends up getting punished by God, or whether he or she ends up getting judged and chastised—that is God’s business. People should not interfere; God would not allow you to take the initiative on His behalf. How to treat that person is God’s business. As long as God has not decided what sort of outcome such people will have, has not expelled them, and has not punished them, and they are being saved, then you should help them patiently, out of love; you should not hope to determine the outcome of such people, nor should you use human means to crack down on them or punish them. You may deal with and prune such people, or you may open your heart and engage in heartfelt fellowship to help them. However, if you contemplate punishing, ostracizing, and framing these people, then you will be in trouble. Would doing so be in line with the truth? Having such thoughts would result from being hot-blooded; those thoughts come from Satan and originate from human resentment, as well as from human jealousy and loathing. Such conduct does not conform to the truth. This is something that would bring down retribution upon you, and is not in line with God’s will. Are you capable of thinking up various ways to punish people because they are not to your liking or because they do not get along with you? Have you ever done that sort of thing before? How much of it have you done? Were you not always indirectly belittling people, making cutting remarks, and being sarcastic toward them? (Yes.) In what states were you in when you were doing such things? At the time, you were venting, and felt happy; you had gained the upper hand. Afterward, however, you thought to yourselves, “I did such a despicable thing. I am not God-fearing, and I have treated that person so unfairly.” Deep down, did you feel guilty? (Yes.) Though you are not God-fearing, you at least have some sense of conscience. Thus, are you still capable of doing this kind of thing again in the future? Can you contemplate attacking and seeking revenge against people, giving them a hard time and showing them who is the boss whenever you despise them and fail to get along with them, or whenever they do not obey or listen to you? Will you say, “If you don’t do what I want, I’ll find an opportunity to punish you without anyone knowing about it. No one will find out, but I will make you submit before me; I’ll show you my power. After that, no one will dare to mess with me!” Tell Me this: What sort of humanity is possessed by a person who does such a thing? In terms of his humanity, he is malicious. Measured against the truth, he does not revere God. In his speech and actions, he has no principles; he acts wantonly and does whatever he pleases. In terms of being God-fearing, have such people achieved life entry? Of course not; the answer is “no,” one hundred percent. If a person has achieved no entry whatsoever when it comes to revering God, then can it be said that not a single ounce of this person’s heart reveres God?

Excerpted from “The Five States Necessary to Be on the Right Track in One’s Faith” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you know the way you treat others is unfair, why would you continue to do so? What is making you act that way? What are you thinking? Why are you unfair to them? Is there more to this? You say, “I look down on them. I’m better than them. I don’t want to treat them fairly. I want to walk all over them.” What is happening here? It is an arrogant disposition. An arrogant disposition gives rise to these states within you—you do not want to treat that person fairly, nor assess them impartially, much less talk about their good points. When there is a job to do, you do not want to choose them to do it, as, in your heart, you look down on them. When you have grasped these states, is it then easy for you to remedy your opinion of that person? No, it is not. Therefore, one disposition gives rise to many states, and these states are inside you, controlling you, your actions, your speech, your views, and how you treat people—they control your entire being. How do these states arise? They arise from your disposition—it is, in fact, your disposition that controls you, not your state. Such a disposition turns you against the truth. Therefore, if you do not use the truth to resolve this disposition and reverse the course of your state, you will never be free from your satanic disposition. How, then, can you reverse the course of such states? You must be open to God, come before Him to pray, thoroughly understand the essence of the problem, and ask God to discipline you and deal with you, to give you confirmation and make you understand. You must then have a desire to cooperate and forsake yourself. Say: “I won’t act like that again. This person’s caliber may be a bit poor, but I will treat them as they should be treated. If they are suited to do a certain duty, I’ll have them to do it. If I have a good relationship with another person who is not suited for that duty, I won’t assign it to them. I’ll give it to the former instead.” Has the course of your state not then been reversed? That is, having turned away from your previous way of behaving, you have amended the possible consequences of your state. Is this not an aspect of practice? So, how can you undertake this sort of practice? Can you achieve this result if you do not cooperate, and you do not at all forsake your own subjective will? Absolutely not. Therefore, cooperation is key. You must cooperate absolutely and be able to obey the truth absolutely, and have an attitude of obedience to the truth and be determined to obey it—only then will you be able to forsake your individual, subjective will and personal states, and thus will your course gradually be turned. You may look down on someone, and that is your state—yet, if you do not live by that state, but arrange for that person things they can do, and treat them fairly, then, whenever that person is mentioned, your conscience will be at ease, and you will feel you have not done wrong by God. You are practicing the truth, and, after a while, your opinion of that person will change. How does that happen? It is God’s doing. Little by little, the truth begins to take effect inside you, changing your state and reversing its course. At first, it is hard for you; after you have made use of that person, your heart reels whenever you see them, and you feel you have lost your integrity. Despite having made use of them, you do not want to talk much with them, and, in your heart, you still look down on them. Your state has not yet been turned entirely around, which means that the root of your corrupt disposition is still there. That such a little state can cause you so much pain—is this not a problem of disposition? It is a problem in man’s nature essence. As you gradually turn your course, you speak more with that person, fellowship more with them, and understand them more; you see their strengths and discover that they are indeed suited to certain duties. You will then gradually come to recognize your meanness and shamefulness, and that your current actions and the way you now treat that person are impartial and in conformity with the truth, and your heart will then be at ease. This, however, is merely the beginning. When you encounter the same issue again, you will not necessarily be able to use the same methods you used with the prior person to handle it. There may be other, different states at play, or the environment may be different, as may people, matters or things, testing how much you love the truth and your determination to forsake your own corrupt disposition and your will. These are God’s trials. In all your dealings with others, at any time and whoever they may be, and regardless of whether your relationship is good or bad, whether or not they are close to you, whether or not they fawn on you, and regardless of their caliber—when you are able to treat them fairly and correctly, your state will have changed utterly. When the way you treat others does not rely on your imaginings, your emotions, or your hot-bloodedness, you will have gained this aspect of the truth.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

132. The Principles of Treating Others According to Their Essences

(1) Never view others on the basis of human notions, imaginings, or traditional culture. They should be regarded on the sole basis of God’s word the truth, that being the only way to see clearly the essence of each type of person;

(2) Do not define people on the basis of how they perform in a given moment. Their essences should be judged by how they perform over time, this being the only way to treat others fairly;

(3) People with arrogant, self-righteous dispositions, or those who have committed a transgression but are able to accept the truth, should not be treated as evil. They should be helped lovingly;

(4) So long as someone is confirmed essentially to be an evil person, an evil spirit, an antichrist, or a nonbeliever, that person must be purged or expelled, as enacted by the church;

(5) Deceitful people who frequently reveal erroneous views, who frequently harbor notions of God and are defensive against Him, are counted among nonbelievers. They are to be purged or expelled.

Relevant Words of God:

In God’s words, what principle is mentioned with regard to how people should treat each other? Love what God loves, and hate what God hates. That is, the people God loves, who truly pursue the truth and do God’s will, are the very ones you should love. Those who do not do God’s will, who hate God, who disobey Him, and whom He despises are ones we, too, should despise and reject. This is what God’s word requires. If your parents do not believe in God, then they hate Him; and if they hate Him, then God certainly loathes them. So, if you were told to hate your parents, could you do it? If they resist God and revile Him, then they are certainly people He hates and curses. Under such circumstances, how should you treat your parents if either they obstruct your believing in God, or if they do not? During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus said, “Who is My mother? And who are My brothers? … For whoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” This saying already existed back in the Age of Grace, and now God’s words are even more apt: “Love what God loves, and hate what God hates.” These words cut straight to the point, yet people are often unable to appreciate their true meaning.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whether you have truth and whether you resist God depend on your essence, not on your appearance or how you might occasionally speak or conduct yourself. Whether or not an individual will be destroyed is determined by one’s essence; it is decided according to the essence revealed by one’s behavior and one’s pursuit of the truth. Among people who are the same as each other in that they are doing work, and who do similar amounts of work, those whose human essences are good and who possess truth are the people who will be allowed to remain, while those whose human essences are evil and who disobey the visible God are those who will be objects of destruction. All of God’s work or words related to humanity’s destination will deal with people appropriately according to each individual’s essence; not the slightest error will occur, and not a single mistake will be made. It is only when people do work that human emotion or meaning enters the mix. The work God does is most appropriate; He absolutely does not bring false claims against any creature. There are currently many people who are unable to perceive humanity’s future destination and who do not believe the words I utter. All those who do not believe, as well as the ones who do not practice truth, are demons!

Nowadays, those who seek and those who do not are two entirely different types of people, whose destinations are also very different. Those who pursue knowledge of the truth and practice the truth are the ones to whom God will bring salvation. Those who do not know the true way are demons and enemies; they are the descendants of the archangel and will be objects of destruction. Even those who are pious believers of a vague God—are they not also demons? People who possess good consciences but do not accept the true way are demons; their essence is one of resistance to God. Those who do not accept the true way are those who resist God, and even if such people endure many hardships, they will still be destroyed. All those who are unwilling to relinquish the world, who cannot bear to part with their parents, and who cannot bear to rid themselves of their own enjoyments of the flesh are disobedient to God, and all will be objects of destruction. Anyone who does not believe in God incarnate is demonic and, moreover, will be destroyed. Those who have faith but do not practice the truth, those who do not believe in God incarnate, and those who do not at all believe in God’s existence will also be objects of destruction. All those who will be allowed to remain are people who have undergone the suffering of refinement and stood firm; these are people who have truly endured trials. Anyone who does not recognize God is an enemy; that is, anyone who does not recognize God incarnate—whether or not they are inside or outside this stream—is an antichrist! Who is Satan, who are demons, and who are God’s enemies if not resisters who do not believe in God? Are they not those people who are disobedient to God? Are they not those who claim to have faith, yet who lack truth? Are they not those who merely seek to obtain blessings while being unable to bear witness for God? You still mingle with those demons today and bear conscience and love toward them, but in this case are you not extending good intentions toward Satan? Are you not associating with demons? If people these days are still unable to distinguish between good and evil, and continue to blindly be loving and merciful without any intention of seeking God’s will or being able in any way to harbor God’s intentions as their own, then their endings will be all the more wretched. Anyone who does not believe in the God in the flesh is an enemy of God. If you can bear conscience and love toward an enemy, do you not lack a sense of righteousness? If you are compatible with those which I detest and with which I disagree, and still bear love or personal feelings toward them, then are you not disobedient? Are you not intentionally resisting God? Does such a person possess truth? If people bear conscience toward enemies, love for demons, and mercy for Satan, then are they not intentionally disrupting God’s work? Those people who believe only in Jesus and do not believe in God incarnate during the last days, as well as those who verbally claim to believe in God incarnate but do evil, are all antichrists, without even mentioning those who do not even believe in God. All these people will be objects of destruction. The standard by which humans judge other humans is based on their behavior; those whose conduct is good are righteous, while those whose conduct is abominable are wicked. The standard by which God judges humans is based on whether their essence submits to Him or not; one who submits to God is a righteous person, while one who does not is an enemy and a wicked person, regardless of whether this person’s behavior is good or bad and regardless of whether their speech is correct or incorrect.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The majority of people have committed transgressions. For example, some have resisted God, some have rebelled against Him, some have spoken words of complaint against Him, and others have done things that were detrimental to the church or that did damage to God’s house. How should these people be treated? Their outcomes will be determined according to their natures and their consistent behavior. Some people are wicked, some are foolish, some are silly, and some are beasts. Everyone is different. Some wicked people are possessed by evil spirits, while others are the lackeys of the devil Satan. With regard to their natures, some are particularly sinister, some are particularly deceitful, some are especially greedy when it comes to money, and others enjoy being sexually promiscuous. Every person’s behavior is different, so people should all be viewed comprehensively in accordance with their individual natures and behavior. According to the instincts of man’s mortal flesh, whoever a person is, his instinct is to simply have free will; it is simply to be able to think about things—but he does not have the faculty to directly penetrate the spiritual world. It is like when you believe in the true God and would like to accept this stage of His new work, yet no one has come to preach the gospel to you; you only have the work of the Holy Spirit to enlighten you and guide you somewhere: As such, it is impossible for you to know what God will accomplish in the future. People cannot fathom God; they do not have the faculty to do so, nor do they possess faculty to directly comprehend the spiritual world or to thoroughly understand God’s work, much less to serve Him most willingly like an angel. Unless God has conquered and reformed them, or watered them and supplied them with the truths He expresses, people are unable to accept the new work. If God does not do this work, they will not have these things within them, and this is decided by their instinct. Thus, when some people resist or rebel, they incur God’s anger and hatred. However, then, in consideration for their instinct, God treats each case differently and deals with each case separately. Therefore, any work done by God is measured. He knows what to do and how to do it. As for those things people cannot do instinctually, God will certainly not require them to do them. He handles each person according to the environment and context at the time, the actual situation, the person’s actions, and the person’s behavior and expressions. God will never wrong anyone. This is God’s righteousness. For example, Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil when she was made to by the serpent, but Jehovah God did not reproach her by saying, “I told you not to eat it, so why do you do it anyway? You should have discernment; you should know that the serpent spoke only to seduce you.” Jehovah God did not say this, nor did He reprimand Eve. Because He created humans, He knows what their instincts are and what those instincts are made of, to what extent people can control themselves, and what people are capable of. When God handles someone, when He adopts an attitude toward someone—whether it is one of disdain or disgust—and when one says certain things in certain situations, God understands that person’s state very well. People always think that God only has divinity; that He is righteous and unoffendable. They assume that He does not have any humanity, does not consider people’s difficulties, and does not put Himself in their shoes; they believe that He will punish people as long as they do not practice in accordance with the truth, and that He will remember if someone resists Him even a little, and will punish that person afterward. This really is not the case. If this is the sort of idea you have of God’s righteousness, work, and attitude toward people, then you are seriously mistaken. The basis that God uses to handle people is unimaginable to man. God is righteous; God has His own principles—and sooner or later, He will cause all humans to be absolutely convinced.

Excerpted from “On What Basis Does God Treat People?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are in human nature certain characteristics that all people have in common: these you must get to know. That all people are capable of betraying God is a shared characteristic, but everyone has their own particular Achilles’ heel. Some people like this, some people like that, some people hold this in esteem, and some people hold that in esteem. These are the differences in people’s natures. Some people are able to bear up under a great deal of suffering, some grow negative and begin to complain after a little suffering and have difficulty bearing up. Why is it that, faced with the same event, everyone reacts differently? It is because the things in their natures are different. The corrupt dispositions of some people are more severe in their manifestation, while those of others are more mild; however, they are essentially the same. This is a shared characteristic. The way that a person’s nature is decides what kind of person they are. Even though they have characteristics in common with others, they may not be the same kind of people. Why do I say they are not the same kind of people? Because this thing which is in their nature may not be all that obvious or that intense. For example, lust is a shared human characteristic. Everyone has it. Moreover, this area is very difficult to overcome. However, it is especially intense for some people. When faced with this issue, they are unable to overcome it, and then they can run off with other people or lead them to run off. It may be said that these people are evil in their nature. Some people are a little weak in facing this issue, or they are a little susceptible to lustful passion, but they wouldn’t do shameful things, they would be able to control themselves and shun these acts. In that case, you cannot say that these people are evil in their nature. As long as there is flesh, there will always be lustful passion. Some people indulge in their lusts and do whatever they want in wanton. But some people are not like this at all. They are able to pursue the truth and base their actions on the truth, and are able to forsake the flesh. Even though they do have lusts of the flesh, they behave differently. This is where people differ from each other. Some people covet money; when they see money and nice things, they desire to have them, and their possessive desire is exceptionally strong. The nature of these people is greedy and avaricious. When they see something, they become greedy; they even dare spend and steal the church’s money, even to the tune of tens of thousands of yuan; the more money there is, the more they dare to do it; they simply do not fear God. This is a greedy nature. Some people are pricked by their conscience if they spend 10 or 20 yuan of the church. They hurry to kneel down in God’s presence to pray, and with tears of remorse, ask God to forgive them. Everyone has weaknesses: You can’t say that this is an avaricious person—it is merely a case of a corrupt disposition showing itself. Some people love to judge others. They will say: “This guy spent a few yuan of the church’s money, but he still didn’t come to pray in God’s presence. Next time, he’ll go on to spend dozens more. This is a greedy man!” It is not right to talk like this. So long as people have corrupt dispositions, they are bound to have normal weaknesses. Some human weaknesses also constitute part of their corrupt dispositions, but there is a difference between a corrupt disposition and that kind of nature. You can’t lump it all together or arbitrarily judge people. Judging others does the greatest harm to others. If you can’t distinguish or see things clearly, then avoid making baseless assertions so as not to hurt people. It is unprincipled to speak and act without understanding the truth and it brings no benefit either to others or to oneself.

Excerpted from “One Must Understand That There Are Similarities and Differences Among People’s Natures” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Although natural revelations did occur after Peter began to follow Jesus, in nature he was, from the very beginning, someone who was willing to submit to the Holy Spirit and seek after Christ. His obedience to the Holy Spirit was pure: He did not seek fame and fortune, but was instead motivated by obedience to the truth. Though there were three times when Peter denied knowing Christ, and though he tempted the Lord Jesus, such slight human weakness bore no relation to his nature, it did not affect his future pursuit, and it cannot sufficiently prove that his temptation was the act of an antichrist. Normal human weakness is something shared by all people in the world—do you expect Peter to be any different? Do people not hold certain views about Peter because he made several foolish mistakes? And do people not so adore Paul because of all the work he did, and all the epistles he wrote? How could man be capable of seeing through to the substance of man? Surely those who truly have sense can see something of such insignificance? Though the many years of painful experiences of Peter are not recorded in the Bible, this does not prove that Peter did not have real experiences, or that Peter was not made perfect. How can the work of God be fully fathomed by man? The records in the Bible were not personally selected by Jesus, but compiled by later generations. That being so, was all that was recorded in the Bible not chosen according to the ideas of man? Moreover, the ends of Peter and Paul are not expressly stated in the epistles, so man judges Peter and Paul according to his own perceptions, and according to his own preferences. And because Paul did so much work, because his “contributions” were so great, he won the trust of the masses. Does not man concentrate only on superficialities? How could man be capable of seeing through to the substance of man? Not to mention, given that Paul has been an object of worship for thousands of years, who would dare to rashly deny his work? Peter was just a fisherman, so how could his contribution be as great as that of Paul? In terms of the contributions they made, Paul should have been rewarded before Peter, and he should have been the one who was better qualified to gain God’s approval. Who could have imagined that, in His treatment of Paul, God merely made him work through his gifts, whereas God made Peter perfect. It is by no means the case that the Lord Jesus had made plans for Peter and Paul from the very beginning: They were, rather, made perfect or put to work according to their inherent natures. And so, what people see are merely the outward contributions of man, whereas what God sees is man’s substance, as well as the path that man pursues from the beginning, and the motivation behind man’s pursuit. People measure a man according to their notions, and according to their own perceptions, yet the final end of a man is not determined according to his externalities.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination. All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan. Their behavior interrupts and disturbs God’s work, it impairs the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, and it damages the normal life of the church. Sooner or later, these wolves in sheep’s clothing must be cleared out; an unsparing attitude, an attitude of rejection, should be adopted toward these lackeys of Satan. Only this is standing on the side of God, and those who fail to do so are wallowing in the mire with Satan.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is a sort of person who can treat anyone with love, helpfulness, and tolerance, yet with God alone, they are irreconcilable, and they are His sworn enemy. When they encounter something that touches on the truth, that touches on what God says and requires, they are not merely unable to accept it, creating difficulties and casting doubt on it at every turn, and spreading notions, but they also do many things that are detrimental to the work of God’s house, such that, when something touches on their own interests, they are even capable of rising up and raising an outcry against God. What sort of person is this? (One who hates God.) Hatred of God is an aspect of the nature of all people, and all have this essence; yet, in some people, it is not so severe. Why, then, does this sort of person hate God so much? They are God’s enemy; they are devils—to speak plainly, they are living demons! Are there such living demons among the people whom God saves? (No.) Therefore, if you accurately identify some in the church as living demons of this sort, you must purge them from the place immediately. If a person behaves quite well in general but has only a momentary lapse in their state, or if their stature is too small to understand the truth, and they cause a minor interruption or disturbance, yet this behavior is not consistent, and they are not such a person by nature, then they may be retained. There are some who are strong in one regard, despite their somewhat poor humanity: They are willing to render service and are even ready to suffer; it is just that they tolerate no offense and will pit themselves against anyone who offends them, but when not being offended, they are quite normal. They also have not profited at anyone else’s expense. Such people may also be retained, and, though it may not be said that they will necessarily be saved, they may at least render service, and whether they can serve unto the end depends on their personal pursuit. Yet, if such a person is a living demon and an enemy of God, they can never be saved. This is a certainty, and they must be purged from the church. Some are purged to give them a chance to repent, to teach them a lesson; others are purged because their natures have been seen for what they are, and they cannot be saved. Everyone is different. Some who have been purged, despite their depressed and dark state, have not let go of their duty, and continue to perform it—they are not of a state with people who do not do their duty at all, and the paths they take are not the same.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Among the churches, there are those who think that toiling a little or doing something risky means they have accrued merit, and according to their actions they are indeed worthy of commendation. But their disposition and attitude toward the truth are loathsome; they have no love for the truth, and that alone makes them abhorrent. Such people are worthless. When God sees that people are of poor caliber, that they have certain failings, and have corrupt dispositions or an essence that opposes Him, He is not repulsed by them, and does not keep them away from Him. That is not God’s will, and it is not His attitude toward man. God does not hate people’s poor caliber, He does not hate their foolishness, and He does not hate that they have corrupt dispositions. What God really hates is when people loathe the truth. If you detest the truth, then because of that alone, God will never find delight in you. This is set in stone. If you detest the truth, if you do not love the truth, if you are uncaring, contemptuous, proud, and you are even repulsed, resistant and you reject it when God expresses the truth, then such manifestations will cause you to be despised by God, and you will not be saved. If you love the truth, then even if your caliber is a little poor, you have not believed in God for very long, you often make mistakes, and you do stupid things, if you love it when God fellowships the truth, if your attitude toward the truth and God’s words is honest, if it is sincere and eager, if you treasure and cherish the truth, then God will be merciful toward you. God is unfazed by your ignorance and poor caliber, for your attitude toward the truth is sincere and eager, and your heart is true; your heart and attitude are what God values, and He shall be ever merciful toward you—and so you have hope of salvation. On the other hand, if you are hard of heart and self-indulgent, if you detest the truth, and do not love all of God’s words and everything that involves the truth, are never heedful of it, and are antagonistic and scornful from the depths of your heart, then what is God’s attitude toward you? Disgust, revulsion, and unceasing wrath. What two characteristics are evident in God’s righteous disposition? Abundant mercy and profound wrath. The “abundant” in “abundant mercy” means that God’s mercy is tolerant, patient, forbearing, and that it is the greatest love—that is what “abundant” means. Because some people are foolish and of poor caliber, this is how God has to act. You love the truth but are foolish and of poor caliber, God’s attitude can only be one of abundant mercy toward you. Mercy includes patience and tolerance: God is tolerant and patient toward your ignorance, He gives you sufficient faith and tolerance to support you, provide for you, and help you, so that you may understand the truth bit by bit and gradually grow up. Upon what foundation is this built? Upon the attitude of someone who loves and yearns for the truth, who is sincere toward God, His words, and the truth. These are the fundamental behaviors that should be manifested in people. But if someone hates the truth, if they detest the truth, if they reject it, and are averse to it, if they never fellowship on the truth with anyone, and speak only of how they have worked, how much experience they have, of all they have gone through, of how God looks highly upon them and has entrusted them with great tasks—if they only talk of such capital and achievements and of their own talents, and use these things to show off, and never fellowship on the truth, bear testimony to God, or fellowship their understanding and experiences connected to the truth or their knowledge of God, are they not averse to the truth? This is the manifestation of not loving the truth. Some people say, “How can they listen to sermons if they do not love the truth?” Does everyone who listens to sermons love the truth? Some people just go through the motions, they are forced to put on an act in front of others, fearing that if they do not participate in the life of the church, the house of God will not acknowledge their faith. How does God define such attitudes toward the truth? God says that they do not love the truth, that they detest the truth. There is one thing in their disposition that is most crucial to whether they live or die, more crucial than even arrogance and deceitfulness: It is detestation of the truth. God sees this. Given the righteous disposition of God, how does He treat such people? He is wrathful toward them. When God is wrathful toward someone, He reprimands them, or disciplines and punishes them. If they do not deliberately oppose God, He will, for the time being, be tolerant and observant, and will, for the time being, because of the situation or other objective reasons, make use of this nonbeliever to render service to Him. But as soon as the environment allows, and the time is right, these people will be kicked out of the house of God, for they are not even fit to render service. Such is the wrath of God. Why is God so profoundly wrathful? Because God has defined the end and categorization of such people who detest the truth. God classes them in the camp of Satan, and because He is wrathful toward them, and detests them, God shuts the door on them, He does not permit them to set foot in the house of God, and does not give them the chance to be saved. This is one manifestation of God’s wrath. God also puts them on the same level as Satan, as filthy demons and evil spirits, as the nonbelievers, and when the time is right, He shall eliminate them. Is this not one way of handling them? Such is the wrath of God. And what awaits them once they have been eliminated? Never again will they enjoy God’s grace and blessings and the salvation of God.

In the Age of Grace, it was said that God wants every person to be saved and does not want anyone to suffer perdition. Such is God’s attitude and sentiment toward saving mankind, who was corrupted by Satan. It is God’s wish, but in fact, many people do not accept God’s salvation; they belong to Satan and shall not be saved. These words show God’s attitude toward the whole of mankind: His love is without limit, it is incomparably vast, it is mighty. But to those who detest the truth, He is unwilling to freely give His love and salvation, nor will He ever do so. This is the attitude of God. What is detesting the truth tantamount to? Is it setting yourself against God? Is it being openly hostile to God? It is tantamount to openly telling God, “I don’t enjoy listening to what You have to say. If I don’t like it, then it’s not the truth, and I will not take it as the truth. It will only be the truth when I acknowledge it and like it.” When you have that attitude toward the truth, is this not being openly hostile to God? If you are openly hostile to God, will God save you? No. This is the very reason for God’s wrath. The essence of the kind of people who detest the truth is one of hostility to God. God does not treat people of this essence as people; He treats them as enemies, as demons, and will never save them. This is the manifestation of God’s wrath. … There is a reason why God is so profoundly wrathful toward one person or one type of person. This reason is not determined by the inclination of God, but by that person’s attitude toward the truth. A person’s detesting the truth is fatal to their attaining salvation; this is not a sin that can or cannot be forgiven, it is not a form of behavior, or something that is fleetingly revealed in them; it is the nature essence of a person, and God detests such people most of all. If this is what is occasionally revealed in you, reflect on whether this is because you do not understand the truth, and you need to search, and you need God’s enlightenment and help, or whether it is because you are averse to the truth from the bottom of your heart. If that is your nature essence, if you have never loved the truth, and the truth breeds aversion and disgust in your heart, if you scorn it, then you are in trouble.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

133. The Principles of Treating Brothers and Sisters Who Are New to Faith

(1) Newcomers must be watered with the truth of vision, resolving all their notions and imaginings, that they may establish firm footing on the true way as quickly as possible;

(2) One should not ask too much of newcomers. Their notions and difficulties must be resolved promptly and patiently, through fellowship on the truth;

(3) One should not use regulations to control others. All people should be watered with the truth on the basis of their actual situations, and one should not try to make a duck assume a perch, as it were, demanding of others what they cannot do;

(4) Be wise in how you treat those new to faith. Precautions must be taken against those of poor humanity who do not love the truth, and one must never disclose personal or church information.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Watering new believers so they can quickly establish a firm foundation on the true way and enter onto the right track in their faith is the most fundamental and core work of God’s house. The truths that new believers must be watered with include: the truth of the three stages of God’s work; the truth of God’s incarnation; the truth of God’s names; the truth of the differences between God’s work and man’s work; the truth of discerning the true Christ from false Christs; the truth of knowing the work of the Holy Spirit and discerning the work of the evil spirits; the truth of bringing God’s words into real life; and the truth of being an honest person, etc. Water these truths deep into the hearts of all those who have just accepted God’s work so they can lay good foundations. This can ensure that they will be able to stand firm on the true way and not betray or deny God no matter what disturbances they may encounter from Satan the devil. Only when one’s work achieves this result do they serve God in accordance with His will and genuinely do God’s will.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

We must be clear that as we water these newcomers from the unbelievers, we must be loving and patient, and we must not make demands that are too high or prune and deal with them. We must wait until they understand some of the truth and have a foundation before we make strict requirements or prune and deal with them. Regardless of how many months a newcomer from the unbelievers has believed for, so long as they have good caliber and have some yearning for the truth, they should be issued or lent books to read, while those who have believed for at least six months should be issued with all books of experiential testimonies. When watering and shepherding newcomers from the unbelievers, there must be no half measures. They are not actually that different from those who have been won over from other denominations; their humanity is the same, it is just that they lack some knowledge of the Bible, and this is not a major issue. They must not be discriminated against or seen as too ignorant; after a year of belief, they will not appear to be so backward. If they cannot be watered in a timely manner, however, then some lives will be ruined. That is why the moment must be seized to earnestly water and provide for every single newcomer from the unbelievers, to make them feel God’s love for mankind and the warmth of God’s house, and even more so realize that God is genuine and credible. This is in accordance with God’s will. Compared with those who have been won over from other denominations, those of the unbelievers who accept the true way are purer, and can accept new things more readily. They must not yet be told about anything related to the administrative decrees of the church, however. They must be treated with wisdom, and told more about the rules of God’s house. They must not be permitted to attend any small group for assembly at random or to ask about church affairs; moreover, we must guard against those who seem suspicious, about whom not much is known. These are the principles that must be grasped for the watering and leading of newcomers.

For those newcomers from the unbelievers, we must not stipulate mandatory weekly attendance of gatherings. Gatherings must be determined based on their actual circumstances, and there must not be too many gatherings or too few; the number of gatherings may be decided by the majority. At meetings with these newcomers, we must read God’s words, teach them hymns and dances, and teach them to pray, so that they may enter into a normal spiritual life. In this way, after believing for several months, they will be able to perform duties. Be especially loving and patient to them, and properly water and provide for them. Do not, under any circumstances, dampen their positivity or quell their enthusiasm. We were all unbelievers once; it is only that we came to believe in God before them. It would be wrong for us to look down on these newcomers for this reason. In God’s eyes, it does not matter who believed first and who believed later. Any who gain the truth have a good faith. As long as they are willing to pursue the truth, after a few years of belief, they will be the same as us.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

Deal with people with wisdom. Some people say: “Does getting along with brothers and sisters require wisdom?” Yes, it does, because using wisdom provides even greater benefits for your brothers and sisters. Some will ask: “Isn’t being wise with brothers and sisters being cunning?” Wisdom is not deceit. Rather, wisdom and deceit are complete opposites. Using wisdom means paying attention to some ways of speaking and doing things to brothers and sisters when they are small of stature, so as to keep them from not being able to accept what you say and do. For people with small stature, especially those who do not understand the truth and have many corrupt dispositions, if your approach to them is too simple and open, and you tell them everything, this can sometimes make it easy for them to gain information that can be used against you or for them to use you. This is not good. You therefore must more or less take certain precautions and use certain methods. However, being cautious with people does not mean not helping them or not having any love for them. It just means not speaking to them about some things that touch upon the important work of God’s family, and only fellowshiping about the truth to them. If they need spiritual assistance in life and the truth to be supplied to them, we have to do everything in our ability to satisfy them in this regard. However, if they are inquiring about this and that to do with God’s house, or asking about the situations of leaders and workers, there is no need to tell them. If you tell them, they are likely to leak this information and this will do harm to the work of God’s household. In other words, if it is something they should not know or something they have no need to know, then do not let them know about it. If it is something they ought to know, then do all you can to let them know about it, practically and without reservation. So what are things they ought to know? They should know, when believing in God, how to pursue the truth; which truths they should understand and be in possession of; what duties they should fulfill and which duties are appropriate for different people; how to fulfill their duties; how to live out normal humanity; and how to lead a church life. These are all things people should know. In addition, the rules and principles of God’s house, the work of the church, and the situations of your brothers and sisters must not be disclosed to any unbelievers, nor to any members of your family who do not have faith; this is also something that people should know. These are principles that must be abided by when we use wisdom. The names and addresses of your leaders, for example, are things that should not be discussed. If you talk about these things, you never know when that information might fall into the ears of unbelievers, and things could get very troublesome if it then gets passed on to some secret service villain. You must be wise about these things. This is the reason I say that it is very important to be wise. Moreover, when you open up and fellowship your experiences, you must not reveal certain private information to anyone. You have to consider the statures of your brothers and sisters; after you tell them something, if they are not devout, then they might joke about what you have said and gossip about it, and that would be troublesome and do damage to your reputation. Thus, communicating simply and openly requires wisdom, too.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

134. The Principles of Treating People Who Love the Truth

(1) All who love the truth and are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit are counted among God’s people. If they commit transgressions, or stumble and fall, they must be helped lovingly;

(2) Those of good caliber who love the truth and have a sense of righteousness should be cultivated to be leaders and workers, and none at all may attack or ensnare them;

(3) The church must, at its core, have those who love the truth and are possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit. Focus must be given to watering and cultivating them, and giving them opportunities to perform duty and train;

(4) The church must provide its protection to those who love the truth. All evil people who would attack, exclude, or ensnare those who love the truth must be sanctioned.

Relevant Words of God:

God’s salvation of mankind is a salvation of those who love the truth, a salvation of the part of them with will and resolve, and the part of them that is their yearning for truth and righteousness in their heart. A person’s resolve is the part of them in their heart that yearns for righteousness, goodness, and truth, and is possessed of conscience. God saves this part of people, and through it, He changes their corrupt disposition, so that they may understand and gain the truth, so that their corruption may be cleansed, and their life disposition may be transformed. If you do not have these things within you, you cannot be saved. If, within you, there is no love for the truth or aspiration for righteousness and light; if, whenever you encounter evil, you have neither the will to cast off evil things nor the resolve to suffer hardship; if, moreover, your conscience is numb; if your faculty for receiving truth is also benumbed, and you are unattuned to the truth and to events that arise; and if you are undiscerning in all matters, and unable to handle or resolve things on your own, then there is no way to be saved. Such a person has nothing to recommend them, nothing worth working on. Their conscience is numb, their mind is muddied, and they do not love the truth, nor yearn for righteousness deep in their heart, and, no matter how clearly or transparently God speaks of the truth, they do not respond, as if they were already dead. Are things not over for them? A person with a breath left in them may be saved by artificial respiration, but, if they have already died and their soul has left, artificial respiration will do nothing. If, whenever you encounter a problem, you shrink from it and try to avoid it, this means you have not borne witness; as such, you can never be saved, and you are completely done for. When an issue befalls you, you must have a cool head and a correct approach, and you must make a choice. You should learn to use the truth to resolve the issue. At normal times, what is the use of understanding some truths? It is not to fill your belly, and it is not merely to give you something to say, nor is it to resolve the problems of others. More importantly, its use is to resolve your own problems, your own difficulties—only after you resolve your own difficulties can you resolve the difficulties of others. Why is it said that Peter is a fruit? Because there are things of worth in him, things worth perfecting; he was resolved to seek the truth and was firm of will; he had reason, was willing to suffer hardship, and loved the truth in his heart, and he did not let go of what came to pass. These are all strong points. If you have none of these strong points, it means trouble.

Excerpted from “Confused People Cannot Be Saved” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you love the truth, then even if your caliber is a little poor, you have not believed in God for very long, you often make mistakes, and you do stupid things, if you love it when God fellowships the truth, if your attitude toward the truth and God’s words is honest, if it is sincere and eager, if you treasure and cherish the truth, then God will be merciful toward you. God is unfazed by your ignorance and poor caliber, for your attitude toward the truth is sincere and eager, and your heart is true; your heart and attitude are what God values, and He shall be ever merciful toward you—and so you have hope of salvation. On the other hand, if you are hard of heart and self-indulgent, if you detest the truth, and do not love all of God’s words and everything that involves the truth, are never heedful of it, and are antagonistic and scornful from the depths of your heart, then what is God’s attitude toward you? Disgust, revulsion, and unceasing wrath. What two characteristics are evident in God’s righteous disposition? Abundant mercy and profound wrath. The “abundant” in “abundant mercy” means that God’s mercy is tolerant, patient, forbearing, and that it is the greatest love—that is what “abundant” means. Because some people are foolish and of poor caliber, this is how God has to act. You love the truth but are foolish and of poor caliber, God’s attitude can only be one of abundant mercy toward you. Mercy includes patience and tolerance: God is tolerant and patient toward your ignorance, He gives you sufficient faith and tolerance to support you, provide for you, and help you, so that you may understand the truth bit by bit and gradually grow up. Upon what foundation is this built? Upon the attitude of someone who loves and yearns for the truth, who is sincere toward God, His words, and the truth. These are the fundamental behaviors that should be manifested in people.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The church’s cultivation and use of people depends mainly on whether or not they pursue the truth; this is the most fundamental principle. The reason for this is that whether someone pursues the truth or not can explain many issues; it reveals whether the path they are on is the right one or an evil one, whether or not their faith in God is practical, and what sort of attribute they possess. If they truly are someone who pursues the truth, then they will most certainly possess a comparatively good humanity, they will certainly be on the right path, and they will certainly be a relatively kind person. Therefore, God’s house repeatedly emphasizes the need to select and use as leaders those who genuinely pursue the truth; this is a matter of significance. Nobody is perfect; people all have their shortcomings. When evaluating someone, you must consider the main aspects: Whether or not they pursue the truth, are of good caliber, are resolved, and have a sense of justice. If someone can pursue the truth, then even having a few minor shortcomings or committing a few minor transgressions is not considered a problem. As long as they are truly someone who pursues the truth, then their transgressions are all resolvable. When evaluating someone, do not split hairs or judge them on their appearance; you must look at their essence. This is key. The crucial work is to find people who genuinely are of good caliber, who pursue the truth, and who are capable of doing work; and then, to arrange suitable places for them in the church, and supply and cultivate them well. When the church’s leaders and workers at all levels set foot upon the right track of belief in God, they can lead God’s chosen people onto the right track as well.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

This is a principle of church life: Brothers and sisters who sincerely believe in God and pursue the truth should be treated specially. Whether they are new believers or have believed in God for years, one must have genuine love for them, offer them real help, and have a bit of a spirit of dedication toward them. In ordinary times, one should fellowship more with them about the truth so that they can understand the truth as quickly as possible and grow up in life. As for people who do not pursue the truth, if they are watered for a time, and it is discovered that they do not love the truth and have no interest in it, then there is no need to expend too much time and effort on them; such would be unnecessary, because you have already fulfilled your obligation and done everything benevolent that was expected of you. Some people might have a different opinion, and say, “People who do not pursue the truth should be watered more and provided for more; you should think of ways to get them to pursue the truth. By contrast, those who already pursue the truth do not need to be worried about anymore, because they already know how to pursue.” Is this view correct? No, it is not. You must recognize that it is in the nature of people who do not pursue the truth to not love the truth. It is arguable that ninety percent of those who do not love the truth are dead. Are you determined to bring the dead back to life? What makes you think you have what it takes? If I bumped into a dead person, I would walk away quickly. If the Holy Spirit is not working in someone, then nothing anyone does will be of any use. It would be great if you took that sole bit of love you possess and dedicated it to God, or gave it to those brothers and sisters who genuinely pursue the truth. … You have to look at which people the Holy Spirit focuses His work on. Does God perfect those people who do not pursue the truth? If the Holy Spirit will not even do that, then why should people foolishly waste their time on it? Is this not an example of human ignorance? Thus, you must give more support to brothers and sisters who genuinely pursue the truth, because they are the ones who were preordained and selected by God, and are the ones He is going to save. If you frequently fellowship on the truth with these people, in tune with each other in both heart and mind, supporting and providing for each other, then you ultimately will all be able to attain salvation. If you cannot get along with these people, then you have turned your back on God’s will. In every church there is a tiny handful of people who are pursuing the truth; these are the ones on whom the Holy Spirit’s work is focused. They are the core of the church. How does the core of a church come into being? Whichever people the Holy Spirit focuses on are the ones who become the church’s core. If you can water these people, cause their statures to mature, and make them set foot upon the right track in believing in God, then your fulfilling of your duty will be adequate and in line with God’s will. If you do not focus on watering these people, and just discard them to one side and ignore them, and then mainly focus on saving those spiritless dead people who belong to Satan and the ones who were not preordained and selected by God, those service-doers, then this proves that you are singing a different tune to God’s; you are disrupting His work, are not cooperating with the work of the Holy Spirit, and have not achieved the critical points in your job. … Thus, when it comes to people who are actually pursuing the truth, you should take measures to focus more on watering them, providing for them, and ministering to them. Support these people so that they can set foot upon the right track of believing in God, and your service will then be in accord with God’s will. Only then will your service truly be in cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit. Within the church, people who genuinely love the truth and possess normal humanity should keep company with those who pursue the truth, get along harmoniously with these people, and, by way of pursuing the truth, gradually get to where they are expending for God in unison. In this manner, people who pursue the truth will attain salvation, and you will, too, because the Holy Spirit works among people who pursue the truth.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

People’s attitude toward positive things and positive people, and toward those who pursue the truth reveals them the most. Their attitude toward those who pursue the truth shows their attitude toward the truth and God. If someone denigrates, abuses, and attacks this group of people, then it proves that this person hates God, and hates the truth and positive things. This is absolutely the case. Today, some people no longer dare to openly take a stand against the man used by the Holy Spirit. They know that anyone who opposes the man used by the Holy Spirit will be condemned by everyone in the church as an antichrist, and so now they do their utmost to vilify, attack, and judge the leaders and workers who pursue the truth and have the work of the Holy Spirit. They wish to topple these leaders and workers and take their place. Are these not the tactics of antichrists? Say there is someone who keeps passing judgment on and attacking people who pursue the truth in a church, who keeps trying to find fault with them and who looks for expressions of corruption in those who pursue the truth, and, having found something, passes judgment on, attacks, and then vilifies them, ultimately belittling them as bad, as evil, and causing everyone to reject them. Are such people not evil? Anyone in the church who is hostile to good people who pursue the truth is evil and shall be punished. That is because these good people who pursue the truth are objects of God’s work of salvation, they are under God’s protection, and they are precisely the ones who are safeguarded by God; anyone who is hostile to such people is hostile to God, and to the work of God.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

135. The Principles of Treating People With Various Arrogant Dispositions

(1) So long as they genuinely believe in God, arrogant people who are not evil, despite their arrogant dispositions, should be helped lovingly. They should be made to embark on the right track of believing in God;

(2) Those who are arrogant of disposition but can accept the truth, and who are moreover of good caliber and gifted, should be promoted and cultivated. They absolutely must not be excluded;

(3) Maniacs who number among the antichrists, who are arrogant in the extreme and have not the least bit of sense, and who are vigorous in their ambitions and multifarious in their evildoings, must be expelled;

(4) Erroneous people of arrogance, who are absurd in the extreme, and who insist rigidly on fallacies, oppose the truth, and submit to no one, must be purged or expelled.

Relevant Words of God:

Since mankind was corrupted by Satan, their nature began to change and they gradually lost the sense of reason possessed by normal people. They now no longer act as human beings in the position of man; rather, they wish to surpass the status of man, and they yearn for something higher and greater. And what is this higher something? They wish to surpass God, to surpass the heavens, and to surpass all else. What is at the root of why people have become like this? When all is said and done, man’s nature is overly arrogant. “Arrogant” is a derogative term, and no one wants to have this term pinned to them. In fact, however, everyone is arrogant, and all corrupt humans have this essence. Some people say, “I’m not the least bit arrogant. I’ve never wanted to be the archangel, nor have I ever wanted to surpass God, or to surpass all else. I’ve always been someone who’s especially well-behaved and dutiful.” Not necessarily; these words are incorrect. Once people have grown arrogant in nature and essence, they become capable of doing things that disobey and resist God, things that do not heed His words, things that generate notions about Him, things that rebel against Him, and things that exalt and bear testimony to themselves. You say you are not arrogant, but suppose you were given a number of churches and allowed to lead them; suppose that I did not deal with you, and that no one in God’s family pruned you: After leading them a while, you would bring them to your feet and make them submit before you. And why would you do that? This would be determined by your nature; it would be none other than a natural revelation. You do not need to go out of your way to learn this, nor do you have to specially get others to teach it to you. You do not need to do any of this deliberately; this kind of situation comes about naturally to you: You make people submit before you, worship you, exalt you, testify about you, and listen to you in all things, and you do not allow them to go beyond your jurisdiction. Under your leadership, such situations occur naturally. And how do these situations come about? They are determined by man’s arrogant nature. The manifestation of arrogance is rebellion and resistance against God. When people are arrogant, self-important, and self-righteous, they tend to set up their own independent kingdoms and do things however they want. They also bring others into their own hands and draw them into their embraces. For people to be capable of doing such things, it means the essence of their arrogance has become that of the archangel. When their arrogance and self-importance reach a certain level, then that determines that they are the archangel and will put God aside. If you possess such an arrogant disposition, God will have no place in your heart.

Excerpted from “An Arrogant Nature Is the Root of Man’s Resistance to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Arrogance is the root of man’s corrupt disposition. The more arrogant people are, the more liable they are to resist God. How serious is this problem? Not only do people with arrogant dispositions consider everyone else beneath them, but, worst of all, they are even condescending toward God. Even though, externally, some people might appear to believe in God and follow Him, they do not treat Him as God at all. They always feel that they possess the truth and think the world of themselves. This is the essence and root of the arrogant disposition, and it comes from Satan. Therefore, the problem of arrogance must be resolved. Feeling that one is better than others—that is a trivial matter. The critical issue is that one’s arrogant disposition prevents one from submitting to God, His rule, and His arrangements; such a person always feels inclined to compete with God for power over others. This sort of person does not revere God in the slightest, to say nothing of loving God or submitting to Him. People who are arrogant and conceited, especially those who are so arrogant as to have lost their sense, cannot submit to God in their belief in Him, and even exalt and bear testimony for themselves. Such people resist God the most. If people wish to get to where they revere God, then they must first resolve their arrogant dispositions. The more thoroughly you resolve your arrogant disposition, the more reverence you will have for God, and only then can you submit to Him and be able to obtain the truth and know Him.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Some people say they don’t have a corrupt disposition, that they are not arrogant. What people are these? They are the most arrogant of all. In fact, they’re more arrogant and rebellious than anyone; the more someone says they are not corrupt, the more arrogant and self-righteous they are. Why are others able to know themselves, and take account of their state, yet you aren’t? Are you the exception? Are you a saint? Do you live in a vacuum? You do not acknowledge that humankind has been corrupted by Satan, that people have a corrupt disposition, and so you are the most rebellious and arrogant of all. According to you, there are lots and lots of good people in the world—so why is it full of darkness, full of filth and corruption, full of conflict? Why, in the world of man, does everyone take and steal from each other? Not even believers in God are any different: They are always struggling and fighting with one another. And where does this strife stem from? From arrogance. In sum, it is inseparable from arrogance, which is the essence of man’s corruption; it is the outpouring of the arrogance and rebelliousness of man’s nature. Why is it that people believe in God, yet are incapable of practicing the truth? Why is it that they believe in God, yet cannot be compatible with God? This is also determined by people’s arrogant nature. Humankind is always resisting and rebelling against God, and this is not because of God’s wrongdoing, it is not because God lacks truth, but because man has been too profoundly corrupted by Satan, and is too arrogant, too lacking in sense, does not accept, at all, the truth, and so man can never be compatible with God, and always stands against God, and pushes back against God. What point has the relationship between man and God now reached? Man has become the enemy of God, the antithesis of God. God expresses the truth to expose and save man, but man refuses to accept, and pays no heed. What God asks man to do, man does not do; what is loathsome and hateful to God, on the other hand, man does do. God is the truth, yet He is rejected by man. God judges and chastises the corrupt disposition of man, yet man remains incapable of recognition. Just how arrogant is man? Before, there were those who kept saying they would reign as king. This typifies arrogance, it is the corrupt disposition of man. God became flesh to save man, but in return for receiving God, people demanded living expenses, rewards, benedictions, and they even went about bragging about this, and saying that they were beloved of God, so that others would think highly of them. A small number were clearly aware that the One they received was God, yet demanded money from the churches in return. These arrogant people say that they don’t have a corrupt disposition, and that their belief is superior to anyone else’s, that they’re more devoted to God than anyone else, and act better than anyone else. Do you really act so well? If you are truly good, why are you liable to do arrogant things? And why are you incapable of doing humane things? Why is there nothing human about you? People’s arrogance is to the point that they want everything, but they do not want God, and they will do any sordid and contemptible thing, but they will not worship and obey God.

Excerpted from “An Arrogant Nature Is the Root of Man’s Resistance to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do many people not oppose God and obstruct the work of the Holy Spirit because they do not know the varied and diverse work of God, and, furthermore, because they possess but a smidgeon of knowledge and doctrine with which to measure the work of the Holy Spirit? Though the experiences of such people are superficial, they are arrogant and indulgent in nature and they regard the work of the Holy Spirit with contempt, ignore the disciplines of the Holy Spirit and, moreover, use their trivial old arguments to “confirm” the work of the Holy Spirit. They also put on an act, and are wholly convinced of their own learning and erudition, and convinced that they are able to travel across the world. Are such people not those who are despised and rejected by the Holy Spirit, and will they not be eliminated by the new age? Are not those who come before God and openly oppose Him ignorant and under-informed villains, who are merely trying to show how brilliant they are? With but a meager knowledge of the Bible, they try to run riot in the world’s “academia”; with but a superficial doctrine to teach people, they try to reverse the work of the Holy Spirit and attempt to make it revolve around their own thought process. Short-sighted as they are, they try to behold in one glance 6,000 years of God’s work. These people do not have any sense worth mentioning! In fact, the greater people’s knowledge of God, the slower they are to judge His work. Furthermore, they only talk a little of their knowledge of God’s work today, but they are not rash in their judgments. The less people know of God, the more arrogant and overconfident they are and the more wantonly they proclaim God’s being—yet they only talk of theory, and offer no real evidence. Such people are of no value whatsoever. Those who see the work of the Holy Spirit as a game are frivolous! Those who are not cautious when they encounter the new work of the Holy Spirit, who run their mouths off, are quick to judge, who give free rein to their temperament to deny the rightness of the Holy Spirit’s work, and who also insult and blaspheme it—are such disrespectful people not ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s work? Are they not, furthermore, people of great arrogance, people who are inherently proud and ungovernable? Even if a day comes when such people accept the new work of the Holy Spirit, still God will not tolerate them. Not only do they look down upon those who work for God, but they also blaspheme against God Himself. Such desperate people will not be forgiven, either in this age or the age to come, and they shall forever perish in hell! Such disrespectful, indulgent people are pretending to believe in God, and the more people are like this, the more liable they are to offend God’s administrative decrees. Do not all those arrogant ones who are innately unbridled, and who have never obeyed anyone, all walk upon this path? Do they not oppose God day after day, God who is always new and never old?

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Know that you oppose God’s work, or use your own notions to measure the work of today, because you do not know the principles of God’s work, and because of your rash treatment of the work of the Holy Spirit. Your opposition to God and obstruction of the work of the Holy Spirit is caused by your notions and inherent arrogance. It is not because God’s work is wrong, but because you are naturally too disobedient. After finding their belief in God, some people cannot even say with certainty where man came from, yet they dare to make public speeches appraising the rights and wrongs of the Holy Spirit’s work. They even lecture the apostles who have the Holy Spirit’s new work, passing comment and speaking out of turn; their humanity is too low, and there is not the slightest sense in them. Will the day not come when such people are rejected by the work of the Holy Spirit, and burned by the fires of hell? They do not know the work of God, but instead criticize His work, and also try to instruct God how to work. How can such unreasonable people know God? Man comes to know God during the process of seeking and experiencing; it is not through criticizing at whim that man comes to know God through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The more accurate people’s knowledge of God becomes, the less they oppose Him. In contrast, the less people know of God, the more likely they are to oppose Him. Your notions, your old nature, and your humanity, character and moral outlook are the capital with which you resist God, and the more corrupted your morals, odious your qualities, and low your humanity, the more you are the enemy of God. Those who are possessed of strong notions and who have a self-righteous disposition are even more in enmity of God incarnate; such people are the antichrists.

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man? Most rebellious of all are those who intentionally defy and resist God. They are the enemies of God, the antichrists. Theirs is always an attitude of hostility toward the new work of God; they never have the slightest inclination to submit, nor have they ever gladly submitted or humbled themselves. They exalt themselves before others and never submit to anyone. Before God, they consider themselves the best at preaching the word, and the most skillful in working on others. Never do they discard the “treasures” in their possession, but treat them as family heirlooms for worship, for preaching about to others, and they use them to lecture those fools who idolize them. There are indeed a certain number of people like this in the church. It can be said that they are “indomitable heroes,” generation after generation sojourning in the house of God. They take preaching the word (doctrine) to be their highest duty. Year after year, generation after generation, they go about vigorously enforcing their “sacred and inviolable” duty. None dare touch them; not a single person dares openly reproach them. They become “kings” in the house of God, running rampant as they tyrannize others from age to age. This pack of demons seeks to join hands and demolish My work; how can I allow these living devils to exist before My eyes? Even those who are only half obedient cannot carry on until the end, much less these tyrants without the slightest obedience in their hearts! The work of God is not easily gained by man. Even using all the strength they have, people can only gain a mere portion of it, ultimately allowing them to be made perfect. What, then, of the children of the archangel, who seek to destroy the work of God? Do they not have even less hope of being gained by God? My purpose in doing the work of conquest is not solely to conquer for the sake of conquest, but to conquer so as to reveal righteousness and unrighteousness, to obtain proof for the punishment of man, to condemn the wicked, and, furthermore, to conquer for the sake of perfecting those who willingly obey. In the end, all will be separated according to kind, and the ones who are perfected will be the ones whose thoughts and ideas are filled with obedience. This is the work that shall ultimately be accomplished. Those whose every action is rebellious, meanwhile, will be punished and sent to burn in the fires, the objects of eternal curse. When that time comes, those “great and indomitable heroes” of ages past will become the basest and most shunned “weak and impotent cowards.” Only this can illustrate every aspect of God’s righteousness, and His disposition that is unoffendable by man, and only this can appease the hatred in My heart. Do you not agree that this is entirely reasonable?

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

People who pursue the truth are definitely all people who truly believe in God and love the truth. Although corrupt mankind has satanic dispositions that are arrogant, conceited, self-important, self-righteous, and headstrong, as long as people are able to accept and practice the truth, and obey God’s judgment and chastisement, then they are definitely pursuers of the truth. Amongst these people who are pursuing the truth, there are two main types: One type is those who are better in humanity but of poorer caliber and slower to understand the truth. Despite listening and obeying more, they are of poor caliber and are not able to handle important tasks, and they do not always achieve much in their duty. The other type is of better caliber but is more arrogant and self-righteous and generally does not listen to others. If what others say is not completely in accordance with the truth, and what they do is not much better than things done by ordinary people, then they are not convinced. Although this type of person is relatively arrogant and self-righteous, they understand the truth faster, and they perform better at their duty because they are of good caliber. Out of these two types of people, which is more easily perfected? Which can be fit for God’s use after being perfected? Although all those in pursuit of the truth are capable of achieving salvation, because their calibers differ, their value upon being perfected will also differ. God’s chosen people must realize this. In fact, corrupt mankind all possess an arrogant disposition, but there are several different types of arrogance: Some people love and pursue the truth despite being very arrogant and can accept and obey something as long as it is in accordance with the truth. If it does not conform to the truth, they will refuse to listen to it. This type of arrogance is quite reasonable, has a bottom line and is normal arrogance. There is also a type of arrogance that has no reason and no bottom line. Such people are dreadfully, blindly arrogant and listen to no one. No matter how much what other people say accords with the truth, they will not accept or obey it, and may even become firmly resistant. They really hate people who have the truth and hate people treating them in accordance with the truth. This kind of arrogance is the disposition of Satan the devil. Like the great red dragon, this type of person knows that God is the truth but does not listen, and even wants to be on an equal footing with God. All those antichrists are this type of satanic devil, so arrogant as to be beyond all reason. All such devils are beyond saving. There is another kind of arrogance whereby people also listen to no one and are extremely absurd. They are absurd and also headstrong. They obstinately speak their absurd reasoning and oppose the truth. No matter how clearly or lucidly others fellowship on the truth, or how many facts they list, these people still do not listen, but continue to use sophistry and spout their absurd and false reasoning. This kind of arrogant disposition has the nature of evil spirits. This type of person is even more of the ilk of Satan the devil. They are both antichrists and evil spirits, and are the most dangerous enemies. These are the three main types of arrogance and conceitedness. Arrogance that has reason is quite common and normal. All corrupt mankind has an arrogant disposition. This is a fact. Those of really good caliber with some abilities and talent are definitely all extremely arrogant and self-righteous; there is absolutely no one who is not arrogant. However, no matter how arrogant and self-righteous people are, as long as they are kind-hearted, possess conscience and reason, and do not harm or deceive others and are able to accept the truth, then they are good people. No matter how arrogant and self-righteous people are, as long as they are of good caliber and able to pursue the truth, then they are fully able to be saved and perfected. Because the people God perfects must be those who pursue the truth and possess a certain caliber, if one’s caliber is too poor, then they will be unable to understand the truth and will be unable to be perfected. There is certainly no one who possesses good caliber, resolve, and who is without a shred of arrogance or self-righteousness, and if there were, they would just be pretending or putting on a false appearance. It must be known that every member of corrupt mankind has an arrogant and conceited nature, and this is an undeniable fact. People’s arrogance and self-righteousness is easily resolved. When God disciplines someone a few times so that they undergo several failures and falls, and they come to truly understand the truth and know their own nature essence, then their arrogance is naturally resolved. But if people’s intrinsic caliber is too poor or they are extremely absurd, then this is not possible to resolve. So one must differentiate people’s arrogance and deal with it correctly. God’s chosen people must not conclude that someone is not a good person and cannot be saved and perfected because they are extremely arrogant and self-righteous. The conditions for God perfecting people are mainly that one is of good caliber and in pursuit of the truth. If a person’s caliber is too poor and they can never understand the truth, then even if their disposition is extremely meek and not at all arrogant, they are good-for-nothing and not worth perfecting. On this point, one needs to understand God’s intentions.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

People of an arrogant disposition also come in different varieties. Some people have not believed in God for long, have not truly experienced God’s work and do not understand the truth, so it is inevitable that they will have notions about God, an arrogant disposition, be self-important and self-righteous, seek to attain status, and like to show off—this is normal. There is no exception to this rule of humanity who has been corrupted by Satan. The difference between false Christs and antichrists on the one hand and those ordinary corrupt people on the other is that their arrogance has made them entirely lose their conscience and reason; theirs is frenzied arrogance and limitless ambition, they submit to no one, they simply cannot restrain themselves, and they can even go to any absurd length to accomplish their goals. For example, they might claim to be God or Christ, or claim to be the man used by the Holy Spirit, and say such preposterous things as only they can express the truth, and save and perfect people, and lead people into the kingdom. They are truly without shame and beyond foolish! Could someone who says such absurd things have any normal human reason? Is this not the utmost degree of arrogance? This is a case of a satanic nature becoming so bloated that it breaks out violently and becomes impossible to contain! So, that which is expressed by those who are false Christs and antichrists is entirely different from the corrupt expressions of ordinary people. To have notions, to be arrogant, and to love status are not terrible things; the key question is whether one pursues the truth and accepts the judgment and chastisement of God’s words and being pruned and dealt with by God’s house. If someone can accept these things, then they absolutely have a chance to be saved by God. Normal expressions of corruption do not disrupt or destroy the work of God’s house, but everything done by false Christs and antichrists is to deceive people and to make them leave the true way. They make people give up reading God’s words and listen to what they say instead and leave Christ and follow them instead. They do not allow people to worship God, but instead make people idolize them. This is trying to disrupt and destroy God’s work. This is Satan’s cunning scheme, an act of Satan. Therefore, all who propagate and spread the fallacies and notions of man, pass judgment on God’s work, and slander the man used by the Holy Spirit and his work, are false Christs and antichrists. They are entirely the lackeys of Satan that come to disturb God’s work, the forces of God’s enemy who run contrary to Christ. That is why those who are false Christs and antichrists must be expelled from the church, and must absolutely not be given any more chances, waiting for them to repent. This is because they have already become the forces of God’s enemy, like the great red dragon, and are entirely God’s enemies; the Holy Spirit long since stopped working in them, and no amount of advice will be of any use for them, and they have already committed so much evil as to be beyond saving. Only when punishment befalls them will these people beg God for forgiveness and cease doing evil, but their satanic nature can never be changed. God’s chosen people must be aware that Satan has no reverence for God, only fear, and that those wicked people who belong to Satan not only have no reverence for God, but they also do not fear God, because punishment has yet to befall them. What the house of God can do now is to expel these people, and in that way resolve their satanic deeds.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

136. The Principles of Treating People Who Have Been Exposed and Eliminated

(1) Those nonbelievers and false believers who, in their many years of belief in God, have neither fulfilled their duties nor pursued the truth, are counted among unbelievers and should be abandoned;

(2) Those who are able loyally to render service, yet who have revealed corruption and committed transgressions, should not be repudiated entirely. They should be treated with love and given a chance to repent;

(3) So long as they do not commit evil or cause disturbances, people who can render service willingly but do not pursue the truth may not be purged, even if they perform their duties without principle;

(4) Those who do not render service willingly and are capable of frequent evildoing, and who are up to no good in the church, must be purged or expelled.

Relevant Words of God:

Do you understand now what is judgment and what is truth? If you do, then I exhort you to submit obediently to being judged, otherwise you shall never have the opportunity to be commended by God or to be brought by Him into His kingdom. Those who only accept judgment but can never be purified, that is, those who flee amidst the work of judgment, shall forever be detested and rejected by God. Their sins are more numerous, and more grievous, than those of the Pharisees, for they have betrayed God and are rebels against God. Such people who are not worthy even to do service shall receive more severe punishment, a punishment that is, moreover, everlasting. God shall not spare any traitor who once evinced loyalty with words but then betrayed Him. People such as these shall receive retribution through punishment of the spirit, soul, and body. Is this not precisely a revelation of the righteous disposition of God? Is this not God’s purpose in judging man, and revealing him? God consigns all who perform all kinds of wicked deeds during the time of judgment to a place infested with evil spirits, and lets these evil spirits destroy their fleshly bodies as they wish, and those people’s bodies emit the stench of corpses. Such is their fitting retribution. God writes down in their record books each and every one of the sins of those disloyal false believers, false apostles, and false workers; then, when the time is right, He casts them amidst the unclean spirits, letting these unclean spirits defile their entire bodies at will, so that they may never be reincarnated and never again see the light. Those hypocrites who do service for a time but are incapable of remaining loyal to the end are numbered by God among the wicked, so that they fall into cahoots with the wicked and become part of their disorderly rabble; in the end, God shall annihilate them. God casts aside and takes no notice of those who have never been loyal to Christ or have never contributed anything of their strength, and at the changing of the age He shall annihilate them all. They shall no longer exist on earth, much less gain passage into the kingdom of God. Those who have never been sincere to God, but are forced by circumstance into dealing with Him perfunctorily, are numbered among those who do service for His people. Only a small number of such people will survive, while the majority shall perish along with those who render service that is not up to standard. Ultimately, God shall bring into His kingdom all those who are of the same mind as God, the people and the sons of God, and those predestined by God to be priests. They will be the distillation of God’s work. As for those who cannot be classed in any of the categories set by God, they shall be numbered among the unbelievers—and you can surely imagine what their outcome shall be. I have already said to you all that I should say; the road that you select is your choice alone. What you should understand is this: The work of God never waits for any that cannot keep pace with Him, and the righteous disposition of God shows no mercy to any man.

Excerpted from “Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now is the time when I determine the ending for each person, not the stage in which I began to work man. I write down in My record book, one by one, the words and actions of each person, the path by which they have followed Me, their inherent characteristics, and how they have ultimately comported themselves. In this way, no matter what kind of person they are, no one shall escape My hand, and all shall be with their own kind as I assign. I decide the destination of each person not on the basis of age, seniority, amount of suffering, and least of all, the degree to which they invite pity, but according to whether they possess the truth. There is no other choice but this. You must realize that all those who do not follow the will of God shall also be punished. This is an immutable fact. Therefore, all those who are punished are so punished for the righteousness of God and as retribution for their numerous evil acts.

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Before humanity enters into rest, whether each sort of person is punished or rewarded will be determined according to whether they have sought the truth, whether they know God, and whether they can submit to the visible God. Those who have rendered service to the visible God, yet neither know Him nor submit to Him, lack truth. Such people are evildoers, and evildoers will undoubtedly be objects of punishment; furthermore, they shall be punished according to their wicked conduct. God is for humans to believe in, and He is also worthy of their obedience. Those who only have faith in the vague and invisible God are people who do not believe in God and are unable to submit to God. If these people still cannot manage to believe in the visible God by the time His work of conquest is finished, and continue to be disobedient and resist the God who is visible in the flesh, then these “vagueists” will, without a doubt, become objects of destruction. It is just like some among you—anyone who verbally recognizes God incarnate, yet cannot practice the truth of submission to God incarnate, will ultimately become objects of elimination and destruction. Moreover, anyone who verbally recognizes the visible God, eating and drinking of the truth expressed by Him while also seeking after the vague and invisible God, will be even more likely to be destroyed in the future. None of these people will be able to remain until the time of rest that will come after God’s work has finished, nor can a single individual similar to such people remain in that time of rest. Demonic people are those who do not practice the truth; their essence is one of resistance and disobedience to God, and they do not have the slightest intention of submitting to Him. Such people will all be destroyed. Whether you have truth and whether you resist God depend on your essence, not on your appearance or how you might occasionally speak or conduct yourself. Whether or not an individual will be destroyed is determined by one’s essence; it is decided according to the essence revealed by one’s behavior and one’s pursuit of the truth. Among people who are the same as each other in that they are doing work, and who do similar amounts of work, those whose human essences are good and who possess truth are the people who will be allowed to remain, while those whose human essences are evil and who disobey the visible God are those who will be objects of destruction. All of God’s work or words related to humanity’s destination will deal with people appropriately according to each individual’s essence; not the slightest error will occur, and not a single mistake will be made. It is only when people do work that human emotion or meaning enters the mix. The work God does is most appropriate; He absolutely does not bring false claims against any creature. There are currently many people who are unable to perceive humanity’s future destination and who do not believe the words I utter. All those who do not believe, as well as the ones who do not practice truth, are demons!

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

While God’s work of salvation is being done, every single person who can be saved will be saved as far as possible, and none of them discarded, for the purpose of God’s work is to save man. All those who, during the time of God’s salvation of man, are unable to achieve a change in their disposition—as well as all those who are unable to submit to God completely—will become objects for punishment. This stage of work—the work of words—will unlock for people all of the ways and mysteries that they do not understand, so that they can understand the will of God and God’s requirements of them, and so that they can have the prerequisites to put God’s words into practice and achieve changes in their disposition. God uses only words to do His work and does not punish people for being a little rebellious; this is because now is the time of the work of salvation. If anyone who acts rebelliously were punished, then no one would have the opportunity to be saved; everyone would be punished and fall into Hades. The purpose of words that judge man is to allow them to know themselves and submit to God; it is not to punish them with such judgment. During the time of the work of words, many people will expose their rebelliousness and defiance, as well as their disobedience toward the incarnate God. Nevertheless, He will not punish all these people as a result, but instead will only cast aside those who are corrupt to the core and who cannot be saved. He will give their flesh to Satan, and, in a few cases, terminate their flesh. Those remaining will continue to follow and experience being dealt with and pruned. If, while following, these people still are unable to accept being dealt with and pruned, and become more and more degenerate, then they will have lost their chance for salvation. Each person who has submitted to being conquered by words will have ample opportunity for salvation; God’s salvation of each of these people will show His utmost leniency. In other words, they will be shown the utmost tolerance. As long as people turn back from the wrong path, and as long as they can repent, God will give them opportunities to obtain His salvation. When humans first rebel against God, He has no desire to put them to death; rather, He does all He can to save them. If someone really has no room for salvation, then God will cast them aside. The reason God is slow to punish certain people is that He wishes to save everyone who can be saved. He judges, enlightens, and guides people only with words, and does not use a rod to put them to death. Employing words to bring humans salvation is the purpose and significance of the final stage of work.

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of mankind has been corrupted by Satan, and man’s nature is to betray God. However, among all the humans who have been corrupted by Satan, there are some who can submit to God’s work and accept the truth; these are the ones who can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of disposition. There are also those who do not focus on seeking the truth. They are satisfied with merely understanding doctrines; they hear good doctrine and keep it, and after understanding it, they can perform their duties—to a point. These people do what they are told and have mediocre humanity. They are willing, to a certain extent, to expend, abandon worldliness, and endure suffering. However, they are not earnest with regard to the truth; they believe it is sufficient that they commit no sin, and are unable ever to understand the essence of the truth. If such people can stand firm in the end, then they can also be spared, but they cannot have their dispositions transformed.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the nation of the great red dragon, I have carried out a stage of work unfathomable to human beings, causing them to sway in the wind, after which many quietly drift away with the blowing of the wind. Truly, this is the “threshing floor” I am about to clear; it is what I yearn for and it is also My plan. For many wicked ones have crept in while I am at work, but I am in no hurry to drive them away. Rather, I shall disperse them when the time is right. Only after that shall I be the fountain of life, allowing those who truly love Me to receive from Me the fruit of the fig tree and the fragrance of the lily. In the land where Satan sojourns, the land of dust, there remains no pure gold, only sand, and so, meeting with these circumstances, I do such a stage of work. You should know that what I gain is pure, refined gold, not sand. How can the wicked remain in My house? How can I allow foxes to be parasites in My paradise? I employ every conceivable method to drive these things away. Before My will is revealed, no one is aware of what I am about to do. Taking this opportunity, I drive away those wicked ones, and they are forced to leave My presence.

Excerpted from “The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying That the Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Spread Throughout the Universe” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man will be fully made complete in the Age of Kingdom. After the work of conquest, man will be subjected to refinement and tribulation. Those who can overcome and stand testimony during this tribulation are the ones who will ultimately be made complete; they are the overcomers. During this tribulation, man is required to accept this refinement, and this refinement is the last instance of God’s work. It is the last time that man will be refined prior to the conclusion of all the work of God’s management, and all those who follow God must accept this final test, and they must accept this last refinement. Those who are beset by tribulation are without the work of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God, but those who have been truly conquered and who truly seek after God will ultimately stand fast; they are the ones who are possessed of humanity, and who truly love God. No matter what God does, these victorious ones will not be bereft of the visions and will still put the truth into practice without failing in their testimony. They are the ones who will finally emerge from the great tribulation. Even though those who fish in troubled waters can still freeload today, no one is able to escape the final tribulation, and no one can escape the final test. For those who overcome, such tribulation is a tremendous refinement; but for those who fish in troubled waters, it is the work of complete elimination. No matter how they are tried, the allegiance of those who have God in their heart remains unchanged; but for those who do not have God in their heart, once the work of God is not advantageous to their flesh, they change their view of God, and even depart from God. Such are those who will not stand fast in the end, who only seek God’s blessings and have no desire to expend themselves for God and dedicate themselves to Him. Such base people will all be expelled when God’s work comes to an end, and they are unworthy of any sympathy. Those without humanity are incapable of truly loving God. When the environment is safe and secure, or there are profits to be made, they are totally obedient toward God, but once that which they desire is compromised or finally refuted, they immediately revolt. Even in the space of just one night, they may go from a smiling, “kind-hearted” person to an ugly-looking and ferocious killer, suddenly treating their benefactor of yesterday as their mortal enemy, without rhyme or reason. If these demons are not cast out, these demons that would kill without blinking an eye, will they not become a hidden danger? The work of saving man is not achieved following the completion of the work of conquest. Although the work of conquest has come to an end, the work of purifying man has not; such work will only be finished once man has been wholly purified, once those who truly submit to God have been made complete, and once those disguisers who are without God in their heart have been purged. Those who do not satisfy God in the final stage of His work will be completely eliminated, and those who are eliminated are of the devil. As they are incapable of satisfying God, they are rebellious against God, and even though these people follow God today, this does not prove that they are those who will finally remain.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Such people have no understanding of the new work and are filled with endless notions. They serve no function whatsoever in the church; rather, they make mischief and spread negativity everywhere, even to the point of engaging in all manner of misconduct and disturbance in the church, thereby throwing those who lack discrimination into confusion and disarray. These living devils, these evil spirits should leave the church as soon as possible, lest the church be blighted on your account. You may not fear the work of today, but do you not fear the righteous punishment of tomorrow? There are large numbers of people in the church who are freeloaders, and a great number of wolves that seek to disrupt the normal work of God. These things are all demons sent by the demon king, vicious wolves who seek to devour the unknowing lambs. If these so-called people are not expelled, they will become parasites on the church, moths devouring the offerings. Sooner or later, a day will come when these contemptible, ignorant, base, and repulsive maggots are punished!

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is a sort of person who can treat anyone with love, helpfulness, and tolerance, yet with God alone, they are irreconcilable, and they are His sworn enemy. When they encounter something that touches on the truth, that touches on what God says and requires, they are not merely unable to accept it, creating difficulties and casting doubt on it at every turn, and spreading notions, but they also do many things that are detrimental to the work of God’s house, such that, when something touches on their own interests, they are even capable of rising up and raising an outcry against God. What sort of person is this? (One who hates God.) Hatred of God is an aspect of the nature of all people, and all have this essence; yet, in some people, it is not so severe. Why, then, does this sort of person hate God so much? They are God’s enemy; they are devils—to speak plainly, they are living demons! Are there such living demons among the people whom God saves? (No.) Therefore, if you accurately identify some in the church as living demons of this sort, you must purge them from the place immediately. If a person behaves quite well in general but has only a momentary lapse in their state, or if their stature is too small to understand the truth, and they cause a minor interruption or disturbance, yet this behavior is not consistent, and they are not such a person by nature, then they may be retained. There are some who are strong in one regard, despite their somewhat poor humanity: They are willing to render service and are even ready to suffer; it is just that they tolerate no offense and will pit themselves against anyone who offends them, but when not being offended, they are quite normal. They also have not profited at anyone else’s expense. Such people may also be retained, and, though it may not be said that they will necessarily be saved, they may at least render service, and whether they can serve unto the end depends on their personal pursuit. Yet, if such a person is a living demon and an enemy of God, they can never be saved. This is a certainty, and they must be purged from the church. Some are purged to give them a chance to repent, to teach them a lesson; others are purged because their natures have been seen for what they are, and they cannot be saved. Everyone is different. Some who have been purged, despite their depressed and dark state, have not let go of their duty, and continue to perform it—they are not of a state with people who do not do their duty at all, and the paths they take are not the same.

Excerpted from “The Attitude Man Should Have Toward God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those who think only of their flesh and who enjoy comfort; those who seem to believe but who do not really believe; those who engage in evil medicine and sorcery; those who are promiscuous, tattered and ragged; those who steal sacrifices to Jehovah and His possessions; those who love bribes; those who dream idly of ascending to heaven; those who are arrogant and conceited, who strive only for personal fame and fortune; those who spread impertinent words; those who blaspheme God Himself; those who do nothing but make judgments against and slander God Himself; those who form cliques and seek independence; those who exalt themselves above God; those frivolous young, middle-aged and older men and women who are ensnared in licentiousness; those men and women who enjoy personal fame and fortune and pursue personal status among others; those unrepentant people who are trapped in sin—are they not, all of them, beyond salvation? Licentiousness, sinfulness, evil medicine, sorcery, profanity, and impertinent words all run riot among you; and truth and the words of life are trampled in your midst, and the holy language is defiled among you. You Gentiles, bloated with filth and disobedience! What will your final outcome be? How can those who love the flesh, who commit sorcery of the flesh, and who are ensnared in licentious sin have the audacity to continue living! Do you not know that people such as you are maggots beyond salvation? What entitles you to demand this and that? To date, there has not been the slightest change in those who do not love the truth and only love the flesh—how can such people be saved? Those who do not love the way of life, who do not exalt God and bear testimony to Him, who scheme for the sake of their own status, who extol themselves—are they not still the same, even today? What is the value in saving them? Whether you can be saved does not depend on how great your seniority or how many years you have been working, and much less does it depend on how many credentials you have built up. Rather, it depends on whether your pursuit has borne fruit. You ought to know that those who are saved are the “trees” that bear fruit, not the trees with lush foliage and abundant flowers that yet yield no fruit. Even if you have spent many years wandering the streets, what does that matter? Where is your testimony? Your reverence for God is far less than your love for yourself and your lustful desires—is this kind of person not a degenerate? How could they be a specimen and model for salvation? Your nature is incorrigible, you are too rebellious, you are beyond salvation! Are such people not those that will be eliminated? Is the time when My work is finished not the time of the arrival of your last day? I have done so much work and spoken so many words among you—how much of it has truly entered your ears? How much of it have you ever obeyed? When My work ends, that will be the time when you stop opposing Me, when you stop standing against Me. As I work, you act against Me constantly; you never comply with My words. I do My work, and you do your own “work,” making your own little kingdom. You are nothing but a pack of foxes and dogs, doing everything in opposition to Me! You are constantly trying to bring those who offer you their undivided love into your embrace—where is your reverence? Everything you do is deceitful! You have no obedience or reverence, and everything you do is deceitful and blasphemous! Can such people be saved? Men who are sexually immoral and lascivious always want to draw coquettish harlots to them for their own enjoyment. I absolutely will not save such sexually immoral demons. I hate you filthy demons, and your lasciviousness and coquettishness will plunge you into hell. What have you to say for yourselves? You filthy demons and evil spirits are repulsive! You are disgusting! How could such trash be saved? Can they who are ensnared in sin still be saved? Today, this truth, this way, and this life do not attract you; rather, you are attracted to sinfulness; to money; to standing, fame and gain; to the enjoyments of the flesh; to the handsomeness of men and charms of women. What qualifies you to enter My kingdom? Your image is even greater than God’s, your status even higher than God’s, to say nothing of your prestige among men—you have become an idol that people worship. Have you not become the archangel? When people’s outcomes are revealed, which is also when the work of salvation will draw near its end, many of those among you will be corpses beyond salvation and must be eliminated. During the work of salvation, I am kind and good toward all people. When the work concludes, the outcomes of different types of people will be revealed, and at that time, I shall no longer be kind and good, for people’s outcomes will have been revealed, and each will have been classified according to their kind, and there will be no use in doing any more work of salvation, because the age of salvation will have passed, and, having passed, it will not return.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those among brothers and sisters who are always giving vent to their negativity are lackeys of Satan, and they disturb the church. Such people must one day be expelled and eliminated. In their belief in God, if people do not have a heart of reverence for God, if they do not have a heart of obedience toward God, then not only will they be unable to do any work for Him, but on the contrary will become those who disturb His work and who defy Him. Believing in God but not obeying or revering Him, and instead resisting Him, is the greatest disgrace for a believer. If believers are just as casual and unrestrained in their speech and conduct as unbelievers are, then they are even more evil than unbelievers; they are archetypal demons. Those who give vent to their poisonous, malicious talk within the church, who spread rumors, foment disharmony, and form cliques among the brothers and sisters—they should have been expelled from the church. Yet because now is a different era of God’s work, these people are restricted, for they face certain elimination. All who have been corrupted by Satan have corrupt dispositions. Some have nothing more than corrupt dispositions, while others are different: Not only do they have corrupt satanic dispositions, but their nature is also extremely malicious. Not only do their words and actions reveal their corrupt, satanic dispositions; these people are, moreover, the genuine devil Satan. Their behavior interrupts and disturbs God’s work, it impairs the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, and it damages the normal life of the church. Sooner or later, these wolves in sheep’s clothing must be cleared out; an unsparing attitude, an attitude of rejection, should be adopted toward these lackeys of Satan. Only this is standing on the side of God, and those who fail to do so are wallowing in the mire with Satan.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every church has people who cause trouble for the church or meddle in the work of God. They are all Satans who have infiltrated the house of God in disguise. Such people are good at acting: They come before Me with great reverence, bowing and scraping, living like mangy dogs, and devoting their “all” to achieve their own objectives—but in front of the brothers and sisters, they show their ugly side. When they see people who practice the truth, they strike out at them and shove them aside; when they see people more formidable than themselves, they flatter and fawn upon them. They run wild in the church. It can be said that such “local bullies,” such “lapdogs,” exist in the majority of churches. They act devilishly together, sending each other winks and secret signals, and none of them practices the truth. Whoever has the most venom is the “head demon,” and whoever has the highest prestige leads them, bearing their flag aloft. These people rampage through the church, spreading their negativity, venting death, doing as they please, saying what they please, and no one dares to stop them. They brim with the disposition of Satan. No sooner do they cause a disturbance than an air of death enters the church. Those within the church who practice the truth are cast out, unable to give their all, while those who disturb the church and spread death run rampage within—and, what’s more, most people follow them. Such churches are ruled by Satan, plain and simple; the devil is their king. If the congregants do not rise up and reject the head demons, then they, too, will sooner or later come to ruin. From now on, measures must be taken against such churches. If those who are capable of practicing a little of the truth do not seek to, then that church will be expunged. If a church contains no one who is willing to practice the truth and no one who can stand witness for God, then that church should be completely isolated, and its connections with other churches must be severed. This is called “burying death”; this is what it means to cast out Satan. If a church contains several local bullies, and they are followed by “little flies” that entirely lack discernment, and if the congregants, even after having seen the truth, are still incapable of rejecting the binds and manipulation of these bullies, then all those fools will be eliminated in the end. These little flies might not have done anything terrible, but they are even more deceitful, even more slick and evasive, and everyone like this will be eliminated. Not a single one shall remain! Those who belong to Satan will be returned to Satan, while those who belong to God will surely go in search of the truth; this is decided by their natures. Let all those who follow Satan perish! No pity will be shown to such people. Let those who search for the truth be provided for, and may they take pleasure in God’s word to their hearts’ content. God is righteous; He would not show favoritism to anyone. If you are a devil, then you are incapable of practicing the truth; if you are someone who searches for the truth, then it is certain that you will not be taken captive by Satan. This is beyond all doubt.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who genuinely believe in God are those who are willing to put God’s word into practice and are willing to practice the truth. People who are truly able to stand firm in their testimony to God are also those who are willing to put His word into practice and can genuinely stand on the side of the truth. People who resort to trickery and injustice all lack the truth, and they all bring shame to God. Those who cause disputes in the church are Satan’s lackeys, they are the embodiment of Satan. Such people are so malicious. Those who have no discernment and are incapable of standing on the side of the truth all harbor evil intentions and tarnish the truth. More than that, they are the archetypal representatives of Satan. They are beyond redemption, and shall naturally be eliminated. God’s family does not allow those who do not practice the truth to remain, nor does it allow to remain those who deliberately dismantle the church. However, now is not the time to do the work of expulsion; such people will simply be exposed and eliminated in the end. No more useless work is to be expended on these people; those who belong to Satan cannot stand on the side of the truth, whereas those who seek the truth can. People who do not practice the truth are unworthy of hearing the way of the truth and unworthy of bearing witness to the truth. The truth is simply not for their ears; rather, it is directed at those who practice it. Before every person’s end is revealed, those who disturb the church and interrupt God’s work will first be left aside for now, to be dealt with later. Once the work is complete, these people will each be exposed, and then they will be eliminated. For the time being, while the truth is being provided, they will be ignored. When the whole truth is revealed to humanity, those people should be eliminated; that will be the time when all people will be classed according to their kind. The petty tricks of those without discernment will lead to their destruction at the hands of the wicked, they will be lured away by them, never to return. And such treatment is what they deserve, because they do not love the truth, because they are incapable of standing on the side of the truth, because they follow evil people and stand on the side of evil people, and because they collude with evil people and defy God. They know perfectly well that what those evil people radiate is evil, yet they harden their hearts and turn their backs on the truth to follow them. Are these people who do not practice the truth but who do destructive and abominable things not all committing evil? Although there are those among them who style themselves as kings and others who follow them, are their God-defying natures not all the same? What excuse can they have to claim that God does not save them? What excuse can they have to claim that God is not righteous? Is it not their own evil that is destroying them? Is it not their own rebelliousness that is dragging them down into hell? People who practice the truth will, in the end, be saved and made perfect because of the truth. Those who do not practice the truth will, in the end, bring destruction upon themselves because of the truth. These are the ends that await those who practice the truth and those who do not. I advise those who are not planning on practicing the truth to leave the church as soon as possible to avoid committing even more sins. When the time comes, it will be too late for regret. In particular, those who form cliques and create schisms, and those local bullies within the church, must leave even sooner. Such people, who have the nature of evil wolves, are incapable of change. It would be better if they left the church at the earliest opportunity, never again to disturb the normal life of the brothers and sisters, and thereby avoid God’s punishment. Those of you who have gone along with them would do well to make use of this opportunity to reflect upon yourselves. Will you leave the church along with the evil ones, or remain and follow obediently? You must consider this matter carefully. I give you this one more opportunity to choose, and I await your answer.

Excerpted from “A Warning to Those Who Do Not Practice the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

137. The Principles of Treating Leaders and Workers

(1) God’s chosen people must honor God as great and not look up to and worship any leader or worker. In all things, they should submit to God and the truth, and not be controlled by humans;

(2) So long as leaders and workers are the right people, whose speech and actions accord with God’s word the truth, and who can exalt and testify to Him, they should be accepted and obeyed;

(3) If leaders or workers reveal corruption, or if their actions do not accord with the truth principle, their errors should be corrected through fellowship. They should not be obeyed blindly;

(4) If any leaders or workers are malfeasant, acting as they wish in a way that contravenes work arrangements, then they are to be counted as false leaders or antichrists, and should be exposed and dismissed.

Relevant Words of God:

What is the attitude that people should have in terms of how to treat a leader or worker? If what he does is right, then you can obey him; if what he does is wrong, then you can expose him, and even oppose him and raise a different opinion. If he is unable to do practical work, and is revealed to be a false leader, a false worker or an antichrist, then you can refuse to accept his leadership, and you can also report and expose him. However, some of God’s chosen people do not understand the truth and are particularly cowardly, and so they do not dare do anything. They say, “If the leader kicks me out, I’m finished; if he has everyone expose or forsake me, then I will no longer be able to believe in God. If I leave the church, then God will not want me and will not save me. The church represents God!” Do these ways of thinking not affect such a person’s attitude toward those things? Could it really be true that if the leader expels you, you can no longer be saved? Is the question of your salvation dependent upon your leader’s attitude toward you? Why do so many people have such a degree of fear? If, as soon as one who is a false leader or an antichrist threatens you, you do not dare to report it higher up and even guarantee that from then on, you will be of a single mind with the leader, then are you not done for? Is this the sort of person who pursues truth? Not only do you not dare to expose such wicked behavior as might be committed by satanic antichrists, but on the contrary, you obey them and even take their words as the truth, to which you submit. Is this not the epitome of stupidity? Then, when you are harmed, is that not what you deserve? Has God caused you to be harmed? You have wished it upon yourself. You took an antichrist to be your leader, and treated him as though he were a brother or sister—and that is your fault. What is the attitude with which one should treat an antichrist? One should expose him and struggle against him. If you cannot do this alone, then multiple people must come together and report him. Upon discovering that certain leaders and workers higher up were walking the path of the antichrist, making the brothers and sisters suffer, not doing real work, and coveting the benefits of status, some people signed a petition to remove those antichrists. What a fantastic job these people did! It shows that people understand the truth, that they possess a certain amount of stature, and that they are neither controlled nor deceived by Satan. This also proves that antichrists and false leaders do not hold a dominant position in the church, and they do not dare to show their true selves too plainly in anything they say and do. If they do reveal themselves, there are people to monitor them, identify them, and cast them out. That is, in the hearts of people who genuinely understand the truth, a person’s status, prestige, and authority are not the things that hold sway; all those who understand the truth are able to have discernment, and they rethink and reflect upon what path people ought to follow in their faith in God, as well as how they should treat leaders and workers. They also begin to think about whom people should follow, which behaviors constitute following people, and which behaviors constitute following God. Having pondered these truths for several years, and listened often to sermons, they have unconsciously come to understand the truths about believing in God, and so they have gained some stature. They have embarked upon the right track of believing in God.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

No matter the level of leaders and workers within a church, if you always worship them and rely on them for everything in order to believe in God and achieve salvation, this impetus is wrong in itself. Regardless of their rank among the leadership, they are still common people, and if you see them as your superiors, if you feel that they are higher up than you, that they are greater or more competent than you, and that they should lead you, that they are in all ways a cut above anyone else, then that is wrong—it is your delusion. And what are the consequences that this delusion leads to? This delusion, this flawed understanding will lead you unconsciously to measure your leaders against requirements that do not conform with reality; at the same time, without your knowing it, you will also be profoundly drawn to their so-called flair and panache, or their abilities and talents, such that before you know it, you are worshiping them, and they have become your Gods. That path, from the moment they start to become your role model, the object of your worship, to the moment that you become one of their followers, is one that will lead you unconsciously away from God. And even as you gradually move away from God, you will still believe that you are following God, that you are in the house of God, that you are in the presence of God. Without knowing it, however, you will have been drawn away by someone who has been corrupted by Satan, or even an antichrist. This is a very dangerous state of affairs. In order to resolve this problem, you must therefore be able accurately to understand and discern the different dispositions of the antichrists and the ways in which they operate, as well as the nature of their actions and the methods and tricks they like to use; you must also start by working on yourself. Believing in God yet worshiping man is not the correct path. Some might say: “Well, I do have reasons for worshiping the leaders that I do—the ones I worship are in line with my notions and imaginings.” Why do you insist on worshiping man though you believe in God? When all is said and done, who is it who will save you? Who is it who truly loves you and protects you—can you truly not see? You follow God and listen to His word, and if someone speaks and acts correctly, and accords with the truth principles, is obeying the truth not enough for you? Why are you so base? You insist on finding someone whom you worship to follow—why do you like to be Satan’s slave? Why not be a servant of the truth instead? Look herein to see whether a person has sense and dignity. You should begin by working on yourself, equipping yourself with the truths that differentiate different people and events, developing discernment between all the ways in which each sort of event and person manifests, knowing in all cases what nature and disposition are being revealed; you must also understand what kind of person you are, what kind of people those around you are, and what kind of people are leading you. You must be able to regard them accurately. Once you are equipped with the truth, with this kind of stature, you will not fall easily for the antichrists’ tricks, nor will you fear their deceptions.

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

When someone is chosen to be a leader by the brothers and sisters, or is promoted by the house of God to do a certain piece of work or perform a certain duty, this does not mean that they have a special status or identity, or that the truths they understand are deeper and more numerous than those of other people—much less that this person is able to submit to God, and will not betray Him. It does not mean, either, that they know God, and are someone who fears God. They have attained none of this, in fact; the promotion and cultivation is merely promotion and cultivation in the most straightforward sense. Their promotion and cultivation simply means they have been promoted, and await cultivation. And the ultimate outcome of this cultivation depends on which path the person walks, and what they pursue. Thus, when someone in the church is promoted and cultivated to be a leader, they are merely promoted and cultivated in the straightforward sense; it does not mean that they are already a qualified leader, or a competent one, that they are already capable of undertaking the work of a leader, and can do real work—that is not the case. When someone is promoted and cultivated to be a leader, do they possess the truth reality? Do they understand the truth principles? Is this person able to bring to fruition the work arrangements of the house of God? Are they possessed of commitment, and a sense of responsibility? When they encounter an issue, are they able to search for the truth and submit to God? All of this is unknown. Does the person have a heart that fears God? And just how great is their fear of God? Are they liable to follow their own will when they do things? During the time that they perform the work of leaders, do they regularly and frequently come before God to search for the will of God? Are they able to guide people in entry into the truth reality? This, and much more, all awaits cultivation and discovery; it all remains unknown. Promoting and cultivating someone doesn’t mean they already understand the truth, nor is it saying that they are already capable of performing their duty satisfactorily. So what is the aim and significance of promoting and cultivating someone? It is that such a person, as an individual, is promoted in order to be trained, to be specially watered and instructed, making them able to understand the truth principles, and the principles of doing different things, and the principles, means, and methods for solving various problems, as well as, when they encounter various types of environment and people, how to handle and settle with them in accordance with God’s will, and in a way that protects the interests of the house of God. Does this indicate that the talent promoted and cultivated by the house of God is adequately capable of undertaking their work and performing their duty during the promotion and cultivation period or prior to promotion and cultivation? Of course not. Thus, it is unavoidable that, during the cultivation period, these people will experience being dealt with, pruning, judgment and chastisement, exposure and even replacement; this is normal, they are being trained and cultivated. People must not have high expectations or unrealistic demands of those who are promoted and cultivated; that would be unreasonable, and unfair on them. You can monitor them, and report the things they do that you believe to be problematic, but they are also in the cultivation period, and should not be viewed as people who have been made perfect, much less as someone blameless, or as people who are possessed of the truth reality. They are like you: This is the time when they are being trained. The difference is that they undertake more work and responsibilities than ordinary people. They have a responsibility and an obligation to do more work; they pay a greater price, suffer more hardship, take more pains, solve more problems, tolerate the censure of more people, and of course make a greater effort, have less sleep, eat less fine food, and engage in less chit-chat, than normal people. This is what’s special about them; apart from this, they are the same as anyone else. What is the point of Me saying this? In order to tell everyone that they must not misinterpret the house of God’s promotion and cultivation of various types of talents, and must not be harsh in their demands of these people. Naturally, people must not be unrealistic in their opinion of them either. It is foolish to be overly appreciative or reverential of them, nor is it humane or realistic to be overly harsh in your demands toward them. So what is the most rational way to act toward them? To think of them as ordinary people and, when there is a problem that needs to be searched, to fellowship with them and learn from each other’s strengths and complement each other. In addition, it is the responsibility of everyone to monitor whether leaders and workers are doing real work, and whether they are competent in carrying out their duties. If they are not, and you have seen through them, then waste no time in reporting or removing them; choose someone else, and do not delay the work of the house of God. Delaying the work of the house of God is hurting yourself and others, it is good for no one.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (5)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

138. The Principles of Treating Leaders and Workers Who Have Committed Transgressions

(1) Leaders or workers who pursue the truth but have committed transgressions should be treated correctly. They should be helped lovingly, and must not be attacked, condemned, or ensnared;

(2) If newly cultivated leaders or workers contravene work arrangements by doing the work as they wish, this should be resolved by fellowshiping the truth to them, and dealing with and pruning them;

(3) Leaders and workers of superficial experience who have committed transgressions, yet are worthy of cultivation, should be supported and helped lovingly and made to enter truth reality;

(4) If they do not genuinely repent, leaders and workers who have committed serious transgressions that have caused great detriment to the work or property of God’s house must be replaced.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

As mankind is too deeply corrupted, everyone, before they are perfected, has committed transgressions, revealed corruption, committed mistakes in fulfilling their duties, or even walked the wrong path. This is an accepted fact. However, God’s house gives all leaders and workers a chance to repent no matter how they have transgressed, as long as they pursue the truth and have the work of the Holy Spirit. As long as they have good humanity, and can admit their mistakes and transgressions, have true remorse, and sincerely repent, God’s chosen people should accept, believe and approve of them, and treat them correctly.

The majority of leaders and workers that are produced through democratic church elections are suitable, and only a small few cannot actually do real work. Leaders and workers can be grouped into three types: The first type clearly have the work of the Holy Spirit and are completely qualified; the second type can do some real work but commit some transgressions and reveal some corruption; the third type cannot do real work and do not have the work of the Holy Spirit. God’s chosen people should learn to discern these types of leaders and workers. God’s chosen people can only expose and report the third type—false leaders and workers who cannot do real work and do not have the work of the Holy Spirit—and have them replaced in their duties. The second type—leaders and workers who can do some real work but who commit some transgressions and reveal some corruption—should be treated correctly and be assisted with a loving heart; they must never be attacked, condemned or framed. There are but few of the first type—leaders and workers who are completely qualified and have the work of the Holy Spirit. These people are the most precious and God’s chosen must protect them, not allowing anyone to attack, condemn or frame them. Currently, there are too few suitable leaders and workers in God’s house. The majority are the second type, those who can do some real work but commit some transgressions and reveal some corruption. As most leaders and workers have not experienced much serious pruning and dealing or major trials and refinements, it is normal for them to commit transgressions and reveal corruption, and this does not mean they are bad or wicked people. God’s chosen people should treat them correctly. Assisting them with a loving heart is most important, because right now, the leaders and workers who can do some real work are already pretty good. Transgressions and revelations of corruption can completely be resolved through fellowshiping about the truth, and through pruning and dealing; these people must never be attacked, condemned, or excluded, nor must they be casually replaced or eliminated. As long as they are people who pursue the truth and have relatively good humanity, God’s chosen must protect them, and not let wicked people get something on them or arbitrarily attack, condemn, or frame them. As long as a leader or worker who can do some real work has good humanity and pursues the truth, they can certainly be saved and perfected. This is for sure. Only those whose humanity is malicious and who can commit all manner of evil are wicked people who should be banned and removed. No one has the right to keep badgering leaders and workers who have already admitted, regretted and truly repented for their past transgressions and erroneous ways. If someone dwells on these things and refuses to let them go, and continues to fiercely pursue the matter, then this may be regarded as making trouble out of nothing, personal retribution, and attacking, framing and condemning leaders and workers. God’s house certainly will not allow such things to happen. If a wicked person is found to be unreasonably badgering a leader or worker, the matter must be investigated and handled seriously. The church has the right to segregate or expel wicked people who intentionally attack or frame leaders and workers.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

God’s chosen people ought to understand how to treat leaders and workers at all levels of the church. They must be able to distinguish good from evil and discern whether leaders and workers are people who pursue the truth. These are fundamental abilities God’s chosen people should possess. If we see that a leader or worker is a good person who pursues the truth, but has committed some transgressions or done something wrong, we should treat them correctly and help them with love. We absolutely must not seize upon these mistakes or transgressions to condemn them, arbitrarily label them, and be so heavy-handed as to just beat people to death with a stick; to do so is to falsely accuse and harm others. Good people have also committed transgressions and have sometimes made mistakes, but good people can repent and change. So, no matter what transgressions you find good people have done, or what mistakes they have made, as long as they can accept the truth, come to know themselves, and repent, then they must be assisted with love. If a leader or worker is a good person who pursues the truth, and someone seizes upon a transgression they have done and will not let it go until they have destroyed that leader or worker, then is that not oppressing them and making them suffer? This is no different from false leaders and antichrists making people suffer. God’s chosen people should not make others suffer, and leaders and workers should even less so make others suffer. God’s chosen people should correctly treat leaders and workers, and leaders and workers should correctly treat God’s chosen people. We should all treat each other fairly, and aid one another out of love. This is the course of normal human relationships, as well as a sign of entry into truth reality.

…………

God’s chosen people should treat the leaders and workers at all levels of the church in a manner based on the truth and holding to the principles. They should support, uphold, and cooperate with leaders and workers who are in accordance with God’s will, and who can resolve problems and do practical things for God’s chosen. They should patiently help those leaders and workers who pursue the truth and have the work of the Holy Spirit, but who may have transgressed and not achieved ideal results in their work. God’s chosen may criticize and rebuke them, as well as prune and deal with them, but are not allowed to condemn or frame them, much less casually banish or remove them. They must act based on the truth and according to principle. In the case of leaders and workers who have not completely lost the work of the Holy Spirit and who can still do some practical work, God’s chosen people must never treat them as false leaders and false workers. They should only offer help out of love, and support them with patience. This is the responsibility of God’s chosen people. If leaders and workers who do not pursue the truth and do not have the work of the Holy Spirit do not wish to repent, neglect their proper tasks and act recklessly, they must be removed and banished. Only through these practices can God’s work be protected and the church life kept safe from disruption. This is beneficial to the carrying out of God’s will, as well as to the life entry of God’s chosen people.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

How exactly should God’s chosen people treat leaders and workers at all levels? Currently, there are only a minority of false leaders and antichrists among the leaders and workers at all levels. Although the majority of leaders and workers have weaknesses, reveal corruption, or have once taken the wrong path, and have made some transgressions, as long as they are willing to repent and have the work of the Holy Spirit, God’s chosen people should assist them with love, and allow them to repent, understand, and walk the correct path. This is the responsibility of God’s chosen people. Do not seize upon some small mistake or transgression in the hope of toppling someone; that would cause harm and suffering, and it is a satanic disposition. Being perfected is no simple matter. During the process of being perfected, one must undergo many failures and reveal much corruption, but as long as one pursues the truth, then success is guaranteed in the end. Some leaders and workers are dauntless as they experience God’s work. They do not despair no matter how many times they fail and fall, and they remain resolved in their pursuit. They do not give up pursuing the truth as long as a shred of hope remains to them, and such people as this will surely attain salvation and be perfected in the end, without a doubt. … Therefore, even if some leaders and workers are replaced for not being able to perform real work, we shall not hate them, but must think of ways to help them, so that they can repent and pick themselves back up to keep on pursuing the truth; such actions accord with the truth and with God’s will. If someone should be replaced for not being able to perform real work, then they must be replaced. Conclusions must not be drawn about them, however, but rather a path must be left to them. This is something people with conscience and reason should do; it is your responsibility, and it is the love you should possess. If that person continues to walk the wrong path, then you may expose them, reproach them, and impose restrictions on them. But if they then embark upon the right path, then you must support and help them. If you think that they previously walked the wrong path and they may possibly continue to resist God in their duty, and you constantly impose restrictions on them, then this is wrong. Should they wish to do some real work for God’s chosen people and perform their duty well, but you are restricting them, then is that not wrong of you? Would that not make you no different from a false leader or antichrist? Therefore, avoid extremes of action, do things in accordance with the truth principle, treat people fairly, and do not cause other people to suffer. There are some leaders and workers who are replaced who then blame God and hate God. Such people are devils, and we can have no sympathy for them. If they do not blame God, but are able to truly repent, hate themselves, and offer a formal apology to God’s chosen people, then would you still add insult to their injury? You must show them some sympathy, approach and help them with love, and respect them and comfort them, so that they may once again walk the right path. This is what someone with humanity should do.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

139. The Principles of Treating False Leaders and False Workers

(1) False leaders and false workers of poor humanity who are capable of doing evil and do not accept the truth at all must be replaced, stripped of their titles, and eliminated;

(2) False leaders and false workers who cannot do practical work due to their poor caliber must be replaced and assigned different duties;

(3) False leaders and false workers who have relatively good humanity, but do not pursue the truth, are not possessed of the work of the Holy Spirit, and cannot do practical work must be replaced and assigned different duties;

(4) False leaders and false workers with caliber and the ability to do a bit of practical work, yet who lack experience and cannot resolve practical problems, may yet be cultivated for use.

Relevant Words of God:

What is the attitude that people should have in terms of how to treat a leader or worker? If what he does is right, then you can obey him; if what he does is wrong, then you can expose him, and even oppose him and raise a different opinion. If he is unable to do practical work, and is revealed to be a false leader, a false worker or an antichrist, then you can refuse to accept his leadership, and you can also report and expose him. However, some of God’s chosen people do not understand the truth and are particularly cowardly, and so they do not dare do anything. They say, “If the leader kicks me out, I’m finished; if he has everyone expose or forsake me, then I will no longer be able to believe in God. If I leave the church, then God will not want me and will not save me. The church represents God!” Do these ways of thinking not affect such a person’s attitude toward those things? Could it really be true that if the leader expels you, you can no longer be saved? Is the question of your salvation dependent upon your leader’s attitude toward you? Why do so many people have such a degree of fear? If, as soon as one who is a false leader or an antichrist threatens you, you do not dare to report it higher up and even guarantee that from then on, you will be of a single mind with the leader, then are you not done for? Is this the sort of person who pursues truth? Not only do you not dare to expose such wicked behavior as might be committed by satanic antichrists, but on the contrary, you obey them and even take their words as the truth, to which you submit. Is this not the epitome of stupidity? Then, when you are harmed, is that not what you deserve? Has God caused you to be harmed? You have wished it upon yourself. You took an antichrist to be your leader, and treated him as though he were a brother or sister—and that is your fault. What is the attitude with which one should treat an antichrist? One should expose him and struggle against him. If you cannot do this alone, then multiple people must come together and report him. Upon discovering that certain leaders and workers higher up were walking the path of the antichrist, making the brothers and sisters suffer, not doing real work, and coveting the benefits of status, some people signed a petition to remove those antichrists. What a fantastic job these people did! It shows that people understand the truth, that they possess a certain amount of stature, and that they are neither controlled nor deceived by Satan. This also proves that antichrists and false leaders do not hold a dominant position in the church, and they do not dare to show their true selves too plainly in anything they say and do. If they do reveal themselves, there are people to monitor them, identify them, and cast them out. That is, in the hearts of people who genuinely understand the truth, a person’s status, prestige, and authority are not the things that hold sway; all those who understand the truth are able to have discernment, and they rethink and reflect upon what path people ought to follow in their faith in God, as well as how they should treat leaders and workers. They also begin to think about whom people should follow, which behaviors constitute following people, and which behaviors constitute following God. Having pondered these truths for several years, and listened often to sermons, they have unconsciously come to understand the truths about believing in God, and so they have gained some stature. They have embarked upon the right track of believing in God.

Excerpted from “They Exclude and Attack Those Who Pursue the Truth” in Exposing Antichrists

If antichrists are allowed to run amok in a church, given free rein to cry whatever slogans and arguments they wish in order to control, threaten, deceive, or mislead the brothers and sisters, and the leaders do nothing, being without discernment and incapable of promptly exposing these antichrists and getting them under control, leading to the brothers and sisters being manipulated and disturbed by the antichrists at will, then the leaders of this church are garbage. If the antichrists and wicked ones in a church are spurned and abhorred by the brothers and sisters, if they are shackled within the church, and everyone has discernment over them, such that their speech and empty slogans that mislead and deceive the brothers and sisters do not work in the church and they are held in check, locked down, then this church’s leaders are up to standard; they are leaders possessed of truth reality. If a church is being disrupted by an antichrist, and, after being identified and rejected by the brothers and sisters, the antichrist takes revenge by oppressing and abusing the brothers and sisters, and the church leaders do nothing, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. As leaders of a church, if they are incapable of solving problems using the truth, if they cannot identify, control, and limit the antichrists’ waywardness in the church, are unable to protect brothers and sisters and protect them so that they can perform their duties normally, and are unable to maintain the normal execution of the work of God’s house, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. If the leaders of a church are afraid to approach or provoke an antichrist because the antichrist is malevolent and cruel, and thus allow that antichrist to run wild in the church, tyrannizing over others, doing whatever they want, and paralyzing and bringing to a standstill much of the work of the house of God, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. If, because of fear of retribution, the leaders of a church never have the courage to expose an antichrist, and never try to limit that antichrist’s evil acts, thereby causing disruption to the church life, and greatly hindering and damaging the brothers’ and sisters’ entry into life, then the leaders of this church are garbage, and should be eliminated. Would you choose such leaders? (No.) Then what should you do when you encounter such leaders? You should ask them, “Antichrists are causing all this trouble in our church, acting like tyrants and wielding power. Will you stop them? Do you dare to expose them? If not, then step down. If you are protecting your own fleshly interests, if you are handing over your brothers and sisters to antichrists and the wicked because you fear them, you deserve to be cursed. You are unworthy of being a leader. Step down!” Isn’t that how you should treat leaders like this? (Yes.) That’s exactly how you should treat them. Such leaders do no practical work. In the face of the wicked, they don’t protect their brothers and sisters. Instead, they bow to the wicked, compromise with them, and beg them for mercy. Such people are garbage, they are traitors, and should be rejected.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Eight)” in Exposing Antis

Some false leaders are gluttonous and idle, loving of leisure and loathsome of labor, averse to work and worry, ill-disposed to exertion or responsibility; they wish only for comfort, they love to eat and play, and they are lazy. In the morning, when everyone has finished breakfast, they are still in bed; in the evening, they watch their TV dramas until they can barely keep their eyes open, still up when everyone’s asleep. They spend all day eating, playing, and drifting about; they go wherever there is fun to be had, or play on whatever machine looks entertaining. Say a brother cook cannot stand it and reprimands them. What do you think, would they listen to a cook? (No.) If I said, “You have to be more diligent. You must do what you ought. You are a leader and must be present for all work, no matter what it is; when other people work for eight hours, you must be there for a minimum of six-and-a-half or seven hours. You can spend the remaining time attending to personal affairs,” would they listen? They would not. So, I say nothing to such people—I simply tell the decision-making group to replace them, to get rid of them, to send them wherever necessary, to get them doing whatever they are able. If they are trash and would freeload wherever they were, and are not capable of anything, then kick them out; do not allow them to perform a duty. They are not fit to perform a duty. They are not people; they do not possess the conscience and sense of normal humanity, and they are shameless. With this shiftless sort of false leader, as soon as you have seen through them, replace them at once. There is no need to give them counsel, no need to give them more chances or put them under observation, nor is there any point in fellowshiping the truth to them. Have they heard little of the truth? Would they change if they were dealt with and pruned? No. Were one of poor caliber, or at times absurd in their point of view, or ignorant and narrow-minded in the way they see things, but still diligent, burden-bearing, and not lazy—such a person, though deviant in their actions, can change by being dealt with and pruned; at the very least, they are aware of the responsibilities of leadership and know what they are supposed to do, and they have conscience and a sense of responsibility. They have a heart. But that kind of person who is lazy, loving idleness and hating labor, who has no sense of burden—they cannot change. If they have no sense of burden, whatever anyone says will have no effect.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (4)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people have been dismissed because of outrageous behavior, because they are antichrists. Others have been dismissed because they lack experience and cannot do the work. Still others have been dismissed because their caliber is too poor to be leaders, and they are not up to the task. People who have been dismissed are to be reasonably reassigned, not condemned or delimited. They are to do what they can and be handled as they should be. Can people dismissed for their excessively poor caliber be selected again as leaders and workers or as supervisors? (No.) Why not? Because it has already been tried. They have been exposed and seen through. Such people’s caliber and work abilities are not suited to the task of being leaders. If they are not suitable as leaders, does that mean they are not suitable for anything else? Not necessarily. If their caliber is too poor to be a leader but they can do other things, then, as long as no other problems such as evil humanity disqualify them from being promoted, they should do whatever they are suited to do. They should not be stripped of the right to perform their duties. They can still be put to use. Some are dismissed because they lack the ability to work, or they have not done church work before, or they are unaccustomed to it and, having done the work for a while, they still cannot find their way and do not know what to do. Or, they are too young and lack experience, so they cannot take on the job and are ultimately dismissed. There is room for people like this. If their caliber is sufficient, they can simply be demoted or put to work on something suitable for them. Once their understanding of the truth is clear, and once they have a bit of exposure to and experience with the church’s work, such people can be promoted and cultivated again based on their caliber.

What kinds of people cannot be promoted again after being dismissed? One is antichrists; another is those whose caliber is too low; and a third is people who are not antichrists, but whose humanity is poor, who are selfish or deceitful, who may be lazy or crave fleshly comfort and are unable to bear hard work. Even if such people are of good caliber, they may not be promoted again. Whatever they have the caliber to do, that is what they should do. Suitable arrangements can be made—but they cannot be leaders or workers again. Beyond having the ability to work and caliber, leaders and workers need to be able to take on responsibility, to work hard and bear suffering. They must be diligent, not lazy, and they must also be relatively honest and upright, and not too cunning. Those who are too deceitful or cunning end up always scheming against their brothers and sisters, their higher-ups, and the house of God. They spend their days thinking only devious thoughts. When dealing with someone like this, you must always guess at what they are truly thinking, you must know what they are doing at all times, and you must always keep an eye on them. Putting them to use is too exhausting. If this kind of person is promoted to perform duties, even if they understand a little doctrine, they will not practice it, and they will expect benefits and rewards for every bit of work they do. Using such people is too exhausting and too much trouble, so such people cannot be promoted. So, antichrists, those of excessively poor caliber, those of bad humanity, the lazy, those who seek fleshly comfort, those who cannot endure hard work, and the cunning and deceitful—the moment these kinds of people are exposed and dismissed, they are ineligible for a second promotion. Once they have been seen through, do not put them to incorrect use again.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (6)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

False leaders and workers are leaders and workers who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, and who cannot do practical work. If leaders and workers have been without the work of the Holy Spirit for a long time, this shows that they are not people who pursue the truth. This is an absolute fact. God’s chosen people are aware that anyone who believes in God without pursuing the truth is not a person of whom God would approve, and so does not possess the work of the Holy Spirit. Such people do not understand the truth or enter reality, and cannot be saved. This is a serious problem. Leaders and workers without the work of the Holy Spirit are people of whom God does not approve and will not use at all, so they are called false leaders and workers. These false leaders and workers who do not pursue the truth are all revealed through various circumstances, positions, reputations, and interests. As the saying goes, “As distance tests a horse’s strength, so does time reveal the truth of a person’s heart.” Those who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit are never able to do the work of watering and providing for God’s chosen so that the latter can enter truth reality. They can never perform the work of fellowshiping on the truth to resolve any practical problems God’s chosen ones might have. They can never perform the tasks required by the work arrangements. After an extended period of time, God’s chosen people will be able to perceive and discern these people. When God’s chosen identify these false leaders and workers, who do not possess the work of the Holy Spirit, it is fair and reasonable, as well as a matter of course, for those people to be removed or assigned different jobs. This is good for God’s chosen people as well as for the false leaders and workers, lest they continue to endanger God’s chosen. Therefore, replacing all the false leaders and workers is completely in line with God’s will.

The false leaders and workers are those who are unable to do the practical work that should be done by leaders and workers at various levels of the church, because they do not have the work of the Holy Spirit. However, among the false leaders and workers who do not have the work of the Holy Spirit, there are still differences in their quantity of evil deeds and quality of humanity, which should not be treated in the same way. All false leaders and workers mainly fall into the following three kinds. God’s chosen people must distinguish among them. The first kind is people with relatively good humanity. Such people have committed fewer evil deeds and aroused less public resentment. They do not understand the truth, because they have believed in God for a short time or lack the support and supply of people who understand the truth. They have not entered the right track of believing in God, or they are unable to normally pursue the truth, because of the entanglement and control of certain matters. God’s chosen people should treat the false leaders and workers who fall into this category with love and more help and support, so that there are still hopes that they will pursue the truth and receive salvation. The second kind includes those who are of a nature that is crooked and deceitful, and selfish and despicable; they are people with poor humanity. These people have more transgressions and worse influences who particularly like to pursue status and lust for the benefits of status, and become depraved with a bit of status by indulging in wining, dining and pleasure. They always muddle through their duties, and do not do practical work. They like to perch on their positions and lecture others. These people have no place for God in their hearts, much less do they have any sense of responsibility. They are like the great red dragon’s officials, sitting on high and considering everyone else to be beneath them. They always command and relentlessly suppress God’s chosen people, brooking no resistance. They have no love at all. They never sympathize with or assist others, let alone solve the practical difficulties of brothers and sisters. In the church, these people are like police; they are meddlesome and officious. Regardless of what kind of work they do, brothers and sisters receive no edification, much less sustenance of the truth from them. Therefore, such people are the false leaders or workers that God detests most. They must be replaced and segregated for reflection. If they defy and cause disturbance, they will be expelled. The third kind is those particularly arrogant and insensible people who refuse to obey anyone, even to the point of irrationality. They are wicked people indeed. These people engage in all kinds of evil, arouse intense public resentment, and harbor no fear for God in their hearts. They have a bit of caliber and some gifts, and have come to hold a little experience, so they feel that they are amazing. They pay attention to no one; not even God. With a little position, they want to own God’s chosen people, acting like they are the master of God’s chosen people and treating God’s chosen people as their private property. They vainly compete with God for God’s chosen people to keep more of them under their control. There is no place for God in the hearts of such people who never worship God. They do not pray to God in tribulation and suffering, let alone seek to open their hearts to God. After gaining status, they keep themselves high above and begin officialdom. They do not regard the work arrangements from the Above as their own duties for implementation, nor do they show any obedience to God’s work. They are wicked people who fall into the category of antichrists. They deem giving orders and arranging and handling some general affairs to be capital, as if they have done some great work that merits superior treatment and extravagant feasts. In actual fact, they have not done one iota of essential work in service to God, nor any practical work that truly supplies God’s chosen people so that they can attain life entry. They have not resolved a single one of the problems encountered by God’s chosen ones along their paths to enter truth reality, nor have they led God’s chosen to understand a single aspect of the truth. They have merely done some administrative work to boss people around, after which they are swollen with pride and superiority, as if they were officials with achievements of merit. What qualifies them to enjoy the blessings of status? They are really shameless! Such wicked people never take the work arrangements from the Above seriously. If the work arrangements are found to be unfavorable or threatening to their reputations and positions, they will withhold those work arrangements, derogate and criticize their value and significance, and even assert that they have come from man instead of God, and then use this as a means of inciting people to abandon those work arrangements. Are these not behaviors that resist God? Is this not rhetoric for maintaining their reputations and positions? Is this not revealing of their nature of the antichrist? Such people refuse God’s judgment and chastisement. They also do not accept being pruned and dealt with; they think that they are untouchable, like the buttocks of a tiger. How can they claim to be experiencing God’s work! It is the path of antichrists that these wicked people are taking. Any leaders or workers who cannot correctly regard the work arrangements and strictly follow them for implementation can be considered as ill-intentioned. None of them are obedient to God’s work. Therefore, any false leaders or workers that judge, disparage or withhold the work arrangements must be replaced and segregated for reflection. If these wicked people continue to wield power, the disasters and consequences they bring to God’s chosen people will be unimaginable. Without any show of regret, such false leaders or workers should be expelled because they are the most vicious among false leaders and workers.

The three kinds of people above who are false leaders and workers must be distinguished strictly and treated differently. The first kind is people with relatively good humanity. They are still brothers and sisters who should be treated with love. They can be allocated different duties to perform, but they cannot be allowed to take on primary tasks; they are only suited to fulfilling cooperative or other duties. The second kind is people with bad humanity who must be replaced and segregated so that they can engage in self-reflection. They can be allowed to do their duties by spreading the gospel as an opportunity for repentance. The third kind is those wicked people who are antichrists, who are especially arrogant and opinionated, and who always want to control God’s chosen people. Although they have not engaged in building an independent kingdom, it is merely due to the lack of opportunity. Based on their nature essence, it is only a matter of time that they will engage in building their independent kingdom. Therefore, this kind of vicious, arrogant, and utterly defiant people must be replaced and segregated for reflection. They can only be allowed to preach the gospel if they are willing to do their duties. They have done so much evil and harmed others so seriously, without doing any practical work; they therefore have to preach the gospel and win people over to make up for their transgressions. Spreading the gospel is the most suitable duty for them to perform. If they do not perform any duty at all, then the church can expel them.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

140. The Principles of Treating Religious Personages

(1) All celebrities and luminaries of the religious world whom God has not commended are religious charlatans. All their ideas and theories confuse people, and are in opposition to God;

(2) No matter how great their knowledge of the Bible, all celebrities and luminaries of the religious world do not know God, and they resist Him. The path they walk is that of the antichrists;

(3) If religious personages are unable to seek the true way or accept God’s work of the last days, they are hypocrites, and they are of an ilk with the antichrists;

(4) Religious personages who can accept the truth and seek the true way should be taken in and treated with love. God saves people to the greatest extent possible.

Relevant Words of God:

Look at the leaders of each denomination—they are all arrogant and self-righteous, and their interpretations of the Bible lack context and are guided by their own imaginings. They all rely on gifts and erudition to do their work. If they could not preach at all, would people follow them? They do, after all, possess some knowledge and can preach on some doctrine, or they know how to win others over and make use of some artifice. They use these to bring people before themselves and deceive them. Nominally, those people believe in God, but in reality, they follow their leaders. When they encounter someone preaching the true way, some of them say, “We have to consult our leader about our faith.” A human is the medium of their faith in God; is that not a problem? What have those leaders become, then? Have they not become Pharisees, false shepherds, antichrists, and stumbling blocks to people’s acceptance of the true way? Such people are of the same ilk as Paul. Why say this? Paul’s epistles are almost two thousand years old and they were pervasive throughout the Age of Grace. People all read these words of his and took them as the norm, words about suffering, disciplining one’s own body, and receiving the final crown of righteousness…. People believed in God in accordance with Pauls’ words and doctrines. Was this not a deviation? How much of God’s will could people understand during the Age of Grace? After all, those who followed Jesus at that time were in the minority, and those who knew Him were even fewer—even those disciples of His did not know Him truly. If one sees a bit of light in the Bible, it should not be thought to represent God’s will, and less still should a bit of enlightenment be regarded as knowledge of God. People are arrogant and conceited, and they do not hold God in their hearts. With a little doctrinal understanding, they strike out on their own, which leads to the formation of many denominations.

Excerpted from “Only to Pursue the Truth Is Truly to Believe in God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Why do I say that those in the religious world are not believers in God but are evildoers, of the same ilk as the devil? When I say they are evildoers, it is because they do not understand the will of God and are unable to see His wisdom. God at no time reveals His work to them. They are blind; they cannot see the deeds of God, they have been forsaken by God, and they completely lack the care and protection of God, not to mention the work of the Holy Spirit. Those without the work of God are all evildoers and opponents of God. The opposition to God of which I speak refers to those who do not know God, those who acknowledge God with their lips and yet do not know Him, those who follow God and yet do not obey Him, and those who revel in the grace of God and yet are unable to stand witness to Him. Without an understanding of the purpose of God’s work or an understanding of the work that God does in man, he cannot be in accord with the will of God, nor can he stand witness to God. The reason why man opposes God stems, on the one hand, from his corrupt disposition, and on the other hand, from ignorance of God and lack of understanding of the principles by which God works and of His will for man. These two aspects, taken together, constitute a history of man’s resistance to God. Novices in the faith oppose God because such opposition lies within their nature, while the opposition to God of those with many years in the faith results from their ignorance of Him, in addition to their corrupt disposition. In the time before God became flesh, the measure of whether a man opposed God was based on whether he kept the decrees set forth by God in heaven. For instance, in the Age of Law, whoever did not keep the laws of Jehovah was regarded as one who opposed God; whoever stole the offerings to Jehovah, or whoever stood against those favored by Jehovah, was regarded as one who opposed God and would be stoned to death; whoever did not respect his father and mother, and whoever struck or cursed another, was regarded as one who did not keep the laws. And all who did not keep the laws of Jehovah were regarded as standing against Him. This was no longer so in the Age of Grace, when whoever stood against Jesus was regarded as one who stood against God, and whoever did not obey the words uttered by Jesus was regarded as one who stood against God. At this time, the way in which opposition to God was defined became both more accurate and more practical. In the time when God had not yet become flesh, the measure of whether man opposed God was based on whether man worshiped and looked up to the invisible God in heaven. The way in which opposition to God was defined at that time was not all that practical, for man could not see God, nor did he know what the image of God was like, or how He worked and spoke. Man had no notions about God whatsoever, and he believed in God vaguely, because God had not yet appeared to man. Therefore, no matter how man believed in God in his imagination, God did not condemn man or make too many demands of him, because man was completely unable to see God. When God becomes flesh and comes to work among men, all behold Him and hear His words, and all see the deeds that God works from within His body of flesh. At that moment, all man’s notions become foam. As for those who have seen God appearing in the flesh, they shall not be condemned if they willingly obey Him, whereas those who purposefully stand against Him shall be deemed an opponent of God. Such people are antichrists, enemies who willfully stand against God. Those who harbor notions regarding God but are still ready and willing to obey Him will not be condemned. God condemns man on the basis of man’s intentions and actions, never for his thoughts and ideas. If He were to condemn man on the basis of his thoughts and ideas, then not a single person would be able to escape from the wrathful hands of God. Those who willfully stand against the incarnate God shall be punished for their disobedience. With regard to these people that willfully stand against God, their opposition stems from the fact that they harbor notions about God, which leads them in turn into actions that disrupt God’s work. These people intentionally resist and destroy the work of God. They do not merely have notions about God, but they also engage in activities that disrupt His work, and for this reason people of this kind shall be condemned. Those who do not willfully disrupt God’s work shall not be condemned as sinners, because they are able to willingly obey and not engage in activities that cause disruption and disturbance. People like this shall not be condemned. …

Anyone who does not understand the purpose of God’s work is one who opposes Him, and one who has come to understand the purpose of God’s work but still does not seek to satisfy God is even more to be deemed an opponent of God. There are those who read the Bible in grand churches and recite it all day long, yet not one among them understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one among them is able to know God; still less can any one among them accord with God’s will. They are all worthless, vile people, each standing on high to lecture God. They willfully oppose God even as they carry His banner. Claiming faith in God, still they eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such people are devils that devour the soul of man, head demons that deliberately get in the way of those trying to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks impeding those who seek God. They may appear of “sound constitution,” but how are their followers to know that they are none other than antichrists who lead people to stand against God? How are their followers to know that they are living devils dedicated to the devouring of human souls? Those who hold themselves in high esteem in God’s presence are the most abject of men, while those who humble themselves are the most honored. And those who think they know the work of God and who are, moreover, capable of proclaiming the work of God to others with great fanfare even as they look directly at Him—these are the most ignorant of men. Such people are without the testimony of God, arrogant and full of conceit. Those who believe that they have too little knowledge of God, despite having actual experience and practical knowledge of Him, are those most beloved by Him. Only such people truly have testimony and are truly capable of being perfected by God.

Excerpted from “All People Who Do Not Know God Are People Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why is it said that the practice of those in the religious churches is outdated? It is because what they put into practice is divorced from the work of today. In the Age of Grace, what they put into practice was right, but as the age has passed and God’s work has changed, their practice has gradually become outdated. It has been left behind by the new work and the new light. Based upon its original foundation, the work of the Holy Spirit has progressed several steps deeper. Yet those people still remain stuck at the original stage of God’s work, and still cleave to the old practices and the old light. God’s work can change greatly in three or five years, so would not even greater transformations occur over the course of 2,000 years? If man has no new light or practice, it means that he has not kept up with the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the failing of man; the existence of God’s new work cannot be denied because, today, those who previously had the work of the Holy Spirit still abide by outdated practices. The work of the Holy Spirit is always moving forward, and all those who are in the stream of the Holy Spirit should also be progressing deeper and changing, step-by-step. They should not stop at a single stage. Only those who do not know the work of the Holy Spirit would remain amongst His original work, and not accept the new work of the Holy Spirit. Only those who are disobedient would be incapable of gaining the Holy Spirit’s work. If the practice of man does not keep pace with the new work of the Holy Spirit, then the practice of man is surely dissevered from the work of today and is surely incompatible with the work of today. Such outdated people as these are simply incapable of accomplishing God’s will, much less could they become people who will ultimately stand testimony to God. The entire management work, furthermore, could not be concluded amongst such a group of people. For those who once held to the law of Jehovah, and those who once suffered for the cross, if they cannot accept the stage of work of the last days, then all that they did will have been in vain, and useless. The clearest expression of the Holy Spirit’s work is in embracing the here and now, not clinging to the past. Those who have not kept up with the work of today, and who have become separated from the practice of today, are those who oppose and do not accept the work of the Holy Spirit. Such people defy the present work of God. Though they hold onto the light of the past, it cannot be denied that they do not know the work of the Holy Spirit. Why has there been all this talk of the changes in the practice of man, of the differences in the practice between the past and today, of how the practice was carried out during the previous age, and of how it is done today? Such divisions in the practice of man are always spoken of because the work of the Holy Spirit is constantly moving forward, and thus the practice of man is required to constantly change. If man remains stuck in one stage, then this proves that he is incapable of keeping up with God’s new work and new light; it does not prove that God’s plan of management has not changed. Those who are outside the stream of the Holy Spirit always think they are right, but in fact, God’s work in them ceased long ago, and the work of the Holy Spirit is absent from them. The work of God was long since transferred to another group of people, a group on whom He intends to complete His new work. Because those in religion are incapable of accepting God’s new work, and hold only to the old work of the past, thus God has forsaken these people, and does His new work on the people who accept this new work. These are people who cooperate in His new work, and only in this way can His management be accomplished.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People who are in the stream of the Holy Spirit are those who accept the new work, and since they have accepted the new work, they should cooperate appropriately with God, and should not act as rebels who do not perform their duty. This is God’s only requirement of man. Not so for the people who do not accept the new work: They are outside the stream of the Holy Spirit, and the discipline and reproach of the Holy Spirit do not apply to them. All day, these people live within the flesh, they live within their minds, and all that they do is according to the doctrine produced by the analysis and research of their own brains. This is not what is required by the Holy Spirit’s new work, much less is it cooperation with God. Those who do not accept the new work of God are bereft of the presence of God, and, moreover, devoid of the blessings and protection of God. Most of their words and actions hold to the past requirements of the Holy Spirit’s work; they are doctrine, not truth. Such doctrine and regulation are sufficient to prove that the gathering together of these people is nothing but religion; they are not the chosen ones, or the objects of God’s work. The assembly of all those among them can only be called a grand congress of religion, and cannot be called a church. This is an unalterable fact. They do not have the Holy Spirit’s new work; what they do seems redolent of religion, what they live out seems replete with religion; they do not possess the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, much less are they eligible to receive the discipline or enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. These people are all lifeless corpses, and maggots that are devoid of spirituality. They have no knowledge of man’s rebelliousness and opposition, have no knowledge of all of man’s evildoing, much less do they know all of God’s work and God’s present will. They are all ignorant, base people, and they are scum that are unfit to be called believers! Nothing they do has any bearing on the management of God, much less can it impair God’s plans. Their words and actions are too disgusting, too pathetic, and simply unworthy of mention. Nothing done by those who are not within the stream of the Holy Spirit has anything to do with the new work of the Holy Spirit. Because of this, no matter what they do, they are without the discipline of the Holy Spirit, and, moreover, without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. For they are all people who have no love for the truth, and who have been detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit. They are called evildoers because they walk in the flesh and do whatever pleases them under the signboard of God. While God works, they are deliberately hostile to Him, and run in the opposite direction to Him. Man’s failure to cooperate with God is supremely rebellious in itself, so will not those people who deliberately run counter to God particularly receive their just retribution? At the mention of these people’s evildoing, some people are eager to curse them, whereas God ignores them. To man, it appears that their actions concern God’s name, but in fact, to God, they bear no relation to His name or to the testimony to Him. No matter what these people do, it is unrelated to God: It is unrelated to both His name and His current work. These people humiliate themselves, and manifest Satan; they are evildoers who are hoarding for the day of wrath. Today, regardless of their actions, and provided they do not obstruct God’s management and have nothing to do with the new work of God, such people will not be subjected to the corresponding retribution, for the day of wrath has yet to arrive. There is much that people believe God should already have dealt with, and they think that those evildoers should be subject to retribution as early as possible. But because the work of God’s management has still not come to an end, and the day of wrath has yet to arrive, the unrighteous still continue to perform their unrighteous deeds. Some say, “Those in religion are without the presence or work of the Holy Spirit, and they bring shame upon God’s name; so why does God not destroy them, rather than still tolerating their unbridled behavior?” These people, who are the manifestation of Satan and who express the flesh, they are ignorant, base people; they are absurd people. They will not behold the advent of God’s wrath before they have come to understand how God does His work among man, and once they have been fully conquered, those evildoers will all receive their retribution, and not one of them will be able to escape the day of wrath. Now is not the time for man’s punishment, but the time for carrying out the work of conquest, unless there are those who impair God’s management, in which case they will be subjected to punishment based on the severity of their actions. During God’s management of mankind, all those who are within the stream of the Holy Spirit bear a relation to God. Those who are detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit live under the influence of Satan, and that which they put into practice bears no relation to God. Only those who accept God’s new work and cooperate with God bear relation to God, for God’s work is aimed only at those who accept it, and it is not aimed at all people, regardless of whether they accept it or not. The work done by God always has an object and is not done on a whim. Those who are associated with Satan are not fit to bear testimony to God, much less are they fit to cooperate with God.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Work in the mind of man is too easy for man to achieve. Pastors and leaders in the religious world, for example, rely on their gifts and positions to do their work. People who follow them for a long time will be infected by their gifts and influenced by some of their being. They focus on people’s gifts, abilities and knowledge, and they pay attention to supernatural things and many profound, unrealistic doctrines (of course, these profound doctrines are unattainable). They do not focus on changes in people’s dispositions, but rather on training people to preach and work, improving people’s knowledge and their abundant religious doctrines. They do not focus on how much people’s disposition is changed nor on how much people understand of the truth. They do not concern themselves with people’s essence, and much less do they try to know people’s normal and abnormal states. They do not counter people’s notions, nor do they reveal their notions, much less do they prune people for their deficiencies or corruptions. Most who follow them serve with their gifts, and all they release is religious notions and theological theories, which are out of touch with reality and completely unable to confer life onto people. In fact, the essence of their work is nurturing talent, nurturing a person with nothing into a talented seminary graduate who later goes on to work and lead.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Do many people not oppose God and obstruct the work of the Holy Spirit because they do not know the varied and diverse work of God, and, furthermore, because they possess but a smidgeon of knowledge and doctrine with which to measure the work of the Holy Spirit? Though the experiences of such people are superficial, they are arrogant and indulgent in nature and they regard the work of the Holy Spirit with contempt, ignore the disciplines of the Holy Spirit and, moreover, use their trivial old arguments to “confirm” the work of the Holy Spirit. They also put on an act, and are wholly convinced of their own learning and erudition, and convinced that they are able to travel across the world. Are such people not those who are despised and rejected by the Holy Spirit, and will they not be eliminated by the new age? Are not those who come before God and openly oppose Him ignorant and under-informed villains, who are merely trying to show how brilliant they are? With but a meager knowledge of the Bible, they try to run riot in the world’s “academia”; with but a superficial doctrine to teach people, they try to reverse the work of the Holy Spirit and attempt to make it revolve around their own thought process. Short-sighted as they are, they try to behold in one glance 6,000 years of God’s work. These people do not have any sense worth mentioning! In fact, the greater people’s knowledge of God, the slower they are to judge His work. Furthermore, they only talk a little of their knowledge of God’s work today, but they are not rash in their judgments. The less people know of God, the more arrogant and overconfident they are and the more wantonly they proclaim God’s being—yet they only talk of theory, and offer no real evidence. Such people are of no value whatsoever. Those who see the work of the Holy Spirit as a game are frivolous! Those who are not cautious when they encounter the new work of the Holy Spirit, who run their mouths off, are quick to judge, who give free rein to their temperament to deny the rightness of the Holy Spirit’s work, and who also insult and blaspheme it—are such disrespectful people not ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s work? Are they not, furthermore, people of great arrogance, people who are inherently proud and ungovernable? Even if a day comes when such people accept the new work of the Holy Spirit, still God will not tolerate them. Not only do they look down upon those who work for God, but they also blaspheme against God Himself. Such desperate people will not be forgiven, either in this age or the age to come, and they shall forever perish in hell! Such disrespectful, indulgent people are pretending to believe in God, and the more people are like this, the more liable they are to offend God’s administrative decrees. Do not all those arrogant ones who are innately unbridled, and who have never obeyed anyone, all walk upon this path? Do they not oppose God day after day, God who is always new and never old?

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Blasphemy and slander against God is a sin that will not be forgiven in this age or the coming age, and those who commit this sin will never be reincarnated.” This means that God’s disposition does not tolerate being offended by man. When in a situation they do not understand, or when they are deceived, controlled, or suppressed by others, some people might speak words that are unkind or ugly. Later, however, once they have accepted the true way, they become filled with regret. They then prepare enough good deeds, and they attain knowledge and undergo change in this matter, and so God does not dwell on any previous transgressions of theirs. You should know God fully, you should know whom it is that those words of God are directed at, as well as their context, and you should not randomly apply or arbitrarily define the words of God. People who have no experience do not measure themselves against God’s words in anything, whereas those with a little experience or some insight tend to be oversensitive. When they hear utterances from God that curse, or that loathe and eliminate people, they take it all upon themselves indiscriminately. This shows that they do not understand God’s words, and are always misunderstanding Him. Some people pass judgment on God before they have read any of His new utterances, made any investigations, heard any fellowship from people who understand God’s new work, or, much less, gained any enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, someone preaches the gospel to them, and they accept it. They later feel regret at having passed judgment on God, and they wish to repent. After that, it just depends on how they behave in the future. If, after they have come to have faith, their behavior is particularly bad, and they write themselves off, saying, “Well, I have spoken blasphemous and ugly words before, after all, and God has declared that people like me will be condemned—so my life is over,” then such people really are finished.

Excerpted from “On What Basis Does God Treat People?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man? Most rebellious of all are those who intentionally defy and resist God. They are the enemies of God, the antichrists. Theirs is always an attitude of hostility toward the new work of God; they never have the slightest inclination to submit, nor have they ever gladly submitted or humbled themselves. They exalt themselves before others and never submit to anyone. Before God, they consider themselves the best at preaching the word, and the most skillful in working on others. Never do they discard the “treasures” in their possession, but treat them as family heirlooms for worship, for preaching about to others, and they use them to lecture those fools who idolize them. There are indeed a certain number of people like this in the church. It can be said that they are “indomitable heroes,” generation after generation sojourning in the house of God. They take preaching the word (doctrine) to be their highest duty. Year after year, generation after generation, they go about vigorously enforcing their “sacred and inviolable” duty. None dare touch them; not a single person dares openly reproach them. They become “kings” in the house of God, running rampant as they tyrannize others from age to age. This pack of demons seeks to join hands and demolish My work; how can I allow these living devils to exist before My eyes? Even those who are only half obedient cannot carry on until the end, much less these tyrants without the slightest obedience in their hearts! The work of God is not easily gained by man. Even using all the strength they have, people can only gain a mere portion of it, ultimately allowing them to be made perfect. What, then, of the children of the archangel, who seek to destroy the work of God? Do they not have even less hope of being gained by God? My purpose in doing the work of conquest is not solely to conquer for the sake of conquest, but to conquer so as to reveal righteousness and unrighteousness, to obtain proof for the punishment of man, to condemn the wicked, and, furthermore, to conquer for the sake of perfecting those who willingly obey. In the end, all will be separated according to kind, and the ones who are perfected will be the ones whose thoughts and ideas are filled with obedience. This is the work that shall ultimately be accomplished. Those whose every action is rebellious, meanwhile, will be punished and sent to burn in the fires, the objects of eternal curse. When that time comes, those “great and indomitable heroes” of ages past will become the basest and most shunned “weak and impotent cowards.” Only this can illustrate every aspect of God’s righteousness, and His disposition that is unoffendable by man, and only this can appease the hatred in My heart. Do you not agree that this is entirely reasonable?

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

VIII. The Principles of How to Treat Each Sort of Person, Event, and Thing

141. The Principles of How to Treat One’s Future and Fate

(1) God created all and is sovereign over all, and man’s fate is in His hands. To submit to His sovereignty and arrangements is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth;

(2) Choose your path on the basis of God’s words, and have faith that all that He does is righteous. Submit to God’s sovereignty and arrangements unto life or unto death;

(3) Expend yourself truly for God in accordance with His requirements. Whether you come to weal or woe, you should pursue the truth and self-knowledge. Only thus will you know yourself;

(4) When one knows God’s righteous disposition, they are able truly to submit to Him and to do man’s duty well. In doing so, one is naturally made able to set aside one’s individual future and fate.

Relevant Words of God:

God is the One who rules over all things and administers all things. He created all that there is, He administers all that there is, He rules over all that there is, and He provides for all that there is. This is the status of God, and it is His identity. For all things and all that there is, God’s true identity is the Creator and the Ruler of all of creation. Such is the identity possessed by God, and He is unique among all things. None of God’s creatures—whether they be among mankind or in the spiritual world—can use any means or excuse to impersonate or replace God’s identity and status, for there is only One, among all things, who is possessed of this identity, power, authority, and ability to rule over creation: our unique God Himself. He lives and moves among all things; He can rise to the highest place, above all things. He can humble Himself by becoming human, becoming one among those of flesh and blood, coming face-to-face with people and sharing weal and woe with them, while at the same time, He commands all that there is, deciding the fate of all that there is and in what direction it all moves. Moreover, He guides the fate of all mankind, and steers the direction of mankind. A God such as this should be worshiped, obeyed, and known by all living beings. Thus, regardless of which group or type among mankind you belong to, believing in God, following God, revering God, accepting His rule, and accepting His arrangements for your fate is the only choice—the necessary choice—for any person and for any living being.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique X” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The fate of man is controlled by the hands of God. You are incapable of controlling yourself: Despite man always rushing and busying himself on his own behalf, he remains incapable of controlling himself. If you could know your own prospects, if you could control your own fate, would you still be a created being? In short, regardless of how God works, all His work is for the sake of man. Take, for example, the heavens and earth and all things that God created to serve man: The moon, the sun, and the stars that He made for man, the animals and plants, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and so on—all are made for the sake of man’s existence. And so, regardless of how God chastises and judges man, it is all for the sake of man’s salvation. Even though He strips man of his fleshly hopes, it is for the sake of purifying man, and the purification of man is done so that he may survive. The destination of man is in the hands of the Creator, so how could man control himself?

Excerpted from “Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Having followed God for so many years, is there an essential difference between your knowledge of fate and that of the worldly people? Have you truly understood the predestination of the Creator and truly come to know the Creator’s sovereignty? Some people have a profound, deeply felt understanding of the phrase “that’s fate,” yet they do not believe in God’s sovereignty in the least; they do not believe that human fate is arranged and orchestrated by God, and are unwilling to submit to the sovereignty of God. Such people are as if adrift on the ocean, tossed by the waves, drifting with the current, with no choice but to wait passively and resign themselves to fate. Yet they do not recognize that human fate is subject to God’s sovereignty; they cannot on their own initiative come to know God’s sovereignty and thereby achieve knowledge of God’s authority, submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, stop resisting fate, and live under God’s care, protection, and guidance. In other words, accepting fate is not the same thing as submitting to the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate does not mean that one accepts, recognizes, and knows the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate is mere recognition of its truth and its superficial manifestations. This is different from knowing how the Creator rules humanity’s fate, from recognizing the Creator is the source of dominion over the fates of all things, and certainly a far cry from submitting to the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements for humanity’s fate. If a person only believes in fate—even if they feel deeply about it—but is not thereby able to know and recognize the Creator’s sovereignty over the fate of humanity, to submit to it and accept it, then their life will nonetheless be a tragedy, a life lived in vain, a void; they will still be unable to come under the Creator’s dominion, to become a created human being in the truest sense of the term, and to enjoy the Creator’s approval. A person who truly knows and experiences the Creator’s sovereignty should be in an active state, not a state that is passive or helpless. While such a person would accept that all things are fated, they should possess an accurate definition of life and fate: Every life is subject to the Creator’s sovereignty. When one looks back on the road one has walked, when one recollects every phase of one’s journey, one sees that at every step, whether one’s journey was arduous or smooth, God was guiding one’s path, planning it out. It was God’s meticulous arrangements, His careful planning, that led one, unknowingly, to today. To be able to accept the Creator’s sovereignty, to receive His salvation—what great fortune that is! If a person has a negative attitude toward fate, it proves that they are resisting everything that God has arranged for them, that they do not have a submissive attitude. If one has a positive attitude toward God’s sovereignty over human fate, then when one looks back upon one’s journey, when one truly comes to grips with God’s sovereignty, one will more earnestly desire to submit to everything that God has arranged, will have more determination and confidence to let God orchestrate one’s fate and to stop rebelling against God. For one sees that when one does not comprehend fate, when one does not understand God’s sovereignty, when one gropes their way forward willfully, staggering and tottering through the fog, the journey is too difficult, too heartbreaking. So when people recognize God’s sovereignty over human fate, the clever ones choose to know it and accept it, to bid farewell to the painful days when they tried to build a good life with their own two hands, and to stop struggling against fate and pursuing their so-called “life goals” in their own way. When one does not have God, when one cannot see Him, when one cannot clearly recognize God’s sovereignty, every day is meaningless, worthless, miserable. Wherever one is, whatever one’s job is, one’s means of living and the pursuit of one’s goals bring one nothing but endless heartbreak and suffering without relief, such that one cannot bear to look back on one’s past. Only when one accepts the Creator’s sovereignty, submits to His orchestrations and arrangements, and seeks true human life will one gradually begin to break free from all heartbreak and suffering, and to be rid of all the emptiness of life.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Attaining clear, accurate knowledge and understanding of these truths regarding God’s sovereignty over human fate is a mandatory lesson for everyone; it is the key to knowing human life and attaining the truth. Such is the life of knowing God, its basic course of study, that everyone must face each day, which no one can evade. If someone wishes to take shortcuts to reach this goal, then I tell you now, it is impossible! If you want to escape God’s sovereignty, that is even less possible! God is man’s only Lord, God is the only Master of human fate, and so it is impossible for man to dictate his own fate, impossible for him to step outside of it. No matter how great one’s abilities, one cannot influence—much less orchestrate, arrange, control, or change—the fates of others. Only God Himself, the unique, dictates all things for man, for only He possesses the unique authority that holds sovereignty over human fate, and so only the Creator is man’s unique Master. God’s authority holds sovereignty not only over created humanity, but also over non-created beings that no human can see, over the stars, over the cosmos. This is an indisputable fact, a fact that truly exists, which no person or thing can change. If one of you is still dissatisfied with things as they stand, believing you have some special skill or ability, and thinking still that by some stroke of luck you can change your present circumstances or otherwise escape them; if you attempt to change your own fate by means of human effort, and thereby distinguish yourself from your fellows and win fame and fortune; then I say to you, you are making things hard for yourself, you are only asking for trouble, you are digging your own grave! One day, sooner or later, you will discover you have made the wrong choice and your efforts have been wasted. Your ambition, your desire to struggle against fate, and your own egregious conduct will lead you down a road of no return, and for this you will pay a bitter price. Though at present you do not see the severity of the consequences, as you continue to experience and appreciate more deeply the truth that God is the Master of human fate, you will slowly come to realize what I speak of today and its real implications. Whether you truly have a heart and a spirit and whether you are a person who loves the truth depends on what kind of attitude you take toward God’s sovereignty and toward the truth. Naturally, this determines whether you can truly know and understand God’s authority. If you have never in your life sensed God’s sovereignty and His arrangements, much less recognized and accepted God’s authority, then you will be utterly worthless, and you will without a doubt be the object of God’s loathing and rejection, due to the path you have taken and the choice you have made. But those who, in God’s work, can accept His trial, accept His sovereignty, submit to His authority, and gradually gain real experience of His words will have attained real knowledge of God’s authority, real understanding of His sovereignty; they will have truly become subject to the Creator. Only such people will have truly been saved. Because they have known God’s sovereignty, because they have accepted it, their appreciation of the fact of God’s sovereignty over human fate, their submission to it, is real and accurate. When they face death, they will have, like Job, a mind undaunted by death, and submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements in all things, with no individual choice, with no individual desire. Only such a person will be able to return to the Creator’s side as a true, created human being.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man understands a little of the work of today and the work of the future, but he does not understand the destination into which mankind will enter. As a creature, man should perform the duty of a creature: Man should follow God in whatever He does; you should proceed in whatever way I tell you to. You have no way of managing things for yourself, and you have no mastery over yourself; all must be left to the mercy of God, and everything is held within His hands. If the work of God provided man with an end, a wonderful destination, ahead of time, and if God used this to entice man and cause man to follow Him—if He did a deal with man—then this would not be conquest, nor would it be to work the life of man. Were God to use man’s end to control him and gain his heart, then in this He would not be perfecting man, nor would He be able to gain man, but instead would be using the destination to control him. Man cares about nothing more than the future end, the final destination, and whether or not there is something good to hope for. If man were given a beautiful hope during the work of conquest, and if, prior to the conquest of man, he were given a proper destination to pursue, then not only would the conquest of man not achieve its effect, but the effect of the work of conquest would also be influenced. That is to say, the work of conquest achieves its effect by taking away the fate and prospects of man and judging and chastising the rebellious disposition of man. It is not achieved by doing a deal with man, that is, by giving man blessings and grace, but rather by revealing man’s loyalty by stripping him of his “freedom” and eradicating his prospects. This is the essence of the work of conquest. If man were given a beautiful hope at the very beginning, and the work of chastisement and judgment were done after, then man would accept this chastisement and judgment on the basis that he had prospects, and in the end, the unconditional obedience and worship of the Creator by all His creatures would not be achieved; there would only be blind, ignorant obedience, or else man would blindly make demands of God, and it would be impossible to fully conquer man’s heart. Consequently, it would be impossible for such work of conquest to gain man, or, moreover, to bear testimony to God. Such creatures would be unable to perform their duty and would only strike bargains with God; this would not be conquest, but mercy and blessing. The biggest problem with man is that he thinks of nothing but his fate and prospects and idolizes these things. Man pursues God for the sake of his fate and prospects; he does not worship God because of his love for Him. And so, in the conquest of man, man’s selfishness, greed and the things that most obstruct his worship of God must all be dealt with and thereby eliminated. In doing so, the effects of man’s conquest will be achieved. As a result, in the first stages of the conquest of man it is necessary to purge the wild ambitions and most fatal weaknesses of man, and, through this, to reveal man’s love of God and change his knowledge of human life, his view of God, and the meaning of his existence. In this way, man’s love of God is cleansed, which is to say, man’s heart is conquered. But in God’s attitude toward all creatures, God does not conquer only for the sake of conquering; rather, He conquers in order to gain man, for the sake of His own glory, and in order to recover the earliest, original likeness of man. Were He to conquer only for the sake of conquering, then the significance of the work of conquest would be lost. That is to say that if, after conquering man, God washed His hands of man and paid no heed to man’s life or death, then this would not be the management of mankind, nor would man’s conquest be for the sake of his salvation. Only the gaining of man following his conquest, and his ultimate arrival at a wonderful destination, is at the heart of all the work of salvation, and only this can achieve the aim of man’s salvation. In other words, only man’s arrival at the beautiful destination and his entry into rest are the prospects that should be possessed by all creatures, and the work that should be done by the Creator. If man were to do this work, then it would be too limited: It could take man to a certain point, but it would not be able to bring man to the eternal destination. Man is not able to decide man’s destiny, nor, moreover, is he able to ensure man’s prospects and future destination. The work done by God, however, is different. Since He created man, He leads him; since He saves man, He will thoroughly save him, and will completely gain him; since He leads man, He will bring him to the proper destination; and since He created and manages man, He must take responsibility for man’s fate and prospects. It is this which is the work done by the Creator. Though the work of conquest is achieved by purging man of his prospects, man must ultimately be brought into the proper destination prepared for him by God. It is precisely because God works man that man has a destination and his fate is assured. Here, the suitable destination referred to is not man’s hopes and prospects purged in times past; the two are different. Those things which man hopes for and pursues are the yearnings arising from his pursuit of the extravagant desires of the flesh, rather than the destination due to man. What God has prepared for man, meanwhile, are the blessings and promises due to man once he has been made pure, which God prepared for man after creating the world, and which are not tainted by the choices, notions, imaginings, or flesh of man. This destination is not prepared for a particular person, but is the place of rest of the whole of mankind. And so, this destination is the most suitable destination for mankind.

Excerpted from “Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Whenever destination is mentioned, you treat it with special seriousness; it is, moreover, something that you are all particularly sensitive about. Some people cannot wait to knock their heads against the ground, kowtowing before God in order to obtain a good destination. I can identify with your eagerness, which does not need to be expressed in words. It is no more than that you do not want your flesh to fall into disaster, and still less do you wish to descend into everlasting punishment in the future. You only hope to allow yourselves to live a little more freely, a little more easily. And so you feel particularly agitated whenever destination is mentioned, deeply afraid that, if you are not attentive enough, you may offend God and thus be subject to the retribution you deserve. You have not hesitated to make compromises for the sake of your destination, and even the many of you who were once devious and flippant have suddenly become especially gentle and sincere; your appearance of sincerity chills people to the marrow. Nevertheless, you all have “honest” hearts, and you have consistently opened up to Me the secrets in your hearts without keeping anything back, whether it be grievance, deceit, or devotion. All in all, you have very candidly “confessed” to Me the substantive things that lie within the deepest recesses of your being. Of course, I have never skirted around such things, for to Me they have become all too familiar. You would rather enter the sea of fire for the sake of your final destination than lose a single strand of hair to gain God’s approval. It is not that I am being too dogmatic with you; it is that you are too lacking in a heart of devotion to come face to face with all that I do. You may not understand what I have just said, so let Me provide you with a simple explanation: What you need is not truth and life, nor the principles of how to conduct yourselves, much less My painstaking work. Rather, what you need is everything you possess in the flesh—wealth, status, family, marriage, and so on. You are utterly dismissive of My words and work, so I can sum up your faith in one word: perfunctory. You will go to any lengths to achieve the things to which you are absolutely devoted, but I have discovered that you would not do the same for the sake of matters concerning your belief in God. Rather, you are relatively devoted, and relatively earnest. That is why I say that those who lack a heart of utmost sincerity are failures in their belief in God. Think carefully—are there many failures among you?

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Your destination and your fate are very important to you—they are of grave concern. You believe, if you do not do things with great care, it will mean that you cease to have a destination, that you have destroyed your own fate. But has it ever occurred to you that people who expend effort solely for the sake of their destination are laboring in vain? Such efforts are not genuine—they are fakery and deceit. If that is the case, then those who work only for the sake of their destination are on the threshold of their final defeat, for failure in one’s belief in God is caused by deceit. I have previously said that I do not like to be flattered or fawned on, or treated with enthusiasm. I like honest people to face up to My truth and My expectations. Even more, I like it when people are able to show the utmost care and consideration for My heart, and when they are even capable of giving up everything for My sake. Only in this way can My heart be comforted. Right now, how many things are there about you that I dislike? How many things are there about you that I like? Can it be that none of you has realized all the different manifestations of ugliness you have put forth for the sake of your destination?

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people can truly see clearly the right path of human life, as well as the purpose of God’s management of mankind, they would not hold their individual future and destiny as a treasure in their heart. They then would no longer be interested in serving their parents, who are worse than pigs and dogs. Are man’s future and destiny not precisely the present-day so-called “parents” of Peter? They are just like man’s flesh and blood. Just what will the destination and future of the flesh be? Will it be to see God while still alive, or for the soul to meet God after death? Will the flesh end up tomorrow in a great furnace of tribulations, or in conflagration? Are not questions such as these concerned with whether man’s flesh will endure misfortune or suffer the biggest news with which anyone in this current stream who has a brain and is sensible is most concerned? (Here, suffering refers to receiving blessings; it means that future trials are beneficial for man’s destination. Misfortune refers to being unable to stand firm, or being deceived; or, it means that one will meet with unfortunate situations and lose one’s life in the midst of disaster, and that there is no suitable destination for one’s soul.) Though humans have sound reason, perhaps what they think does not entirely correspond to that with which their reason should be equipped. This is because they all are rather confused and follow things blindly. They should all have a thorough grasp of what they should enter into, and in particular, they should sort out what should be entered into during the tribulation (that is, during the refinement in the furnace), as well as what they should be equipped with during the trials of fire. Do not always serve your parents (meaning the flesh) who are like pigs and dogs and are even worse than ants and bugs. What is the point of agonizing over it, thinking so hard, and racking your brains? The flesh does not belong to you, but is in the hands of God, who not only controls you but also commands Satan. (This means that the flesh originally belongs to Satan. Because Satan is also in God’s hands, it can only be worded this way. This is because it is more persuasive to say it that way; it suggests that men are not entirely under Satan’s domain, but are in God’s hands.) You are living under the torment of the flesh—but does the flesh belong to you? Is it under your control? Why bother racking your brains over it? Why bother obsessively pleading with God for the sake of your putrid flesh, which has long been condemned, cursed, and defiled by unclean spirits? What need is there to always hold the associates of Satan so close to your heart? Do you not worry that the flesh could ruin your actual future, your wonderful hopes, and your life’s true destination?

Excerpted from “The Purpose of Managing Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

A person’s end or destination is not determined by their own will, nor by their own inclinations or imaginings. The Creator, God, has the final say. How should people cooperate in such matters? People have but one path that they can choose: Only if they pursue the truth, understand the truth, obey God’s words, and attain salvation will they ultimately have a good outcome and a good destiny. It is not hard to imagine people’s prospects and destiny if they do the opposite. And so, in this matter, do not focus on what God has promised you, what God’s end for mankind is, what God has prepared for mankind. These have nothing to do with you, they are God’s business, they can’t be taken, begged for, or bartered for by you. As a creature of God, what you should be doing is performing your duty, doing what you ought to with all your heart, mind, and strength. The rest—things to do with prospects and fate, and humankind’s future destination—these are not something you can decide, they are in the hands of God, all of this is dictated and arranged by the Creator, and has nothing to do with any creature of God. Some people say, “Why tell us this if it has nothing to do with us?” Though it has nothing to do with you, it does with God. Only God knows these things, only God can speak of them, and only God is entitled to promise these things to humankind. And if God knows them, should God not speak of them? It is a mistake to still pursue your prospects and fate when you do not know what they are. God did not ask you to pursue this, He was just letting you know; if you mistakenly believe that this is the aim that God asks you to pursue, then you are utterly senseless, and do not possess the mind of normal humanity. It is enough to be aware of all that God promises. You must acknowledge one fact: No matter what kind of promise it is, be it good or ordinary, be it pleasing or uninteresting, all is dictated, arranged, and determined by the Creator. Only following and pursuing the correct direction and path indicated by the Creator is the duty and obligation of a creature of God. As for what you ultimately gain, and the share of which of God’s promises you receive, this is all based on your pursuit, on the path that you take, and on what is dictated by the Creator.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part Nine)” in Exposing Antichrists

Today, you should be aware of how to be conquered, and of how people conduct themselves after they have been conquered. You may say you have been conquered, but can you obey unto death? You must be able to follow to the very end regardless of whether there are any prospects, and you must not lose faith in God regardless of the environment. Ultimately, you must achieve two aspects of testimony: the testimony of Job—obedience unto death; and the testimony of Peter—the supreme love of God. In one respect, you must be like Job: He lost all material possessions, and was beset by the pain of the flesh, yet he did not forsake the name of Jehovah. This was Job’s testimony. Peter was able to love God unto death. When he was put on the cross and faced his death, he still loved God; he did not think of his own prospects or pursue beautiful hopes or extravagant thoughts, and he sought only to love God and to obey all of God’s arrangements. Such is the standard you must achieve before you can be considered to have borne testimony, before you become someone who has been made perfect after having been conquered. Today, if people truly knew their own essence and status, would they still seek prospects and hopes? What you should know is this: Regardless of whether God makes me perfect, I must follow God; everything He does now is good and done for my sake, and so that our disposition can change and we can rid ourselves of Satan’s influence, to allow us to be born in the land of filth and yet rid ourselves of impurity, shake off the filth and the influence of Satan, to leave it behind. Of course, this is what is required of you, but for God it is merely conquest, done so that people have the resolve to obey and can submit to all of God’s orchestrations. This way, things will be accomplished.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You believe in God and follow God, and so in your heart you must love God. You must cast aside your corrupt disposition, you must seek to fulfill God’s desire, and you must perform the duty of a creature of God. Since you believe in and follow God, you should offer everything to Him, and should not make personal choices or demands, and you should achieve the fulfillment of God’s desire. Since you were created, you should obey the Lord that created you, for you are inherently without dominion over yourself, and have no ability to control your own destiny. Since you are a person who believes in God, you should seek holiness and change. Since you are a creature of God, you should adhere to your duty, and keep your place, and you must not overstep your duty. This is not to constrain you, or to suppress you through doctrine, but is instead the path through which you can perform your duty, and it can be achieved—and should be achieved—by all those who do righteousness. … God created all things, and so He makes all creation come under His dominion and submit to His dominion; He will command all things, so that all things are in His hands. All of God’s creation, including animals, plants, mankind, the mountains and rivers, and the lakes—all must come under His dominion. All things in the skies and on the ground must come under His dominion. They cannot have any choice and must all submit to His orchestrations. This was decreed by God, and it is the authority of God. God commands everything, and orders and ranks all things, with each classed according to kind, and allotted their own position, according to God’s will. No matter how great it is, no thing can surpass God, all things serve the mankind created by God, and no thing dares to disobey God or make any demands of God. Therefore man, as a creature of God, must also perform the duty of man. Regardless of whether he is the lord or caretaker of all things, no matter how high man’s status among all things, still he is but a small human being under the dominion of God, and is no more than an insignificant human being, a creature of God, and he will never be above God. As a creature of God, man should seek to perform the duty of a creature of God, and seek to love God without making other choices, for God is worthy of man’s love. Those who seek to love God should not seek any personal benefits or seek that which they personally long for; this is the most correct means of pursuit. If what you seek is the truth, if what you put into practice is the truth, and if what you attain is a change in your disposition, then the path that you tread is the right one. If what you seek is the blessings of the flesh, and what you put into practice is the truth of your own notions, and if there is no change in your disposition, and you are not at all obedient to God in the flesh, and you still live in vagueness, then what you seek will surely take you to hell, for the path that you walk is the path of failure. Whether you will be made perfect or eliminated depends on your own pursuit, which is also to say that success or failure depends on the path that man walks.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

142. The Principles of How to Treat Natural and Man-Made Disasters

(1) Whatever natural or man-made disaster occurs, it does so with God’s permission. All are expressions of God’s righteous disposition. One should reflect on themselves and repent truly;

(2) All corrupt mankind has a satanic nature, often resisting God and provoking His wrath. It is natural that people should often be faced with both natural and man-made disasters;

(3) Amid disasters and trials, one should pray to God and rely on Him. Follow Job’s example, neither blaming God nor forsaking Him. Rather, one should seek the truth and stand firm in their testimony;

(4) God sends disaster to destroy satanic, wicked mankind. If one has sympathy for the devil Satan, they are resisting and betraying God, and, even were their whole family to be destroyed, they should praise God.

Relevant Words of God:

My final work is not only for the sake of punishing man, but also for the sake of arranging the destination of man. Moreover, it is so that all people may acknowledge My deeds and actions. I want each and every person to see that all I have done is right, and that all I have done is an expression of My disposition. It is not man’s doing, much less nature, that brought forth mankind, but I, who nourish every living being in creation. Without My existence, mankind will only perish and suffer the scourge of calamity. No human being will ever again see the beauteous sun and moon, or the verdant world; mankind shall encounter only the frigid night and the inexorable valley of the shadow of death. I am mankind’s only salvation. I am mankind’s only hope and, even more, I am He on whom the existence of all mankind rests. Without Me, mankind will immediately come to a standstill. Without Me, mankind will suffer catastrophe and be trampled underfoot by all manner of ghosts, though no one takes heed of Me. I have done work that can be done by no other, and hope only that man can repay Me with some good deeds. Though but a few have been able to repay Me, I will still conclude My journey in the human world and begin the next step of My unfolding work, because all My rushing to and fro in man’s midst these many years has been fruitful, and I am very pleased. What I care about is not the number of people, but rather their good deeds. In any case, I hope that you prepare a sufficiency of good deeds for your own destination. Then will I be satisfied; otherwise, none of you can escape the disaster that will befall you. The disaster originates with Me and is of course orchestrated by Me. If you cannot appear as good in My eyes, then you will not escape suffering the disaster.

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

My mercy is expressed toward those who love Me and deny themselves. The punishment visited upon the wicked, meanwhile, is precisely proof of My righteous disposition and, even more, testimony to My wrath. When disaster comes, all who oppose Me will weep as they fall victim to famine and plague. Those who have committed all manner of wickedness, but who have followed Me for many years, will not escape paying for their sins; they too, will be plunged into disaster, the like of which has seldom been seen throughout millions of years, and they will live in a constant state of panic and fear. And those of My followers who have shown loyalty to Me will rejoice and applaud My might. They will experience ineffable contentment and live amid joy such as I have never before bestowed upon mankind. For I treasure the good deeds of man and abhor their evil deeds. Since I first began to lead mankind, I have been eagerly hoping to gain a group of people who are of the same mind with Me. Those who are not of the same mind with Me, meanwhile, I never forget; I always loathe them in My heart, awaiting the chance to bring retribution upon them, which I shall relish to see. Now My day has finally come, and I need no longer wait!

Excerpted from “Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the vast expanse of the world, oceans silting into fields, fields flooding into oceans, over and over. Except for He who rules over everything among all things, no one is able to lead and guide this human race. There is no mighty one to labor or make preparations for this human race, still less is there anyone who can lead this human race toward the destination of light and liberate it from earthly injustices. God laments the future of mankind, He grieves at the fall of mankind, and is pained that mankind is marching, step by step, toward decay and the path of no return. No one has ever given thought to which direction such a mankind that has broken the heart of God and renounced Him to seek the evil one might be headed. It is precisely for this reason why no one senses the wrath of God, why no one seeks a way to please God or tries to draw closer to God, and what is more, why no one seeks to comprehend God’s grief and pain. Even after hearing the voice of God, man continues on his own path, persists in straying from God, evading God’s grace and care, and shunning His truth, preferring to sell himself to Satan, the enemy of God. And who has given any thought—should man persist in his obduracy—to how God will act toward this humanity that has dismissed Him without a backward glance? No one knows that the reason for God’s repeated reminders and exhortations is because He has prepared in His hands a calamity like never before, one that will be unbearable to the flesh and soul of man. This calamity is not merely a punishment of the flesh, but also of the soul. You need to know this: When God’s plan falls through, and when His reminders and exhortations are not repaid, what kind of rage will He unleash? It will be like nothing that has ever been experienced or heard by any created being. And so I say, this calamity is without precedent, and will never be repeated. For God’s plan is to create mankind only this once, and to save mankind only this once. This is the first time, and it is also the last. Therefore, no one can comprehend the painstaking intentions and fervent anticipation with which God saves mankind this time.

Excerpted from “God Is the Source of Man’s Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All manner of disasters will befall, one after another; all nations and places will experience calamities: Plague, famine, flood, drought, and earthquakes are everywhere. These disasters are not just happening in one or two places, nor will they be over within a day or two; rather, instead they will expand across a greater and greater area, and become more and more severe. During this time, all manner of insect plagues will arise one after another, and the phenomenon of cannibalism will occur everywhere. This is My judgment upon all nations and peoples. My sons! You must not suffer the pain or hardship of disasters. It is My wish that you will soon come of age and, as quickly as possible, take up the burden that lies on My shoulders. Why do you not understand My will? The work ahead will grow more and more strenuous. Are you so hard-hearted as to leave Me with My hands full, having to work so arduously on My own? I will put it more plainly: Those whose lives mature will enter refuge, and not suffer pain or hardship; those whose lives do not mature must suffer pain and harm. My words are clear enough, are they not?

Excerpted from “Chapter 65” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Everything God does is planned with precision. When He sees a thing or a situation occurring, in His eyes there is a standard to measure it with, and this standard determines whether He launches a plan to deal with it or what approach to take in dealing with this thing or situation. He is not indifferent or lacking in feelings toward everything. It is actually the complete opposite. There is a verse here stating what God said to Noah: “The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” When God said this, did He mean He was destroying only humans? No! God said He was going to destroy all living things of flesh. Why did God want destruction? There is another revelation of God’s disposition here; in God’s eyes, there is a limit to His patience toward man’s corruption, toward the filthiness, violence, and disobedience of all flesh. What is His limit? It is as God said: “God looked on the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth.” What does the phrase “for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth” mean? It means any living things, including those who followed God, those who called on the name of God, those who once made burnt offerings to God, those who verbally acknowledged God and even praised God—once their behavior was full of corruption and reached God’s eyes, He would have to destroy them. That was God’s limit. So to what extent did God remain patient with man and the corruption of all flesh? To the extent that all people, whether followers of God or unbelievers, were not walking the right path. To the extent that man was not just morally corrupt and full of evil, but where there was no one who believed in God’s existence, let alone anyone who believed that the world is ruled by God and that God can bring people light and the right path. To the extent that man despised God’s existence and did not permit God to exist. Once man’s corruption reached this point, God could stand it no longer. What would replace it? The coming of God’s wrath and God’s punishment.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Recall the scene in the Bible when God wrought destruction upon Sodom and think also of how Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt. Think back to how the people of Nineveh repented their sins in sackcloth and ashes and recall what followed after the Jews nailed Jesus to the cross 2,000 years ago. The Jews were expelled from Israel and fled to countries around the world. Many were killed, and the entire Jewish nation was subjected to the unprecedented pain of their country’s annihilation. They had nailed God to the cross—committed a heinous sin—and provoked the disposition of God. They were made to pay for what they did and were made to bear all the consequences of their actions. They condemned God, rejected God, and so they had but one fate: to be punished by God. This was the bitter consequence and disaster that their rulers brought upon their country and nation.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If mankind wishes to have a good fate, if a country wishes to have a good fate, then man must bow down to God in worship, repent and confess before God, or else the fate and destination of man will be an unavoidable catastrophe.

Look back to the time when Noah built the ark: Mankind was deeply corrupt, people had strayed from the blessing of God, were no longer cared for by God, and had lost the promises of God. They lived in darkness, without the light of God. Then they became licentious by nature and abandoned themselves to hideous depravity. Such people could no longer receive the promise of God; they were unfit to witness the face of God or to hear the voice of God, for they had abandoned God, had cast aside all that He had bestowed upon them, and had forgotten the teachings of God. Their heart strayed farther and farther from God and, as it did, they became depraved beyond all reason and humanity and became increasingly evil. Then they walked ever closer to death and fell under the wrath and punishment of God. Only Noah worshiped God and shunned evil, and so he was able to hear the voice of God and hear His instructions. He built the ark according to the instructions of God’s word, and there assembled all manner of living creatures. And in this way, once everything had been prepared, God unleashed His destruction upon the world. Only Noah and the seven other members of his family survived the destruction, for Noah worshiped Jehovah and shunned evil.

Now look upon the present age: Such righteous men as Noah, who could worship God and shun evil, have ceased to exist. Yet God is still gracious toward this mankind and still absolves them during this final era. God seeks those who long for Him to appear. He seeks those who are able to hear His words, those who have not forgotten His commission and offer up their hearts and bodies to Him. He seeks those who are as obedient as babes before Him and do not resist Him. If you devote yourself to God, unimpeded by any power or force, then God shall look upon you with favor and shall bestow His blessings upon you. If you are of high station, of honorable reputation, possessed of abundant knowledge, the owner of plentiful assets, and supported by many people, yet these things do not prevent you from coming before God to accept His calling and His commission and to do what God asks of you, then all that you do shall be the most meaningful cause on earth and the most righteous undertaking of mankind. If you reject the call of God for the sake of status and your own goals, all that you do shall be cursed and even despised by God. Perhaps you are a president, a scientist, a pastor, or an elder, but no matter how high your office, if you rely on your knowledge and ability in your undertakings, then you shall always be a failure and shall always be bereft of the blessings of God, because God accepts nothing that you do, and He does not grant that your undertaking is a righteous one, or accept that you are working for the benefit of mankind. He will say that everything you do is done to use the knowledge and strength of mankind to thrust the protection of God away from man, and that it is done to deny the blessings of God. He will say that you are leading mankind toward darkness, toward death, and toward the start of a limitless existence in which man has lost God and His blessing.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

After God said to Satan, “All that he has is in your power; only on himself put not forth your hand,” Satan departed, soon after which Job came under sudden and fierce attacks: First, his oxen and donkeys were plundered and some of his servants killed; next, his sheep and some more servants were consumed in fire; after that, his camels were taken and even more of his servants were murdered; finally, his sons’ and daughters’ lives were taken away. This string of attacks was the torment suffered by Job during the first temptation. As commanded by God, during these attacks Satan only targeted Job’s property and his children, and did not harm Job himself. Nevertheless, Job was instantly transformed from a rich man possessed of great wealth to someone who had nothing. No one could have withstood this astonishing surprise blow or properly reacted to it, yet Job demonstrated his extraordinary side. The Scriptures provide the following account: “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped.” This was Job’s first reaction after hearing that he had lost his children and all of his property. Above all, he did not appear surprised, or panic-stricken, much less did he express anger or hate. You see, then, that in his heart he had already recognized that these disasters were not an accident, or born from the hand of man, much less were they the arrival of retribution or punishment. Instead, the trials of Jehovah had come upon him; it was Jehovah who wished to take his property and children. Job was very calm and clear-headed then. His perfect and upright humanity enabled him to rationally and naturally make accurate judgments and decisions about the disasters that had befallen him, and in consequence, he behaved with unusual calm: “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped.” “Rent his mantle” means that he was unclothed, and possessed of nothing; “shaved his head” means he had returned before God as a newborn infant; “fell down on the ground, and worshipped” means he had come into the world naked, and still without anything today, he was returned to God as if a newborn baby. Job’s attitude toward all that befell him could not have been achieved by any creature of God. His faith in Jehovah went beyond the realm of belief; this was his fear of God, his obedience to God; he was not only able to give thanks to God for giving to him, but also for taking from him. Furthermore, he was able to take it upon himself to return to God all that he owned, including his life.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Although Job had never seen God or heard the words of God with his own ears, God had a place in Job’s heart. What was Job’s attitude toward God? It was, as previously referred to, “blessed be the name of Jehovah.” His blessing of God’s name was unconditional, irrespective of context, and bound to no reason. We see that Job had given his heart to God, allowing it to be controlled by God; all that he thought, all that he decided, and all that he planned in his heart was laid open to God and not closed off from God. His heart did not stand in opposition to God, and he had never asked God to do anything for him or give him anything, and he did not harbor extravagant desires that he would gain anything from his worship of God. Job did not talk of trades with God, and made no requests or demands of God. His praising of God’s name was because of the great power and authority of God in ruling all things, and it was not dependent on whether he gained blessings or was struck by disaster. He believed that regardless of whether God blesses people or brings disaster upon them, God’s power and authority will not change, and thus, regardless of a person’s circumstances, God’s name should be praised. That man is blessed by God is because of God’s sovereignty, and when disaster befalls man, so, too, it is because of God’s sovereignty. God’s power and authority rule over and arrange everything about man; the vagaries of man’s fortune are the manifestation of God’s power and authority, and regardless of one’s viewpoint, God’s name should be praised. This is what Job experienced and came to know during the years of his life.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

According to human notions, good is rewarded and evil punished, good people are recompensed with good and evil ones are recompensed with evil, and those who do no evil should all be recompensed with good and receive blessings; this is because God is righteous. It would appear that, in all cases where people are not evil, they should be recompensed with good; only this is God’s righteousness. But what if someone fails to be recompensed with good? Should you then say that God is not righteous? Suppose the people in this era were to see an account in a book that said God created a human race in the preceding era. After thousands of years had passed, God saw that humanity had become corrupt to the point that they were no longer recognizably human, and, being in no mood to save them, He therefore destroyed them. How would you regard this? Would you say that God has no love? In human eyes, if God has destroyed people, it means He has no love. Knowledge of God is not saying what He is like based on a human view of things; there is no truth in the way humans view things. You must see what His essence is, as well as what His disposition is. People should not see God’s essence on the basis of any external phenomena resulting from what He has done or dealt with. The human race itself has been corrupted by Satan. Humanity simply does not know what its own nature is, nor what the corrupted human race is before God, and how it should be treated. Consider Job, a righteous man blessed by God. This was God’s righteousness. Satan made a wager with Jehovah: “The reason why Job worships You is because You’ve given him way too much. If You take all of that away from him, let’s see if he still worships You?” Jehovah God said, “As long as you don’t take his life, you may do whatever you please.” So Satan went to Job, and afterward Job encountered trials. Everything he had was stripped away—he lost his children and his property. Now, did Job’s trials have within them the righteous disposition of God? You can’t say clearly, can you? Even if you are a righteous person, God has a right to subject you to trials and to allow you to bear Him witness. God’s disposition is righteous; He treats everyone equally. This is not to say that righteous people do not then need to undergo trials or that they must then be protected; this is not the case. God has the right to put you through trials. This is the revelation of His righteous disposition. Finally, after Job had finished undergoing trials and bearing witness to Jehovah, Jehovah blessed him even more than before, giving him twice as many blessings and even better blessings. Furthermore, Jehovah appeared to him, and spoke to him from out of the wind, and Job saw Him as though face to face. This was a blessing given to him. This was God’s righteousness. What if the opposite had taken place? When Job had finished undergoing trials and Jehovah saw how Job had borne witness to Him in Satan’s presence and shamed Satan, what if Jehovah then turned away and left, ignoring him, and Job did not receive blessings afterward—would this have God’s righteousness in it? Regardless of whether Job was blessed after the trials or not, or whether Jehovah appeared to him or not, all of this contains God’s good will. Appearing to Job would have been God’s righteousness, and not appearing to him would also have been God’s righteousness. Upon what basis do you—a created being—make demands of God? People are not fit to make demands of God. There is nothing more unreasonable than making demands of God. He will do what He ought to do, and His disposition is righteous. Righteousness is by no means fair or reasonable; it is not egalitarianism, or a matter of allocating to you what you deserve in accordance with how much work you have completed, or paying you for whatever work you have done, or giving you your due according to what effort you expend. This is not righteousness. Suppose God had eliminated Job after Job bore witness for Him: God would have been righteous then, too. Why is this called righteousness? From a human point of view, if something is in line with people’s notions, it is then very easy for them to say that God is righteous; however, if they do not see that thing as being in line with their notions—if it is something that they are incapable of comprehending—then it would be difficult for them to say that God is righteous. If God had destroyed Job back then, people would not have said He was righteous. Actually, though, whether people have been corrupted or not, does God have to justify Himself when He destroys them? Should He have to explain to people upon what basis it is that He does so? Should His decision be based on this: “If they are useful, I will not destroy them; if they are not, I will”? There is no need. In God’s eyes, someone who is corrupt may be dealt with howsoever He wishes; whatever God does will be appropriate, and all are the arrangements of God. If you were displeasing to God’s eyes, and if He said that He had no use for you after your testimony and therefore destroyed you, would this, too, be His righteousness? It would. You might not be able to recognize this right now from the facts, but you must understand in theory. What would you say—is God’s destruction of Satan an expression of His righteousness? Also, what if He allowed Satan to remain? You dare not say, yes? God’s essence is righteousness. Though it is not easy to comprehend what He does, all that He does is righteous; it is simply that people do not understand. When God gave Peter to Satan, how did Peter respond? “Mankind is unable to fathom what You do, but all of what You do contains Your good will; there is righteousness in all of it. How can I not utter praise for Your wise deeds?” Today, you should see that God does not destroy Satan in order to show humans how Satan has corrupted them and how God saves them; ultimately, due to the degree to which Satan has corrupted people, they shall behold the monstrous sin of Satan’s corruption of them, and when God destroys Satan, they shall behold God’s righteousness and see that it contains God’s disposition. Everything that God does is righteous. Though it might be unfathomable to you, you should not make judgments at will. If something He does appears to you as unreasonable, or if you have any notions about it, and that leads you to say that He is not righteous, then you are being most unreasonable. You see that Peter found some things to be incomprehensible, but he was sure that God’s wisdom was present and that His good will was in those things. Humans cannot fathom everything; there are so many things that they cannot grasp. Thus, to know God’s disposition is not an easy thing.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Righteous Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Nowadays, those who seek and those who do not are two entirely different types of people, whose destinations are also very different. Those who pursue knowledge of the truth and practice the truth are the ones to whom God will bring salvation. Those who do not know the true way are demons and enemies; they are the descendants of the archangel and will be objects of destruction. Even those who are pious believers of a vague God—are they not also demons? People who possess good consciences but do not accept the true way are demons; their essence is one of resistance to God. Those who do not accept the true way are those who resist God, and even if such people endure many hardships, they will still be destroyed. All those who are unwilling to relinquish the world, who cannot bear to part with their parents, and who cannot bear to rid themselves of their own enjoyments of the flesh are disobedient to God, and all will be objects of destruction. Anyone who does not believe in God incarnate is demonic and, moreover, will be destroyed. Those who have faith but do not practice the truth, those who do not believe in God incarnate, and those who do not at all believe in God’s existence will also be objects of destruction. All those who will be allowed to remain are people who have undergone the suffering of refinement and stood firm; these are people who have truly endured trials. Anyone who does not recognize God is an enemy; that is, anyone who does not recognize God incarnate—whether or not they are inside or outside this stream—is an antichrist! Who is Satan, who are demons, and who are God’s enemies if not resisters who do not believe in God? Are they not those people who are disobedient to God? Are they not those who claim to have faith, yet who lack truth? Are they not those who merely seek to obtain blessings while being unable to bear witness for God? You still mingle with those demons today and bear conscience and love toward them, but in this case are you not extending good intentions toward Satan? Are you not associating with demons? If people these days are still unable to distinguish between good and evil, and continue to blindly be loving and merciful without any intention of seeking God’s will or being able in any way to harbor God’s intentions as their own, then their endings will be all the more wretched. Anyone who does not believe in the God in the flesh is an enemy of God. If you can bear conscience and love toward an enemy, do you not lack a sense of righteousness? If you are compatible with those which I detest and with which I disagree, and still bear love or personal feelings toward them, then are you not disobedient? Are you not intentionally resisting God? Does such a person possess truth? If people bear conscience toward enemies, love for demons, and mercy for Satan, then are they not intentionally disrupting God’s work? Those people who believe only in Jesus and do not believe in God incarnate during the last days, as well as those who verbally claim to believe in God incarnate but do evil, are all antichrists, without even mentioning those who do not even believe in God. All these people will be objects of destruction.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

143. The Principles of How to Handle Disease

(1) Mankind has been corrupted so deeply by Satan that frequent illness has become the norm for them. One should take from those illnesses a lesson on how to resolve corruption, without complaining and without blaming God;

(2) One does not contract a serious disease by happenstance; upon falling ill, one should come before God and examine whether they have committed some transgression, and confess it to Him in repentance;

(3) The presence of disease is God’s love. One should seek the truth and submit to God, and, even when sick, they should perform their duty well and remain faithful to the very end. Only doing so meets with God’s approval;

(4) When sick, it is the sufferer’s choice whether to seek medical care or to rely on faith alone. What matters most is being able to know oneself and purifying one’s corruption, which ensures accordance with God’s will.

Relevant Words of God:

What is the source of the lifelong suffering from birth, death, illness, and old age that humans endure? What caused people to have these things? Humans did not have them when they were first created, did they? Where, then, did these things come from? They came into being after humans were tempted by Satan and their flesh became degenerate. The pain of human flesh, its afflictions, and its emptiness, as well as the extremely miserable affairs of the human world, only came once Satan had corrupted mankind. After humans were corrupted by Satan, it began to torment them. As a result, they became more and more degenerate. The diseases of humanity grew more and more acute, and their suffering became more and more severe. Increasingly, people sensed the emptiness and tragedy of the human world, as well as their inability to go on living there, and they felt less and less hope for the world. Thus, this suffering was brought down upon humans by Satan.

Excerpted from “The Significance of God’s Tasting of Worldly Suffering” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Suffering illness is a hardship for people, because some ailments can put their lives at risk at any time. In point of fact, if people truly have faith in God, the first thing it behooves them to know is that the span of their life is in His hands. When God gives people illness, it feels like sickness to them, but, in actual fact, what they have been given is grace, not illness. People must first of all recognize and be sure about this fact, and take it seriously. When people are suffering from illness, they can come often before God, and make sure to do what they should, with prudence and caution, and do their duty with greater care and diligence than others. As far as people are concerned, this is a protection, not shackles. It is the negative way of handling things. In addition, everyone’s lifespan has been predetermined by God. If an illness appears on its surface to be terminal, but, from God’s point of view, your time has not yet come and your mission is not yet complete, then He will not take you away. If you are not meant to die, then, even if you do not pray, or take care of yourself, or take your condition seriously, or see it as a grave enough matter to seek treatment, you cannot die. If God has entrusted you with a commission, and your mission is not complete, then He will not allow you to die, but will keep you alive until the final moment. Do you have faith in this? If you do not, you will be constantly praying cautiously, saying, “God! I have to complete my commission. I want to spend my final days in utter devotion to You, so that I will leave no regrets behind!” You will frequently make such excuses and use such methods in an effort to strike a bargain with God. In truth, whether you try to bargain for more time, or do not take your illness seriously at all, it does not matter; from God’s point of view, as long as you can fulfill your duty and are still of use, and as long as He still wants to use you and is determined to do so—if you are not meant to die—then you cannot die, for God determined your lifespan before creating the world. Do you have faith in this? If you acknowledge this only as a matter of doctrine, then your course of action will be no more than a course of action; if you acknowledge, in the depth of your heart, that God will do this, then there will be many changes in how you do things and how you practice. Of course, sick or not, all people must live their lives with some common sense when it comes to maintaining their health. If you get sick, you should also have some general knowledge of how to treat your sickness. This is something people should do themselves. However, treating an illness in this way should not be meant to challenge the lifespan set for you by God, nor should you do so to guarantee that you can live out the lifespan that He has set for you. What does this mean? It can be put this way: In a passive regard, if you do not take your illness seriously, fulfill your duty however you should, and get a bit more rest than others, if you have not delayed your duty, will your illness get worse? It will not, nor will it lead to your death, which depends on what God does. In other words, if, in God’s view, your predestined lifespan has not yet run its course, then, even if you get sick, He will not allow you to die. If your illness is not terminal, but your time has come, then God will take you away whenever He wants. Is this not completely at the mercy of God’s whim? It is at the mercy of His predetermination! This is how you should look at this matter. You might do your part and go to the doctor, take some medicine, look after your health, and get exercise, but you need to understand deep down that a person’s life is in God’s hands, and a person’s lifespan is predetermined by God. No one can transcend what God has predetermined. If you do not possess even this small measure of understanding, then you do not truly have faith, and do not actually believe in God.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

How should the onset of sickness be experienced? You should come before God to pray and seek to grasp His will, and examine just what it is that you did wrong, or what corrupt dispositions there are within you that you cannot resolve. You cannot resolve your corrupt dispositions without pain. People must be tempered by pain; only then will they cease to be dissolute and live before God at all times. When faced with suffering, people will always pray. There will be no thought of food, clothing, or fun; in their hearts, they will pray, and examine whether they have done anything wrong during this time. Most of the time, when people are beset by serious illness or some unusual sickness, and it causes them great pain, these things do not happen by accident; whether you are sick or healthy, God’s will is behind it all. Ordinarily when the Holy Spirit works, you feel everything is fine. When you are in good health, you are able to seek God, but at the onset of hardship, you are not, nor do you know how to. You merely live amid sickness, thinking only of how you can be cured so that you can get over it more quickly. At such times you envy those who are without illness, and you wish to escape this sickness as soon as you can—this is a negative and antagonistic mood. Sometimes, people think to themselves, “Was this illness caused by my own stupidity, or is God’s will behind it?” Some sicknesses are normal, like when you catch a cold or suffer from excessive internal heat, or you have the flu. But with any serious illness—when you are struck down with sickness, and when, out of nowhere, life becomes unbearable—that kind of sensation or illness does not happen by accident. At the onset of illness or pain, do you pray to God and seek God? And does the Holy Spirit merely enlighten and illuminate you? This is not the only way He works. How does God test people? Is it not through making them suffer pain? Where there are trials, there is pain—how could people suffer without trials? And how could people change without suffering? When trials are accompanied by pain, this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God gives people pain, or else they would be unaware of heaven’s heights or earth’s depths, and they would become insolent. In some matters, merely relying on fellowshiping on the truth will not solve the problem. Other people point out your problem to you, and you yourself are aware of it, but you are unable to change. No matter how you rely on your willpower to exercise self-restraint, perhaps even going so far as to slap yourself about the face and knock yourself about the head, it still does not solve the problem, for your nature still exists within you. This thing is alive, it is like the living thoughts of man, and it can appear at any time. So what can you do if it cannot be solved? People must be refined by certain illnesses, and when they are, there are those who cannot bear the torment and begin to pray and seek. Before you get sick, you are dissolute and insolent, but sickness makes you well-behaved. Could you still be insolent? When your every word is feeble, could you still lecture people, could you still be arrogant? At such times, you ask for nothing, only for the pain to end, and you give no thought to what to eat, what to wear, what to enjoy. Most of you have yet to experience such a feeling. When you have, you will understand.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Almighty God, the Head of all things, wields His kingly power from His throne. He rules over the universe and all things, and He is in the act of guiding us on the whole earth. We shall at every moment be close to Him, and come before Him in quietness, never missing a single moment, and with lessons for us to learn at all times. Everything, from the surrounding environment to people, affairs, and things, all exist by permission of His throne. Do not on any account let grievances arise in your heart, or God will not bestow His grace upon you. When sickness befalls, this is God’s love, and surely His kind intentions are harbored within. Though your body may undergo a bit of suffering, entertain no ideas from Satan. Praise God in the midst of illness and enjoy God in the midst of your praise. Do not lose heart in the face of illness, keep seeking again and again and do not give up, and God will illuminate you with His light. How was Job’s faith? Almighty God is an all-powerful physician! To dwell in sickness is to be sick, but to dwell in the spirit is to be well. So long as you still have one breath, God will not let you die.

We have within us the resurrected life of Christ. Undeniably, we lack faith in the presence of God: Would that God would put true faith within us. Sweet indeed is the word of God! God’s word is potent medicine! It puts to shame the devils and Satan! Grasping God’s word gives us support. His word acts fast to save our hearts! It dispels all things and sets all at peace. Faith is like a single log bridge: Those who cling abjectly to life will have difficulty in crossing it, but those who are ready to sacrifice themselves can pass over, sure of foot and worry-free. If man harbors timid and fearful thoughts, it is because Satan has fooled them, afraid that we will cross the bridge of faith to enter into God. Satan is trying in every way possible to send us its thoughts. We should at every moment pray for God to illuminate us with His light, at every moment rely on God to purge Satan’s poison from within us, practice within our spirit at every moment how to come close to God, and let God have dominion over our whole being.

from “Chapter 6” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sometimes God puts you in certain situations, or uses certain people to deal with you, to make you feel upset, to teach you a lesson; this is the work God does today, this is one aspect of it. Another aspect is that God brings pain upon your flesh. It is like how Paul always said there was a thorn in his flesh. What thorn was he talking about? It was sickness. He knew all too well what his sickness was all about: It was down to his disposition, his nature. Without this thorn, if he were not beset by illness, then at any time, at any place, he would be liable to try to establish his own kingdom, but when he fell sick, he lost the energy to do it. And so, sickness is most often a “protective umbrella” for people. If you were not sick, if you were in fine fettle, perhaps you would go on to commit some evil, or do some harm. When you are insolent and dissolute, you are liable to become unreasonable, and when you cause trouble, you will regret it, and what happens will no longer be up to you. A little illness is therefore a good thing, it protects people. It could be that you become able to solve other people’s difficulties and can also solve the problems with your own thinking. If your illness does not get better, then there is nothing you can do about it. When you get sick, it is really not up to you. When you get sick and it does not get better no matter what you do, then this pain is your due, so do not try to escape it. You must pray, seek, and submit, and you must seek for God’s intentions: “O God! I know that I am corrupt, that my nature is bad, that I am liable to do things that rebel against and oppose You, things that bring You pain and hurt, so it is good that You have given me this illness. I should submit to it. But I ask that You enlighten me, that You allow me to know Your will, and make me understand what You would change and perfect about me. I ask only that You guide me, that You allow me to understand the direction of the path of human life, that You allow me to understand this truth.” You must seek and pray. Do not muddle along, thinking, “It’s nothing. I definitely haven’t offended God.” Do not jump to conclusions so lightly. If God is truly in your heart, then you will not let go of whatever befalls you. You will pray and seek, you will grasp God’s will in everything that happens, and when God sees how obedient you are, He will gradually lessen your pain.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter what happens to you, you must come before God—this is right. You must reflect on yourself while not delaying the performance of your duty. Do not only reflect and never perform your duty—that would be wrong. No matter what trial befalls you, you must treat it as a burden given to you by God. Say some people are beset by great sickness and unbearable suffering, some even face death. How should they approach this kind of situation? In many cases, the trials of God are burdens He gives to people. However great the burden bestowed upon you by God, that is the weight of burden you should undertake, for God understands you, and knows you will be able to bear it. The burden given to you by God will not exceed your stature or the limits of your endurance, so there is no question that you will be able to bear it. No matter what manner of burden God gives you, what kind of trial, remember one thing: Whether or not you understand God’s will and whether or not you are enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit when you pray, whether or not this trial is God disciplining you or warning you, it does not matter if you do not understand. As long as you do not cease performing the duty that you ought to perform and can faithfully abide by your duty, God will be satisfied, and you will stand firm in your testimony. Seeing that they are suffering from a serious illness and are going to die, some people think to themselves: “It was to avoid death that I started believing in God—but it turns out that even after all these years of performing my duty, He’s going to let me die. I should get on with my own business and forget performing my duty.” What attitude is this? You have been performing your duty for all these years, you have listened to all these sermons, and still you have not understood the truth. One trial topples you, brings you to your knees, lays you bare. Is such a person worthy of being cared for by God? They are totally without loyalty. So what is the duty they have spent all these years performing known as? It is known as “doing service,” and they have just been exerting themselves. If, in your faith in God and pursuit of the truth, you are able to say, “Whatever sickness or disagreeable event God allows to befall me—no matter what God does—I must obey, and stay in my place as a created being. Before all else, I must put this aspect of the truth—obedience—into practice, I implement it, and live out the reality of obedience to God. Moreover, I must not cast aside what God has commissioned to me and the duty I should perform. Even on my last breath, I must abide by my duty.” Is this not bearing testimony? When you have this kind of resolve and this kind of state, are you still able to complain about God? No, you are not. At such a time, you must think to yourself, “God gives me this breath, He has provided for me all these years, He has taken much pain from me, given me much grace, and many truths. I have understood many truths and mysteries that people have not understood for generations. I have gained so much from God, so I must repay God! Before, my stature was too small, I understood nothing, and everything I did was hurtful to God. I may not have another chance to repay God in the future. No matter how much time I have left, I must offer the little strength I have and do what I can for God, so that God can see that all these years of providing for me have not been in vain, but have borne fruit. Let me bring comfort to God, and no longer hurt or disappoint Him.” How about thinking this way? Do not think about how to save yourself or escape, thinking, “When will this illness be cured? When it is, I shall do my best to perform my duty and be loyal. How can I be loyal when I’m ill? How can I perform the duty of a created being?” As long as you have a single breath, are you not capable of performing your duty? As long as you have a single breath, are you capable of not bringing shame upon God? As long as you have a single breath, as long as your mind is lucid, are you capable of not complaining about God? It is easy to say “Yes” now, but it will not be so easy when this really happens to you. And so, you must pursue the truth, often work hard on the truth, and spend more time thinking, “How can I satisfy God’s will? How can I repay God’s love? How can I perform the duty of a created being?” What is a created being? Is the responsibility of a created being merely to listen to the words of God? No—it is to live out the words of God. God has given you so much truth, so much of the way, and so much life, so that you may live out these things, and bear testimony to Him. This is what ought to be done by a created being.

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

As soon as some people come down with a slight illness, they rack their brains and use all kinds of methods to treat it, but, no matter what they do, they cannot be cured. The more they treat the illness, the more serious it gets. They simply do not come before God to seek out what exactly caused them to get sick, or to discover the root of their illness; they think on their own of how to handle it. As a result, despite all the methods they have used, their illness remains, until, once they have stopped trying to cure it, it suddenly goes away, without their noticing it. Another person might come down with what seems to be an unremarkable illness and say, “It’s nothing; I don’t need to get it looked at. I’ll just place my trust in God”—and then one day, they suddenly drop dead. Why does this happen? It happens because, in God’s view, this person’s mission on earth is complete, so God takes him away. There are those who die without having fallen ill, and there are also those with a major disease who do not die, and are even able to live another ten or twenty years. This all depends on what God has predetermined. If you recognize this, then you have genuine faith in God. If, over time, your illness worsens and you need to take a bit of medicine to get it under control, then take your medicine as normal and get some exercise; relax, and treat your situation calmly. What do you think of this attitude? This is the sort of attitude enjoyed by people with true faith in God. You do not take medicine or receive an injection, and do not exercise or keep your health up, but are still extremely worried, and you pray constantly. You say, “God, I must do my best to fulfill my duty. I have not yet completed my mission. I have a wish and am resolved; only You can let me live to the final hour, and only You can fulfill my wish. I can’t die; if I die, I won’t be able to fulfill my duty as a created being. I want to fulfill the duty of a created being; I wish to glorify You and praise You unto the end. I want to see Your day of glory.” On the surface, your refusal to take medicine or get shots might make you seem very strong and to be full of faith in God, but your faith is actually smaller than a mustard seed: You are terrified, and have no trust in God. What happened? How did it come to pass that you do not have genuine faith in God? Humans absolutely do not comprehend the attitude, principles, and methods with which the Creator regards created beings; people rely on their own measly suspicions, notions, and imaginings to guess at what God will do. If God is going to allow you to live, then you will be fine, no matter how serious your illness might be; if He is not going to allow you to live, then you should die, and you must, even if you are not sick at all. To know this is true knowledge and true faith. So, does God make people fall sick at random? It is not random; it is a way to refine their faith. It is suffering that people must endure. If He makes you fall sick, do not try to escape it; if He does not, then do not request it. All is in the Creator’s hands, and people must learn to let nature take its course. What is nature? Nothing in nature is random; it all comes from God. This is the truth. Among sufferers of the same disease, some die and others live; all of this was predetermined by God. If you can live, it proves that you have not yet completed the mission God gave you. You should work hard at completing it, and cherish this time; do not waste it. This is what it is. If you are sick, do not try to escape it, and, if you are not sick, do not request it. In any matter, you cannot get what you want merely by requesting it, nor can you escape anything just because you want to. No one can change that which God has decided to do.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people pray as soon as they fall ill, but seeing themselves no better after they have finished praying, they simply live in the sickness, constantly complaining, saying, “I believe in God, but He hasn’t made me better. I’m sick all day long….” And after they have finished complaining, they die. If God eliminates your flesh and casts you into Hades, then it is all over for you—you no longer have any chance of salvation. If you die and go to hell, your soul is forfeit. Will you have another chance if the work of salvation reaches its final stage and you still have not been saved? You will have no more chances! If you perish during God’s work of salvation, your destination will have already been set. You will not die of the sickness of old age; yours will not be a normal death—you will die from being punished. And those who die from being punished no longer have any chance of salvation, and could be punished anywhere! Has Paul not been punished in Hades all this time? It has been two thousand years, and he is still being punished there! You are in even more trouble if you deliberately commit sin—your punishment will be even more severe!

Some people say, “I feel like the work of the Holy Spirit has been absent from me for some time. I’m always getting sick and feeling unwell, and I’m always having to face tough situations.” This is correct. Sometimes the Holy Spirit works one way, and sometimes He works another; sometimes He enlightens you, using fellowship to allow you to understand certain truths, and sometimes He uses situations to elucidate you, situations in which you are tested, tempered, trained, so that you may grow. Some diseases, however, are man-made. They happen because you do not know how to look after yourself or take care of your health, in which case you should be more attentive. But regardless of whether the sickness is man-made or bestowed by the Holy Spirit, it is always God’s especial grace toward you, all so that you can learn a lesson, and so you must thank God and not complain. Each complaint is a stain upon you, a sin that cannot be scrubbed clean! When you complain once, how long will it take to turn your state around? When you become a little negative, it could take a month to get yourself right again; when you complain, and say certain negative things, you may not get yourself right again even within a year, and the Holy Spirit will cease His work. It is a serious matter to complain. It becomes even harder for you to gain the work of the Holy Spirit. It takes a lot of effort in prayer to gain a little of the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is no easy feat to turn your mindset all the way around; this can only be resolved by seeking the truth.

Excerpted from “See All Things Through the Eyes of Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No one goes their whole life without suffering. For some people, it has to do with family, for some, with work, for some, with marriage, and for some, with physical illness. Everyone suffers. Some say, “Why must people suffer? How great it would be to live our whole lives peacefully and happily. Can’t we not suffer?” No—everyone must suffer. Suffering causes every person to experience the myriad sensations of physical life, whether these sensations be positive, negative, active or passive; suffering gives you different feelings and appreciations, which, for you, are all life experience. If you can seek the truth and seek the will of God from these, then you will draw ever closer to the goals given to you by God. That is one aspect, and it is also in order to make people more experienced. Another aspect is the responsibility that God gives to man. What responsibility? To undergo this suffering. You must bear this suffering. If you can bear it, then this is testimony. Faced with illness, some people are afraid others will find out, they think it is something shameful, when in fact this is nothing to be ashamed of. As a normal person, if, amid illness, you are able to accept the various kinds of suffering that God arranges for you, and are still able to perform your duty normally, are able to complete the commissions that God gives you normally, then this is testimony, and it is something that shames and defeats Satan. And so, any suffering should be accepted and submitted to by every created being and every person. This is how you should understand it, this is in line with the will of God, and it is God’s intention. This is what God arranges for every created being. His putting you in these situations and conditions is equivalent to giving you a responsibility, obligation, and commission, and so you should accept them. Is this not the truth? As long as it comes from God, as long as God makes such a demand of you, then it is the truth. Why is it said to be the truth? This is because if you accept these words as the truth, then when you encounter an issue, these words will be able to solve your notions and rebelliousness, they will allow you smooth passage through this issue, and they will allow you to bear testimony, and not go against the will of God or rebel against God. If you are able to submit to the conditions and situations that God places you in, then you understand the truth, and if you can bear such testimony, then you bring shame upon Satan.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

144. The Principles of How to Handle Death

(1) Human life and death are entirely in God’s hands, both arranged and determined by Him. One should not have their own choice in the matter;

(2) A person’s fleshly body and soul belong entirely to God; they are not one’s own. One should commit them into God’s hands and defer to His orchestration, unto life or death;

(3) God is righteous. He scrutinizes the innermost heart of man, and His arrangements for each person are both fair and reasonable. Do not draw inferences about matters that are inscrutable to you;

(4) That God has allowed us to live a single day means we should expend ourselves for Him. To live for the sake of one’s fleshly body is to be a beast or a devil; only by understanding the truth can one submit to God.

Relevant Words of God:

In the vastness of the cosmos and the firmament, countless creatures live and reproduce, follow the cyclical law of life, and adhere to one constant rule. Those who die take with them the stories of the living, and those who are living repeat the same tragic history of those who have perished. And so, mankind cannot help but ask himself: Why do we live? And why do we have to die? Who commands this world? And who created this mankind? Was mankind really created by Mother Nature? Is mankind really in control of his own fate? … These are the questions mankind has asked ceaselessly for thousands of years. Unfortunately, the more that man has become obsessed with these questions, the more of a thirst he has developed for science. Science offers brief gratification and temporary enjoyment of the flesh, but is far from sufficient to free man from the solitariness, loneliness, and barely-concealed terror and helplessness deep within his soul. Mankind merely uses scientific knowledge that he can see with his naked eye and understand with his brain in order to anesthetize his heart. Yet such scientific knowledge is not enough to stop mankind from exploring mysteries. Mankind simply does not know who the Sovereign of the universe and all things is, much less the beginning and future of mankind. Mankind merely lives, perforce, amidst this law. None can escape it and none can change it, for among all things and in the heavens there is but One from everlasting to everlasting who holds sovereignty over everything. He is the One who has never been beheld by man, the One whom mankind has never known, in whose existence mankind has never believed—yet He is the One who blew the breath into mankind’s ancestors and gave life to mankind. He is the One who provides and nourishes mankind, allowing him to exist; and He is the One who has guided mankind up to the present day. Moreover, He and He alone is the One mankind depends on for survival. He holds sovereignty over all things and rules all living beings in the universe. He commands the four seasons, and it is He who calls forth wind, frost, snow, and rain. He brings mankind sunshine and ushers in the night. It was He who laid out the heavens and earth, providing man with the mountains, lakes, and rivers and all of the living things within them. His deeds are omnipresent, His power is omnipresent, His wisdom is omnipresent, and His authority is omnipresent. Each of these laws and rules is the embodiment of His deeds, and each one reveals His wisdom and authority. Who can exempt themselves from His sovereignty? And who can discharge themselves from His designs? All things exist beneath His gaze, and moreover, all things live under His sovereignty. His deeds and His power leave mankind with no choice but to acknowledge the fact that He really does exist and holds sovereignty over all things. Nothing apart from Him can command the universe, much less endlessly provide for this mankind. Regardless of whether you are able to recognize God’s deeds, and regardless of whether you believe in the existence of God, there is no doubt that your fate is determined by God, and there is no doubt that God will always hold sovereignty over all things. His existence and authority are not predicated upon whether or not they are recognized and comprehended by man. Only He knows man’s past, present, and future, and only He can determine the fate of mankind. Regardless of whether you are able to accept this fact, it will not be long before mankind witnesses all of this with his own eyes, and this is the fact that God will soon bring to bear. Mankind lives and dies under the eyes of God. Man lives for the management of God, and when his eyes close for the final time, it is for this management that they close as well. Man comes and goes over and over again, back and forth. Without exception, it is all part of God’s sovereignty and His design.

Excerpted from “Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If one’s birth was destined by one’s previous life, then one’s death marks the end of that destiny. If one’s birth is the beginning of one’s mission in this life, then one’s death marks the end of that mission. Since the Creator has determined a fixed set of circumstances for a person’s birth, it goes without saying that He has also arranged a fixed set of circumstances for one’s death. In other words, no one is born by chance, no one’s death arrives abruptly, and both birth and death are necessarily connected with one’s previous and present lives. The circumstances of one’s birth and death are both predetermined by the Creator; this is a person’s destiny, a person’s fate. Since there are many explanations for a person’s birth, it is also true that a person’s death will naturally occur under its own, special set of various circumstances. This is the reason for people’s varying lifespans and the different manners and times of their deaths. Some people are strong and healthy, yet die young; others are weak and sickly, yet live to an old age and pass away peacefully. Some perish of unnatural causes, others die naturally. Some end their lives far from home, others shut their eyes for the final time with their loved ones by their side. Some people die in midair, others beneath the earth. Some sink beneath the water, others are lost in disasters. Some die in the morning, others at night. … Everyone wants an illustrious birth, a brilliant life, and a glorious death, but no one can reach past their own destiny, no one can escape the Creator’s sovereignty. This is human fate. Man can make all kinds of plans for his future, but no one can plan the manner and time of their birth and of their departure from the world. Though people do their best to avoid and resist the coming of death, still, unbeknownst to them, death silently draws near. No one knows when they will perish or how, much less where it will happen. Obviously, it is not humanity that holds the power of life and death, not some being in the natural world, but the Creator, whose authority is unique. Mankind’s life and death are not the product of some law of the natural world, but a consequence of the sovereignty of the Creator’s authority.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Because of the Creator’s sovereignty and predestination, a lonely soul that started out with nothing to its name gains parents and a family, the chance to become a member of the human race, the chance to experience human life and see the world. This soul also gains the chance to experience the Creator’s sovereignty, to know the marvelousness of the Creator’s creation, and more than that, to know and become subject to the Creator’s authority. Yet most people do not really seize this rare and fleeting opportunity. One exhausts a lifetime’s worth of energy fighting against fate, spends all of one’s time bustling about, trying to feed one’s family and shuttling back and forth between wealth and status. The things that people treasure are family, money, and fame, and they view these as the most valuable things in life. All people complain about their fates, yet still they push to the back of their minds the issues that are most imperative to examine and understand: why man is alive, how man should live, what the value and meaning of life are. They spend their entire lives, however long they may last, merely rushing about seeking fame and fortune, until their youth has fled and they have become gray and wrinkled. They live in this way until they see that fame and fortune cannot stop their slide toward senility, that money cannot fill the emptiness of the heart, that no one is exempt from the laws of birth, aging, sickness, and death, that no one can escape what fate has in store. Only when they are forced to confront life’s final juncture do they truly grasp that even if one owns vast wealth and extensive assets, even if one is privileged and of high rank, one still cannot escape death and must return to their original position: a solitary soul, with nothing to its name. When people have parents, they believe their parents are everything; when people have property, they think that money is one’s mainstay, that it is the means by which one lives; when people have status, they cling tightly to it and would risk their lives for its sake. Only when people are about to let go of this world do they realize that the things they spent their lives pursuing are nothing but fleeting clouds, none of which they can hold onto, none of which they can take with them, none of which can exempt them from death, none of which can provide company or consolation to a lonely soul on its journey back; least of all, none of these things can save a person and enable them to transcend death. The fame and fortune that one gains in the material world give temporary satisfaction, passing pleasure, a false sense of ease; in the process, they cause one to lose one’s way. And so people, as they thrash about in the vast sea of humanity, craving peace, comfort, and tranquility of heart, are engulfed by wave after wave. When people have yet to figure out the questions that are most crucial to understand—where they come from, why they are alive, where they are going, and so forth—they are seduced by fame and fortune, misled and controlled by them and irrevocably lost. Time flies; years pass in the blink of an eye, and before one realizes it, one has bid farewell to the best years of one’s life. When one is soon to depart from the world, one arrives at the gradual realization that everything in the world is drifting away, that one can no longer hold onto possessions that originally were theirs; then one truly feels that one is like a wailing infant that has just emerged into the world, with nothing yet to their name. At this point, one is compelled to ponder what one has done in life, what being alive is worth, what it means, why one came into the world. And it is at this point that one increasingly wants to know whether there really is a next life, whether Heaven really exists, whether there really is retribution…. The nearer one comes to death, the more one wants to understand what life is really about; the nearer one comes to death, the more one’s heart seems empty; the nearer one comes to death, the more helpless one feels; and so one’s fear of death grows greater by the day. There are two reasons such feelings manifest in people as they approach death: First, they are about to lose the fame and wealth upon which their lives have depended, about to leave behind all that the eye beholds in the world; and second, they are about to confront, all alone, an unfamiliar world, a mysterious, unknown realm where they are afraid to set foot, where they have no loved ones and no means of support. For these two reasons, everyone who faces death feels uneasy, experiences panic and a sense of helplessness such as they have never known before. Only when someone has actually come to this point do they realize that when one sets foot on this earth, the first thing they must understand is where human beings come from, why people are alive, who dictates human fate, and who provides for and has sovereignty over human existence. This knowledge is the true means by which one lives, the essential basis for human survival—not learning how to provide for one’s family or how to achieve fame and wealth, not learning how to stand out from the crowd nor how to live a more affluent life, much less learning how to excel and to compete successfully against others. Though the various survival skills that people spend their lives mastering can offer an abundance of material comforts, they never bring true peace and consolation to one’s heart, but instead make people constantly lose their direction, have difficulty controlling themselves, and miss every opportunity to learn the meaning of life; these survival skills create an undercurrent of anxiety about how to face death properly. People’s lives are ruined in this way. The Creator treats everyone fairly, giving everyone a lifetime’s worth of opportunities to experience and know His sovereignty, yet it is only when death draws near, when its specter looms, that one begins to see the light—and then it is too late!

People spend their lives chasing after money and fame; they clutch at these straws, thinking they are their only means of support, as if by having them they could live on, exempt from death. But only when they are about to die do they realize how distant these things are from them, how weak they are in the face of death, how easily they shatter, how lonely and helpless they are, with nowhere to turn. They realize that life cannot be bought with money or fame, that no matter how wealthy a person may be, no matter how lofty their position, all are equally poor and insignificant in the face of death. They realize that money cannot buy life, that fame cannot erase death, that neither money nor fame can lengthen a person’s life by a single minute, a single second. The more people feel this way, the more they yearn to keep on living; the more people feel this way, the more they dread the approach of death. Only at this point do they truly realize that their lives do not belong to them, are not theirs to control, and that one has no say over whether one lives or dies—that all of this lies outside of one’s control.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

At the moment a person is born, one lonely soul begins its experience of life on earth, its experience of the Creator’s authority which the Creator has arranged for it. Needless to say, for the person—the soul—this is an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge of the Creator’s sovereignty, to come to know His authority and to experience it personally. People live their lives within the laws of fate laid out for them by the Creator, and for any rational person with a conscience, coming to terms, over the decades of their life, with the Creator’s sovereignty and coming to know His authority is not a difficult thing to do. Therefore, it should be very easy for every person to recognize, through their own life experiences over several decades, that all human fates are predestined, and it should be easy to grasp or to summarize what it means to be alive. As one embraces these life lessons, one will gradually come to understand where life comes from, to grasp what the heart truly needs, what will lead one to the true path of life, and what the mission and goal of a human life ought to be. One will gradually recognize that if one does not worship the Creator, if one does not come under His dominion, then when the time comes to confront death—when one’s soul is about to face the Creator once more—one’s heart will be filled with boundless dread and turmoil. If a person has been in the world for several decades yet has not understood where human life comes from nor recognized in whose palm human fate rests, then it is no wonder that they will not be able to face death calmly. A person who has gained, in their decades of experience of human life, knowledge of the Creator’s sovereignty is a person with a correct appreciation for the meaning and value of life. Such a person has a deep knowledge of life’s purpose, with real experience and understanding of the Creator’s sovereignty, and beyond that, is able to submit to the Creator’s authority. Such a person understands the meaning of God’s creation of mankind, understands that man should worship the Creator, that everything man possesses comes from the Creator and will return to Him some day not far in the future. This kind of person understands that the Creator arranges man’s birth and has sovereignty over man’s death, and that both life and death are predestined by the Creator’s authority. So, when one truly grasps these things, one will naturally be able to face death calmly, to calmly lay aside all one’s worldly possessions, accept and submit happily to all that follows, and welcome the last life-juncture, arranged, as it is, by the Creator, rather than blindly dreading it and struggling against it. If one views life as an opportunity to experience the Creator’s sovereignty and come to know His authority, if one sees one’s life as a rare chance to perform one’s duty as a created human being and to complete one’s mission, then one will surely have the correct outlook on life, will surely live a life blessed and guided by the Creator, will surely walk in the light of the Creator, will surely know the Creator’s sovereignty, will surely come under His dominion, and surely become a witness to His miraculous deeds, a witness to His authority. Needless to say, such a person will surely be loved and accepted by the Creator, and only such a person can hold a calm attitude toward death and welcome life’s final juncture with joy. One person who obviously held this kind of attitude toward death is Job. Job was in a position to accept the final juncture of life happily, and having brought his life’s journey to a smooth conclusion and completed his mission in life, he returned to be at the Creator’s side.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the scriptures it is written about Job: “So Job died, being old and full of days” (Job 42:17). This means that when Job passed away, he had no regrets and felt no pain, but departed naturally from this world. As everyone knows, Job was a man who feared God and shunned evil while he was alive. His deeds were commended by God and memorialized by others, and his life may be said to have had worth and significance that exceeded all others’. Job enjoyed God’s blessings and was called righteous by Him on earth, and he was also tried by God and tested by Satan. He stood witness for God and deserved to be called a righteous person by Him. In the decades after he was tried by God, he lived a life that was even more valuable, meaningful, grounded, and peaceful than before. Because of his righteous deeds, God tried him, and also because of his righteous deeds, God appeared to him and spoke to him directly. So, in the years after he was tried, Job understood and appreciated life’s value in a more concrete way, attained a deeper understanding of the Creator’s sovereignty, and gained a more precise and definite knowledge of how the Creator gives and takes away His blessings. The Book of Job records that Jehovah God bestowed even greater blessings upon Job than He did before, putting Job in an even better position to know the Creator’s sovereignty and to face death calmly. So Job, when he grew old and faced death, certainly would not have been anxious about his property. He had no worries, nothing to regret, and of course did not fear death, for he spent all his life walking the way of fearing God and shunning evil. He had no reason to worry about his own end. How many people today could act in all the ways Job did when he confronted his own death? Why is no one capable of maintaining such a simple outward bearing? There is only one reason: Job lived his life in the subjective pursuit of belief, recognition, and submission to God’s sovereignty, and it was with this belief, recognition, and submission that he passed through the important junctures in life, lived out his last years, and greeted his life’s final juncture. Regardless of what Job experienced, his pursuits and goals in life were not painful, but happy. He was happy not only because of the blessings or commendation bestowed on him by the Creator, but more importantly, because of his pursuits and life goals, because of the growing knowledge and true understanding of the Creator’s sovereignty he attained through fearing God and shunning evil, and moreover, because of his personal experience, as a subject of the Creator’s sovereignty, of the wondrous deeds of God, and the tender yet unforgettable experiences and memories of man and God’s coexistence, acquaintance, and mutual understanding. Job was happy because of the comfort and joy that came from knowing the Creator’s will, and because of the reverence that arose after seeing that He is great, wondrous, lovable, and faithful. Job was able to face death without any suffering because he knew that, in dying, he would return to the Creator’s side. It was his pursuits and gains in life that allowed him to face death calmly, allowed him to face the prospect of the Creator taking back his life calmly, and moreover, allowed him to stand unsullied and free from care before the Creator. Can people nowadays achieve the kind of happiness that Job possessed? Do you have the conditions necessary to do so? Since people nowadays do have these conditions, why are they unable to live happily, as Job did? Why are they unable to escape the suffering of the fear of death? When facing death, some people urinate uncontrollably; others shiver, faint, lash out against Heaven and man alike; some even wail and weep. These are by no means natural reactions that occur suddenly when death draws near. People behave in these embarrassing ways mainly because, deep in their hearts, they fear death, because they do not have a clear knowledge and appreciation of God’s sovereignty and His arrangements, much less truly submit to them. People react in this way because they want nothing but to arrange and govern everything themselves, to control their own fates, their own lives and deaths. It is no wonder, therefore, that people are never able to escape the fear of death.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When one does not have clear knowledge and experience of God’s sovereignty and of His arrangements, one’s knowledge of fate and of death will necessarily be incoherent. People cannot see clearly that everything rests in God’s palm, do not realize that everything is subject to God’s control and sovereignty, do not recognize that man cannot cast off or escape such sovereignty. For this reason, when their time comes to face death, there is no end to their last words, worries, and regrets. They are weighed down by so much baggage, so much reluctance, so much confusion. This causes them to fear death. For any person born into this world, birth is necessary and death inevitable; no one can rise above this course of things. If one wishes to depart from this world painlessly, if one wants to be able to face life’s final juncture with no reluctance or worry, the only way is to leave no regrets. And the only way to depart without regrets is to know the Creator’s sovereignty, to know His authority, and to submit to them. Only in this way can one stay far from human strife, from evil, from Satan’s bondage, and only in this way can one live a life like Job’s, guided and blessed by the Creator, a life that is free and liberated, a life with value and meaning, a life that is honest and openhearted. Only in this way can one submit, like Job, to the trials and deprivation of the Creator, to the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements. Only in this way can one worship the Creator all one’s life and win His commendation, as Job did, and hear His voice, see Him appear. Only in this way can one live and die happily, like Job, with no pain, no worry, no regrets. Only in this way can one live in light, like Job, and pass every one of life’s junctures in light, smoothly complete one’s journey in light, successfully complete one’s mission—to experience, learn, and come to know, as a created being, the Creator’s sovereignty—and pass away in the light, and for ever after stand at the Creator’s side as a created human being, commended by Him.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you acknowledge you are a created being, you must prepare yourself to suffer and pay a price for the sake of fulfilling the responsibility to spread the gospel and for the sake of doing your duty properly. The price might be suffering some physical ailment or difficulty, or the persecutions arising from your environment or the misunderstandings of worldly people, as well as being beaten, scolded, and forsaken by gospel targets; or, in the most severe cases, possibly having your life endangered. It is possible, in the course of spreading the gospel, that you will die before God’s work is completed, and that you will not live to see the day of God’s glory. You must be prepared for this. This is not meant to frighten you; it is a fact. However, now that I have made this clear, and you have understood it, if you still have this aspiration, and it has not yet changed, this proves you possess a certain stature. Do not assume that spreading the gospel in these overseas nations with religious freedoms and human rights will be free from danger and that everything you do will go smoothly, all with God’s blessings and in company with His great power and authority; this is something from the human imagination. You cannot spread the gospel without wisdom, and mishaps often befall the ignorant. The Pharisees also believed in God, yet they took the incarnate God and crucified Him upon the cross. Do you think that today’s religious world would not do such a thing? Do not forget that those who took the Lord Jesus and crucified Him upon the cross were believers. Only they had the opportunity to do this sort of thing. The unbelievers did not care about those things. It was these believers who colluded with the government to take the Lord Jesus and crucify Him upon the cross. Moreover, how did those disciples of the Lord Jesus die? Among the disciples, there were those who were stoned, dragged behind a horse, crucified upside down, dismembered by five horses—every sort of death befell them. What was the reason for their deaths? Were they lawfully executed for their crimes? No. They were condemned, beaten, scolded, and put to death because they spread the Lord’s gospel and were rejected by the people of the world—that is how they were martyred. Let us not speak of the final end of those martyrs, or of God’s definition of their conduct, but ask this: When they arrived at the end, did the way they met the end of their lives accord with human notions? From the perspective of human notions, if they paid such a great price to spread the work of God, they should at least have received a good death. But these people died tragically before their time. This does not accord with human notions, but God did precisely that—God allowed it to happen. What truth can be sought in God’s having allowed this to happen? Was God’s allowing them to die this way His curse and condemnation, or was it His plan and blessing? It was neither. What was it? People now reflect on their deaths with much heartache, but that was how things were: Those who believed in God died that way, and it makes people’s hearts ache. How is this to be explained? When we touch on this topic, you put yourselves in their position; are your hearts then sad, and do you feel a hidden pain? You think, “These people did their duty to spread God’s gospel and should be considered good people, so how could they come to such an end, such an outcome?” Actually, this was how their bodies died and passed away; this was their means of departure from the human world, yet that did not mean their outcome was the same. No matter what the means of their death and departure was nor how it happened, it was not how God defined the final outcomes of those lives, of those created beings. This is something you must see clearly. On the contrary, they used precisely those means to condemn this world and to testify to God’s deeds. These created beings used their lives that are most precious—they used the last moment of their lives to testify to God’s deeds, to testify to God’s great power, and to declare to Satan and the world that God’s deeds are right, that the Lord Jesus is God, that He is the Lord, and is God’s incarnate flesh; even down to the final moment of their lives, they never denied the name of the Lord Jesus. Was this not a form of judgment upon this world? They used their lives to proclaim to the world, to confirm to human beings that the Lord Jesus is the Lord, that the Lord Jesus is Christ, that He is God’s incarnate flesh, that the work of redemption He wrought for all humanity allows humanity to live on—this fact is forever unchanging. To what extent did they perform their duty? Was it to the ultimate extent? How was the ultimate extent manifested? They paid the price with their lives. Family, wealth, and the material things of this life are all external things; the only thing that is internal to self is life. To every living person, life is the thing most worthy of being treasured, the most precious thing and, as it happens, these people were able to offer their most precious possession—life—as confirmation, in exchange for worldly people’s acknowledgment of God’s work. Until the day they died, they did not deny God’s name, nor did they deny God’s work, and they used their last moment of life to testify to the existence of this fact—is this not the highest form of testimony? This is the best way of doing one’s duty; this is what it is to fulfill one’s responsibility. When Satan threatened and terrorized them, and, in the end, even when it made them pay the price of their lives, they did not abrogate their responsibility. This is what it is to fulfill one’s duty to the utmost extent. What do I mean by this? Do I mean to have you use the same method to testify of God and to spread the gospel? You do not necessarily need to do so, but you must understand that this is your responsibility, that if God needs you to, you should accept it as a moral obligation. People today have fear and worry inside them, but what purpose do those feelings serve? If God does not need you to do this, what is the use in worrying about it? If God needs you to do this, you should not shirk this responsibility nor reject it. You should cooperate proactively and accept it without worry. No matter how one dies, they should not die before Satan, and not die in its hands. If one is going to die, they should die in God’s hands. People came from God, and to God they return—such is the sense and attitude that a created being should possess. This is the final truth one should understand in performing their duty of spreading the gospel—one must pay the price of their life to spread and testify to the gospel of God incarnate performing His work and saving mankind. If you have this aspiration, if you can achieve this, that is wonderful. If you still do not possess this sort of aspiration, you should, at the very least, properly fulfill the responsibility and duty that lie before you, giving the rest to God. Perhaps then, as the months and years pass and your experience and maturity increase, and your understanding of the truth deepens, you will realize that you have an obligation and a responsibility to offer your life to the work of God’s gospel, even unto the end of your life.

Excerpted from “Spreading the Gospel Is the Duty to Which All Believers Are Honor-Bound” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

According to human notions, good is rewarded and evil punished, good people are recompensed with good and evil ones are recompensed with evil, and those who do no evil should all be recompensed with good and receive blessings; this is because God is righteous. It would appear that, in all cases where people are not evil, they should be recompensed with good; only this is God’s righteousness. But what if someone fails to be recompensed with good? Should you then say that God is not righteous? Suppose the people in this era were to see an account in a book that said God created a human race in the preceding era. After thousands of years had passed, God saw that humanity had become corrupt to the point that they were no longer recognizably human, and, being in no mood to save them, He therefore destroyed them. How would you regard this? Would you say that God has no love? In human eyes, if God has destroyed people, it means He has no love. Knowledge of God is not saying what He is like based on a human view of things; there is no truth in the way humans view things. You must see what His essence is, as well as what His disposition is. People should not see God’s essence on the basis of any external phenomena resulting from what He has done or dealt with. The human race itself has been corrupted by Satan. Humanity simply does not know what its own nature is, nor what the corrupted human race is before God, and how it should be treated. Consider Job, a righteous man blessed by God. This was God’s righteousness. Satan made a wager with Jehovah: “The reason why Job worships You is because You’ve given him way too much. If You take all of that away from him, let’s see if he still worships You?” Jehovah God said, “As long as you don’t take his life, you may do whatever you please.” So Satan went to Job, and afterward Job encountered trials. Everything he had was stripped away—he lost his children and his property. Now, did Job’s trials have within them the righteous disposition of God? You can’t say clearly, can you? Even if you are a righteous person, God has a right to subject you to trials and to allow you to bear Him witness. God’s disposition is righteous; He treats everyone equally. This is not to say that righteous people do not then need to undergo trials or that they must then be protected; this is not the case. God has the right to put you through trials. This is the revelation of His righteous disposition. Finally, after Job had finished undergoing trials and bearing witness to Jehovah, Jehovah blessed him even more than before, giving him twice as many blessings and even better blessings. Furthermore, Jehovah appeared to him, and spoke to him from out of the wind, and Job saw Him as though face to face. This was a blessing given to him. This was God’s righteousness. What if the opposite had taken place? When Job had finished undergoing trials and Jehovah saw how Job had borne witness to Him in Satan’s presence and shamed Satan, what if Jehovah then turned away and left, ignoring him, and Job did not receive blessings afterward—would this have God’s righteousness in it? Regardless of whether Job was blessed after the trials or not, or whether Jehovah appeared to him or not, all of this contains God’s good will. Appearing to Job would have been God’s righteousness, and not appearing to him would also have been God’s righteousness. Upon what basis do you—a created being—make demands of God? People are not fit to make demands of God. There is nothing more unreasonable than making demands of God. He will do what He ought to do, and His disposition is righteous. Righteousness is by no means fair or reasonable; it is not egalitarianism, or a matter of allocating to you what you deserve in accordance with how much work you have completed, or paying you for whatever work you have done, or giving you your due according to what effort you expend. This is not righteousness. Suppose God had eliminated Job after Job bore witness for Him: God would have been righteous then, too. Why is this called righteousness? From a human point of view, if something is in line with people’s notions, it is then very easy for them to say that God is righteous; however, if they do not see that thing as being in line with their notions—if it is something that they are incapable of comprehending—then it would be difficult for them to say that God is righteous. If God had destroyed Job back then, people would not have said He was righteous. Actually, though, whether people have been corrupted or not, does God have to justify Himself when He destroys them? Should He have to explain to people upon what basis it is that He does so? Should His decision be based on this: “If they are useful, I will not destroy them; if they are not, I will”? There is no need. In God’s eyes, someone who is corrupt may be dealt with howsoever He wishes; whatever God does will be appropriate, and all are the arrangements of God. If you were displeasing to God’s eyes, and if He said that He had no use for you after your testimony and therefore destroyed you, would this, too, be His righteousness? It would. You might not be able to recognize this right now from the facts, but you must understand in theory. What would you say—is God’s destruction of Satan an expression of His righteousness? Also, what if He allowed Satan to remain? You dare not say, yes? God’s essence is righteousness. Though it is not easy to comprehend what He does, all that He does is righteous; it is simply that people do not understand. When God gave Peter to Satan, how did Peter respond? “Mankind is unable to fathom what You do, but all of what You do contains Your good will; there is righteousness in all of it. How can I not utter praise for Your wise deeds?” Today, you should see that God does not destroy Satan in order to show humans how Satan has corrupted them and how God saves them; ultimately, due to the degree to which Satan has corrupted people, they shall behold the monstrous sin of Satan’s corruption of them, and when God destroys Satan, they shall behold God’s righteousness and see that it contains God’s disposition. Everything that God does is righteous. Though it might be unfathomable to you, you should not make judgments at will. If something He does appears to you as unreasonable, or if you have any notions about it, and that leads you to say that He is not righteous, then you are being most unreasonable. You see that Peter found some things to be incomprehensible, but he was sure that God’s wisdom was present and that His good will was in those things. Humans cannot fathom everything; there are so many things that they cannot grasp. Thus, to know God’s disposition is not an easy thing.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Righteous Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

145. The Principles of How to Treat Love and Marriage

(1) People have the freedom to marry whomever they choose, and none has the right to interfere—but it must not have repercussions on your belief in God or the performance of your duty;

(2) To give up marriage in favor of pursuing the truth and performing one’s duty well is a special testimony that accords with God’s will. People who do so are brilliant, and they meet with His approval;

(3) If one wishes to marry, they should choose an appropriate person. The match should, at the very least, be of benefit to one’s faith and life, and not be meant to satisfy the flesh to the detriment of the decent business of believing in God;

(4) Respect proper love and marriage. Multiple marriages are a violation of the truth and morality, and those to whom marriage is a game are evil spirits and filthy demons.

Relevant Words of God:

Marriage is a key event in any person’s life; it is the time when one starts truly to assume various kinds of responsibilities, and gradually to complete various kinds of missions. People harbor many illusions about marriage before they experience it themselves, and all these illusions are quite beautiful. Women imagine that their other halves will be Prince Charming, and men imagine that they will marry Snow White. These fantasies go to show that every person has certain requirements for marriage, their own set of demands and standards. Though in this evil age people are constantly bombarded with distorted messages about marriage, which create even more additional requirements and give people all sorts of baggage and strange attitudes, any person who has experienced marriage knows that no matter how one understands it, no matter what one’s attitude toward it is, marriage is not a matter of individual choice.

One encounters many people in one’s life, but no one knows who will become one’s partner in marriage. Though everyone has their own ideas and personal stances on the subject of marriage, no one can foresee who will truly, finally become their other half, and one’s own ideas on the matter count for little. After meeting someone you like, you can pursue that person; but whether they are interested in you, whether they are able to become your partner—that is not yours to decide. The object of your affections is not necessarily the person with whom you will be able to share your life; and meanwhile, someone you never expected may quietly enter your life and become your partner, the most important element in your fate, your other half, to whom your fate is inextricably bound. And so, though there are millions of marriages in the world, each and every one is different: So many marriages are unsatisfactory, so many are happy; so many span East and West, so many North and South; so many are perfect matches, so many are of equal social rank; so many are happy and harmonious, so many painful and sorrowful; so many arouse the envy of others, so many are misunderstood and frowned upon; so many are full of joy, so many are awash with tears and bring despair…. In these myriad types of marriage, humans reveal loyalty and lifelong commitment toward marriage; they reveal love, attachment, and inseparability, or resignation and incomprehension. Some betray their marriage, or even feel hatred toward it. Whether marriage itself brings happiness or pain, everyone’s mission in marriage is predestined by the Creator and will not change; this mission is something that everyone must complete. The fate of each person that lies behind every marriage is unchanging, determined long in advance by the Creator.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Marriage is an important juncture in a person’s life. It is the product of a person’s fate and a crucial link in one’s fate; it is not founded on any person’s individual volition or preferences, and is not influenced by any external factors, but completely determined by the fates of the two parties, by the Creator’s arrangements and predeterminations for the fates of both members of the couple. On the surface, the purpose of marriage is to continue the human race, but in truth, marriage is nothing but a ritual that one undergoes in the process of completing one’s mission. In marriage, people do not merely play the role of rearing the next generation; they adopt all the various roles involved in maintaining a marriage and the missions those roles require one to complete. Since one’s birth influences the changes undergone by the people, events, and things that surround it, one’s marriage will also inevitably affect these people, events, and things, and furthermore, will transform them all in various ways.

When one becomes independent, one begins one’s own journey in life, which leads one, step by step, toward the people, events, and things that have a connection to one’s marriage. At the same time, the other person who will be in that marriage is approaching, step by step, toward those same people, events, and things. Under the Creator’s sovereignty, two unrelated people with related fates gradually enter into a single marriage and become, miraculously, a family: “two locusts clinging to the same rope.” So, when one enters into a marriage, one’s journey in life will influence and touch upon one’s other half, and likewise one’s partner’s journey in life will influence and touch upon one’s own fate in life. In other words, human fates are interconnected, and no one can complete one’s mission in life or perform one’s role in complete independence from others. One’s birth has a bearing on a huge chain of relationships; growing up also involves a complex chain of relationships; and similarly, a marriage inevitably exists and is maintained within a vast and complex web of human connections, involving every member of that web and influencing the fate of everyone who is a part of it. A marriage is not the product of both members’ families, the circumstances in which they grew up, their appearances, their ages, their qualities, their talents, or any other factors; rather, it arises from a shared mission and a related fate. This is the origin of marriage, a product of human fate orchestrated and arranged by the Creator.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The words I speak now make demands of people based on their real circumstances, and I work in accordance with their needs and the things inside them. The practical God has come to earth to do practical work, to work according to people’s real circumstances and needs. He is not unreasonable. When God acts, He does not coerce people. Whether or not you get married, for example, should be based on the reality of your circumstances; the truth has been clearly spoken to you, and I do not restrain you. Some people’s families oppress them so that they are unable to believe in God unless they get married. In this way, marriage, conversely, is helpful for them. For others, marriage brings no benefits, but costs them what they once had. Your own case must be determined by your actual circumstances and by your own resolve. I am not here to invent rules and regulations with which to make demands of you.

Excerpted from “Practice (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The great matters of life are not merely marriage, work, your future prospects, settling down and living peacefully, and scrambling to find your place in society. These are not the most important things. What are the most important things? You now believe in God and perform your duty, so your lives have set off in the right direction. The next important thing is to find firm footing on the path of pursuit of the truth, to ascertain the goal and direction of your life, to allow the truth to lay foundations in your heart—in this way, you will be someone whom God has truly chosen and preordained. Your foundations now are not yet stable. Never mind a storm—a breeze could shake you at any moment. This shows that you have not yet laid foundations, and this is very dangerous, indeed! Establish your life goal and the direction in which you seek, and establish the path you are to walk in this life. Once you have established your goal and what is most important in your life, settle down over the years for the sake of that goal and that important matter. Work hard, expend of yourself, exert efforts, and pay the price for them. Pay no mind to anything else for the time being. If you continue to think about those other things, the matter at hand will be delayed. You will have finding a job, making a lot of money, becoming wealthy, gaining a firm foothold in society, and finding a position for yourself on your mind; you will think of getting married, too, and acquiring skills and abilities in the future, and how to be an outstanding person; and you will want to support and raise a family and give your parents a good life. Is all of that not tiring? How big is your heart? How much energy does someone have in a lifetime? The most exuberant and simplest period of a person’s life—the best period of a person’s life—begins at twenty and ends, at the latest, at forty years of age. During this time, you must grasp hold of the truths that should be understood to believe in God, then enter into truth reality, accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and accept His trials and refinement, so that you will not deny God under any circumstances. This is most fundamental; besides this, no matter who tries to tempt or seduce you with marriage or romantic love, no matter how much fame or status they give you, or how much they may benefit you, you will not give up on your duties, nor give up on the things a created being is supposed to do. If, at some point in the future, God does not want you, you will still be able to pursue the truth and to walk the way of fearing God and shunning evil. You must work hard on this; if you do, these years of expending yourself for God will not be lived in vain.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

You must suffer hardship for the truth, you must give yourself to the truth, you must endure humiliation for the truth, and to gain more of the truth you must undergo more suffering. This is what you should do. You must not throw away the truth for the sake of a peaceful family life, and you must not lose your life’s dignity and integrity for the sake of momentary enjoyment. You should pursue all that is beautiful and good, and you should pursue a path in life that is more meaningful. If you lead such a vulgar life, and do not pursue any objectives, do you not waste your life? What can you gain from such a life? You should forsake all enjoyments of the flesh for the sake of one truth, and should not throw away all truths for the sake of a little enjoyment. People like this have no integrity or dignity; there is no meaning to their existence!

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

146. The Principles of How to View the Education of One’s Children

(1) It is incumbent on parents to exhort and guide their children toward having faith in God and onto the right path of life, yet the minimal education a child should undertake must not be delayed;

(2) Children should be taught according to God’s word the truth and guided toward becoming honest people who cast off corruption and live out a true human likeness;

(3) One should only fellowship on the truth based in God’s words regarding their children’s choices for their future. Moreover, one must respect their children’s choices, and never force them to believe in God;

(4) Do not merely use the truth to guide your children onto the path of belief in God; also ensure that they acquire some practical knowledge. Only then can they fulfill their duties and expend themselves for God.

Relevant Words of God:

Regarding the treatment of children, all parents hope their children will receive a higher education, and, one day, will make a name for themselves and have a role to play in society, with a steady income and influence. This alone would honor their ancestors. This concept is common to everyone. “May my son be a dragon, and my daughter a phoenix,” as the saying goes. Is this concept correct? Everyone wants their children to attend a prestigious university, followed by postgraduate studies. They believe that once they have gotten their degrees, their children will make names for themselves, for all people, in their hearts, worship knowledge. “The worth of other pursuits is small, the study of books excels them all,” they believe. Moreover, today’s society is extremely competitive. Without a degree, one might not eat—this is how all people think, and the view they hold—as if a degree alone could decide one’s future and livelihood. This is why every person makes higher education and acceptance into an institute of higher learning the first priority in their demands of their children. In reality, those educations people pursue, that knowledge they acquire, and those thoughts of theirs are all antithetical to God and the truth; they are loathed and condemned by Him. What is man’s point of view? It is that, without knowledge and education, a person has no leg to stand on in this society and this world, and is a lesser person, a pauper. In your eyes, whoever lacks knowledge, whoever is uncultured, or largely uneducated, is someone you look down on, and scorn, and treat as insignificant. Is this not so? Your point of view and premise are themselves incorrect. You raise your children to go to school and get a higher education in order that they might have a good future, yet have you ever considered how many of Satan’s poisons this education will have instilled in them by the time they are done? How many of its thoughts and theories will be instilled in your children? People do not think of these things; they know only that if their children attend an institution of higher learning, they will succeed and honor their ancestors. As a result, the day will come when your children come home, and you speak to them of believing in God, and they are repulsed. When you speak to them of the truth, they will call you silly, and laugh at you, and view your words with contempt. When that day comes, you will feel you chose the wrong path in sending your children to such a school to receive such an education, but, by then, it will be too late for regret. Once those thoughts and views have entered a person, and laid root and taken shape inside them, they cannot be removed or altered overnight. You cannot turn such a state around, nor can you remedy such thoughts as they now have, and you cannot pluck things out of their thoughts and views. There is no one who says, “I’ll send my children to school just to learn their ABCs and how to read and understand God’s words. After that, I’ll have them focus on believing in God, and they’ll study some useful profession, too. Better that they should be people of good caliber and humanity who can perform their duty in God’s house. However, if they can’t perform their duty, they’ll have a way to provide for themselves and their family in the world, and that will suffice. What matters is seeing that they accept what comes from God in His house, and not letting them be polluted and tarred by society.” When it comes to their own children, no one willingly brings them before God for the sole purpose of accepting the truth of His words, of behaving according to the truth and God’s requirements. People are unwilling to do this, and they dare not, lest their children have no livelihood or future in society. What does this view confirm? It confirms that people are uninterested in the truth and believing in God. They have no faith in God, much less true faith in Him, and, in their hearts, what they look up to and worship remains this world. They feel that, if they leave the world behind, they will have no way to live, whereas, if they leave God behind, they might yet have food, clothes, and shelter. They feel that, if they leave knowledge and the education of society behind, then they are finished, a square peg in a society of round holes, and that to be discarded and eliminated by society means they cannot survive. You lack faith to say that if you leave the world behind and rely on God, you can live, that God will give you a lifeline that will allow you to live. You do not have the understanding or courage to say this. These words are not meant to demand that you truly practice thus, but to say that, before you practice thus and address these issues, such thoughts and views have already taken shape inside you, and are controlling your every word and deed. They can decide how you will act in the future, and how you will handle these issues.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

No matter how dissatisfied one is with one’s birth, maturation, or marriage, everyone who has gone through these things knows that one cannot choose where and when they were born, what they look like, who their parents are, and who their spouse is, but must simply accept the will of Heaven. Yet when it comes time for people to raise the next generation, they will project all the desires they failed to realize in the first half of their lives onto their descendants, hoping that their offspring will make up for all the disappointments of the first half of their own lives. So people indulge in all kinds of fantasies about their children: that their daughters will grow up to be stunning beauties, their sons dashing gentlemen; that their daughters will be cultured and talented and their sons brilliant students and star athletes; that their daughters will be gentle, virtuous, and sensible, and their sons intelligent, capable, and sensitive. They hope that their offspring, whether they be daughters or sons, will respect their elders, be considerate of their parents, be loved and praised by everyone…. At this point, hopes for life spring afresh, and new passions are kindled in people’s hearts. People know that they are powerless and hopeless in this life, that they will not have another chance or another hope to stand out from the crowd, and that they have no choice but to accept their fates. And so they project all their hopes, their unrealized desires and ideals, onto the next generation, hoping that their offspring can help them achieve their dreams and realize their desires; that their daughters and sons will bring glory to the family name, become important, rich, or famous. In short, they want to see their children’s fortunes soar. People’s plans and fantasies are perfect; do they not know that the number of children they have, their children’s appearance, abilities, and so forth, are not for them to decide, that not a bit of their children’s fates is in their hands? Humans are not the masters of their own fate, yet they hope to change the fates of the younger generation; they are powerless to escape their own fates, yet they try to control those of their sons and daughters. Are they not overestimating themselves? Is this not human foolishness and ignorance?

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Everyone who comes into the world has a mission; one does not come into the world arbitrarily, nor is the arrangement a mistake. The arrival of each person in the human world, no matter what they study or do, is in order that they may play a role in this world. What role is that? Their role is to complete a task and perform some actions in this world. For example, two people get married and have a child, and these three people form a complete family. What does the mother live for in this family? She lives to complete her mission and her role as a mother, which are to look after her child and husband, and take care of the home; these are the things she lives for. What does the child in this family live for? What role does the child play? They are the family’s offspring who will carry on its name; they play the part of the next generation of this family. The child’s presence establishes and completes the family. To complete the family—this is the child’s first role. Boy or girl, they have their mission in the family. Are the step-by-step arrangements for the child’s destiny—what their fate will be, what they will study in society, where they will work, the job they will do, the duty they will do when they enter God’s house, their special skills, and what they will do—not all planned out by God? Does the child itself have a choice? From the moment they are born into their family, they do not, in fact, have any choice over any stage of their destiny; it is all arranged by God. There is truth within the statement, “It is all arranged by God,” and it relates to what people live for. Say you study music—this is a condition you have; this is the family environment you are in. Are you the one who have chosen to study music? Your taking this course was not of your own volition. When you complete this kind of mission, and complete this kind of action, who is it you complete it for? You complete it because it was predestined by God; you do not do it by your own choice. Is your fulfilling this task not a result of the Creator’s orchestrations? You now perform your duty, and you apply what you have studied and what you know to your duty; who decided this? This was decided by God; it was not up to you. Looking at this objectively, who are you living for now? In fact, everyone is the same. They live for the sake of God’s sovereignty and His arrangements. Every person is like a chess piece. Where God puts you, where you go, what you do, and how long you stay in a place are all orchestrated by God. So, in terms of God’s orchestrations, for whom does mankind live? In truth, they live for God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and they live for His management; they are not their own masters.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

No matter who they are, a person is the path they walk—this is beyond doubt: The path they walk determines what they are. The path they walk and the kind of person they are is their own business, it is ordained, innate, and related to their nature. So what role does what people are taught by their parents play? Does it make a difference to people’s nature? (No.) What people are taught by their mother and father makes no difference to their nature. Parents can only teach their children certain simple behaviors for everyday life, a few relatively crude ways of thinking and behaving; these bear some relation to parents. Before their children grow up, parents do what they are supposed to: They teach their children to walk the right path, to study hard, to try and be successful when they grow up, to not do bad things, to not be a bad person. Parents’ responsibilities also include making sure their children follow norms of behavior, teaching them to be polite and to say hello to their elders, teaching them certain things to do with behavior. Parents’ influence covers looking after their children and teaching them certain basic principles of behavior—but a person’s temperament is not something that can be taught by parents. Some parents are phlegmatic, and don’t do anything in a hurry—whereas their child’s temperament is impatient, they can’t stay anywhere long, at the early age of 14 or 15 they start making their own way in life. They decide what they do, they don’t need their parents, they’re highly independent. Are they taught this by their mother and father? No. And so, a person’s temperament, disposition—things to do with their essence, even, and the path they choose in the future—none of these bear any relation to their parents. Some people retort, “How could there be no relation? Some people come from a long and distinguished line of artists. They are proof of the words ‘To feed without teaching is the father’s fault.’” Is this right? (No.) It is a mistake to use this example as a rebuttal. Lineage only has an effect on their skills; everyone in their family may have learned one thing, and on the face of it, they, too, chose this thing—but at root, this was determined by God. How were they born into this family? Was it not ordained by God? Parents can only influence their external behavior, and perhaps certain simple predilections. But after the children grow up, their life’s goals and endeavors, and their fate, have nothing to do with their parents. Some parents are ordinary, dutiful farmers and their children become heads of government or titans of industry. Some parents are lawyers or doctors—talented people—and they have children who are good-for-nothings that can’t find a job anywhere. Were the children taught this by their parents? If parents are lawyers, are they likely to teach their children less, and have less of an influence on them? Absolutely not. Never has a parent said, “I’ve been so successful in life, but I don’t want my child to be as successful as me; it’s too much effort, they’re better off being a cowherd.” They would undoubtedly wish for their child to emulate them, to turn out like them. What happens after this education ends? Children are as they ought to be, they are as their fate dictates. No one can change this. Parents get angry and anxious when they see their children performing badly in school. They do everything they can, they hire a tutor, and select a good school for them—and what happens? The children can’t find a job after they graduate from college, and have to go begging to their parents for money. What fact does this show? That a child’s path has nothing to do with their parents. Some parents believe in God and teach their children to believe in God—but no matter what the parents say, the children refuse to, and there’s nothing the parents can do about it. Some parents don’t believe in God and their children do, on their own initiative. After they believe in God, the children start to follow God, and expend for God, and their fate is changed as a result. Parents say, “To feed without teaching is the father’s fault—we didn’t pay enough attention to our child.” Is this a matter of paying attention? (No.) You can’t see what anyone’s path will be before they grow up; once they are an adult, they have their own mind, they can figure things out, and so they choose what kind of person they will be in this group of people. Some people say they want to work high up in government, others that they want to be a lawyer, or a writer; each makes their own choice. No one says, “I’ll wait for my parents to teach me, I’ll be whatever they teach me.” No one’s that stupid. After they reach adulthood, people’s minds come alive; slowly but surely, they mature, and the path and goals before them become increasingly clear; at this time, the type of person they are, and the tribe they belong to, gradually comes to the surface, appearing bit-by-bit. From this time onwards, each person’s temperament gradually becomes clear, as do their disposition, and the path they strive for, their life’s direction, and the tribe they belong to. What is this based on? In the final analysis, this is ordained by God, and has nothing to do with parents—now this is clear to you.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

Besides birth and childrearing, the parents’ responsibility in their children’s lives is simply to provide them with a formal environment to grow up in, for nothing except the predestination of the Creator has a bearing on a person’s fate. No one can control what kind of future a person will have; it is predetermined long in advance, and not even one’s parents can change one’s fate. As far as fate is concerned, everyone is independent, and everyone has their own fate. So, no one’s parents can stave off one’s fate in life or exert the slightest influence on the role one plays in life. It could be said that the family into which one is destined to be born and the environment in which one grows up are nothing more than the preconditions for fulfilling one’s mission in life. They do not in any way determine a person’s fate in life or the kind of destiny within which a person fulfills their mission. And so, no one’s parents can assist one in accomplishing one’s mission in life, and likewise, no one’s relatives can help one assume one’s role in life. How one accomplishes one’s mission and in what kind of living environment one performs one’s role are entirely determined by one’s fate in life. In other words, no other objective conditions can influence a person’s mission, which is predestined by the Creator. All people become mature in the particular environments in which they grow up; then gradually, step by step, they set off down their own roads in life and fulfill the destinies planned for them by the Creator. Naturally, involuntarily, they enter the vast sea of humanity and assume their own posts in life, where they begin to fulfill their responsibilities as created beings for the sake of the Creator’s predestination, for the sake of His sovereignty.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

147. The Principles of How to Treat Relatives of the Flesh

(1) If a wife, husband, and their children all believe in God, they should read His words often, fellowship on the truth, support each other, and revere Christ as the Lord;

(2) If one’s wife, husband, or children do not believe in God, yet are not opposed to belief, they should be offered testimony to God and fellowship of the truth, as long as doing so accords with the principles of spreading the gospel;

(3) A wife, husband, or child who opposes belief in God and hates the truth should be treated wisely. Evil people must not be enlisted into belief in God;

(4) Whether one should leave their family should be decided based on whether their unbelieving family members resist them or persecute them, as well as on the degree of such persecution.

Relevant Words of God:

In God’s words, what principle is mentioned with regard to how people should treat each other? Love what God loves, and hate what God hates. That is, the people God loves, who truly pursue the truth and do God’s will, are the very ones you should love. Those who do not do God’s will, who hate God, who disobey Him, and whom He despises are ones we, too, should despise and reject. This is what God’s word requires. If your parents do not believe in God, then they hate Him; and if they hate Him, then God certainly loathes them. So, if you were told to hate your parents, could you do it? If they resist God and revile Him, then they are certainly people He hates and curses. Under such circumstances, how should you treat your parents if either they obstruct your believing in God, or if they do not? During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus said, “Who is My mother? And who are My brothers? … For whoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” This saying already existed back in the Age of Grace, and now God’s words are even more apt: “Love what God loves, and hate what God hates.” These words cut straight to the point, yet people are often unable to appreciate their true meaning. If a person is cursed by God, but from all outward appearances seems to be quite good, or is a parent or relative of yours, then you might find yourself unable to hate that person, and there might even be a good deal of intimacy and a close relationship between you. When you hear such words from God, you get upset and are unable to harden your heart toward or abandon such a person. This is because there is a traditional notion here that is binding you. You think that if you do this, you will incur the wrath of Heaven, be punished by Heaven, and even be cast aside by society and condemned in the court of public opinion. Furthermore, an even more pragmatic problem is that it will be on your conscience. This conscience comes from what your parents taught you from childhood, or from the influence and infection of social culture, either of which has planted such a root and way of thinking inside you that you cannot practice God’s word and love what He loves and hate what He hates. However, deep down, you know that you should hate them and reject them, for your life came from God, and was not given by your parents. Man ought to worship God and return himself to Him. Even though you say and think that, you simply cannot come around and are simply unable to put it into practice. What is going on here? It is that these things have bound you, tightly and profoundly. Satan uses these things to bind your thoughts, your mind, and your heart so that you cannot accept God’s words. Such things have filled you up completely, to the point that you have no room for God’s words. Moreover, if you try to put His words into practice, then those things will take effect inside you and make you controvert His words and requirements, thus making you unable to extricate yourself from these knots and unable to break free from this bondage. It will be hopeless, and, without the strength to struggle, you will give up after a while. Some people manage to struggle free, while others give up. “Traditional notions and moral standards are what matter,” they think. “Let’s set God’s words aside. We’re living in this world, after all, and we have to rely on these people.” Rather than court negative public opinion and censure, which they would be unable to bear, they choose to offend God, abandon the truth and God’s words, and surrender themselves to the bondage of public opinion or traditional notions. Is man not pitiful? Does he not have need of God’s salvation?

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Every person who lives in our present society, no matter how much education they have received, has many things within their thinking and views. Traditional Chinese women, in particular, believe a woman’s place is in the home, that women must be good wives and mothers who spend and devote their whole lives to their husbands and children. Three meals a day for their family, cleaning, laundry—they must do everything in the house, and do it exceptionally well. This is, of course, the standard in our society for a “good wife and mother.” Every woman believes this is how she should act, and that, if she does not, she is not a good woman, and will have gone against her conscience, and will have violated standards of morality. There are even some who, having played this role poorly or without regard for society’s standards, are gnawed by conscience, and feel they have let down their children and their husband. Does having come to believe in God and being called to perform your duty create a conflict with your being a good wife and mother, a model mom, a woman who conforms to standards? If you wish to be a good wife and mother, then you cannot spend one hundred percent of your time on your duty. When a conflict arises between your role as a wife and mother and your duty, which do you choose? If you chose to perform your duty and take responsibility for the work of God’s house, to do all you can, with absolute devotion to God, and, in doing so, were obliged to set aside your wifely and maternal obligations, how would you feel? What would reverberate in your mind? Would you feel you have failed your children? Where does this sense of failure, this unease come from? Do you feel uneasy when you have not performed the duty of a created being well? You are not uneasy, nor do you feel blame, because this positive thing is not instilled in your thoughts, views, and conscience. What, then, is instilled in them? Being a good wife and mother. If you are not a good wife and mother, then you are not a good woman, not a “decent” woman. Is that not your standard? This standard binds you; you are made to carry it with you as you believe in God and perform your duty. When a conflict arises between performing your duty and being a good wife and a loving mother, though you may reluctantly choose to perform your duty or be loyal to God, there will be a measure of unease in your heart, and a greater measure of blame. When you are not performing your duty, you go home and take good care of your children or your husband, trying to make up for your absence, though, in doing so, you endure greater hardship of the flesh. It is a mental injunction that makes you do this. Yet have we performed our responsibility, our obligation, and our duty before God? When we are careless and perfunctory in our duty, or when we do not wish to do it, is there a sense of blame in our hearts, or a sense of reproach? We feel not the slightest reproach, as such a thing does not exist within people’s humanity. Therefore, though you might perform a bit of your duty, you remain quite removed from the standards of the truth and of God. God said, “God is the source of man’s life.” What is the meaning of these words? They are meant to let all people know this: Our lives and our spirits come from God, not from our parents, and certainly not from mankind, or this society of ours, or from nature. They were given to us by God, and, though our fleshly bodies are birthed by our parents, it is God who controls our destinies. That we can believe in God is an opportunity He has given us; it is ordained by Him, and it is His grace. Therefore, you are under no obligation to undertake obligations or to take responsibility for any other person; your only obligation is to perform for God the duty a created being should perform. This is what man is most supposed to do, and, among all the great matters in a person’s life, it is the one they most ought to complete—it is the main affair of one’s life. If you do not perform your duty well, you are not a true created being. In the eyes of man, you may be a good wife and mother, a wonderful housewife, a dutiful daughter, and an upstanding member of civil society, but, before God, you are one who rebels against Him, one who performs none of their obligations or duty, and one who did not fulfill the commission they accepted from God. Would such a person still have standing before God? Such a person is not worth a copper penny.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Filial piety to your parents: Is this the truth? (No.) Filial piety to one’s parents is not wrong, it is a positive thing—but why do I say it is not the truth? If your parents believe in God and treat you well, are you filial? (Yes.) How are you filial? You treat them differently from the other brothers and sisters. You respect them as parents, you do everything they say, and if they are old, you stay by their side to care for them, which stops you from going out to perform your duty. Is it right to do this? What should you do at such times? This depends on the circumstances. If you are still able to look after them whilst performing your duty nearby, and your parents do not object to your faith in God, then you should fulfill your responsibility as a son or daughter and help your parents. If they are ill, look after them; if something is troubling them, comfort them; if your financial circumstances allow, buy them the proper supplements and nutrition. What, however, should you choose to do if you are busy with your duty, there is no one to look after your parents, and they, too, believe in God? What truth should you practice? Given that filial piety to parents is not a truth, but merely a personal responsibility and obligation, what should you do when there is a conflict between your obligations and your duty? (Our duty takes precedence, it should come first.) Your obligations are not your duty. Performing your duty is practicing the truth; fulfilling your obligations is not practicing the truth. Why do I say this is not practicing the truth? If circumstances allow and you have a certain responsibility or obligation, you should go and do it—but what should you do if the situation does not allow you to? You should say, “I must go and perform my duty. This is the truth I must practice; filial piety to my parents is not.” If you have no duty at the moment, and are not working away from home, and are with your parents, then find a way to care for them, do what you can to make their lives better and a little less arduous. But this also depends on what kind of people your parents are. What should you do if they are of poor humanity, a constant drag on your faith in God and your performance of your duty, and they obstruct your faith in God? What truth should you practice? (Rejection.) At such a time, you must reject them. You have fulfilled your obligation; they do not believe in God, so you have no obligation to take care of them. If they believe in God, then you are family, they are your parents. If they do not believe in God, then you walk separate paths, you are two different sorts of people. They embrace Satan. They venerate Satan. They walk the path of Satan, the path of worshiping Satan, a path that is different from your faith in God. You are two different types of people, and so there is no question that they are your enemies; you are not of the same family, and so you are under no obligation to care for them. Which is the truth? Performing one’s duty is the truth. Performing your duty in the house of God is not simply fulfilling some minor obligation, doing a little of what you are supposed to do—it is the performance of your duty as a creature of God living in the world! This is your obligation, your responsibility, and this responsibility is true responsibility, it is the fulfillment of your responsibility and obligation before the Lord of creation. Between performing the duty of a creature of God and filial piety to your parents, which is the truth? Performing the duty of a creature of God is the truth, it is a heaven-sent vocation. Filial piety to parents is filial piety to people, it is not practicing the truth.

Excerpted from “What Is Truth Reality?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Kin who are not of the faith (your children, your husband or wife, your sisters or your parents, and so on) should not be forced into the church. God’s household is not short of members, and there is no need to make up its numbers with people who have no use. All those who do not believe gladly must not be led into the church. This decree is directed at all people. You should check, monitor, and remind each other of this matter; no one may violate it. Even when kin who are not of the faith do reluctantly enter the church, they must not be issued books nor given a new name; such people are not of God’s household, and their entry into the church must be halted by any means necessary. If trouble is brought upon the church due to the invasion of demons, then you yourself will be expelled or will have restrictions placed upon you. In short, everyone has a responsibility in this matter, though you should not be reckless, nor use it to settle personal scores.

Excerpted from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who drag their utterly unbelieving children and relatives into church are all extremely selfish, and they are just exhibiting kindness. These people only focus on being loving, regardless of whether they believe or not and regardless of whether it is God’s will. Some bring their wives before God, or drag their parents before God, and whether or not the Holy Spirit agrees with this or is working in them, they blindly continue to “adopt talented people” for God. What benefit can possibly be gained from extending kindness toward these nonbelievers? Even if they, who are without the presence of the Holy Spirit, struggle to follow God, they still cannot be saved as one might believe. Those who can receive salvation are not actually so easy to obtain. People who have not undergone the Holy Spirit’s work and trials, and have not been perfected by God incarnate, are utterly incapable of being made complete. Therefore, from the moment they begin to nominally follow God, those people lack the Holy Spirit’s presence. In light of their conditions and actual states, they simply cannot be made complete. As such, the Holy Spirit decides not to expend much energy upon them, nor does He provide any enlightenment or guide them in any way; He merely allows them to follow along, and will ultimately reveal their outcomes—this is enough. Humanity’s enthusiasm and intentions come from Satan, and in no way can these things complete the Holy Spirit’s work. No matter what people are like, they must have the work of the Holy Spirit. Can humans make humans complete? Why does a husband love his wife? Why does a wife love her husband? Why are children dutiful to their parents? Why do parents dote on their children? What sorts of intentions do people actually harbor? Is their intent not to satisfy their own plans and selfish desires? Do they truly mean to act for the sake of God’s management plan? Are they really acting for the sake of God’s work? Is their intent to fulfill the duties of a created being? Those who, ever since the moment they began to believe in God, have been unable to attain the presence of the Holy Spirit, can never gain the work of the Holy Spirit; these people have been designated as objects to be destroyed. No matter how much love one has for them, it cannot replace the work of the Holy Spirit. People’s enthusiasm and love represent human intentions, but cannot represent God’s intentions, and nor can they be a substitute for God’s work. Even if one extends the greatest possible amount of love or mercy toward those people who nominally believe in God and pretend to follow Him without knowing what it actually means to believe in God, they will still not obtain God’s sympathy, nor will they gain the work of the Holy Spirit. Even if people who sincerely follow God are of poor caliber and unable to understand a lot of truths, they can still occasionally gain the work of the Holy Spirit; however, those who are of relatively good caliber, but do not sincerely believe, simply cannot gain the Holy Spirit’s presence. There is absolutely no possibility for salvation with such people. Even if they read God’s words or occasionally listen to sermons, or even sing praises to God, they will ultimately not be able to survive until the time of rest.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Job was disciplined in his lifestyle, was not greedy or hedonistic as a result of God’s blessings to him, and he did not fixate upon quality of life. Instead, he was humble and modest, he was not given to ostentation, and he was cautious and careful before God. He often gave thought to God’s graces and blessings, and was continually fearful of God. In his daily life, Job often rose early to offer burnt offerings for his sons and daughters. In other words, not only did Job himself fear God, but he also hoped that his children would likewise fear God and not sin against God. Job’s material wealth held no place within his heart, nor did it replace the position held by God; whether for his own sake or his children’s, Job’s daily actions were all connected to fearing God and shunning evil. His fear of Jehovah God did not stop at his mouth, but was something he put into action and reflected in each and every part of his daily life. This actual conduct by Job shows us that he was honest, and was possessed of an essence that loved justice and things that were positive. That Job often sent and sanctified his sons and daughters means he did not sanction or approve of his children’s behavior; instead, in his heart he was frustrated with their behavior, and condemned them. He had concluded that the behavior of his sons and daughters was not pleasing to Jehovah God, and thus he often called on them to go before Jehovah God and confess their sins. Job’s actions show us another side of his humanity, one in which he never walked with those who often sinned and offended God, but instead shunned and avoided them. Even though these people were his sons and daughters, he did not forsake his own principles of conduct because they were his own kin, nor did he indulge their sins because of his own sentiments. Rather, he urged them to confess and gain Jehovah God’s forbearance, and he warned them not to forsake God for the sake of their own greedy enjoyment. The principles of how Job treated others are inseparable from the principles of his fear of God and shunning of evil. He loved that which was accepted by God, and loathed that which repulsed God; he loved those who feared God in their hearts, and loathed those who committed evil or sinned against God. Such love and loathing was demonstrated in his everyday life, and was the very uprightness of Job seen by God’s eyes. Naturally, this is also the expression and living out of Job’s true humanity in his relations with others in his daily life, about which we must learn.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Another side of Job’s humanity is demonstrated in this exchange between him and his wife: “Then said his wife to him, Do you still retain your integrity? curse God, and die. But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9–10). Seeing the torment he was suffering, Job’s wife tried to give Job advice to help him escape his torment, yet her “good intentions” did not gain Job’s approval; instead, they stirred his anger, for she denied his faith in, and obedience to Jehovah God, and also denied the existence of Jehovah God. This was intolerable to Job, for he had never allowed himself to do anything that opposed or hurt God, to say nothing of others. How could he remain indifferent when he saw others speak words that blasphemed against and insulted God? Thus he called his wife a “foolish woman.” Job’s attitude toward his wife was one of anger and hate, as well as reproach and reprimand. This was the natural expression of Job’s humanity—differentiating between love and hate—and it was a true representation of his upright humanity. Job was possessed of a sense of justice—one which made him hate the winds and tides of wickedness, and loathe, condemn, and reject absurd heresy, ridiculous arguments, and ludicrous assertions, and allowed him to hold true to his own, correct principles and stance when he had been rejected by the masses and deserted by those who were close to him.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Though quite a few people believe in God, may appear on the outside to be very spiritual, but with regard to the views and attitudes of parents toward children and of children toward parents, they are clueless about how to put this aspect of the truth into practice, as well as about which principles should be applied in treating and dealing with these matters. In a parent’s eyes, the parent is always a parent and the child is always a child; as such, the relationship between parent and child becomes very difficult to deal with. Actually, in a lot of things, parents refuse to budge from their status as parents. They always see themselves as the elders, and they think that at all times, children must listen to their parents, and that this fact will never change. This leads to constant resistance from their children. Such viewpoints leave both sides miserable, wretched, and exhausted. Is this not a manifestation of not understanding the truth? When people do not understand the truth, they are always constrained by status. How could they not suffer as a result? In such cases, then, how is the truth to be practiced? (By letting go of yourself.) What does letting go mean? With what sort of viewpoint and attitude should you treat this matter in order to genuinely let go? How do you implement this letting go? It is actually pretty simple. You must be an ordinary person, and not constrained by status. Treat your children and other members of your family the same as you would ordinary brothers or sisters. Although you have a responsibility toward them, and a relationship of the flesh with them, nevertheless, the position and perspective you should have is the same as you should have with friends or ordinary brothers and sisters. You absolutely must not stand in the position of a parent, and must not hold your children back, fetter them, or try to control everything about them. You should treat them as equals. You should allow them to make mistakes, to say the wrong things, to do childish and immature things, and to do stupid things. No matter what happens, you should sit down and calmly talk with them, and seek the truth. In this way, you will be talking to them with the right attitude, and the problem will be resolved. What are you letting go of here? You are letting go of the position and status of a parent, the airs of a parent, and all of the responsibility you think you should assume as a parent; instead, it is enough that you do the best you can in terms of responsibility as an ordinary brother or sister. … Many parents think that as long as it is for their children’s sake, whatever they do is right. They truly have such thoughts and points of view. How could you not make mistakes? You, too, are a corrupted human, so how can you determine that you are without error? As long as you admit that you do not possess the truth and that you are a corrupted human, then you have faults and can make mistakes. You are capable of making mistakes—yet how is it that at every turn, you try to take charge of your children and make them constantly obey you? Is this not an arrogant disposition? This is an arrogant disposition, and a ferocious one at that.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Each person has a fate, and it is destined by God. No one can control another’s fate, so when it comes to your family, relax, and learn how to let go and put everything aside. How do you do that? Partly, it is through praying to God. You must also ponder this: The non-believers in your family pursue the world, they pursue material gratification, and they pursue wealth—what kind of path do they walk? If you do not perform your duty, and live with them, are you likely to suffer pain and torment? If you live with them, will you get along with them? Will you think the same way? Apart from your affection for each other, is there anything else? No. So what is the depth of this affection? You care about them so much, but how do they feel about you? Can you really find peace and happiness living with them? It can only bring you pain and emptiness. You do not walk the same path as them; your outlook on the world, on life, your life’s path, what you pursue—they are all different. Today, when you are apart from your family, your blood ties cause you to still always feel a kinship with them, and that they are your family. But when you really are with them, it does not even take a year—after a month, you have had enough. You cannot bear to hear their views, their way of dealing with people, their philosophies for living, the lies that fill their mouths, their ways and means of doing things, their outlook on life, or their values, and you think to yourself, “I used to miss them all the time, and I was constantly afraid their lives were hard. But now that I live with them, my life is insufferable!” You develop an aversion to them. Right now, it is still not clear to you what kind of people they are, so you still think that blood ties are more important than anything else, more real. You are still ruled by emotion. If you can put matters of emotion aside, then do so completely; if you cannot do this, then put your duty first, your mission and commission are what are most important; first complete your commission, your mission, and your duty, and ignore the rest for the time being. Once people have performed their commission and duty well, the truth becomes increasingly clear to them, their relationship with God becomes increasingly normal, their desire to obey God grows ever greater, their reverence for God grows ever greater and more evident, and there is a change in their inner state. Once your state changes, your worldly views and affections will begin to dissipate, and you will no longer pursue such things. Your heart will seek how to love God, how to satisfy God, how to live out a semblance that satisfies God, and how to live a life with truth. Once your heart endeavors in this regard, those things to do with affections of the flesh will slowly fade away, and they will no longer be able to shackle or control you.

Excerpted from “The Principles of Practice Concerning Submission to God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Those words spoken in the past, “When one believes in the Lord, fortune smiles upon one’s entire family,” are suitable for the Age of Grace, but are unrelated to humanity’s destination. They were only appropriate for a stage during the Age of Grace. The connotation of those words was directed at the peace and material blessings that people enjoyed; they did not mean that the entire family of one who believes in the Lord will be saved, nor did they mean that when one obtains good fortune, one’s entire family can also be brought into rest. Whether one receives blessings or suffers misfortune is determined according to one’s essence, not according to any common essence one might share with others. That sort of saying or rule simply has no place in the kingdom. If a person is ultimately able to survive, it is because they have met God’s requirements, and if they are ultimately unable to remain until the time of rest, it is because they have been disobedient toward God and have not satisfied God’s requirements. Everyone has a suitable destination. These destinations are determined according to each individual’s essence, and have absolutely nothing to do with other people. A child’s wicked behavior cannot be transferred to their parents, nor can a child’s righteousness be shared with their parents. A parent’s wicked behavior cannot be transferred to their children, nor can a parent’s righteousness be shared with their children. Everyone bears their respective sins, and everyone enjoys their respective fortune. No one can be a substitute for another person; this is righteousness. From man’s perspective, if parents obtain good fortune, then their children should be able to, too, and if children commit evil, then their parents must atone for those sins. This is a human perspective and a human way of doing things; it is not God’s perspective. Everyone’s outcome is determined according to the essence that comes from their conduct, and it is always determined appropriately. No one can bear the sins of another; even more so, no one can receive punishment in another’s stead. This is absolute. A parent’s doting care for their children does not indicate that they can perform righteous deeds in their children’s stead, nor does the dutiful affection of a child to their parents mean that they can perform righteous deeds in their parents’ stead. This is what is truly meant by the words, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” People cannot take their evildoing children into rest on the basis of their deep love for them, nor can anyone take their wife (or husband) into rest on the basis of their own righteous conduct. This is an administrative rule; there can be no exceptions for anyone. In the end, doers of righteousness are doers of righteousness, and evildoers are evildoers. The righteous will eventually be allowed to survive, while the evildoers will be destroyed. The holy are holy; they are not filthy. The filthy are filthy, and not one part of them is holy. The people who will be destroyed are all the wicked ones, and the ones who will survive are all the righteous—even if the children of the wicked ones perform righteous deeds, and even if the parents of the righteous ones commit evil deeds. There is no relationship between a believing husband and an unbelieving wife, and there is no relationship between believing children and unbelieving parents; these two types of people are completely incompatible. Prior to entering into rest, one has physical relatives, but once one has entered into rest, one will no longer have any physical relatives to speak of. Those who do their duty are enemies of those who do not; those who love God and those who hate Him are in opposition to one another. Those who will enter into rest and those who will have been destroyed are two incompatible types of creatures. Creatures that fulfill their duties will be able to survive, while those that do not fulfill their duties will be objects of destruction; what is more, this shall last through eternity. Do you love your husband in order to fulfill your duty as a created being? Do you love your wife in order to fulfill your duty as a created being? Are you dutiful to your unbelieving parents in order to fulfill your duty as a created being? Is the human view on believing in God right or wrong? Why do you believe in God? What do you wish to gain? How do you love God? Those who cannot fulfill their duties as created beings, and who cannot make an all-out effort, will become objects of destruction. There are physical relationships that exist between the people of today, as well as associations by blood, but in the future, these will all be shattered. Believers and unbelievers are not compatible; rather, they are opposed to one another. Those in rest will believe that there is a God and will submit to God, whereas those who are disobedient to God will all have been destroyed. Families will no longer exist upon earth; how could there be parents or children or spousal relationships? The very incompatibility of belief and unbelief will have utterly severed such physical relationships!

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

148. The Principles of How to Treat Worldly Trends

(1) See clearly that the trends of the world spring from Satan’s evil forces. They are, in essence, negative things that deny God and are hostile to the truth;

(2) The trends of the world are a great dye vat of sin and licentiousness. One should see through to their evil and filth, lest they fall into them;

(3) Know that the trends of the world are tricks that Satan plays on man to make him shun and resist God. To follow evil trends is to court one’s own destruction;

(4) In believing in God, one should pursue the truth, come to fear God and shun evil, and live by God’s word the truth. Only thus can one be rid of the forces of Satan.

Relevant Words of God:

Satan corrupts man through social trends. “Social trends” include many things. Some people say: “Does it mean the latest fashions, cosmetics, hairstyles, and gourmet foods?” Are these things considered social trends? They make up one part of social trends, but we will not be talking about them here. We only wish to talk about the ideas that social trends bring about in people, the way they cause people to conduct themselves in the world, and the life goals and outlook that they bring about in people. These are very important; they can control and influence man’s state of mind. These trends arise one after another, and they all carry an evil influence that continually debases mankind, causing people to lose conscience, humanity and reason, weakening their morals and their quality of character ever more, to the extent that we can even say that the majority of people now have no integrity, no humanity, and neither do they have any conscience, much less any reason. So what are these trends? They are trends that you cannot see with the naked eye. When a new trend sweeps through the world, perhaps only a small number of people are on the cutting edge, acting as the trendsetters. They start off doing some new thing, then accepting some kind of idea or some kind of perspective. The majority of people, however, will be continually infected, assimilated, and attracted by this kind of trend in a state of unawareness, until they all unknowingly and involuntarily accept it and become submerged in it and controlled by it. One after another, such trends cause people, who are not of sound body and mind, do not know what the truth is, and cannot differentiate between positive and negative things, to happily accept them as well as the life views and values that come from Satan. They accept what Satan tells them about how to approach life and the way to live that Satan “bestows” on them, and they have neither the strength nor the ability, much less the awareness, to resist. So, what exactly are these trends? I have chosen a simple example that you may gradually come to understand. For example, people in the past ran their business so that nobody was cheated; they sold items at the same price regardless of who was buying. Is not some element of good conscience and humanity conveyed here? When people conducted their business like this, in good faith, it can be seen that they still had some conscience and some humanity at that time. But with man’s ever-increasing demand for money, people unknowingly came to love money, gain, and pleasure more and more. In short, people came to view money as more important than before. When people view money as more important, they unknowingly begin to attach less importance to their reputation, their renown, their good name and their integrity, do they not? When you engage in business, you see others using various means to swindle people and get rich. Although the money earned is ill-gotten, they become richer and richer. Though they may engage in the same business as you, their whole family enjoys life more than you do, and you feel bad, saying to yourself, “Why can’t I do that? Why can’t I earn as much as they do? I must think of a way to get more money, to make my business prosper.” You then do your utmost to ponder how to make lots of money. According to the usual method of making money—selling things at the same price to all customers—any profit you make is made in good conscience. However, this is not the way to get rich quick. Driven by the urge to make a profit, your thinking undergoes a gradual transformation. During this transformation, your principles of conduct also begin to change. When you first cheat someone, you have your reservations, saying, “This will be the only time I cheat someone. I will not do it again. I cannot cheat people. There are serious consequences to cheating. It will bring me lots of trouble!” When you first deceive someone, your heart has some scruples; this is the function of man’s conscience—to make you feel scruples and to reproach you, so that it feels unnatural when you cheat someone. But after you have successfully deceived someone, you see that you now have more money than you did before, and you think this method can be very beneficial for you. Despite the dull ache in your heart, you still feel like congratulating yourself on your success, and you feel somewhat pleased with yourself. For the first time, you approve of your own behavior, your own deceptive ways. Afterward, once man has been contaminated by this cheating, it is the same as someone who gets involved in gambling and then becomes a gambler. In your unawareness, you give approval to your own cheating behavior and accept it. In unawareness, you take cheating to be a legitimate commercial behavior and the most useful means for your survival and livelihood; you think that by doing this you can quickly make a fortune. This is a process: In the beginning, people cannot accept this type of behavior and they look down on this behavior and practice. Then they begin to experiment with this behavior themselves, trying it out in their own way, and their hearts begin to gradually transform. What kind of transformation is this? It is an approval and admission of this trend, of this idea instilled in you by the social trend. Without realizing it, if you do not cheat people when doing business with them, you feel you are worse off; if you do not cheat people, you feel as though you have lost something. Unknowingly, this cheating becomes your very soul, your backbone, and an indispensable type of behavior that is a principle in your life. After man has accepted this behavior and this thinking, has this not brought about a change in his heart? Your heart has changed, so has your integrity changed as well? Has your humanity changed? Has your conscience changed? (Yes.) Yes, every part of this person undergoes a qualitative change, from their heart to their thoughts, to such an extent that they are transformed from the inside out. This change pulls you further and further away from God, and you become more and more closely aligned with Satan; you become more and more alike to Satan.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Money makes the world go round” is a philosophy of Satan, and it prevails among the whole of mankind, in every human society. You could say that it is a trend because it has been instilled in the heart of every single person. From the very beginning, people did not accept this saying, but then they gave it tacit acceptance when they came into contact with real life, and began to feel that these words were in fact true. Is this not a process of Satan corrupting man? Perhaps people do not understand this saying to the same degree, but everyone has different degrees of interpretation and acknowledgment of this saying based on things that have happened around them and on their own personal experiences. Is that not the case? Regardless of how much experience someone has with this saying, what is the negative effect that it can have on someone’s heart? Something is revealed through the human disposition of the people in this world, including each and every one of you. How is this thing that is revealed to be interpreted? It is the worship of money. Is it hard to remove this from someone’s heart? It is very hard! It seems that Satan’s corruption of man is deep indeed! So after Satan uses this trend to corrupt people, how is it manifested in them? Do you feel that you could not survive in this world without any money, that even one day without money would be impossible? People’s status is based on how much money they have, as is the respect they command. The backs of the poor are bent in shame, while the rich enjoy their high status. They stand tall and proud, speaking loudly and living arrogantly. What does this saying and trend bring to people? Is it not true that many people make any sacrifice in the pursuit of money? Do many people not lose their dignity and integrity in the pursuit of more money? Moreover, do many people not lose the opportunity to perform their duty and follow God for the sake of money? Is this not a loss for people? (Yes.) Is Satan not sinister to use this method and this saying to corrupt man to such a degree? Is this not a malicious trick? As you progress from objecting to this popular saying to finally accepting it as truth, your heart falls completely into Satan’s grasp, and therefore you inadvertently come to live by the saying. To what degree has this saying affected you? You might know the true way, and you might know the truth, but you are powerless to pursue it. You may clearly know that God’s words are the truth, but you are unwilling to pay the price or to suffer in order to gain the truth. Instead, you would rather sacrifice your own future and destiny to resist God to the very end. No matter what God says, no matter what God does, no matter whether you understand how deep and how great God’s love for you is, you would stubbornly insist on having your own way and pay the price for this saying. That is to say, this saying already controls your behavior and your thoughts, and you would rather have your fate controlled by it than give it all up. Does not the fact that people act in this way, that they are controlled by this saying and manipulated by it, illustrate that Satan’s corrupting of man is effective? Is this not the philosophy and corrupt disposition of Satan taking root in your heart? If you do this, has Satan not achieved its goal? (Yes.) Do you see how Satan has corrupted man in this way? Can you feel it? (No.) You have neither seen it nor felt it. Do you see Satan’s evil here? Satan corrupts man at all times and in all places. Satan makes it impossible for man to defend against this corruption and makes man helpless against it. Satan makes you accept its thoughts, its viewpoints and the evil things that come from it in situations where you are unknowing and when you have no recognition of what is happening to you. People accept these things and take no exception to them. They cherish and hold on to these things like a treasure, they let these things manipulate them and toy with them; this is how Satan’s corruption of man grows ever deeper.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan uses these social trends to lure people one step at a time into a nest of devils, so that people caught up in social trends unknowingly advocate money and material desires, wickedness and violence. Once these things have entered the heart of man, what then does man become? Man becomes the devil, Satan! Why? Because, what psychological inclination exists in the heart of man? What does man revere? Man begins to take pleasure in wickedness and violence, showing no love for beauty or goodness, much less peace. People are not willing to live the simple life of normal humanity, but instead wish to enjoy high status and great wealth, to revel in the pleasures of the flesh, sparing no effort to satisfy their own flesh, with no restrictions, no bonds to hold them back; in other words, doing whatever they desire. So when man has become immersed in these kinds of trends, can the knowledge that you have learned help you to free yourself? Can your understanding of traditional culture and superstitions help you escape from this dire predicament? Can the traditional morals and ceremonies known to man help people exercise restraint? Take the Three Character Classic, for example. Can it help people pull their feet out of the quagmire of these trends? (No, it cannot.) Thus, man becomes more and more evil, arrogant, condescending, selfish and malicious. There is no longer any affection between people, no longer any love between family members, no longer any understanding among relatives and friends; human relations have become characterized by violence. Each and every person seeks to use violent methods to live among their fellow man; they seize their daily bread using violence; they win their positions and obtain their profits using violence, and they use violent and evil ways to do anything they want. Is this humanity not horrifying? (Yes.)

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Though many young people believe in God, they cannot rid themselves of the bad habits of playing computer games and going to Internet cafes. What kinds of things do computer games tend to involve? They contain a great deal of violence. Gaming—that is the realm of the devil. For most, after playing these games for a long time, they cannot do any real work anymore; they no longer want to go to school, or work, or think of their futures, much less do they give thought to their lives. What things now occupy the thoughts and souls of the majority of young people in the world? Eating, drinking, and playing games. Everything they say and think is inhuman. One cannot even use the words “dirty” or “evil” anymore to describe the things they think about; so many of them are non-human things. If you speak to them of matters to do with normal humanity, or discuss a topic concerning normal humanity, they cannot bear to hear about it; they are neither interested nor willing to listen, and as soon as they hear it, they roll their eyes and take unkindly to it. They do not share a common language or common topics with normal mankind, yet when they are with other people like themselves, they find things to talk about. Most of the topics they discuss center around playing games, eating, drinking, and having a good time. Those who always discuss these topics have their hearts filled with such things. What future prospects do they have? Do they have any future prospects? Can they engage in the activities in which normal humanity should engage? These people put no effort into their studies, and if one were to have them work hard at their jobs, would they be willing to? As soon as you had them work, what would they think? They would think, “What’s the point in working? This work is so tiring. How long do I have to do it? Playing games is so much more fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. What can I get out of working? If you work, you still only get to eat three meals a day, don’t you? I haven’t seen it take you anywhere good! Playing games is great; the minute I sit down in front of a computer, I have everything I need. I have a virtual world, and living inside it is enough for me!” Furthermore, if you made them work from nine to five, getting to work on time and working fixed hours, how would they feel about that? Would they be willing to stick to that schedule? When people are constantly playing games and wasting time on the computer, their will disappears and they become decadent; they then lack normal humanity. They become filled with the violence and killing in these games and with the things of the virtual world. The things of normal humanity are stripped away from them by these games, and they are filled and occupied by those games, and their thoughts are occupied by them; these people have become decadent. Unbelievers do not like these people, either, but in the current world of unbelievers, these young people have nowhere to turn; their parents are unable to manage them, their teachers can do nothing with them, and there is nothing any country’s education system can do about this trend other than succumb to it. The devil Satan does these things in order to tempt people and bring them to depravation. Those who live in the virtual world have no interest whatsoever in anything to do with the life of normal humanity; they are just not in the mood to work or study. Their only concern is going to the virtual world, as though they are being enticed by something. Whenever they get bored or are in the midst of doing some proper work, they want to play games instead, and gradually, gaming becomes their whole life. Playing games is like taking a kind of drug: Once someone becomes addicted to it, it becomes hard to get away from it and very difficult to quit. So, whether young or old, once people pick up this bad habit, they have a hard time giving it up. Some children stay up and play games all night long, and their parents are neither able to control nor watch them, so the kids end up gaming themselves to death in front of the computer. Would you say that is something that normal people should do? If gaming were needed for people’s normal humanity—if it were the right path—then why are people unable to quit doing it? How can they be captivated by it to such a degree? One thing this proves is that it is not a good path. Surfing online for this and that, looking at unhealthy things, and playing games—all these can do is ensnare and hurt people. None of these are good paths to take; they are not right paths.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Are people often tempted in today’s society? They are tempted at every turn: Every manner of evil trend, all kinds of sayings, all manner of views and ideas, the myriad deceptions and seductions of various kinds of people, their many demonic faces—these all tempt you. If you do not equip yourself inside with certain truths, and lack real stature, then you will not be able to see through these things, and each will be a pitfall, a temptation, for you. On the one hand, you lack the truth and so you cannot see through the satanic faces of different kinds of people, and are unable to overcome them; on the other, without truth reality, you are unable to resist every manner of evil trend, wicked view, and absurd idea and saying. When these things befall you, they are like a cold snap, which at the very least gives you a cold, and at worst, a cold stroke.[a] When you are hit by a cold stroke, there is a possibility you could die, and you may perhaps give up your faith. When you do not possess the truth, a few words of satanic sayings in the world of the unbelievers will deceive you, and leave you confused; you will not know whether you should believe in God or not, or whether it is right to believe in God or not. It may be that, gathering today, you are in a good state, but tomorrow, you return home, watch two episodes of a romantic soap opera on TV, and are then hooked. In the evening, you go to sleep and forget to pray, and all you think about in your mind is when the next episode will show, and then you keep watching it. After two days of watching this soap opera, God has gone from your heart. You have become fully immersed in the TV show, and you wonder to yourself, “When am I going to have my own passionate love affair? That would make my life all worthwhile!” Do you have any stature if two episodes of a TV show can change your perspective? You are so quick to embrace the sayings of Satan. Do you believe that you have the stature to resist these evil trends? The grace of God has placed you in a greenhouse. Do not forget what your stature is: You are a flower in a greenhouse, unable to withstand the wind and rain. If people cannot withstand these temptations, if they cannot see them for what they really are, then they could be snatched away by Satan at any time or in any place—that is how small and pitiable people’s stature is. Because you lack truth reality, because you do not understand the truth, all of the sayings of Satan are like poison to you; once it enters your ears, you will not be able to get it out. You say you will not listen to it, but how could you not? Do you live in a vacuum? When you hear it, you are unable to resist, you are powerless to withstand it, and you sink down into it. These things can control your life, your thoughts, and your behavior; they can control your everything, they can direct your whole life, and can even stop you from coming before God—in which case it will all be over for you, and you will be tossed aside.

Excerpted from “The Path Comes From Often Pondering the Truth” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Why say that if you wish to avoid temptation, there are certain situations you should not get into and certain people with whom you should have no contact? Take Job, for example. He feared God and shunned evil; this was the sort of stature and reality he possessed, so he should have had no fear of falling into any temptation. Even had he been in attendance at a few feasts, he could not have easily said or done anything that is a sin against God. Why, then, did Job not attend them? He feared God and shunned evil, taking measures and adopting methods to bring himself under God’s protection, to refrain from sinning, and to not displease God; he had a few human ways of working. In some situations, man himself is unable to control his own corrupt nature, and it is in precisely those sorts of situations where temptation is too great for anyone to resist. People are capable of sinning and displeasing God at any time and in any place. That is, this scanty God-fearing heart of yours, your scanty faith in God, and your scanty resolution cannot remove you from temptation, nor can they stop you from sinning against God in the midst of temptation. Therefore, there are certain situations that you must not put yourself into and, in this way, you will be spared temptation.

Excerpted from “To Resolve One’s Corrupt Disposition, One Must Have a Specific Path of Practice” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

You should try to avoid doing anything that would take your heart farther from God; you should refrain from saying anything that would take your heart farther from God; you should keep from reading or watching anything that would put distance between you and God or which could cause you to give rise to notions and doubt about God; you should keep away from and refrain from interacting with anyone who could make you negative, fall into degeneracy, or self-indulgent and could cause you to give rise to doubt or resistance against God or distance yourself from Him; you should surround yourself with people who can edify you, help you, and provide for you; and you should refrain from doing anything that could give you an aversion to the truth or make you detest and reject or dislike it. Deep down, you must comprehend all of these things; you should not go through life blind, saying, “I’ll just live life one day at a time, and go wherever life takes me; I’ll just let nature take its course and follow God’s orchestrations.” God has arranged environments for you and granted you free will to make choices, but you do not cooperate; you are always actively reaching out for those people who love the secular world, frequently indulge in the flesh, have no loyalty to their duties, and take no responsibility. If you are constantly fooling around with those people, then what will be the final outcome? How will you end up? Those folks idly talk about how they dress themselves up and what they like to eat or wear or whatever else they enjoy, and about conflicts and quarrels between people. When you encounter such temptations, if you do not distance yourself or try to avoid them, but instead try to get closer and get involved in their group, then you are in danger; these are all full of temptations! When a wise person encounters such temptations, they distance themselves from them, thinking, “I don’t have that sort of stature, so I won’t listen, and I don’t want to join in, either. These people don’t pursue the truth, nor do they love it, so I’m going to stay away from them, find a quiet place to sit by myself and read God’s words, calm my mind and spend time pondering them, and come before God.” All of these principles and objectives are: Firstly, do not distance yourself from God’s word; and secondly, do not let your heart stray far from God. In this way, you will often live before Him on the basis of your understanding of what the truth is. On the one hand, He will safeguard you from falling into temptation, while on the other hand, He will treat you with special kindness, allowing you to understand what to do to practice the truth and giving you illumination and enlightenment about various aspects of the truth. Moreover, when it comes to doing your duty, God will guide you so that you can do your best not to make mistakes and can frequently do things correctly, so that you can understand the principles. As such, you will be protected, will you not? Of course, being protected is not the greatest or ultimate goal. What, then, is the ultimate goal? It is being able to learn lessons from all manner of people, matters, and things, understand God’s will, and practice according to the principles He requires; it is having your life continuously grow in a positive direction instead of stagnating; it is not a matter of simply doing the work you have on hand, without being idle, but never achieving any growth in your life. This is the path toward life growth. Have any of you done these things yet?

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

You are now performing your duties in the church and, in this environment, all the people surrounding you are believers, and here you can be steadfast in your belief in God. If you alone were taken and placed in amongst the unbelievers, and were made to be with them, could you still have God in your heart? What would be in your heart? If you were with them, would you not then very easily become exactly the same as they? You might then say, “No need to worry; God looks after and protects me.” However, you would still be headstrong and follow trends, and without realizing it, you would make a tiny mistake and be quick to think to yourself, “Oh God, please forgive me; I did this wrong.” As time goes by, you would feel no blame—you would feel nothing at all—and you would wonder, “God? Where is God? Why haven’t I seen Him?” Little by little, you would change. Why would you change so easily? In actual fact, it is not that you would change only at that time; it is that you currently possess no truth reality and have not yet purged yourself of the thoughts, viewpoints, dispositions, and understanding that pertain to the world and to Satan. These things are still within you, and you still rely on them to live; it is simply that you are now in God’s house. From the outside, it looks as though you are believing in God and performing your duty, but actually, your corrupt dispositions have yet to be resolved and the satanic views and thoughts within you have not yet been purged. Thus, your stature is very small, and you are still in a dangerous phase; you are still in danger and unsafe. You have satanic dispositions, and are still capable of resisting and betraying God. To resolve this problem, you first need to recognize which things are evil, what their dangers are, why Satan does such things, what poisons people are susceptible to after they accept these things, what they can turn into, what kind of person God requires man to be, which things are of normal humanity, which are positive, and which are negative. On the negative side, you should recognize these things. On the positive side, you must actively and positively fulfill your duty, offer up your sincerity, offer up your loyalty, not engage in trickery, and not use the ways or the philosophies of the unbelievers in your approach to your duty and to the tasks entrusted to you. Then you must enter all aspects of the truth and, gradually, attain an understanding of God and of His disposition. As such, you will unconsciously undergo an internal transformation: There will be more positive things within you, fewer negative things, more proactive things, and fewer passive things; moreover, you will be better able to exercise discernment than you were before. Once your stature has grown to this degree, you will have the ability to discern when it comes to the various people, affairs, and things of the world, and then you can see through to a problem’s essence. Suppose you watch a cartoon made by unbelievers: You will be able to see what kind of poisons it will pass on to those who watch it, what things Satan wants to plant within people, and what of humanity Satan hopes to erode by way of this method and trend. You will gradually be able to see right through these things completely. When you are able to watch them without being poisoned, and have become capable of discerning them, only then will you genuinely have stature.

Excerpted from “Believers Must Begin by Seeing Through the World’s Evil Trends” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

It is easy to follow the evil trends of the world, to follow one’s corrupt disposition into depravity. To seek to be someone with truth reality, someone with a sense of justice and conscience and reason, is not easy, and you will need to suffer much before you can achieve this. If, however, you are resolved to do so, and you love positive things; if you have both heart and spirit, and are a decent person, then you will feel that suffering this pain is worth it, and you will not fear it. If you do not love positive things, but evil trends and the things worldly people love, then gaining the truth will, perhaps, be somewhat difficult for you, and you may not be willing to suffer such pain, thinking it not worth the trouble. This is because you will not gain anything—no money, no rewards—and the benefit before your eyes will be invisible to you. Is this not the state of mind of nonbelievers? Always wanting to see material benefit before their eyes is the state of mind of nonbelievers. Are you ever in such states? If people are ever in such states, they must know to reflect on and understand these states, then accept being exposed and dissected by God, accepting His judgment and chastisement. In this wicked age, living among such evil trends, it is not easy to be a good person; to be someone with a sense of justice is not easy either, and to be someone with truth reality is even harder, and to be someone who fears God and shuns evil is more difficult still! It depends on people’s resolve to suffer pain, and to what extent they love positive things, justice, fairness, and righteousness. If the extent to which your heart loves these things is average, you will think, “It’s fine whether I have these things or not. Living in the world doesn’t mean I will die anyway. Furthermore, following evil trends doesn’t make my life difficult. Isn’t living life this way fine? However I live, I’ll still live my life!” If this is the sort of mentality you have, then you might not be able to progress. That is, your resolve to pursue the truth is not very strong, and your zeal to love positive things and be someone with a sense of justice is not very strong, either, so it is possible that you will not gain the truth. Yet it is not the case that no one will be able to gain it; it depends on how each individual pursues it, and on their enthusiasm. How great is your enthusiasm? How deep is your understanding of this wicked world and evil mankind? How deeply have you experienced the bondage, shackles and harm of your corrupt disposition? How great is your love and longing for positive things? You have such small desire—a mote of longing in your hearts. But longing is not the same as love, and such love is what you must be able to achieve. This is not easy, either. If you can truly love and long for these things from the bottom of your heart, accept judgment and chastisement as you pursue the truth, and be able to give up your personal interests, then, throughout the process, it will not concern you much to suffer such pain or pay such a price. If the extent to which you love positive things is average, then you will feel regretful when you come to relinquish these things. You will not have the heart to do it, and they will be very difficult to give up. Take stock of all this, and it requires you to make an appraisal. An appraisal of what? Of what you manifest and express in all respects; of how you act; of what you hold in your heart when faced with positive things; of how you approach them; of the sort of attitude you have; of whether your heart is focused; of how your heart reacts when faced with evil trends or evil people doing evil things; of how you approach them; of whether you like them, cater to them and long for them, or whether you throw yourself into them, or whether you cannot put them aside, or whether you detest them and are disgusted by them; of what kind of person you are—these are the things your appraisal will reveal. And what do you do after you have made this appraisal? You must remedy yourself and strive to be able to pursue positive things and the truth.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Practice the Truth Are God-Fearing” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

It is becoming more and more like a world of gaiety and splendor; people’s hearts are all drawn to it, and many people are entrapped and unable to extricate themselves from it; great numbers will be beguiled by those who engage in trickery and sorcery. If you do not strive for progress, are without ideals, and have not rooted yourself in the true way, you will be swept away by the swelling tides of sin. China is the most backward of all countries; it is the land where the great red dragon lies coiled, it has the most people who worship idols and engage in sorcery, the most temples, and it is a place in which filthy demons reside. You were born of it, you have been educated by it and steeped in its influence; you have been corrupted and tortured by it, but after being awoken you forsake it and are completely gained by God. This is the glory of God, and this is why this stage of work has great significance. God has done work of such great scale, has spoken so many words, and He will ultimately completely gain you—this is one part of the work of God’s management, and you are the “victory spoils” of God’s battle with Satan. The more you understand the truth and the better your life of the church is, the more the great red dragon is brought to its knees. These are all matters of the spiritual world—they are the battles of the spiritual world, and when God is victorious, Satan shall be shamed and fall down. This stage of God’s work has tremendous significance. God does work on such a grand scale and completely saves this group of people so you can escape from the influence of Satan, live in the holy land, live in God’s light, and have the light’s leadership and guidance. Then there is meaning to your life. What you eat and wear is different from unbelievers; you enjoy the words of God and lead a life of meaning—and what do they enjoy? They enjoy only their “ancestral heritage” and their “national spirit.” They have not the slightest vestige of humanity! Your clothes, words, and actions are all different from theirs. Ultimately, you will completely escape from the filth, no longer be ensnared in the temptation of Satan, and gain God’s daily provision. You should always be cautious. Though you live in a filthy place, you are untainted with filth and can live alongside God, receiving His great protection. God has chosen you from among all on this yellow land. Are you not the most blessed people? You are a created being—you should of course worship God and pursue a life of meaning. If you do not worship God but live within your filthy flesh, then are you not just a beast in human attire? Since you are a human being, you should expend yourself for God and endure all suffering! You should gladly and assuredly accept the little suffering you are subjected to today and live a meaningful life, like Job and Peter. In this world, man wears the devil’s clothing, eats food from the devil, and works and serves under the devil’s thumb, becoming completely trampled in its filth. If you do not grasp the meaning of life or obtain the true way, then what significance is there in living like this? You are people who pursue the right path, those who seek improvement. You are people who rise up in the nation of the great red dragon, those whom God calls righteous. Is that not the most meaningful life?

Excerpted from “Practice (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. Cold stroke, a term used in traditional Chinese medicine which refers to severe, potentially life-threatening, internal cold caused by external elements.

149. The Principles of How to Treat Holidays and Social Customs

(1) Traditional social customs are derived from corrupt mankind. They are tricks that Satan plays on man, and were not ordained by God;

(2) Believers in God should not follow or pay much heed to the social customs of corrupt mankind. They should instead promote positive things, and allow the truth to flourish and reveal its splendor;

(3) It is permissible to be appropriately joyful when celebrating a holiday, but one must not let it impede the proper task of performing their duty. To do what pleases God is to be truly joyful;

(4) As you go to various places to perform your duty, adopt the local social customs of each place and adapt to your environment. Do not, however, let those things possess you.

Relevant Words of God:

The superstitious activities that people engage in are what God hates the most, but many people are still unable to let go of them, thinking these superstitious activities to be decreed by God, and even today have yet to shed them completely. Such things as the arrangements young people make for wedding feasts and bridal trousseaus; gifts of cash, banquets, and similar ways with which joyous occasions are celebrated; ancient formulae that have been handed down; all the meaningless superstitious activities conducted for the dead and their obsequies: these are even more detestable to God. Even the day of worship (including the Sabbath, as observed by the religious world) is detestable to Him; and the social relationships and worldly interactions between man and man are all the more despised and rejected by God. Even the Spring Festival and Christmas Day, which are known to everyone, are not decreed by God, let alone the toys and decorations for these festive holidays such as couplets, firecrackers, lanterns, Holy Communion, Christmas gifts, and Christmas festivities—are they not idols in the minds of men? The breaking of bread on the Sabbath, wine, and fine linen are even more emphatically idols. All the traditional festival days popular in China, such as the Dragon Heads-raising Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Laba Festival, and New Year’s Day, and the festivals in the religious world, such as Easter, Baptism Day, and Christmas Day, all of these unjustifiable festivals have been arranged and handed down from olden times to today by many people. It is humanity’s rich imagination and ingenious conception that have allowed them to be passed down to today. They appear to be free of flaws, but are in fact tricks Satan plays on humanity. The more a place is thronged with Satans, and the more obsolete and backward that place is, the more deeply entrenched are its feudal customs. These things bind people tight, allowing absolutely no room for movement. Many of the festivals in the religious world seem to display great originality and to create a bridge to the work of God, but they are actually the invisible ties with which Satan binds people and prevents people from coming to know God—they are all Satan’s cunning stratagems. In fact, when a stage of God’s work is finished, He has already destroyed the tools and the style of that time, without leaving any trace. However, “devout believers” continue to worship those tangible material objects; meanwhile they consign what God has to the back of their minds, studying it no further, seeming to be full of the love of God when they actually pushed Him out of the house long ago and placed Satan on the table to worship. Portraits of Jesus, the Cross, Mary, Jesus’ Baptism and the Last Supper—people venerate these as the Lord of Heaven, all the while repeatedly crying out “Lord, heavenly Father.” Is this not all a joke? To this day, many similar sayings and practices that have been passed down amongst humanity are hateful to God; they seriously obstruct the way ahead for God and, furthermore, create huge setbacks to humanity’s entry. …

The best way to change the human disposition is to remedy those portions of people’s innermost hearts that have been profoundly poisoned, allowing people to begin changing their thinking and morality. First of all, people need to see clearly that all these religious rites, religious activities, years and months, and festivals are hateful to God. They should break free from these bonds of feudal thinking and eradicate every trace of their deep-seated propensity to superstition. These are all included in humanity’s entry. You must understand why God leads humanity out of the secular world, and again why He leads humanity away from rules and regulations. This is the gate through which you will enter, and although these things have nothing to do with your spiritual experience, they are the greatest obstacles blocking your entry, blocking you from knowing God. They form a net which enmeshes people.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What things are included in traditional culture? Does it include the holidays people celebrate? For example: the Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the Ghost Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. Some families even celebrate the days when seniors achieve a certain age, or when children reach one month or one hundred days of age. And so on. These are all traditional holidays. Is there not traditional culture underlying these holidays? What is the core of traditional culture? Does it have anything to do with worshiping God? Does it have anything to do with telling people to practice the truth? Are there any holidays for people to offer sacrifice to God, go to God’s altar and receive His teachings? Are there holidays like this? (No.) What do people do on all of these holidays? In modern times they are seen as occasions for eating, drinking, and fun. What is the source underlying traditional culture? Who does traditional culture come from? (Satan.) It comes from Satan. Behind the scenes of these traditional holidays, Satan instills certain things in man. What are these things? Ensuring that people remember their ancestors—is that one of them? For example, during Tomb Sweeping Day, people tidy up graves and offer sacrifices to their ancestors, so as not to forget their ancestors. Also, Satan ensures that people remember to be patriotic, of which an example is the Dragon Boat Festival. What about the Mid-Autumn Festival? (Family reunions.) What is the background of family reunions? What is the reason for it? It is to communicate and connect emotionally. Of course, whether it be celebrating Lunar New Year’s Eve or the Lantern Festival, there are many ways of describing the reasons behind these celebrations. However one describes those reasons, each one is Satan’s way of instilling its philosophy and its thinking in people, so that they will stray from God and not know there is God, and offer sacrifices either to their ancestors or to Satan, or eat, drink, and have fun for the sake of desires of the flesh. As each of these holidays is celebrated, Satan’s thoughts and views are planted deep within the minds of the people without their knowing. When people reach their forties, fifties or even older ages, these thoughts and viewpoints of Satan are already deeply rooted in their hearts. Moreover, people do their utmost to transmit these ideas, whether right or wrong, down to the next generation, indiscriminately and without reservation. Is not this so? (Yes.) How do traditional culture and these holidays corrupt people? Do you know? (People become constrained and bound by the rules of these traditions, such that they have no time or energy to seek God.) This is one aspect. For example, everyone celebrates during Lunar New Year—if you did not celebrate it, would you not feel sad? Are there any superstitions that you hold in your heart? Might you feel, “I didn’t celebrate the New Year, and since Lunar New Year’s day was a bad day, won’t the whole of the rest of the year also be bad”? Would you not feel ill at ease and a bit afraid? There are even some people who have not made sacrifices to their ancestors in years and who suddenly have a dream in which a deceased person asks them for money. What would they feel? “How sad that this person now gone needs money to spend! I’ll burn some paper money for them. If I don’t, that just wouldn’t be right. It might cause trouble for us living people—who can say when misfortune will strike?” They will always have this little cloud of fear and worry in their hearts. Who gives them this worry? (Satan.) Satan is the source of this worry. Is this not one of the ways that Satan corrupts man? It uses different means and pretexts to control you, to threaten you, and to bind you, so that you fall into a daze and yield and submit to it; this is how Satan corrupts man. Often when people are weak or when they are not fully aware of the situation, they may inadvertently do something in a muddle-headed way; that is, they inadvertently fall into Satan’s grasp and might act unwittingly, might do things without knowing what they are doing. This is the way Satan corrupts man. There are even quite a few people now who are reluctant to part with deep-rooted traditional culture, who just cannot give it up. It is especially when they are weak and passive that they wish to celebrate these kinds of holidays and they wish to meet Satan and satisfy Satan again, to bring comfort to their hearts. What is the background to the traditional culture? Is the black hand of Satan pulling the strings behind the scenes? Is Satan’s evil nature manipulating and controlling? Does Satan hold sway over all of this? (Yes.) When people live in a traditional culture and celebrate these kinds of traditional holidays, could we say that this is an environment in which they are being fooled and corrupted by Satan, and moreover that they are happy to be fooled and corrupted by Satan? (Yes.) This is something you all acknowledge, something that you know about.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

Some things enjoyed by corrupt mankind and which are pursued by people are evil trends and the pleasures of sin; they are utterly without meaning, and moreover are senseless and degrading. Have you given up those kinds of things, or do you still live within them? For example, the secular holiday of Valentine’s Day, or Halloween—do you still celebrate them? These holidays are not at all in line with the truth, and they can only make people more and more corrupt. If someone cannot let go of them, that just shows that they do not have God in their heart. Those who have a distaste for these things are able to give them up; they can refrain from following the trends of the world and only pursue a life of normal humanity. All those things that corrupt mankind prefers are things we do not like, which we distance ourselves from. When we see those things, we are queasy, nauseated, and disgusted; they are meaningless. But all unbelievers like those things—they all live within them and feel they are very enjoyable, fashionable, lofty, and wonderful. What does this show? Does it not show that their spirits are unclean? On certain holidays people of the world send certain kinds of flowers—is it meaningful to do such things? It is not meaningful at all. We feel aversion to such things, and we should establish a new kind of life since we believe in God. Unbelievers can have their own lifestyle, and we will have our own lifestyle. Because we understand many truths and we can do meaningful things, things that are in line with God’s will, our lives are enriched. There are many people who are uninterested in unbelievers’ lives, but they do not have a new life, either, so they feel that their lives are very boring. If they understand some truths, then they will know what the meaningful things for them to do are and will then choose to do some meaningful things. What things can allow people to experience variety in their lives, to live fully, joyfully, and happily? When we do such meaningful things as eating and drinking God’s words, fellowshiping on the truth, and singing hymns in praise of God, for example, we feel that we live very happily, better than unbelievers. As long as we can seek God’s will in all things that relate to the truth and can achieve obedience to God, then this is the likeness of one who has attained salvation. Having the likeness of one who has attained salvation means that one possesses a normal human life, a life of obeying and worshiping God. Then people will be able to have true happiness and enjoyment deep in their hearts. We gain happiness and enjoyment by understanding the truth and putting it into practice, and we rely on living before God for true enjoyment in our hearts. This enjoyment is much greater and much more fulfilling than that of living in sin and enjoying the pleasures of sin. The joy of living in sin is superficial, and it is spiritually empty and painful. Enjoying God’s words, living within them, being able to practice the truth and satisfy God are enjoyments that are deep within the heart, and they provide comfort. That is why the more someone is able to practice the truth and live in front of God, the more someone has the likeness of a human. How can the likeness of a human be lived out? It is lived out by relying on God’s words, and by living before God. If you understand the truth, have deep fulfillment and comfort in your heart, and feel that God is with you, you will have true joy and peace in your heart. If you have joy and peace deep in your heart, then it will show in your face, and your life disposition will change. At this time, other people will be able to see that your mindset and your spiritual outlook are normal, and that your expressions are dignified and decent—this is the likeness of a human.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

150. The Principles of How to Treat Traditional Culture

(1) The greater part of traditional culture is derived from the corruption of Satan and evil spirits. It is Satan’s poison, hostile to the truth, and is numbered among negative things;

(2) Traditional culture is an invisible shackle that binds and restricts people; it is a tool which Satan, king of devils, uses to beguile, control, and consume people;

(3) Traditional culture makes mankind ever more corrupt, depraved, and degenerate, and leads him ever farther from God. It has made all people the enemies of God;

(4) Use God’s word the truth as a foundation from which to identify and dissect the essence of traditional culture. Be able to thoroughly see through to its corrupt, reactionary essence; detest it and denounce it.

Relevant Words of God:

Born into such a filthy land, man has been severely blighted by society, he has been influenced by feudal ethics, and he has been taught at “institutes of higher learning.” The backward thinking, corrupt morality, mean view on life, despicable philosophy for living, utterly worthless existence, and depraved lifestyle and customs—all of these things have severely intruded upon man’s heart, and severely undermined and attacked his conscience. As a result, man is ever more distant from God, and ever more opposed to Him. Man’s disposition becomes more vicious by the day, and there is not a single person who will willingly give up anything for God, not a single person who will willingly obey God, nor, moreover, a single person who will willingly seek the appearance of God. Instead, under the domain of Satan, man does nothing but pursue pleasure, giving himself over to the corruption of the flesh in the land of mud. Even when they hear the truth, those who live in darkness give no thought to putting it into practice, nor are they inclined to seek out God even if they have beheld His appearance. How could a mankind so depraved have any chance of salvation? How could a mankind so decadent live in the light?

Excerpted from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Pernicious influences that thousands of years of “the lofty spirit of nationalism” have left deep in the human heart, as well as the feudal thinking by which people are bound and chained, without an iota of freedom, with no will to aspire or persevere, no desire to make progress, remaining instead passive and regressive, entrenched in a slave mentality, and so on—these objective factors have imparted an indelibly filthy and ugly cast to the ideological outlook, ideals, morality, and disposition of humanity. Humans, it would seem, are living in a dark world of terrorism, which none among them seeks to transcend, and none among them thinks of moving on to an ideal world; rather, they are content with their lot in life, to spend their days bearing and raising children, striving, sweating, going about their chores, dreaming of a comfortable and happy family, and dreaming of conjugal affection, of filial children, of joy in their twilight years as they peacefully live out their lives…. For tens, thousands, tens of thousands of years until now, people have been squandering their time in this way, with no one creating a perfect life, all intent only on mutual slaughter in this dark world, on the race for fame and fortune, and on intriguing against one another. Who has ever sought after God’s will? Has anyone ever heeded the work of God? All the parts of humanity occupied by the influence of darkness have long since become human nature, and so it is quite difficult to carry out the work of God, and people have even less heart to pay attention to what God has entrusted to them today.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does this “traditional culture” mean? Some say it is passed down from the ancestors—this is one aspect. From the beginning, ways of life, customs, sayings and rules have been passed down within families, ethnic groups and even the entire human race, and they have become instilled in people’s thoughts. People consider them an indispensable part of their lives and regard them as rules, observing them as though they were life itself. Indeed, they never want to change or abandon these things, because they were passed down from their ancestors. There are other aspects of traditional culture which are ingrained into people’s very bones, like the things that were passed down from Confucius and Mencius, and the things taught to people by Chinese Taoism and Confucianism. Is this not so? What things are included in traditional culture? Does it include the holidays people celebrate? For example: the Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the Ghost Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. Some families even celebrate the days when seniors achieve a certain age, or when children reach one month or one hundred days of age. And so on. These are all traditional holidays. Is there not traditional culture underlying these holidays? What is the core of traditional culture? Does it have anything to do with worshiping God? Does it have anything to do with telling people to practice the truth? Are there any holidays for people to offer sacrifice to God, go to God’s altar and receive His teachings? Are there holidays like this? (No.) What do people do on all of these holidays? In modern times they are seen as occasions for eating, drinking, and fun. What is the source underlying traditional culture? Who does traditional culture come from? (Satan.) It comes from Satan. Behind the scenes of these traditional holidays, Satan instills certain things in man. What are these things? Ensuring that people remember their ancestors—is that one of them? For example, during Tomb Sweeping Day, people tidy up graves and offer sacrifices to their ancestors, so as not to forget their ancestors. Also, Satan ensures that people remember to be patriotic, of which an example is the Dragon Boat Festival. What about the Mid-Autumn Festival? (Family reunions.) What is the background of family reunions? What is the reason for it? It is to communicate and connect emotionally. Of course, whether it be celebrating Lunar New Year’s Eve or the Lantern Festival, there are many ways of describing the reasons behind these celebrations. However one describes those reasons, each one is Satan’s way of instilling its philosophy and its thinking in people, so that they will stray from God and not know there is God, and offer sacrifices either to their ancestors or to Satan, or eat, drink, and have fun for the sake of desires of the flesh. As each of these holidays is celebrated, Satan’s thoughts and views are planted deep within the minds of the people without their knowing. When people reach their forties, fifties or even older ages, these thoughts and viewpoints of Satan are already deeply rooted in their hearts. Moreover, people do their utmost to transmit these ideas, whether right or wrong, down to the next generation, indiscriminately and without reservation. Is not this so? (Yes.) How do traditional culture and these holidays corrupt people? Do you know? (People become constrained and bound by the rules of these traditions, such that they have no time or energy to seek God.) This is one aspect. For example, everyone celebrates during Lunar New Year—if you did not celebrate it, would you not feel sad? Are there any superstitions that you hold in your heart? Might you feel, “I didn’t celebrate the New Year, and since Lunar New Year’s day was a bad day, won’t the whole of the rest of the year also be bad”? Would you not feel ill at ease and a bit afraid? There are even some people who have not made sacrifices to their ancestors in years and who suddenly have a dream in which a deceased person asks them for money. What would they feel? “How sad that this person now gone needs money to spend! I’ll burn some paper money for them. If I don’t, that just wouldn’t be right. It might cause trouble for us living people—who can say when misfortune will strike?” They will always have this little cloud of fear and worry in their hearts. Who gives them this worry? (Satan.) Satan is the source of this worry. Is this not one of the ways that Satan corrupts man? It uses different means and pretexts to control you, to threaten you, and to bind you, so that you fall into a daze and yield and submit to it; this is how Satan corrupts man. Often when people are weak or when they are not fully aware of the situation, they may inadvertently do something in a muddle-headed way; that is, they inadvertently fall into Satan’s grasp and might act unwittingly, might do things without knowing what they are doing. This is the way Satan corrupts man. There are even quite a few people now who are reluctant to part with deep-rooted traditional culture, who just cannot give it up. It is especially when they are weak and passive that they wish to celebrate these kinds of holidays and they wish to meet Satan and satisfy Satan again, to bring comfort to their hearts. What is the background to the traditional culture? Is the black hand of Satan pulling the strings behind the scenes? Is Satan’s evil nature manipulating and controlling? Does Satan hold sway over all of this? (Yes.) When people live in a traditional culture and celebrate these kinds of traditional holidays, could we say that this is an environment in which they are being fooled and corrupted by Satan, and moreover that they are happy to be fooled and corrupted by Satan? (Yes.) This is something you all acknowledge, something that you know about.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There are many similarities between traditional culture and superstition, but the difference is that traditional culture has certain stories, allusions, and sources. Satan has fabricated and invented many folk stories or stories that appear in history books, leaving people with deep impressions of traditional cultural or superstitious figures. For example, in China there are the “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Journey to the West,” the Jade Emperor, “Nezha Conquering the Dragon King,” and “The Investiture of the Gods.” Have these not become deeply rooted in the minds of man? Even if some of you do not know all the details, you still know the general stories, and it is this general content that sticks in your heart and your mind, so that you cannot forget them. These are various ideas or legends that Satan prepared for man long ago, and which have been disseminated at different times. These things directly harm and erode people’s souls and put people under one spell after another. That is to say that once you have accepted such traditional culture, stories, or superstitious things, once they are established in your mind, and once they are stuck in your heart, then it is like you are spellbound—you become enmeshed and influenced by these cultural trappings, these ideas and traditional stories. They influence your life, your outlook on life, and your judgment of things. Even more so they influence your pursuit for the true path of life: This is indeed a wicked spell. Try as you might, you cannot shake them off; you chop at them but you cannot chop them down; you beat at them but you cannot beat them away. Furthermore, after people are unknowingly put under this kind of spell, they unknowingly begin to worship Satan, fostering the image of Satan in their hearts. In other words, they establish Satan as their idol, an object for them to worship and look up to, even going so far as to regard it as God. Unknowingly, these things are in people’s hearts, controlling their words and deeds. Moreover, you first regard these stories and legends to be false, but then you unknowingly acknowledge their existence, making of them real figures and turning them into real, existing objects. In your unawareness, you subconsciously receive these ideas and the existence of these things. You also subconsciously receive devils, Satan, and idols into your own home and into your own heart—this is indeed a spell. Do these words resonate with you? (Yes.) Are there any among you who have burned incense and worshiped Buddha? (Yes.) So what was the purpose of burning incense and worshiping Buddha? (Praying for peace.) Thinking about it now, is it not absurd to pray to Satan for peace? Does Satan bring peace? (No.) Do you not see how ignorant you were then? That kind of behavior is absurd, ignorant and naive, is it not? Satan only concerns itself with how to corrupt you. Satan cannot possibly give you peace, only a temporary respite. But to gain this respite you must take a vow, and if you break your promise or the vow that you have made to Satan, then you will see how it torments you. In making you take a vow, it actually wants to control you. When you prayed for peace, did you obtain peace? (No.) You did not obtain peace, but on the contrary your efforts brought misfortune and unending disasters—truly a boundless ocean of bitterness. Peace is not within Satan’s domain, and this is the truth. This is the consequence that feudal superstition and traditional culture have brought mankind.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Knowledge of ancient culture and history spanning several thousand years has closed off man’s thinking and notions and his mental outlook so tightly as to render them impervious and non-biodegradable.[1] People live in the eighteenth circle of hell, where, just as if they have been banished by God into the dungeons, the light may never be seen. Feudal thinking has so oppressed people that they can barely breathe and are suffocating. They have not the slightest jot of strength to resist; all they do is endure and endure in silence…. Never has anyone dared to struggle or stand up for righteousness and justice; people simply live a life worse than an animal’s, under the blows and abuse of feudal ethics, day after day, and year after year. They have never thought to seek out God to enjoy happiness in the human world. It is as if people have been beaten down to the point where they are like the fallen leaves of autumn, withered, desiccated, and yellow-brown. People have long since lost their memory; they live helpless in the hell which is called the human world, waiting for the coming of the last day so that they may perish together with this hell, as if the last day that they yearn for is the day when man shall enjoy restful peace. Feudal ethics have taken the life of man into “Hades,” further weakening man’s power to resist. All sorts of oppression push man, step by step, to fall deeper into Hades, farther and farther away from God, until today he has become a complete stranger to God and makes haste to avoid Him when they meet. Man does not heed Him and leaves Him standing alone to one side, as if man has never known Him, has never seen Him before. Yet God has been waiting for man all through the long journey of human life, never hurling His irrepressible fury toward him, merely waiting quietly, without a word, for man to repent and start anew. God long ago came into the human world to share the sufferings of the human world with man. In all the years that He has lived with man, no one has discovered His existence. God only endures in silence the misery of shabbiness in the human world while carrying out the work He brought in person. He continues to endure for the sake of the will of God the Father and for the sake of the needs of mankind, undergoing sufferings never before experienced by man. In man’s presence He has quietly waited upon him, and in man’s presence He has humbled Himself, for the sake of God the Father’s will and also for the sake of the needs of mankind. Knowledge of ancient culture has surreptitiously stolen man from the presence of God and turned him over to the king of devils and its progeny. The Four Books and Five Classics[a] have taken man’s thinking and notions into another age of rebellion, causing him to give even greater adulation than before to those who compiled the Book/Classic of Documents, and as a result to further exacerbate his notions about God. Unbeknownst to man, the king of devils heartlessly cast God out from his heart and then occupied it itself with triumphant glee. Since that time, man became possessed of an ugly and wicked soul and of the countenance of the king of devils. A hatred of God filled his chest, and the spiteful malice of the king of devils spread within man day after day until he was utterly consumed. Man no longer had the least bit of freedom and had no way of breaking free from the toils of the king of devils. He had no choice but to be taken captive on the spot, to surrender and fall down in submission in its presence.

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From top to bottom and from beginning to end, Satan has been disrupting the work of God and acting in opposition to Him. All this talk of “ancient cultural heritage,” valuable “knowledge of ancient culture,” “teachings of Taoism and Confucianism,” and “Confucian classics and feudal rites” has taken man into hell. Advanced modern-day science and technology, as well as highly developed industry, agriculture, and business are nowhere to be seen. Rather, all it does is emphasize the feudal rites propagated by the “apes” of ancient times in order to deliberately disrupt, oppose, and dismantle the work of God. Not only has it continued to afflict man until this day, but it even wants to swallow[2] man whole. The transmission of the moral and ethical teachings of feudalism and the passing down of the knowledge of ancient culture have long infected humanity, turning them into devils big and small. Few are those who would gladly receive God, few who would jubilantly welcome His coming. The face of all humanity is filled with murderous intent, and in every place, a killing breath pervades the air. They seek to cast God out from this land; with knives and swords in hand, they arrange themselves in battle formation to “annihilate” God. All across this land of the devil, where man is constantly taught there is no God, idols are spread, and the air above is permeated by a nauseating odor of burning paper and incense, so thick as to be suffocating. It is like the stench of sludge that wafts up with the writhing of the poisonous serpent, so much so that one cannot keep from vomiting. Besides this, there can faintly be heard the sound of evil demons chanting scriptures, a sound which seems to be coming from faraway in hell, so much so that one cannot keep from shivering. Everywhere in this land are placed idols of all colors of the rainbow, turning the land into a world of sensual delights, while the king of devils keeps laughing wickedly, as if its dastardly plot has succeeded. Meanwhile, man remains completely oblivious, and nor has he any inkling that the devil has already corrupted him to the point where he has become senseless and hangs his head in defeat. It wishes, in one fell swoop, to wipe out everything about God, and once again to defile and assassinate Him; it is intent upon tearing down and disrupting His work. How can it allow God to be of equal status? How can it tolerate God “interfering” with its work among men on earth? How can it allow God to unmask its hideous face? How can it allow God to put its work in disarray? How can this devil, apoplectic with rage, allow God to have control over its imperial court on the earth? How can it willingly bow down to His superior might? Its hideous countenance has been revealed for what it is, so that one knows not whether to laugh or cry, and it is truly difficult to speak of. Is this not its substance? With an ugly soul, it still believes that it is beautiful beyond belief. This gang of accomplices in crime![3] They come down into the mortal realm to indulge in pleasures and cause a commotion, stirring things up so much that the world becomes a fickle and inconstant place and the heart of man is filled with panic and unease, and they have toyed with man so much that his appearance has become that of an inhuman beast of the field, supremely ugly, and from which the last trace of the original holy man has been lost. Furthermore, they even wish to assume sovereign power on earth. They impede the work of God so much that it can barely inch forward, and they close man off as tightly as walls of copper and steel. Having committed so many grievous sins and caused so many disasters, are they still expecting something other than chastisement? Demons and evil spirits have been running amok on earth for a time, and have sealed off both the will and the painstaking effort of God so tightly that they are impenetrable. Truly, this is a mortal sin! How can God not feel anxious? How can God not feel wrathful? They have gravely hindered and opposed the work of God: How rebellious!

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (7)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The Chinese have a traditional notion that holds that people should observe filial piety toward their parents. This is what Confucius taught. Whoever does not observe filial piety is an unfilial child. This idea has been instilled in people since childhood, and it is taught in practically every household, as well as in every school and in society at large. When a person’s head has been filled with such stuff, they think, “Filial piety is more important than anything. If I weren’t to observe it, I wouldn’t be a good person—I’d be an unfilial child, and I’d be denounced for having no conscience.” Since coming to believe in God, you have found that the truth and God’s words make no mention of these things. In God’s words, what principle is mentioned with regard to how people should treat each other? Love what God loves, and hate what God hates. That is, the people God loves, who truly pursue the truth and do God’s will, are the very ones you should love. Those who do not do God’s will, who hate God, who disobey Him, and whom He despises are ones we, too, should despise and reject. This is what God’s word requires. If your parents do not believe in God, then they hate Him; and if they hate Him, then God certainly loathes them. So, if you were told to hate your parents, could you do it? If they resist God and revile Him, then they are certainly people He hates and curses. Under such circumstances, how should you treat your parents if either they obstruct your believing in God, or if they do not? During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus said, “Who is My mother? And who are My brothers? … For whoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” This saying already existed back in the Age of Grace, and now God’s words are even more apt: “Love what God loves, and hate what God hates.” These words cut straight to the point, yet people are often unable to appreciate their true meaning. If a person is cursed by God, but from all outward appearances seems to be quite good, or is a parent or relative of yours, then you might find yourself unable to hate that person, and there might even be a good deal of intimacy and a close relationship between you. When you hear such words from God, you get upset and are unable to harden your heart toward or abandon such a person. This is because there is a traditional notion here that is binding you. You think that if you do this, you will incur the wrath of Heaven, be punished by Heaven, and even be cast aside by society and condemned in the court of public opinion. Furthermore, an even more pragmatic problem is that it will be on your conscience. This conscience comes from what your parents taught you from childhood, or from the influence and infection of social culture, either of which has planted such a root and way of thinking inside you that you cannot practice God’s word and love what He loves and hate what He hates. However, deep down, you know that you should hate them and reject them, for your life came from God, and was not given by your parents. Man ought to worship God and return himself to Him. Even though you say and think that, you simply cannot come around and are simply unable to put it into practice. What is going on here? It is that these things have bound you, tightly and profoundly. Satan uses these things to bind your thoughts, your mind, and your heart so that you cannot accept God’s words. Such things have filled you up completely, to the point that you have no room for God’s words. Moreover, if you try to put His words into practice, then those things will take effect inside you and make you controvert His words and requirements, thus making you unable to extricate yourself from these knots and unable to break free from this bondage. It will be hopeless, and, without the strength to struggle, you will give up after a while. Some people manage to struggle free, while others give up. “Traditional notions and moral standards are what matter,” they think. “Let’s set God’s words aside. We’re living in this world, after all, and we have to rely on these people.” Rather than court negative public opinion and censure, which they would be unable to bear, they choose to offend God, abandon the truth and God’s words, and surrender themselves to the bondage of public opinion or traditional notions. Is man not pitiful? Does he not have need of God’s salvation?

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Every person who lives in our present society, no matter how much education they have received, has many things within their thinking and views. Traditional Chinese women, in particular, believe a woman’s place is in the home, that women must be good wives and mothers who spend and devote their whole lives to their husbands and children. Three meals a day for their family, cleaning, laundry—they must do everything in the house, and do it exceptionally well. This is, of course, the standard in our society for a “good wife and mother.” Every woman believes this is how she should act, and that, if she does not, she is not a good woman, and will have gone against her conscience, and will have violated standards of morality. There are even some who, having played this role poorly or without regard for society’s standards, are gnawed by conscience, and feel they have let down their children and their husband. Does having come to believe in God and being called to perform your duty create a conflict with your being a good wife and mother, a model mom, a woman who conforms to standards? If you wish to be a good wife and mother, then you cannot spend one hundred percent of your time on your duty. When a conflict arises between your role as a wife and mother and your duty, which do you choose? If you chose to perform your duty and take responsibility for the work of God’s house, to do all you can, with absolute devotion to God, and, in doing so, were obliged to set aside your wifely and maternal obligations, how would you feel? What would reverberate in your mind? Would you feel you have failed your children? Where does this sense of failure, this unease come from? Do you feel uneasy when you have not performed the duty of a created being well? You are not uneasy, nor do you feel blame, because this positive thing is not instilled in your thoughts, views, and conscience. What, then, is instilled in them? Being a good wife and mother. If you are not a good wife and mother, then you are not a good woman, not a “decent” woman. Is that not your standard? This standard binds you; you are made to carry it with you as you believe in God and perform your duty. When a conflict arises between performing your duty and being a good wife and a loving mother, though you may reluctantly choose to perform your duty or be loyal to God, there will be a measure of unease in your heart, and a greater measure of blame. When you are not performing your duty, you go home and take good care of your children or your husband, trying to make up for your absence, though, in doing so, you endure greater hardship of the flesh. It is a mental injunction that makes you do this. Yet have we performed our responsibility, our obligation, and our duty before God? When we are careless and perfunctory in our duty, or when we do not wish to do it, is there a sense of blame in our hearts, or a sense of reproach? We feel not the slightest reproach, as such a thing does not exist within people’s humanity. Therefore, though you might perform a bit of your duty, you remain quite removed from the standards of the truth and of God. God said, “God is the source of man’s life.” What is the meaning of these words? They are meant to let all people know this: Our lives and our spirits come from God, not from our parents, and certainly not from mankind, or this society of ours, or from nature. They were given to us by God, and, though our fleshly bodies are birthed by our parents, it is God who controls our destinies. That we can believe in God is an opportunity He has given us; it is ordained by Him, and it is His grace. Therefore, you are under no obligation to undertake obligations or to take responsibility for any other person; your only obligation is to perform for God the duty a created being should perform. This is what man is most supposed to do, and, among all the great matters in a person’s life, it is the one they most ought to complete—it is the main affair of one’s life. If you do not perform your duty well, you are not a true created being. In the eyes of man, you may be a good wife and mother, a wonderful housewife, a dutiful daughter, and an upstanding member of civil society, but, before God, you are one who rebels against Him, one who performs none of their obligations or duty, and one who did not fulfill the commission they accepted from God. Would such a person still have standing before God? Such a person is not worth a copper penny.

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Every single thing that exists in our hearts is in opposition to God. This includes the things we think are good, and even those we already believe to be positive. We have listed these things as truths, as part of normal humanity, and as positive things; however, from God’s perspective, they are things that He loathes. The gulf between what we think and the truth spoken by God is immeasurable. Hence, we must know ourselves. From our ideas, viewpoints, and actions to the cultural education we have received, each thing is worth delving deep into and thoroughly dissecting. Some of these things come from social environments, some come from families, some come from school education, and some come from books. Some also come from our imaginations and notions. These sorts of things are the most frightening, for they bind and control our words and actions, dominate our minds, and guide our motives, intentions, and goals in what we do. If we do not unearth these things, we will never fully accept God’s words within us, and we will never accept God’s requirements without reservation and put them into practice. As long as you harbor your own ideas and viewpoints, and convictions of things that you believe to be correct, you will never fully or unreservedly accept God’s words, nor will you practice them in their original form; you will surely only put them into practice after first processing them in your mind. This will be how you do things, and it will also be the way in which you help others: You may still fellowship on God’s words, but you will always have your own impurities mixed in, and you will think that this is what it means to practice the truth, that you have understood the truth, and that you have it all. Is man’s state not pitiful? Is it not scary?

Excerpted from “Only by Recognizing Your Misguided Views Can You Know Yourself” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Traditional culture is not the truth, that much is clear, but is it enough for people to know that it is not the truth? The fact that it is not the truth is one thing; why do we need to dissect it? What is its root? What is the essence of the problem? How can people let go of this thing? Dissecting traditional culture is meant to engender a completely new perception in the depths of your heart of the theories, ideas, and views about it. So, what must be done to arrive at this completely new perception? First of all, you need to be aware that traditional culture comes from Satan. And how has Satan instilled this traditional culture in people? Satan has produced these ideas at various times by means of various famous people, producing these so-called explanations and theories, and these have gradually become systematized, made concrete, and gradually drawn closer and become more central to people’s lives; they have gradually become pervasive among mankind, and, bit by bit, these concepts, these explanations and theories have been infused into people’s way of thinking. Since being infused into people’s way of thinking, people have come to regard these concepts as the most positive things, which they should practice and obey, and Satan has used these things to shackle and control people’s thought. It is in such an environment that mankind is constantly being educated, nurtured, and controlled, and this has been passed down from generation to generation to the present day. All these generations of people have believed that traditional culture is right and good, and no one has made the effort to dissect this so-called good, correct thing to find its exact origin and source. Herein lies the seriousness of the problem. Even believers in God, who have read His words for many years, still believe that these things are right and positive, and they even think that they can be substituted for the truth, and replace the word of God. Even worse, some people think: “Regardless of how often you read the word of God, you live among men, and you cannot abandon so-called traditional concepts and culture, such as the Three Obediences and Four Virtues or the Five Moralities, because they have been passed down from our ancestors, and, because our ancestors were sages, we cannot go against their teachings simply because of our belief in God, nor can we tinker with or discard these teachings of our venerable ancestors.” People all have such thoughts and perceptions deep down; they are subconsciously still controlled and bound by these things.

Excerpted from “They Behave in Strange and Mysterious Ways, They Are Arbitrary and Dictatorial, They Never Fellowship With Others, and They Force Others to Obey Them” in Exposing Antichrists

In His expression of the truth, God expresses His disposition and essence; His expression of the truth is not based on mankind’s summaries of the various positive things and statements that mankind recognizes. God’s words are God’s words; God’s words are truth. They are the foundation and the law by which mankind should exist, and those so-called tenets that originate with humanity are condemned by God. They do not meet with His approval, and less still are they the origin or basis of His utterances. God expresses His disposition and His essence through His words. All the words brought forth by God’s expression are truth, for He has the essence of God, and He is the reality of all positive things. The fact that God’s words are truth never alters, no matter how this corrupt mankind positions them or defines them, nor how it views them or understands them. No matter how many words of God have been spoken, and no matter how much this corrupt, sinful mankind condemns and rejects them, there remains a fact that cannot be changed: Even in these circumstances, the so-called culture and traditions that mankind values cannot become positive things, and cannot become the truth. This is unalterable. Mankind’s traditional culture and way of existence will not become truth because of the changes or passage of time, and neither will the words of God become the words of man due to mankind’s condemnation or forgetfulness. This essence will never change; truth is always truth. What fact exists herein? All those sayings that are summarized by mankind originate in Satan—they are human imaginings and notions, even arising from human hot-bloodedness, and have nothing at all to do with positive things. The words of God, on the other hand, are expressions of God’s essence and status. For what reason does He express these words? Why do I say they are truth? The reason is that God rules over all the laws, principles, roots, essences, actualities, and mysteries of all things, and they are grasped in His hand, and God alone knows their origins and what their roots really are. Therefore, only the definitions of all things mentioned in the words of God are most accurate, and the requirements for mankind within God’s words are the only standard for mankind—the only criteria by which mankind should exist. Nevertheless, the laws by which mankind exists are derived, in one regard, from a violation of the fact of God’s rule over all things, and in another regard from a violation of the fact of God’s sovereignty over the laws of all things. They come from man’s imaginings and notions, and come also from Satan. What sort of role does Satan play? First, Satan impersonates the truth; second, it destroys, disturbs, and tramples all the principles and laws of God’s creation of all things. Thus, things that come from Satan match its essence precisely, and are full of Satan’s wicked intentions, temptations, and disguises, as well as Satan’s never-ending ambition. These will never become truth, regardless of whether corrupt mankind can discern them, regardless of the degree to which corrupt mankind accepts them, and regardless of the longevity of the era during which corrupt mankind admires them, worships them, and preaches them, and regardless, too, of how many people admire, worship, and preach them. They will never become truth, and will always remain negative things, for their essence, origin, and root is Satan, the Satan that is the enemy of God and in enmity with truth. When there is no truth against which to contrast them, they may pretend that they are good and that they are positive, but when the truth is used to dissect and expose them, they are not without vulnerabilities. They cannot stand fast, and they are things quickly condemned, exposed, and cast aside. The truth God expresses is exactly in line with the needs of mankind’s normal humanity, which God created, while what Satan gives man is in precise violation of those needs. It makes a normal person abnormal, immoderate, narrow-minded, arrogant, foolish, evil, hard, vicious, and, above all, insufferably arrogant. At a certain point, that person becomes mentally deranged, no longer even knowing who they are. They refuse to be normal people but must act as non-normal human beings; they refuse to be ordinary people but insist instead on becoming superior human beings—and thus is people’s humanity warped, and thus are their instincts warped. Truth makes people more able to live instinctually in accordance with the principles and laws of normal humanity and all the principles that God has dictated, whereas these so-called sayings and laws of Satan are precisely what cause people to violate their instincts and try to escape the laws that God has decreed and dictated, and even abandon the path of normal humanity, doing immoderate things that people with normal humanity should not do and of which they should not think.

Excerpted from “They Do Their Duty Only to Distinguish Themselves and Feed Their Own Interests and Ambitions; They Never Consider the Interests of God’s House, and Even Sell Those Interests Out in Exchange for Personal Glory (Part One)” in Exposing Antich

Footnotes:

1. “Non-biodegradable” is intended as satire here, meaning that people are rigid in their knowledge, culture, and spiritual outlook.

2. “Swallow” refers to the vicious behavior of the king of devils, which ravishes people in their entirety.

3. “Accomplices in crime” are of the same ilk as “a band of hoodlums.”

a. The Four Books and Five Classics are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China.

151. The Principles of How to Treat Practical Culture and Knowledge

(1) Practical culture and knowledge come from God. They are of benefit to one in raising their caliber, and one should be furnished with them. They should be regarded properly, studied, and mastered;

(2) Culture and knowledge are not the truth and cannot serve as a person’s life; they are merely tools that are indispensable to man’s existence. Do not have blind faith in them or worship them;

(3) Only by understanding the truth can one properly regard and reasonably employ culture and knowledge. One who has merely grasped some knowledge, without the truth, cannot rid themselves of Satan’s corruption;

(4) Practical knowledge conducive to the performance of duty should be studied and mastered, for the sake of preaching and testifying better to God’s words and work.

Relevant Words of God:

Raising people’s caliber means requiring you to improve your powers of comprehension, so that you can understand God’s words, and know how to act upon them. This is the most basic requirement of all. If you follow Me without understanding what I say, is your faith not muddled? No matter how many words I utter, if they are beyond your reach, if you cannot quite understand them no matter what I say, then this means you are of poor caliber. Without powers of comprehension, you understand nothing of what I say, which makes it very difficult to achieve the desired effect; there is much that I cannot say to you directly, and the intended effect cannot be achieved, thus necessitating additional work. Since your powers of comprehension, your ability to see things, and the standards by which you live are too deficient, the work of “caliber raising” must be carried out in you. This is inevitable, and there is no alternative. Only thus can some effect be achieved; if not, all of the words I say would be for nothing. And would you all not then go down in history as sinners? Would you not become the scum of the earth? Do you not know what work is being performed in you, and what is required of you? You ought to know your own caliber: It does not meet My requirements at all. And does this not delay My work? Based on your current caliber and the current state of your character, not one of you is fit to bear witness to Me, nor are any of you up to the task of shouldering the heavy responsibilities of My future work. Do you not feel deeply ashamed? If you go on like this, how can you satisfy My will? You should live your life to the fullest. Do not let time pass in vain—there is no value in doing so. You should know what you ought to be equipped with. Do not think yourself a jack of all trades—you still have a long way to go! What more is there to say if you do not even possess the minimum common sense of humanity? Is it not all in vain? And as for the humanity and caliber I require, not a single one of you is fully qualified. It is extremely difficult to find someone who is fit for use. You believe yourselves capable of doing greater work for Me, and of being entrusted with greater things from Me; in fact, you do not even know how to enter into many of the lessons before your very eyes—so how could you possibly enter into deeper truths? Your entry should take a layered approach and by degrees. It must not be chaotic—that is no good. Start with the very shallowest entry: Read these words line by line until you achieve understanding and clarity. When you read God’s words, do not just skim through as if admiring flowers while galloping on horseback, and do not just go through the motions. You can also regularly read some reference books (such as books on grammar or rhetoric) to improve your knowledge. Do not read books like romance novels, biographies of great men, or those about social science; these are of no benefit, and can only cause harm. You must master all that you should enter into and understand. The purpose of raising people’s caliber is to give them an awareness of their own essence, identity, status and worth. You should understand why people must pursue the truth in believing in God, and whether it is acceptable for people to not raise their caliber. It is imperative that you keep yourselves educated; you must not throw this away! You must understand why people’s caliber must be raised, how it should be raised, and which aspects to enter into. You must understand the significance of living out normal humanity, why this work has to be done, and the part that man should play. For example, in becoming educated, you should understand which aspects should be studied, and how one should enter into them. You should all know what the goal of becoming educated is. Is it not to understand the words of God and to enter into the truth? What prevails throughout the churches today? Making people educate themselves causes them to forget about the enjoyment of God’s words, and they do nothing all day beyond getting educated. If you require them to live out normal humanity, they will attend only to tidying up their house, cooking, or buying kitchen utensils. These things will be their sole focus; they will even be unaware of how to lead an ordinary church life. If you find yourself in the current circumstances, you have gone astray in your practice. Then why are you asked to enter into the spiritual life? Simply learning those things will leave you incapable of achieving what is asked of you. Entering into life is still what is most important; the reason for doing that work, meanwhile, is to resolve the difficulties people encounter in their experiences. Raising your caliber gives you knowledge of human nature and the essence of man, the main purpose of which is so that people’s spiritual life can grow and their disposition can change. You may know how to dress up and make yourself look nice, you may be insightful and clever, and yet ultimately, when the day comes for you to go to work, you cannot. Thus should you be aware of what should also be done while raising your caliber. The goal is to change you; raising your caliber is supplemental. It will not do if your caliber is not improved, and if your disposition is not changed, that is even worse. Neither can be omitted. Possessing normal humanity does not mean that you have borne resounding testimony—what is required of you is not so simple.

Excerpted from “Raising Caliber Is for the Sake of Receiving God’s Salvation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

We will start by addressing the most superficial aspect of knowledge. Are the grammar and words in languages able to corrupt people? Can words corrupt people? (No.) Words do not corrupt people; they are a tool that people use to speak and they are also the tool with which people communicate with God, not to mention that at present, language and words are how God communicates with people. They are tools, and they are a necessity. One plus one equals two, and two multiplied by two equals four; is this not knowledge? But can this corrupt you? This is common knowledge—it is a fixed pattern—and so it cannot corrupt people. So what type of knowledge does corrupt people? Corrupting knowledge is knowledge that is intermingled with Satan’s viewpoints and thoughts. Satan seeks to inculcate these viewpoints and thoughts into humanity through the medium of knowledge. For example, in an article, there is nothing wrong with the written words in themselves. The problem lies with the viewpoints and intent of the author when they wrote the article, as well as the content of their thoughts. These are things of the spirit, and they are able to corrupt people. For example, if you were watching a television show, what sort of things in it could change people’s view? Would what the performers said, the words themselves, be able to corrupt people? (No.) What sort of things would corrupt people? It would be the core thoughts and content of the show, which would represent the director’s views. The information carried in these views could sway people’s hearts and minds. Is that not so? Now you know what I am referring to in My discussion of Satan using knowledge to corrupt people. You will not misunderstand, will you? So the next time you read a novel or an article, will you be able to evaluate whether or not the thoughts expressed in the written words corrupt mankind or contribute to humanity? (Yes, to a small extent.) This is something that must be studied and experienced at a slow pace, and it is not something that is easily understood right away. For example, when researching or studying an area of knowledge, some positive aspects of that knowledge may help you to understand some general knowledge about that field, while also enabling you to know what people should avoid. For example, take “electricity”—this is a field of knowledge, is it not? Would you not be ignorant if you did not know that electricity can shock and hurt people? But once you understand this field of knowledge, you will not be careless about touching objects with electrical currents, and you will know how to use electricity. These are both positive things.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People definitely have many imaginings and notions about belief in God. Some people even think that they have nothing to learn after they start believing in God. They believe that God will take action when the time comes, and when God performs signs and wonders, people will be able to do anything. These are the imaginings and notions of man. The skills and knowledge people should learn in relation to their duty should be approached and studied as befits the duty; do not idly dream and do not rely on your imagination—what God asks people to do is what they ought to attain, and so no matter what it is, accept it as your duty and take it seriously. This is the perspective people should have toward their duty, and it is not a notion, it is the truth, and it is also what God requires. Much of the time, what God does is at odds with people’s imaginings. If people are able to put aside their notions, seek God’s will, and seek the truth principles, then they will be able to accept it. If you are stubborn and refuse to let go of your notions, this is tantamount to not accepting the truth, to not accepting the things that are right. If you do not accept the truth and things that are right, can it be said that you are hostile to God? The truth and positive things come from God. If you do not accept them, and still cling to your own notions, then this clearly shows that you are hostile to the truth.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are various projects in the work of spreading the gospel, and they require people to specialize in the study of various skills and professions. Some people do not understand God’s will and are prone to go astray: They merely delve into a profession or skill and do not accept the truth. What sort of people are they? (They are the sort with an antichrist’s disposition, who focus on gifts.) Correct—that is the sort of person that is revealed, the sort with an antichrist’s disposition, and, in serious cases, they are indeed antichrists. They wish to use this chance to learn these things, and then to become preeminent among all who have the same skill and profession, to become the one who has learned it best and to the greatest proficiency, the one on whom others must rely in all they do. As they become the leader in their field, they make others pay heed to them, and they use this as a substitute for the practice of the truth. Herein lies the problem. Who are such people? Those who seek only to study and equip themselves with varied knowledge, learning, and experiences, who rely on their caliber, talents, and gifts to do everything will, sooner or later, follow such a path. This is inevitable, and it is the path of Paul. In any area, in any field, though you may have acquired more experience or knowledge than others, or learned more through experience than them, this does not suffice to show that you have understood the truth, or have entered into truth reality, or that you are possessed of the truth. What could suffice to show this, then? What could suffice to show this would be coming to a better understanding of the principles that underlie the performance of a duty in the process of learning its associated skill and profession, and coming to a better understanding of the required standards for the performance of this duty in God’s house. With some people, the more you ask them to learn the knowledge of a profession, the more they resist. They feel unable to perform their duty, and, by way of excuse, they ask: Since belief in God should be kept separate from the world of the unbelievers, why do we need to learn the skills and knowledge of unbelievers? They simply do not wish to study. This is laziness. They act with an irresponsible attitude, and they are without loyalty, not wishing to make any effort even in this small thing. The impetus for learning a skill and profession is the fulfillment of duty, and there is much expertise and foundational knowledge of things with which you were previously uninvolved that you must acquire. This is what God requires of man and it is the task God entrusts to man; so you do not study these things in vain, but for the sake of fulfilling your duty. Some people think that once they learn these skills, they can gain a foothold in God’s house. However, such thinking can get them in trouble, right? It is an incorrect view. Is anyone likely to walk this path? The more power you give them, the larger the scope of work you give them, and the more responsibilities you give them, the more danger they are in. How does this danger come about? Naturally, it comes from people having corrupt dispositions, having the disposition of an antichrist, only focusing on methods, going through the motions, and not seeking principles. They do not use the performance of their duties to understand God’s will or to better understand and grasp the truth principles. They do not seek the principles, nor do they examine or review what corruption has been revealed in themselves, what incorrect views they have formed, or what wrong states they have become entrapped in while performing their duties. They only focus on outward methods and on mastering and becoming equipped with all the knowledge their duties require. They believe that in any profession, knowledge comes before everything else, and that with that knowledge, they can become powerful and gain a foothold in the group. In any group of people, no matter which, those who have the most knowledge and who are the best educated have the highest status. For example, in a hospital, the general director is typically the best in terms of professional knowledge, as well as the most adept in terms of technical skill. These people imagine things operate the same way in God’s house. Is this a correct understanding? No, it is not, because it goes against the principle of “the truth rules in God’s house.” These people believe knowledge rules in God’s house, that whoever has the most knowledge or experience, or whoever has the greatest seniority or has the most capital, is the one who should be raised up to a higher position in God’s house and is the one to whom everyone should listen. However, this view is wrong, is it not? Some people might think this way without being aware of it, and they might even act on it and seek in this manner, but one day, they will run right into a wall. Why will they run into a wall? Can people who do not love the truth, do not seek the truth, and completely ignore the truth ever come to know themselves? (No.) Without an understanding of themselves, they equip themselves with a lot of knowledge, pay a certain price for God’s house, accumulate some merit, and then turn these things into capital. What is this capital to them? It is a record of their practice of the truth, and proof of their entry to the truth reality and their understanding of the truth; this is what it has become. When a person understands the truth and enters its realities, this is a good and positive thing in everyone’s eyes, and of course these people feel that way, too. Unfortunately, they mistakenly consider knowledge to be the truth and feel good about this mistake, and that is a sign of danger. What type of person does this? People who lack spiritual understanding do this. They go on and on until they set foot upon this path, and then it is impossible to pull them back. You can fellowship with them, point out the states they are in, or expose them, but they understand none of it. They are unable to apply any of what you say to them to themselves, and this shows a serious lack of spiritual understanding. They very naturally consider the knowledge, experience, and lessons they have gained to be the truth, and once they do so, a particular situation always emerges in the end. This is inevitable. If God says one thing and they say another, their viewpoints are inevitably different from His, but who do these people say is correct? They consider themselves to be correct. So, are they capable of submitting to God? No; they maintain their own views and deny what He says. As such, are these people not treating themselves as incarnations of the truth?

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

God created each man with his own specialty. Some are good at literature, some at mathematics, and some are good at the in-depth study of a skill, such as mechanics, carpentry, or masonry. Perhaps the specialties of some people come from systematic education in society; or, perhaps, they come from a person’s natural aptitude. Once a person has mastered a skill, whether that mastery is learned or is a product of their aptitude, they feel happy and content to think they have an “iron rice bowl”; they value their skill as a sort of capital, which is troublesome. So, how should such things be viewed? If they have a use in the house of God, then they are no more than tools with which to fulfill your duty, and are unrelated to the truth. What is related to the truth, then? To listen to the words of God and act according to principles as you use your skill and profession to do your duty; to turn your skill and profession into a tool with which to perform your duty, and to wield that tool better, to perform your duty better, with that tool helping you to fulfill your duty—this is of use. Yet no matter how useful such things are, they can never become the truth; no matter how great your mastery of your skill and your profession, nor how great your accomplishments in this talent of yours, they can never be the truth, nor can they ever serve as capital or a bargaining chip for your perfection. They are forever dead things that have nothing to do with the truth.

Excerpted from “They Would Have Others Obey Only Them, Not the Truth or God (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

152. The Principles of How to Treat Knowledge and Science

(1) Neither knowledge nor science is the truth; they are tools that Satan and demons employ to corrupt man. The path of pursuing knowledge and science leads to destruction;

(2) Neither knowledge nor science can save mankind. They can only corrupt him, causing him to shun God and deny the truth, and they visit calamity on him;

(3) The more knowledge one has, the more arrogant and conceited they are, and the stronger their resistance against God. The more knowledge one has, the more fallacious and absurd their thoughts and views. Knowledge makes one hate the truth;

(4) Neither knowledge nor science can resolve the issue of man’s corruption; they can only expedite his destruction. Only with the truth can mankind be saved.

Relevant Words of God:

Since mankind’s contrivance of the social sciences, the mind of man has become occupied by science and knowledge. Science and knowledge then have become tools for the ruling of mankind, and there is no longer sufficient room for man to worship God, and no more favorable conditions for the worship of God. The position of God has sunk ever lower in the heart of man. Without God in his heart, man’s inner world is dark, hopeless and empty. Subsequently many social scientists, historians, and politicians have come to the fore to express theories of social science, the theory of human evolution, and other theories that contradict the truth that God created man, to fill the hearts and minds of mankind. And in this way, those who believe that God created everything have become ever fewer, and those who believe in the theory of evolution have become ever greater in number. More and more people treat the records of the work of God and His words during the age of the Old Testament as myths and legends. In their hearts, people become indifferent to the dignity and greatness of God, to the tenet that God exists and holds dominion over all things. The survival of mankind and the fate of countries and nations are no longer important to them, and man lives in a hollow world concerned only with eating, drinking, and the pursuit of pleasure. … Few people take it upon themselves to seek out where God does His work today, or to look for how He presides over and arranges the destination of man. And in this way, unbeknownst to man, human civilization becomes less and less able to hew to man’s wishes, and there are even many people who feel that, living in such a world, they are less happy than those who have already passed away. Even people of countries that used to be highly civilized air such grievances. For without the guidance of God, no matter how much rulers and sociologists wrack their brains to preserve human civilization, it is to no avail. No one can fill the emptiness in man’s heart, for no one can be the life of man, and no social theory can free man from the emptiness with which he is afflicted. Science, knowledge, freedom, democracy, leisure, comfort: these bring man only a temporary consolation. Even with these things, man still inevitably sins and bemoans the injustices of society. These things cannot restrain man’s craving and desire to explore. This is because man was made by God and the senseless sacrifices and explorations of man can only lead to more distress and can only cause man to exist in a constant state of fear, not knowing how to face the future of mankind or how to face the path that lies ahead. Man even comes to fear science and knowledge, and fear even more the feeling of emptiness. In this world, regardless of whether you live in a free country or one without human rights, you are utterly incapable of escaping the fate of mankind. Whether you are the ruler or the ruled, you are utterly incapable of escaping the desire to explore the fate, mysteries, and destination of mankind, much less are you capable of escaping the bewildering sense of emptiness. Such phenomena, which are common to all of mankind, are called social phenomena by sociologists, yet no great man can come forth to solve such problems. Man, after all, is man, and the position and life of God cannot be replaced by any man. Mankind does not just require a fair society in which everyone is well-fed and is equal and free; what mankind needs is the salvation of God and His provision of life to them. Only when man receives God’s provision of life and His salvation can the needs, the yearning to explore, and the spiritual emptiness of man be resolved. If the people of a country or a nation are unable to receive the salvation and care of God, then such a country or nation will tread the road of decline, toward darkness, and shall be annihilated by God.

Excerpted from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Is knowledge something that everyone considers to be a positive thing? At the very least, people think that the connotation of the word “knowledge” is positive rather than negative. So why are we mentioning here that Satan uses knowledge to corrupt man? Is the theory of evolution not an aspect of knowledge? Are Newton’s scientific laws not a part of knowledge? The gravitational pull of the earth is also a part of knowledge, is it not? (Yes.) So why is knowledge listed among the things that Satan uses to corrupt mankind? What is your view on this? Does knowledge have even a shred of truth in it? (No.) Then what is the essence of knowledge? On what basis is all the knowledge that man acquires learned? Is it based on the theory of evolution? Is not the knowledge that man has gained through exploration and summation based on atheism? Does any of this knowledge have a connection to God? Is it connected with worshiping God? Is it connected to truth? (No.) So how does Satan use knowledge to corrupt man? I just said that none of this knowledge is connected with worshiping God or with truth. Some people think about it like this: “Knowledge might not have anything to do with truth, but still, it doesn’t corrupt people.” What is your view on this? Were you taught by knowledge that a person’s happiness must be created with their own two hands? Did knowledge teach you that man’s fate was in his own hands? (Yes.) What kind of talk is this? (It is devilish talk.) Absolutely right! It is devilish talk! Knowledge is a complicated subject to discuss. You may state simply that a field of knowledge is nothing more than knowledge. That is a field of knowledge that is learned on the basis of not worshiping God and on not understanding that God created all things. When people study this type of knowledge, they do not see God having sovereignty over all things; they do not see God being in charge of or managing all things. Instead, all they do is endlessly research and explore that area of knowledge, and seek out answers based on knowledge. However, is it not true that if people do not believe in God and instead only pursue research, they will never find the true answers? All that knowledge can give you is a livelihood, a job, income so that you do not go hungry; but it will never make you worship God, and it will never keep you far from evil. The more you study knowledge, the more you will desire to rebel against God, to subject God to your studies, to tempt God, and to resist God. So, what do we now see that knowledge is teaching people? It is all the philosophy of Satan. Do the philosophies and rules of survival spread by Satan among corrupt men have any relation to truth? They have nothing to do with truth and, in fact, are the opposite of the truth. People often say, “Life is motion” and “Man is iron, rice is steel, man feels famished if he skips a meal”; what are these sayings? They are fallacies, and hearing them causes a feeling of disgust. In man’s so-called knowledge, Satan has imbued quite a bit of its philosophy for living and its thinking. And as Satan does this, it allows man to adopt its thinking, philosophy, and points of view so that man may deny the existence of God, deny God’s dominion over all things and over man’s fate. So as man’s studies progress and he gains more knowledge, he feels the existence of God become vague, and might even no longer feel that God exists. As Satan has added viewpoints, notions, and thoughts into the mind of man, is not man corrupted during this process? (Yes.) What does man now base his life upon? Is he really living on the basis of this knowledge? No; man is basing his life on the thoughts, views and philosophies of Satan that are hidden within this knowledge. This is where the essential part of Satan’s corruption of man occurs; this is both Satan’s goal and its method for corrupting man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During the process of man’s learning of knowledge, Satan employs all manner of methods, whether it be telling stories, simply giving them some individual piece of knowledge, or allowing them to satisfy their desires or ambitions. What road does Satan want to lead you down? People think there is nothing wrong with learning knowledge, that it is entirely natural. To put it in a way that sounds appealing, to foster lofty ideals or to have ambitions is to have drive, and this should be the right path in life. Is it not a more glorious way for people to live if they can realize their own ideals, or successfully establish a career? By doing these things, one can not only honor one’s ancestors but also has the chance to leave one’s mark on history—is this not a good thing? This is a good thing in the eyes of worldly people, and to them it should be proper and positive. Does Satan, however, with its sinister motives, take people on to this kind of road and that’s all there is to it? Of course not. In fact, no matter how lofty man’s ideals are, no matter how realistic man’s desires are or how proper they may be, all that man wants to achieve, all that man seeks for, is inextricably linked to two words. These two words are vitally important to the life of every person, and they are things Satan intends to instill in man. What are these two words? They are “fame” and “gain.” Satan uses a very subtle kind of method, a method very much in concert with people’s notions, which is not at all radical, through which it causes people to unknowingly accept its way of living, its rules to live by, and to establish life goals and their direction in life, and in doing so they also unknowingly come to have ambitions in life. No matter how grand these life ambitions may seem, they are inextricably linked to “fame” and “gain.” Everything that any great or famous person—all people, in fact—follow in life relates only to these two words: “fame” and “gain.” People think that once they have fame and gain, they can then capitalize on those things to enjoy high status and great wealth, and to enjoy life. They think fame and gain are a kind of capital that they can use to obtain a life of pleasure-seeking and wanton enjoyment of the flesh. For the sake of this fame and gain which mankind so covets, people willingly, albeit unknowingly, hand over their bodies, minds, all that they have, their futures and their destinies, to Satan. They do so without even a moment’s hesitation, ever ignorant of the need to recover all that they have handed over. Can people retain any control over themselves once they have taken refuge in Satan in this way and become loyal to it? Certainly not. They are completely and utterly controlled by Satan. They have completely and utterly sunk into a quagmire, and are unable to free themselves. Once someone is mired in fame and gain, they no longer seek that which is bright, that which is righteous, or those things that are beautiful and good. This is because the seductive power that fame and gain have over people is too great; they become things for people to pursue throughout their lives and even for all eternity without end. Is this not true? Some people will say that learning knowledge is nothing more than reading books or learning a few things that they do not already know so as not to lag behind the times or be left behind by the world. Knowledge is only learned so they can put food on the table, for their own future, or to provide the basic necessities. Is there any person who would endure a decade of hard study just for the basic necessities, just to resolve the issue of food? No, there are none like this. So why does a person suffer these hardships for all these years? It is for fame and gain. Fame and gain are waiting for them in the distance, beckoning them, and they believe that only through their own diligence, hardships and struggles can they follow the road that will lead them to attain fame and gain. Such a person must suffer these hardships for their own future path, for their future enjoyment and to gain a better life. What on earth is this knowledge—can you tell Me? Is it not rules of living instilled in people, rules that Satan teaches them in the course of their learning of knowledge? Is it not life’s “lofty ideals” instilled into man by Satan? Take, for example, the ideas of great people, the integrity of the famous or the brave spirit of heroic figures, or take the chivalry and kindness of the protagonists and swordsmen in martial arts novels—are these not all ways in which Satan instills these ideals? (Yes, they are.) These ideas influence one generation after another, and the people of each generation are brought to accept these ideas, to live for these ideas and to pursue them endlessly. This is the way, the channel, through which Satan uses knowledge to corrupt man.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does human knowledge bring with it? When people know more, do they become more pious and fearful of God, or do they become more insolent? (They become more insolent.) Having learned much, people become complex, dogmatic, insolent—but there is something else they might not have realized: When they have acquired much knowledge, people become chaotic inside, and they come to have no principles, and the more knowledge they acquire, the more chaotic they become. In knowledge, can answers be found to the questions of why people live and the value and meaning of human life? Can conclusions be found as to where people come from and where they go? Can knowledge tell you that you come from God and were created by God? (No.) So, what is it, exactly, that one researches or has instilled in them when they acquire knowledge? Material things, atheistic things, things that people can see and recognize, many of which arise from people’s imaginations and are simply not real. Knowledge also instills in people philosophies, ideologies, theories, natural laws, and so on, yet there are many things it cannot explain. How lightning is formed, for example, or why the seasons change. Can knowledge give you those answers? Why is the climate currently changing and becoming abnormal? Can knowledge sort this out? Can it resolve this problem? (No.) It cannot tell you of issues relating to the source of all things, so it cannot solve those problems. There are also those who ask, “How could someone live again after dying?” Has knowledge given you the answer to this? (No.) What is it, then, that knowledge tells people? It tells people of many customs and rules. Filial piety, for instance, is also a kind of knowledge. Where did this knowledge come from? It is taught by traditional culture. What, then, does all this knowledge bring with it? What is the essence of knowledge? In this world, there are many people who have read the literary canon, attained a high level of education, and are knowledgeable, or who have mastered knowledge in a specialized field. So, on the path of life, do such people have the right direction and purpose? Do they have a baseline and principles for their conduct? To build on that, do they know to worship God? And again to build on that, do they understand any truth? (They do not.) So, what is knowledge? What does knowledge give people? In this world, are relationships between people simpler before or after they have attained knowledge? (Before.) What does this show? Knowledge makes people more complicated, and exacerbates their lack of normal humanity. That is what it does to them. And what is the consequence of this? The more people learn, the more they stray from God and deny the truth, and the more bigoted and absurd they become.

Excerpted from “Exactly What People Have Been Relying on to Live” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Do you know how God regards knowledge? Some say that God wishes for man to become scientifically advanced and understand more. It is true that God wishes the best for man. God does not wish for man to understand nothing, to be ignorant of everything, but God uses these things in service of Him, and He does not approve of them. He does not use them in place of the truth, nor does He use them to make up for what is lacking in people’s humanity or in order to change their dispositions. God’s words occasionally talk of views toward and ways of looking at knowledge. They speak a little of typical examples such as Confucianism or social sciences, and from God’s words it should be evident that God despises human knowledge. Human knowledge does not just contain simple sentences and theories. There are certain ideologies and views contained within knowledge, as well as people’s absurdity and prejudices and the poisons of Satan. Some knowledge can even deceive and corrupt people, and this kind of knowledge is the poison and the cancerous tumor of Satan. When people accept it, it enters into their minds and they are corrupted and held captive by this knowledge. So, the more knowledge people gain and the more they grasp, the more difficult it is for them to believe in the existence of God. Instead, they deny and resist God, for knowledge is visual and materialistic, and it teaches you to study and grasp the things that can be seen and touched in the world. Knowledge cannot enable you to grasp the root of any problem or sense how it relates to the spiritual world. The knowledge people grasp is in opposition to the words of God and it utterly flies in the face of God’s word the truth. Say you read history books, the works of famous authors, biographies of great figures, or you study a certain aspect of science. What do you gain? People who study physics, for example, grasp certain physical principles—Newton’s theory, or some other theory—and once you have studied these things, they control your mind, they direct your thoughts, and then, when you read the words of God, you will say to yourself, “How come the words of God say nothing about gravity? Or space? Does the moon have an atmosphere? How much oxygen is there on earth? How come God says nothing of this? God should reveal such things. These are the things that need to be revealed, this is what God should tell mankind.” Do you not form such an opinion? You put the truth, the words of God, in a secondary position, and when you approach God’s words, you put the knowledge and theory you have studied in first place. No matter what, these kinds of knowledge can give people incorrect feelings and make them distance themselves from God. Whether you believe it or not, whether you can accept it today or not, one day you will acknowledge this fact. Knowledge can bring people to their ruin and it can lead them down to hell. Are you able to understand this thoroughly? Some people might not be willing to accept these words, for there are those among you who are possessed of much knowledge, who think themselves highly educated. I am not satirizing or making fun of you; this is fact. And I am not asking that you accept this immediately. I am merely asking that you gradually come to recognize these things. Knowledge can become a wall that blocks you from knowing God and experiencing God’s work. It can make it difficult for you to draw close to God, it can keep you apart from God, and it can cause you to approach everything God does and analyze it using your mind and your knowledge. So what should you do if you have knowledge now? You should try to recognize and dissect the things that are categorized as knowledge, and understand how they hinder and disrupt your normal relationship with God, and disrupt your normal entry in your faith in God. This is how you should understand knowledge. You should have the correct understanding of this topic.

Excerpted from “What Changes in Disposition Are, and the Path to Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What is science? To speak plainly, science is the thoughts and theories of things that man is curious about, things that are unknown, and not told to them by God; science is the thoughts and theories about the mysteries that man wants to explore. What is the scope of science? You could say that it is rather broad; man researches and studies everything in which he is interested. Science involves researching the details and the laws of these things and then putting forth plausible theories which cause everyone to think: “These scientists are really terrific! They know so much, enough to understand these things!” They have so much admiration for scientists, do they not? People that research science, what sort of views do they hold? Do they not want to research the universe, to research the mysterious things in their area of interest? What is the final outcome of this? In some of the sciences, people draw their conclusions by conjecture, and in others they rely on human experience to draw conclusions. In yet other fields of science, people come to their conclusions based on historical and background observations. Is this not so? So what does science do for people? What science does is merely to allow people to see the objects in the physical world, and to satisfy man’s curiosity, but it cannot enable man to see the laws by which God has dominion over all things. Man seems to find answers in science, but those answers are puzzling and bring only temporary satisfaction, a satisfaction that only serves to confine the heart of man to the material world. Man feels that they have received answers from science, so whatever issue arises, they use their scientific views as a basis to prove and accept that issue. Man’s heart becomes possessed by science and seduced by it to the point that man no longer has the mind to know God, worship God and believe that all things come from God and that man should look to Him for answers. Is this not so? The more a person believes in science, the more absurd they become, believing that everything has a scientific solution, that research can solve anything. They do not seek God and they do not believe He exists; even some people who have followed God for many years will go and research bacteria on a whim or look up some information for the answer to an issue. Such people do not look at the issues from the perspective of truth and in most cases they want to rely on scientific views or knowledge or scientific solutions to solve problems; they do not rely on God and they do not seek God. Do people like this have God in their hearts? (No.) There are even some people who want to research God in the same way as they study science. For example, there are many religious experts who have gone to the mountain where the ark came to rest, and thus they proved the existence of the ark. But in the appearance of the ark they do not see the existence of God. They believe only in the stories and the history; this is the result of their scientific research and study of the material world. If you research material things, whether it be microbiology, astronomy, or geography, you will never find a result that determines that God exists or that He has sovereignty over all things. So what does science do for man? Does it not distance man from God? Does it not cause people to subject God to studies? Does it not make people more doubtful about God’s existence? (Yes.) So how does Satan want to use science to corrupt man? Does Satan not want to use scientific conclusions to deceive people and make them numb, and use ambiguous answers to hold on to people’s hearts so that they will not seek out or believe in God’s existence? (Yes.) So this is why I say that science is one of the ways in which Satan corrupts people.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Satan uses the name of science to satisfy man’s curiosity, man’s desire to explore science and probe mysteries. In the name of science, Satan satisfies man’s material needs and man’s demand to continually improve their quality of life. Thus, it is with this pretext that Satan uses science to corrupt man. Is it only man’s thinking or man’s mind that Satan corrupts using science in this way? Of the people, events, and things in our surroundings that we can see and that we come into contact with, what else of these does Satan corrupt with science? (The natural environment.) Correct. It seems you have been deeply harmed by this, and deeply affected. Besides using all the various findings and conclusions of science to deceive man, Satan also uses science as a means to carry out wanton destruction and exploitation of the living environment that was given to man by God. It does this under the pretext that if man carries out scientific research, then man’s living environment and quality of life will continually improve, and furthermore that the purpose of scientific development is to cater to people’s daily increasing material needs and their need to continually improve their quality of life. This is the theoretical basis of Satan’s development of science. However, what has science brought to mankind? What does the environment which we are connected to consist of? Has not the air mankind breathes become polluted? Is the water we drink still truly pure? (No.) Is the food we consume natural? The majority of it is grown using chemical fertilizer and cultivated using genetic modification, and there are also mutations caused by using various scientific methods. Even the vegetables and fruit we eat are no longer natural. Even natural eggs are no longer easy to find, and eggs no longer taste the way they used to, having already been processed by Satan’s so-called science. Looking at the big picture, the entire atmosphere has been destroyed and polluted; mountains, lakes, forests, rivers, oceans, and everything above and below ground have all been ruined by so-called scientific achievements. In brief, the entire natural environment, the living environment given to mankind by God, has been destroyed and ruined by so-called science. Although there are many people who have obtained what they always hoped for in terms of the quality of life they seek, satisfying both their desires and their flesh, the environment man lives in has essentially been destroyed and ruined by the various “achievements” brought on by science. Now, we no longer have the right to breathe a single breath of clean air. Is this not mankind’s sorrow? Is there any happiness left to speak of for man, when he must live in this kind of space? This space and living environment in which man lives was, from the very beginning, created by God for man. The water people drink, the air people breathe, the food people eat, plants, trees, and the oceans—every part of this living environment was given to man by God; it is natural, operating in accordance with a natural law laid down by God. If there was no science, people would have been happy and could have enjoyed everything at its most pristine, in accordance with the way of God and according to what God bestowed on them to enjoy. Now, however, all of this has been destroyed and ruined by Satan; man’s fundamental living space is no longer pristine. But no one is able to recognize what caused this or how this came about, and many more people approach science and understand it through the ideas instilled in them by Satan. Is this not utterly detestable and pitiable? With Satan now having taken the space in which people exist, as well as their living environment, and corrupted them into this state, and with mankind continuing to develop in this way, is there any need for God to personally destroy these people? If people continue to develop in this way, what direction will they take? (They will be exterminated.) How will they be exterminated? In addition to people’s greedy search for fame and gain, they continually carry out scientific exploration and dive deep into research, and then ceaselessly act in such a way as to satisfy their own material needs and desires; what then are the consequences for man? First of all, the ecological balance is broken, and when this happens, people’s bodies, their internal organs, are tainted and damaged by this unbalanced environment, and various infectious diseases and plagues spread across the world. Is it not true that this is now a situation that man has no control over? Now that you understand this, if mankind does not follow God, but always follows Satan in this way—using knowledge to continually enrich themselves, using science to ceaselessly explore the future of human life, using this kind of method to continue living—can you recognize how this will end for mankind? (It will mean extinction.) Yes, it will end in extinction: Mankind draws ever nearer to its own extinction, one step after another! It now seems as though science is a kind of magic potion that Satan has prepared for man, so that when you try to discern things you do so in a foggy haze; no matter how hard you look, you cannot see things clearly, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot figure them out. Satan, however, uses the name of science to whet your appetite and lead you by the nose, one foot in front of the other, toward the abyss and death.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No amount of understanding of the knowledge, theories, and scholarship of the material world can replace an understanding of the truth. Only by understanding the truth, the words of God, and the fact and reality of God’s dominion over all things can one understand everything and have no regret. Even were one to die today, they would feel they have lived in the presence of the Lord of creation, and that their death is in God’s hands. One would feel they are dying under the sovereignty of God, and they will be comforted in heart, free of regret and fear; for whether they live or die is entirely in God’s hands, and there is nothing to fear and nothing to regret. Those who are familiar with much knowledge, who study science and mysteries, do not understand the truth; such people think understanding and researching those things is worthwhile, and, as a result, their thinking becomes more muddled the more they understand of those things. Those who accept God’s work of the last days are the most intelligent. After undergoing several years of judgment and chastisement, they come unconsciously to understand the purpose of God’s management of humanity, as well as the mystery of His management and salvation of humanity. They come to understand God’s will and know His sovereignty. They feel at ease in their lives, that their lives are enriched and meaningful. God allows you to live, and, if you can live for God’s sake and for the sake of performing the duty of a created being, then you are living a meaningful life. If you live the life of a walking corpse, devoid of spirit, neither accepting nor understanding the truth, living only for the flesh, then you are not living a meaningful life, for your life has no value.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

If people have a genuine understanding of God’s disposition, and can give heartfelt praise to His holiness and righteousness, then it means they truly know Him and possess the truth; only then do they live in the light. Only once a person’s view of the world and of life changes does one undergo a fundamental transformation. When one has a life goal and comports oneself according to the truth, when one submits absolutely to God and lives by His words, when one feels peaceful and illuminated to the depths of one’s soul, when one’s heart is free of darkness, and when one can live entirely free and unrestrained in God’s presence, only then does one lead a genuine human life, and only then has one become a person who possesses the truth. In addition, all the truths in your possession have come from God’s words and from God Himself. The Ruler of the entire universe and all things—God Most High—approves of you as a real person living a true human life. What could be more meaningful than God’s approval? This is what it means to be in possession of the truth. In today’s world that is dominated by Satan, and for all the thousands of years of history, who among all of humanity has obtained life? No one. This is because humans are all people who have resisted God. Everything by which they have lived their lives and survived came from Satan and was accepted from Satan, and is in exact opposition to God’s words. Thus, humans are beings who resist God and who suffer His curses, so they have no life to speak of. Even though they want to “leave their mark,” “have their names passed down for a hundred generations,” “enjoy eternal glory,” and “have an everlasting name,” all those things are devilish words. The fact is, they were cursed by God early on, never to be reincarnated. The words of the famous, whoever these people are, fundamentally do not hold with God, and all are punished in the eighteenth level of hell after they die. Only God is the truth. God controls the heavens and earth and everything in them, and rules over all. Not to believe in God and not to submit to God is to be unable to obtain the truth. If you live in accordance with God’s words, then in the depths of your heart, you will feel brightened at ease, and you will also enjoy an incomparable sweetness. When that happens, you will have truly obtained life. No matter how great the scientific achievements of the world’s scientists, as soon as they near death, they will feel empty-handed and that they have gained nothing. Even Einstein and Newton, despite having so much knowledge, felt empty; this was because they did not have the truth. Though they believed in God, they only knew of His existence and that it was good to believe in Him—but they did not pursue the truth. They merely studied science and discovered that there really is a God, and they believed in Him to the end, ending up with a one hundred percent conviction that He exists and a one hundred percent conviction that He created the heavens and earth and all things. They only sought scientific knowledge; they did not seek to know God. They did not gain the truth, nor did they gain true life. The path you are walking today is not the path they walked. What you seek is to know God, how to submit to Him, how to worship Him, and how to live out a meaningful life; this is all completely different from what they sought. Now, the incarnate God has told you of every aspect of the truth and bestowed upon you the way of truth life; it would be foolish for you not to pursue the truth.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

153. The Principles of How to Treat the Theological Theories of Religion

(1) The theological theories of religion are but pretenders to the truth. They are counterfeits, all specious doctrines, that make man codify and resist God;

(2) The theological theories of religion do not come from the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, but from man’s notions, imaginings, logic, and inductive reasoning. They are the lies of tricksters;

(3) The theological theories of religion are not the truth and cannot save people. The more one pursues theological knowledge, the more arrogant and conceited they become, and the more they deny the truth and resist God;

(4) The theological theories of religion are extremely deceptive, and one who believes in God, but does not pursue the truth, is extremely liable to be beguiled and controlled by them, thus setting off toward destruction.

Relevant Words of God:

All those in Christianity who study theology, Scripture, and even the history of God’s work—are they true believers? Are they any different from the believers and followers of God that God speaks of? In the eyes of God, do they believe in God? (No.) They study theology, they study God. Is there a difference between them who study God and those who study other things? There is no difference. They are just the same as people who study history, who study philosophy, who study law, who study biology, who study astronomy—they just do not like science, or biology, or any other subjects; they just like theology. These people study God by searching for clues and giveaways in the work of God—and what comes out of their research? Are they able to determine whether God exists? They never will. Are they able to determine the will of God? (No.) Why? Because they live amid words and phrases, they live amid knowledge, they live amid philosophy, they live amid the minds and thoughts of humans. They will never be able to see God, they will never gain the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. What does God define them as? As nonbelievers, as unbelievers. These nonbelievers and unbelievers mingle with the so-called Christian community, acting like people who believe in God, acting like Christians—but do they, in fact, truly worship God? Do they truly obey Him? No. Why? One thing is certain: It is because, in their hearts, they do not believe that God created the world, that He rules all things, that He can become flesh, much less do they believe that God exists. What does this unbelief indicate? Doubt, denial, and even an attitude of hoping the prophecies spoken by God—particularly those about the disasters—do not come true and are not fulfilled. This is the attitude with which they treat belief in God, and it is also the essence and real face of their so-called faith. These people study God because they have an especial interest in the scholarship and knowledge of theology, and are interested in the historical facts of God’s work. They are nothing more than a bunch of intellectuals studying theology. These “intellectuals” do not believe in the existence of God, so what do they do when God comes to work and His words are fulfilled? What is their first reaction when they hear that God has become flesh and is performing new work? “Impossible!” They condemn whoever preaches the new work of God, and even want to kill them. What is this a manifestation of? Is this not the manifestation of them being bona fide antichrists? They are hostile toward the work of God and the fulfillment of His words, to say nothing of His incarnate flesh: “If You were not incarnated and Your words have not been fulfilled then You are God. If Your words have been fulfilled and You were incarnated, then You are not.” What is the subtext to this? It is that they do not permit the incarnation of God so long as they exist. Is this not a bona fide antichrist? This is a genuine antichrist. Do such assertions exist in the religious community? Such assertions are made very loudly, and also very forcefully: “It’s wrong that God has incarnated, it’s impossible! Any incarnation is a sham!” Some ask, “Have these people been misled?” Absolutely not. They just do not have true faith in God. They do not believe in the existence of God, they do not believe in the incarnation of God, they do not believe in God’s work of creating the world, much less do they believe in God’s work of being crucified and redeeming all mankind. To them, the theology they study is a series of historical events, it is a kind of doctrine or theory.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

What was the chief manifestation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees? They only pored over Scripture and did not seek the truth. When they read God’s words, they did not pray or seek; instead, they studied the words of God, they studied what God said and did, and so turned His words into a kind of theory, into a doctrine that they taught to others. This is what poring over God’s words is. So why did they do that? What was it they pored over? In their eyes, these were not the words of God, they were not the expressions of God, much less were they the truth, but rather a form of scholarship. Such scholarship, in their eyes, should be passed on, it should be spread, and only this would have been spreading the way of God and the gospel. This is what they called “preaching,” and the sermon they preached was theology.

… The Pharisees treated the theology and theory they had mastered as a kind of knowledge, as a tool for condemning people and measuring whether they were right or wrong. They even used it on the Lord Jesus—that was how the Lord Jesus was condemned. Their appraisal of people, and the way they treated them, was never based on their essence, or on whether what they said was right or wrong, much less on the source or provenance of their words. They just condemned and measured people based on unyielding words and doctrines that they had mastered. And so, even though these Pharisees knew that what the Lord Jesus did was not a sin, and did not contravene the law, they still condemned Him, because what the Lord Jesus said appeared to be at odds with the knowledge and scholarship they had mastered and the theological theory they expounded. And the Pharisees just would not loosen their grip on these words and phrases, they clung onto this knowledge and would not let it go. What was the only possible outcome in the end? They would not acknowledge that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah who would come, or that there was truth in what the Lord Jesus said, much less that what the Lord Jesus did was in keeping with the truth. They found some unsubstantiated charges to condemn the Lord Jesus with—but in fact, in their hearts, did they know whether these sins they condemned Him with were valid? They did. So why did they still condemn Him thus? (They did not want to believe that the high and mighty God in their minds could have been the Lord Jesus, this image of an ordinary Son of man.) They did not want to accept this fact. And what was the nature of their refusal to accept this? Was there not something of trying to reason with God in this? What they meant was, “Could God do that? If God were incarnated, He must surely be born of distinguished lineage. What’s more, He must accept the tutelage of scribes and Pharisees, learn this knowledge, and read much Scripture. Only after He possesses this knowledge can He take on the title of ‘incarnation’.” They believed that, firstly, You are not thus qualified, so You are not God; secondly, without this knowledge You cannot do the work of God, much less can You be God; thirdly, You cannot work outside the temple—You are not in the temple now, You are always among the sinners, so the work You do is beyond the scope of God’s work. Where did the basis of their condemnation come from? From Scripture, from the mind of man, and from the theological education they had received. Because they were swollen with notions, imaginings, and knowledge, they believed this knowledge to be right, to be the truth, to be the basis, and at no time could God contravene these things. Did they seek the truth? They did not. What they sought were their own notions and imaginings, and their own experiences, and they tried to use these to define God and determine whether He was right or wrong. What was the ultimate outcome of this? They condemned the work of God and nailed Him to the cross.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

How is it that people of religion who believe in the Lord have been reduced to “Christianity”? Why is it that today, they are classified as a religious group, rather than as the house of God, the church of God, the object of God’s work? They have a dogma, they compile the work done by God, and the words He spoke, into a book, into teaching materials, and then open schools to induct and train all manner of theologians. Are these theologians studying the truth? (No.) So what are they studying? They are studying theological knowledge, which has nothing to do with the work of God or with the truths God speaks. And in so doing, they are reducing themselves to Christianity. What does Christianity advocate? If you go to a church, people will ask you how long you have believed in God, and when you say you have just started, they will ignore you. But if you go in clutching a Bible, and say “I just graduated from such-and-such Theological Seminary,” then they will ask you to come take the seat of honor. This is Christianity. Those somebodies who stand at the rostrum have all studied theology, are seminary-trained, possessed of theological knowledge and theory—they are basically the mainstay of Christianity. Christianity trains such people to preach at the rostrum, to go around evangelizing and working. They think the value of Christianity lies in such capable people as these students of theology, these pastors and theologians who preach sermons; they are their capital. If the pastor of a church graduated from a seminary, is good at expounding the Scripture, has read some spiritual books, and has a little knowledge and a way with words, then the church thrives, and has a much better reputation than other churches. What do these people in Christianity advocate? Knowledge. And where does this knowledge come from? It has been handed down from ancient times. In ancient times there was Scripture, which was passed from generation to generation, each generation reading and learning it, right up until the present day. Man divided the Bible up into different sections and created various editions for people to pore over and learn. But what they learn is not how to understand the truth and know God, or how to understand God’s will and attain the fear of God and shunning of evil; instead, they pore over the knowledge contained within them. At most, they look into the mysteries contained within, they look to see which prophecies of the Book of Revelation were fulfilled in a certain period, when the great disasters will arrive, when the millennium will arrive—these are the things they study. And is what they study connected to the truth? No. Why do they study things that have no connection to the truth? The more they study them, the more they think they understand, and the more they equip themselves with letters and doctrine. Their capital grows, too. The higher their qualifications, the more capable they think they are, the more accomplished they believe their faith in God is, and the more likely they think they are to be saved and enter the heavenly kingdom.

Excerpted from “They Are Evil, Insidious, and Deceitful (Part Three)” in Exposing Antichrists

Those in religion who believe in the Lord focus on memorizing a few well-known passages from the Bible; the more someone memorizes, the more spiritual they become, and the more admired they are by everyone. They are prestigious and have a high position. In fact, in real life, their outlook on the world, on mankind and on all different kinds of people is the same as the outlook of worldly people—it has not changed. This proves something: Those passages they have memorized have simply not become their life; it is plain to see they are merely a load of theories and religious doctrine, and have not changed their life. If the path you follow is the same as that followed by religious people, that makes you a believer in Christianity; you do not believe in God and are not experiencing His work. Some who have not believed in God for long admire those who have, whose speech is well-founded. They see such people sitting there and can talk for two or three hours with ease. They begin to learn from them—spiritual terms and expressions, as well as how the person speaks and carries themselves. They then commit to memory a few passages of spiritual words, and thus they carry on until, one day, the years of their belief are sufficient in number for them to sit and expound endlessly, eloquently, and at length. But if one listens closely, it is all nonsense, all empty words, mere letters and doctrines; and they are clearly religious cheats, cheating both themselves and others. What a sad thing! You must not follow that path, which, once trod, causes ruin, and is hard to turn back from. To treasure such things, to take them as one’s life, and to use them to measure oneself against others wherever one goes; to have, beyond a corrupt, satanic disposition, some spiritual theories, and elements of hypocrisy, besides—this person is not merely disgusting, but is disgusting in the extreme, sickening and shameless, and others cannot bear to look at them. Therefore, the denomination of those who once followed the Lord Jesus is now called Christianity. It is a denomination, and in their belief in God, they do no more than rigidly adhere to formality. There is no change at all in their life disposition, and they are not people who pursue the truth; their pursuit is not the truth, the way, and the life that come from God, but instead they seek to be Pharisees, and are hostile to God—these are the group of people now defined as Christianity. How did their group come to be called “Christianity”? It came about because they pass themselves off as holy, spiritual, and kindhearted, and as true followers of God, yet they deny all truth and they deny the reality of all positive things that come from God. They use words God has previously spoken to camouflage themselves, to arm and cloak themselves, and ultimately they use them as a sort of capital to cheat people everywhere out of food and drink. They disguise themselves as believers in God and thus swagger about and swindle others; they compete with others and vie with others—to them, these things are glory and capital. They also want to gain God’s blessings and rewards through deception. This is the path they follow. It is because they follow this sort of path that their group is ultimately defined as Christianity. Looking at it now, is the name “Christianity” good or bad? It is a disgraceful designation, and there is nothing glorious or splendid about it.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Practice the Truth Are God-Fearing” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The best way to change the human disposition is to remedy those portions of people’s innermost hearts that have been profoundly poisoned, allowing people to begin changing their thinking and morality. First of all, people need to see clearly that all these religious rites, religious activities, years and months, and festivals are hateful to God. They should break free from these bonds of feudal thinking and eradicate every trace of their deep-seated propensity to superstition. These are all included in humanity’s entry. You must understand why God leads humanity out of the secular world, and again why He leads humanity away from rules and regulations. This is the gate through which you will enter, and although these things have nothing to do with your spiritual experience, they are the greatest obstacles blocking your entry, blocking you from knowing God. They form a net which enmeshes people. Many people read the Bible too much and can even recite numerous passages from the Bible from memory. In their entry today, people unconsciously use the Bible to measure the work of God, as if the basis of this stage in the work of God is the Bible and its source is the Bible. When the work of God is in line with the Bible, people strongly support the work of God and regard Him with newfound esteem; when the work of God is at odds with the Bible, people become so anxious that they break into a sweat, searching in it for the basis of the work of God; if the work of God has no mention in the Bible, people will ignore God. It can be said that, as far as God’s work today is concerned, most people accept it gingerly and with caution, they give it selective obedience, and feel indifferent toward knowing it; as for the things of the past, they hold on to one half and abandon the other. Can this be called entry? Holding the books of others as treasures and treating them as the golden key to the gate of the kingdom, people simply show no interest in what God requires of them today. Moreover, many “intelligent experts” hold the words of God in their left hand and the “masterworks” of others in their right, as if they want to find the basis of God’s words of today within these masterworks in order to fully prove that the words of God are correct, and they even explain God’s words to others by integrating them with the masterworks, as if they were at work. To tell the truth, there are many “scientific researchers” among humanity who have never thought highly of today’s latest scientific achievements, scientific achievements that are without precedent (i.e. the work of God, the words of God, and the path for life entry), so people are all “self-reliant,” “preaching” far and wide on the strength of their silver tongues, and flaunting “the good name of God.” Meanwhile, their own entry is in peril and they seem to be as far from God’s requirements as the creation is from this moment. How easy is it to do the work of God? It seems that people have already made up their minds to leave half of themselves to yesterday and bring half to today, deliver half to Satan and present half to God, as if this is the way to ease their conscience and feel some sense of comfort. People’s inner worlds are so insidious, they are afraid of losing not only tomorrow but also yesterday, deeply afraid of offending both Satan and the God of today, who seems to be and yet not to be. Because people have failed to cultivate their thinking and morality properly, they are exceptionally lacking in discernment, and they simply cannot tell whether or not today’s work is that of God. Perhaps it is because people’s feudal and superstitious thinking is so deep that they have long placed superstition and truth, God and idols, in the same category, not caring to distinguish between these things, and they seem unable to discriminate clearly despite racking their brains. That is why human beings have stopped in their tracks and no longer move forward. All of these problems arise from people’s lack of the correct kind of ideological education, which creates great difficulties for their entry. As a result, people never feel any interest in the work of the true God, but persistently stick to[1] the work of man (such as those whom they view as great men) as if they have been branded by it. Are not these the latest topics that humanity should enter into?

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

After reading a passage of God’s words, those pastors and scholars in religion, and those who study theology and conduct theological research, do not seek the truth or seek to truly know God in their real experiences, but instead study the words and letters, studying them from a theoretical standpoint, until finally they arrive at some conclusion or other. The conclusions which they reach are all doctrine. This is because they reached these conclusions based on the specialized textual research and deliberation, and not based on their own experience. Arriving at a conclusion based on the literal meaning of a text and the facts recorded in the Bible, and then giving rise to a theory, is known as theological theory. Such a theory does not contain any practical experience and understanding of God’s words, nor does it possess any enlightenment or illumination of the Holy Spirit. The understanding from the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit surpasses the literal meaning of words; it cannot be expressed by any superficial language. It is the most practical, the truest understanding, and cannot be derived from the Bible no matter how much it is studied. The Holy Spirit only enlightens and illuminates people when they seek the truth and practice and experience God’s words. So today God asks us to experience His words, and if, in our experience, we receive guidance, enlightenment, and illumination from the Holy Spirit, we can get a real understanding of God’s words. This real understanding cannot be brought out no matter how someone studies a book or the literal meaning of the words of God; this is something that cannot be reached by human thought. It is something that cannot be imagined by man; it is the practical understanding of God. Presently, we are experiencing God’s words and God’s work. That is why, in the end, we will achieve a real understanding of God. Those religious scholars and experts will never have a real understanding of God. No matter how hard they study the literal meaning of the words of God, it is all pointless. In the very end, God will condemn them. In their faith in God, they are not walking the path of experiencing God’s words and obtaining the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment. They rely on their own minds as they research, imagine and deliberate, and in the end, they will produce a type of theory. This theory is absurd and unrealistic, determined by God to be fallacy. That is why God does not acknowledge them to be people who understand God. They are all very absurd and preposterous people.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Throughout the entire religious world, there are so many with scriptural and theological knowledge. Why cannot such people perform God’s work? It is because their scriptural and theological knowledge is all absurd knowledge; it can never take the place of the truth, much less accomplish God’s work or save mankind. Today, we have seen in God’s words that they are the truth, and all scriptural and theological knowledge is incompatible with the truth expressed by God. The more someone understands scriptural and theological knowledge, the more liable they will be resisting and condemning God. So what then is truth? Is there truth in theological knowledge? Is there truth in scriptural knowledge? These are not the truth. Scriptural knowledge is written by human beings, summarized from human thinking, and it is not the words of God; only the words of God are the truth. Scriptural knowledge and the words of God are two entirely different things and simply cannot be equated. When someone possesses theological and scriptural knowledge, how then are they able to resist God, pass judgment on God, and become an antichrist? This is because too much knowledge can only corrupt a person, make them arrogant and conceited, and make them resist God even more wildly. It is those who possess too much theological and scriptural knowledge who resist God even more severely. Two thousand years ago, the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees of Judaism, people who were just like Paul, had believed in Jehovah for generations and studied the Scriptures for over one or two thousand years. Their knowledge of the Scriptures was the most complete, yet in the end they became the chief culprits who resisted God, the enemies of God incarnate—group, after group, they became antichrists, “edified” by their knowledge of the Scriptures and theology. Some may ask, “What’s wrong with intense study of the Bible and research of theology?” Studying the Bible and theology is not the way to know God. Studying those things can only lead one to betray God more and more and stray farther and farther from the truth. Knowing God can only be achieved by experiencing God’s work and the work of the Holy Spirit. Studying theology and scriptural knowledge cannot allow one to gain the work of the Holy Spirit—making a study of these things is of no use. Those whom God perfects and uses in the Age of Kingdom have no scriptural or theological knowledge, nor are they intellectuals, so how come they can be used by God? What is the reason for this? It is because God does not perfect people with knowledge; God perfects honest people who love and pursue the truth, people like Peter.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Would studying theology and pursuing knowledge help one achieve an understanding of God? Not only would you not achieve an understanding of God, it would instead cause you to grow more and more distant from God and more and more resistant to God. A lot of knowledge, including theological knowledge, is an enemy of the truth. Therefore, the more one focuses on theological knowledge, the more seriously one will resist God. In the end, one will become an enemy of Christ. Today, we accept Christ’s work and we accept Christ’s salvation. We are starting to have an understanding of God, we can see through the world, we can see through knowledge, we can see through theological theories and we can even forsake Satan and relinquish this knowledge, meaning that we have begun to embark upon the right track of salvation. If someone really understands the truth and can see through, discern, dissect, reject, and forsake Satan’s philosophies and laws, knowledge, and fallacies, then this person will be completely saved by God. Presently, have we achieved this stage yet? If you were asked to dissect one of Satan’s philosophies, would you be able to use the truth to thoroughly refute and criticize it? If you randomly took a book out from the bookshelf of the world, would you be able to find the fallacies that go against the truth within that book? If you randomly selected a religious book, and you could see clearly its fallacies, know where its mistakes lie, where it goes against the truth, and which truths it is not in accordance with; if you could achieve this level, then this would mean that you understand the truth and you have the truth. Say you come into contact with someone who believes in God. Regardless of what kind of person they are, whether they are a pastor or an elder, when they start to talk you will know the absurdity in what they say, where they are mistaken and what truths they violate. This would prove that you truly understand the truth. At present, you have not achieved this stature, indicating that you still do not understand the truth. The consequences of not understanding the truth are that you are still susceptible to being deceived by Satan, deceived by man, and following false shepherds and false prophets. If someone from the religious world gives you a book to read, and after reading it, you think that it also teaches people to be good, and that there is nothing wrong with it, this proves that you are lacking in discernment and that you do not have the truth. When you are able to refute, thoroughly dissect and criticize all kinds of religious fallacies and all fallacies from mankind and the religious world that resist God, then this will prove that you truly have stature and you are able to be a witness for God.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

Footnotes:

1. “Persistently stick to” is used mockingly. This phrase indicates that people are stubborn and intractable, holding onto outdated things and being unwilling to let them go.

154. The Principles of How to Treat Unbelievers

(1) One may interact wisely with good people among the unbelievers, being those with a conscience who are receptive to reason. One may also spread the gospel to them;

(2) Evil people among the unbelievers, being those who are capable of anything when faced with the slightest harm to their interests, should be kept at a distance. One must never remain in contact with them;

(3) With those whom one must keep in contact due to work, one should be cautious in their speech. Speak only of external things; do not open your heart to them;

(4) One should be respectful of their boss or leader and obey them. Do not, however, do anything sinful, and do not get overly involved with them, but respect them from a distance.

Relevant Words of God:

What are the differences between the unbelievers and people who believe in God? Is it just a difference of faith? No. Take “Man was created by God,” for example: This is the truth. What is the attitude of people who believe in God when they hear this? They acknowledge and believe this absolutely. They embrace this fact, this truth, as the foundation of their faith in God—this is what accepting the truth is. It means accepting, from the depths of your heart, the fact of man’s creation by God, gladly being a creature of God, willingly accepting the guidance and sovereignty of God, and acknowledging that God is our God. And what is the attitude of those who do not believe in God when they hear “Man was created by God”? Not only will they not acknowledge it, but they will even mock you, doing all they can to try to use this against you, make fun of you, look upon you with contempt, and heap scorn upon these words and this fact; they may even adopt an attitude of mockery, sarcasm, contempt, and hostility toward those who accept these words. Is this not detestation of the truth? What do you think when you see such people? Do you hate them? “Man was made by God—what’s wrong with that? You don’t accept this, you don’t know where you came from, you are truly ungrateful, you are unconscionable and treacherous. You truly are the ilk of Satan!” Is that what you think? And what causes such an averse mentality to arise in you? Is it simply because they do not like those words? It is because of their attitude. Your anger would not be so great if they respected these words as ordinary words, as a theory or faith. But when they come out with words, attitudes, and dispositions that are repulsive, antagonistic, scornful, and defamatory, you get angry. Is that how it is? Though they do not believe in God, there are those who respect other people’s faith, who do not try to tear down everything other people say. You do not have any aversion or hatred toward them; you can get along peacefully with them and interact with them. Toward those who try to tear down the truth—who detest the truth—you feel anger in your heart. Could you be friends with them? Apart from not being friends with them, what else do you think of them? If you were asked to choose how you would treat them, how would you treat them? You would say, “Man was made by God, and what a great and hallowed thing that is! Not only do you not accept this, you also try to tear it down—you truly have no conscience. If God gave me the power, I would damn you, I would smite you, I would turn you to ash!” Is that your sentiment? This is a sense of justice. But when you see that they are a demon, the sensible thing would be to ignore them, to stay away from them, to just play along when they speak to you—this is the wise thing to do. Deep down, though, you know you have nothing in common with such people. They could never have faith in God, and even if they did, God would not want them. They are beasts, demons. The things we love, the path we walk, our view on life—they are all different from them. So do not speak of matters of the truth with them again, do not cast pearls before swine. They detest the truth, you know what kind of thing they are, and to talk of the truth with them again would be clearly foolish, for after you had finished speaking, they would arbitrarily try and tear down the truth, and then you could not face God and would feel indebted to God. If people can hold such an attitude toward those who do not love the truth, those who detest the truth and who try to tear down the truth, how much more is this true for God? God’s disposition, God’s essence, what God has and is, God’s life, and what is revealed in God are all the truth. There is no doubt that someone who detests the truth is hostile to God and is the enemy of God. This is more than a problem of being incompatible with God, and God’s wrath toward such people is very great.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If there is a change in your disposition and you gain the truth, then your perspective will be compatible with God. When your perspective is compatible with God, are you still compatible with those who are corrupt? You resist them, you are repulsed by them, you loathe them—is this not the effect that is achieved? Their essence becomes clear to you. Because you have already seen your own essence, and have changed, can you not also see the essence of corrupt mankind? And now that you see the essence of corrupt mankind, and are compatible with God, do you not despise corrupt mankind? Do you not despise those who do not believe in God, who are hostile to God, who have forsaken God, turned their backs on God, and disobeyed God? How could you be compatible with such people? Thus, if there is a change in your disposition, you are sure to despise these people and be repulsed by them. Yet because, today, we live among the corrupt, we can only endure, and can only live by our wisdom. We cannot, because of the change in our disposition, pay them no heed, or go at them with hammer and tongs—we cannot do that, we must be wise.

Excerpted from “What Changes in Disposition Are, and the Path to Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

How should we treat the unbelievers? Most unbelievers do not accept the truth, and they also deny and oppose God, and they all live under the domain of Satan. As such, we must be smart in how we deal with them. Today, the work of salvation done by God has yet to be completed, and it is still necessary to spread the gospel and testify to God. A small number of unbelievers are people who believe there is God and seek the true way, and the gospel must be preached to these people who can be saved. As such, we must make more effort to locate and contact those among the unbelievers who seek God as well as good people who are helpful to us. We must get to know them through interacting with them, keep in touch with them, and, when the right opportunity presents itself, preach the gospel to them and bring them before God to accept His work. This is God’s commission, and it is the bounden duty of every single person. As for wicked people, harmful people, and all those who belong to demons who deny and resist God, who slander the true way and render service to the devil by persecuting God’s chosen people, without question we must reject and shun them; this is the wise choice to make. It is dangerous for anyone to approach these wicked devils, and anyone who does so will sooner or later end in misfortune. Relations should be maintained with the relatives and friends of unbelievers if they are good people and are of assistance to those who believe in God; if these relatives and friends are wicked people, then it is better to cut off all relations with them. In sum, we should be wise in our approach to all unbelievers.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

God requires that we act with principle, speak with principle, approach people with principle, and not violate the principles in how we treat different people. Violating the principles is violating the truth. If you act or speak wantonly and arbitrarily, then this proves that you are not living in God’s words or before Him; it means that you are an unrestrained person who lives within a satanic disposition and under Satan’s domain. … What is the principle for how to treat Satan? The way to treat Satan is to hate it forever, curse it forever, reject it forever, and resolutely fight against it to the very end. What principle should you use when dealing with this evil and immoral world? It is to abandon it forever, detest it, and draw a clear line between yourself and it. What principle should you use when dealing with wicked people? You should hate and forsake them forever. Moreover, you should guard against them and learn to discern them, not fall for their tricks, refrain from interacting with them, not accept any favors from them, and draw a clear line between yourself and them. What principles should you use with regard to any relatives and friends who are unbelievers? For those who possess some humanity, you may interact with them, but cautiously; do not become overly involved, because doing so is not beneficial. Unbelievers seek nothing but profit, and everything they say and do has an ulterior motive to it. Therefore, you should refuse to interact with people who have poor humanity. It is okay to interact with people who have slightly better humanity and are relatively well-intentioned, but you must have wisdom. No matter what people, events, or things people who believe in God might encounter, they must always handle them with principle. Not having any principles proves that you do not possess any truth, that you live by Satan’s philosophy, and that your actions are the same as those of unbelievers. You are nominally a believer in God, but in actuality, you are a nonbeliever.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

155. The Principles of How to Treat the Government in Power

(1) It is necessary to discern whether the government in power is composed of believers in God or unbelievers. If they resist God, then they are demons, and should not be obeyed;

(2) National policies and laws must be observed; they must not be violated. If they go against the principles of faith, however, one must not obey them;

(3) All policies and laws of a democratic nation should be obeyed, except for those that make people sin against God and offend Him, which must never be obeyed;

(4) One should exercise discernment regarding all the perverse policies and laws of a dictatorship. See through to their truth and essence.

Bible Verses for Reference:

“He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters abroad” (Mat 12:30).

“We ought to obey God rather than men” (Act 5:29).

Relevant Words of God:

Who is Satan, who are demons, and who are God’s enemies if not resisters who do not believe in God? Are they not those people who are disobedient to God? Are they not those who claim to have faith, yet who lack truth? Are they not those who merely seek to obtain blessings while being unable to bear witness for God? You still mingle with those demons today and bear conscience and love toward them, but in this case are you not extending good intentions toward Satan? Are you not associating with demons? If people these days are still unable to distinguish between good and evil, and continue to blindly be loving and merciful without any intention of seeking God’s will or being able in any way to harbor God’s intentions as their own, then their endings will be all the more wretched. Anyone who does not believe in the God in the flesh is an enemy of God. If you can bear conscience and love toward an enemy, do you not lack a sense of righteousness? If you are compatible with those which I detest and with which I disagree, and still bear love or personal feelings toward them, then are you not disobedient? Are you not intentionally resisting God? Does such a person possess truth? If people bear conscience toward enemies, love for demons, and mercy for Satan, then are they not intentionally disrupting God’s work? Those people who believe only in Jesus and do not believe in God incarnate during the last days, as well as those who verbally claim to believe in God incarnate but do evil, are all antichrists, without even mentioning those who do not even believe in God. All these people will be objects of destruction.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

How should we approach national laws? This must be discerned according to the truth. Laws are not the truth, they are merely precepts by which countries maintain the stability of the regime. In our faith in God, we must take the words of God as the truth; everything should be based on God’s words. Christians should respect the legitimate laws decreed by national governments, but must absolutely not respect laws that are immoral and unjust or that violate God’s word the truth—particularly those that oppose faith, oppose God, and condemn God. To obey such laws is to betray God and take the side of Satan. For example, to believe in God and worship God is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth, and when suppressed and restricted by national governments, we should be resolute in opposing these wicked laws. Immoral and unjust laws must not be respected, but resolutely opposed.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

What approach should we take with state government officials? This must be discerned according to the truth. There are good and bad officials, and there are benevolent and evil ones. We should respect good officials and those who make a real difference for the people. Officials who oppose, condemn, and persecute God are evil demons, and we should loathe and curse them. Today, however, we still live under the evil, dark domain of Satan, so we should be smart—we should act smart, and know what is what. If there are some government officials and staff who are willing to believe in God and accept the true way, then we should preach the gospel to them and bring them before God so that they may attain salvation; this is entirely in accordance with God’s will.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

What does the “rule and influence of Satan” refer to? Do different countries’ ruling parties submit to God, or do they submit to Satan? Any that submit to Satan are under the influence of Satan. If you worship a ruling party of Satan, if your obedience to Satan’s ruling party is absolute, and you follow the leaders that belong to Satan, then you are of Satan, you live under Satan’s domain. For example, the great red dragon rules China. If you support the great red dragon, worship the great red dragon, and submit to the great red dragon, and shout “long live” to the great red dragon, then you live under Satan’s domain. No matter which social system you worship or have blind faith in, if you worship, follow, and obey Satan’s ruling parties and politicians, then you are living under Satan’s domain. That is because these politicians belong to Satan, not God; they do not obey and worship God, so in worshiping them you follow and worship Satan. Therefore, if a Christian joins Satan’s ruling party, it means that they worship the influence of Satan, they follow Satan, and their belief in God is false.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

The policies formulated by the great red dragon are not really for the governance of the country or for the sake of the people. They are wholly in opposition to God and diametrically opposed to the truth, thus revealing the wicked essence of the great red dragon, which is perverse and contrary to Heaven. The great red dragon is nothing but a gang of reactionaries! If you are clear about this, you will know how to treat it. When it hates you, attacks you, and kills you, its essence is that of an evil spirit, and is wicked; when it is good to you, when it does some small favors for you, when it benefits you in various ways, its essence is still that of an evil spirit, and is still wicked. When its essence becomes clear to you, you are no longer constrained by whether it is superficially good or bad to you. To be able to see through to the real essence and true face of the great red dragon, you must not judge it only by its public announcements, but by its actions and their effect. Of principle importance is to look at how it treats God, and all the truths expressed by God, and how it treats those who believe in and follow God—only then will you see through to its ugly face. To have discernment of the great red dragon, you must regard it according to all the truths expressed by God; without an understanding of the truth, this will never be possible.

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

IX. The Principles of Obeying and Knowing God

156. The Principles of Obeying God

(1) Submit to the authority of God’s words. The words of God are supreme beyond measure; they are the highest directive and the highest command, and they must be obeyed absolutely;

(2) Submit to Christ’s authority, and accept and submit to all of His words and work. Affirm that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life;

(3) Submit to the authority of the Holy Spirit’s work, and accept and submit to all that comes from the enlightenment, illumination, and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Reject that which comes from man;

(4) In all matters, seek the truth principle. Confirm that any understanding of the truth must be based in God’s words, and be able to submit to all truths. Only this is submission to God.

Relevant Words of God:

God created humans and placed them upon earth, and He has led them ever since. He then saved them and served as a sin offering for humanity. At the end, He still must conquer humanity, save humans entirely, and restore them to their original likeness. This is the work that He has been engaged in ever since the beginning—restoring humanity to their original image and likeness. God will establish His kingdom and restore the original likeness of human beings, which means that God will restore His authority upon earth and among all creation. Humanity lost their God-fearing heart as well as the function incumbent upon God’s creatures after being corrupted by Satan, thereby becoming an enemy disobedient to God. Humanity then lived under Satan’s domain and followed Satan’s orders; thus, God had no way to work among His creatures, and became all the more unable to win their fearful reverence. Humans were created by God, and ought to worship God, but they actually turned their backs on Him and worshiped Satan instead. Satan became the idol in their hearts. Thus, God lost His standing in their hearts, which is to say that He lost the meaning behind His creation of humanity. Therefore, to restore the meaning behind His creation of humanity, He must restore their original likeness and rid humanity of their corrupt dispositions. To reclaim humans from Satan, He must save them from sin. Only in this way can God gradually restore their original likeness and function, and finally, restore His kingdom. The ultimate destruction of those sons of disobedience will also be carried out in order to allow humans to better worship God and better live upon the earth. Because God created humans, He will make them worship Him; because He wishes to restore humanity’s original function, He will restore it completely and without any adulteration. Restoring His authority means making humans worship Him and submit to Him; it means that God will make humans live because of Him and cause His enemies to perish as a result of His authority. It means that God will cause everything about Him to persist among humans without resistance from anybody. The kingdom God wishes to establish is His own kingdom. The humanity He desires is one that will worship Him, one that will submit to Him completely and manifest His glory. If God does not save corrupt humanity, then the meaning behind His creation of humanity will be lost; He will have no more authority among humans, and His kingdom will no longer be able to exist upon the earth. If God does not destroy those enemies who are disobedient to Him, He will be unable to obtain His complete glory, nor will He be able to establish His kingdom upon the earth. These will be marks of the completion of His work and of His great accomplishment: to utterly destroy those among humanity who are disobedient to Him, and to bring into rest those who have been made complete. When humans have been restored to their original likeness, and when they can fulfill their respective duties, keep to their own proper places and submit to all of God’s arrangements, God will have obtained a group of people upon the earth who worship Him, and He will also have established a kingdom upon the earth that worships Him.

Excerpted from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man? Most rebellious of all are those who intentionally defy and resist God. They are the enemies of God, the antichrists. Theirs is always an attitude of hostility toward the new work of God; they never have the slightest inclination to submit, nor have they ever gladly submitted or humbled themselves. They exalt themselves before others and never submit to anyone. Before God, they consider themselves the best at preaching the word, and the most skillful in working on others. Never do they discard the “treasures” in their possession, but treat them as family heirlooms for worship, for preaching about to others, and they use them to lecture those fools who idolize them. There are indeed a certain number of people like this in the church. It can be said that they are “indomitable heroes,” generation after generation sojourning in the house of God. They take preaching the word (doctrine) to be their highest duty. Year after year, generation after generation, they go about vigorously enforcing their “sacred and inviolable” duty. None dare touch them; not a single person dares openly reproach them. They become “kings” in the house of God, running rampant as they tyrannize others from age to age. This pack of demons seeks to join hands and demolish My work; how can I allow these living devils to exist before My eyes? Even those who are only half obedient cannot carry on until the end, much less these tyrants without the slightest obedience in their hearts! The work of God is not easily gained by man. Even using all the strength they have, people can only gain a mere portion of it, ultimately allowing them to be made perfect. What, then, of the children of the archangel, who seek to destroy the work of God? Do they not have even less hope of being gained by God? My purpose in doing the work of conquest is not solely to conquer for the sake of conquest, but to conquer so as to reveal righteousness and unrighteousness, to obtain proof for the punishment of man, to condemn the wicked, and, furthermore, to conquer for the sake of perfecting those who willingly obey. In the end, all will be separated according to kind, and the ones who are perfected will be the ones whose thoughts and ideas are filled with obedience. This is the work that shall ultimately be accomplished. Those whose every action is rebellious, meanwhile, will be punished and sent to burn in the fires, the objects of eternal curse. When that time comes, those “great and indomitable heroes” of ages past will become the basest and most shunned “weak and impotent cowards.” Only this can illustrate every aspect of God’s righteousness, and His disposition that is unoffendable by man, and only this can appease the hatred in My heart. Do you not agree that this is entirely reasonable?

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During God’s time in the flesh, the submission He requires of people does not involve refraining from making judgments or resisting, as they imagine; rather, He requires that people use His words as their principle to live by and the foundation of their survival, that they absolutely put the essence of His words into practice, and that they completely satisfy His will. One aspect of requiring people to submit to God incarnate refers to putting His words into practice, while another aspect refers to being able to submit to His normality and practicality. These must be both absolute. Those who can achieve both of these aspects are all those who harbor genuine love for God in their hearts. They are all people who have been gained by God, and they all love God as they love their own lives. God incarnate bears normal and practical humanity in His work. In this way, His exterior shell of both normal and practical humanity becomes an enormous trial for people; it becomes their greatest difficulty. However, God’s normality and practicality cannot be avoided. He tried everything to find a solution, but in the end could not rid Himself of the exterior shell of His normal humanity. This was because, after all, He is God become flesh, not the God of the Spirit in heaven. He is not the God that people cannot see, but the God wearing the shell of a member of creation. Thus, ridding Himself of the shell of His normal humanity would by no means be easy. Therefore, no matter what, He still does the work that He wants to do from the perspective of the flesh. This work is the expression of the normal and practical God, so how could it be okay for people to not submit? What on earth can people do about the actions of God? He does whatever He wants to do; whatever He is happy with is just the way it is. If people do not submit, then what other sound plans can they have? So far, only submission has been able to save people; no one has had any other bright ideas. If God wants to test people, what can they do about it? However, all of this was not thought up by God in heaven; it was thought up by God incarnate. He wants to do this, so no person can change it. God in heaven does not interfere with what God incarnate does, so is this not even more reason why people should submit to Him? Although He is both practical and normal, He is completely the God become flesh. Based on His own ideas, He does whatever He wants to. God in heaven has handed over all tasks to Him; you must submit to whatever He does. Although He has humanity and is very normal, He has deliberately arranged all of this, so how can people glare at Him with their eyes wide with disapproval? He wants to be normal, so He is normal. He wants to live within humanity, so He lives within humanity. He wants to live within divinity, so He lives within divinity. People can see it however they want, but God will always be God and humans will always be humans. His essence cannot be denied because of some minor detail, nor can He be pushed outside of the “person” of God because of one little thing. People have the freedom of human beings, and God has the dignity of God; these do not interfere with each other. Can people not give God a little freedom? Can they not tolerate God’s being a little more casual? Do not be so strict with God! Each should have tolerance for one another; would everything not then be settled? Would any estrangement still exist? If one cannot tolerate such a trivial matter, then how can they even say anything like “A prime minister’s heart is big enough to sail a boat in”? How can they be a true man? It is not God who causes difficulty for mankind, but mankind who causes difficulty for God. They are always handling things by making mountains out of molehills. They really do make something out of nothing, and it is so unnecessary! When God works within normal and practical humanity, what He does is not the work of mankind, but the work of God. However, humans do not see the essence of His work; they always just see the exterior shell of His humanity. They have not seen such great work, yet they insist on seeing His ordinary and normal humanity, and will not let go of it. How can this be called submitting before God? God in heaven has now “turned into” God on earth, and God on earth is now God in heaven. It does not matter if Their external appearances are the same, nor does it matter just how exactly They work. In the end, He who does God’s own work is God Himself. You must submit whether you want to or not—this is not a matter in which you have a choice! God must be obeyed by humans, and humans must absolutely submit to God without the slightest bit of pretense.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Submission to the work of God must be real and actual, and it must be lived out. Superficial submission alone cannot receive God’s praise, and merely obeying the superficial aspects of God’s word, without seeking change in one’s disposition, is not after God’s heart. Obedience to God and submission to the work of God are one and the same. Those who submit only to God but not to His work cannot be deemed obedient, much less those who do not truly submit but are outwardly sycophantic. Those who truly submit to God are all able to gain from the work and achieve understanding of the disposition and work of God. Only such people truly submit to God. Such people are able to gain new knowledge, and undergo new changes, from new work. Only these people are praised by God, only these people are perfected, and only these are the ones whose dispositions have changed. Those who are praised by God are those who gladly submit to God, and to His word and work. Only such people are in the right, only such people sincerely want God, and sincerely seek God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The key to obeying God is appreciating the new light, and being able to accept it and put it into practice. This alone is true obedience. Those who lack the will to yearn for God are incapable of intentionally submitting to Him, and can only oppose God as a result of their satisfaction with the status quo. That man cannot obey God is because he is possessed by what came before. The things that came before have given people all manner of notions and imaginings about God, and these have become the image of God in their minds. Thus, what they believe in are their own notions, and the standards of their own imagination. If you measure the God who does actual work today against the God of your own imagination, then your faith comes from Satan, and is tainted by your own preferences—God does not want this kind of faith. Regardless of how lofty their credentials, and regardless of their dedication—even if they have devoted a lifetime of efforts to His work, and have martyred themselves—God does not approve of anyone with faith such as this. He merely bestows upon them a little grace and allows them to enjoy it for a time. People such as this are incapable of putting the truth into practice. The Holy Spirit does not work within them, and God will eliminate each of them in turn. Young and old alike, those who do not obey God in their faith and have the wrong intentions are those who oppose and interrupt, and such people will unquestionably be eliminated by God. Those who are without the slightest obedience to God, who merely acknowledge His name, and have some sense of God’s kindness and loveliness, yet do not keep pace with the steps of the Holy Spirit, and do not obey the present work and words of the Holy Spirit—such people live amid the grace of God, and will not be gained or made perfect by Him. God makes people perfect through their obedience, through their eating, drinking, and enjoying of God’s words, and through the suffering and refinement in their lives. Only through faith such as this can people’s dispositions change, and only then can they possess the true knowledge of God. Not being satisfied with living amid God’s grace, actively yearning and searching for the truth, and seeking to be gained by God—this is what it means to consciously obey God and this is precisely the kind of faith that He wants. People who do nothing more than enjoy God’s grace cannot be made perfect or changed; and their obedience, piety, love, and patience are all superficial. Those who only enjoy God’s grace cannot truly know God, and even when they do know God, their knowledge is superficial, and they say things like “God loves man,” or “God is compassionate toward man.” This does not represent the life of man, and does not show that people truly know God. If, when God’s words refine them, or when His trials come upon them, people are unable to obey God—if, instead, they become doubtful, and fall down—then they are not in the least bit obedient. Within them, there are many rules and restrictions about faith in God, old experiences that are the result of many years of faith, or various rules based upon the Bible. Could people such as this obey God? These people are full of human things—how could they obey God? Their “obedience” is according to personal preference—would God want obedience like this? This is not obedience to God, but adherence to rules; it is the satisfaction and appeasement of themselves. If you say that this is obedience to God, do you not blaspheme against Him?

Excerpted from “In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people can let go of religious notions, they will not use their minds to measure the words and work of God today, and instead will obey directly. Even though God’s work today is manifestly unlike that of the past, you are yet able to let go of the views of the past and obey the work of God today directly. If you are capable of understanding that you must give pride of place to the work of God today, regardless of how God worked in the past, then you are someone who has let go of their notions, who obeys God, and who is able to obey the work and words of God and follow His footsteps. In this, you will be someone who truly obeys God. You do not analyze or scrutinize the work of God; it is as if God has forgotten His previous work, and you, too, have forgotten it. The present is the present, and the past is the past, and since today, God has put aside that which He did in the past, you should not dwell on it. Only such a person is one who obeys God completely and has let go of their religious notions completely.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know the Work of God Today May Serve God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why do you believe in God? Most people are confounded by this question. They always have two entirely different viewpoints about the practical God and the God in heaven, which shows that they believe in God not in order to obey Him, but to receive certain benefits, or to escape the suffering that disaster brings; only then are they somewhat obedient. Their obedience is conditional; it is for the sake of their own personal prospects, and forced upon them. So, just why do you believe in God? If it is solely for the sake of your prospects and your fate, then it would be better if you did not believe at all. Belief such as this is self-deception, self-reassurance, and self-admiration. If your faith is not built upon the foundation of obedience to God, then you will ultimately be punished for opposing Him. All those who do not seek obedience to God in their faith oppose Him. God asks that people seek the truth, that they thirst for His words, eat and drink His words, and put them into practice, so that they may achieve obedience to God. If these are your true intentions, then God will surely raise you up, and will surely be gracious toward you. This is undoubtable and unchangeable. If your intention is not to obey God, and you have other aims, then all that you say and do—your prayers before God, and even your every action—will be in opposition to Him. You may be soft-spoken and mild-mannered, your every action and expression may look proper, and you may appear to be one who obeys, but when it comes to your intentions and your views about faith in God, everything you do is in opposition to God; everything you do is evil. People who appear as obedient as sheep, but whose hearts harbor evil intentions, are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They directly offend God, and God will not spare a single one of them. The Holy Spirit will reveal each and every one of them and show everybody that all those who are hypocrites will, with certainty, be detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit. Worry not: God will reckon with and dispose of every last one of them in turn.

Excerpted from “In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

I am an all-consuming fire and I do not tolerate offense. Because humans were all created by Me, whatever I say and do, they must obey, and they may not rebel. People do not have the right to meddle in My work, and much less are they qualified to analyze what is right or wrong in My work and in My words. I am the Lord of creation, and the created beings should achieve everything that I require with a heart of reverence for Me; they should not try to reason with Me, and they especially should not resist. With My authority I govern My people, and all those who are part of My creation should submit to My authority.

Excerpted from “When Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots, You Will Regret All the Evil You Have Done” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In measuring whether or not people can obey God, the key thing to look at is whether they desire anything extravagant from God, and whether or not they have ulterior motives. If people are always making demands of God, it proves that they are not obedient to Him. Whatever happens to you, if you cannot receive it from God, cannot seek the truth, are always speaking from your own subjective reasoning and always feeling that only you are right, and are even still capable of doubting God, then you will be in trouble. Such people are the most arrogant and rebellious to God. People who always make demands of God can never truly obey Him. If you make demands of God, this proves that you are making a deal with God, that you are choosing your own thoughts, and acting according to your own thoughts. In this, you betray God, and are without obedience. To make demands of God is senseless; if you truly believe that He is God, then you will not dare to make demands of Him, nor will you be qualified to make demands of Him, whether they be reasonable or not. If you have true faith, and believe that He is God, then you will have no choice but to worship and obey Him. People today not only have a choice, but even demand that God act in accordance with their own thoughts. They choose their own thoughts and ask that God act according to them, and they do not require themselves to act according to God’s thoughts. Therefore, there is no true faith in man, no substantial faith, and they can never receive God’s praise. When you are able to make fewer demands of God, your true faith and your obedience will grow, and your sense of reason will also become comparatively normal.

Excerpted from “People Make Too Many Demands of God” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The only attitude that a created being should have to its Creator is one of obedience, one of unconditional obedience. This is something that some people today may be unable to accept. This is because man’s stature is too small and they are without truth reality. If this describes your state, then you are far from being able to obey God. While man is provided for and watered by the word of God, man is in fact preparing for a single thing. It is ultimately to be able to achieve unconditional, absolute submission to God, at which point, you, this creation, will have reached the standard required. Sometimes, God deliberately does things that are at odds with your notions, which go against what you want, or which even appear to go against principles, or against human feelings, humanity, or sentiments, leaving you unable to accept them and unable to understand. Whichever way you look at it, it does not seem right, you simply cannot accept it, and you feel that what He has done is simply unreasonable. So what is God’s purpose in doing these things? It is to test you. You need not discuss the hows and whys of what God has done; all you need do is maintain your faith that He is the truth, and recognize that He is your Creator, that He is your God. This is higher than all truth, higher than all worldly wisdom, than man’s so-called morality, ethics, knowledge, education, philosophy or traditional culture, and it is even higher than affection or comradeship or so-called love between people—it is higher than absolutely anything else. If you cannot understand this, then sooner or later, when something happens to you, you are liable to rebel against God and go astray before finally repenting and recognizing how lovable God is and the significance of the work He performs on you; or, even worse, you might trip and fall because of it. It would not be frightening that God judged you, nor would it be frightening that He cursed you or chastised you—so what would be frightening? It would be frightening if He said, “I won’t save a person like you; I give up!” In that case, you would be done for. Therefore, people should not split hairs by saying, “These words—judgment and chastisement—are fine, but these ones—cursing, destruction, condemnation—wouldn’t that mean the end of me? What kind of created being could I be after that? Fine; I quit. And You can go ahead and stop being my God.” If you decide to abandon God, without having stood testimony, then He truly might decide He does not want you anymore. Have you considered this before? Regardless of how long a person has believed in God, how long the road they have traveled along, how much work they have done and how many duties they have performed, this time has all been preparing them for a single thing: for you to ultimately be able to achieve unconditional, absolute submission to God. So what does “unconditional” mean? It means ignoring your personal justifications, ignoring your objective reasoning, and not bickering over anything: You are a created being, and you are not worthy. When you bicker with God, you are in the wrong position; when you attempt to justify yourself to God, once again, you are in the wrong position; when you argue with God, when you want to ask the reason why, to figure out what is actually happening, if you cannot obey without first understanding, and will only submit once everything is clear to you, you are once again in the wrong position. When the position you are in is wrong, is your obedience to God absolute? Are you treating God as God should be treated? Do you worship Him as the Lord of all creation? No, you are not, in which case God does not recognize you. What things can enable you to achieve absolute, unconditional obedience to God? How can this be experienced? On the one hand, a bit of the conscience and sense of normal humanity is required; on the other, as you fulfill your duties, each and every aspect of the truth must be understood so that you may understand God’s will. Sometimes, man’s caliber falls short, and man does not have the strength or the energy to understand all truths. There is one thing, however: Regardless of the environment, people, events, and things that come upon you and that God has arranged, you must always have an obedient attitude and do not ask the reason why. If even this attitude is beyond you, and you are even capable of going so far as to guard against God, speculate about God, or else think to yourself, “I have to consider whether what God is doing is really righteous. They say God is love, well let’s see if there is love in what He is doing with me, and if this is actually love,” if you are always examining whether what God is doing conforms to your notions, looking at whether what God is doing is what you like, or even whether it complies with what you believe to be the truth, then your position is wrong, and this will bring you trouble and you will be liable to offend God’s disposition.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

When Noah did as God instructed, he did not know what God’s intentions were. He did not know what God wanted to accomplish. God had only given him a command and instructed him to do something, and without much explanation, Noah went ahead and did it. He did not try to secretly figure out God’s intentions, nor did he resist God or show insincerity. He just went and did it accordingly with a pure and simple heart. Whatever God had him do, he did, and obeying and listening to God’s word underpinned his belief in what he did. That was how straightforwardly and simply he dealt with what God entrusted. His essence—the essence of his actions was obedience, not second-guessing, not resisting, and moreover, not thinking of his own personal interests or his gains and losses. Further, when God said He would destroy the world with a flood, Noah did not ask when or ask what would become of things, and he certainly did not ask God how He was going to destroy the world. He simply did as God instructed. However God wanted it to be made and made with what, he did exactly as God asked and also commenced action immediately. He acted according to God’s instructions with an attitude of wanting to satisfy God. Was he doing it to help himself avoid the disaster? No. Did he ask God how much longer it would be before the world was to be destroyed? He did not. Did he ask God or did he know how long it would take to build the ark? He did not know that either. He simply obeyed, listened, and acted accordingly.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In his belief in God, Peter sought to satisfy God in everything, and sought to obey all that came from God. Without the slightest complaint, he was able to accept chastisement and judgment, as well as refinement, tribulation and going without in his life, none of which could alter his love for God. Was this not the ultimate love for God? Was this not the fulfillment of the duty of a creature of God? Whether in chastisement, judgment, or tribulation, you are always capable of achieving obedience unto death, and this is what should be achieved by a creature of God, this is the purity of the love for God. If man can achieve this much, then he is a qualified creature of God, and there is nothing which better satisfies the desire of the Creator. Imagine that you are able to work for God, yet you do not obey God, and are incapable of truly loving God. In this way, not only will you not have fulfilled the duty of a creature of God, but you will also be condemned by God, for you are someone who does not possess the truth, who is incapable of obeying God, and who is disobedient to God. You only care about working for God, and do not care about putting the truth into practice or knowing yourself. You do not understand or know the Creator, and do not obey or love the Creator. You are someone who is innately disobedient to God, and so such people are not beloved by the Creator.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Bearing a resounding witness for God primarily relates to whether or not you have an understanding of the practical God, and to whether or not you are able to submit before this person who is not only ordinary, but normal, and submit even unto death. If, by way of this submission, you truly bear witness for God, that means you have been obtained by God. If you can submit unto death and, before Him, be free of complaints, not make judgments, not slander, not have any notions, and not have any ulterior motives, then in this way God will gain glory. Submission before a regular person who is looked down upon by man, and being able to submit unto death without any notions—this is true testimony. The reality that God requires people to enter into is that you are able to obey His words, put them into practice, bow down in front of the practical God and know your own corruption, open up your heart in front of Him, and, ultimately, be gained by Him through these words of His. God gains glory when these utterances conquer you and make you fully obedient to Him; through this, He shames Satan and completes His work. When you do not have any notions about the practicality of God incarnate—that is, when you have stood firm in this trial—then you have borne this witness well. If there comes a day when you have a full understanding of the practical God and can submit unto death like Peter did, then you will be gained and perfected by God. Anything God does that is not in line with your notions is a trial for you. If God’s work were in line with your notions, it would not require you to suffer or be refined. It is because His work is so practical and not in line with your notions that it requires you to let go of such notions. This is why it is a trial for you. It is because of God’s practicality that all people are in the midst of trials; His work is practical, not supernatural. By fully understanding His practical words and His practical utterances without any notions, and being able to genuinely love Him as His work grows ever more practical, you will be gained by Him. The group of people whom God will gain are those who know God; that is, those who know His practicality. Furthermore, they are those who are able to submit to God’s practical work.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

157. The Principles of Submitting to the Work of the Holy Spirit

(1) It is necessary to frequently be quiet before God and to eat and drink of His words, seeking the truth and basing all matters on His words. Only thus can one obtain the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit;

(2) It is necessary to submit to God’s sovereignty and arrangements, and it is necessary to accept and submit to all pruning and dealing, all discipline and smiting, and all trials and refinement that come from the Holy Spirit;

(3) It is necessary to accept and submit to the work arrangements of the man used by the Holy Spirit, as well as his fellowship and sermons, for these are part of the Holy Spirit’s work;

(4) It is necessary to submit to the fellowship of leaders and workers at any level and of one’s brothers and sisters, as long as that fellowship comes from the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit and accords with the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

“Following the work of the Holy Spirit” means understanding the will of God today, being able to act in accordance with the present requirements of God, being able to obey and follow the God of today, and entering in accordance with the newest utterances of God. Only this is someone who follows the work of the Holy Spirit and is in the stream of the Holy Spirit. Such people are not only capable of receiving God’s praise and seeing God, but can also know God’s disposition from the latest work of God, and can know man’s notions and disobedience, and man’s nature and essence, from His latest work; furthermore, they are able to gradually achieve changes in their disposition during their service. Only people such as this are those who are able to gain God, and who have genuinely found the true way. Those who are eliminated by the work of the Holy Spirit are people who are incapable of following the latest work of God, and who rebel against the latest work of God. That such people openly oppose God is because God has done new work, and because the image of God is not the same as that in their notions—as a result of this, they openly oppose God and pass judgment upon God, which results in God loathing and rejecting them. Possessing the knowledge of the latest work of God is no easy matter, but if people have a mind to obey the work of God and seek the work of God, then they will have the chance to see God, and will have the chance to gain the newest guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those who intentionally oppose the work of God cannot receive the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit or the guidance of God. Thus, whether or not people can receive the latest work of God depends on the grace of God, it depends on their pursuit, and it depends on their intentions.

All who are able to obey the present utterances of the Holy Spirit are blessed. It does not matter how they used to be, or how the Holy Spirit used to work within them—those who have gained the latest work of God are the most blessed, and those who are unable to follow the latest work today are eliminated. God wants those who are able to accept the new light, and He wants those who accept and know His latest work. Why is it said that you must be a chaste virgin? A chaste virgin is able to seek the work of the Holy Spirit and understand the new things, and moreover, able to put aside old notions, and obey the work of God today. This group of people, who accept the newest work of today, were predestined by God before the ages, and are the most blessed of people. You hear the voice of God directly, and behold the appearance of God, and so, throughout heaven and earth, and throughout the ages, none have been more blessed than you, this group of people. All this is because of God’s work, because of God’s predestination and selection, and because of God’s grace; if God did not speak and utter His words, could your conditions be as they are today? Thus, may all glory and praise be to God, for all this is because God raises you up.

Excerpted from “Know God’s Newest Work and Follow His Footsteps” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit changes from day to day. It rises higher with each step, the revelation of tomorrow higher than today’s, climbing ever higher, step after step. Such is the work by which God perfects man. If people cannot keep pace, then they could be cast out at any time. If they do not have a heart of obedience, they will be unable to follow to the very end. The former age has passed; this is a new age. And in a new age, new work must be done. Particularly in the final age in which people are perfected, God will perform newer work, more quickly, so without obedience in their hearts, people will find it difficult to follow the footsteps of God. God does not abide by any rules, nor does He treat any stage of His work as unchanging. Instead, the work He does is ever newer and ever higher. With each stage, His work becomes more and more practical, and increasingly in line with the actual needs of man. Only after people experience such work can they attain the final transformation of their disposition. Man’s knowledge of life reaches ever higher levels, and so, likewise, the work of God reaches ever higher levels. Only thus can man be made perfect and become fit for God’s use. God works in this way on the one hand to counter and reverse the notions of man, and on the other to lead man into a higher and more realistic state, into the highest realm of belief in God, so that in the end, the will of God can be done. All those of a disobedient nature who willfully oppose shall be cast out by this stage of God’s swift and furiously advancing work; only those who willingly obey and who gladly humble themselves can progress to the end of the road. In this kind of work, all of you should learn how to submit and how to put aside your notions. You should be cautious in every step you take. If you are careless, you will surely become one who is spurned by the Holy Spirit, one who disrupts God’s work. Prior to undergoing this stage of work, man’s rules and laws of old were so innumerable that he got carried away, and as a result, he became conceited and forgot himself. These are all obstacles that keep man from accepting the new work of God; they are the enemies of man’s knowledge of God. It is dangerous for people to have neither obedience in their hearts nor a yearning for the truth. If you submit only to work and words that are simple, and are incapable of accepting anything more profound, then you are one who clings to old ways and cannot keep pace with the work of the Holy Spirit. The work done by God differs from period to period. If you are of great obedience to God’s work in one phase, but in the next phase your obedience toward His work is poor, or you are incapable of obedience, then God shall desert you. If you keep pace with God as He takes this step, then you must continue to keep pace when He ascends the next; only then will you be someone who is obedient to the Holy Spirit. Since you believe in God, you must remain constant in your obedience. You cannot simply obey when you please and disobey when you do not. This kind of obedience is not praised by God. If you cannot keep pace with the new work I fellowship, and continue to hold on to the former sayings, then how can there be progress in your life? God’s work is to supply you through His words. When you obey and accept His words, the Holy Spirit shall surely work in you. The Holy Spirit works exactly as I speak; do as I have said, and the Holy Spirit will promptly work in you. I release a new light for you to behold, bringing you into the light of the present, and when you walk into this light, the Holy Spirit shall immediately work in you. There are some who may be recalcitrant, saying, “I simply will not carry out what You say.” In which case, I tell you that you have now come to the end of the road; you are dried up, and have no more life. Thus, in experiencing the transformation of your disposition, nothing is more crucial than keeping pace with the present light. The Holy Spirit not only works in certain people who are used by God, but, furthermore, in the church. He could be working in anyone. He may work in you during the present time, and you will experience this work. During the next period, He may work in someone else, in which case you must haste to follow; the more closely you follow the present light, the more your life can grow. No matter what manner of person someone is, if the Holy Spirit works in them, then you must follow. Take in their experiences through your own, and you will receive even higher things. In so doing you will progress more quickly. This is the path of perfection for man and the means by which life grows. The path to being made perfect is reached through your obedience to the work of the Holy Spirit. You do not know through what kind of person God will work to perfect you, nor through what person, occurrence, or thing He will allow you to gain or see things. If you can set foot upon this right track, it shows that there is great hope for you to be perfected by God. If you cannot, it shows that your future is bleak, devoid of light. Once you embark upon the right track, you will gain revelation in all things. No matter what the Holy Spirit reveals to others, if you proceed on the basis of their knowledge to experience things on your own, then this experience will become a part of your life, and you will be able to supply others out of this experience. Those who supply others by parroting words are people who have not had any experiences; you must learn to find, through the enlightenment and illumination of others, a way of practice before you can begin to speak of your own actual experience and knowledge. This will be of greater benefit to your own life. You should experience thus, obeying all that comes from God. You should seek the will of God in all things and learn the lessons in all things, that your life may grow. Such practice affords the fastest progress.

Excerpted from “Those Who Obey God With a True Heart Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit is always moving forward, and all those who are in the stream of the Holy Spirit should also be progressing deeper and changing, step-by-step. They should not stop at a single stage. Only those who do not know the work of the Holy Spirit would remain amongst His original work, and not accept the new work of the Holy Spirit. Only those who are disobedient would be incapable of gaining the Holy Spirit’s work. If the practice of man does not keep pace with the new work of the Holy Spirit, then the practice of man is surely dissevered from the work of today and is surely incompatible with the work of today. Such outdated people as these are simply incapable of accomplishing God’s will, much less could they become people who will ultimately stand testimony to God. The entire management work, furthermore, could not be concluded amongst such a group of people. For those who once held to the law of Jehovah, and those who once suffered for the cross, if they cannot accept the stage of work of the last days, then all that they did will have been in vain, and useless. The clearest expression of the Holy Spirit’s work is in embracing the here and now, not clinging to the past. Those who have not kept up with the work of today, and who have become separated from the practice of today, are those who oppose and do not accept the work of the Holy Spirit. Such people defy the present work of God. Though they hold onto the light of the past, it cannot be denied that they do not know the work of the Holy Spirit. Why has there been all this talk of the changes in the practice of man, of the differences in the practice between the past and today, of how the practice was carried out during the previous age, and of how it is done today? Such divisions in the practice of man are always spoken of because the work of the Holy Spirit is constantly moving forward, and thus the practice of man is required to constantly change. If man remains stuck in one stage, then this proves that he is incapable of keeping up with God’s new work and new light; it does not prove that God’s plan of management has not changed. Those who are outside the stream of the Holy Spirit always think they are right, but in fact, God’s work in them ceased long ago, and the work of the Holy Spirit is absent from them. The work of God was long since transferred to another group of people, a group on whom He intends to complete His new work. Because those in religion are incapable of accepting God’s new work, and hold only to the old work of the past, thus God has forsaken these people, and does His new work on the people who accept this new work. These are people who cooperate in His new work, and only in this way can His management be accomplished. The management of God is always moving forward, and the practice of man is always ascending higher. God is always working, and man is always in need, such that both reach their zenith and God and man achieve complete union. This is the expression of the accomplishment of God’s work, and it is the final outcome of God’s entire management.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The work of the Holy Spirit is varied and not limited by any conditions. The work of the Holy Spirit varies in different people; it manifests different essences, and it differs by era, as well as by country. Of course, although the Holy Spirit works in many different ways and according to many principles, no matter how the work is done or on what kind of people, its essence is always different; all the work done on different people has its principles, and all of it can represent the essence of its objects. This is because the work of the Holy Spirit is quite specific in scope and quite measured. The work done in the incarnate flesh is not the same as the work conducted on people, and the work varies, too, according to the caliber of the person on whom it is conducted. Work done in the incarnate flesh is not done on people, and it is not the same work as that done on people. In brief, no matter how it is done, the work performed on different objects is never the same, and the principles by which He works differ in accordance with the states and natures of the different people on whom He works. The Holy Spirit works on different people based on their inherent essence and does not make demands on them that exceed that essence, nor does He do work on them that exceeds their inherent caliber. So, the work of the Holy Spirit on man allows people to see the essence of that work’s object. The inherent essence of man does not change; his inherent caliber is limited. The Holy Spirit uses people or works on them in accordance with the limitations of their caliber, that they may benefit from it. When the Holy Spirit works on people being used, those people’s talents and inherent caliber are unleashed, not withheld. Their inherent caliber is exerted in service of the work. It may be said that He uses the parts of men that can be used in His work, in order to achieve results in that work. By contrast, work done in the incarnate flesh expresses the work of the Spirit directly and is unadulterated by the human mind and thoughts; neither man’s gifts, nor man’s experience, nor man’s innate condition can reach it. All the myriad work of the Holy Spirit is meant to benefit and edify man. However, some people can be perfected while others do not possess the conditions for perfection, which means they cannot be perfected and can hardly be saved, and though they may have had the work of the Holy Spirit, they are ultimately eliminated. This is to say that though the work of the Holy Spirit is to edify people, one cannot say that all those who have had the Holy Spirit’s work will be perfected completely, because the path many people follow in their pursuit is not the path to being perfected. They have only the unilateral work of the Holy Spirit, not subjective human cooperation nor correct human pursuit. Thus, the work of the Holy Spirit on these people comes to serve those who are being perfected. The work of the Holy Spirit cannot be seen directly by people, nor can it be touched directly by people themselves. It can only be expressed by those with the gift of work, which means that the work of the Holy Spirit is provided to followers through the expressions people make.

The work of the Holy Spirit is accomplished and completed through many types of people and many different conditions. Although the work of God incarnate can represent the work of an entire era, and can represent people’s entry in an entire era, work on the details of people’s entry still needs to be done by men who are used by the Holy Spirit, not by God incarnate. So, God’s work, or God’s own ministry, is the work of God’s incarnate flesh, which man cannot do in His stead. The work of the Holy Spirit is completed through many different types of people; no single person can achieve it entirely, and no single person can express it completely. Those who lead the churches also cannot represent the work of the Holy Spirit completely; they can only do some leading work. The work of the Holy Spirit can thus be divided into three parts: God’s own work, the work of people who are used, and the work on all those in the stream of the Holy Spirit. God’s own work is to lead the entire era; the work of those who are used is, by being sent or receiving commissions after God has done His own work, to lead all God’s followers, and these are the ones who cooperate with God’s work; the work done by the Holy Spirit on those in the stream is to maintain all His own work, that is, to maintain His entire management and His testimony, while at once perfecting those who can be perfected. Together, these three parts are the complete work of the Holy Spirit, but without the work of God Himself, the management work would stagnate in its entirety. The work of God Himself involves the work of all of mankind, and it also represents the work of the entire era, which means that God’s own work represents every dynamic and trend of the work of the Holy Spirit, whereas the work of the apostles comes after God’s own work and follows from it, and it does not lead the era, nor does it represent trends of the Holy Spirit’s work in a whole era. They only do the work man ought to do, which has nothing at all to do with the management work. The work God does Himself is a project within the management work. Man’s work is only the duty that people who are used fulfill, and it is unrelated to the management work. Despite the fact that they are both the work of the Holy Spirit, due to differences in identities and representations of the work, there are clear and essential differences between God’s own work and the work of man. Moreover, the extent of the work done by the Holy Spirit varies on objects with different identities. These are the principles and scope of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Work” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The first step of the Holy Spirit’s path in man is, before anything else, to draw man’s heart away from people, events, and things and into the words of God, causing man’s heart to believe that the words of God are beyond all doubt, and completely true. If you believe in God, you must believe in His words; if, after many years of faith in God, you remain unaware of the path taken by the Holy Spirit, are you really a believer? To achieve a normal human life—a normal human life that has a normal relationship with God—you must first believe in His words. If you have not achieved the first step of the Holy Spirit’s work in people, then you have no foundation. If even the very least of principles is beyond you, how will you walk the path ahead? Setting foot upon the right track by which God perfects man means entering upon the right track of the Holy Spirit’s current work; it means setting foot upon the path taken by the Holy Spirit. Right now, the path taken by the Holy Spirit is the current words of God. As such, if people are to set foot upon the path of the Holy Spirit, they must obey, and eat and drink, the current words of God incarnate. The work He does is the work of words; everything begins from His words, and all is built upon His words, upon His current words. Whether being certain about the incarnate God, or knowing the incarnate God, each requires spending more effort on His words. If not, people can accomplish nothing and will be left with nothing. Only by building upon the foundation of eating and drinking God’s words, and thereby coming to know Him and to satisfy Him, can people gradually build a normal relationship with God. For man, there is no better cooperation with God than eating and drinking His words and putting them into practice. Through such practice they are best able to stand firm in their testimony of God’s people. When people understand and are able to obey the essence of God’s current words, they live on the path of being guided by the Holy Spirit, and have set foot on the right track of God’s perfection of man.

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will have an opportunity to perform His work; if you live under Satan’s influence, then you will give the Holy Spirit no such opportunity. The work that the Holy Spirit performs on men, the light that He shines on them, and the confidence that He gives to them last for only a moment; if people are not careful and do not pay attention, then the work of the Holy Spirit will pass them by. If men live within the words of God, then the Holy Spirit will be with them and perform work on them. If men do not live within the words of God, then they live in Satan’s bonds. If men live with corrupt dispositions, then they do not have the presence or the work of the Holy Spirit. If you live within the boundaries of the words of God, and if you live in the state that God requires, then you are one who belongs to Him, and His work will be performed on you; if you are not living within the boundaries of God’s requirements, but living instead under the domain of Satan, then you are decidedly living within Satan’s corruption. Only by living within the words of God and giving your heart to Him can you meet His requirements; you must do as God says, making His utterances the foundation of your existence and the reality of your life; only then will you belong to God. If you actually practice in accordance with God’s will, He will perform work on you, and you will then live under His blessings, in the light of His countenance; you will grasp the work that the Holy Spirit performs and feel the joy of God’s presence.

Excerpted from “Escape From the Influence of Darkness, and You Will Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In their work, church leaders and workers must pay attention to two things: One is to do their work exactly according to the principles stipulated by the work arrangements, never violating those principles and not basing their work on anything that they might imagine or on any of their own ideas. In everything they do, they should show concern for the work of God’s house, and always put its interests first. Another thing—and this is most crucial—is that in all things, they must focus on following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do everything in strict keeping with God’s words. If you are still capable of going against the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or if you stubbornly follow your own ideas and do things according to your own imagination, then your actions will constitute a most serious resistance against God. Frequently turning your back on the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit will only lead to a dead end. If you lose the work of the Holy Spirit, then you will not be able to work; and even if you do somehow manage to work, you will accomplish nothing. These are the two main principles to abide by while working: One is to perform your work in exact accordance with the arrangements from the Above, as well as to act according to the principles that have been set forth by the Above; and the other is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. Once these two points are grasped, you will not be so liable to make mistakes. For you whose experience in this area is still limited, your own ideas adulterate your work a bit further. At times, you may not understand the enlightenment or guidance within you that comes from the Holy Spirit; at other times, you appear to understand it, but you are likely to ignore it. You always imagine or deduce in a human manner, acting as you think appropriate, with no concern at all for the Holy Spirit’s intentions. You go about your work solely according to your own ideas, setting aside any enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. Such situations occur frequently. Inner guidance from the Holy Spirit is not at all transcendental; it is, in fact, very normal. That is, in the depths of your heart, you know this is an appropriate way to act, and that it is the best way. This thought is actually quite clear; it did not come of your pondering, but was a sort of feeling you gave rise to from deep down, and sometimes you do not fully understand what makes you act this way. This is often none other than enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, and this is how it occurs most commonly in the majority of people. One’s own ideas often come from thinking and considering, and are all adulterated by self-will, ideas of what areas there are in which one can find self-benefit, and what advantages something might have for oneself; every human decision has these things in it. Guidance from the Holy Spirit, however, in no way contains such adulterations. It is necessary to pay careful attention to the guidance or enlightenment from the Holy Spirit; particularly in key issues, you must be careful in order to grasp it. People who like to use their brains, and who like to act on their own ideas, are the most liable to miss such guidance or enlightenment. Adequate leaders and workers pay attention to the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who obey the Holy Spirit fear God and tirelessly pursue the truth. To satisfy God and bear witness for Him properly, one should investigate one’s work for elements of adulteration and intents, and then try to see how much of the work is motivated by human ideas, how much is born of enlightenment by the Holy Spirit, and how much is in keeping with God’s words. You must constantly, and in all circumstances, examine your words and deeds. To practice frequently in this manner will put you on the right track of serving God.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

158. The Principles of Submitting to God’s Word the Truth

(1) It is necessary to know that all God’s words are the truth and should be accepted, no matter whether they accord with human notions. One must not accept and obey them selectively;

(2) One must put those of God’s word the truth they have understood into practice and experience them. Whether one’s understanding of the truth is shallow or profound, they must come to a lucid comprehension through practice and experience;

(3) It is necessary to submit to the judgment and chastisement of God’s words, as well as their dealing and pruning. Only when one has come to know their own corrupt essence will they repent truly;

(4) It is necessary to submit to the authority of God’s words. One should accept and obey the words of anyone who speaks in accord with God’s word the truth, no matter who that person is. God’s words are the highest authority.

Relevant Words of God:

In every age, while working among humans, God bestows some words upon them and tells them of some truths. These truths serve as the way people should adhere to, the way they should walk in, the way that enables them to fear God and shun evil, and the way that people should put into practice and adhere to in their lives and over the course of their life journeys. It is for these reasons that God expresses these utterances to humanity. These words that come from God should be adhered to by people, and to adhere to them is to receive life. If a person does not adhere to them, does not put them into practice, and does not live out God’s words in their life, then this person is not putting the truth into practice. Furthermore, if people are not putting the truth into practice, then they are not fearing God and shunning evil, nor can they satisfy God. People who are incapable of satisfying God cannot receive His praise, and such people have no outcome.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Disposition and the Results His Work Shall Achieve” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of mankind has been corrupted by Satan, and man’s nature is to betray God. However, among all the humans who have been corrupted by Satan, there are some who can submit to God’s work and accept the truth; these are the ones who can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of disposition. There are also those who do not focus on seeking the truth. They are satisfied with merely understanding doctrines; they hear good doctrine and keep it, and after understanding it, they can perform their duties—to a point. These people do what they are told and have mediocre humanity. They are willing, to a certain extent, to expend, abandon worldliness, and endure suffering. However, they are not earnest with regard to the truth; they believe it is sufficient that they commit no sin, and are unable ever to understand the essence of the truth. If such people can stand firm in the end, then they can also be spared, but they cannot have their dispositions transformed. If you wish to be purified of corruption and undergo a change in your life disposition, then you must have a love for the truth and the ability to accept the truth. What does it mean to accept the truth? Accepting the truth indicates that no matter what sort of corrupt disposition you have, or which of the great red dragon’s poisons are in your nature, you acknowledge it when it is revealed by God’s words, and submit to these words; you accept them unconditionally, without making any excuses or trying to pick and choose, and you come to know yourself based on what He says. This is what it means to accept God’s words. No matter what He says, no matter how much His utterances might pierce your heart, and no matter what words He uses, you can accept them as long as what He says is the truth, and you can acknowledge them as long as they conform to reality. You can submit to God’s words regardless of how deeply you understand them, and you accept and submit to the light that is revealed by the Holy Spirit and fellowshiped by your brothers and sisters. When such a person has pursued the truth to a certain point, he can obtain the truth and achieve a transformation of his disposition. Even if those who do not love the truth may be of decent humanity, when it comes to the truth, they are muddleheaded and do not take it seriously. Though they may be capable of a few good deeds, and can expend of themselves for God, and are capable of renunciation, they cannot achieve a change in disposition.

Excerpted from “How to Know Man’s Nature” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When receiving the judgment of God’s words, we must not fear suffering, nor should we be afraid of pain, and much less should we fear that God’s words will pierce our hearts. We should read more of His utterances about how He judges and chastises us and exposes our corrupt essences. We must read them and hold ourselves up to them more. Do not compare others to them—we must compare ourselves against them. We are not lacking in any single one of these things; we can all square with them. If you do not believe it, go experience it yourself. After reading God’s words, some people are incapable of applying them to themselves; they think that parts of these words are not about them, but are instead about other people. For example, when God exposes people as sluts and whores, some sisters feel that because they have been unerringly faithful to their husbands, such words must not be in reference to them; some sisters feel that since they are unmarried and have never had sex, such words must not be about them, either. Some brothers feel that these words are only aimed at women, and have nothing to do with them; some people believe that such words of God are too unpleasant-sounding, and refuse to accept them. There are even people who say that in some instances, God’s words are wrong. Is this the right attitude to have toward God’s words? People are incapable of reflecting upon themselves based on God’s words. Here, “sluts” and “whores” refer to people’s corruption of promiscuity. Whether man or woman, married or not married, everyone is possessed of the corruption of promiscuity—so how can it have nothing to do with you? God’s words expose people’s corrupt dispositions; whether male or female, one’s level of corruption is the same. Is this not fact? Prior to doing anything else, we have to realize that we must accept every one of the words spoken by God, whether these utterances are pleasant-sounding or not and whether they give us a bitter feeling or a sweet one. Such is the attitude we should have toward God’s words. What sort of attitude is this? Is it a devout attitude, a patient attitude, or an attitude of embracing suffering? I tell you that it is not any of these. In our faith, we must firmly maintain that God’s words are the truth. Since they are indeed the truth, we should accept them rationally. Whether or not we are able to recognize or admit it, our first attitude toward God’s words should be one of absolute acceptance. Every single line of God’s words pertains to a specific state. That is, none of the lines of His utterances are about external appearances, much less about external rules or a simple form of behavior in people. They are not like that. If you see every line uttered by God as being about a simple kind of human behavior or external appearance, then you have no spiritual understanding and you do not understand what the truth is. God’s words are profound. How are they profound? Everything that God says, everything that He reveals, is about people’s corrupt dispositions, and essential and deep-rooted things within their lives. They are essential things, not external appearances, and particularly not external behaviors. Viewing people from their external appearance, they might all seem to be fine. Why, then, does God say that some people are evil spirits and some are unclean spirits? This is a matter that is not visible to you. Thus, you cannot rely on appearance or what you see from the outside to hold up to God’s words. After being fellowshiped to thusly, have you experienced a change in your attitude toward God’s words? No matter how great or small the change, the next time you read such words, you at least will not try to reason with God. You will not say, “God’s words are really hard to listen to; I’m not going to read this page. I’ll just skip over it! Let me search for something to read about blessings and promises, so as to find some comfort.” You must not pick and choose what you read like that.

Excerpted from “The Importance of Pursuing the Truth and the Path of Pursuing It” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Whatever you do, you must learn to seek and obey the truth in it. So long as you act in accordance with the truth, you are acting correctly. Even if it was a child who proposed it, or the most inconspicuous young brother or young sister, so long as what they say conforms to the truth, then what you are doing will have a good outcome, and it will conform to God’s will. The handling of a matter depends on your impulse and your principles for handling it. If your principles arise from man’s will; if they arise from human thoughts, notions, or imaginings; or if they arise from human emotions and points of view, then your handling of the matter will be wrong, because its source will be wrong. When your views are based on the principles of the truth, and you handle matters in accordance with the truth principles, then you are sure to handle the matter at hand correctly. Sometimes, other people will be unable to accept your handling of the matter at the moment, and, at such times, they may seem to have their own notions, or their hearts will be ill at ease. After a while, however, you will be proven right. Matters that conform to God’s will look better over time; the outcome of matters that do not conform to God’s will, however—matters that accord with man’s will and are man-made—grow worse over time, and will all be proven so. When you act, do not concern yourself with whose way should or should not guide you, and do not make assumptions. First of all, you should seek and pray, and then feel your way forward, and fellowship with everyone together. What is the purpose of fellowship? It enables one to do things in precise accordance with God’s will, and to act in line with God’s will. This is a somewhat grand way of putting it; let us say it enables one to handle affairs in precise accordance with the truth principles—this is somewhat more practical. If you can achieve this, that will do.

Excerpted from “The Path to Resolving a Corrupt Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People’s pursuit of entry into life is based upon the words of God. Previously, it was said that everything is accomplished because of His words, but no one saw this fact. If you enter into experiencing the current step, all will be clear to you, and you will be building a good foundation for future trials. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words. When God says He will begin to chastise people, accept His chastisement. When God asks people to die, accept that trial. If you are always living within His newest utterances, God’s words will perfect you in the end. The more you enter into God’s words, the more quickly you will be perfected. Why, in fellowship after fellowship, do I ask you to know and enter into God’s words? Only when you pursue and experience in God’s words, and enter into the reality of His words, does the Holy Spirit have the opportunity to work in you. Therefore, you are all participants in every method by which God works, and whatever the degree of your suffering, in the end you will all receive a “souvenir.” In order to attain your final perfection, you must enter into all of God’s words. The Holy Spirit’s perfection of people is not unilateral; He requires people’s cooperation, He needs everyone to consciously cooperate with Him. Whatever God says, focus only on entry into His words—this will be more beneficial to your life. Everything is for the sake of achieving a change in your disposition. When you enter into God’s words, your heart will be moved by Him, and you will be capable of knowing everything that God wishes to achieve in this step of His work, and you will have the resolution to achieve it. During the time of chastisement, there were those who believed that this was a method of work, and did not believe in God’s words. As a result, they did not undergo refinement, and emerged from the time of chastisement without gaining or understanding anything. There were some who truly entered into these words without a shred of doubt, who said that the words of God are the infallible truth and that humanity should be chastised. They struggled therein for a period of time, letting go of their future and their destiny, and when they emerged, their dispositions had undergone some change, and they had gained a deeper understanding of God. Those who emerged from chastisement all felt the loveliness of God and realized that this step of work embodied God’s great love descending into them, that it was the conquest and salvation of God’s love. They also said that God’s thoughts are always good, and that everything God does in man comes from love, not hate. Those who did not believe in God’s words, who did not look to His words, did not undergo refinement during the time of chastisement, and as a result, the Holy Spirit was not with them, and they gained nothing. For those who entered the time of chastisement, although they did undergo refinement, the Holy Spirit was working hidden inside them, and their life disposition was changed as a result. Some seemed, to all outward appearances, very positive, filled with good cheer all day, but they did not enter into the state of the refinement of God’s words and so did not change at all, which was the consequence of not believing in God’s words. If you do not believe in God’s words, then the Holy Spirit will not work in you. God appears to all those who believe in His words, and those who believe in and accept His words will be able to gain His love!

Excerpted from “People Whose Dispositions Have Changed Are Those Who Have Entered Into the Reality of God’s Words” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Listening to the word of God and obeying God’s requirements is man’s heaven-sent vocation; what God says is no business of man. No matter what God says, what God asks of man, the identity, essence, and status of God do not change—He is always God. When you have no doubt that He is God, your only responsibility, the only thing you should do, is to listen to what He says; this is the path of practice. A creature of God should not study, analyze, explore, reject, contradict, disobey, or deny the words of God; this is abhorred by God, and not what He wishes to see in man. So just what is the path of practice? It is actually very simple: Learn to listen, listen with your heart, accept with your heart, understand and comprehend with your heart, and then go and do, carry out, and execute with your heart. What you hear and comprehend in your heart is closely connected to what you put into practice. Do not separate the two; everything—what you practice, what you obey, what you do by your own hand, everything you run around for—is connected to what you hear and comprehend in your heart, and in this, you will achieve obedience to the words of the Creator. This is the path of practice.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Noah was a man who, of all men, is most worthy of emulation, who feared God, obeyed God, and completed what God entrusted to him; he was commended by God, and should be a model to those who follow God today. And what was most precious about him? He had only one attitude toward God’s words: to listen and accept, to accept and obey, and to obey unto death. It was this attitude, which was most precious of all, that won him God’s commendation. When it came to God’s words, he didn’t just make a token effort, he didn’t just go through the motions, and he did not study, analyze, resist, or reject them inside his head then relegate them to the back of his mind; instead, he listened in earnest, accepted them, little by little, in his heart, and then pondered how to bring God’s words to fruition, how to put them into practice, how to carry them out as originally intended, without distorting them. And at the same time as he pondered God’s words, he said privately to himself, “These are the words of God, they are God’s instructions, God’s commission, I am duty-bound, I must obey, I cannot leave out any details, I cannot in any way go against God’s wishes, nor can I overlook any one of the details of what He said, or else I would not be fit to be called human, I would be unworthy of God’s commission, and unworthy of His exaltation. If I fail to accomplish all that God has told me and entrusted to me, I will be left with many regrets; more than that, I will know myself unworthy of God’s commission and His exaltation of me, and will not have the face to come before the Creator again.” Everything that Noah thought and contemplated in his heart, his every perspective and attitude, all these determined how he became able to put God’s words into practice, and make God’s words a reality, bring God’s words to fruition, make it so that they were fulfilled through him and turned into a reality through him, and so that they did not come to nothing. Judging by everything that Noah thought, every idea that arose in his heart, and his attitude toward God, Noah was worthy of God’s commission, he was a man trusted by God, and one preferred by God. God surveys man’s every word and deed, He looks upon their thoughts and ideas. In God’s eyes, for Noah to be able to think like this, He had not mischosen. Noah showed himself worthy of undertaking God’s commission, worthy of receiving God’s trust, he was able to complete God’s commission: He was the only choice among all of humankind.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

Abraham was an honest man. He had but one attitude toward God’s words: to listen, accept, and obey. He listened to whatever God said; if God said something was black, even if it didn’t look black to Abraham, he believed without question that it was black. If God said something was white, it was white. That’s how simple it was. When God said He would give him a child, he thought to himself, “I am a hundred years old. If God says He is going to give me a child, then I give thanks to God, I thank my Lord.” He didn’t overthink things; he just believed in God. And what was the essence of this belief? He believed in the essence and identity of God; his knowledge of the Creator was true. He was not like some people, who say out loud that they believe that God is possessed of the power to create all things, and that God made humankind, and yet in their hearts are doubtful: “Aren’t we evolved from apes? Why didn’t I see it when God created all things?” Every time they hear God speak, there are big question marks in their hearts. Every fact, thing, and instruction spoken by God they have to minutely, diligently, and cautiously study and analyze; otherwise, if they’re not careful, they could be tricked, and taken advantage of. But Abraham wasn’t like this. His heart was pure, he listened to God’s words with a pure heart, and though, when God spoke this time, it pained him, he chose to still believe and obey; he believed that God’s words would not change, that they would become reality, that they were what should be carried out and obeyed by created humankind; faced with God’s words, created mankind had no right to choose, much less should it study or analyze. Such was Abraham’s attitude toward God’s words. And so, even though it pained him greatly, even though, because of his attachment, love, and adoration toward his son, he felt the utmost stress and suffering, still he chose to give his son back to God. Why did he have to return him to God? If God had not asked, he need not take it upon himself to return his son—but once God asked, he had to give him back to God; he had no excuses, people shouldn’t try to reason with God; this was Abraham’s attitude. Such was the pure heart with which he obeyed God: This was what God wanted, and it was what God wished to see. What Abraham accomplished in offering up Isaac, and what was exhibited in him before God, was what God wished to see, and was God’s test of him. And yet, God did not treat Abraham as He treated Noah. He did not tell Abraham the whole story, the process, everything behind this matter. Abraham only knew one thing: God has asked him to return Isaac, that is all. He did not know that in doing this, God was testing him, nor was he aware of what, after being subjected to this test, God wished to accomplish in him and his descendants. God didn’t tell him everything, He just gave him a simple instruction, a request. And though these words of God were very simple, and cold-blooded, yet as expected, Abraham did as God wished and required: He sacrificed Isaac upon the altar. Everything he did shows that his offering wasn’t just a formality, he was not just going through the motions, but was sincere from his inmost heart. Even though he couldn’t bear to, even though it pained him, when faced with what the Creator asked, Abraham chose that method which any member of humankind would not: Absolute obedience to what the Creator asked, obedience without compromise, without excuses, and without any conditions—he did whatever God asked. And what was found in him, that he could do what God asked? Partly, there was in him the true faith in God; he was sure that the Creator was God, his God, his Lord, the One who ruled over all things and had created humankind. This was true faith. Partly, his was a pure heart. He trusted in every word uttered by the Creator, and was able to simply and straightforwardly accept every word uttered by the Creator. And partly, no matter how great the difficulty of what the Creator asked, how much pain it would bring him, the attitude he chose was obedience, not trying to reason with God, or push back, or refuse, but complete and total obedience, acting and implementing according to what God asked, according to His every word, and every order issued. As God asked and wished to see, Abraham sacrificed Isaac on the altar, he sacrificed him to God—and all that he did proved that God had chosen the right person, that in God’s eyes, he was righteous.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

I appear to you in your lives, but you are always unaware of it. You do not even recognize Me. Nearly half of the words I say are in judgment of you, and they only achieve half of the effect that they should, which is to instill deep fear within you. The remaining half consists of words to teach you about life and how to conduct yourselves. However, it would seem that as far as you are concerned these words do not even exist, or as if you were listening to the words of children, words to which you always give a veiled smile, but never act upon. You have never been concerned about these things; it has always primarily been in the name of curiosity that you have observed My actions, with the result that now you have fallen into darkness and cannot see the light, and so you cry piteously in the dark. What I want is your obedience, your unconditional obedience, and even more, I require that you be completely certain of everything I say. You should not adopt an attitude of neglect and in particular you should not treat the things I say selectively, nor be indifferent toward My words and My work, as is your wont. My work is done in your midst and I have bestowed a great many of My words upon you, but if you treat Me in this way, I can only give away to Gentile families that which you have neither gained nor put into practice. Who among all of the created beings is not held by Me in My hands? Most of those among you are of a “ripe old age,” and you do not have the energy to accept this kind of work that I have. You are like a Hanhao bird,[a] just barely getting by, and you have never treated My words seriously. The young people are extremely vain and overindulgent and pay even less mind to My work. They have no interest in feasting on the delicacies of My banquet; they are like a little bird that has flown out of its cage to venture far away into the distance. How can these kinds of young and old people be useful to Me?

Excerpted from “Words for the Young and the Old” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Originally, I wished to supply you with more truths, but I have had to refrain from this because your attitude toward the truth is much too cold and indifferent; I do not wish for My efforts to be wasted, nor do I wish to see people holding My words yet in all regards doing that which resists Me, maligns Me, and blasphemes Me. Because of your attitudes and your humanity, I merely supply you with a small and, for you, very important part of My words, which serves as My trial work among mankind. Only now have I truly confirmed that the decisions and plan I have made fit your needs and, moreover, that My attitude toward mankind is the correct one. Your many years of behavior before Me have given Me an answer without precedent, and the question to this answer is: “What is man’s attitude before the truth and the true God?” The efforts I have devoted to man prove My essence of love for man, and man’s every action before Me proves his essence of loathing toward the truth and opposition to Me. At all times, I am concerned for all who follow Me, yet at no time are those who follow Me able to receive My words; they are not even able to accept My suggestions. This is what saddens Me most of all. No one has ever been able to understand Me and nor, moreover, has anyone ever been able to accept Me, even though My attitude is sincere, and My words are gentle. Everyone tries to do the work I have entrusted to them according to their own ideas; they do not seek My intentions, let alone do they ask what I require of them. They still claim to serve Me loyally, all while they rebel against Me. Many believe that the truths that are unacceptable to them or that they cannot practice are not truths. In such people, My truths become something that is denied and cast aside. At the same time, people recognize Me as God in word, yet also believe Me an outsider who is not the truth, the way, or the life. No one knows this truth: My words are the forever unchanging truth. I am the supply of life for man and the only guide for mankind. The worth and meaning of My words are not determined by whether they are recognized or accepted by mankind, but by the essence of the words themselves. Even if not a single person on this earth can receive My words, the value of My words and their help to mankind are inestimable to any man. Therefore, when faced with the many people who rebel against, refute, or are utterly contemptuous of My words, My stance is only this: Let time and facts be My witness and show that My words are the truth, the way, and the life. Let them show that all I have said is right, that it is that which man should be furnished with and, moreover, that which man should accept. I will let all who follow Me know this fact: Those who cannot fully accept My words, those who cannot practice My words, those who cannot find a purpose in My words, and those who cannot receive salvation because of My words, are those who have been condemned by My words and, moreover, have lost My salvation, and My rod shall never stray from them.

Excerpted from “You Ought to Consider Your Deeds” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The story of the Hanhao bird is very similar to Aesop’s fable of the ant and the grasshopper. The Hanhao bird prefers to sleep instead of building a nest while the weather is warm, despite repeated warnings from his neighbor, a magpie. When winter arrives, the bird freezes to death.

159. The Principles of Submitting to God’s Orchestration and Arrangements

(1) God is the Lord of creation; man is a created being. It is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth to submit to God’s orchestration and arrangements. This is the good sense that people should possess;

(2) Man’s fate is in God’s hands. People cannot be their own masters, but whichever path they choose decides their fate;

(3) Have faith in God’s absolute righteousness. Everything He does for His chosen people is love and salvation, and, regardless of their outcome, it is His righteousness;

(4) The path one walks determines whether they meet weal or woe. This has nothing to do with God, who is righteous and partial to no one.

Relevant Words of God:

God is the One who rules over all things and administers all things. He created all that there is, He administers all that there is, He rules over all that there is, and He provides for all that there is. This is the status of God, and it is His identity. For all things and all that there is, God’s true identity is the Creator and the Ruler of all of creation. Such is the identity possessed by God, and He is unique among all things. None of God’s creatures—whether they be among mankind or in the spiritual world—can use any means or excuse to impersonate or replace God’s identity and status, for there is only One, among all things, who is possessed of this identity, power, authority, and ability to rule over creation: our unique God Himself. He lives and moves among all things; He can rise to the highest place, above all things. He can humble Himself by becoming human, becoming one among those of flesh and blood, coming face-to-face with people and sharing weal and woe with them, while at the same time, He commands all that there is, deciding the fate of all that there is and in what direction it all moves. Moreover, He guides the fate of all mankind, and steers the direction of mankind. A God such as this should be worshiped, obeyed, and known by all living beings. Thus, regardless of which group or type among mankind you belong to, believing in God, following God, revering God, accepting His rule, and accepting His arrangements for your fate is the only choice—the necessary choice—for any person and for any living being. In God’s uniqueness, people see that His authority, His righteous disposition, His essence, and the means by which He provides to all things are all completely unique; this uniqueness determines the true identity of God Himself, and it also determines His status. Therefore, among all creatures, if any living being in the spiritual world or among mankind wished to stand in God’s stead, success would be impossible, as would be that of any attempt to impersonate God. This is fact.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique X” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God created all things, and so He makes all creation come under His dominion and submit to His dominion; He will command all things, so that all things are in His hands. All of God’s creation, including animals, plants, mankind, the mountains and rivers, and the lakes—all must come under His dominion. All things in the skies and on the ground must come under His dominion. They cannot have any choice and must all submit to His orchestrations. This was decreed by God, and it is the authority of God. God commands everything, and orders and ranks all things, with each classed according to kind, and allotted their own position, according to God’s will. No matter how great it is, no thing can surpass God, all things serve the mankind created by God, and no thing dares to disobey God or make any demands of God.

Excerpted from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

There is a fundamental principle of the Lord of creation’s treatment of created beings, which is also the highest principle. How He treats created beings is completely based on His management plan and on His requirements; He does not need to consult any single person, nor does He need to get any single person to agree with Him. Whatever He ought to do and however He ought to treat people, He does, and, no matter what He does or how He treats people, it all accords with the principles by which the Lord of creation works. As a created being, the only thing to do is submit; there should not be any other choice. What does this show? It shows that the Lord of creation will always be the Lord of creation; He has the power and the qualifications to orchestrate and rule over any created being as He pleases, and does not need a reason to do so. This is His authority. There is not one among the beings of creation who, insofar as they are created beings, has the power or is qualified to pass judgment on how the Creator should act or on whether what He does is right or wrong, nor is any created being qualified to choose whether they should be ruled over, orchestrated, or disposed of by the Lord of creation. Likewise, not a single created being has the qualifications to choose how they are ruled over and disposed of by the Lord of creation. This is the highest truth. No matter what the Lord of creation has done to His created beings, and no matter how He has done it, the humans He created should do only one thing: Seek, submit, know, and accept this fact put in place by the Lord of creation. The final result will be that the Lord of creation will have accomplished His management plan and completed His work, having caused His management plan to progress without any obstructions; meanwhile, because the created beings have accepted the Creator’s rule and arrangements, and submitted to His rule and arrangements, they will have gained the truth, understood the Creator’s will, and come to know His disposition. There is yet another principle I must tell you: No matter what the Creator does, no matter how He manifests, and no matter whether what He does is a great deed or a small one, He is still the Creator; whereas all mankind, which He created, regardless of what they have done, and regardless of how talented or favored they might be, remain created beings. As for created humanity, no matter how much grace and how many blessings they have received from the Creator, or how much mercy, lovingkindness, or benevolence, they should not believe themselves to stand apart from the masses, or think they can be on equal footing with God and that they have become highly ranked among created beings. Regardless of how many gifts God has bestowed on you, or how much grace He has given you, or how kindly He has treated you, or whether He has given you a few special talents, none of these are your assets. You are a created being, and you will thus forever be a created being. You must never think, “I am a little darling in the hands of God. He would not raise a hand to me. God’s attitude toward me will always be one of love, care, and gentle caresses, with warm whispers of comfort and encouragement.” To the contrary, in the eyes of the Creator, you are the same as all other created beings; God can use you as He wishes, and can also orchestrate you as He wishes, and He can arrange as He wishes for you to play every role among all sorts of people, events, and things. This is the knowledge people should have, and the good sense that they should possess.

Excerpted from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can One Know God’s Deeds” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

When confronting real-life problems, how should you know and understand God’s authority and His sovereignty? When you are faced with these problems and do not know how to understand, handle, and experience them, what attitude should you adopt to demonstrate your intention to submit, your desire to submit, and the reality of your submission to God’s sovereignty and arrangements? First you must learn to wait; then you must learn to seek; then you must learn to submit. “Waiting” means waiting for the time of God, awaiting the people, events, and things that He has arranged for you, waiting for His will to reveal itself gradually to you. “Seeking” means observing and understanding God’s thoughtful intentions for you through the people, events, and things that He has laid out, understanding the truth through them, understanding what humans must accomplish and the ways they must adhere to, understanding what results God means to achieve in humans and what accomplishments He means to attain in them. “Submitting,” of course, refers to accepting the people, events, and things that God has orchestrated, accepting His sovereignty and, through it, coming to know how the Creator dictates man’s fate, how He supplies man with His life, how He works the truth within man. All things under God’s arrangements and sovereignty obey natural laws, and if you resolve to let God arrange and dictate everything for you, you should learn to wait, you should learn to seek, and you should learn to submit. This is the attitude every person who wants to submit to God’s authority must adopt, the basic quality every person who wants to accept God’s sovereignty and arrangements must possess. To hold such an attitude, to possess such a quality, you must work harder. This is the only way you can enter into the true reality.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you believe in God’s sovereignty, then you have to believe that everyday occurrences, be they good or bad, do not happen at random. It is not that someone is deliberately being hard on you or targeting you; this was all arranged by God. Why does God orchestrate all these things? It is not to reveal you for who you are or to expose you; exposing you is not the end goal. The goal is to perfect you and save you. How does God do that? He starts by making you aware of your own corrupt disposition, of your nature and essence, of your shortcomings, and of what you lack. Only by knowing these things and having a clear understanding of them can you pursue the truth and gradually cast off your corrupt disposition. This is God providing you with an opportunity. You have to know how to seize this opportunity, and you should not butt heads with God. In particular, when faced with the people, matters, and things that God arranges around you, do not constantly feel that things are not as you wish them to be; do not constantly wish to escape them or always blame and misunderstand God. If you are constantly doing those things, then you are not experiencing God’s work, and that will make it very difficult for you to enter truth reality. Whatever you encounter that you cannot fully understand, when a difficulty arises, you must learn to submit. You should begin by coming before God and praying more. That way, before you know it, a shift will occur in your internal state, and you will be able to seek the truth to resolve your problem. As such, you will be able to experience God’s work. As this happens, truth reality will be wrought within you, and this is how you will progress and undergo a transformation of the state of your life. Once you have undergone this change and possess this truth reality, you will also possess stature, and with stature comes life. If someone always lives based on a corrupt satanic disposition, then no matter how much enthusiasm or energy they have, they still cannot be considered to possess stature, or life.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The only attitude that a created being should have to its Creator is one of obedience, one of unconditional obedience. This is something that some people today may be unable to accept. This is because man’s stature is too small and they are without truth reality. If this describes your state, then you are far from being able to obey God. While man is provided for and watered by the word of God, man is in fact preparing for a single thing. It is ultimately to be able to achieve unconditional, absolute submission to God, at which point, you, this creation, will have reached the standard required. Sometimes, God deliberately does things that are at odds with your notions, which go against what you want, or which even appear to go against principles, or against human feelings, humanity, or sentiments, leaving you unable to accept them and unable to understand. Whichever way you look at it, it does not seem right, you simply cannot accept it, and you feel that what He has done is simply unreasonable. So what is God’s purpose in doing these things? It is to test you. You need not discuss the hows and whys of what God has done; all you need do is maintain your faith that He is the truth, and recognize that He is your Creator, that He is your God. This is higher than all truth, higher than all worldly wisdom, than man’s so-called morality, ethics, knowledge, education, philosophy or traditional culture, and it is even higher than affection or comradeship or so-called love between people—it is higher than absolutely anything else. If you cannot understand this, then sooner or later, when something happens to you, you are liable to rebel against God and go astray before finally repenting and recognizing how lovable God is and the significance of the work He performs on you; or, even worse, you might trip and fall because of it. It would not be frightening that God judged you, nor would it be frightening that He cursed you or chastised you—so what would be frightening? It would be frightening if He said, “I won’t save a person like you; I give up!” In that case, you would be done for. Therefore, people should not split hairs by saying, “These words—judgment and chastisement—are fine, but these ones—cursing, destruction, condemnation—wouldn’t that mean the end of me? What kind of created being could I be after that? Fine; I quit. And You can go ahead and stop being my God.” If you decide to abandon God, without having stood testimony, then He truly might decide He does not want you anymore. Have you considered this before? Regardless of how long a person has believed in God, how long the road they have traveled along, how much work they have done and how many duties they have performed, this time has all been preparing them for a single thing: for you to ultimately be able to achieve unconditional, absolute submission to God. So what does “unconditional” mean? It means ignoring your personal justifications, ignoring your objective reasoning, and not bickering over anything: You are a created being, and you are not worthy. When you bicker with God, you are in the wrong position; when you attempt to justify yourself to God, once again, you are in the wrong position; when you argue with God, when you want to ask the reason why, to figure out what is actually happening, if you cannot obey without first understanding, and will only submit once everything is clear to you, you are once again in the wrong position. When the position you are in is wrong, is your obedience to God absolute? Are you treating God as God should be treated? Do you worship Him as the Lord of all creation? No, you are not, in which case God does not recognize you. What things can enable you to achieve absolute, unconditional obedience to God? How can this be experienced? On the one hand, a bit of the conscience and sense of normal humanity is required; on the other, as you fulfill your duties, each and every aspect of the truth must be understood so that you may understand God’s will. Sometimes, man’s caliber falls short, and man does not have the strength or the energy to understand all truths. There is one thing, however: Regardless of the environment, people, events, and things that come upon you and that God has arranged, you must always have an obedient attitude and do not ask the reason why. If even this attitude is beyond you, and you are even capable of going so far as to guard against God, speculate about God, or else think to yourself, “I have to consider whether what God is doing is really righteous. They say God is love, well let’s see if there is love in what He is doing with me, and if this is actually love,” if you are always examining whether what God is doing conforms to your notions, looking at whether what God is doing is what you like, or even whether it complies with what you believe to be the truth, then your position is wrong, and this will bring you trouble and you will be liable to offend God’s disposition.

Excerpted from God’s Fellowship

Upon what basis do you—a created being—make demands of God? People are not fit to make demands of God. There is nothing more unreasonable than making demands of God. He will do what He ought to do, and His disposition is righteous. Righteousness is by no means fair or reasonable; it is not egalitarianism, or a matter of allocating to you what you deserve in accordance with how much work you have completed, or paying you for whatever work you have done, or giving you your due according to what effort you expend. This is not righteousness. Suppose God had eliminated Job after Job bore witness for Him: God would have been righteous then, too. Why is this called righteousness? From a human point of view, if something is in line with people’s notions, it is then very easy for them to say that God is righteous; however, if they do not see that thing as being in line with their notions—if it is something that they are incapable of comprehending—then it would be difficult for them to say that God is righteous. If God had destroyed Job back then, people would not have said He was righteous. Actually, though, whether people have been corrupted or not, does God have to justify Himself when He destroys them? Should He have to explain to people upon what basis it is that He does so? Should His decision be based on this: “If they are useful, I will not destroy them; if they are not, I will”? There is no need. In God’s eyes, someone who is corrupt may be dealt with howsoever He wishes; whatever God does will be appropriate, and all are the arrangements of God. If you were displeasing to God’s eyes, and if He said that He had no use for you after your testimony and therefore destroyed you, would this, too, be His righteousness? It would. You might not be able to recognize this right now from the facts, but you must understand in theory. What would you say—is God’s destruction of Satan an expression of His righteousness? Also, what if He allowed Satan to remain? You dare not say, yes? God’s essence is righteousness. Though it is not easy to comprehend what He does, all that He does is righteous; it is simply that people do not understand. When God gave Peter to Satan, how did Peter respond? “Mankind is unable to fathom what You do, but all of what You do contains Your good will; there is righteousness in all of it. How can I not utter praise for Your wise deeds?” Today, you should see that God does not destroy Satan in order to show humans how Satan has corrupted them and how God saves them; ultimately, due to the degree to which Satan has corrupted people, they shall behold the monstrous sin of Satan’s corruption of them, and when God destroys Satan, they shall behold God’s righteousness and see that it contains God’s disposition. Everything that God does is righteous. Though it might be unfathomable to you, you should not make judgments at will. If something He does appears to you as unreasonable, or if you have any notions about it, and that leads you to say that He is not righteous, then you are being most unreasonable. You see that Peter found some things to be incomprehensible, but he was sure that God’s wisdom was present and that His good will was in those things. Humans cannot fathom everything; there are so many things that they cannot grasp. Thus, to know God’s disposition is not an easy thing.

Excerpted from “How to Know God’s Righteous Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

To man, God does much that is incomprehensible and even unbelievable. When God wishes to orchestrate someone, this orchestration is often at odds with man’s notions and incomprehensible to him, yet it is precisely this dissonance and incomprehensibility that are God’s trial and test of man. Abraham, meanwhile, was able to demonstrate obedience to God within himself, which was the most fundamental condition of his being able to satisfy God’s requirement. Only then, when Abraham was able to obey God’s requirement, when he offered up Isaac, did God truly feel reassurance and approval toward mankind—toward Abraham, whom He had chosen. Only then was God sure that this person whom He had chosen was an indispensable leader who could undertake His promise and His subsequent management plan. Though it was but a trial and a test, God felt gratified, He felt man’s love for Him, and He felt comforted by man as never before. At the moment that Abraham lifted up his knife to slay Isaac, did God stop him? God did not let Abraham sacrifice Isaac, for God simply had no intention of taking Isaac’s life. Thus, God stopped Abraham just in time. For God, Abraham’s obedience had already passed the test, what he did was sufficient, and God had already seen the outcome of what He intended to do. Was this outcome satisfactory to God? It can be said that this outcome was satisfactory to God, that it was what God wanted, and was what God had longed to see. Is this true? Although, in different contexts, God uses different ways of testing each person, in Abraham God saw what He wanted, He saw that Abraham’s heart was true, and that his obedience was unconditional. It was precisely this “unconditional” that God desired.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Although Job had never seen God or heard the words of God with his own ears, God had a place in Job’s heart. What was Job’s attitude toward God? It was, as previously referred to, “blessed be the name of Jehovah.” His blessing of God’s name was unconditional, irrespective of context, and bound to no reason. We see that Job had given his heart to God, allowing it to be controlled by God; all that he thought, all that he decided, and all that he planned in his heart was laid open to God and not closed off from God. His heart did not stand in opposition to God, and he had never asked God to do anything for him or give him anything, and he did not harbor extravagant desires that he would gain anything from his worship of God. Job did not talk of trades with God, and made no requests or demands of God. His praising of God’s name was because of the great power and authority of God in ruling all things, and it was not dependent on whether he gained blessings or was struck by disaster. He believed that regardless of whether God blesses people or brings disaster upon them, God’s power and authority will not change, and thus, regardless of a person’s circumstances, God’s name should be praised. That man is blessed by God is because of God’s sovereignty, and when disaster befalls man, so, too, it is because of God’s sovereignty. God’s power and authority rule over and arrange everything about man; the vagaries of man’s fortune are the manifestation of God’s power and authority, and regardless of one’s viewpoint, God’s name should be praised. This is what Job experienced and came to know during the years of his life. All of Job’s thoughts and actions reached the ears of God and arrived before God, and were seen as important by God. God cherished this knowledge of Job, and treasured Job for having such a heart. This heart awaited God’s command always, and in all places, and no matter what the time or place it welcomed whatever befell him. Job made no demands of God. What he demanded of himself was to wait for, accept, face, and obey all of the arrangements that came from God; Job believed this to be his duty, and it was precisely what was wanted by God. Job had never seen God, nor heard Him speak any words, issue any commands, give any teachings, or instruct him of anything. In the words of today, for him to be able to possess such a knowledge and attitude toward God when God had given him no enlightenment, guidance, or provision with regard to the truth—this was precious, and for him to demonstrate such things was enough for God, and his testimony was commended and cherished by God. Job had never seen God or heard God personally utter any teachings to him, but to God his heart and he himself were far more precious than those people who, before God, were only able to talk in terms of deep theory, who were only able to boast, and speak of offering sacrifices, but who had never had a true knowledge of God, and had never truly feared God. For Job’s heart was pure, and not hidden from God, and his humanity was honest and kind-hearted, and he loved justice and that which was positive. Only a man like this who was possessed of such a heart and humanity was able to follow the way of God, and capable of fearing God and shunning evil. Such a man could see God’s sovereignty, could see His authority and power, and was able to achieve obedience to His sovereignty and arrangements. Only a man such as this could truly praise God’s name. That is because he did not look at whether God would bless him or bring disaster upon him, because he knew that everything is controlled by the hand of God, and that for man to worry is a sign of foolishness, ignorance, and irrationality, of doubt toward the fact of God’s sovereignty over all things, and of not fearing God. Job’s knowledge was precisely what God wanted.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Because people do not recognize God’s orchestrations and God’s sovereignty, they always face fate defiantly and with a rebellious attitude, and they always want to cast off God’s authority and sovereignty and the things fate has in store, hoping in vain to change their current circumstances and alter their fate. But they can never succeed and are thwarted at every turn. This struggle, which takes place deep in one’s soul, brings profound pain of the sort that carves itself into one’s bones, as one fritters away their life all the while. What is the cause of this pain? Is it because of God’s sovereignty, or because a person was born unlucky? Obviously, neither is true. At bottom, it is caused by the paths people take, the ways they choose to live their lives. Some people may not have realized these things. But when you truly know, when you truly come to recognize that God has sovereignty over human fate, when you truly understand that everything God has planned for you and decided for you is a great benefit and protection, then you feel your pain begin to lighten, and your whole being becomes relaxed, free, liberated. Judging from the states of the majority of people, they objectively cannot truly come to terms with the practical value and meaning of the Creator’s sovereignty over human fate, even though on a subjective level, they do not want to keep on living as they did before and want relief from their pain; objectively, they cannot truly recognize and submit to the Creator’s sovereignty, and still less do they know how to seek out and accept the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements. So, if people cannot truly recognize the fact that the Creator has sovereignty over human fate and over all human matters, if they cannot truly submit to the Creator’s dominion, then it will be difficult for them not to be driven and fettered by the idea that “one’s fate is in one’s own hands.” It will be difficult for them to shake off the pain of their intense struggle against fate and the Creator’s authority, and, needless to say, it will also be hard for them to become truly liberated and free, to become people who worship God. But there is an exceedingly simple way to free oneself from this state, which is to bid farewell to one’s former way of living; to say goodbye to one’s previous goals in life; to summarize and analyze one’s previous lifestyle, view of life, pursuits, desires, and ideals; and then to compare them with God’s will and demands for man, and see whether any of them is consistent with God’s will and demands, whether any of them delivers the right values of life, leads one to a greater understanding of the truth, and allows one to live with humanity and the likeness of a human being. When you repeatedly investigate and carefully dissect the various goals that people pursue in life and their myriad ways of living, you will find not one of them conforms to the Creator’s original intention with which He created humanity. All of them draw people away from the Creator’s sovereignty and care; they are all traps which cause people to become depraved, and which lead them to hell. After you recognize this, your task is to lay aside your old view of life, stay far from various traps, let God take charge of your life and make arrangements for you; it is to try only to submit to God’s orchestrations and guidance, to live without individual choice, and to become a person who worships God. This sounds easy, but is a hard thing to do. Some people can bear the pain of it, others cannot. Some are willing to comply, others are unwilling. Those who are unwilling lack the desire and the resolution to do so; they are clearly aware of God’s sovereignty, know perfectly well that it is God who plans out and arranges human fate, and yet they still kick and struggle and remain unreconciled to laying their fates in God’s palm and submitting to God’s sovereignty; moreover, they resent God’s orchestrations and arrangements. So there will always be some people who want to see for themselves what they are capable of; they want to change their fates with their own two hands, or to achieve happiness by their own power, to see whether they can overstep the bounds of God’s authority and rise above God’s sovereignty. The tragedy of man is not that he seeks a happy life, not that he pursues fame and fortune or struggles against his own fate through the fog, but that after he has seen the Creator’s existence, after he has learned the fact that the Creator has sovereignty over human fate, he still cannot mend his ways, cannot pull his feet out of the mire, but hardens his heart and persists in his errors. He would rather keep thrashing in the mud, vying obstinately against the Creator’s sovereignty, resisting it until the bitter end, all without the slightest shred of contrition. It is only when he lies broken and bleeding that he at last decides to give up and turn back. This is true human sorrow. So I say, those who choose to submit are wise, and those who choose to struggle and flee are foolish indeed.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Attaining clear, accurate knowledge and understanding of these truths regarding God’s sovereignty over human fate is a mandatory lesson for everyone; it is the key to knowing human life and attaining the truth. Such is the life of knowing God, its basic course of study, that everyone must face each day, which no one can evade. If someone wishes to take shortcuts to reach this goal, then I tell you now, it is impossible! If you want to escape God’s sovereignty, that is even less possible! God is man’s only Lord, God is the only Master of human fate, and so it is impossible for man to dictate his own fate, impossible for him to step outside of it. No matter how great one’s abilities, one cannot influence—much less orchestrate, arrange, control, or change—the fates of others. Only God Himself, the unique, dictates all things for man, for only He possesses the unique authority that holds sovereignty over human fate, and so only the Creator is man’s unique Master. God’s authority holds sovereignty not only over created humanity, but also over non-created beings that no human can see, over the stars, over the cosmos. This is an indisputable fact, a fact that truly exists, which no person or thing can change. If one of you is still dissatisfied with things as they stand, believing you have some special skill or ability, and thinking still that by some stroke of luck you can change your present circumstances or otherwise escape them; if you attempt to change your own fate by means of human effort, and thereby distinguish yourself from your fellows and win fame and fortune; then I say to you, you are making things hard for yourself, you are only asking for trouble, you are digging your own grave! One day, sooner or later, you will discover you have made the wrong choice and your efforts have been wasted. Your ambition, your desire to struggle against fate, and your own egregious conduct will lead you down a road of no return, and for this you will pay a bitter price. Though at present you do not see the severity of the consequences, as you continue to experience and appreciate more deeply the truth that God is the Master of human fate, you will slowly come to realize what I speak of today and its real implications. Whether you truly have a heart and a spirit and whether you are a person who loves the truth depends on what kind of attitude you take toward God’s sovereignty and toward the truth. Naturally, this determines whether you can truly know and understand God’s authority. If you have never in your life sensed God’s sovereignty and His arrangements, much less recognized and accepted God’s authority, then you will be utterly worthless, and you will without a doubt be the object of God’s loathing and rejection, due to the path you have taken and the choice you have made. But those who, in God’s work, can accept His trial, accept His sovereignty, submit to His authority, and gradually gain real experience of His words will have attained real knowledge of God’s authority, real understanding of His sovereignty; they will have truly become subject to the Creator. Only such people will have truly been saved. Because they have known God’s sovereignty, because they have accepted it, their appreciation of the fact of God’s sovereignty over human fate, their submission to it, is real and accurate. When they face death, they will have, like Job, a mind undaunted by death, and submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements in all things, with no individual choice, with no individual desire. Only such a person will be able to return to the Creator’s side as a true, created human being.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

160. The Principles of Observing God’s Administrative Decrees and Commandments

(1) It is necessary to understand the essence and true meaning of the administrative decrees and commandments. Understand God’s will and revere Him in your heart, lest you offend His disposition;

(2) It is necessary to seek the truth and know God’s disposition through His administrative decrees and commandments. Become able truly to observe His administrative decrees and commandments;

(3) It is necessary to know one’s own vulnerabilities and vital weaknesses in order to formulate one’s principles of practice, thus ensuring an adherence to God’s administrative decrees and commandments;

(4) God’s administrative decrees and commandments are most revealing of whether a person possesses humanity. One who cannot observe the administrative decrees and commandments is one without humanity, and is surely to be eliminated.

Relevant Words of God:

The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom

1. Man should not magnify himself, nor exalt himself. He should worship and exalt God.

2. Do everything that is beneficial to God’s work and nothing that is detrimental to the interests of God’s work. Defend God’s name, God’s testimony, and God’s work.

3. The money, material objects, and all property in God’s household are the offerings that should be given by man. These offerings may be enjoyed by none but the priest and God, for the offerings of man are for the enjoyment of God. God only shares these offerings with the priest; no one else is qualified or entitled to enjoy any part of them. All of man’s offerings (including money and material things that can be enjoyed) are given to God, not to man, and so these things should not be enjoyed by man; if man were to enjoy them, then he would be stealing offerings. Anyone who does this is a Judas, for, in addition to being a traitor, Judas also helped himself to what was put in the money bag.

4. Man has a corrupt disposition and is moreover possessed of emotions. As such, it is absolutely prohibited for two members of the opposite sex to work together unaccompanied when serving God. Any who are discovered doing so will be expelled, without exception.

5. Do not pass judgment on God nor casually discuss matters related to God. Do as man ought to do, and speak as man ought to speak, and do not overstep limits nor transgress boundaries. Guard your own tongue and take care where you step, to avoid doing anything that offends God’s disposition.

6. Do that which ought to be done by man, and carry out your obligations, and fulfill your responsibilities, and hold to your duty. Since you believe in God, you should make your contribution to God’s work; if you do not, then you are unfit to eat and drink the words of God, and unfit to live in God’s household.

7. In work and matters of the church, apart from obeying God, follow the instructions of the man who is used by the Holy Spirit in everything. Even the slightest infraction is unacceptable. Be absolute in your compliance, and do not analyze right or wrong; what is right or wrong has nothing to do with you. You must concern yourself only with total obedience.

8. People who believe in God should obey God and worship Him. Do not exalt or look up to any person; do not put God first, the people you look up to second, and yourself third. No person should hold a place in your heart, and you should not consider people—particularly those you venerate—to be on a par with God or to be His equal. This is intolerable to God.

9. Keep your thoughts on the work of the church. Put aside the prospects of your own flesh, be decisive about family matters, wholeheartedly devote yourself to the work of God, and put God’s work first and your own life second. This is the decency of a saint.

10. Kin who are not of the faith (your children, your husband or wife, your sisters or your parents, and so on) should not be forced into the church. God’s household is not short of members, and there is no need to make up its numbers with people who have no use. All those who do not believe gladly must not be led into the church. This decree is directed at all people. You should check, monitor, and remind each other of this matter; no one may violate it. Even when kin who are not of the faith do reluctantly enter the church, they must not be issued books nor given a new name; such people are not of God’s household, and their entry into the church must be halted by any means necessary. If trouble is brought upon the church due to the invasion of demons, then you yourself will be expelled or will have restrictions placed upon you. In short, everyone has a responsibility in this matter, though you should not be reckless, nor use it to settle personal scores.

from The Word Appears in the Flesh

People must adhere to the many duties that they should perform. This is what people should adhere to, and this is what they must carry out. Let the Holy Spirit do what must be done by the Holy Spirit; man can play no part in it. Man should adhere to what ought to be done by man, which bears no relation to the Holy Spirit. It is nothing but that which ought to be done by man, and should be adhered to as commandment, just like adherence to the law in the Old Testament. Although now is not the Age of Law, there are still many words that should be adhered to which are of the same kind as words spoken in the Age of Law. These words are not carried out merely by relying on the touch of the Holy Spirit, but rather, they are something that man should adhere to. For example: You shall not pass judgment on the work of the practical God. You shall not oppose the man who is testified to by God. Before God, you shall keep your place and shall not be dissolute. You should be moderate in speech, and your words and actions must follow the arrangements of the man testified to by God. You should revere the testimony of God. You shall not ignore the work of God and the words from His mouth. You shall not imitate the tone and aims of God’s utterances. Externally, you shall not do anything that manifestly opposes the man who is testified to by God. And so on. These are what each person should adhere to. In each age, God specifies many rules that are akin to the laws and are to be adhered to by man. Through this, He constrains man’s disposition and detects his sincerity. Consider the words “Honor your father and your mother” of the Old Testament age, for example. These words do not apply today; at the time, they merely constrained some of man’s external disposition, were used to demonstrate the sincerity of man’s belief in God, and were a mark of those who believed in God. Although now is the Age of Kingdom, there are still many rules that man must adhere to. The rules of the past do not apply, and today there are many more fitting practices for man to carry out, and which are necessary. They do not involve the work of the Holy Spirit and must be done by man.

In the Age of Grace, many of the practices of the Age of Law were discarded because these laws were not particularly effective for the work at that time. After they were discarded, many practices were set out that were suitable for the age, and which have become the many rules of today. When the God of today came, these rules were dispensed with and it was no longer required that they be adhered to, and many practices were set out that are suitable for the work of today. Today, these practices are not rules, but are instead intended to achieve effects; they are suitable for today—tomorrow, perhaps they will become rules. In sum, you should adhere to that which is fruitful for the work of today. Pay no heed to tomorrow: What is done today is for the sake of today. Maybe when tomorrow comes, there will be better practices which you will be required to carry out—but do not pay too much attention to that. Rather, adhere to that which should be adhered to today so as to avoid opposing God. Today, nothing is more crucial for man to adhere to than the following: You must not try to wheedle the God that stands before your eyes, or conceal anything from Him. You shall not utter filthiness or arrogant talk in front of the God before you. You shall not deceive the God before your eyes by honeyed words and fair speeches in order to gain His trust. You shall not act irreverently before God. You shall obey all that is spoken from the mouth of God, and shall not resist, oppose, or dispute His words. You shall not interpret as you see fit the words spoken from the mouth of God. You should guard your tongue to avoid it causing you to fall prey to the deceitful schemes of the wicked. You should guard your footsteps to avoid transgressing the boundaries set out for you by God. If you transgress, this will cause you to stand in the position of God and speak words which are conceited and pompous, and thus you will become loathed by God. You shall not carelessly spread the words spoken from the mouth of God, lest others mock you and the devils make a fool of you. You shall obey all of the work of the God of today. Even if you do not understand it, you shall not pass judgment on it; all you can do is seek and fellowship. No person shall transgress God’s original place. You can do nothing more than serve the God of today from the position of man. You cannot teach the God of today from the position of man—to do so is misguided. No one may stand in the place of the man testified to by God; in your words, actions, and innermost thoughts, you stand in the position of man. This is to be abided by, it is the responsibility of man, and no one may alter it; attempting to would violate the administrative decrees. This should be remembered by all.

Excerpted from “The Commandments of the New Age” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People often say God has His administrative decrees, and that He uses these decrees to punish people and keep them in check if they are disobedient. The words “administrative decrees” are often on their lips—but they do not actually understand what they essentially mean. Just what are the administrative decrees? They are a class of words set forth by God that address man’s nature and corrupt disposition, in order to keep his behavior in check. The administrative decrees are not Jehovah’s[a] laws or a legal system, much less are they comparable to the constitutions of the world of man. They are a set of parameters defined by God meant to keep man’s behavior in check. They involve how to fear God, how to worship God, how to obey God, how to act as a created being, how to act as a person, how to testify to God, and how not to bring shame on God’s name. Some people say, “The Spirit of God can do things. He can punish people, and repay every person in kind. There is also the truth, which guides all people. Why must there be administrative decrees?” The truth relates to people’s entry into life; it concerns the specific states of their corrupt dispositions. The administrative decrees are clearly defined stipulations. Whatever your state, whatever kind of person you are, if you believe in God, you must carry out all that is stipulated by the administrative decrees—and if you cannot, your name shall be struck off, and, in the eyes of God, you shall become one to be detested and rejected. The administrative decrees, in truth, are the very least that is required of people to believe in God, as when, in the Age of Law, Jehovah did certain works, spoke many words, and set forth numerous laws, and those laws naturally included much that man should do: how they should fear Jehovah, for example, or how to make sacrifices to Jehovah, pay tithes, make donations. At that time, they were called laws, and in the Age of Grace, they came to be called the commandments.

The commandments of the Age of Grace cannot serve as administrative decrees today, because what is required of man in each age is different. Every age has commandments, and every age has God’s requirements and criteria for man, criteria which change according to changes in the age and in the requirements of God’s work. … Today, God has issued administrative decrees as befits the states and needs of man. Some people ask, “Why issue more administrative decrees? That’s already been done once, and people are aware of them and do what is asked. That should be the end of it. Why keep issuing new ones?” With people as corrupt as they are now, would it do not to issue the administrative decrees? All people have corrupt dispositions and are governed by their natures; it is not the case that once they accept the work of God and are able to follow the commandments, they become holy and righteous. That is not how it works. People live always amid their corrupt dispositions, so there is always need for corresponding administrative decrees to keep their behavior in check. If people truly violate these administrative decrees, they can be disciplined, or have limitations placed on them, or eliminated and expelled. Any kind of consequence is possible.

Excerpted from “A Talk About God’s Administrative Decrees in the Age of Kingdom” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

The promulgation of the commandments in the new age is a testimony to the fact that all people in this stream, all those who hear God’s voice today, have entered a new age. This is a new beginning for God’s work, as well as the beginning of the last part of the work of God’s six-thousand-year management plan. The commandments of the new age symbolize that God and man have entered the realm of a new heaven and a new earth, and that God, just as Jehovah worked among the Israelites and Jesus worked among the Jews, will do more practical work, and do even more and even greater work on earth. They also symbolize that this group of people will receive more and greater commissions from God, and will be provided for, be fed, supported, cared for, and protected by Him in a practical manner, be given even more practical training by Him, and be dealt with, broken, and refined by God’s word. The significance of the commandments of the new age is quite profound. They suggest that God will really appear on earth, from where He will conquer the entire universe, revealing all of His glory in the flesh. They also suggest that the practical God is going to do more practical work on earth in order to perfect all of His chosen ones. Moreover, God will accomplish everything on earth with words, and make manifest the decree that “the incarnate God will rise to the highest and be magnified, and all peoples and all nations will kneel down to worship God, who is great.” Although the commandments of the new age are for man to keep, and though doing so is man’s duty and his obligation, the meaning they represent is rather too profound to be fully expressed in one or two words. The commandments of the new age replace the Old Testament laws and New Testament ordinances as promulgated by Jehovah and Jesus. This is a deeper lesson, not as simple a matter as people might imagine. There is an aspect of practical significance to the commandments of the new age: They serve as an interface between the Age of Grace and the Age of Kingdom. The commandments of the new age put an end to all of the practices and ordinances of the old age, as well as all of the practices from the age of Jesus and those before it. They bring man to the presence of the more practical God, allowing him to start being perfected by Him personally; they are the beginning of the path of perfection. Thus, you should possess a correct attitude with regard to the commandments of the new age, and neither follow them haphazardly nor despise them. The commandments of the new age place heavy emphasis on a certain point: That man shall worship the practical God Himself of today, which involves submitting to the essence of the Spirit more practically. The commandments also stress the principle by which God will judge man to be either guilty or righteous after He has manifested as the Sun of righteousness. The commandments are easier to understand than to put into practice. From this it can be seen that if God wishes to perfect man, then He must do so through His own words and guidance, and man cannot achieve perfection by way of his own innate intelligence alone. Whether man can keep the commandments of the new age or not has to do with his knowledge of the practical God. Hence, whether you can keep the commandments or not is not a question that will be resolved in a matter of mere days. This is a very profound lesson to learn.

Excerpted from “Keeping the Commandments and Practicing the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The key to keeping the commandments is having an understanding of the practical God. Once you have an understanding of the practical God, you will be able to keep the commandments. There are two components to keeping them: One is holding onto the essence of His Spirit, and before the Spirit, being able to accept the Spirit’s examination; the other is being able to have a genuine understanding of the incarnate flesh, and achieving genuine submission. Whether before the flesh or before the Spirit, one must always harbor submission to and reverence for God. Only one such as this is qualified to be perfected. If you have an understanding of the practicality of the practical God—that is, if you have stood firm in this trial—then nothing will be too much for you.

Some people say, “The commandments are easy to keep; you just need to speak frankly and devoutly when before God, and not make any gesticulations; this is what keeping the commandments is.” Is that right? So, if you do a few things behind God’s back that are in resistance to Him, does that count as keeping the commandments? You must have a thorough understanding of what keeping the commandments involves. It relates to whether or not you have a real understanding of the practicality of God; if you have an understanding of practicality and do not stumble and fall during this trial, then you can be counted as having strong testimony. Bearing a resounding witness for God primarily relates to whether or not you have an understanding of the practical God, and to whether or not you are able to submit before this person who is not only ordinary, but normal, and submit even unto death. If, by way of this submission, you truly bear witness for God, that means you have been obtained by God. If you can submit unto death and, before Him, be free of complaints, not make judgments, not slander, not have any notions, and not have any ulterior motives, then in this way God will gain glory. Submission before a regular person who is looked down upon by man, and being able to submit unto death without any notions—this is true testimony.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In practice, keeping the commandments should be linked to putting the truth into practice. While keeping the commandments, one must practice the truth. When practicing the truth, one must not violate the principles of the commandments, nor go against the commandments; you must do whatever God requires of you. Keeping the commandments and practicing the truth are interconnected, not contradictory. The more you practice the truth, the more capable you become of keeping the essence of the commandments. The more you practice the truth, the more you will understand God’s word as expressed in the commandments. Practicing the truth and keeping the commandments are not contradictory actions—they are interconnected. In the beginning, only after man kept the commandments could he practice the truth and attain enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, but this is not God’s original intention. God requires you to put your heart into worshiping Him, not merely to behave well. However, you must keep the commandments at least superficially. Gradually, through experience, after gaining a clearer understanding of God, people will stop rebelling against and resisting Him, and will no longer have any doubts about His work. This is the only way people can abide by the essence of the commandments. Therefore, merely keeping the commandments, without practicing the truth, is ineffective, and does not constitute true worship of God, for you have not yet attained real stature. Keeping the commandments without the truth only amounts to adhering rigidly to the rules. In so doing, the commandments would become your law, which would not help you grow in life. On the contrary, they would become your burden, and bind you tightly like the laws of the Old Testament, causing you to lose the Holy Spirit’s presence. Therefore, only by practicing the truth can you effectively keep the commandments, and you keep the commandments in order to practice the truth. In the process of keeping the commandments, you will put even more truths into practice, and when practicing the truth, you will gain an even deeper understanding of what the commandments actually mean. The purpose and meaning behind God’s demand that man keeps the commandments is not just to get him to follow the rules, as he may imagine; rather, it has to do with his entry into life. The extent of your growth in life dictates the degree to which you will be able to keep the commandments. Although the commandments are for man to keep, the essence of the commandments only becomes apparent through man’s life experience. Most people assume that keeping the commandments well means that they are “completely prepared, and all that remains to be done is to get caught up.” This is an extravagant sort of idea, and not in line with God’s will. Those who say such things do not wish to make progress, and they covet the flesh. It is nonsense! It is not in keeping with reality! It is not God’s will merely to practice the truth without actually keeping the commandments. Those who do this are cripples; they are as people who are missing a leg. Simply keeping the commandments as if abiding by rules, yet not possessing the truth—this is not capable of satisfying God’s will, either; like those who are missing an eye, people who do this, too, suffer from a form of disability. It can be said that if you keep the commandments well and gain a clear understanding of the practical God, then you will possess the truth; relatively speaking, you will have gained real stature. If you practice the truth that you should practice, you will also keep the commandments, and these two things do not contradict each other. Practicing the truth and keeping the commandments are two systems, both of which are integral parts of one’s life experience. One’s experience should comprise an integration, not a division, of keeping the commandments and practicing the truth. However, there are both differences and links between these two things.

Excerpted from “Keeping the Commandments and Practicing the Truth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The long time that God has spent speaking and uttering has caused man to consider reading and memorizing the words of God to be his primary task. No one pays attention to practice, and even that which you ought to abide by you do not. This has brought many difficulties and problems to your service. If, prior to practicing the words of God, you have not adhered to that which you should adhere to, then you are one of those who are detested and rejected by God. In adhering to these practices, you should be earnest and sincere. You should not treat them like shackles, but adhere to them as commandments. Today, you ought not to concern yourself with what effects are to be achieved; in short, this is how the Holy Spirit works, and whoever commits an offense must be punished. The Holy Spirit is without emotion, and heedless of your present understanding. If you offend God today, then He will punish you. If you offend Him within the scope of His jurisdiction, then He will not spare you. He does not care how serious you are in your adherence to the words of Jesus. If you violate God’s commandments of today, He will punish you, and condemn you to death. How could it be acceptable for you not to adhere to them? You must adhere, even if it means suffering a little pain! No matter what religion, sector, nation, or denomination it is, in the future they must all adhere to these practices. None are exempt, and none will be spared! For they are what the Holy Spirit will do today, and no one may violate them. Although they are no great thing, they must be done by every person and they are the commandments set for man by Jesus, who was resurrected and who ascended to heaven. Does “The Path … (7)” not say that Jesus’ definition of whether you are righteous or sinful is according to your attitude toward God today? No one may overlook this point. In the Age of Law, generation after generation of the Pharisees believed in God, but with the arrival of the Age of Grace they did not know Jesus, and opposed Him. So it was that all they did came to nothing and was in vain, and God did not accept their deeds. If you can see through to this, then you will not easily sin. Many people, perhaps, have measured themselves against God. How does it taste to oppose God? Is it bitter or sweet? You should understand this; do not pretend that you do not know. In their hearts, perhaps, some people remain unconvinced. Yet I advise you to try it and see—see what it tastes like. This will prevent many people from always being suspicious about it. Many people read the words of God yet secretly oppose Him in their hearts. After opposing Him like this, do you not feel like a knife has been twisted in your heart? If it is not family disharmony, it is physical discomfort, or the afflictions of sons and daughters. Although your flesh is spared death, the hand of God will never leave you. Do you think it could be that simple? In particular, it is even more necessary for the many who are near to God to focus on this. As time passes, you will forget it, and, without realizing it, you will be plunged into temptation and become heedless of everything, and this will be the start of your sinning. Does this seem trivial to you? If you can do this well, then you have the chance to be made perfect—to come before God and receive His guidance from His own mouth. If you are careless, then there will be trouble for you—you will be defiant of God, your words and actions will be dissolute, and sooner or later you will be carried away by great gales and mighty waves. Every one of you should take note of these commandments. If you violate them, then although the man who is testified to by God may not condemn you, the Spirit of God will have unfinished business with you, and He will not spare you. Can you bear the consequences of your offense? Thus, no matter what God says, you must put His words into practice, and must adhere to them by any means you can. This is no simple matter!

Excerpted from “The Commandments of the New Age” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you do not understand the disposition of God, then it will be impossible for you to do the work you should do for Him. If you do not know the essence of God, then it will be impossible for you to have reverence and fear toward Him; instead, there will be only heedless perfunctoriness and prevarication, and moreover, incorrigible blasphemy. Although understanding God’s disposition is indeed important, and knowing God’s essence cannot be overlooked, no one has ever thoroughly examined or delved into these issues. It is plain to see that you have all dismissed the administrative decrees I have issued. If you do not understand the disposition of God, then you will be very likely to offend His disposition. Offending His disposition is tantamount to provoking the ire of God Himself, in which case the ultimate fruit of your actions will be the violation of the administrative decrees. Now you should realize that when you know God’s essence, so too can you understand His disposition—and when you understand His disposition, so too will you have understood the administrative decrees. Needless to say, much of what is contained within the administrative decrees touches upon the disposition of God, but not all of His disposition is expressed within the administrative decrees; hence, you must go a step further in developing your understanding of God’s disposition.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every sentence I have spoken contains within it the disposition of God. You would do well to ponder My words carefully, and you will surely profit greatly from them. The essence of God is very difficult to grasp, but I trust that you all have at least some idea about the disposition of God. I hope, then, that you will have more to show Me of things you have done that do not offend the disposition of God. Then will I be reassured. For example, keep God in your heart at all times. When you act, do so according to His words. Seek out His intentions in all things, and refrain from doing that which disrespects and dishonors God. Even less should you put God in the back of your mind to fill the future void in your heart. If you do this, you will have offended the disposition of God. Again, supposing you never make blasphemous remarks or complaints against God throughout your life, and again, supposing you are able to discharge properly all that He has entrusted to you and also to submit to all His words throughout your life, then you will have avoided transgressing against the administrative decrees. For example, if you have ever said, “Why do I not think that He is God?” “I think that these words are nothing more than some enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,” “In my opinion, not everything God does is necessarily right,” “The humanity of God is not superior to mine,” “The words of God are simply not believable,” or other such judgmental remarks, then I exhort you to confess and repent your sins more often. Otherwise, you will never have a chance at forgiveness, for you offend not a man, but God Himself. You may believe that you are judging a man, but the Spirit of God does not consider it that way. Your disrespect of His flesh is equal to disrespecting Him. This being so, have you not offended God’s disposition? You must remember that all that is done by the Spirit of God is done in order to safeguard His work in the flesh and in order that this work be done well. If you neglect this, then I say that you are someone who will never be able to succeed in believing in God. For you have provoked the wrath of God, and so He shall use fitting punishment to teach you a lesson.

Coming to know the essence of God is no trifling matter. You must understand His disposition. In this way, you will, gradually and unknowingly, come to know the essence of God. When you have entered into this knowledge, you will find yourself stepping into a higher and more beautiful state. In the end, you will come to feel ashamed of your hideous soul, and, moreover, will feel that there is nowhere to hide from your shame. At that time, there will be less and less in your conduct to offend the disposition of God, your heart will come closer and closer to that of God, and a love for Him will gradually grow in your heart. This is a sign of mankind entering a beautiful state. But as yet, you have not attained this. As you all rush about for the sake of your destiny, who has any interest in trying to know the essence of God? Should this continue, you will unknowingly transgress against the administrative decrees, for you understand far too little of the disposition of God. So is not what you do now laying down a foundation for your offenses against the disposition of God? That I ask you to understand the disposition of God is not divorced from My work. For if you transgress against the administrative decrees often, who among you will escape punishment? Would My work then not have been entirely in vain? Therefore, I still ask that, in addition to scrutinizing your own conduct, you be cautious in the steps you take. This is the higher demand that I make of you, and I hope that you will all consider it carefully and give it your earnest regard. Should a day come when your actions provoke Me to a towering rage, then the consequences will be yours alone to consider, and there will be no one else to bear the punishment in your place.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Every person, in the course of living their life of faith in God, has done things that resist and deceive God. Some misdeeds need not be recorded as an offense, but some are unforgivable; for there are many deeds that violate the administrative decrees, which offend the disposition of God. Many who are concerned about their own fates may ask what these deeds are. You should know that you are arrogant and haughty by nature, and unwilling to submit to the facts. For this reason, I shall tell you bit by bit after you have reflected upon yourselves. I exhort you to get a better understanding of the content of the administrative decrees, and to make an effort to know the disposition of God. If not, you will find it difficult to keep your lips sealed, your tongues will wag too freely with high-sounding talk, and you will unwittingly offend the disposition of God and fall into the darkness, losing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the light. Because you are unprincipled in your actions, because you do and say that which you should not, you shall receive a fitting retribution. You should know that though you are unprincipled in word and deed, God is highly principled in both. The reason you receive retribution is because you have offended God, not a person. If, in your life, you commit many offenses against the disposition of God, then you are bound to become a child of hell. To man it may appear that you have only committed a few deeds that are at odds with the truth, and nothing more. Are you aware, however, that in the eyes of God you are already someone for whom there is no more sin offering? Because you have violated the administrative decrees of God more than once and have, moreover, shown no sign of repentance, there is no other recourse but for you to plunge into hell, where God punishes man. A small number of people, while following God, committed some deeds that violated principles, but after being dealt with and given guidance, they gradually discovered their own corruption, thereafter entered on the right track of reality, and they remain well-grounded today. Such people are those who shall remain in the end. Nevertheless, it is the honest that I seek; if you are an honest person and someone who acts according to principle, then you can be a confidant of God. If in your actions you do not offend the disposition of God, and seek the will of God, and have a heart of reverence toward God, then your faith is up to the standard. Whoever does not revere God and does not have a heart that trembles in fear is highly likely to violate the administrative decrees of God. Many serve God on the strength of their passion but have no understanding of the administrative decrees of God, still less any inkling of the implications of His words. And so, with their good intentions, they often wind up doing things that disrupt God’s management. In serious cases, they are thrown out, deprived of any further chance of following Him, and are cast into hell, all association with God’s house at an end. These people work in the house of God on the strength of their ignorant good intentions, and end by angering God’s disposition. People bring their ways of serving officials and lords to the house of God and try to put them into play, vainly thinking that they can be applied with effortless ease here. Never do they imagine that God has not the disposition of a lamb, but that of a lion. Therefore, those associating with God for the first time are unable to communicate with Him, for the heart of God is unlike that of man. Only after you understand many truths can you continuously come to know God. This knowledge is not made up of words and doctrines but can be used as a treasure by means of which you enter into close confidence with God, and as proof that He delights in you. If you lack the reality of knowledge and are not equipped with the truth, then your passionate service can only bring upon you the loathing and abhorrence of God. By now you should have figured out that belief in God is no mere study in theology!

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text does not contain the word “Jehovah’s.”

161. The Principles of Obeying the Man Used by the Holy Spirit

(1) In all church work and all its affairs, defer absolutely to the man used by the Holy Spirit; do not question them. This is God’s administrative arrangement;

(2) It is necessary to accept and submit to the leadership, watering, and shepherding of the man used by the Holy Spirit, and to perform your duty in strict adherence to the work arrangements. Only thus is God’s will satisfied;

(3) Recognize that the leadership of the man used by the Holy Spirit is the very route along which the Holy Spirit works and leads God’s chosen people. To do so is to set foot upon the right track of believing in God;

(4) One must never supplant God’s place in their heart by worshiping and looking up to the man used by the Holy Spirit. In believing in God, you must only exalt Him as great, and submit to His administrative arrangements.

Relevant Words of God:

No one is capable of living independently except for those who are given special direction and guidance by the Holy Spirit, for they require the ministry and shepherding of those who are used by God. Thus, in each age God raises up different people who rush busily about shepherding the churches for the sake of His work. Which is to say, God’s work must be done through those whom He looks favorably upon and approves of; the Holy Spirit must use the part within them that is worthy of use in order for the Holy Spirit to work, and they are made fit for use by God through being made perfect by the Holy Spirit. Because man’s ability to understand is too lacking, he must be shepherded by those who are used by God; it was the same with God’s use of Moses, in whom He found much that was suitable for use at the time, and which He used to do God’s work during that stage. In this stage, God uses a man whilst also taking advantage of the part of him that can be used by the Holy Spirit in order to work, and the Holy Spirit both directs him and simultaneously makes perfect the remaining, unusable part.

The work carried out by the one who is used by God is in order to cooperate with the work of Christ or the Holy Spirit. This man is raised up among man by God, he is there to lead all of God’s chosen ones, and he is also raised up by God in order to do the work of human cooperation. With someone such as this, who is able to do the work of human cooperation, more of God’s requirements toward man and the work that the Holy Spirit must do among man can be achieved through him. Another way of putting it is like this: God’s aim in using this man is so that all those who follow God can better understand God’s will, and can attain more of God’s requirements. Because people are incapable of directly understanding God’s words or God’s will, God has raised someone up who is used to carry out such work. This person who is used by God can also be described as a medium through which God guides people, as the “translator” who communicates between God and man. Thus, such a man is unlike any of those who work in God’s household or who are His apostles. Like them, he can be said to be someone who serves God, yet in the essence of his work and the background of his use by God he differs greatly from the other workers and apostles. In terms of the essence of his work and the background of his use, the man who is used by God is raised up by Him, he is prepared by God for God’s work, and he cooperates in the work of God Himself. No person could ever do his work in his stead—this is human cooperation that is indispensable alongside the divine work. The work carried out by other workers or apostles, meanwhile, is but the conveyance and implementation of the many aspects of the arrangements for the churches during each period, or else the work of some simple provision of life in order to maintain the church life. These workers and apostles are not appointed by God, much less can they be called those who are used by the Holy Spirit. They are selected from among the churches and, after they have been trained and cultivated for a period of time, those who are fit are kept on, while those who are unfit are sent back to where they came from. Because these people are selected from among the churches, some show their true colors after becoming leaders, and some even do many bad things and end up being eliminated. The man who is used by God, on the other hand, is someone who has been prepared by God, and who possesses a certain caliber, and has humanity. He has been prepared and made perfect in advance by the Holy Spirit, and is completely led by the Holy Spirit, and, particularly when it comes to his work, he is directed and commanded by the Holy Spirit—as a result of this there is no deviation on the path of leading God’s chosen ones, for God surely takes responsibility for His own work, and God does His own work at all times.

from “Concerning God’s Use of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

7. In work and matters of the church, apart from obeying God, follow the instructions of the man who is used by the Holy Spirit in everything. Even the slightest infraction is unacceptable. Be absolute in your compliance, and do not analyze right or wrong; what is right or wrong has nothing to do with you. You must concern yourself only with total obedience.

8. People who believe in God should obey God and worship Him. Do not exalt or look up to any person; do not put God first, the people you look up to second, and yourself third. No person should hold a place in your heart, and you should not consider people—particularly those you venerate—to be on a par with God or to be His equal. This is intolerable to God.

Excerpted from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People must adhere to the many duties that they should perform. This is what people should adhere to, and this is what they must carry out. Let the Holy Spirit do what must be done by the Holy Spirit; man can play no part in it. Man should adhere to what ought to be done by man, which bears no relation to the Holy Spirit. It is nothing but that which ought to be done by man, and should be adhered to as commandment, just like adherence to the law in the Old Testament. Although now is not the Age of Law, there are still many words that should be adhered to which are of the same kind as words spoken in the Age of Law. These words are not carried out merely by relying on the touch of the Holy Spirit, but rather, they are something that man should adhere to. For example: You shall not pass judgment on the work of the practical God. You shall not oppose the man who is testified to by God. Before God, you shall keep your place and shall not be dissolute. You should be moderate in speech, and your words and actions must follow the arrangements of the man testified to by God. You should revere the testimony of God. You shall not ignore the work of God and the words from His mouth. You shall not imitate the tone and aims of God’s utterances. Externally, you shall not do anything that manifestly opposes the man who is testified to by God. And so on. These are what each person should adhere to. …

… No one may stand in the place of the man testified to by God; in your words, actions, and innermost thoughts, you stand in the position of man. This is to be abided by, it is the responsibility of man, and no one may alter it; attempting to would violate the administrative decrees. This should be remembered by all.

Excerpted from “The Commandments of the New Age” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The word of God cannot be made out to be the word of man, and still less can one make the word of man to be the word of God. A man used by God is not the incarnate God, and the incarnate God is not a man used by God. In this, there is an essential difference. Perhaps, after reading these words, you do not acknowledge them to be the words of God, but only as the enlightenment that man has gained. In that case, you are blinded by ignorance. How can the words of God be the same as the enlightenment that man has gained? The words of God incarnate open up a new age, guide all of mankind, reveal mysteries, and show man the direction he is to take in the new age. The enlightenment obtained by man is but simple instructions for practice or knowledge. It cannot guide all of mankind into a new age or reveal the mysteries of God Himself. When all is said and done, God is God, and man is man. God has the essence of God, and man has the essence of man. If man views the words spoken by God as simple enlightenment by the Holy Spirit, and takes the words of the apostles and prophets as words personally spoken by God, that would be man’s mistake.

Excerpted from Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh

The inborn nature of man is incapable of directly representing God; he must shed his innate nature through the perfection of God and only then—only by caring for God’s will, fulfilling God’s intentions, and furthermore undergoing the work of the Holy Spirit—can what he lives out be approved of by God. No one who lives in the flesh can represent God directly, unless he be a man used by the Holy Spirit. However, even for a person like this, it cannot be said that his disposition and what he lives out entirely represent God; it can only be said that what he lives out is directed by the Holy Spirit. The disposition of such a man cannot represent God.

Though the disposition of man is ordained by God—this is unquestionable and can be considered a positive thing—it has been processed by Satan, and so the whole of man’s disposition is Satan’s disposition. Some people say that God’s disposition is to be straightforward in doing things, and that this is also manifested in them, that their character is also like this, and so they say that their disposition represents God. What kind of people are these? Is the corrupt satanic disposition able to represent God? Whosoever declares that their disposition is representative of God blasphemes God and insults the Holy Spirit! The method by which the Holy Spirit works shows that God’s work on earth is solely the work of conquest. As such, the many satanic dispositions of man have yet to be cleansed, what he lives out is still the image of Satan, it is what man believes to be good, and it represents the deeds of man’s flesh; more precisely, it represents Satan, and absolutely cannot represent God. Even if someone already loves God to the extent that they are able to enjoy a life of heaven on earth, are able to make such statements as: “Oh God! I cannot love You enough,” and have reached the highest realm, still it cannot be said that they live out God or represent God, for the essence of man is unlike that of God, and man can never live out God, much less become God. What the Holy Spirit has directed man to live out is only in accordance with what God asks of man.

Excerpted from “Corrupt Man Is Incapable of Representing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

162. The Principles of Obeying the Church

(1) Submit to all work arrangements and rules of God’s house. If the decisions of the church accord with the work arrangements and God’s word the truth, then they should be obeyed;

(2) If what the leaders and deacons of the church say conforms to the truth and to the arrangements of God’s house, then all of God’s chosen people should obey and never violate them;

(3) Decisions that are approved by a majority in the church, and are confirmed to be in complete accord with the work arrangements, should be accepted and obeyed by all and neither rejected nor resisted;

(4) A minority of leaders and workers cannot represent the church. If a leader’s or worker’s actions do not accord with the truth, they should be rejected, and one should not be constrained by them.

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

No matter what happens to you or what you hear, you must quiet yourself before God and pray to Him, seek the truth, and base everything on God’s words. Regardless of who it is said by, or what level of leader says it, you must discern and treat what they say in accordance with God’s words. No matter who said it, as long as it does not conform with God’s words, do not believe or accept it, but just treat it as devilish words or fallacy. Whenever anyone tries to make us do something, if it does not conform with God’s words, we must not listen or obey. We only believe in all the words of Almighty God—the Christ of the last days—and we only follow all the work arrangements of the man used by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of the level of leader, we only follow and obey if what they communicate is the truth, and if the work arranged by them conforms with the work arrangements from the Above. This is a principle of conduct of God’s chosen people. If we hold on to this principle, we will be able to walk on the right path and act in accordance with the will of God. Violating this principle makes it easy for us to be tricked and end up walking on the wrong path. We may even be deceived into betraying God and returning once again to being under Satan’s domain.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

It is the responsibility of leaders and workers of all levels to perform their work and fulfill the duties they ought to fulfill in accordance with God’s words and the work arrangements, sermons and fellowships from the Above. No one has the right to restrict, obstruct or interfere. The fulfilling of duties is legitimate as long as it does not violate work arrangements. Anyone who restricts, obstructs or disturbs leaders or workers who fulfill their duties normally in accordance with work arrangements is disrupting the work of the church.

Leaders and workers of all levels have the right to handle all kinds of wicked people in accordance with work arrangements. As long as it is verified by evidence and the facts are convincing, no one should restrict, obstruct or interfere. Leaders and workers of all levels have the right to handle the church’s various difficult problems in accordance with work arrangements and to determine church affairs both big and small. As long as their actions conform with the truth principles and work arrangements, and are beneficial to the church, no one has the right to restrict, obstruct or interfere.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

The Above supports and will uphold any decision to expel someone by a leader or worker of any pastoral area that is backed by unambiguous evidence and is in line with the facts. Once any antichrist or evildoer has been exposed and reported by God’s chosen people, as long as the evidence is unambiguous, the leaders and workers of each pastoral area should expel them and issue a notice of expulsion. No one may oppose this decision. Any who oppose and condemn a decision made by leaders and workers of a pastoral area to expel someone are evil, and shall never be forgiven by the house of God. That is because the decisions taken by the leaders and workers of a pastoral area are passed by agreement of eighty percent of God’s chosen people in the church; their decisions represent decisions made by God’s chosen ones, and are absolutely not the personal decision of a leader or worker at any one level. If God’s chosen ones recognize that someone is wicked and the church expels them, this represents the sentiment of the people and the will of Heaven, and it is entirely in line with the will of God. God’s chosen ones have seen through to the nature essence of this wicked person based on the words of God, and have seen through to the evildoing essence of this wicked person based on God’s words and the truth, and they have raised their hands in agreement of the person’s expulsion. As such, it is a decision of the church, and may not be annulled by anyone. If there are several muddle-headed people who vent their grievances and do not agree, who call for the Above to replace the leaders and workers who made decision to expel the person, is this in line with the truth? Are they not condemning people for no reason? Do they not disturb the work of the house of God? Are they not deliberately creating disorder? Is this not the disposition of Satan?

Excerpted from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life

God’s chosen people must approach all issues in the light of God’s words, and decisions can only be allowed to stand after they have been confirmed by at least several people with a good understanding of the truth. If there are only one or two leaders defining someone to be an antichrist, or evil person, God’s chosen people must not blindly follow suit in order to avoid being deceived and duped. When looking at the words and actions of leaders and workers from all levels, one should decide on such things in accordance with God’s words and the work arrangements from the Above. This is because people are not dependable before they have been made complete by God. God’s chosen people should only listen to and submit to Christ as well as submit to the work arrangements from the Above. In all things, it is most reliable to act in accordance with God’s words. If the leaders and workers are people who pursue the truth and are honest and kind-hearted, then God’s chosen people should provide them with support and cooperate with their work. If it is discovered that the leaders and workers are not people who bear witness for God, exalt God, and fear God, but instead are deceitful, arrogant, self-righteous, selfish, despicable, and malicious people who only scheme for their own interest, then God’s chosen people must be discerning and guard against them. They must pray to God and submit to God, and they must not follow evil people. Such actions are entirely appropriate.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

If there are false leaders and workers in the church who use their position and power to control people, God’s chosen people should resist and reject them, and can fellowship about the truth to debate them. Only obey the truth and God’s words. Never obey the influence of Satan. Regardless of who it is, they can only be obeyed if their words and actions conform with the truth. And if not, they ought to be rejected. Say no to Satan. This is the principle of practicing obedience to God. If a church leader uses their position and power to control you, saying, “If you obey the work arrangements from the Above then you are not obeying the church, and I will expel you,” then you should say to them, “You don’t represent the church. You represent Satan. I obey the work arrangements from the Above, and this is an expression of obedience to God’s work. I won’t obey Satan.” This way, Satan will be shamed. People who truly obey God only obey what comes from God, what conforms with the truth, and positive things, and they should reject and say no to that which comes from Satan or from the will of man, and that which is disadvantageous to God’s work, or does not conform with the truth. They must not be controlled by any leader or worker. Only that is being someone who possesses the truth and reality. The highest authorities in God’s house are God, God’s words, the truth, and the work arrangements, sermons and fellowships from the Above that come from the work of the Holy Spirit. These are the four authorities that God’s chosen people should obey. Only obeying these four authorities is truly obeying God. When God’s chosen people all obey God’s words, obey the truth, and forsake the influence of Satan with one heart and one mind, Satan will be thoroughly shamed, and God’s chosen people will enter the right track of belief in God. Therefore, when it comes to leaders and workers of all levels, one must choose to obey or reject them based only on God’s words and the work arrangements from the Above, and one must not be obsequious, meekly submit, stoop to compromise, and be a slave of Satan. When one can train in practicing the truth this way and obey God and say no to Satan, over time they will be able to achieve true obedience to God and break free from the influence of Satan. This is the road to attaining salvation. God’s chosen people should see this clearly and must never again follow false leaders and antichrists in walking the path to destruction. Only people who do not pursue the truth can loyally serve Satan, worship power, and be obsequious and meekly submissive. Such slaves are all people despised and loathed by God. If they still do not wake up and pursue the truth and truly obey God, they will all be eliminated. The day false leaders and antichrists are punished is the day these slaves who follow and obey Satan will weep and gnash their teeth.

Excerpted from Work Arrangements

163. The Principles of How to Treat Work Arrangements

(1) Work arrangements, sermons, and fellowship represent the direction of the Holy Spirit’s work and God’s current will. They must be accepted, obeyed, and put into practice;

(2) It is necessary, in doing one’s duty well, to adhere strictly to the principles of the work arrangements. One must never do things as they wish, by their own means, thereby walking the path of the antichrists;

(3) Work arrangements, sermons, and fellowship are illuminated and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. They are counted as human knowledge, and must never supplant God’s words or be treated as His words;

(4) Work arrangements, sermons, and fellowship must be enacted swiftly and decisively, without cutting corners, in order to ensure the attainment of the Holy Spirit’s work and the effective performance of duty.

Relevant Words of God:

In their work, church leaders and workers must pay attention to two things: One is to do their work exactly according to the principles stipulated by the work arrangements, never violating those principles and not basing their work on anything that they might imagine or on any of their own ideas. In everything they do, they should show concern for the work of God’s house, and always put its interests first. Another thing—and this is most crucial—is that in all things, they must focus on following the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do everything in strict keeping with God’s words. If you are still capable of going against the Holy Spirit’s guidance, or if you stubbornly follow your own ideas and do things according to your own imagination, then your actions will constitute a most serious resistance against God. Frequently turning your back on the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit will only lead to a dead end. If you lose the work of the Holy Spirit, then you will not be able to work; and even if you do somehow manage to work, you will accomplish nothing. These are the two main principles to abide by while working: One is to perform your work in exact accordance with the arrangements from the Above, as well as to act according to the principles that have been set forth by the Above; and the other is to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. Once these two points are grasped, you will not be so liable to make mistakes.

Excerpted from “The Main Principles of Work for Leaders and Workers” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Work arrangements are the specific arrangements and requirements made by the house of God for a certain piece of work. They require implementation and communication by the leaders and workers, and represent the stipulations, tasks, and methodology for a particular piece of work that are issued to all church members. This is the definition of “work arrangements.”

What are the projects within the work arrangements? Everyone knows the word “project,” but what do they entail? They should have some specific content, should they not? (They should.) The first, church administrative work, is the biggest. If administrative work is not done properly, then a church is a church in name only. The second, personnel work, is a big one. The third, the work of the gospel, is big as well. The fourth, professional work, has a fairly large scope and includes film, text-based work, translation, music, video production, art design, and so on. The fifth is the life of the church. The sixth is financial management work. The seventh is the work of cleansing the churches. The eighth is external affairs work. The ninth is church welfare—for instance, providing solutions and taking action when brothers and sisters are experiencing problems at home, as well as visiting brothers and sisters in prison and caring for their families. All such things are parts of church welfare. The tenth is emergency plans. Sometimes, the church issues emergency measures. When the pandemic occurred, for example, the church took necessary isolation measures. Such things are all part of emergency work. The work arrangements basically encompass these ten projects. All other minor matters or special cases fall within these ten projects; the work of churches is basically these ten broad projects. Does the scope of the work arrangements issued by the house of God basically include these things? (Yes.) Now, with these ten projects identified, everyone should have some idea about the house of God’s work arrangements and be aware that these are major work tasks of the house of God, that they are what is within the scope of the responsibilities that the house of God required of the leaders and workers. As a leader or a worker, this is the full purview of your work, which also means that none of your responsibilities are outside the scope of this work. The entire scope of your work is included in these projects of the work arrangements, and none can be left out. If there are things outside of this work that you wish to do and can do well, then do them; God’s house does not demand that you do so; it makes no demands of you beyond the scope of these ten projects. Thus, as you work, you must reflect on where the work is done badly, how it should be done, what the work arrangements require, what the house of God requires, what specific work you are required to do, how it is to be implemented, whether it has been implemented properly, how it is coming along, whether you have been following up, whether there have been any deviations or omissions, and whether every participant in the work is doing it. You must consider such things constantly.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

After receiving work arrangements, leaders and workers must first fellowship and digest the work arrangements’ various requirements, and the details and principles of these requirements. After that, they must find a path, a plan by which to carry out and implement these arrangements so that their implementation is more detailed and specific. Before all else, they must be aware of what the work arrangements require, what must be done, what the principle is, and what people and area of work they are targeted at. This is the first thing leaders and workers should do after they receive the work arrangements, instead of just flicking through them then reading them out to everyone, or else just sending them out and notifying people of them, and nothing more—that’s just passing the work arrangements on, sending them out, it is not bringing them to fruition. The first specific job of implementing work arrangements is that, before all else, leaders and workers must try to understand the work arrangements’ specific contents and requirements, the Above’s aims and requirements for this work, and its significance—after which they must produce a specific plan to execute and bring them to fruition. This is the first step, which should be easy to achieve. In addition to being able to understand the text, to achieve the first step leaders and workers must also have a conscientious and responsible attitude toward work, rather than being casual and insouciant, winging it, going through the motions. Whether or not these work arrangements have been put forward before, regardless of if this work is easily achievable or involves some difficulty, no matter whether people are willing to do it or not, and so on—regardless, the attitude that people should have toward work arrangements should not be perfunctory, it should not be one of “admiring flowers whilst galloping past on horseback,” they should not just read the text and make a fuss over its superficialities, or repeat slogans. What should their attitude be? Before all else, they must have an attitude that is serious, conscientious, responsible, and rigorous. So is it the case that they need only have such an attitude, and understand and appreciate the specific contents and items of the work arrangements, to be able to properly implement this work? No. This is merely the attitude that people should have whilst doing a certain piece of work; it is not a replacement for carrying out specific work. So what should leaders and workers do once they have this attitude and, at the same time, understand the specific contents, requirements and principles of the work arrangements? The next step is how to execute what is required by the work arrangements; there is specific work to be done.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (10)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Regardless of the category of work arrangement, if it is to be communicated by a leader or worker, then before anything else—and after having accurately and correctly understood the work arrangements without adding any of their own embellishments—the leader or worker must find a way, based on the local environment, to communicate these work arrangements to those below them without cease or delay. As to who the work arrangements are communicated to, if the house of God says they must be passed on to the various tiers of leaders and workers, including those at the level of church leader, church deacon, and church preacher, then that is the level they should be communicated to, and no further. If communication is to every brother and sister, then, in strict accordance with the house of God’s requirements, work arrangements should be conveyed to every brother and sister. If, due to the environment, communicating the work arrangements in text form is inconvenient—if it poses a risk, or will involve a lot of trouble—the main, important content of the work arrangements should be accurately communicated to each person in oral form. And what must be done for them to be considered “communicated”? If they are communicated in text form, it must be ensured that everyone has a copy, that everyone is aware of the work arrangements, and takes them seriously. If the work arrangements are conveyed orally, the recipient must be repeatedly asked whether they are clear to them, and if they can remember them. You can even make the person repeat them back to you; if they can, and do so clearly, and are aware of what the requirements, principles, and specific content of the house of God are, then this proves that the work arrangements are in their head, that they remember them, and clearly understand them. Only then will the work arrangements have been truly communicated to these people. If such factors as the conditions and environment are suitable, and appropriate for written communication, then communication must be written; if environmental factors do not permit written communication, and oral communication is required, then it must be ensured that the content passed on by the person doing the oral communication is identical to the work arrangements themselves, that there is no deviation, or the addition of their own personal interpretation, and it is, rather, a reproduction of the original text—in which case the work arrangements will have been faithfully communicated. Communication should be wholly in accordance with what was specifically stated in the work arrangements, instead of being embellishments and groundless speculation based on their own personal interpretations and imaginings, or even including additions and redactions. When it comes to “accurate communication,” people should appreciate how rigorous the requirements are for communicating work arrangements. Some people ask, “Should communication be flawless?” There’s no need for that. Robots have to be flawless; for people, even being able to achieve accurate communication is impressive enough. For example, the work arrangements of the house of God require that God’s chosen ones eat and drink the words of God about knowing God. Some people ask, “Can I read it if the words about knowing God include how to differentiate between the incarnation, and prophets and spiritual people?” The person doing the communicating says, “The work arrangements say you are not permitted to read this, that you must ignore any words that include such content, and must not read them.” Is this what the work arrangements said? The work arrangements didn’t say anything about this, so just pass on what the work arrangements said; don’t add your own personal meaning or interpretation. The work arrangements merely provide a scope for people; people can read other, related texts, but if they misinterpret them, and overlay their own notions and interpretations, and communicate things that are superfluous, then have they gone astray? This is not accurate communication; it is adding your own embellishments, and speaking nonsense. Individual work arrangements must, first and foremost, be communicated accurately, passed on from leaders and workers to the leaders and workers lower down, and on until they reach every brother and sister—that is what “communication” means. Communication is according to the method and scope required by the house of God. Of course, the content that is communicated must be accurate and without error; misinterpretations must not be introduced before it is passed on as the official work arrangements—that would not be accurate, and would be a dereliction of duty on the part of leaders and workers.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

After receiving a work arrangement, the ultimate goal is not simply to implement it to the extent of passing it on and sending it out; implementation in theory is not the same as genuine implementation, and cannot be considered true execution of the work arrangement; this is just notifying people in theory, making most of them aware of this job. It does not count as fulfilling one’s responsibility, nor is it ultimately the standard required by God. Passing on and sending out a piece of work arrangement is not the aim; the aim is to implement it. So how, specifically, should it be implemented? The leaders and workers must call together the relevant brothers and sisters and other leaders and workers at various level to fellowship how this work is to be carried out, whilst also selecting the main supervisors and main members to execute this work. The first order of business in leaders and workers’ implementation of this work is to fellowship—to fellowship how to act in accordance with principle, and in accordance with this work arrangement of the house of God, and in a way that implements and executes this work arrangement of the house of God. At the same time as fellowshiping, the brothers, sisters, leaders and workers should propose various solutions before ultimately selecting the one that is most appropriate, and most in line with principle, choosing the ways and steps that are most in line with principle, and what to do first, then next, so that the work proceeds in an orderly fashion. It’s not enough that after understanding the theory, people stop having problems, they stop imagining things, they stop resisting the work, and are able to appreciate the significance and purpose of this work arrangement of the house of God. What must also be considered is who is most suited and adept at this work, who can bear the responsibility of it, who has the ability to complete it; a person must be chosen to undertake this work, and the plans finalized, the schedule set, and the data and material necessary for completion fully prepared and clarified—only then is the work being implemented. Of course, detailed, one-on-one discussions should also be held with the supervisor of the project prior to implementation, asking them whether they have done such work before, and what their views on it are, letting them talk about their ideas. They may say, “My idea is to first do this, then that. I need this person to work with me—as I understand it, they have done this work before, they have some experience of it—so I wish for them to be transferred here to work with me, do you think that’s ok? This work also requires several pieces of equipment, how can they be purchased? Who knows how to choose the equipment? Will we be swindled? None of us are experts at this, and in today’s world, every industry has its fair share of fraudsters—so we must find a way to get a professional to help us choose.” During the implementation process, are these the kinds of problems that arise, and content that should be fellowshiped? What’s more, when the house of God requires this work to be done, should one seek how to carry it out in a way that does not violate principle? Topics that should be fellowshiped by leaders and workers and the relevant supervisors also include whether there is a timeframe for the project, how long it should take to complete, whether there are any specific rules when it comes to specialist tasks, and so on. “Implementation” is more than spoken theory; it involves the progress of corresponding work, and certain questions and problems that the follow-up work entails. These should all be considered by leaders, workers, and supervisors when they are implementing work arrangements. Which is to say, before taking any actual action, this is the kind of fellowshiping, analysis, and discussion that should be carried out; this is what is meant by implementation. Such implementation is one facet of the approach that should be exhibited by leaders and workers involved in specific projects. Is this what should be done by leaders and workers? And does doing so mean they are participating? If the leader says, “I don’t know how to do this work, either. Anyway, it’s been handed over to you, the work arrangements have been communicated and issued to you, I’ve told you the related matters. Whether you know how to do this, whether you do it, how you do it, whether you do it well or not, how long it takes you—that’s all up to you, don’t come running to me, it has nothing to do with me; doing this much counts as me having fulfilled my responsibility.” Is this something leaders and workers should say? (No.) What kind of person are they if a leader says such a thing? They are a false leader. At the advent of new work arrangements, or some major matter, they say: “You do it, I don’t know how to. Anyway, you understand everything, you’re a professional—I’m just a layman.” This is the false leader’s favorite saying; they find an excuse, then slip away.

When a true leader, one who is able to fulfill their responsibilities, implements a piece of work to a high level of specificity and detail, then they are fulfilling their responsibilities. Having implemented the house of God’s present work arrangements to this point, they continue to observe and keep track of how implementation is going—whilst, at the same time, being capable of countermeasures and solutions when unexpected circumstances occur, rather than doing a disappearing act, or throwing up their arms—this is what “hands on” implementation means. When a major work arrangement is issued, the leaders and workers should take charge of this work as the most important work of the time, getting involved and keeping track of it, being “hands on” within the scope of work of related work arrangements, whilst also keeping an eye of other work projects, asking after them, keeping track, monitoring; this is the responsibility of leaders and workers. If you are fearful that you will fail to implement this work properly, that you will be remiss in following it up, that you will fail to fulfill the responsibilities of leaders and workers, then you should put everything you have into it. Because the house of God has repeatedly stressed that this work must be done well, and that if it is not done well, the leaders and workers will be neglecting their duties and at risk of being replaced, you must devote all your time and effort to the implementation of this work. If other work is progressing in an orderly manner, it can be entrusted to the management of another, suitable person, and it’s enough to simply inquire and help with any special issues when you have time. Can you work like this?

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (9)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Keeping an eye on things is its own individual job. In addition to keeping an eye on how well the work arrangements are being carried out, it is also necessary to look at whether leaders and workers are acting in strict accordance with the work arrangements. After receiving the work arrangements, there are leaders and workers who say all the right things when you’re talking to them face-to-face: “We’ve already decided who’s going to do what, who will be responsible for what.” After returning to their homes, though, they drop out of sight; afraid of being arrested, they go into hiding, and for a long time have no contact with the brothers and sisters, who have no idea if there are work arrangements, or whether they are being carried out; these leaders and workers have no sense of urgency toward the requirements of the work arrangements, and do nothing to implement them. So, too, are there leaders and workers who, toward some requirements of the work arrangements, have certain opinions, and are resistant, and have notions—and who, after returning to their homes, are deviant in their implementation, who do not carry them out as originally intended, but according to their own inclinations, distilling them into a simpler form or taking their own path, doing what they want to, and so on. Senior leaders and workers need to keep an eye on all of this. The aim of keeping an eye on things is to do a better job of executing everything required by the work arrangements according to principle, and without deviation. While keeping an eye on things, if there are discovered people who are not working, who do not take responsibility, who carry out the work arrangements very slowly, who are antagonistic toward the work arrangements, being resistant and picky about implementing them, or simply do not act in accordance with the work arrangements, and run their own operation, and if there are those who go so far as to conceal the true facts and deceive the brothers and sisters, keeping them ignorant of the specific requirements, related issues, and intent behind the arrangements, and merely passing on the word, or informing the brothers and sisters as they please, and so on—then these problems must be handled and solved by senior leaders and workers. If leaders and workers do not keep an eye on things, and merely communicate and guide from above, then these problems cannot be identified. And so, when executing work arrangements, and after providing guidance, leaders and workers must, in addition to communicating them to each level, also monitor the work at every level. Regional leaders must monitor the work of district leaders; district leaders must monitor the work of the leaders of each church; and the leaders of each church must monitor the work of teams. What is the aim of this monitoring? It is in order to do a better job of accurately executing work arrangements according to their specific requirements. Thus, the work of keeping an eye on things is of great importance. While monitoring, and if the environment permits, leaders and workers must delve deep into what’s happening on the ground, questioning individual people, observing, making inquiries, trying to find out more, and familiarizing themselves with how the work is being implemented; at the same time, they must also try to find out more about the brothers and sisters’ difficulties and ideas with regard to carrying out this work, whether they have gained any knowledge, whether they have a grasp of the principles of this work—all this is the specific work that should be carried out by leaders and workers. With those church leaders who are of relatively poor caliber, who do not have much sense of responsibility when performing their work, who are of relatively poor humanity, and lack commitment, and are relatively lazy, supervision is especially important. And how is this supervising carried out? “Hurry up! The Above is waiting for us to complete this task, this work has a time limit, we can’t delay.” Is this the right way to supervise? Is it just a case of hurrying people along? What is the best way to supervise people? When you see those who are struggling, you provide specific guidance and assistance, you coach them; when you see those who are being lazy, you deal with and prune them. If they can do something but are too lazy, if they dawdle and procrastinate in their work, and covet the comforts of the flesh, then when such situations require them to be dealt with, they should be dealt with. And what if the problem hasn’t been solved after they have been dealt with, and there hasn’t been any change in their attitude? First give them a warning: “This work is very important. If you approach it with such an attitude again, you will be relieved of your duty and replaced by someone else. If you don’t want to do it, someone else will. You have no commitment toward your duty, you are not fit to do this work. If you are not up to the task, if your flesh cannot bear this hardship, the house of God can replace you, or you can submit your resignation. If you do not resign, and still want to do this work, then do a better job, do it according to the requirements and principles of the house of God. And if that is beyond you, and you keep procrastinating—which affect the progress of work, and damages the work—then the house of God will have to discipline you, and you’ll be on your way.” If they are willing to repent after being warned, then they can stay. But if, after repeated warnings, there is no change in their attitude, and they do not repent at all, and stay the same, then is the answer to the problem not to dismiss them? It shouldn’t be the case that when someone has some small fault or problem, you latch onto it and don’t let go; give them a chance, and if they change, and are willing to repent, and are much better than they were before, then let them stay. If you keep giving them chances and fellowship with them over and over again, and dealing with them and pruning them does not work, and the warnings do not work, and anyone trying to help them does not work, then this is no ordinary problem; this person’s humanity is too poor, they do not accept the truth at all, and so they are not able to undertake this duty. Send them away—they are unworthy of performing duty. That is how such matters are sorted out.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (10)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Right after the work of supervising comes the work of checking up. Usually, the work of checking up is aimed at whether the organization of a certain item of work has been effective, and once the work has been organized, how far subsequent work has gotten, whether it has been completed, and how well—how effectively and efficiently—it has been completed, to what extent those involved in the work carried it out, whether or not any specific problems were identified, whether there were any difficulties, whether it was carried out according to principle, and so on. Checking up on work that you have previously organized is a specific and necessary piece of work. Some leaders and workers often make the following mistake: They think that once they have organized the work, that’s it; they think, “I’ve completed my mission and fulfilled my responsibility; in any case, I told you how to do it, you are aware of this now, and you promised to do it, so what comes after has nothing to do with me, just give me a shout when you’ve finished.” After organizing the work, they go into hiding. They don’t check up on the progress or latest developments in the work, nor on whether those they arranged to do this work are suitable and appropriate, or how the majority of people are approaching the work; nor do they check up on whether their own plans for the implementation of this work have received good feedback, and are appropriate, whether there is anything wrong with them, or there are any places they have misinterpreted or that are at odds with the Above’s work arrangements. They pay no attention to any of this, but think that after making arrangements, there is nothing more to be done. This is not doing specific work. So what is checked during checkup work? Of chief importance is comparison with the work arrangements: look to see if the work is consistent, whether it has overstepped the principles of the work arrangements, whether it has contravened the requirements of the work arrangements—and also whether, as the work was carried out, there were any who disturbed or interrupted, or stirred up trouble, or used high-sounding words. Naturally, at the same time as doing this work, leaders and workers are also checking whether there have been any failings whilst executing this work arrangement; at the same time as checking up on other people’s work, they also check up on their own work.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (10)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

For any work arrangement, leaders and workers should intermittently pray-read it, and then check whether they have failed to properly arrange any work during this period, or overlooked anything required by the work arrangement—in which case they should quickly make amends and intervene. If you don’t have the time due to doing other work, you can entrust it to other people, and then continue to follow up, be involved, and check up on it; do not just listen to reports on it, standing back and watching from the sidelines. If you are in charge of any piece of work, then no matter how many projects you are responsible for, it is your responsibility to constantly be involved and ask questions, at the same time also checking up on things. This is your job. And so, whether you are a regional leader, district leader, church leader, or any team leader or supervisor, once you have ascertained the scope of your responsibilities, you must frequently examine whether you are doing your part in this work, whether you have fulfilled the responsibilities that ought to be fulfilled by a leader or worker, what work you haven’t done, what work you don’t want to do, what work has been ineffective, and what work you have failed to grasp the principles of. These are all things you should often reflect on. At the same time, you must learn to fellowship with and ask questions of other people, and must learn how to identify, in God’s words and the work arrangements, a plan and principles for implementation. Toward any work arrangement, whether it relates to administration, HR, or the life of the church, or else any kind of specialist work, if it touches upon the responsibilities of leaders and workers, if it is a responsibility that you are supposed to fulfill, and within the purview of your responsibilities, then you should concern yourself with it. Naturally, work should also be prioritized so that no projects fall behind. If you say, “I don’t have three heads and six arms, I can’t manage all the projects involved in the work arrangements”—there being some work that you can’t personally be involved in—have you arranged for someone else to do it? After that person had finished, did you follow up with questions or help see if things are up to standard? Surely you had the time to ask a few questions and see if things are up to standard? Some leaders and workers say, “I can only do one job at a time. If you ask me to check whether a project is up to standard, I can only do so with one; any more than that is a problem.” In that case, you’re not fit to be a leader or worker, you’re not up to the task, and you don’t have the skills. You’re better off finding the kind of work that suits you. If you don’t have what it takes, go ahead and resign, so that someone who can do the job can be found. Is this not appropriate? Don’t try and do everything by yourself: In the end, you’ll fail, and hold up the work of the house of God, and bring harm to the house of God—in which case you will not have fulfilled your responsibility. This is having no self-awareness, not doing real work, still trying to do everything by yourself, preferring the perks of status, which makes you a bona fide false leader.

Excerpted from “Identifying False Leaders (10)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

There are some who are entirely too cavalier in their attitude toward work arrangements from the Above. “The Above makes the work arrangements,” they think, “and we’re down here, doing the work. Some of what’s said and some of the tasks can be implemented flexibly—they can be altered when they come down to us. The Above just talks, after all, and we’re the ones doing practical work. We understand the situation in the church, but the Above doesn’t, so the people and work of the church that are given to us are ours to do with as we see fit. We can do as we like, and no one has the right to interfere.” To such people, the principle of serving God is this: “If I think something’s right, I’ll take note of it; if I think something isn’t workable, I’ll ignore it. I can resist you if I like, or go against you, and I don’t have to implement or carry out anything I don’t want to. If something you say strikes me as unsuitable, I’ll edit it for you, and, once I’ve filtered it, I’ll pass it on down. Nothing I haven’t approved may go to print.” Everywhere else, they disseminate the arrangements from the Above in their original form, but this person sends their edited version of the work arrangements to the people in the area they lead. Such a person wishes always to set God off to the side, and desperately wants everyone to follow and believe in them. The way they see it, God is not their equal in certain areas—they should be God, too, and everyone should believe in them. That is the nature of what they do. If you understood this, would you still cry when such a person is removed and replaced? Would you still feel sympathy for them? Would you still think, “What the Above does is uncalled for and unjust—how could the Above dismiss someone who’s suffered so much?” For whose sake have they suffered? They have suffered for the sake of their own status. Are they serving God? Are they performing their duty? Are they loyal and submissive to God? They are nothing but a lackey of Satan, and their work is the devil’s dominion; it destroys God’s management plan and disturbs His work. What sort of faith is that? They are nothing but a devil, an antichrist!

Excerpted from “What Is It to Offend God?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Some people, though they cannot understand parts of the arrangements made by the Above, are yet able to obey them. They say, “All God does is correct and has significance. Even if we can’t understand it, we submit to it. What we will not do is pass judgment on God! If something doesn’t sound right to us, we heed it anyway. We’re humans, with human minds—so what do we know? So we just follow along and submit to God’s arrangements until the day comes when we understand them. Even if that day doesn’t come, we would still submit willingly. We are humans, and we should submit to God. That’s what we’re supposed to do.” Others, however, are not like this. When they see what is being done by the Above, their first reaction is to investigate it. They say, “God, let’s look at what You say and what You require. The first item is fine, but the second isn’t quite right. I’ll fix it up for You.” Does someone who says so have a heart that reveres God? It may rather be that they have notions about something God does, and therefore do not carry out His arrangements in the church, but wantonly circulate their notions among their brothers and sisters, so that they come to have notions about God. Firstly, such a person cannot provide the truth; secondly, they spread notions; and thirdly, they cause others to have notions about God, and to oppose what He does, and to try to make Him act differently, such that, in the end, He may relent to them. There are those who would do such things in hopes of dispelling people’s notions, making God relent and act differently, and making Him satisfy people. Were such a person to feel remorse and weep after doing such things, could they then be counted as one with a heart of reverence for God? Some people are a bit zealous and ignorant in their service of God—for this, you can be forgiven. If, however, you continue to act so, you will have knowingly done wrong, which is a graver and greater sin, and a terrible thing! If your view of these matters is simplistic, and you feel they do not amount to much, then you are bound, one day, to offend God. I have seen some such people; even if they are not purged, their outcomes were actually already decided early on.

Excerpted from “What Is It to Offend God?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

164. The Principles of Coming to Know God

(1) Know the three stages of God’s work, understand the objective of His management plan, and know the significance of each stage of His work, as well as the results it is meant to achieve;

(2) See clearly in what ways Satan corrupts mankind, in what ways God saves mankind, and the results that God’s judgment and chastisement can achieve;

(3) It is necessary to know whom God saves, whom He loves, whom He loathes, whom He eliminates, and whom He perfects;

(4) It is necessary to submit to God’s judgment and chastisement and His trials and refinement, and to come to know His righteous disposition and holy essence;

(5) It is necessary to know Christ’s divine essence, to come into conformity with Christ, and to be able to practice exaltation and testimony to God based on God’s word the truth.

Relevant Words of God:

To believe in God and know God is ordained by Heaven and acknowledged by earth, and today—during an age when God incarnate is doing His work in person—is an especially good time to know God. Satisfying God is something that is achieved by building on the foundation of understanding God’s will, and in order to understand God’s will, it is necessary to have some knowledge of God. This knowledge of God is the vision that one who believes in God must have; it is the basis of man’s belief in God. In the absence of this knowledge, man’s belief in God would exist in a vague state, in the midst of empty theory. Even if it is the resolution of people like this to follow God, they will gain nothing. All those who gain nothing in this stream are the ones who will be eliminated—they are all freeloaders. Whichever step of God’s work you experience, you should be accompanied by a mighty vision. Otherwise, it would be difficult for you to accept each step of new work, because the new work of God lies beyond man’s capacity to imagine, and is outside the bounds of his conception. So, without a shepherd to tend to man, without a shepherd to engage in fellowship about visions, man is incapable of accepting this new work. If man cannot receive visions, then he cannot receive the new work of God, and if man cannot obey God’s new work, then man will be unable to understand God’s will, and so his knowledge of God will amount to nothing. Before man carries out the word of God, he must know the word of God; that is, he must understand God’s will. Only in this way can God’s word be carried out accurately and in accordance with God’s will. This is something that everyone who seeks the truth must possess, and it is also the process that everyone who tries to know God must undergo. The process of coming to know the word of God is the process of coming to know God and the work of God. So, knowing visions not only refers to knowing the humanity of God incarnate, but also includes knowing the word and the work of God. From the word of God people come to understand God’s will, and from the work of God they come to know God’s disposition and what God is. Belief in God is the first step to knowing God. The process of advancing from this initial belief in God to the most profound belief in Him is the process of coming to know God, the process of experiencing the work of God. If you only believe in God for the sake of believing in God, and not for the sake of coming to know Him, then there is no reality to your faith, and your faith cannot become pure—of this there is no doubt. If, during the process by which man experiences God’s work, he gradually comes to know God, then his disposition will gradually change, and his belief will become increasingly true. In this way, when man achieves success in his belief in God, he will have completely gained God. The reason why God went to such great lengths to become flesh for the second time to do His work in person was so that man would be able to know Him and to see Him. Knowing God[a] is the final effect to be achieved at the conclusion of God’s work; it is the last requirement God makes of mankind. The reason why He does this is for the sake of His final testimony; He does this work in order that man may finally and completely turn to Him. Man can only come to love God by knowing God, and to love God he must know God. No matter how he seeks, or what he seeks to gain, he must be able to achieve knowledge of God. Only in this way can man satisfy God’s heart. Only by knowing God can man have true faith in God, and only by knowing God can he truly revere and obey God. Those who do not know God will never arrive at true obedience and reverence of God. Knowing God includes knowing His disposition, understanding His will, and knowing what He is. Yet whichever aspect one comes to know, each one requires man to pay a price and requires the will to obey, without which no one would be able to continue following to the end. The work of God is too incompatible with the notions of man. God’s disposition and what God is are too difficult for man to know, and everything that God says and does is too incomprehensible for man: If man wishes to follow God and yet is unwilling to obey Him, then man will gain nothing.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The lesson of knowing God is higher than any of the natural sciences of mankind. It is a lesson that can only be achieved by an extremely small number of those who seek to know God, and cannot be achieved by just any person of talent. So, you must not view knowing God and pursuing the truth as if they are things that could be achieved by a mere child. Perhaps you have been completely successful in your family life, or your career, or in your marriage, but when it comes to the truth and the lesson of knowing God, you have nothing to show for yourself and you have achieved nothing. Putting the truth into practice, it can be said, is of great difficulty for you, and knowing God is an even greater problem. This is your difficulty, and this is also the difficulty faced by the whole of mankind. Among those who have had some achievements in the cause of knowing God, there are almost none who are up to standard. Man does not know what it means to know God, or why it is necessary to know God, or to what degree one must attain in order to know God. This is what is so confounding to mankind, and it is quite simply the biggest riddle faced by mankind—no one is capable of answering this question, nor is anyone willing to answer this question, because, to date, no one among mankind has had any success in the study of this work. Perhaps, when the riddle of the three stages of work is made known to mankind, there will appear in succession a group of talented people who know God. Of course, I hope that is the case, and, furthermore, I am in the process of carrying out this work, and hope to see the appearance of more such talented people in the near future. They will become those who bear testimony to the fact of these three stages of work, and, of course, they will also be the first to bear testimony to these three stages of work. But nothing would be more distressing and regrettable than if such talented people do not emerge on the day that God’s work comes to an end, or if there are only one or two such people who have personally accepted being made perfect by God incarnate. However, this is only the worst case scenario. Whatever the case may be, I still hope that those who truly pursue can gain this blessing. Since the beginning of time, there has never before been work such as this; such an undertaking has never occurred in the history of human development. If you can truly become one of the first of those who know God, would this not be the highest honor among all creatures? Would any creature among mankind be more commended by God? Such work is not easy to achieve, but will ultimately still reap rewards. Regardless of their gender or nationality, all those who are capable of achieving the knowledge of God will, in the end, receive God’s greatest honor, and will be the only ones that possess the authority of God. This is the work of today, and it is also the work of the future; it is the last and highest work to be accomplished in 6,000 years of work, and it is a way of working that reveals each category of man. Through the work of causing man to know God, the different ranks of man are revealed: Those who know God are qualified to receive God’s blessings and accept His promises, while those who do not know God are unqualified to receive God’s blessings and accept His promises. Those who know God are the intimates of God, and those who do not know God cannot be called the intimates of God; the intimates of God can receive any of God’s blessings, but those who are not His intimates are not worthy of any of His work. Whether it be tribulations, refinement, or judgment, all these things are for the sake of allowing man to ultimately achieve a knowledge of God, and so that man may submit to God. This is the only effect that will ultimately be achieved. Nothing of the three stages of work is hidden, and this is advantageous to man’s knowledge of God, and helps man gain a more complete and thorough knowledge of God. All this work is of benefit to man.

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God does the work of judgment and chastisement so that man may gain knowledge of Him, and for the sake of His testimony. Without His judgment of man’s corrupt disposition, man could not possibly know His righteous disposition, which brooks no offense, and nor would man be able to turn his old knowledge of God into a new one. For the sake of His testimony, and for the sake of His management, He makes His entirety public, thus enabling man, through His public appearance, to arrive at knowledge of God, to be transformed in his disposition, and to bear resounding testimony to God. The transformation of the disposition of man is achieved through many different kinds of God’s work; without such changes in his disposition, man would be unable to bear testimony to God and to be after God’s heart. The transformation of man’s disposition signifies that man has freed himself from Satan’s bondage and from the influence of darkness, and has truly become a model and specimen of God’s work, a witness of God, and one who is after God’s heart. Today, God incarnate has come to do His work on earth, and He requires that man achieve knowledge of Him, obedience to Him, testimony to Him, to know His practical and normal work, to obey all of His words and work which do not accord with the notions of man, and to bear testimony to all the work He does to save man, as well as all the deeds He accomplishes to conquer man. Those who bear testimony to God must have knowledge of God; only this kind of testimony is accurate and real, and only this kind of testimony can shame Satan. God uses those who have come to know Him through undergoing His judgment and chastisement, dealing and pruning, to bear testimony to Him. He uses those who have been corrupted by Satan to bear testimony to Him, and so too does He use those whose disposition has changed, and who have thus gained His blessings, to bear testimony to Him. He does not need man to praise Him with his mouth, nor does He need the praise and testimony of the ilk of Satan, who have not been saved by Him. Only those who know God are qualified to bear testimony to Him, and only those who have been transformed in their disposition are qualified to bear testimony to Him. God will not allow man intentionally to bring shame upon His name.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Know God Can Bear Testimony to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Understanding the essence of God and knowing the essence of God is of the utmost importance to people’s entry into life. I hope that you do not ignore this or see it as a game, because knowing God is the foundation of man’s faith and the key for man to pursue truth and attain salvation. If people believe in God yet do not know Him, if they only live in words and doctrines, it will never be possible for them to attain salvation, even if they act and live in accordance with the superficial meaning of the truth. That is to say, if you believe in God but do not know Him, then your faith is all for naught and contains nothing of reality.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique V” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What does it mean to know God? It means being able to comprehend His joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and thus knowing His disposition—this is what it is to truly know God. You claim that you have seen Him, yet you do not understand His joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness and you do not understand His disposition. You also understand neither His righteousness nor His mercifulness, nor do you know what He likes or what He loathes. This is not knowledge of God. Therefore, some people can follow God but are not necessarily capable of truly believing in Him; herein lies the difference. If you know God, understand Him, and are able to comprehend some of His will, then you can truly believe in Him, truly submit to Him, truly love Him, and truly worship Him. If you do not understand these things, then you are just a follower who runs along and goes with the flow. That cannot be called true submission or true worship. How does true worship come about? Without exception, all who genuinely know God worship and revere Him whenever they see Him; they are all compelled to bow down and worship Him. At present, while God incarnate is at work, the more understanding people have of His disposition and of what He has and is, the more they will treasure these things and the more they will revere Him. Generally, the less understanding people have, the more careless they are, and so they treat God as human. If people really knew and saw God, they would tremble with fear. “He that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear”—why did John say this? Though deep down he did not have a very profound understanding, he knew that God is awe-inspiring. How many people these days are capable of revering God? If they do not know His disposition, then how can they revere God? People neither know Christ’s essence nor understand God’s disposition, much less are they able to truly worship God. If they see only the ordinary and normal outward appearance of Christ, yet do not know His essence, then it is easy for them to treat Christ as just an ordinary man. They may adopt an irreverent attitude toward Him and can cheat Him, resist Him, disobey Him, and cast judgment on Him. They can be self-righteous and not take His words seriously; they can even give rise to notions, condemnations, and blasphemy against God. To resolve these issues, one must know Christ’s essence and divinity. This is the main aspect of knowing God; it is what everyone who believes in the practical God must enter and achieve.

Excerpted from “How to Know God Incarnate” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

What should you know about the practical God? The Spirit, the Person, and the Word make up the practical God Himself, and this is the true meaning of the practical God Himself. If you only know the Person—if you know His habits and personality—but do not know the work of the Spirit, or what the Spirit does in the flesh, and if you only pay attention to the Spirit, and the Word, and only pray before the Spirit, but do not know the work of God’s Spirit in the practical God, then this yet proves that you do not know the practical God. Knowledge of the practical God includes knowing and experiencing His words, and grasping the rules and principles of the work of the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit of God works in the flesh. It also includes knowing that every action of God in the flesh is governed by the Spirit, and that the words He speaks are the direct expression of the Spirit. Thus, to know the practical God, it is paramount to know how God works in humanity and in divinity; this, in turn, concerns the expressions of the Spirit, with which all people engage.

Excerpted from “You Should Know That the Practical God Is God Himself” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The disposition of God is a subject that seems very abstract to everyone and is, moreover, one that is not easy for anyone to accept, for His disposition is unlike a human being’s personality. God, too, has His own emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, but these emotions differ from those of man. God is what He is and He has what He has. All that He expresses and reveals are representations of His essence and of His identity. What He is and what He has, as well as His essence and identity, are things that cannot be replaced by any man. His disposition encompasses His love for mankind, solace of mankind, hatred of mankind, and even more, a thorough understanding of mankind. The personality of man, however, may be optimistic, lively, or unfeeling. The disposition of God is one that belongs to the Ruler of all things and living beings, to the Lord of all creation. His disposition represents honor, power, nobility, greatness, and most of all, supremacy. His disposition is the symbol of authority, the symbol of all that is righteous, the symbol of all that is beautiful and good. More than that, it is a symbol of Him who cannot be[b] overcome or invaded by the darkness and any enemy force, as well as a symbol of Him who cannot be offended (nor will He tolerate being offended)[c] by any created being. His disposition is the symbol of the highest power. No person or persons can or may disturb His work or His disposition. But the personality of man is no more than a mere symbol of the slight superiority of man over beast. Man in and of himself has no authority, no autonomy, and no ability to transcend the self, but is in his essence one who cowers at the mercy of all manner of people, events, and things. The joy of God is due to the existence and emergence of righteousness and light, because of the destruction of darkness and evil. He takes delight in bringing the light and a good life to mankind; His joy is a righteous joy, a symbol of the existence of all that is positive and, even more, a symbol of auspiciousness. The anger of God is due to the harm that the existence and interference of injustice brings upon His mankind, because of the existence of evil and darkness, because of the existence of things that drive out the truth, and even more, because of the existence of things that oppose what is good and beautiful. His anger is a symbol that all things negative no longer exist and, even more than that, it is a symbol of His holiness. His sorrow is due to mankind, for whom He has hopes but who has fallen into darkness, because the work He does on man does not come up to His expectations, and because the mankind He loves cannot all live in the light. He feels sorrow for the innocent mankind, for the honest but ignorant man, and for the man who is good but lacking in his own views. His sorrow is a symbol of His goodness and of His mercy, a symbol of beauty and of kindness. His happiness, of course, comes from defeating His enemies and gaining the good faith of man. More than this, it arises from the expulsion and destruction of all enemy forces, and because mankind receives a good and peaceful life. The happiness of God is unlike the joy of man; rather, it is the feeling of garnering good fruits, a feeling even greater than joy. His happiness is a symbol of mankind breaking free of suffering from this time forth, and a symbol of mankind entering a world of light. The emotions of mankind, on the other hand, all arise for the sake of his own interests, not for righteousness, light, or what is beautiful, and least of all for the grace bestowed by Heaven. The emotions of mankind are selfish and belong to the world of darkness. They do not exist for the sake of the will, much less for the plan of God, and so man and God can never be spoken of in the same breath. God is forever supreme and ever honorable, while man is forever base, forever worthless. This is because God is forever making sacrifices and devoting Himself to mankind; man, however, forever takes and strives only for himself. God is forever taking pains for mankind’s survival, yet man never contributes anything for the sake of the light or for righteousness. Even if man makes an effort for a time, it cannot withstand a single blow, for the effort of man is always for his own sake and not for others. Man is always selfish, while God is forever selfless. God is the source of all that is just, good, and beautiful, while man is he who succeeds to and makes manifest all ugliness and evil. God will never alter His essence of righteousness and beauty, yet man is perfectly capable, at any time and in any situation, of betraying righteousness and straying far from God.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Coming to know the essence of God is no trifling matter. You must understand His disposition. In this way, you will, gradually and unknowingly, come to know the essence of God. When you have entered into this knowledge, you will find yourself stepping into a higher and more beautiful state. In the end, you will come to feel ashamed of your hideous soul, and, moreover, will feel that there is nowhere to hide from your shame. At that time, there will be less and less in your conduct to offend the disposition of God, your heart will come closer and closer to that of God, and a love for Him will gradually grow in your heart. This is a sign of mankind entering a beautiful state. But as yet, you have not attained this. As you all rush about for the sake of your destiny, who has any interest in trying to know the essence of God? Should this continue, you will unknowingly transgress against the administrative decrees, for you understand far too little of the disposition of God. So is not what you do now laying down a foundation for your offenses against the disposition of God? That I ask you to understand the disposition of God is not divorced from My work. For if you transgress against the administrative decrees often, who among you will escape punishment? Would My work then not have been entirely in vain? Therefore, I still ask that, in addition to scrutinizing your own conduct, you be cautious in the steps you take. This is the higher demand that I make of you, and I hope that you will all consider it carefully and give it your earnest regard. Should a day come when your actions provoke Me to a towering rage, then the consequences will be yours alone to consider, and there will be no one else to bear the punishment in your place.

Excerpted from “It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The three stages of work are a record of the entire work of God; they are a record of God’s salvation of mankind, and they are not imaginary. If you truly wish to seek a knowledge of God’s entire disposition, then you must know the three stages of work carried out by God, and, furthermore, you must not omit any stage. This is the minimum that must be achieved by those who seek to know God. Man himself cannot fabricate a true knowledge of God. This is not something that man himself can imagine, nor is it the consequence of the Holy Spirit’s special favor granted to a single person. Rather, it is a knowledge that comes after man has experienced the work of God, and it is a knowledge of God that only comes after having experienced the facts of God’s work. Such a knowledge cannot be gotten readily, and nor is it something that can be taught. It is wholly related to personal experience. God’s salvation of mankind is at the core of these three stages of work, yet within the work of salvation are included several methods of working and several means by which God’s disposition is expressed. This is what is most difficult for man to identify, and it is this that is difficult for man to understand. The separation of the ages, changes in God’s work, changes in the location of work, changes in the recipient of this work, and so on—these are all included in the three stages of work. In particular, the difference in the Holy Spirit’s way of working, as well as alterations in God’s disposition, image, name, identity, or other changes, are all part of the three stages of work. One stage of work can only represent one part, and is limited within a certain scope. It does not involve the separation of the ages, or changes in God’s work, much less the other aspects. This is a clearly obvious fact. The three stages of work are the entirety of God’s work in saving mankind. Man must know God’s work and God’s disposition in the work of salvation; without this fact, your knowledge of God consists of nothing but hollow words, nothing more than armchair pontification. Such knowledge can neither convince nor conquer man; it is at odds with reality, and it is not the truth. It may be very plentiful and pleasing to the ear, but if it is at odds with God’s inherent disposition, then God will not spare you. Not only will He not commend your knowledge, but He will also take retribution on you for being a sinner who has blasphemed Him. The words of knowing God are not spoken lightly. Though you may be glib and silver-tongued, and though your words are so clever that you can argue black into being white and white into being black, still you are out of your depth when it comes to speaking of the knowledge of God. God is not someone that you can judge rashly or casually praise, or nonchalantly denigrate. You praise anyone and everyone, yet you struggle to find the right words to describe the supreme grace of God—this is what every loser comes to realize. Even though there are many masters of language who are capable of describing God, the accuracy of what they describe is but a hundredth of the truth spoken by people who belong to God, people who though possessing only a limited vocabulary, have rich experience to draw upon. Thus it can be seen that knowledge of God lies in accuracy and actuality, and not in the clever use of words or a rich vocabulary, and that man’s knowledge and the knowledge of God are completely unrelated.

Excerpted from “Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Knowing God must be achieved through reading and understanding God’s words. Some say: “I haven’t seen God incarnate, so how should I know God?” In fact, God’s words are an expression of His disposition. From God’s words, you can see His love and salvation for humans, as well as His method for saving them…. This is because His words are expressed by God Himself, not written by humans. They have been personally expressed by God; God Himself is expressing His own words and His inner voice. Why are they called words from the heart? It is because they are issued from deep down, and express His disposition, His will, His thoughts, His love for mankind, His salvation of mankind, and His expectations of mankind…. God’s utterances include harsh words, and gentle and considerate words, as well as some revelatory words that are not in line with human wishes. If you look only at the revelatory words, you might feel that God is rather stern. If you look only at the gentle words, you might feel that God is not very authoritative. You therefore should not take them out of context; rather, look at them from every angle. Sometimes God speaks from a gentle and compassionate perspective, and then people see His love for mankind; sometimes He speaks from a very strict perspective, and then people see the disposition of His that will tolerate no offense. Man is deplorably filthy, and is not worthy of seeing God’s face or of coming before Him. That people are now allowed to come before Him is purely by His grace. God’s wisdom can be seen from the way He works and in the significance of His work. People can still see these things in God’s words, even without any direct contact from Him. When someone who genuinely knows God comes into contact with Christ, his encounter with Christ can correspond with his existing knowledge of God; however, when someone who has only a theoretical understanding encounters God, he cannot see the correlation. This aspect of the truth is the most profound of mysteries; it is difficult to fathom. Sum up God’s words on the mystery of the incarnation, look at them from all angles, and then pray together, ponder, and fellowship further on this aspect of the truth. In doing so, you will be able to gain the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and come to understand. Because humans have no chance of having direct contact with God, they must rely on this kind of experience to feel their way through and enter a little bit at a time in order to attain true knowledge of God.

Excerpted from “How to Know God Incarnate” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Knowledge of God’s authority, God’s power, God’s own identity, and God’s essence cannot be achieved by relying on your imagination. Since you cannot rely on imagination to know the authority of God, then in what way can you achieve a true knowledge of God’s authority? The way to do this is through eating and drinking the words of God, through fellowship, and through experiencing the words of God. Thus, you will have a gradual experience and verification of God’s authority and you will gain a gradual understanding and incremental knowledge of it. This is the only way to achieve the knowledge of God’s authority; there are no shortcuts. Asking you not to imagine is not the same as making you sit passively to await destruction, or stopping you from doing anything. Not using your brain to think and imagine means not using logic to infer, not using knowledge to analyze, not using science as the basis, but instead appreciating, verifying, and confirming that the God you believe in has authority, confirming that He holds sovereignty over your fate, and that His power at all times proves Him to be the true God Himself, through the words of God, through the truth, through everything that you encounter in life. This is the only way that anyone can achieve an understanding of God. Some say that they wish to find a simple way of achieving this aim, but can you think of such a way? I tell you, there is no need to think: There are no other ways! The only way is to conscientiously and steadfastly know and verify what God has and is through every word that He expresses and everything that He does. This is the only way to know God. For what God has and is, and everything of God, is not hollow and empty, but real.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s possessions and being, God’s essence, God’s disposition—all has been made known in His words to humankind. When he experiences God’s words, man will in the process of putting them into practice come to understand the purpose behind the words God speaks, and to understand the source and background of God’s words, and to understand and appreciate the intended effect of God’s words. For humanity, these are all things that man must experience, grasp, and attain in order to attain truth and life, grasp God’s intentions, become transformed in his disposition, and become able to obey God’s sovereignty and arrangements. At the same time that man experiences, grasps, and attains these things, he will gradually have gained an understanding of God, and at this time he will also have gained different degrees of knowledge about Him. This understanding and knowledge does not come out of something man has imagined or composed, but rather from what he appreciates, experiences, feels, and confirms within himself. Only after appreciating, experiencing, feeling, and confirming these things does man’s knowledge of God acquire content; only the knowledge that man obtains at this time is actual, real, and accurate, and this process—of attaining genuine understanding and knowledge of God through appreciating, experiencing, feeling, and confirming His words—is no other than true communion between man and God. In the midst of this kind of communion, man comes truly to understand and comprehend God’s intentions, comes truly to understand and know God’s possessions and being, comes truly to understand and know God’s essence, comes gradually to understand and know God’s disposition, arrives at real certainty about, and a correct definition of, the fact of God’s dominion over all creation, and gains an essential bearing on and knowledge of God’s identity and position. In the midst of this kind of communion, man changes, step by step, his ideas about God, no longer imagining Him out of thin air, or giving rein to his own suspicions about Him, or misunderstanding Him, or condemning Him, or passing judgment on Him, or doubting Him. Thus, man will have fewer disputes with God, he will have fewer conflicts with God, and there will be fewer occasions on which man rebels against God. Conversely, man’s caring for and obedience to God will grow greater, and his reverence for God will become more real and more profound. In the midst of such communion, man will not only attain the provision of truth and the baptism of life, but he will at the same time also attain true knowledge of God. In the midst of such communion, man will not only be transformed in his disposition and receive salvation, but he will at the same time also garner the true reverence and worship of a created being toward God. Having had this kind of communion, man’s faith in God will no longer be a blank sheet of paper, or a promise offered up in lip service, or a form of blind pursuit and idolization; only with this kind of communion will man’s life grow toward maturity day by day, and only now will his disposition gradually become transformed, and his faith in God will, step by step, pass from a vague and uncertain belief into genuine obedience and caring, into real reverence, and man will also, in the process of following God, gradually progress from a passive to an active stance, from the negative to the positive; only with this kind of communion will man arrive at true understanding and comprehension of God, at true knowledge of God.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you want to know God, to know Him truly, to understand Him truly, then do not restrict yourself merely to the three stages of God’s work, or to stories of the work He performed in the past. If you try to know Him in that way, then you are placing limitations on God, confining Him. You are seeing God as something very small. How would doing so affect people? You would never be able to know God’s wondrousness and supremacy, nor His power and omnipotence and the scope of His authority. Such an understanding would have an impact on your ability to accept the truth that God is the Ruler of all things, as well as your knowledge of God’s true identity and status. In other words, if your understanding of God is limited in scope, then what you can receive is also limited. This is why you must broaden your scope and expand your horizons. You should seek to understand all of it—the scope of God’s work, His management, His rule, and all the things He manages and over which He rules. It is through these things that you should come to understand God’s actions. With such an understanding, you will come to feel, without realizing it, that God rules, manages, and provides for all things among them, and you will also truly feel that you are a part and a member of all things. As God provides for all things, you are also accepting God’s rule and provision. This is a fact that no one can deny.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VIII” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

However much understanding of God there is in people’s hearts, that is also the extent of the position He holds in their hearts. However great the degree of knowledge of God is in their hearts, that is how great God is in their hearts. If the God that you know is empty and vague, then the God you believe in is also empty and vague. The God that you know is limited to the scope of your own personal life, and has nothing to do with the true God Himself. Thus, knowing God’s practical actions, knowing the reality of God and His omnipotence, knowing the true identity of God Himself, knowing what He has and is, knowing the actions that He has manifested among all the things of His creation—these things are very important to every single person who pursues knowledge of God. They have a direct bearing on whether people can enter truth reality. If you limit your understanding of God to just words, if you limit it to your own little experiences, to what you figure to be God’s grace, or your little testimonies to God, then I say that the God you believe in is absolutely not the true God Himself. Not only that, but it can also be said that the God you believe in is an imaginary God, not the true God. This is because the true God is the One that rules over everything, that walks among everything, that manages everything. He is the One that holds the fate of all of mankind and of everything in His hands. The work and actions of the God that I am talking about are not just limited to a small portion of people. That is, they are not limited to just the people who currently follow Him. His deeds are manifested among all things, in the survival of all things, and in the laws of change of all things.

If you cannot see or recognize any deeds of God among all the things of His creation, then you cannot bear witness to any of His deeds. If you cannot bear witness for God, if you continue to speak of the small so-called “God” that you know, that God who is limited to your own ideas and exists only within the narrow confines of your mind, if you continue to speak of that kind of God, then God will never praise your faith. When you bear witness for God, if you do so only in terms of how you enjoy God’s grace, how you accept God’s discipline and His chastening, and how you enjoy His blessings in your witness for Him, then that is nowhere near enough and not even close to satisfying Him. If you want to bear witness for God in a way that accords with His will, to bear witness for the true God Himself, then you must see what God has and is from His actions. You must see God’s authority from His control of everything, and see the truth of how He provides for all of mankind. If you only acknowledge that your daily sustenance and your necessities in life come from God, but you fail to see the truth that God has taken all the things of His creation for the provision of all of mankind, and that, by ruling over all things, He is leading all of mankind, then you will never be able to bear witness for God. What is My purpose in saying all of this? It is so that you do not take this lightly, so that you do not mistakenly believe that these topics I have spoken about are irrelevant to your own personal entry into life, and so that you do not take these topics as being just a type of knowledge or doctrine. If you listen to what I am saying with that kind of attitude, then you will not gain a single thing. You will lose this great opportunity to know God.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique IX” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Though man may go deep in his research of science and the laws that govern all things, that research is limited in scope, whereas God controls everything. For man, God’s control is infinite. A man could spend his entire life researching God’s smallest deed without achieving any true results. This is why, if you use just knowledge and what you have learned to study God, you will never be able to know God or understand Him. But if you choose the way of seeking the truth and seeking God, and look at God from the perspective of coming to know Him, then, one day, you will recognize that God’s actions and wisdom are everywhere at once, and you will know why God is called the Master of all things and the source of life for all things. The more you gain such understanding, the more you will understand why God is called the Master of all things. All things and everything, including you, are constantly receiving the steady flow of God’s provision. You will also be able to clearly sense that in this world, and among this mankind, there is no one apart from God who could have the ability and the essence with which He rules over, manages, and maintains the existence of all things. When you arrive at this understanding, you will truly recognize that God is your God. When you reach this point, you will have truly accepted God and allowed Him to be your God and your Master. When you have obtained such an understanding and your life has reached such a point, God will no longer test you and judge you, nor will He make any demands of you, because you will understand God, will know His heart, and will have truly accepted God in your heart.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VIII” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When people do not understand God and do not know His disposition, their hearts can never truly open up to Him. Once they have understood God, they will begin to appreciate and savor what is in His heart with interest and faith. When you appreciate and savor what is in God’s heart, your heart will gradually, bit by bit, open up to Him. When your heart opens up to Him, you will feel how shameful and contemptible your exchanges with God, your demands of God, and your own extravagant desires were. When your heart truly opens up to God, you will see that His heart is such an infinite world, and you will enter into a realm you have never experienced before. In this realm there is no cheating, there is no deception, there is no darkness, and no evil. There is only sincerity and faithfulness; only light and rectitude; only righteousness and kindness. It is full of love and care, full of compassion and tolerance, and through it you feel the happiness and joy of being alive. These things are what God will reveal to you when you open up your heart to Him. This infinite world is full of God’s wisdom and omnipotence; it is also full of His love and His authority. Here you can see every aspect of what God has and is, what brings Him joy, why He worries and why He becomes sad, why He becomes angry…. This is what every single person can see who opens up their heart and allows God to come in. God can only come into your heart if you open it up to Him. You can only see what God has and is, and you can only see His intentions for you, if He has come into your heart. At that time, you will discover that everything about God is so precious, that what He has and is is so worthy of treasuring. Compared to that, the people who surround you, the objects and events in your life, and even your loved ones, your partner, and the things you love, are hardly worth mentioning. They are so small, and so lowly; you will feel that no material object will ever be able to draw you in again, or that any material object will ever again be able to entice you to pay any price for it. In God’s humility you will see His greatness and His supremacy. Moreover, you will see in some deed of God that you previously believed to be quite small His infinite wisdom and His tolerance, and you will see His patience, His forbearance, and His understanding of you. This will engender in you an adoration for Him. On that day, you will feel that mankind is living in such a filthy world, that the people by your side and the things that happen in your life, and even those you love, their love for you, and their so-called protection or their concern for you are not even worth mentioning—only God is your beloved, and it is only God that you treasure the most. When that day comes, I believe that there will be some people who say: God’s love is so great, and His essence is so holy—in God there is no deceit, no evil, no envy, and no strife, but only righteousness and authenticity, and everything that God has and is should be longed for by humans. Humans should strive for and aspire to it. On what basis is mankind’s ability to achieve this built? It is built on the basis of their understanding of God’s disposition, and their understanding of God’s essence. So understanding God’s disposition and what He has and is, is a lifelong lesson for every person; this is a lifelong goal pursued by every person who strives to change their disposition, and strives to know God.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People often say that it is not an easy thing to know God. However, I say that knowing God is not a difficult matter at all, for God frequently displays His deeds for man to see. God has never ceased His dialogue with mankind, and He has never concealed Himself from man, and nor has He hidden Himself. His thoughts, His ideas, His words and His deeds are all revealed to mankind. Therefore, so long as man wishes to know God, he can come to understand and know Him through all sorts of means and methods. The reason why man blindly thinks that God has intentionally avoided him, that God has intentionally hidden Himself from humanity, that God has no intention of allowing man to understand and know Him, is because he does not know who God is and nor does he wish to understand God. Even more than that, man does not concern himself with the Creator’s thoughts, words or deeds…. Truthfully speaking, if a person just uses their spare time to focus upon and understand the Creator’s words or deeds, and if they pay just a little attention to the Creator’s thoughts and the voice of His heart, it will not be difficult for that person to realize that the Creator’s thoughts, words, and deeds are visible and transparent. Likewise, it will take little effort to realize that the Creator is among man at all times, that He is always in conversation with man and the entirety of creation, and that He is performing new deeds every day. His essence and disposition are expressed in His dialogue with man; His thoughts and ideas are revealed completely in His deeds; He accompanies and observes mankind at all times. He speaks quietly to mankind and all of creation with His silent words: “I am in the heavens, and I am amongst My creation. I am keeping watch; I am waiting; I am at your side….” His hands are warm and strong; His footsteps are light; His voice is soft and graceful; His form passes and turns, embracing all of mankind; His countenance is beautiful and gentle. He has never left, never vanished. Day and night, He is mankind’s constant companion, never to leave their side.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Fearing God and shunning evil” and knowing God are indivisibly connected by a myriad threads, and the connection between them is self-evident. If one wishes to attain to shunning evil, one must first have real fear of God; if one wishes to attain to real fear of God, one must first have real knowledge of God; if one wishes to attain to knowledge of God, one must first experience God’s words, enter into the reality of God’s words, experience God’s chastening and discipline, His chastisement and judgment; if one wishes to experience God’s words, one must first come face to face with God’s words, come face to face with God, and ask God to provide opportunities to experience God’s words in the form of all sorts of environments involving people, events, and objects; if one wishes to come face to face with God and with God’s words, one must first possess a simple and honest heart, readiness to accept the truth, the will to endure suffering, the resolution and the courage to shun evil, and the aspiration to become a genuine created being…. In this way, going forward step by step, you will draw ever closer to God, your heart will grow ever more pure, and your life and the value of being alive will, in the wake of your coming to know God, grow ever more meaningful and wax ever more radiant. Until, one day, you will feel that the Creator is no longer a riddle, that the Creator has never been hidden from you, that the Creator has never concealed His face from you, that the Creator is not at all far from you, that the Creator is no longer the One that you constantly long for in your thoughts but that you cannot reach with your feelings, that He is really and truly standing guard to your left and right, supplying your life, and controlling your destiny. He is not on the remote horizon, nor has He secreted Himself high up in the clouds. He is right by your side, presiding over your all, He is everything that you have, and He is the only thing you have. Such a God allows you to love Him from the heart, cling to Him, hold Him close, admire Him, fear to lose Him, and be unwilling to renounce Him any longer, disobey Him any longer, or any longer to evade Him or put Him at a distance. All you want is to care for Him, obey Him, requite all that He gives you, and submit to His dominion. You no longer refuse to be guided, provided for, watched over, and kept by Him, no longer refuse what He dictates and ordains for you. All you want is to follow Him, to be around Him in His company; all you want is to accept Him as your one and only life, to accept Him as your one and only Lord, your one and only God.

Excerpted from “Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

a. The original text reads “The work of knowing God.”

b. The original text reads “it is a symbol of being unable to be.”

c. The original text reads “as well as a symbol of being unable to be offended (and not tolerating being offended).”

165. The Principles of God’s Saving Mankind to the Greatest Extent Possible

(1) Mankind is mired in corruption so deeply that the slightest notion or misunderstanding makes them prone to betray God. Nevertheless, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, God does not abandon them;

(2) As long as one can know themselves, and as long as they can genuinely repent and change, God will not remember their past transgressions, no matter how great they are;

(3) In the period of time when God uses His words to do His work, He does not visit punishment upon anyone lightly, but is tolerant to the greatest possible extent. He gives people opportunities to repent;

(4) Those whom God saves are good people who believe in Him truly. He hates and curses antichrists, evil people, filthy demons, and evil spirits. Those who hate God will surely perish.

Relevant Words of God:

The purpose of God’s work on man is to enable them to meet God’s will, and it is done to bring them salvation. Therefore, during the time of His salvation of man, He does not do the work of punishing them. While bringing salvation to man, God does not punish evil or reward good, nor does He reveal the destinations of various kinds of people. Rather, only after the final stage of His work is complete will He do the work of punishing evil and rewarding good, and only then will He reveal the ends of all the different sorts of people. Those who are punished will be those who are actually unable to be saved, while those who are saved will be those who have obtained God’s salvation during the time of His salvation of man. While God’s work of salvation is being done, every single person who can be saved will be saved as far as possible, and none of them discarded, for the purpose of God’s work is to save man. All those who, during the time of God’s salvation of man, are unable to achieve a change in their disposition—as well as all those who are unable to submit to God completely—will become objects for punishment. This stage of work—the work of words—will unlock for people all of the ways and mysteries that they do not understand, so that they can understand the will of God and God’s requirements of them, and so that they can have the prerequisites to put God’s words into practice and achieve changes in their disposition. God uses only words to do His work and does not punish people for being a little rebellious; this is because now is the time of the work of salvation. If anyone who acts rebelliously were punished, then no one would have the opportunity to be saved; everyone would be punished and fall into Hades. The purpose of words that judge man is to allow them to know themselves and submit to God; it is not to punish them with such judgment. During the time of the work of words, many people will expose their rebelliousness and defiance, as well as their disobedience toward the incarnate God. Nevertheless, He will not punish all these people as a result, but instead will only cast aside those who are corrupt to the core and who cannot be saved. He will give their flesh to Satan, and, in a few cases, terminate their flesh. Those remaining will continue to follow and experience being dealt with and pruned. If, while following, these people still are unable to accept being dealt with and pruned, and become more and more degenerate, then they will have lost their chance for salvation. Each person who has submitted to being conquered by words will have ample opportunity for salvation; God’s salvation of each of these people will show His utmost leniency. In other words, they will be shown the utmost tolerance. As long as people turn back from the wrong path, and as long as they can repent, God will give them opportunities to obtain His salvation. When humans first rebel against God, He has no desire to put them to death; rather, He does all He can to save them. If someone really has no room for salvation, then God will cast them aside. The reason God is slow to punish certain people is that He wishes to save everyone who can be saved. He judges, enlightens, and guides people only with words, and does not use a rod to put them to death. Employing words to bring humans salvation is the purpose and significance of the final stage of work.

Excerpted from “You Should Put Aside the Blessings of Status and Understand God’s Will to Bring Salvation to Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people say: “My nature is not good, so I’ll just let nature take its course! If I can’t succeed in my pursuit, there’s nothing to be done about it.” Such people are extremely negative, so much so that they have given up hope for themselves. These people are irredeemable. Have you put in effort? If you truly have, and are willing to suffer hardship, why can you not forsake the flesh? Are you not a person with a heart and a brain? How do you pray each day? Can you not seek the truth and rely on God? For you, to let nature take its course means to wait passively; you do not seek to proactively work with God. To let nature take its course is akin to saying, “There’s no use in my doing anything; everything is predetermined by God.” Is this truly God’s will? If it is not, then why do you not work with God? Some people who have committed a small transgression wonder: “Has God exposed me and cast me out? Will He strike me down?” This time, God has come to work not in order to smite people, but to save them to the greatest extent possible. Who is entirely free of error? If everyone were struck down, then how could it be “salvation”? Some transgressions are done on purpose, while others are done involuntarily. If you are able to change after you recognize the transgressions you commit involuntarily, would God strike you down before you changed? Can God save people that way? That is not how He works! Regardless of whether you transgress involuntarily or out of a rebellious nature, you must remember that, once the transgression has been committed, you must hurry up and wake up to reality, and press onward; no matter what situation arises, you must press onward. The work God is doing is that of salvation, and He will not casually strike down the people He wants to save. Regardless of the degree to which you are capable of transforming, even if God struck you down in the end, it would certainly be righteous for Him to do so; and when the time came, He would make you understand. Right now, you should care about striving for the truth, focusing on life entry, and seeking to fulfill your duty properly. There is no mistake in this! Ultimately, no matter how God treats you, it is always righteous; you should not doubt this and you do not need to worry. Even if you cannot understand God’s righteousness at the moment, there will come a day when you will be convinced. God does His work in the light and justly; He openly makes everything known. If you apply careful contemplation to this subject, you will come to the conclusion that God’s work is saving people and transforming their dispositions. Since His work is the work of transforming people’s dispositions, if people do not reveal their corruption, then nothing can be done, and nothing will be achieved. If, after people have revealed their corruption, they do not repent in the least, and act still as they have, then they will offend God’s disposition. God will carry out different degrees of retribution on people, and they will pay the price for their transgressions. On occasion, you unconsciously become dissolute, and God points it out to you, prunes you, and deals with you. If you change for the better, God will not hold you accountable. This is the normal process of a disposition transforming, and the true significance of the work of salvation is manifest in this process. This is the key! Take, for example, the boundaries between men and women: Today, you act on the impulse to hold someone’s hand, but after you return home, you ponder: “Was that not immoral behavior? Was it not a sin? Does it not dishonor God to breach the boundaries between men and women? How could I have done such a thing?” Having understood this, you hurry before God and pray: “Oh God! I have sinned again. My doing this is at odds with the truth, and I despise my corrupt flesh.” You resolve to stay far clear of such matters when they arise in the future, to avoid even letting a finger touch another’s. Is this not transformation? If you have transformed in this way, will God still condemn you for holding someone’s hand? If you held someone’s hand and feel it was wrong to have done so, yet do not admit your sin to God, thinking it was not a shameful thing, and you do not despise yourself, stay alert, or resolve to forsake the flesh, then, in the future, you will not simply hold someone’s hand—you will embrace them! The matter will grow ever more serious, and will lead you to commit sin, for which God will condemn you. You will sin once and again, and you will be beyond saving. If, involuntarily, you reveal a bit of a corrupt disposition, and can truly repent afterward, forsake the flesh, and put the truth into practice, then God will not condemn you, and you can yet be saved. God works to save people, and it is inevitable that people’s natures will be revealed to some degree; however, you should focus on effecting timely repentance and change. Would this not satisfy God’s will? Some people do not believe so and always regard God warily. Such people will suffer, sooner or later.

As previously mentioned, events of the past can be wiped clean at a stroke; the future can be made to supersede the past; God’s tolerance is as boundless as the sea. Yet there are also principles to these words. It is not the case that God will wipe clean any sin you have committed, no matter how great. All the work of God has principles. In the past, an administrative decree was set that addresses this issue—God forgives and pardons all sins one commits before accepting His name, and there is a system to address those who continue to sin after having entered the church: One who commits a minor sin is given the chance to repent, while repeat offenders are expelled. God has always tolerated people to the greatest extent possible in His work, and, in this, it can be seen that God’s work is truly the work of saving people. However, if, in this final stage of work, you yet commit unpardonable sins, then you are truly irredeemable, and you cannot change. God has a process for purifying and changing people’s dispositions. In the process of constant expression and transformation of people’s corrupt natures, God achieves His aim of salvation. Some people think: “Since it is my nature, I will expose it as much as possible, and after it is exposed, I will know it and put the truth into practice.” Is this process necessary? If you are truly one who puts the truth into practice, and see some of others’ various struggles in yourself, then you will do to avoid the same behaviors in yourself. Is this not an indirect transformation? Sometimes, it occurs to you to do something, but, before you do, you realize that it is wrong, and you forsake it. Does this not also result in your being saved? The practice of each truth is a process. When one has just begun their practice, accuracy and freedom from mistakes are impossible, as is a practice uncontaminated by one’s own will. There remain several matters you handle entirely according to your own will, but, having been dealt with and pruned, you will ultimately come to practice entirely according to God’s will and words. This is transformation.

Excerpted from “God’s Will Is to Save People to the Greatest Extent Possible” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In the Age of Grace, it was said that God wants every person to be saved and does not want anyone to suffer perdition. Such is God’s attitude and sentiment toward saving mankind, who was corrupted by Satan. It is God’s wish, but in fact, many people do not accept God’s salvation; they belong to Satan and shall not be saved. These words show God’s attitude toward the whole of mankind: His love is without limit, it is incomparably vast, it is mighty. But to those who detest the truth, He is unwilling to freely give His love and salvation, nor will He ever do so. This is the attitude of God. What is detesting the truth tantamount to? Is it setting yourself against God? Is it being openly hostile to God? It is tantamount to openly telling God, “I don’t enjoy listening to what You have to say. If I don’t like it, then it’s not the truth, and I will not take it as the truth. It will only be the truth when I acknowledge it and like it.” When you have that attitude toward the truth, is this not being openly hostile to God? If you are openly hostile to God, will God save you? No. This is the very reason for God’s wrath. The essence of the kind of people who detest the truth is one of hostility to God. God does not treat people of this essence as people; He treats them as enemies, as demons, and will never save them. This is the manifestation of God’s wrath.

Excerpted from “Understanding the Truth Is Crucial to Fulfilling One’s Duty Properly” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God had despised man because man was hostile to Him, but in His heart, His care, concern, and mercy for humanity remained unchanged. Even when He destroyed mankind, His heart remained unchanged. When humanity was full of corruption and disobedient toward God to a grievous extent, God had to destroy this humanity, because of His disposition and His essence, and in accordance with His principles. But because of God’s essence, He still pitied mankind, and even wanted to use various ways to redeem mankind so they could continue to live. Man, however, opposed God, continued to disobey God, and refused to accept God’s salvation; that is, refused to accept His good intentions. No matter how God called to them, reminded them, supplied them, helped them, or tolerated them, man did not understand or appreciate it, nor did they pay attention. In His pain, God still did not forget to grant man His maximum tolerance, waiting for man to reverse course. After He reached His limit, He did what He had to do without any hesitation. In other words, there was a specific time period and process from the moment God planned to destroy mankind to the start of His work in destroying mankind. This process existed for the purpose of enabling man to reverse course, and this was the last chance God gave to man. So what did God do in this period before destroying mankind? God did a significant amount of reminding and exhorting work. No matter how much pain and sorrow God’s heart was in, He continued to vest His care, concern, and abundant mercy in humanity. What do we see from this? Undoubtedly, we see that God’s love for mankind is real and not something He merely pays lip service to. It is actual, tangible and appreciable, not feigned, adulterated, deceitful or pretentious. God never uses any deception or creates false images to make people see that He is lovable. He never uses false testimony to let people see His loveliness, or to flaunt His loveliness and holiness. Are these aspects of God’s disposition not worthy of man’s love? Are they not worth worshiping? Are they not worth cherishing? At this point, I want to ask you: After hearing these words, do you think God’s greatness is merely empty words on a sheet of paper? Is God’s loveliness just empty words? No! Certainly not! God’s supremacy, greatness, holiness, tolerance, love, and so forth—every detail of every one of the various aspects of God’s disposition and essence find practical expression every time He does His work, are embodied in His will toward man, and are also fulfilled and reflected in every person. Regardless of whether you have felt it before, God is caring for every person in every possible way, using His sincere heart, wisdom, and various methods to warm each person’s heart, and awaken each person’s spirit. This is an indisputable fact.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In the past, some people have been expelled from the church for doing bad things, and their brothers and sisters have rejected them. After roaming around for a few years, they have now returned. That they did not leave God completely is a good thing; this gives them an opportunity and a hope of being saved. Had they run away and stopped believing, becoming the same as unbelievers, then they would be completely done for. If they can make a turnaround, then there is hope for them yet; this is rare and precious. Regardless of how God acts, and no matter how He treats, hates, or detests people, if there comes a day when they can make a turnaround, then I will take great comfort, for this will mean that they still have that little bit of room for God in their hearts, that they have not completely lost their human reason or their humanity, that they still want to believe in God, and they have at least some intention to acknowledge and return before Him. No matter who leaves God’s house, if they return, and they still hold this family dear, then I will become somewhat sentimentally attached and will take some comfort in it. However, if they never return, I will think it a pity. If they can return and begin to sincerely believe in God, then My heart will especially be filled with gratification. When you walked away, you certainly were being quite negative, and you were in a bad state; if you can come back now, though, it proves you still have faith in God. However, whether or not you can continue forward is an unknown factor, because people change so quickly. In the Age of Grace, Jesus had pity and grace for humans. If one sheep was lost out of a hundred, He would leave the ninety-nine to look for the one. This line does not represent a kind of mechanical method, nor a rule; rather, it shows God’s urgent intention to bring salvation to people, as well as His deep love for them. It is not a way of doing things; it is a kind of disposition, a sort of mentality. Thus, some people leave for six months or a year, or have however many weaknesses or suffer from however many misconceptions, and yet their ability to later wake up to reality, gain knowledge and make a turnaround, and get back on the right track makes Me feel especially comforted and brings Me this little piece of enjoyment. In this world of gaiety and splendor, and in this evil age, being able to stand firm, acknowledge God, and get back on the right track are things that bring quite a bit of comfort and excitement. Take raising children, for example: Whether or not they are filial, how would you feel if they did not acknowledge you, and left home, never to return? Deep down, you would still keep on feeling concerned about them, and you would always wonder, “When will my son return? I’d like to see him. After all, he is my son, and it wasn’t for nothing that I raised him and loved him.” You have always thought this way; you have always longed for that day to come. Everyone feels the same in this regard. People these days are small of stature, but the day will come when they understand God’s will, unless they do not harbor even a shred of desire to believe and do not admit that He is God.

Excerpted from “People Who Make Constant Demands of God Are the Least Reasonable People” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

People are especially sensitive toward their own end and destination, and toward adjustments of their duty and being replaced in their duty. Some people frequently jump to an erroneous conclusion about such things, thinking that as soon as they are replaced in their duty and they have no status anymore, or God says He does not like or want them anymore, then it is over for them. This is the conclusion they come to. They believe there is no point in believing in God, and believe that, since their end is set in stone and they are not wanted by God, there is no meaning to living. Others, hearing such thoughts, think them reasonable and dignified—but what kind of mentality is this, actually? It is rebelliousness against God, it is defeatism. What is the essence of their defeatism? It is ignorance of how God treats people. Does God know when people abandon themselves to despair? How does God treat such people? Some people say, “God has paid such a painstaking price for man, He has done much work in every person, and exerted much effort; it is not easy for God to choose and save a person. God will be so hurt if this person abandons themselves to despair, and will hope each day that they can pick themselves up.” This is the meaning on a superficial level, but in fact, it is also a notion of man. God takes a certain attitude toward such people: If you abandon yourself to despair and do not try to move forward, He says you can stay where you are if you want; He will not pressure you. If you say, “I still wish to perform the duty of a created being, to do all I can to practice as God asks, and to satisfy the will of God. I will do everything within my power and capabilities; I will not give up on what God asks of me,” God says that if you are willing to live in this way, then continue following, but you must do as God asks; God’s standards of requirements and principles do not change. What do these words mean? They mean that only people can abandon themselves; God would never abandon someone. For anyone who is able to ultimately attain salvation and behold God, who creates a normal relationship with God, and who can come before God, this is not something that can be achieved after failing or being pruned and dealt with a single time, or after being judged and chastised a single time. Before Peter was made perfect, he was refined hundreds of times. Of those who remain after rendering service to the very end, there will not be one who has only experienced trials and refinement eight or ten times before making it to the end. Is this not the love of God? This is God’s attitude toward man.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

Because of a single word from God, people often think that God has come to a conclusion about them, that He has abandoned them—and as a result, they are unwilling to continue following God and moving onward. In fact, you do not understand what abandonment is; your abandonment of yourself is the real abandonment. Sometimes, the words with which God defines you are merely spoken in anger; He is by no means coming to a conclusion about you, nor is He condemning you, much less is this His final punishment, and He is not setting your final destination. These are nothing more than words that judge and deal with you. They speak of God’s fervent hopes for you, they are words to remind and to warn you, and they are words from within God’s heart. Yet there are some who fall down and forsake God as a result of these words of judgment. There are some who are weak for a time and come before God and say, “This will not do. I must continue forward and do as God asks. If people leave the Creator, their lives become not worth living. To live out the value of a created being, I must keep following God.” So how can they follow God? They must not follow as they did before. Before, they were not faithful in their duty. They were unwilling to accept being pruned and dealt with, and would always complain after suffering a little hardship. You must walk that path no more, you must walk by another means, you must do as God asks, and if God says you are wrong, you must not jump to any conclusion using your notions and imaginings, and try to take a stand against God; you must submit, and admit that you were wrong. Is this not a path to practice? Do people stray from God when they have a path to practice? There are times when people believe God has abandoned them—but in fact, God has not abandoned you, He just finds you detestable, and does not wish to heed you. He has not, however, truly forsaken you. There are those who make an effort to perform their duty in the house of God, but because of their essence and the various things that are manifested in them, God does actually forsake them; they were not truly chosen, but merely gave service for a time. There are some, meanwhile, whom God does His utmost to discipline, chasten, and judge; He employs various ways of treating them that are at odds with the notions of man. Some people do not understand, and think that God is picking on them and being hurtful. They think that there is no dignity to living before God, they do not wish to hurt God any longer, and take it upon themselves to leave God. They think the way they live is sensible, and so they take it upon themselves to leave God—but in fact, God had not forsaken them. Such people have no inkling of the will of God. They are somewhat oversensitive, going so far as to give up on God’s salvation. Do they really have conscience? There are times when God shuns people, and times when He places them to one side for a time so that they may reflect upon themselves, but God has not truly forsaken them; He is giving them the opportunity to repent, and is not genuinely forsaking them. God only truly forsakes antichrists and the wicked who commit many evil acts. Some people say, “I feel devoid of the work of the Holy Spirit and long have I been without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Has God forsaken me?” This is a misconception. You say that God has forsaken you, that He will not save you, so has He set your end? There are occasions when you cannot feel the work of the Holy Spirit, but has God deprived you of the right to read His words? You are possessed of normal human thought, and the path to salvation is not blocked to you, so why do you feel sad? People are not in a good state, they do not seek the truth to resolve it, but instead always lay the blame on God, saying “God, You don’t want me, so I don’t want You, either.” This is just being unreasonable.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

I do not want to see anyone feeling as though God has left them out in the cold, that God has abandoned them or turned His back on them. All I want to see is everyone on the road to pursuing the truth and seeking to understand God, boldly marching onward with unfaltering determination, without any misgivings or burdens. No matter what wrongs you have committed, no matter how far you have strayed or how seriously you have transgressed, do not let these become burdens or excess baggage that you have to carry with you in your pursuit of understanding God. Continue marching onward. At all times, God holds man’s salvation in His heart; this never changes. This is the most precious part of the essence of God.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

We should resolve that no matter how serious our circumstances, no matter what kind of hardship befalls us, no matter how weak we are, or how negative, we must not lose faith in dispositional change, nor in the words spoken by God. God gave man a promise, and man must have the resolve and perseverance to receive this promise. God does not like cowards, God likes people with resolve. You may have revealed much corruption, you may have taken many a crooked path, or committed many a transgression, or previously defied God; alternatively, there may be blasphemy, or grumblings, or defiance toward God in some people’s hearts—but God does not look at these things, God only looks at whether someday they will change. In the Bible, there is a story about the return of the prodigal son. Why did the Lord Jesus tell such a parable? God’s will to save mankind is sincere. He gives people opportunities to repent and opportunities to change. During this process, He understands people and has a profound knowledge of their weaknesses and the extent of their corruption. He knows that they will stumble and fail. It is like when children learn to walk: No matter how strong your body, there will be times when you stumble, and times when you are tripped up. God understands each person as a mother understands her child. He understands each person’s difficulties, He understands each person’s weaknesses, and He understands, too, each person’s needs; He understands, moreover, what problems people will encounter in the process of entering dispositional change, what kinds of weaknesses they will suffer from, what kinds of failures will occur—God has a perfect understanding of this. Thus does God scrutinize the innermost heart of man. No matter how weak you are, as long as you do not forsake God’s name, as long as you do not leave God, and do not stray from this way, then you will always have the opportunity to achieve dispositional change. Our having the opportunity to achieve a change in our disposition means that we have hope of remaining, and our having hope of remaining means we have hope of God’s salvation.

Excerpted from “What Changes in Disposition Are, and the Path to Changes in Disposition” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

166. The Principles of Enjoying God’s Grace

(1) No matter how much grace one enjoys, they must learn to be attentive to God’s will. One should do their utmost to perform their duty well and requite God’s love;

(2) In enjoying God’s grace, one should understand His requirements of man, know His love, and learn to bear witness for Him. This alone accords with His will;

(3) God’s bestowal of grace upon man is an expression of His love, yet His intention is to save humanity from the influence of Satan, and to have people live out a human likeness;

(4) Do not be satisfied simply to enjoy God’s grace. You should pursue the truth and knowledge of God. To reach the point of being perfected by God is what pleases Him most.

Relevant Words of God:

God has given His life and what He has and is to people so that they can live them out, so that they can transform what God has and is and the truth He bestows upon them into the direction and the path for them to live, into their very life, so that they may live by this life. So, can we say that God has bestowed His life on people freely, thus making it become their life? Then what is it that people have obtained from God? God’s expectation? God’s promise? Or what? What they have obtained from God are not empty words, but God’s life! In addition to bestowing life upon people, the one requirement He has for you is that you take this life of God, turn it into your own life, and live it out. When God sees you living this life out, He feels satisfied. This is God’s only requirement. Thus, what humans obtain from God is priceless, and, while God is bestowing this most priceless of things upon humanity, God gains nothing; the greatest beneficiary is humankind. While accepting God’s words as their life, people also come to understand the truth, gain the principles of what it is to be human, grow the roots they need to be human, and gain the direction they need to follow to be human. They are no longer deceived and bound by Satan, no longer deceived and used by evil people, and no longer polluted or seduced by evil trends. Humans live free between heaven and earth, and they are liberated. They are able to live genuinely under God’s dominion, no longer to suffer harm by any evil or dark forces. That is, while they are living out this life, they no longer experience any pain, but instead live happily and without hardship; they live freely and have a normal relationship with God. They can no longer rebel against God or oppose Him; rather, they can live genuinely under God’s sovereignty. They live a right and proper life, from the inside out, and become authentic humans.

Excerpted from “Man Is the Greatest Beneficiary of God’s Management Plan” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In God’s current stage of work in these, the last days, He no longer just bestows grace and blessings on man like He did before, nor does He coax man to move forward. During this stage of work, what has man seen from all the aspects of God’s work that he has experienced? Man has seen God’s love and God’s judgment and chastisement. During this period of time, God provides for, supports, enlightens and guides man, so that man gradually comes to know His intentions, to know the words He speaks and the truth He bestows on man. When man is weak, when he is dispirited, when he has nowhere to turn, God will use His words to comfort, advise, and encourage man, so that man’s small stature can gradually grow in strength, rise up in positivity and become willing to cooperate with God. But when man disobeys God or resists Him, or when man reveals his corruption, God will show no mercy in chastening and disciplining man. However, God will show tolerance and patience for man’s foolishness, ignorance, weakness and immaturity. In this way, through all the work God does for man, man gradually matures, grows up, and comes to know God’s intentions, comes to know certain truths, to know what things are positive and what are negative, to know what evil and darkness are. God does not take a single approach of always chastening and disciplining man, but nor does He always show tolerance and patience. Rather He provides for each person in different ways at their different stages and according to their different statures and caliber. He does many things for man and at great cost; man perceives nothing of these things or of the cost, yet in practice all that He does is truly carried out on every single person. God’s love is practical: Through the grace of God, man avoids one disaster after another, and all the while God shows tolerance time and again for man’s weaknesses. The judgment and chastisement of God allow people to gradually come to know mankind’s corruption and satanic essence. That which God provides, His enlightenment of man and His guidance all allow mankind to know more and more the essence of truth, and to increasingly know what people need, what road they should take, what they live for, the value and meaning of their lives, and how to walk the road ahead. All these things that God does are inseparable from His one original purpose. What, then, is this purpose? Why does God use these methods to carry out His work on man? What result does He want to achieve? In other words, what does He want to see in man? What does He want to obtain from man? What God wants to see is that man’s heart can be revived. These methods that He uses to work on man are a continual effort to awaken the heart of man, to awaken man’s spirit, to enable man to understand from where he came, who is guiding, supporting and providing for him, and who has allowed man to live until the present day; they are a means to enable man to understand who is the Creator, whom he should worship, what kind of road he should walk, and in what way man should come before God; they are a means to gradually revive the heart of man, so that man knows God’s heart, understands God’s heart, and comprehends the great care and thought behind His work to save man. When man’s heart is revived, man no longer wishes to live with a degenerate, corrupt disposition, but wishes instead to pursue the truth in order to satisfy God. When man’s heart has been awakened, man is then able to tear himself fully away from Satan. No longer will he be harmed by Satan, no longer controlled or fooled by it. Instead, man can proactively cooperate in God’s work and His words to satisfy the heart of God, thus attaining fear of God and shunning evil. This is the original purpose of God’s work.

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man lives amid the flesh, which means he lives in a human hell, and without God’s judgment and chastisement, man is as filthy as Satan. How could man be holy? Peter believed that chastisement and judgment by God were man’s best protection and greatest grace. Only through chastisement and judgment by God could man awaken and hate the flesh, hate Satan. God’s strict discipline frees man from the influence of Satan, frees him from his own little world, and allows him to live in the light of God’s presence. There is no better salvation than chastisement and judgment! Peter prayed, “O God! As long as You chastise and judge me, I will know that You have not left me. Even if You do not give me joy or peace, and make me live in suffering, and inflict countless chastenings on me, as long as You do not leave me, my heart will be at ease. Today, Your chastisement and judgment have become my best protection and my greatest blessing. The grace You give me protects me. The grace You bestow upon me today is a manifestation of Your righteous disposition, and is chastisement and judgment; moreover, it is a trial, and, more than that, it is a life of suffering.” Peter was able to put aside the pleasures of the flesh and seek a deeper love and greater protection, because he had gained so much grace from God’s chastisement and judgment. In his life, if man wishes to be cleansed and achieve changes in his disposition, if he wishes to live out a life of meaning and fulfill his duty as a creature, then he must accept God’s chastisement and judgment, and must not allow God’s discipline and God’s smiting to depart from him, in order that he may free himself from the manipulation and influence of Satan, and live in the light of God. Know that God’s chastisement and judgment is the light, and the light of man’s salvation, and that there is no better blessing, grace or protection for man.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today man sees that with the grace, love, and mercy of God alone, he is incapable of truly knowing himself, and much less is he able to know the substance of man. Only through both the refinement and judgment of God, and during the process of refinement itself, can man know his deficiencies, and know that he has nothing. Thus, man’s love of God is built upon the foundation of the refinement and judgment of God. If you only enjoy the grace of God, having a peaceful family life or material blessings, then you have not gained God, and your belief in God cannot be considered successful. God has already carried out one stage of the work of grace in the flesh, and has already bestowed material blessings upon man, but man cannot be made perfect with grace, love, and mercy alone. In man’s experiences, he encounters some of God’s love and sees the love and mercy of God, yet having experienced for a period of time, he sees that God’s grace and His love and mercy are incapable of making man perfect, incapable of revealing that which is corrupt within man, and incapable of ridding man of his corrupt disposition, or making perfect his love and faith. God’s work of grace was the work of one period, and man cannot rely on enjoying the grace of God in order to know God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who are without the slightest obedience to God, who merely acknowledge His name, and have some sense of God’s kindness and loveliness, yet do not keep pace with the steps of the Holy Spirit, and do not obey the present work and words of the Holy Spirit—such people live amid the grace of God, and will not be gained or made perfect by Him. God makes people perfect through their obedience, through their eating, drinking, and enjoying of God’s words, and through the suffering and refinement in their lives. Only through faith such as this can people’s dispositions change, and only then can they possess the true knowledge of God. Not being satisfied with living amid God’s grace, actively yearning and searching for the truth, and seeking to be gained by God—this is what it means to consciously obey God and this is precisely the kind of faith that He wants. People who do nothing more than enjoy God’s grace cannot be made perfect or changed; and their obedience, piety, love, and patience are all superficial. Those who only enjoy God’s grace cannot truly know God, and even when they do know God, their knowledge is superficial, and they say things like “God loves man,” or “God is compassionate toward man.” This does not represent the life of man, and does not show that people truly know God.

Excerpted from “In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

That God is able to work in the so-called “sick man of East Asia” is His great power. It is His humility and hiddenness. Regardless of His harsh words or chastisement toward us, we should praise Him from the bottom of our hearts for His humility, and love Him until the very end for this. People who have been bound by Satan for several thousand years have continued to live under its influence and have not thrown it off. They have continued to bitterly grope and struggle. In the past they would burn incense, and bow to and enshrine Satan, and they were tightly bound to family and secular entanglements as well as social interactions. They were unable to throw them off. In this kind of dog-eat-dog society, where can anyone find a meaningful life? What people recount is a life of suffering, and fortunately, God has saved these innocent people, placing our lives under His care and protection, so that our lives are joyful and no longer full of worries. We have continued to live under His grace so far. Is this not God’s blessing? How can anyone have the nerve to make extravagant demands of God? Has He given us so little? Are you still not satisfied? I think that the time has come for us to repay God’s love. We may suffer no small amount of ridicule, slander, and persecution because we follow the path of belief in God, but I believe this is a meaningful thing. It is a thing of glory, not shame, and no matter what, many are the blessings we enjoy. In countless times of disappointment, God’s words have brought comfort, and before we know it, sorrow has turned to joy. In countless times of need, God has brought blessings and we have been provided for through His words. In countless times of sickness, God’s words have brought life—we have been freed from danger, and have turned from danger to safety. You have already enjoyed so many things such as these without realizing it. Do you remember nothing of this?

Excerpted from “The Path … (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

As people grow up, Satan’s gaze is fixed on every one of them, like a tiger eyeing its prey. But in doing His work, God has never been subject to any limitations arising from people, events or things, of space or time; He does what He should and what He must. In the process of growing up, you may encounter many things that are not to your liking, such as illness and frustration. But as you walk this path, your life and your future are strictly under God’s care. God gives you a genuine guarantee to last all your life, for He is right there beside you, guarding you and looking after you. You grow up unaware of this. You begin to come into contact with new things and start to get to know this world and this mankind. Everything is fresh and new to you. You have some things you enjoy doing. You live within your own humanity, you live within your own space and you have not the slightest perception about the existence of God. But God watches you every step of the way as you grow, and He watches you as you make every stride forward. Even when you are learning knowledge or studying science, God has never left your side for a single step. You are just the same as other people in that, in the course of getting to know the world and engage with it, you have established your own ideals, you have your own hobbies, your own interests, and you also harbor lofty ambitions. You often ponder your own future, often sketching the outline of how your future should look. But no matter what transpires along the way, God sees it all happening clearly. Maybe you yourself have forgotten your own past, but to God, there is no one who can understand you better than He. You live under God’s gaze, growing up, maturing. During this period, God’s most important task is something that no one ever perceives, something no one knows. God certainly does not tell anyone about it. So what is this most crucial thing? It can be said that it is the guarantee that God will save a person. This means that if God wants to save this person, He must do this. This task is vitally important to both man and God. Do you know what it is? It seems like you do not have any feeling about this, or any concept of it, so I will tell you. From the time you were born all the way up to now, God has carried out much work on you, but He does not give you an exhaustive account of everything He has done. God did not allow you to know this, and neither did He tell you. However, for mankind, everything He does is important. As far as God is concerned, it is something He must do. In His heart there is something important He needs to do that far exceeds any of these things. That is, from the time a person is born up to the present day, God must guarantee their safety. When you hear these words, you may feel as though you do not fully understand. You may ask, “Is this safety so important?” Well, what is the literal meaning of “safety”? Maybe you understand it to mean peace or maybe you understand it to mean never experiencing any disaster or calamity, to live well, to live a normal life. But in your hearts, you must know that it is not so simple. So what exactly is this thing that I have been talking about, that God has to do? What does safety mean to God? Is it really a guarantee of the normal meaning of “safety”? No. So what is it that God does? This “safety” means that you will not be devoured by Satan. Is this important? Not being devoured by Satan—does this concern your safety or not? Yes, this concerns your personal safety, and there can be nothing more important. Once you have been devoured by Satan, your soul and your flesh no longer belong to God. God will no longer save you. God forsakes souls and people who have been devoured by Satan. So I say the most important thing that God has to do is to guarantee this safety of yours, to guarantee that you will not be devoured by Satan. This is very important, is it not? So why can you not answer? It seems like you are unable to feel God’s great kindness!

Excerpted from “God Himself, the Unique VI” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During Job’s life over the previous several decades, he had beheld the deeds of Jehovah and gained Jehovah God’s blessings for him. They were blessings that left him feeling enormously uneasy and indebted, for he believed that he had not done anything for God, yet had been bequeathed with such great blessings and had enjoyed so much grace. For this reason, he often prayed in his heart, hoping that he would be able to repay God, hoping that he would have the opportunity to bear testimony to God’s deeds and greatness, and hoping that God would put his obedience to the test, and, moreover, that his faith could be purified, until his obedience and his faith gained God’s approval. Then, when the trial came upon Job, he believed that God had heard his prayers. Job cherished this opportunity more than anything else, and thus he did not dare treat it lightly, for his greatest lifelong wish could be realized. The arrival of this opportunity meant that his obedience and fear of God could be put to the test, and could be made pure. Moreover, it meant that Job had a chance to gain God’s approval, thus bringing him closer to God. During the trial, such faith and pursuit allowed him to become more perfect, and to gain a greater understanding of God’s will. Job also became more grateful for God’s blessings and graces, in his heart he poured greater praise on the deeds of God, and he was more fearful and reverent of God, and longed more for God’s loveliness, greatness, and holiness. At this time, though Job was still one who feared God and shunned evil in the eyes of God, with regard to his experiences, Job’s faith and knowledge had progressed in leaps and bounds: His faith had increased, his obedience had gained a foothold, and his fear of God had become more profound. Though this trial transformed Job’s spirit and life, such a transformation did not satisfy Job, nor did it slow his progress onward. At the same time as calculating what he had gained from this trial, and considering his own deficiencies, he quietly prayed, waiting for the next trial to come upon him, because he yearned for his faith, obedience, and fear of God to be elevated during the next trial of God.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In his heart, Job profoundly believed that all he possessed had been bestowed upon him by God, and was not the product of his own labor. Thus, he did not see these blessings as something to be capitalized upon, but instead anchored the principles of his survival in holding on with all his might to the way that should be upheld. He cherished God’s blessings and gave thanks for them, but he was not enamored of blessings, nor did he seek more of them. Such was his attitude toward property. He neither did anything for the sake of gaining blessings, nor worried about or was aggrieved by the lack or loss of God’s blessings; he neither became wildly, deliriously happy because of God’s blessings, nor ignored the way of God or forgot the grace of God because of the blessings he frequently enjoyed.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Abraham offered up Isaac—what have you offered up? Job offered up everything—what have you offered up? So many people have given their lives, laid down their heads, shed their blood in order to seek the true way. Have you paid that price? By comparison, you are not at all qualified to enjoy such great grace. Does it wrong you to say today that you are the descendants of Moab? Do not regard yourselves too highly. You have nothing to brag about. Such great salvation, such great grace is given to you freely. You have sacrificed nothing, yet you enjoy grace freely. Do you not feel ashamed? Is this true way something you sought out and found by yourselves? Was it not the Holy Spirit that compelled you to accept it? You have never had hearts of seeking, much less hearts that seek and long for the truth. You have just been sitting back and enjoying it; you have gained this truth without expending the least effort. What right do you have to complain? Do you think you are of the greatest worth? Compared to those who sacrificed their lives and spilled their blood, what do you have to complain about? Destroying you now would be right and natural! You have no option other than to obey and follow. You simply are not worthy! Most of those among you were called out, but had your environment not compelled you or had you not been called, you would have been entirely unwilling to come out. Who is willing to take on such renunciation? Who is willing to give up the pleasures of the flesh? You are all people who greedily revel in comfort and seek a luxurious life! You have gained such great blessings—what else do you have to say? What complaints do you have? You have been allowed to enjoy the greatest blessings and the greatest grace in heaven, and work that has never been done before on earth is today revealed to you. Is this not a blessing? You are chastised so today because you have resisted God and rebelled against Him. Because of this chastisement, you have seen God’s mercy and love, and more still you have seen His righteousness and holiness. Because of this chastisement and because of mankind’s filthiness, you have seen God’s great power, and you have seen His holiness and greatness. Is this not the rarest of truths? Is this not a life with meaning? The work that God does is full of meaning! Thus, the lower your position, the more it proves that you are elevated by God, and the more it proves the great value of His work on you today. It is simply a priceless treasure, which cannot be gotten anywhere else! Through the ages, no one has enjoyed such great salvation. The fact that your position is low shows how great God’s salvation is, and it shows that God is faithful to mankind—He saves, He does not destroy.

Excerpted from “The Significance of Saving the Descendants of Moab” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

167. The Principles of Being Attentive to God’s Will

(1) It is necessary to understand God’s requirements of man and the principles of performing one’s duty, and to have God’s words as one’s foundation. Only thus can one be considerate of God’s will;

(2) Only by undergoing judgment and chastisement, as well as being dealt with and pruned, can one cast off corruption and forsake the flesh, and only thus can one be truly attentive to God’s will;

(3) Only with a heart of love for God is one willing to forsake the flesh and satisfy God, and only thus can one treat with urgency that which God feels is urgent, think what He thinks, and truly expend themselves for Him;

(4) If one who loves God truly discovers any false leaders or antichrists to be deceiving God’s chosen people, they must report and expose them to protect God’s chosen.

Relevant Words of God:

Jesus was able to complete God’s commission—the work of all mankind’s redemption—because He gave every care to God’s will, without making any plans or arrangements for Himself. So, too, was He the intimate of God—God Himself—which is something you all understand very well. (Actually, He was the God Himself who was testified to by God. I mention this here to use the fact of Jesus to illustrate the issue.) He was able to place God’s management plan at the very center, and always prayed to the heavenly Father and sought the will of the heavenly Father. He prayed and said: “God the Father! Accomplish that which is Your will, and act not according to My desires but according to Your plan. Man may be weak, but why should You care for him? How could man be worthy of Your concern, man who is like an ant in Your hand? In My heart, I wish only to accomplish Your will, and I would that You can do what You would do in Me according to Your own desires.” On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was in agony, as if a knife were being twisted in His heart, yet He had not the slightest intention of going back on His word; always there was a powerful force compelling Him onward to where He would be crucified. Ultimately, He was nailed to the cross and became the likeness of sinful flesh, completing the work of the redemption of mankind. He broke free of the shackles of death and Hades. Before Him, mortality, hell, and Hades lost their power, and were vanquished by Him. He lived for thirty-three years, throughout which He always did His utmost to meet God’s will according to God’s work at the time, never considering His own personal gain or loss, and always thinking of the will of God the Father. Thus, after He was baptized, God said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Because of His service before God that was in harmony with God’s will, God placed the heavy burden of redeeming all mankind upon His shoulders and made Him accomplish it, and He was qualified and entitled to complete this important task. Throughout His life, He endured immeasurable suffering for God, and He was tempted by Satan countless times, but He was never disheartened. God gave Him such an enormous task because He trusted Him, and loved Him, and thus God personally said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” At that time, only Jesus could accomplish this commission, and this was one practical aspect of God’s completion of His work of redeeming all mankind in the Age of Grace.

If, like Jesus, you are able to give every care to God’s burden, and turn your back on your flesh, God will entrust His important tasks to you, so that you will meet the conditions required to serve God. Only under such circumstances will you venture to say that you are doing God’s will and completing His commission, and only then will you venture to say you are truly serving God.

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who serve God should be God’s intimates, they should be pleasing to God, and capable of the utmost loyalty to God. Whether you act in private or in public, you are able to gain the joy of God before God, you are able to stand firm before God, and regardless of how other people treat you, you always walk the path you should walk, and give every care to God’s burden. Only people like this are intimates of God. That God’s intimates are able to serve Him directly is because they have been given God’s great commission and God’s burden, they are able to make God’s heart their own, and take God’s burden as their own, and they give no consideration to their future prospects: Even when they have no prospects, and they stand to gain nothing, they will always believe in God with a loving heart. And so, this kind of person is God’s intimate. God’s intimates are also His confidants; only God’s confidants could share His restlessness, and His thoughts, and although their flesh is painful and weak, they are able to endure pain and forsake that which they love to satisfy God. God gives more burdens to such people, and that which God desires to do is borne out in such people’s testimony. Thus, these people are pleasing to God, they are servants of God who are after His own heart, and only people such as this can rule together with God. When you have truly become God’s intimate is precisely when you will rule together with God.

Excerpted from “How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The reason why those who truly testify of God are able to give a resounding testimony to Him is because their testimony rests upon the foundation of the true knowledge and true yearning for God. Such testimony is not offered according to an emotional impulse, but according to their knowledge of God and His disposition. Because they have come to know God, they feel that they must surely testify of God and make all those who yearn for God know God, and be aware of God’s loveliness and His realness. Like people’s love for God, their testimony is spontaneous; it is real and has real significance and worth. It is not passive or hollow and meaningless. The reason only those who truly love God have the most value and meaning in their lives, the reason only they truly believe in God, is that these people are able to live in God’s light and are able to live for God’s work and management. It is because they do not live in darkness, but live in the light; they do not live meaningless lives, but lives that have been blessed by God. Only those who love God are able to testify of God, only they are God’s witnesses, only they are blessed by God, and only they are able to receive God’s promises. Those who love God are God’s intimates; they are the people beloved by God, and they can enjoy blessings together with God. Only people such as this will live to eternity, and only they will forever live under God’s care and protection. God is for people to love, and He is worthy of all people’s love, but not all people are capable of loving God, and not all people can testify of God and hold power with God. Because they are able to testify of God and devote all their efforts to God’s work, those who truly love God can walk anywhere beneath the heavens without anyone daring to oppose them, and they can wield power on earth and rule all the people of God. These people have come together from across the world. They speak different languages and have different skin colors, but their existence has the same meaning; they all have a heart that loves God, they all bear the same testimony, and have the same resolve, and the same wish. Those who love God can walk freely throughout the world, and those who testify of God can travel across the universe. These people are beloved by God, they are blessed by God, and they will forever live within His light.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What I desire is your loyalty and obedience now, your love and testimony now. Even if you do not know at this moment what testimony is or what love is, you should bring to Me your all, and turn over to Me the only treasures you have: your loyalty and obedience. You should know that the testimony to My defeat of Satan lies within the loyalty and obedience of man, as does the testimony to My complete conquest of man. The duty of your faith in Me is to bear witness to Me, to be loyal to Me and none other, and to be obedient to the end. Before I begin the next step of My work, how will you bear witness to Me? How will you be loyal and obedient to Me? Do you devote all your loyalty to your function, or will you simply give up? Would you rather submit to My every arrangement (even if it be death or destruction), or flee midway to avoid My chastisement? I chastise you so that you will bear witness to Me, and be loyal and obedient to Me. What’s more, the chastisement at present is to unfold the next step of My work and to allow the work to progress unimpeded. Hence, I exhort you to be wise and treat neither your life nor the significance of your existence as worthless sand. Can you know exactly what My work to come will be? Do you know how I will work in the days to come, and how My work will unfold? You should know the significance of your experience of My work, and furthermore, the significance of your faith in Me. I have done so much; how could I give up halfway, as you imagine? I have done such extensive work; how could I destroy it? Indeed, I have come to bring this age to an end. This is true, but moreover you must know that I am to begin a new age, to begin new work, and, most of all, to spread the gospel of the kingdom. So you should know that the present work is only to begin an age and to lay the foundation for spreading the gospel in the time to come and bringing the age to an end in the future. My work is not so simple as you think, nor is it as worthless or meaningless as you may believe. Therefore, I still must say to you: You ought to give your life to My work, and moreover, you ought to devote yourself to My glory. Long have I yearned for you to bear witness to Me, and even longer have I yearned for you to spread My gospel. You ought to understand what is in My heart.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Eating and drinking of God’s words, practicing prayer, accepting God’s burden, and accepting the tasks He entrusts to you—all of this is so that there may be a path before you. The more the burden of God’s entrustment weighs on you, the easier it will be for you to be perfected by Him. Some are unwilling to coordinate with others in service to God, even when they have been called upon; these are lazy people who wish only to revel in comfort. The more you are asked to serve in coordination with others, the more experience you will gain. Due to having more burdens and experiences, you will gain more opportunities to be perfected. Therefore, if you can serve God with sincerity, then you will be mindful of God’s burden; as such, you will have more opportunities to be perfected by God. It is just such a group of people that is currently being perfected. The more the Holy Spirit touches you, the more time you will devote to being mindful of God’s burden, the more you will be perfected by God, and the more you will be gained by Him—until, in the end, you will become a person whom God uses. At present, there are some who carry no burdens for the church. These people are slack and sloppy, and only care about their own flesh. Such people are extremely selfish, and they are also blind. If you cannot see this matter clearly, you will not carry any burden. The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden He will entrust to you. The selfish are unwilling to suffer such things; they are unwilling to pay the price, and, as a result, they will miss opportunities to be perfected by God. Are they not doing themselves harm? If you are someone who is mindful of God’s will, then you will develop a true burden for the church. In fact, instead of calling this a burden you bear for the church, it would be better to call it a burden you bear for your own life’s sake, because the purpose of this burden you develop for the church is to have you use such experiences to be perfected by God. Therefore, whoever carries the greatest burden for the church, whoever carries a burden for entering into life—they will be the ones who are perfected by God. Have you seen this clearly? If the church you are with is scattered like sand, but you are neither worried nor anxious, and you even turn a blind eye when your brothers and sisters are not normally eating and drinking of God’s words, then you are not carrying any burdens. Such people are not the kind in whom God delights. The kind of people in whom God delights hunger and thirst for righteousness and are mindful of God’s will. Thus, you should become mindful of God’s burden, here and now; you should not wait for God to reveal His righteous disposition to all humanity before growing mindful of God’s burden. Would it not be too late by then? Now is a good opportunity to be perfected by God. If you allow this chance to slip through your fingers, you will regret it for the rest of your life, just as Moses was unable to enter the good land of Canaan and regretted it for the rest of his life, dying with remorse. Once God has revealed His righteous disposition to all peoples, you will be filled with regret. Even if God does not chastise you, you will chastise yourself out of your own remorse. Some are not convinced by this, but if you do not believe it, just wait and see. There are some people whose sole purpose is to fulfill these words. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of these words?

If you do not seek out opportunities to be perfected by God, and if you do not strive to be ahead of the pack in your seeking of perfection, then you will ultimately be filled with remorse. The best opportunity to attain perfection is the present; now is an extremely good time. If you do not earnestly seek to be perfected by God, once His work has concluded, it will be too late—you will have missed the opportunity. No matter how great your aspirations, if God is no longer performing work, then regardless of the effort you put in, you will never be able to attain perfection. You must seize this opportunity and cooperate while the Holy Spirit does His great work. If you miss this chance, you will not be given another one, no matter what efforts you make. Some of you cry, “God, I am willing to be mindful of Your burden, and I am willing to satisfy Your will!” However, you have no path on which to practice, so your burdens will not last. If you have a path ahead, then you will gain experience one step at a time, and your experience will be structured and organized. After one burden has been completed, another will be given to you. As your life experience deepens, your burdens, too, will grow more profound. Some people only carry a burden when touched by the Holy Spirit; after a period of time, once they no longer have a path on which to practice, they stop carrying any burdens. You cannot develop burdens simply by eating and drinking of God’s words. By understanding many truths, you will gain discernment, learn to solve problems using the truth, and gain a more precise understanding of God’s words and God’s will. With these things, you will develop burdens to carry, and only then will you be able to perform work properly. If you have a burden but do not have a clear understanding of the truth, then that will not do, either; you must experience God’s words in person and know how to practice them. Only after you yourself have entered reality will you be able to provide for others, lead others, and be perfected by God.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The more mindful you are of God’s will, the greater the burden you bear, and the greater the burden you bear, the richer your experience will be. When you are mindful of God’s will, God will lay a burden upon you, and then enlighten you about the tasks which He has entrusted to you. When God gives you this burden, you will pay attention to all the related truths while eating and drinking of God’s words. If you have a burden related to the state of your brothers’ and sisters’ lives, then this is a burden that has been entrusted to you by God, and you will always carry this burden with you in your daily prayers. What God does has been laden onto you, and you are willing to do that which God wants to do; this is what it means to take on God’s burden as your own. At this point, in your eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on these types of issues, and you will wonder, How am I going to solve these problems? How can I enable my brothers and sisters to achieve release and find spiritual enjoyment? You will also focus on solving these problems while fellowshiping, and when eating and drinking of God’s words, you will focus on eating and drinking of words that relate to these issues. You will also carry a burden while eating and drinking of His words. Once you have understood God’s requirements, you will have a clearer idea about which path to take. This is the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit brought by your burden, and this is also God’s guidance which has been bestowed upon you. Why do I say this? If you have no burden, then you will not be attentive while eating and drinking of God’s words; when you eat and drink of God’s words while carrying a burden, you can grasp their essence, find your way, and be mindful of God’s will. Therefore, in your prayers, you should wish for God to place more burdens upon you and entrust you with even greater tasks, so that ahead of you, you may have more of a path on which to practice; so that your eating and drinking of God’s words has a greater effect; so that you grow able to grasp the essence of His words; and so that you become more capable of being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Excerpted from “Be Mindful of God’s Will in Order to Attain Perfection” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Loving God requires seeking God’s will in all things, and that you probe deep within when anything happens to you, trying to grasp God’s will, and trying to see what God’s will is in the matter, what He asks you to achieve, and how you should be mindful of His will. For example: Something happens that requires you to endure hardship, at which time you should understand what God’s will is and how you should be mindful of His will. You must not satisfy yourself: First put yourself to one side. Nothing is more abject than the flesh. You must seek to satisfy God, and you must fulfill your duty. With such thoughts, God will bring especial enlightenment to you in this matter, and your heart will also find comfort. Be it big or small, when something happens to you, you must first put yourself to one side and regard the flesh as the most lowly of all things. The more you satisfy the flesh, the more liberties it takes; if you satisfy it this time, next time it will ask for more. As this carries on, people come to love the flesh even more. The flesh always has extravagant desires; it always asks that you satisfy it and that you gratify it within, whether it be in the things you eat, what you wear, or in losing your temper, or pandering to your own weaknesses and laziness…. The more you satisfy the flesh, the greater its desires become and the more debauched the flesh becomes, until it gets to the point when people’s flesh harbors even deeper notions, and disobeys God, and exalts itself, and becomes doubtful about the work of God. The more you satisfy the flesh, the greater the weaknesses of the flesh; you will always feel that no one sympathizes with your weaknesses, you will always believe that God has gone too far, and you will say: “How could God be so harsh? Why won’t He give people a break?” When people satisfy the flesh and cherish it too much, then they ruin themselves. If you truly love God and do not satisfy the flesh, then you will see that everything God does is so right and so good, and that His curse of your rebelliousness and judgment of your unrighteousness is justified. There will be times when God chastens and disciplines you and raises up an environment to temper you, forcing you to come before Him—and you will always feel that what God is doing is wonderful. Thus you will feel as if there is not much pain, and that God is so lovely. If you pander to the weaknesses of the flesh and say that God goes too far, then you will always feel in pain, and will always be depressed, and you will be unclear about all of the work of God, and it will seem as if God is not sympathetic to man’s weakness at all and unaware of man’s difficulties. And thus you will always feel miserable and alone, as if you have suffered great injustice, and at this time you will begin to complain. The more you pander to the weaknesses of the flesh in this way, the more you will feel that God goes too far, until it gets so bad that you deny the work of God, and begin to oppose God, and become full of disobedience. Thus, you must rebel against the flesh, and not pander to it: “My husband (wife), children, prospects, marriage, family—none of them matter! In my heart there is only God, and I must try my best to satisfy God and not satisfy the flesh.” You must have this resolve. If you are always possessed of such resolve, then when you put the truth into practice and put yourself aside, you will be able to do so with but a little effort. It is said that there was once a farmer who saw a snake that was frozen stiff on the road. The farmer picked it up and held it to his breast, and after the snake was revived it bit the farmer to death. Man’s flesh is like the snake: Its substance is to harm their lives—and when it completely gets its own way, your life becomes forfeit. The flesh belongs to Satan. Within it are extravagant desires, it thinks only for itself, it wants to enjoy comfort and revel in leisure, wallowing in sloth and idleness, and having satisfied it to a certain point you will ultimately be eaten up by it. Which is to say, if you satisfy it this time, next time it will come asking for more. It always has extravagant desires and new demands, and takes advantage of your pandering to the flesh to make you cherish it even more and live among its comforts—and if you do not overcome it, you will ultimately ruin yourself. Whether you can gain life before God and what your ultimate end will be, depend on how you carry out your rebellion against the flesh. God has saved you and chosen you and predestined you, yet if today you are unwilling to satisfy Him, you are unwilling to put the truth into practice, you are unwilling to rebel against your own flesh with a heart that truly loves God, ultimately you will ruin yourself, and will thus endure extreme pain. If you always pander to the flesh, Satan will gradually swallow you up, and leave you without life, or the touch of the Spirit, until the day comes when you are completely dark inside. When you live in darkness, you will have been taken captive by Satan, you will no longer have God in your heart, and at that time you will deny God’s existence and leave Him. Thus, if people wish to love God, they must pay the price of pain and endure hardship. There is no need for external fervency and hardship, reading more and running about more; instead, they should put aside the things within them: the extravagant thoughts, personal interests, and their own considerations, notions, and intentions. Such is God’s will.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter how God works, and no matter your environment, you are able to pursue life and seek the truth, and seek knowledge of God’s work, and have an understanding of His actions, and you are able to act according to the truth. Doing so is what it is to have true faith, and doing so shows that you have not lost faith in God. You can only have true faith in God if you are able to persist in pursuing the truth through refinement, if you are able to truly love God and do not develop doubts about Him, if no matter what He does you still practice the truth to satisfy Him, and if you are able to seek in the depths for His will and be considerate of His will. In the past, when God said that you would reign as a king, you loved Him, and when He openly showed Himself to you, you pursued Him. But now God is hidden, you cannot see Him, and troubles have come upon you—do you then now lose hope in God? So, you must at all times pursue life and seek to satisfy God’s will. This is called genuine faith, and this is the truest and most beautiful kind of love.

In the past, people would all come before God to make their resolutions, and they would say: “Even if no one else loves God, I must love Him.” But now, refinement comes upon you, and since this does not align with your notions, you lose faith in God. Is this genuine love? You have read many times about the deeds of Job—have you forgotten about them? True love can only take shape from within faith. You develop real love for God through the refinements you undergo, and it is through your faith that you are able to be considerate of God’s will in your practical experiences, and it is also through faith that you forsake your own flesh and pursue life; this is what people should do. If you do this, then you will be able to see God’s actions, but if you lack faith, then you will be unable to see God’s actions or to experience His work. If you want to be used and perfected by God, then you must be possessed of everything: the will to suffer, faith, endurance, obedience, and the ability to experience the work of God, grasp His will, be considerate of His sorrow, and so forth. Perfecting a person is not easy, and every single refinement that you experience requires your faith and love. If you want to be perfected by God, it is not enough to merely rush ahead on the path, nor is it enough to merely expend yourself for God. You must possess many things to be able to become someone who is perfected by God. When you face suffering, you must be able to lay aside concern for the flesh and to not make complaints against God. When God hides Himself from you, you must be able to have the faith to follow Him, to maintain your previous love without allowing it to falter or dissipate. No matter what God does, you must submit to His design and be prepared to curse your own flesh rather than make complaints against Him. When you are faced with trials, you must satisfy God, though you may weep bitterly or feel reluctant to part with some beloved object. Only this is true love and faith. No matter what your actual stature is, you must first possess both the will to suffer hardship and true faith, and you must also have the will to forsake the flesh. You should be willing to endure personal hardships and suffer losses to your personal interests in order to satisfy God’s will. You must also be capable of feeling regret about yourself in your heart: In the past, you were unable to satisfy God, and now, you can regret yourself. You must not be lacking in any of these regards—it is through these things that God will perfect you. If you cannot meet these criteria, then you cannot be perfected.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When Noah heard God’s commission, when he heard all that God described, he sensed the seriousness of this matter, and the severity of the situation. He knew that God would wreak destruction unto the world. And why was He going to do this? Because God loathed that humankind. Had God loathed that humankind for just a day or two? Did God, on impulse, say “Today I do not like this humankind. I shall destroy this humankind, so get to it and make Me an ark?” (No.) After hearing God’s words, Noah understood the intention of God. God had not loathed that humankind for just one or two days; He was eager to destroy that humankind, to cause mankind to begin anew. But this time, God did not wish to once more create another humankind, but would allow Noah to survive as the master of the next era, as humankind’s forefather. Once he understood this intent of God, Noah could feel, from the depths of his heart, the urgent will of God, he could sense God’s urgency—and so, when he heard God’s words, apart from listening carefully, closely, and diligently, he felt something in his heart: urgency, the emotion that ought to be felt by a true creature of God after appreciating the urgent will of the Creator. And so what did Noah think in his heart, once God had issued all of His instructions? “From today onward, nothing matters as much as building the ark, nothing is as important and urgent as this. I heard the voice of the Creator, and I felt His urgent will, so I must not delay; I must build the ark that was spoken of and asked for by God with all haste.” Noah’s attitude was that he dared not be neglectful. And in what manner did he bring the ark to fruition? Without delay. It would be a little disingenuous to say that he did not delay by a second or minute. Is it more realistic to say that he did not even wait a day, that he began carrying out and bringing to fruition each detail of what was spoken of and instructed by God with all haste, and with all his energy? In sum, faced with the Creator’s instructions, Noah’s attitude was not casual, there was no defiance in his heart, he was not indifferent. Instead, he diligently tried to understand the will of the Creator as he recorded every detail. When he understood God’s urgent will, he decided to pick up the pace, to complete what God had entrusted to him with all haste. What did this mean, “with all haste”? It meant completing in as little time possible manual work that would previously have taken a month, doing them in twenty or fifteen days, not dragging his feet, pushing onward whenever possible, not putting things off. Naturally, whilst carrying out each job, he would also try to minimize failures, losses, and mistakes, trying his hardest not to have to repeat anything, to get it right first time. And as far as possible, each job, each process, would be completed concurrently; if five things could be done at once, then better that than three; if ten, then better that than five. He was to forge onward as quickly as possible. Such was the true manifestation of not dragging one’s feet. Under what premise and context was this achieved? Some people say Noah was possessed of true obedience. So what was found in him, that he could achieve such true obedience? (He was mindful of God’s will.) That’s right! This is what it means to have heart! People with heart are able to be mindful of God’s will; those without heart are empty shells, buffoons, they do not know to be mindful of God’s will: “I don’t care how urgent this is for God, I’ll do what I want—in any case, I’m not being idle or lazy.” Such people are not mindful of God’s will. Noah was. And so, it is not enough to do your best; in your heart, there must be true mindfulness—which is the conscience found in humanity, it is what people ought to have, and what was found in Noah. What do you say, to do such a thing at that time, how many years would it take to build the ark if he dragged his heels, and had no sense of urgency, no angst, no efficiency? Would it be finished in a hundred years? (No.) It could take several generations of constant building. On the one hand, building a solid object like an ark would take years; what’s more, collecting and looking after all the living things would also take years. Was it easy to collect these living things? It was not. And so, after hearing God’s instructions, and understanding God’s urgent will, Noah sensed that this would be neither easy nor straightforward. He felt that he had to accomplish it, and complete this commission, according to God’s intention, so that God was satisfied and reassured, so that the next step of God’s work could proceed smoothly. Such was the heart of Noah. And what kind of heart was this? It was a heart that was mindful of God’s will. From the outside, this suggests that Noah was capable of absolute obedience—but what are the particulars of such absolute obedience? Mindfulness.

Excerpted from “Excursus Three: How Noah and Abraham Listened to God’s Words and Obeyed Him (Part Two)” in Exposing Antichrists

You should each do your own duty to the best of your ability, with open and honest hearts, and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary. As you have said, when the day comes, God will not be remiss toward anyone who has suffered or paid a price for Him. This kind of conviction is worth holding on to, and it is right that you should never forget it. Only in this way can I put My mind at ease about you. Otherwise, you will forever be people about whom I cannot put My mind at ease, and you will forever be the objects of My distaste. If all of you can follow your conscience and give your all for Me, sparing no effort for My work, and devoting the energy of a lifetime to My gospel work, then will My heart not often leap for joy on your account? This way, I will be able to put My mind entirely at ease regarding you, won’t I? It is a shame that what you can do is but a pitifully tiny part of what I expect. This being the case, how can you have the gall to seek from Me what you hope for?

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

168. The Principles of Comforting God’s Heart

(1) Focus on eating and drinking of God’s words, understanding the truth, and putting it into practice. Attain entry into truth reality, and live out a true human likeness;

(2) To requite God’s love, one must perform their duty well, safeguard God’s work to the best of their ability, and maintain their devotion;

(3) Amid trials and refinement, no matter how great your suffering, seek only to be able to understand God’s will and to stand firm in your testimony, in order to glorify and satisfy Him;

(4) Pursue the truth and be an honest person, expend yourself for God with sincerity, devote your life to following Him and bearing witness for Him, and come to be one who genuinely loves God.

Relevant Words of God:

I only hope that, in the last stage of My work, you will be able to give your most outstanding performance, and that you will devote yourselves wholeheartedly, no longer half-hearted. Of course, I also hope that you can all have a good destination. Nevertheless, I still have My requirement, which is for you to make the best decision in offering up to Me your sole and final devotion. If someone does not have that sole devotion, then he is surely a treasured possession of Satan, and I will no longer keep him to use but send him home to be looked after by his parents. My work is a great help to you; what I hope to get from you is a heart that is honest and that aspires upward, but so far My hands remain empty. Think about it: If one day I am still so aggrieved, beyond the scope of words to tell, what will My attitude toward you be then? Will I be as amiable to you then as I am now? Will My heart be as serene then as it is now? Do you understand the feelings of a person who, having painstakingly tilled the field, has not harvested a single grain? Do you understand how greatly a person’s heart is injured when he has been dealt a great blow? Can you taste the bitterness of a person, once so full of hope, who has had to part on bad terms? Have you seen the wrath issuing forth from a person who has been provoked? Can you know the eagerness for revenge of a person who has been treated with enmity and deceit? If you understand the mentality of these people, then I think it should not be difficult for you to imagine the attitude God will have at the time of His retribution! Finally, I hope you all put in serious effort for the sake of your own destination, though you had better not employ deceitful means in your efforts, or else I will continue to be disappointed with you in My heart. And what does such disappointment lead to? Are you not fooling yourselves? Those who take thought for their destination yet ruin it are the people least able to be saved. Even if he were to become exasperated and enraged, who would take pity on such a person? In sum, I still wish for you to have a destination that is both suitable and good, and, even more, I hope that none of you will fall into disaster.

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God pays a painstaking price for the sake of every individual. He pins His will on each and every person, with expectations and hope for all. He freely pays this painstaking price for these people, and is more than happy to do so; He willingly provides every individual with His life and the truth. Thus, if anyone is able to understand this goal of His, God feels gratified. No matter what environments He has set for you, if you can accept and submit to the things He does, and if you can receive everything from Him, then He will feel that this painstaking price has not been paid in vain. That is, you will not have failed to live up to the care and thought God has invested in you; you will have reaped rewards in every environment, and will not have disappointed God’s hopes in you. If what God has done on you has had the expected effect and attained the expected objective, then He will be satisfied. If you never accept what God does to you, but instead always refuse and resist it, then will He or will He not be anxious? He will be worried and anxious, and He will say, “I have arranged these environments for you and paid such a painstaking price, so why has there been no result? Why has none of this touched your heart?” If God cannot see that the work He has done has had any effect on you, He will feel hurt. Why does He feel hurt? It is because you are numb, ignorant, obtuse, and stubborn; you do not understand His will, nor do you accept the truth. God takes responsibility for your life, and He worries and feels anxious for its sake. This is why God’s feelings are hurt.

Excerpted from “To Gain the Truth, You Must Learn From the People, Matters, and Things Around You” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God especially treasures man’s obedience to Him, and cherishes man’s understanding of Him and sincerity toward Him. How much does God cherish this sincerity? You may not understand how much He cherishes it, and there may well be none who realize it. God gave Abraham a son, and when that son had grown up, God asked Abraham to offer his son to God. Abraham followed God’s command to the letter, he obeyed God’s word, and his sincerity moved God and was treasured by God. How much did God treasure it? And why did He treasure it? At a time when no one comprehended God’s words or understood His heart, Abraham did something that shook the heavens and made the earth tremble, and it made God feel an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, and brought God the joy of gaining someone who was able to obey His words. This satisfaction and joy came from a creature made by God’s own hand, and was the first “sacrifice” that man had offered to God and that was most treasured by God, ever since man was created. God had had a hard time waiting for this sacrifice, and He treated it as the first most important gift from man, whom He had created. It showed God the first fruit of His efforts and of the price He had paid, and it allowed Him to see the hope in mankind. Afterward, God had an even greater yearning for a group of such people to keep Him company, to treat Him with sincerity, and to care for Him with sincerity. God even hoped that Abraham would live on, for He wished to have a heart such as Abraham’s accompany Him and be with Him as He continued in His management. No matter what God wanted, it was just a wish, just an idea—for Abraham was merely a man who was able to obey Him, and did not have the slightest understanding or knowledge of God. Abraham was someone who fell far short of the standards of God’s requirements for man, which are: knowing God, being able to testify to God, and being of one mind with God. So, Abraham could not walk with God. In Abraham’s offering of Isaac, God saw the sincerity and obedience of Abraham, and saw that he had withstood God’s test of him. Even though God accepted his sincerity and obedience, he was still unworthy of becoming God’s confidant, of becoming someone who knew and understood God, and someone who was knowledgeable about God’s disposition; he was far from being of one mind with God and doing God’s will. So, in His heart, God was still lonely and anxious. The more lonely and anxious God became, the more He needed to continue with His management as soon as possible, and be able to select and gain a group of people to accomplish His management plan and achieve His will as soon as possible. This was God’s eager desire, and it has remained unchanged from the very beginning until today. Ever since He created man in the beginning, God has yearned for a group of overcomers, a group that will walk with Him and are able to understand, know and comprehend His disposition. This wish of God has never changed. Regardless of how long He still has to wait, regardless of how hard the road ahead may be, and no matter how far off the objectives He yearns for may be, God has never altered or given up on His expectations for man.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Very soon, My work will be finished, and many years together have become an unbearable memory. I have unceasingly repeated My words and constantly unfurled My new work. Of course, My advice is a necessary component of each piece of work that I do. Without My counsel, you would all wander astray and even find yourselves completely at a loss. My work is now about to finish and in its final stage. I still wish to do the work of giving counsel, that is, to offer words of advice for you to hear. I hope only that you are able not to let the pains I have taken go to waste, and, more than that, that you can understand the thoughtful care I have taken, and treat My words as the foundation of how you behave as a human being. Whether or not they are the kind of words to which you are willing to listen, whether or not you enjoy accepting them or can only accept them with discomfort, you must treat them seriously. Otherwise, your casual and unconcerned dispositions and demeanors will upset Me seriously and, indeed, disgust Me. I very much hope all of you can read My words over and over again—thousands of times—and that you may even come to know them by heart. Only in this way will you be able not to fail My expectations of you. However, none of you is living like this now. On the contrary, you are all immersed in a debauched life, a life of eating and drinking to your heart’s content, and none of you uses My words to enrich your heart and soul. For this reason, I have come to a conclusion about mankind’s true countenance: Man can betray Me at any time, and no one can be absolutely faithful to My words.

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You should each do your own duty to the best of your ability, with open and honest hearts, and be willing to pay whatever price is necessary. As you have said, when the day comes, God will not be remiss toward anyone who has suffered or paid a price for Him. This kind of conviction is worth holding on to, and it is right that you should never forget it. Only in this way can I put My mind at ease about you. Otherwise, you will forever be people about whom I cannot put My mind at ease, and you will forever be the objects of My distaste. If all of you can follow your conscience and give your all for Me, sparing no effort for My work, and devoting the energy of a lifetime to My gospel work, then will My heart not often leap for joy on your account? This way, I will be able to put My mind entirely at ease regarding you, won’t I? It is a shame that what you can do is but a pitifully tiny part of what I expect. This being the case, how can you have the gall to seek from Me what you hope for?

Your destination and your fate are very important to you—they are of grave concern. You believe, if you do not do things with great care, it will mean that you cease to have a destination, that you have destroyed your own fate. But has it ever occurred to you that people who expend effort solely for the sake of their destination are laboring in vain? Such efforts are not genuine—they are fakery and deceit. If that is the case, then those who work only for the sake of their destination are on the threshold of their final defeat, for failure in one’s belief in God is caused by deceit. I have previously said that I do not like to be flattered or fawned on, or treated with enthusiasm. I like honest people to face up to My truth and My expectations. Even more, I like it when people are able to show the utmost care and consideration for My heart, and when they are even capable of giving up everything for My sake. Only in this way can My heart be comforted.

Excerpted from “On Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter what God asks of you, you need only work toward it with all your strength, and I hope you will be able to come before God and give Him your utmost devotion in the end. As long as you can see God’s gratified smile as He sits upon His throne, even if this moment is the appointed time of your death, you should be able to laugh and smile as you close your eyes. You must, during your time on earth, do your final duty for God. In the past, Peter was crucified upside down for the sake of God; but you should satisfy God in the end, and exhaust all your energy for His sake. What can a created being do on behalf of God? You should therefore give yourself up to God, sooner rather than later, for Him to dispose of you as He wishes. As long as it makes God happy and pleased, then let Him do as He will with you. What right do men have to speak words of complaint?

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Did Job live a life of value? Where was the value? Why is it said that he lived a life of value? To man, what was his value? From the viewpoint of man, he represented the mankind whom God wishes to save, in bearing a resounding testimony to God before Satan and the people of the world. He fulfilled the duty that ought to be fulfilled by a creature of God, set an exemplar, and acted as a model for all those whom God wishes to save, allowing people to see that it is entirely possible to triumph over Satan by relying on God. What was his value to God? To God, the value of Job’s life lay in his ability to fear God, worship God, testify to the deeds of God, and praise the deeds of God, bringing God comfort and something to enjoy; to God, the value of Job’s life was also in how, before his death, Job experienced trials and triumphed over Satan, and bore resounding testimony to God before Satan and the people of the world, so that God gained glory among mankind, comforting His heart and allowing His eager heart to behold an outcome and see hope. His testimony set a precedent for the ability to stand firm in one’s testimony to God, and for being able to shame Satan on behalf of God, in God’s work of managing mankind. Is this not the value of Job’s life? Job brought comfort to God’s heart, he gave God a foretaste of the delight of gaining glory, and provided a wonderful beginning for God’s management plan. From this point onward, the name of Job became a symbol of God’s gaining glory, and a sign of mankind’s triumph over Satan. What Job lived out during his lifetime, as well as his remarkable triumph over Satan will forever be cherished by God, and his perfection, uprightness, and fear of God will be venerated and emulated by generations to come. He will forever be cherished by God like a flawless, luminous pearl, and so too is he worth treasuring by man!

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

From the beginning until today, only man has been capable of conversing with God. That is, among all living things and creatures of God, none but man has been able to converse with God. Man has ears that enable him to hear, and eyes that let him see; he has language, and his own ideas, and free will. He is possessed of all that is required to hear God speak, and understand God’s will, and accept God’s commission, and so God confers all His wishes upon man, wanting to make man a companion who is of the same mind with Him and who can walk with Him. Since He began to manage, God has been waiting for man to give his heart to Him, to let God purify and equip it, to make him satisfactory to God and loved by God, to make him revere God and shun evil. God has ever looked forward to and awaited this outcome.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

169. The Principles of Genuinely Loving God

(1) In the practice of loving God, one must first perform man’s duty well, without being careless or perfunctory. Come to requite God’s love as a matter of conscience;

(2) Be able to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and cast off your corrupt disposition. Accept God’s scrutiny in all matters and come to fear God and shun evil;

(3) Be able to seek to be an honest person, genuinely commune with God, be rid of notions, estrangement, and misunderstanding, and be capable of showing consideration for God’s will in all matters;

(4) Be able to accept God’s commission responsibly and meticulously. Come to be principled in your actions, and become a person who follows God’s will;

(5) Know God’s work, understand His earnest intentions, love His righteousness and holiness, and be able to exalt and testify to Him in all matters.

Relevant Words of God:

God’s essence is not just for man to believe in; it is, moreover, for man to love. But many of those who believe in God are incapable of discovering this “secret.” People do not dare to love God, nor do they try to love Him. They have never discovered that there is so much that is lovable about God; they have never discovered that God is the God who loves man, and that He is the God who is for man to love. The loveliness of God is expressed in His work: Only when they experience His work can people discover His loveliness; only in their actual experiences can they appreciate the loveliness of God; and without observing it in real life, no one can discover God’s loveliness. There is so much to love about God, but without actually engaging with Him people are incapable of discovering it. Which is to say, if God did not become flesh, people would be incapable of actually engaging with Him, and if they were unable to actually engage with Him, they also would not be able to experience His work—and so their love of God would be tainted with much falsehood and imagination. The love of the God in heaven is not as real as the love of the God on earth, for people’s knowledge of God in heaven is built upon their imaginings, rather than upon what they have seen with their own eyes and what they have personally experienced. When God comes to earth, people are able to behold His actual deeds and His loveliness, and they can see everything of His practical and normal disposition, all of which is thousands of times more real than the knowledge of the God in heaven. Regardless of how much people love the God in heaven, there is nothing real about this love, and it is full of human ideas. No matter how little their love for the God on earth, this love is real; even if there is only a little of it, it is still real. God causes people to know Him through real work, and through this knowledge He gains their love. It’s like Peter: If he had not lived with Jesus, it would have been impossible for him to adore Jesus. So, too, was his loyalty toward Jesus built upon his engagement with Jesus. To make man love Him, God has come among man and lives together with man, and all that He makes man see and experience is the reality of God.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If people wish to love God, they must taste God’s loveliness and see God’s loveliness; only then can there be roused in them a heart that loves God, a heart that inspires people to give of themselves loyally for God. God does not make people love Him through words and expressions or through their imagination, and He does not force people to love Him. Instead, He lets them love Him of their own volition, and He lets them see His loveliness in His work and utterances, after which there is borne in them the love of God. Only in this way can people truly bear testimony to God. People do not love God because they have been urged to do so by others, nor is it a momentary emotional impulse. They love God because they have seen His loveliness, they have seen that there is so much of Him that is worthy of people’s love, because they have seen God’s salvation, wisdom, and wondrous deeds—and as a result, they truly praise God and truly yearn for Him, and there is roused in them such a passion that they could not survive without gaining God. The reason why those who truly testify of God are able to give a resounding testimony to Him is because their testimony rests upon the foundation of the true knowledge and true yearning for God. Such testimony is not offered according to an emotional impulse, but according to their knowledge of God and His disposition. Because they have come to know God, they feel that they must surely testify of God and make all those who yearn for God know God, and be aware of God’s loveliness and His realness. Like people’s love for God, their testimony is spontaneous; it is real and has real significance and worth. It is not passive or hollow and meaningless. The reason only those who truly love God have the most value and meaning in their lives, the reason only they truly believe in God, is that these people are able to live in God’s light and are able to live for God’s work and management. It is because they do not live in darkness, but live in the light; they do not live meaningless lives, but lives that have been blessed by God. Only those who love God are able to testify of God, only they are God’s witnesses, only they are blessed by God, and only they are able to receive God’s promises. Those who love God are God’s intimates; they are the people beloved by God, and they can enjoy blessings together with God. Only people such as this will live to eternity, and only they will forever live under God’s care and protection. God is for people to love, and He is worthy of all people’s love, but not all people are capable of loving God, and not all people can testify of God and hold power with God. Because they are able to testify of God and devote all their efforts to God’s work, those who truly love God can walk anywhere beneath the heavens without anyone daring to oppose them, and they can wield power on earth and rule all the people of God. These people have come together from across the world. They speak different languages and have different skin colors, but their existence has the same meaning; they all have a heart that loves God, they all bear the same testimony, and have the same resolve, and the same wish. Those who love God can walk freely throughout the world, and those who testify of God can travel across the universe. These people are beloved by God, they are blessed by God, and they will forever live within His light.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, as you seek to love and know God, in one respect you must endure hardship and refinement, and in another, you must pay a price. No lesson is more profound than the lesson of loving God, and it can be said that the lesson people learn from a lifetime of belief is how to love God. Which is to say, if you believe in God you must love God. If you only believe in God but do not love Him and have not attained the knowledge of God, and have never loved God with a true love that comes from within your heart, then your belief in God is futile; if, in your belief in God, you do not love God, then you live in vain, and your entire life is the most lowly of all lives. If, throughout your whole life, you have never loved or satisfied God, then what is the point of you living? And what is the point of your belief in God? Is that not a waste of effort? This is to say, if people are to believe in and love God, then they must pay a price. Rather than trying to act in a certain way externally, they should seek true insight in the depths of their hearts. If you are enthusiastic about singing and dancing, but incapable of putting the truth into practice, can you be said to love God? Loving God requires seeking God’s will in all things, and that you probe deep within when anything happens to you, trying to grasp God’s will, and trying to see what God’s will is in the matter, what He asks you to achieve, and how you should be mindful of His will. For example: Something happens that requires you to endure hardship, at which time you should understand what God’s will is and how you should be mindful of His will. You must not satisfy yourself: First put yourself to one side. Nothing is more abject than the flesh. You must seek to satisfy God, and you must fulfill your duty. With such thoughts, God will bring especial enlightenment to you in this matter, and your heart will also find comfort.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Love,” as it is called, refers to an emotion that is pure and without blemish, where you use your heart to love, to feel, and to be thoughtful. In love there are no conditions, no barriers, and no distance. In love there is no suspicion, no deceit, and no cunning. In love there is no trade and nothing impure. If you love, then you will not deceive, complain, betray, rebel, exact, or seek to gain something or to gain a certain amount. If you love, then you will gladly dedicate yourself, will gladly suffer hardship, you will be compatible with Me, you will forsake all that you have for Me, you will give up your family, your future, your youth, and your marriage. If not, your love would not be love at all, but deceit and betrayal! What kind of love is yours? Is it a true love? Or false? How much have you forsaken? How much have you offered up? How much love have I received from you? Do you know? Your hearts are filled with evil, betrayal, and deceit—and that being so, how much of your love is impure? You think that you have already given up enough for Me; you think that your love for Me is already enough. But then why are your words and actions always rebellious and deceitful? You follow Me, yet you do not acknowledge My word. Is this considered love? You follow Me, yet then cast Me aside. Is this considered love? You follow Me, yet you are mistrustful of Me. Is this considered love? You follow Me, yet you cannot accept My existence. Is this considered love? You follow Me, yet you do not treat Me as befits who I am, and you make things difficult for Me at every turn. Is this considered love? You follow Me, yet you try to fool Me and deceive Me in every matter. Is this considered love? You serve Me, yet you do not fear Me. Is this considered love? You oppose Me in all respects and all things. Is this all considered love? You have dedicated much, it is true, yet you have never practiced what I require of you. Can this be considered love? Careful reckoning shows that there is not the slightest hint of love for Me within you. After so many years of work and all the many words I have supplied, how much have you actually gained? Does this not merit a careful look back?

Excerpted from “Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, you all know that man’s belief in God is not solely for the salvation of the soul and the well-being of the flesh, nor is it to enrich his life through loving God, and so on. As it stands, if you love God for the sake of the well-being of the flesh or momentary pleasure, then even if, in the end, your love for God reaches its peak and you ask for nothing more, this love that you seek is still an adulterated love and not pleasing to God. Those who use love for God to enrich their dull existence and fill a void in their hearts are the kind of people who are greedy for a life of ease, not those who truly seek to love God. Love of this kind is forced, it is the pursuit of mental gratification, and God has no need of it. What kind of love, then, is yours? For what do you love God? How much true love for God is there within you right now? The love of the great majority of you is of the aforementioned kind. Such love can only maintain the status quo; it cannot achieve immutability, nor can it take root in man. This kind of love is only like a flower that blooms and withers without bearing fruit. In other words, after you have loved God once in such a way, if there is no one to lead you on the path ahead, then you will collapse. If you can only love God in the time of loving God but afterward your life disposition remains unchanged, then you will remain unable to escape from the shroud of the influence of darkness, you will remain unable to break free from Satan’s bonds and its trickery. No one such as this can be fully gained by God; in the end, their spirit, soul, and body will still belong to Satan. There can be no doubt about this. All those who cannot be fully gained by God will return to their original place, that is, back to Satan, and they will go down to the lake of fire and brimstone to accept the next step of punishment from God. Those gained by God are those who forsake Satan and escape from its domain. They are officially numbered among the people of the kingdom. This is how the people of the kingdom come to be. Are you willing to become this kind of person? Are you willing to be gained by God? Are you willing to escape from the domain of Satan and return to God? Do you now belong to Satan or are you numbered among the people of the kingdom?

Excerpted from “What Viewpoint Believers Ought to Hold” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man has ever lived beneath the shroud of the influence of darkness, held in bondage to the influence of Satan, unable to escape, and his disposition, having been processed by Satan, becomes increasingly corrupt. It can be said that man has always lived amid his corrupt satanic disposition and is incapable of truly loving God. This being so, if man wishes to love God, he must be stripped of his self-righteousness, self-importance, arrogance, conceit, and the like—everything that is of Satan’s disposition. If not, his love is an impure love, a satanic love, and one which absolutely cannot receive the approval of God. Without being directly perfected, dealt with, broken, pruned, disciplined, chastened, and refined by the Holy Spirit, no one is able truly to love God.

Excerpted from “Corrupt Man Is Incapable of Representing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The path of believing in God is one and the same as the path of loving Him. If you believe in Him you must love Him; however, loving Him does not only refer to repaying His love or loving Him based on the feelings of your conscience—it is a pure love for God. Sometimes people are unable to feel God’s love based on their conscience alone. Why did I always say: “May the Spirit of God move our spirits”? Why did I not speak of moving people’s conscience to love God? It is because people’s conscience cannot feel God’s loveliness. If you are not convinced by these words, try to use your conscience to feel His love. You may have some drive in the moment, but it will soon disappear. If you only feel God’s loveliness with your conscience, you will be driven while you pray, but soon after the drive will fade and disappear. Why is that? If you only use your conscience, you will be unable to rouse your love for God; when you really feel God’s loveliness in your heart, your spirit will be moved by Him, and it is only at this time that your conscience will be able to play its original role. That is to say that when God moves man’s spirit and when man has knowledge and is encouraged in his heart, that is, when he has gained experience, only then will he be able to love God effectively with his conscience. Loving God with your conscience is not wrong—this is the lowest degree of love for God. Loving by “just barely doing justice to God’s grace” simply will not impel man to enter in proactively. When people obtain some of the work of the Holy Spirit, that is, when they see and feel God’s love in their practical experience, when they have some knowledge of God and truly see that God is so worthy of mankind’s love and how lovely He is, only then are they able to genuinely love God.

Excerpted from “Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you wish to love God truly and to be gained by Him, the first step is to turn your heart toward God entirely. In every single thing that you do, search yourself and ask: “Am I doing this based on a heart of love for God? Are there any personal intentions behind this? What is my actual goal in doing this?” If you want to hand your heart over to God, you must first subdue your own heart, give up on all of your own intentions, and achieve a state of being wholly for God. This is the path to practicing giving your heart to God. What does subduing one’s own heart refer to? It is letting go of the extravagant desires of one’s flesh, not coveting comfort or the benefits of status. It is doing everything to satisfy God, and making one’s heart fully for Him, not for one’s self. This is sufficient.

Genuine love for God comes from deep within the heart; it is a love that only exists on the basis of man’s knowledge of God. When someone’s heart completely turns toward God, then they have love for God, but that love is not necessarily pure and not necessarily complete. This is because there is still some distance between a person’s heart completely turning toward God and that person having a genuine understanding of God and a genuine adoration for Him. The way by which man achieves true love of God and comes to know God’s disposition is to turn his heart toward God. When man gives his true heart over to God, then he begins to enter into the experience of life. In this way, his disposition starts to change, his love for God gradually grows, and his knowledge of God also gradually increases. So, turning one’s heart to God is only the precondition for getting on the right track of life experience. When people place their hearts before God, they only have a heart of longing for Him but not of love for Him, because they do not have an understanding of Him. Even though in this circumstance they do have some love for Him, it is not spontaneous and it is not genuine. This is because anything that derives from man’s flesh is the product of emotion and does not come from genuine understanding. It is just a momentary impulse and it cannot result in long-lasting adoration. When people do not have an understanding of God, they can only love Him based on their own preferences and their individual notions; this type of love cannot be called spontaneous love, nor can it be called genuine love. A man’s heart may genuinely turn toward God, and be capable of thinking of God’s interests in everything, but if he has no understanding of God, he will not be capable of having genuinely spontaneous love. All that he will be able to do is fulfill some functions for the church or perform a bit of his duty, but he will do so without basis. The disposition of this kind of person is hard to change; such people either do not pursue the truth, or do not understand it. Even if a person entirely turns their heart toward God, it does not mean that their God-loving heart is completely pure, because those who have God in their hearts do not necessarily have love for God in their hearts. This concerns the distinction between someone who does or does not pursue understanding of God. Once a person has an understanding of Him, it shows that their heart has fully turned toward God, it shows that their genuine love for God in their heart is spontaneous. Only people of this kind have God in their hearts. Turning one’s heart toward God is a precondition for one’s getting onto the right track, for understanding God, and for achieving love of God. It is not a marker of completing one’s duty to love God, nor is it a marker of having genuine love for Him. The only way for someone to achieve genuine love of God is to turn their heart toward Him, which is also the first thing one ought to do as one of His creations. Those who love God are all people who pursue life, that is, people who pursue the truth and truly want God; they all have the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and have been moved by Him. They are all able to obtain God’s guidance.

Excerpted from “Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men and the interference of men. Behind every step of work that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle. For example, if you are prejudiced toward your brothers and sisters, you will have words that you want to say—words that you feel may be displeasing to God—but if you do not say them, you will feel internal discomfort, and at this moment, a battle will commence within you: “Do I speak or not?” This is the battle. Thus, in everything you encounter there is a battle, and when there is a battle within you, thanks to your actual cooperation and actual suffering, God works within you. Ultimately, you are able to put the matter aside inside of you and the anger is naturally extinguished. Such is the effect of your cooperation with God. Everything people do requires them to pay a certain price in their efforts. Without actual hardship, they cannot satisfy God; they do not even come close to satisfying God, and they are just spouting empty slogans! Can these empty slogans satisfy God? When God and Satan do battle in the spiritual realm, how should you satisfy God, and how should you stand firm in your testimony to Him? You should know that everything that happens to you is a great trial and the time when God needs you to bear testimony. Though they may seem unimportant from the outside, when these things happen they show whether or not you love God. If you do, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony to Him, and if you have not put the love of Him into practice, this shows you are not someone who puts the truth into practice, that you are without the truth, and without life, that you are chaff! Everything that happens to people happens when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Though nothing major is happening to you at the moment and you do not bear great testimony, every detail of your daily life is a matter of testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony. Although you have no insight and your caliber is poor, through God’s perfection of you, you are able to satisfy Him and be mindful of His will, showing others what great work He has done in people of the poorest caliber. When people come to know God and become overcomers before Satan, loyal to God to a great extent, then none has more backbone than this group of people, and this is the greatest testimony. Although you are incapable of doing great work, you are able to satisfy God. Others cannot put aside their notions, but you can; others cannot bear testimony to God during their actual experiences, but you can use your actual stature and actions to repay God’s love and bear resounding testimony to Him. Only this counts as actually loving God.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Just how much do you love God today? And just how much do you know of all that God has done in you? These are the things you should learn. When God arrives on earth, all that He has done in man and allowed man to see is so that man will love Him and truly know Him. That man is able to suffer for God and has been able to come this far is, in one regard, because of God’s love, and in another regard, because of God’s salvation; moreover, it is because of the judgment and the work of chastisement that God has carried out in man. If you are without the judgment, chastisement, and trials of God, and if God has not made you suffer, then, in all honesty you do not truly love God. The greater God’s work in man, and the greater man’s suffering, the more apparent it is just how meaningful God’s work is, and the more that man’s heart is able to truly love God. How do you learn how to love God? Without torment and refinement, without painful trials—and if, furthermore, all that God gave man were grace, love, and mercy—would you be able to reach a point of truly loving God? On one hand, during God’s trials man comes to know his deficiencies and to see that he is insignificant, contemptible, and lowly, that he has nothing and is nothing; on the other hand, during His trials God creates different environments for man that make man more able to experience the loveliness of God. Although the pain is great, and sometimes insurmountable—even reaching the level of crushing grief—having experienced it, man sees how lovely God’s work in him is, and only upon this foundation is there born in man true love for God. Today man sees that with the grace, love, and mercy of God alone, he is incapable of truly knowing himself, and much less is he able to know the substance of man. Only through both the refinement and judgment of God, and during the process of refinement itself, can man know his deficiencies, and know that he has nothing. Thus, man’s love of God is built upon the foundation of the refinement and judgment of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The greater God’s refinement, the more people’s hearts are able to love God. The torment in their hearts is of benefit to their lives, they are more able to be at peace before God, their relationship with God is closer, and they are better able to see God’s supreme love and His supreme salvation. Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times, and Job underwent several trials. If you wish to be made perfect by God, you too must undergo refinement hundreds of times; only if you go through this process and rely upon this step will you be able to satisfy God’s will and be made perfect by God. Refinement is the best means by which God makes people perfect; only refinement and bitter trials can bring out the true love for God in people’s hearts. Without hardship, people lack true love for God; if they are not tested within, if they are not truly subjected to refinement, then their hearts will always be floating around outside. Having been refined to a certain point, you will see your own weaknesses and difficulties, you will see how much you are lacking and that you are unable to overcome the many problems you encounter, and you will see how great is your disobedience. Only during trials are people able to truly know their real states; trials make people better able to be perfected.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, most people do not have that knowledge. They believe that suffering is without value, they are renounced by the world, their home life is troubled, they are not beloved of God, and their prospects are bleak. The suffering of some people reaches an extreme, and their thoughts turn to death. This is not true love for God; such people are cowards, they have no perseverance, they are weak and powerless! God is eager for man to love Him, but the more man loves Him, the greater man’s suffering, and the more man loves Him, the greater man’s trials. If you love Him, then every kind of suffering will befall you—and if you do not, then perhaps everything will go smoothly for you and all will be peaceful around you. When you love God, you will feel that much around you is insurmountable, and because your stature is too small you will be refined; moreover, you will be incapable of satisfying God, and you will always feel that God’s will is too lofty, that it is beyond the reach of man. Because of all this you will be refined—because there is much weakness within you, and much that is incapable of satisfying the will of God, you will be refined internally. Yet you must clearly see that purification is only achieved through refinement. Thus, during these last days you must bear testimony to God. No matter how great your suffering, you should walk until the very end, and even at your last breath, still you must be faithful to God and at the mercy of God; only this is truly loving God, and only this is the strong and resounding testimony. When you are tempted by Satan, you should say: “My heart belongs to God, and God has already gained me. I cannot satisfy you—I must devote my all to satisfying God.” The more you satisfy God, the more God blesses you and the greater the strength of your love for God; so, too, will you have faith and resolve, and will feel that nothing is more worthy or significant than a life spent loving God. It can be said that man has but to love God to be without sorrow. Although there are times when your flesh is weak and you are beset by many real troubles, during these times you will truly rely on God, and within your spirit you will be consoled, and you will feel certainty, and that you have something to depend upon. In this way, you will be able to overcome many environments, and so you will not complain about God because of the anguish that you suffer. Instead, you will want to sing, dance, and pray, to assemble and commune, to give thought to God, and you will feel that all the people, matters, and things around you that are organized by God are fitting. If you do not love God, all that you look upon will be irksome to you and nothing will be pleasing to your eyes; in your spirit you will not be free but downtrodden, your heart will always complain about God, and you will always feel that you suffer so much torment, and that it is so unjust. If you do not pursue for the sake of happiness, but in order to satisfy God and to not be accused by Satan, then such pursuit will give you great strength to love God. Man is able to carry out all that is spoken by God, and all that he does is able to satisfy God—this is what it means to be possessed of reality. Pursuing the satisfaction of God is using your love for God to put His words into practice; regardless of the time—even when others are without strength—inside of you there is still a heart which loves God, which profoundly yearns for and misses God. This is real stature. Just how great your stature is depends on how great your love for God is, on whether you are able to stand fast when tested, whether you are weak when a certain environment comes upon you, and whether you can stand your ground when your brothers and sisters reject you; the arrival of the facts will show just what your love for God is like.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

It is during bitter refinement that man can most easily fall under the influence of Satan, so how should you love God during such refinement? You should summon your will, laying your heart before God and devoting the last of your time to Him. No matter how God refines you, you should be able to put the truth into practice to satisfy God’s will and you should take it upon yourself to seek God and seek communion. At times like these, the more passive you are, the more negative you will become and the easier it will be for you to regress. When it is necessary for you to serve your function, although you do not serve it well, you do all you can, and do so using nothing more than your love of God; regardless of what others say—whether they say you have done well, or that you have done badly—your intentions are correct, and you are not self-righteous, for you are acting in behalf of God. When others misinterpret you, you are able to pray to God and say: “O God! I do not ask that others tolerate me or treat me well, nor that they understand or approve of me. I only ask that I may be able to love You in my heart, that I may be at ease in my heart, and that my conscience may be clear. I do not ask that others commend me, or hold me in high regard; I only seek to satisfy You from my heart; I serve my role by doing all that I can, and although I am foolish, stupid, of poor caliber and blind, I know that You are lovely, and I am willing to devote all I have to You.” As soon as you pray in this way, your love for God emerges, and you feel much more relieved in your heart. This is what is meant by practicing the love of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How should man love God during refinement? By using the resolve to love God to accept His refinement: During refinement you are tormented inside, as if a knife were being twisted in your heart, yet you are willing to satisfy God using your heart, which loves Him, and you are unwilling to care for the flesh. This is what is meant by practicing the love of God. You hurt inside, and your suffering has reached a certain point, yet you are still willing to come before God and pray, saying: “O God! I cannot leave You. Although there is darkness within me, I wish to satisfy You; You know my heart, and I would that You invest more of Your love within me.” This is practice during refinement. If you use the love of God as the foundation, refinement can bring you closer to God and make you more intimate with God. Since you believe in God, you must hand over your heart before God. If you offer up and lay your heart before God, then during refinement it will be impossible for you to deny God, or leave God. In this way your relationship with God will become ever closer and ever more normal, and your communion with God will become ever more frequent. If you always practice in this way, then you will spend more time in God’s light and more time under the guidance of His words. There will also be more and more changes in your disposition, and your knowledge will increase day by day. When the day comes that God’s trials suddenly befall you, you will not only be able to stand by God’s side, but will also be able to bear testimony to God. At that time, you will be like Job, and like Peter. Having borne testimony to God you will truly love Him, and will gladly lay down your life for Him; you will be God’s witness, and one who is beloved by God. Love that has experienced refinement is strong, not weak. Regardless of when or how God subjects you to His trials, you are able to lay down your concerns about whether you live or die, to gladly cast aside everything for God, and to happily endure anything for God—thus your love will be pure and your faith real. Only then will you be someone who is truly loved by God, and who has truly been made perfect by God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

During his lifetime, Peter experienced refinement hundreds of times and underwent many painful ordeals. This refinement became the foundation of his supreme love of God, and the most significant experience of his entire life. That he was able to possess a supreme love of God was, in one sense, because of his resolve to love God; more importantly, however, it was because of the refinement and suffering that he underwent. This suffering became his guide on the path of loving God, and the thing that was most memorable to him. If people do not undergo the pain of refinement when loving God, then their love is full of impurities and their own preferences; love such as this is full of the ideas of Satan, and fundamentally incapable of satisfying God’s will. Having the resolve to love God is not the same as truly loving God. Even though all that they think of in their hearts is for the sake of loving and satisfying God, and even though their thoughts seem to be entirely devoted to God and devoid of any human ideas, yet when their thoughts are brought before God, He does not commend or bless such thoughts. Even when people have fully understood all truths—when they have come to know them all—this cannot be said to be a sign of loving God, it cannot be said that these people actually love God. Despite having understood many truths without undergoing refinement, people are incapable of putting these truths into practice; only during refinement can people understand the real meaning of these truths, only then can people genuinely appreciate their inner meaning. At that time, when they try again, they are able to put the truths into practice properly, and in accordance with God’s will; at that time, their human ideas are lessened, their human corruption is reduced, and their human emotions are diminished; only at that time is their practice a true manifestation of the love of God. The effect of the truth of the love of God is not achieved through spoken knowledge or mental willingness, and nor can it be achieved simply by understanding that truth. It requires that people pay a price, that they undergo much bitterness during refinement, and only then will their love become pure and after God’s own heart. In His requirement that man love Him, God does not demand that man love Him using passion or his own will; only through loyalty and the use of the truth to serve Him can man truly love Him.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Refinement Can Man Possess True Love” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When he was being chastised by God, Peter prayed, “O God! My flesh is disobedient, and You chastise me and judge me. I rejoice in Your chastisement and judgment, and even if You do not want me, in Your judgment I behold Your holy and righteous disposition. When You judge me, so that others may behold Your righteous disposition in Your judgment, I feel content. If it can express Your disposition and allow Your righteous disposition to be seen by all creatures, and if it can make my love for You more pure, that I can attain the likeness of one who is righteous, then Your judgment is good, for such is Your gracious will. I know that there is still much in me that is rebellious, and that I am still not fit to come before You. I wish for You to judge me even more, whether through a hostile environment or great tribulations; no matter what You do, to me it is precious. Your love is so profound, and I am willing to lay myself at Your mercy without the slightest complaint.” This is Peter’s knowledge after he experienced the work of God, and it is also a testimony to his love of God. … Near the end of his life, after he had been made perfect, Peter said, “O God! If I were to live a few more years, I would wish to achieve a purer and deeper love of You.” When he was about to be nailed to the cross, in his heart he prayed, “O God! Your time has now arrived; the time You prepared for me has arrived. I must be crucified for You, I must bear this testimony to You, and I hope that my love can satisfy Your requirements, and that it can become purer. Today, to be able to die for You, and be nailed to the cross for You, is comforting and reassuring to me, for nothing is more gratifying to me than to be able to be crucified for You and satisfy Your wishes, and to be able to give myself to You, to offer up my life to You. O God! You are so lovely! Were You to allow me to live, I would be even more willing to love You. As long as I am alive, I will love You. I wish to love You more deeply. You judge me, and chastise me, and try me because I am not righteous, because I have sinned. And Your righteous disposition becomes more apparent to me. This is a blessing to me, for I am able to love You more deeply, and I am willing to love You in this way even if You do not love me. I am willing to behold Your righteous disposition, for this makes me more able to live out a life of meaning. I feel that my life now is more meaningful, for I am crucified for Your sake, and it is meaningful to die for You. Yet still I do not feel satisfied, for I know too little of You, I know that I cannot completely fulfill Your wishes, and have repaid You too little. In my life, I have been incapable of returning my entirety to You; I am far from that. As I look back at this moment, I feel so indebted to You, and I have but this moment to make up for all of my mistakes and all the love that I have not repaid You.”

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Man must pursue to live out a life of meaning, and should not be satisfied with his current circumstances. To live out the image of Peter, he must possess the knowledge and experiences of Peter. Man must pursue things that are higher and more profound. He must pursue a deeper, purer love of God, and a life that has value and meaning. Only this is life; only then will man be the same as Peter. You must focus on being proactive toward your entry on the positive side, and must not submissively allow yourself to backslide for the sake of momentary ease while ignoring more profound, more specific, and more practical truths. Your love must be practical, and you must find ways to free yourself from this depraved, carefree life that is no different from an animal’s. You must live out a life of meaning, a life of value, and you must not fool yourself or treat your life like a toy to be played with. For everyone who aspires to love God, there are no unobtainable truths and no justice for which they cannot stand firm. How should you live your life? How should you love God, and use this love to satisfy His desire? There is no greater matter in your life. Above all, you must have such aspirations and perseverance, and should not be like those who are spineless, those who are weaklings. You must learn how to experience a meaningful life and experience meaningful truths, and should not treat yourself perfunctorily in that way. Without you realizing it, your life will pass you by; after that, will you have another opportunity to love God? Can man love God after he is dead? You must have the same aspirations and conscience as Peter; your life must be meaningful, and you must not play games with yourself. As a human being, and as a person who pursues God, you must be able to carefully consider how you treat your life, how you should offer yourself to God, how you should have a more meaningful faith in God, and how, since you love God, you should love Him in a way that is more pure, more beautiful, and more good.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

People often speak of letting God be their life, but their experience has not yet come to that point. You are merely saying that God is your life, that He guides you every day, that you eat and drink His words each day, and that you pray to Him each day, so He has become your life. The knowledge of those who say this is quite superficial. In many people there is no foundation; God’s words have been planted within them, but they have yet to sprout, much less have they borne any fruit. Today, to what extent have you experienced? Only now, after God has forced you to come this far, do you feel that you cannot leave God. One day, when your experience has reached a certain point, if God were to make you leave, you would not be able to. You will always feel that you cannot be without God inside you; you can be without a husband, wife, or children, without a family, without a mother or father, without the enjoyments of the flesh, but you cannot be without God. Being without God would be like losing your life; you would not be able to live without God. When you have experienced to this point, you will have hit the mark in your faith in God, and in this way, God will have become your life, He will have become the foundation of your existence. You will never again be able to leave God. When you have experienced to this extent, you will have truly enjoyed God’s love, and when you have a close enough relationship with God, He will be your life, your love, and at that time you will pray to God and say: “O God! I cannot leave You. You are my life. I can go without everything else—but without You, I cannot go on living.” This is people’s true stature; it is the real life. Some people have been forced to come as far as they have today: They have to go on whether they want to or not, and they always feel as if they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. You must experience such that God is your life, such that if God were taken away from your heart, it would be like losing your life; God must be your life, and you must be incapable of leaving Him. In this way, you will have actually experienced God, and at this time, when you love God, you will truly love God, and it will be a singular, pure love. One day, when your experiences are such that your life has reached a certain point, when you pray to God, and eat and drink the words of God, you will be unable to leave God inside, nor will you be able to forget Him even if you wanted to. God will have become your life; you can forget the world, you can forget your wife, husband, or children, but you will have trouble forgetting God—to do so would be impossible, this is your true life and your true love for God. When people’s love of God has reached a certain point, their love for nothing else is equal to their love of God; their love for God comes first. In this way you are able to give up everything else, and are willing to accept all dealing and pruning from God. When you have achieved a love of God that surpasses all else, you will live in reality and in God’s love.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

170. The Principles of Satisfying God

(1) It is necessary to understand the truth of one’s corruption on the basis of God’s words. Use the truth to amend your corrupt disposition, and come truly to repent and change;

(2) A person should be conscientious and reasonable, without requesting anything of God, nor desiring anything extravagant from Him. Seek only to be able to render loyal service to Him unto the very end;

(3) Stand in a position that befits a created being. Everything people have comes from God. One should live and die in deference to His orchestration, neither setting conditions nor requesting justification;

(4) In believing in God, one should pursue the truth, changes in their disposition, love for God, and the ability to bear witness for Him. Only thus can one completely satisfy God’s will.

Relevant Words of God:

As a believer in God, you should be loyal to none other than Him in all things, and be able to conform with His will in all things. Nevertheless, though everyone understands this message, because of the sundry difficulties of man—because of his ignorance, absurdity, and corruption, for example—these truths, which are the most apparent and basic of all, are not wholly evident in him, and so, before your end becomes set in stone, I ought first to tell you a few things that are of the utmost importance to you. Before I continue, you should first understand this: The words I speak are truths directed at all mankind; they are not addressed only to a specific person or type of person. Therefore, you should concentrate on understanding My words from the standpoint of the truth, and must have an attitude of undivided attention and sincerity; do not ignore a single word or truth that I speak, and do not treat all of the words I speak lightly. In your lives, I see that you have done much that is irrelevant to the truth, and so I expressly ask that you become servants of the truth, that you not be enslaved by wickedness and ugliness, and that you do not trample on the truth or defile any corner of the house of God. This is My admonition to you. Now I shall speak of the topic at hand.

First, for the sake of your fate, you should seek the approval of God. This is to say, since you acknowledge that you are a member of the house of God, you ought then to bring peace of mind to God and satisfy Him in all things. You must, in other words, be principled in your actions and conform to the truth in them. If this is beyond you, then you shall be detested and rejected by God and spurned by every man. Once you have fallen into such a predicament, you cannot then be counted among the house of God, which is precisely what it is meant by not being approved of by God.

Secondly, you ought to know that God likes those who are honest. In essence, God is faithful, and so His words can always be trusted; His actions, furthermore, are faultless and unquestionable, which is why God likes those who are absolutely honest with Him. Honesty means giving your heart to God, being genuine with God in all things, being open with Him in all things, never hiding the facts, not trying to deceive those above and below you, and not doing things only to curry favor with God. In short, to be honest is to be pure in your actions and words, and to deceive neither God nor man. …

The third thing I want to tell you is this: Every person, in the course of living their life of faith in God, has done things that resist and deceive God. Some misdeeds need not be recorded as an offense, but some are unforgivable; for there are many deeds that violate the administrative decrees, which offend the disposition of God. Many who are concerned about their own fates may ask what these deeds are. You should know that you are arrogant and haughty by nature, and unwilling to submit to the facts. For this reason, I shall tell you bit by bit after you have reflected upon yourselves. I exhort you to get a better understanding of the content of the administrative decrees, and to make an effort to know the disposition of God. If not, you will find it difficult to keep your lips sealed, your tongues will wag too freely with high-sounding talk, and you will unwittingly offend the disposition of God and fall into the darkness, losing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the light. Because you are unprincipled in your actions, because you do and say that which you should not, you shall receive a fitting retribution. You should know that though you are unprincipled in word and deed, God is highly principled in both. The reason you receive retribution is because you have offended God, not a person. If, in your life, you commit many offenses against the disposition of God, then you are bound to become a child of hell.

Excerpted from “Three Admonitions” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you can devote your heart, body, and all of your genuine love to God, place them before Him, be completely obedient toward Him, and be absolutely considerate of His will—not for the flesh, not for family, and not for your own personal desires, but for the interests of God’s household, taking God’s word as the principle and foundation in everything—then by doing so, your intentions and your perspectives will all be in the right place, and you will then be a person before God who receives His praise. The people God likes are those who are absolute toward Him; they are the ones who can be devoted solely to Him. Those whom God loathes are the ones who are half-hearted toward Him and who rebel against Him. He loathes those who believe in Him and always want to enjoy Him while yet being unable to completely expend themselves for His sake. He loathes those who say they love Him but who rebel against Him in their hearts; He loathes those who use eloquent, flowery words to engage in deception. Those who are not genuinely dedicated to God or who have not truly submitted before Him are treacherous and overly arrogant by nature. Those who cannot be genuinely submissive in front of the normal, practical God are even more arrogant, and they especially are the dutiful progeny of the archangel. People who truly expend themselves for God lay out their entire being before Him; they genuinely submit to all of His utterances, and are able to put His words into practice. They make God’s words the foundation of their existence, and they are able to search earnestly within God’s words to find out which parts to practice. Such are people who truly live before God. If what you do is beneficial for your life, and through the eating and drinking of His words you can meet your inner needs and inadequacies so that your life disposition is transformed, then this will satisfy God’s will. If you act in accordance with God’s requirements, and if you do not satisfy the flesh but instead satisfy His will, then in this you will have entered the reality of His words.

Excerpted from “Those Who Truly Love God Are Those Who Can Submit Absolutely to His Practicality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Since people began to believe in God, they have harbored many incorrect intentions. When you are not putting the truth into practice, you feel that all your intentions are correct, but when something happens to you, you will see that there are many incorrect intentions within you. Thus, when God makes people perfect, He causes them to realize that there are many notions within them that are obstructing their knowledge of God. When you recognize that your intentions are wrong, if you are able to stop practicing according to your notions and intentions, and are able to bear testimony to God, and stand firm in your position in all that happens to you, this proves that you have rebelled against the flesh. When you rebel against the flesh, there will inevitably be a battle within you. Satan will try and make people follow it, will try and make them follow the notions of the flesh and uphold the interests of the flesh—but God’s words will enlighten and illuminate people within, and at this time it is up to you whether you follow God or follow Satan. God asks people to put the truth into practice primarily to deal with the things inside them, to deal with their thoughts and notions that are not after God’s heart. The Holy Spirit touches people in their hearts and enlightens and illuminates them. So behind everything that happens is a battle: Every time people put the truth into practice, or put the love of God into practice, there is a great battle, and though all may seem well with their flesh, in the depths of their hearts a life-and-death battle will, in fact, be going on—and only after this intense battle, after a tremendous amount of reflection, can victory or defeat be decided. One does not know whether to laugh or cry. Because many of the intentions within people are wrong, or else because much of God’s work is at odds with their notions, when people put the truth into practice, a great battle is waged behind the scenes. Having put this truth into practice, behind the scenes, people will have shed countless tears of sadness before finally making up their mind to satisfy God. It is because of this battle that people endure suffering and refinement; this is true suffering. When the battle comes upon you, if you are able to truly stand on the side of God, you will be able to satisfy God. While practicing the truth, it is inevitable that one will suffer inside; if, when they put the truth into practice, everything within people were right, then they would not need to be made perfect by God, and there would be no battle, and they would not suffer. It is because there are many things within people that are not fit for use by God, and because there is much of the rebellious disposition of the flesh, that people need to learn the lesson of rebelling against the flesh more profoundly. This is what God calls the suffering that He asked man to undergo with Him. When you encounter difficulties, hurry up and pray to God: “O God! I wish to satisfy You, I wish to endure the final hardship to satisfy Your heart, and regardless of how great the setbacks I encounter, still I must satisfy You. Even if I have to give up my whole life, still I must satisfy You!” With this resolve, when you pray thus, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony. Each time they put the truth into practice, each time they undergo refinement, each time they are tried, and each time God’s work comes upon them, people have to endure extreme pain. All of this is a test for people, and so within all of them there is a battle. This is the actual price that they pay. Reading more of God’s words and running about more is a portion of that price. It is what people ought to do, it is their duty, and the responsibility that they should fulfill, but people must put aside that within them which needs to be put aside. If you do not, then no matter how great your external suffering, no matter how much you run around, all will be in vain! Which is to say, only the changes within you can determine whether your external hardship is of value. When your internal disposition has changed and you have put the truth into practice, then all your external suffering will gain God’s approval; if there has been no change in your internal disposition, then no matter how much suffering you endure or how much you run about on the outside, there will be no approval from God—and hardship that is not confirmed by God is in vain. Thus, whether the price you have paid is approved by God is determined by whether or not there has been a change in you, and by whether or not you put the truth into practice and rebel against your own intentions and notions to attain the satisfaction of God’s will, the knowledge of God, and loyalty to God. No matter how much you run about, if you have never known to rebel against your own intentions, but only to seek external actions and fervency, and never pay any attention to your life, then your hardship will have been in vain. If, in a certain environment, you have something you want to say, but inside you feel that saying it is not right, that saying it does not benefit your brothers and sisters and may hurt them, then you will not say it, preferring to be pained within, for these words are incapable of meeting God’s will. At this time, there will be a battle inside you, but you will be willing to suffer pain and give up that which you love. You will be willing to endure this hardship to satisfy God, and although you will suffer pain inside, you will not pander to the flesh, and God’s heart shall have been satisfied, and so you will also be comforted inside. This is truly paying a price, and is the price desired by God. If you practice in this way, God will surely bless you; if you cannot achieve this, then no matter how much you understand, or how well you can speak, it will all be for nothing! If, on the road to loving God, you are able to stand on the side of God when He does battle with Satan, and you do not turn back to Satan, then you will have achieved the love of God, and you will have stood firm in your testimony.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men and the interference of men. Behind every step of work that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle. For example, if you are prejudiced toward your brothers and sisters, you will have words that you want to say—words that you feel may be displeasing to God—but if you do not say them, you will feel internal discomfort, and at this moment, a battle will commence within you: “Do I speak or not?” This is the battle. Thus, in everything you encounter there is a battle, and when there is a battle within you, thanks to your actual cooperation and actual suffering, God works within you. Ultimately, you are able to put the matter aside inside of you and the anger is naturally extinguished. Such is the effect of your cooperation with God. Everything people do requires them to pay a certain price in their efforts. Without actual hardship, they cannot satisfy God; they do not even come close to satisfying God, and they are just spouting empty slogans! Can these empty slogans satisfy God? When God and Satan do battle in the spiritual realm, how should you satisfy God, and how should you stand firm in your testimony to Him? You should know that everything that happens to you is a great trial and the time when God needs you to bear testimony. Though they may seem unimportant from the outside, when these things happen they show whether or not you love God. If you do, you will be able to stand firm in your testimony to Him, and if you have not put the love of Him into practice, this shows you are not someone who puts the truth into practice, that you are without the truth, and without life, that you are chaff! Everything that happens to people happens when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Though nothing major is happening to you at the moment and you do not bear great testimony, every detail of your daily life is a matter of testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony. Although you have no insight and your caliber is poor, through God’s perfection of you, you are able to satisfy Him and be mindful of His will, showing others what great work He has done in people of the poorest caliber. When people come to know God and become overcomers before Satan, loyal to God to a great extent, then none has more backbone than this group of people, and this is the greatest testimony. Although you are incapable of doing great work, you are able to satisfy God. Others cannot put aside their notions, but you can; others cannot bear testimony to God during their actual experiences, but you can use your actual stature and actions to repay God’s love and bear resounding testimony to Him. Only this counts as actually loving God. If you are incapable of this, then you do not bear testimony among your family members, among your brothers and sisters, or before the people of the world. If you cannot bear testimony before Satan, Satan will laugh at you, it will treat you as a joke, as a plaything, it will often make a fool of you and drive you insane. In the future, great trials may befall you—but today, if you love God with a true heart, and if, regardless of how great the trials ahead, irrespective of what happens to you, you are able to stand firm in your testimony and are able to satisfy God, then your heart will be comforted, and you will be unafraid no matter how great the trials you encounter in the future. You cannot see what will happen in the future; you can only satisfy God in today’s circumstances. You are incapable of doing any great work and should focus on satisfying God by experiencing His words in real life, and bear strong and resounding testimony that brings shame upon Satan. Although your flesh will remain unsatisfied and will have suffered, you will have satisfied God and brought shame upon Satan. If you always practice in this way, God will open up a path before you. When, one day, a great trial comes, others will fall down, but you will still be able to stand firm: Because of the price you have paid, God will protect you so you can stand firm and not fall down. If, ordinarily, you are able to put the truth into practice and satisfy God with a heart that truly loves Him, then God will surely protect you during future trials. Though you are foolish and of little stature and poor caliber, God will not discriminate against you. It depends on whether your intentions are right. Today, you are able to satisfy God, in which you are attentive to the smallest detail, you satisfy God in all things, you have a heart that truly loves God, you give your true heart to God, and although there are some things that you cannot understand, you can come before God to rectify your intentions and seek God’s will, and you do everything needed to satisfy God. Perhaps your brothers and sisters will abandon you, but your heart will be satisfying God, and you will not covet the pleasures of the flesh. If you always practice in this way, you will be protected when great trials come upon you.

Excerpted from “Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Today, most people do not have that knowledge. They believe that suffering is without value, they are renounced by the world, their home life is troubled, they are not beloved of God, and their prospects are bleak. The suffering of some people reaches an extreme, and their thoughts turn to death. This is not true love for God; such people are cowards, they have no perseverance, they are weak and powerless! God is eager for man to love Him, but the more man loves Him, the greater man’s suffering, and the more man loves Him, the greater man’s trials. If you love Him, then every kind of suffering will befall you—and if you do not, then perhaps everything will go smoothly for you and all will be peaceful around you. When you love God, you will feel that much around you is insurmountable, and because your stature is too small you will be refined; moreover, you will be incapable of satisfying God, and you will always feel that God’s will is too lofty, that it is beyond the reach of man. Because of all this you will be refined—because there is much weakness within you, and much that is incapable of satisfying the will of God, you will be refined internally. Yet you must clearly see that purification is only achieved through refinement. Thus, during these last days you must bear testimony to God. No matter how great your suffering, you should walk until the very end, and even at your last breath, still you must be faithful to God and at the mercy of God; only this is truly loving God, and only this is the strong and resounding testimony. When you are tempted by Satan, you should say: “My heart belongs to God, and God has already gained me. I cannot satisfy you—I must devote my all to satisfying God.” The more you satisfy God, the more God blesses you and the greater the strength of your love for God; so, too, will you have faith and resolve, and will feel that nothing is more worthy or significant than a life spent loving God. It can be said that man has but to love God to be without sorrow. Although there are times when your flesh is weak and you are beset by many real troubles, during these times you will truly rely on God, and within your spirit you will be consoled, and you will feel certainty, and that you have something to depend upon. In this way, you will be able to overcome many environments, and so you will not complain about God because of the anguish that you suffer. Instead, you will want to sing, dance, and pray, to assemble and commune, to give thought to God, and you will feel that all the people, matters, and things around you that are organized by God are fitting. If you do not love God, all that you look upon will be irksome to you and nothing will be pleasing to your eyes; in your spirit you will not be free but downtrodden, your heart will always complain about God, and you will always feel that you suffer so much torment, and that it is so unjust. If you do not pursue for the sake of happiness, but in order to satisfy God and to not be accused by Satan, then such pursuit will give you great strength to love God. Man is able to carry out all that is spoken by God, and all that he does is able to satisfy God—this is what it means to be possessed of reality. Pursuing the satisfaction of God is using your love for God to put His words into practice; regardless of the time—even when others are without strength—inside of you there is still a heart which loves God, which profoundly yearns for and misses God. This is real stature.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God especially treasures man’s obedience to Him, and cherishes man’s understanding of Him and sincerity toward Him. How much does God cherish this sincerity? You may not understand how much He cherishes it, and there may well be none who realize it. God gave Abraham a son, and when that son had grown up, God asked Abraham to offer his son to God. Abraham followed God’s command to the letter, he obeyed God’s word, and his sincerity moved God and was treasured by God. How much did God treasure it? And why did He treasure it? At a time when no one comprehended God’s words or understood His heart, Abraham did something that shook the heavens and made the earth tremble, and it made God feel an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, and brought God the joy of gaining someone who was able to obey His words. This satisfaction and joy came from a creature made by God’s own hand, and was the first “sacrifice” that man had offered to God and that was most treasured by God, ever since man was created. God had had a hard time waiting for this sacrifice, and He treated it as the first most important gift from man, whom He had created. It showed God the first fruit of His efforts and of the price He had paid, and it allowed Him to see the hope in mankind. Afterward, God had an even greater yearning for a group of such people to keep Him company, to treat Him with sincerity, and to care for Him with sincerity. God even hoped that Abraham would live on, for He wished to have a heart such as Abraham’s accompany Him and be with Him as He continued in His management.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter how God works, and no matter your environment, you are able to pursue life and seek the truth, and seek knowledge of God’s work, and have an understanding of His actions, and you are able to act according to the truth. Doing so is what it is to have true faith, and doing so shows that you have not lost faith in God. You can only have true faith in God if you are able to persist in pursuing the truth through refinement, if you are able to truly love God and do not develop doubts about Him, if no matter what He does you still practice the truth to satisfy Him, and if you are able to seek in the depths for His will and be considerate of His will. In the past, when God said that you would reign as a king, you loved Him, and when He openly showed Himself to you, you pursued Him. But now God is hidden, you cannot see Him, and troubles have come upon you—do you then now lose hope in God? So, you must at all times pursue life and seek to satisfy God’s will. This is called genuine faith, and this is the truest and most beautiful kind of love.

… When you face suffering, you must be able to lay aside concern for the flesh and to not make complaints against God. When God hides Himself from you, you must be able to have the faith to follow Him, to maintain your previous love without allowing it to falter or dissipate. No matter what God does, you must submit to His design and be prepared to curse your own flesh rather than make complaints against Him. When you are faced with trials, you must satisfy God, though you may weep bitterly or feel reluctant to part with some beloved object. Only this is true love and faith. No matter what your actual stature is, you must first possess both the will to suffer hardship and true faith, and you must also have the will to forsake the flesh. You should be willing to endure personal hardships and suffer losses to your personal interests in order to satisfy God’s will. You must also be capable of feeling regret about yourself in your heart: In the past, you were unable to satisfy God, and now, you can regret yourself. You must not be lacking in any of these regards—it is through these things that God will perfect you. If you cannot meet these criteria, then you cannot be perfected.

Excerpted from “Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

No matter what God asks of you, you need only work toward it with all your strength, and I hope you will be able to come before God and give Him your utmost devotion in the end. As long as you can see God’s gratified smile as He sits upon His throne, even if this moment is the appointed time of your death, you should be able to laugh and smile as you close your eyes. You must, during your time on earth, do your final duty for God. In the past, Peter was crucified upside down for the sake of God; but you should satisfy God in the end, and exhaust all your energy for His sake. What can a created being do on behalf of God? You should therefore give yourself up to God, sooner rather than later, for Him to dispose of you as He wishes. As long as it makes God happy and pleased, then let Him do as He will with you. What right do men have to speak words of complaint?

Excerpted from “Chapter 41” of Interpretations of the Mysteries of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s work is to perform His ministry, and the duty of man is to obey all of God’s guidance, without any resistance. That which man must attain he is behooved to accomplish, regardless of the manner in which God works or lives. Only God Himself can make requirements of man, which is to say, only God Himself is fit to make requirements of man. Man should not have any choice and should do nothing but fully submit and practice; this is the sense that should be possessed by man. Once the work that should be done by God Himself is completed, man is required to experience it, step by step. If, in the end, when all of God’s management has been completed, man has still not done that which is required by God, then man should be punished. If man does not fulfill the requirements of God, then this is due to the disobedience of man; it does not mean that God has not been thorough enough in His work. All those who cannot put God’s words into practice, those who cannot fulfill God’s requirements, and those who cannot give their loyalty and fulfill their duty shall all be punished. Today, what you are required to achieve are not additional demands, but the duty of man, and that which should be done by all people. If you are incapable of even doing your duty, or of doing it well, then are you not bringing trouble upon yourselves? Are you not courting death? How could you still expect to have a future and prospects? The work of God is done for the sake of mankind, and the cooperation of man is given for the sake of God’s management. After God has done all that He is supposed to do, man is required to be unstinting in his practice, and to cooperate with God. In the work of God, man should spare no effort, should offer up his loyalty, and should not indulge in numerous notions, or sit passively and await death. God can sacrifice Himself for man, so why can man not offer his loyalty to God? God is of one heart and mind toward man, so why can man not offer a little cooperation? God works for mankind, so why can man not perform some of his duty for the sake of God’s management? God’s work has come this far, yet still you see but do not act, you hear but do not move. Are not such people the objects of perdition? God has already devoted His all to man, so why, today, is man incapable of earnestly performing his duty? For God, His work is His first priority, and the work of His management is of the utmost importance. For man, putting God’s words into practice and fulfilling God’s requirements are his first priority. This you should all understand.

Excerpted from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

You should all now look into yourselves as quickly as you can, to see how much betrayal of Me remains within you. I am eagerly awaiting your response. Do not be perfunctory in dealing with Me. I never play games with people. If I say I will do something then I will certainly do it. I hope each of you will be someone who takes My words seriously, and not think as if they were science fiction. What I want is concrete action from you, not your imaginings. Next, you must answer My questions, which are as follows: 1. If you are truly a service-doer, can you render service to Me loyally, without any element of laxness or negativity? 2. If you discover I have never appreciated you, will you still be able to stay and render lifelong service to Me? 3. If I am still very cold to you despite you having expended much effort, will you be able to continue working for Me in obscurity? 4. If, after you have made expenditures for Me, I do not satisfy your petty demands, will you become disheartened and disappointed with Me, or even become furious and shout abuse? 5. If you have always been very loyal, with much love for Me, yet you suffer the torment of illness, poverty, and the abandonment of your friends and relatives, or if you endure any other misfortunes in life, will your loyalty and love for Me still continue? 6. If none of what you have imagined in your heart matches what I have done, how will you walk your future path? 7. If you do not receive any of the things you hoped to receive, can you continue to be My follower? 8. If you have never understood the purpose and significance of My work, can you be an obedient person who does not arbitrarily make judgments and draw conclusions? 9. Can you treasure all the words I have said and all the work I have done while I have been together with mankind? 10. Are you able to be My loyal follower, willing to endure a lifetime of suffering for Me, though you do not receive anything? 11. For My sake, are you able to forgo considering, planning, or preparing for your future path of survival? These questions represent My final requirements of you, and I hope all of you can give Me answers.

Excerpted from “A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

171. The Principles of Knowing God’s Love

(1) All the truths Christ expresses are for the sake of man’s salvation. The essence of Christ is love; it is the truth, the way, and the life;

(2) One must not delimit God’s love with their notions and imaginings, defining it solely as grace, mercy, and tolerance; severe judgment, chastening, and discipline are all the more expressions of God’s love for man;

(3) As one undergoes God’s judgment and chastisement and His trials and refinement, they break away from the influence of Satan, and their corrupt disposition is transformed. This is God’s true love;

(4) When one has a true understanding of God’s love, they are able willingly to expend themselves for God, perform their duty well to satisfy God, and requite God’s love.

Relevant Words of God:

God uses His judgment to make man perfect, He has loved man, and saved man—but how much is contained within His love? There is judgment, majesty, wrath, and curse. Though God cursed man in the past, He did not completely cast man into the bottomless pit, but used that means to refine man’s faith; He did not put man to death, but acted in order to make man perfect. The substance of the flesh is that which is of Satan—God said it exactly right—but the facts carried out by God are not completed according to His words. He curses you so that you might love Him, and so that you might know the substance of the flesh; He chastises you so that you might be awakened, to allow you to know the deficiencies within you, and to know man’s utter unworthiness. Thus, God’s curses, His judgment, and His majesty and wrath—they are all in order to make man perfect. All that God does today, and the righteous disposition that He makes plain within you—it is all in order to make man perfect. Such is the love of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

All of you live in a land of sin and licentiousness, and you are all licentious and sinful. Today you are not just able to look upon God, but more importantly, you have received chastisement and judgment, you have received truly profound salvation, which is to say, you have received God’s greatest love. In all that He does, God is truly loving toward you. He has no ill intention. It is because of your sins that He judges you, so that you will examine yourselves and receive this tremendous salvation. All this is done for the purpose of making man complete. From beginning to end, God has been doing His utmost to save man, and has no desire to completely destroy the men He created with His own hands. Today, He has come among you to work; is this not salvation all the more? If He hated you, would He still do work of such magnitude in order to personally guide you? Why should He suffer so? God does not hate you or have any ill intentions toward you. You should know that God’s love is the truest love. It is only because people are disobedient that He has to save them through judgment; if not for this, saving them would be impossible. Because you do not know how to live and are not even aware of how to live, and because you live in this licentious and sinful land and are yourselves licentious and filthy devils, He cannot bear to let you become even more depraved, He cannot bear to see you living in this filthy land as you do now, trampled on by Satan at will, and He cannot bear to let you fall into Hades. He only wants to gain this group of people and thoroughly save you. This is the main purpose of doing the work of conquest on you—it is just for salvation. If you cannot see that everything done on you is love and salvation, if you think it is just a method, a way to torment man, and something untrustworthy, then you might as well go back to your world to suffer pain and hardship! If you are willing to be in this stream, and to enjoy this judgment and this immense salvation, to enjoy all of these blessings, blessings that cannot be found anywhere in the human world, and to enjoy this love, then be good: Stay in this stream to accept the work of conquest so you can be made perfect. Today, you may suffer a little pain and refinement because of God’s judgment, but there is value and meaning to suffering this pain. Though people are refined and mercilessly exposed by God’s chastisement and judgment—the aim being to punish them for their sins, to punish their flesh—none of this work is intended to condemn their flesh to destruction. The severe disclosures by the word are all for the purpose of leading you onto the right path. You have personally experienced so much of this work and, clearly, it has not led you onto an evil path! It is all in order to make you live out normal humanity, and it is all achievable by your normal humanity. Every step of God’s work is based upon your needs, according to your weaknesses, and according to your actual stature, and no unbearable burden is placed on you. This is not clear to you today, and you feel as if I am being hard on you, and indeed you always believe that the reason I chastise, judge and reproach you every day is because I hate you. But although what you suffer is chastisement and judgment, this is actually love for you, and it is the greatest protection.

Excerpted from “The Inside Truth of the Work of Conquest (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What is the essence of Christ? For humans, Christ’s essence is love; for those who follow Him, it is boundless love. If He had no love or mercy, then people would not still be following Him. Some people say, “But God is also righteous.” God is indeed righteous, but in terms of His disposition, His righteousness is chiefly expressed through His loathing of humanity’s corrupt disposition, His cursing of demons and Satan, and His intolerance toward any offense against His disposition. So, does His righteousness contain love? Is His judgment of man and cleansing of his corruption love? God has endured such immense humiliation with the utmost patience; is this not love? Thus, I will be honest with you: In the work God does for humanity while incarnate, His most obvious and prominent essence is love; it is infinite tolerance. If it were not love and instead were as you imagine—when God intends to strike someone down, He does so; when He hates someone, He punishes, curses, judges, and chastises that person—how strict He would then be! If He is angry at people, they will tremble in fear and not be able to stand before Him…. This is just one way in which God’s disposition is expressed. Ultimately, His goal is still to bring salvation, and His love runs through all revelations of His disposition. Think back for a bit: While working in the flesh, what God reveals the most to people is love. What is patience? Patience is having mercy that stems from the love within, and its purpose is still to save people. God is able to have mercy on people only because He has love. It is like how a married couple who truly love each other overlook one another’s shortcomings and faults. If your partner angers you, you are patient with him or her; all is built upon a foundation of love. If the husband and wife hated each other, then they would not have this attitude or express themselves in such a manner, nor would there be such an effect. If God had only hate and fury, and simply passed judgment and chastisement without any love, then the situation would not be what you see now, and calamity would befall you people. Would He be providing you with the truth? If people were cursed after having been chastised and judged, then they would be completely done for. Even if they did not die straight away, there would be those who fell ill or were struck by disability, madness, or blindness, as well as those who were turned over to the evil spirits and filthy demons to be trampled underfoot, and these people would not be as they are today. Thus, you have enjoyed much love from God; He has granted you a great deal of tolerance, compassion, and lovingkindness. Nevertheless, people take exception to this, thinking to themselves, “This is how God should treat humans; He also has righteousness and wrath, and we have experienced quite a lot of these, too.” Have you really? If you truly had, then you would be done for. How would the humanity of today still exist? God’s hatred, wrath, and righteousness are all expressed from a foundation of wanting to bring salvation to this group of people. This disposition also contains love and mercy, as well as a vast patience. This hate carries a sense of having no other choice, and includes boundless concern and anticipation for mankind! God’s hatred is aimed at mankind’s corruption; it is aimed at people’s rebelliousness and sins, it is unilateral, and is established upon a foundation of love. Only when there is love can there be hate. God’s hatred toward humans is different from His hatred toward Satan, because God saves people, but He does not save Satan. God’s righteous disposition has always been there; He has had wrath, righteousness, and judgment from the very beginning. They did not simply spring into existence the moment He directed them at mankind. This was God’s disposition before it was beheld by humans; it is just that they only realized that this was the nature of His righteousness after they had tasted of it. In fact, whether God is righteous, majestic, or wrathful, all of the work He does for the salvation of humanity results from love. Some people say, “So how much love does that actually involve?” It is not a matter of how much; one hundred percent of it is love. Any less, and humans would not be saved. God dedicates all of His love to people.

Why did God become flesh? It has already been said that He spares no effort to save mankind; as such, His incarnation is endowed with the entirety of His love, which shows you the extremity of man’s disobedience toward God, and the situation is beyond remedy. He had no choice but to become flesh and offer Himself up to mankind. God offers up all of His love. If He did not love humanity, He would not have become flesh; rather, He would have struck thunder from the heavens, directly issuing forth His majesty and wrath and causing man to collapse to the ground. There would have been no need for God to go to all the effort of becoming flesh; He would not have had to pay such a great price or suffer such excessive humiliation. This is a clear example. He would rather suffer pain, humiliation, abandonment, and persecution to save humans; despite such a hostile environment, He still brings them salvation. Could there be any greater love? If God had nothing but righteousness, and if He were brimming with unmitigated loathing for mankind, He would not have become flesh to do His work; He could have waited until the corruption of humans had reached its extreme and then annihilated them all, and thus been over and done with it. It is because God loves man—because He has the utmost love for humankind—that He became flesh to save these people who were so extraordinarily corrupt. After undergoing God’s judgment and chastisement, and becoming aware of their natures, many people say, “It’s all over for me; I could never be saved.” Only when you believe yourself incapable of attaining salvation do you become aware of the fact that God genuinely has the utmost patience and love for man! What could people do without God’s love? Human nature is so corrupt, yet God still speaks to you; He immediately replies to any question you might ask, concerned that you may not understand and fearful that you might go astray or go to extremes. Even with that being the case, do you still not understand the magnitude of God’s love for mankind?

Excerpted from “God’s True Love for Mankind” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God has humbled Himself to such a level that He does His work in these filthy and corrupt people, and perfects this group of people. God not only became flesh to live and eat among people, to shepherd people, and to provide what people need. More important is that He does His mighty work of salvation and conquest upon these unbearably corrupt people. He came to the heart of the great red dragon to save these most corrupt of people, so that all people may be changed and made new. The immense hardship that God endures is not only the hardship that the God incarnate endures, but most of all it is that God’s Spirit suffers extreme humiliation—He humbles and hides Himself so much that He becomes an ordinary person. God was incarnated and took the form of flesh so that people see that He has a normal human life and normal human needs. This is enough to prove that God has humbled Himself to a great extent. The Spirit of God is realized in the flesh. His Spirit is so high and great, yet He takes the form of a common human, of a negligible human, so as to do the work of His Spirit. The caliber, insight, sense, humanity, and lives of each of you show that you are really unworthy to accept God’s work of this kind. You are really unworthy to let God endure such hardship for your sake. God is so great. He is so supreme, and people are so lowly, yet He still works upon them. He not only was incarnated to provide for people, to speak to people, but He even lives together with people. God is so humble, so lovable. If, as soon as God’s love is mentioned, as soon as God’s grace is mentioned, you shed tears while uttering great praise, if you arrive at this state, then you have true knowledge of God.

Excerpted from “Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When God came to the earth, He was not of the world, and He did not become flesh in order to enjoy the world. The place where working would reveal His disposition and be most meaningful is the place where He was born. Whether it is a holy or a filthy land, and no matter where He works, He is holy. Everything in the world was created by Him, though it has all been corrupted by Satan. However, all things still belong to Him; they are all in His hands. He comes to a filthy land and works there in order to reveal His holiness; He only does this for the sake of His work, which means He endures great humiliation to do such work in order to save the people of this filthy land. This is done so as to bear witness, for the sake of all of mankind. What such work shows people is God’s righteousness, and it is better able to display God’s supremacy. His greatness and uprightness are manifested in the salvation of a group of lowly people whom others scorn. Being born in a filthy land does not at all prove that He is lowly; it simply allows all of creation to see His greatness and His true love for mankind. The more He does so, the more it reveals His pure love, His flawless love for man. God is holy and righteous. Even though He was born in a filthy land, and even though He lives with those people who are full of filthiness, just as Jesus lived with sinners in the Age of Grace, is every bit of His work not done for the sake of all mankind’s survival? Is it all not so that mankind can gain great salvation? Two thousand years ago, He lived with sinners for a number of years. That was for the sake of redemption. Today, He is living with a group of filthy, lowly people. This is for the sake of salvation. Is all His work not for the sake of you humans? If not to save mankind, why would He have lived and suffered with sinners for so many years after being born in a manger? And if not to save mankind, why would He return to the flesh a second time, born in this land where demons congregate, and live with these people who have been deeply corrupted by Satan? Is God not faithful? What part of His work has not been for mankind? What part has not been for your destiny? God is holy—this is immutable! He is unpolluted by filth, though He has come to a filthy land; all of this can only mean that God’s love for mankind is extremely selfless and the suffering and humiliation He endures is extremely great! Do you not know how great the humiliation He suffers is, for all of you and for your destiny? Rather than saving great people or the sons of rich and powerful families, He makes a point of saving those who are lowly and looked down on. Is all of this not His holiness? Is all of this not His righteousness?

Excerpted from “The Significance of Saving the Descendants of Moab” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Many are the sleepless nights that God has endured for the sake of the work of mankind. From up high to the lowest depths, He has descended to the living hell in which man lives to pass His days with man, He has never complained of the shabbiness among man, and He has never reproached man for his disobedience, but endures the greatest humiliation as He personally carries out His work. How could God belong to hell? How could He spend His life in hell? But for the sake of all mankind, so that the whole of mankind can find rest sooner, He has endured humiliation and suffered injustice to come to earth, and personally entered into “hell” and “Hades,” into the tiger’s den, to save man. How is man qualified to oppose God? What reason does he have to complain about God? How can he have the gall to look upon God? God of heaven has come to this most filthy land of vice, and has never vented His grievances, or complained about man, but instead quietly accepts the ravages[1] and oppression of man. Never has He hit back at the unreasonable demands of man, never has He made excessive demands of man, and never has He made unreasonable demands of man; He merely does all the work required by man without complaint: teaching, enlightening, reproaching, the refinement of words, reminding, exhorting, consoling, judging, and revealing. Which of His steps has not been for the life of man? Though He has removed the prospects and fate of man, which of the steps carried out by God has not been for the fate of man? Which of them has not been for the sake of man’s survival? Which of them has not been to free man from this suffering and from the oppression of dark forces that are as black as night? Which of them is not for the sake of man? Who can understand God’s heart, which is as the heart of a loving mother? Who can comprehend God’s eager heart?

Excerpted from “Work and Entry (9)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Humans and God are fundamentally different and live in two different realms. Humans are unable to understand God’s language, much less know His thoughts. Only God understands humans, and it is impossible for them to understand Him. Therefore, God has to become flesh and transform into the same kind as humans (appearing outwardly to be the same), enduring tremendous humiliation and pain to save people so that they can understand and know His work. Why is God always saving humans, and never giving up? Is it not because of His love for them? He sees humanity being corrupted by Satan, and cannot bear to let go or give up; this is the reason He came up with a management plan. If it were as people imagine, and He destroyed humankind as soon as He became angry, then He would not be needing to take such great pains to save them. It is precisely due to the pain suffered by His incarnation that little by little, His love is being discovered and coming to be known by all people. If God were not performing this kind of work, then people would only know that there is a God in heaven and that He has love for humanity. If that were the case, it would be mere doctrine, and people would never be able to observe and experience God’s true love. Only through the work God does in the flesh can people gain a true understanding of Him. This understanding is neither vague nor empty, and neither is it a doctrine to which one merely pays lip service; rather, it is a genuine understanding, because the love that God gives to humans brings substantial advantages. This work can only be done by Him in flesh; the Spirit cannot perform this work in His stead. How great was the love that the Lord Jesus gave people? He was crucified on behalf of corrupt humanity, and served as a sin offering; He had come to complete the work of redemption for humankind, right up until He was crucified. This love was boundless, and the work God has done is profoundly significant. Some people still have notions about God incarnate. What notions do you have? Without God incarnate, people’s belief in God would be but an empty framework, and they eventually would be destroyed! God’s love for humankind primarily manifests in His work done while in the flesh, in personally saving people, speaking and living face-to-face with them, without being the slightest bit distant, without any pretense, and while being completely real. He saves people to the extent that He was able to become flesh and pass through years of pain with humans in the world, all because of His love and pity for humankind. God’s love for humans is unconditional and makes no demands. What does He receive from them in return? People are cold toward God. Who is able to treat God as God? People do not give God the slightest bit of comfort; to this day, God still has not received true love from humanity. God just keeps giving and providing selflessly, yet people are still not content and persistently ask Him for grace. People are so difficult to deal with and are so troublesome! However, sooner or later the day will come when God’s work will obtain results and the majority of people will send out true thanks from their hearts. People who have experienced many years are able to have a sense for this aspect. Even though people are numb, they are not robots after all; they are not lifeless objects. People who have not had experience with God’s work might not be able to observe these things; they only acknowledge saying that these truths are correct, but they do not have a very deep understanding.

Excerpted from “Do You Know God’s Love for Mankind?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

God’s love of man is not as people imagine, it is not merely speaking nice-sounding words, or words of benediction. In God’s current work, there are some words that are positively at odds with people’s wishes, words that even pierce their hearts and bring them pain. Some words of judgment seem to label people, to curse them, but there is a real context to this. These words are entirely in line with the facts, and there is nothing excessive about them: God speaks based on people’s corrupt essence, and people have but to experience for a time to know this. God’s aim in saying these things is to change people, and to save them; only by God speaking thus can the optimal effect be achieved. You should see that the painstaking care and thought of God are completely designed to save people and they all embody God’s love. Regardless of whether you look at the wisdom in God’s work, the steps and methods in God’s work, or the duration of the work or His precise arrangements and plans, it all contains His love. For example, people all have love for their sons and daughters and, to enable their children to walk the correct path, they all put forth a great amount of effort. When they discover their children’s weaknesses, the parents worry that if they speak softly, their children will not listen, and will not be able to change, and they worry that if they speak too sternly, they will hurt their children’s self-esteem, and their children will not be able to bear it. This is all done out of love, and they put a great deal of effort into it. Sons and daughters may have experienced their parents’ love. Love does not just involve gentleness and consideration; even more so, it involves strict chastening. It is even more out of love and under the precondition of love that God does His utmost to bring salvation to corrupt humanity. He does not deal with people perfunctorily; He makes precise plans and proceeds with them step by step. In terms of when, where, with what tone of voice, with what method of speaking, and how much effort He puts forth, and so on, it can be said that all of this reveals His love, and it all fully explains that His love for mankind is limitless and immeasurable. When they are tested, many people speak words of rebellion against God, or complain, but God does not hold this against them—nor, moreover, does He punish any one of them as a result. He loves man, and so He is tolerant of all. If He had no love, and only hate, then He would have long since condemned all men. But because God has love, He does not hold these things against them, and is tolerant, and He appreciates people’s difficulties, and all that He does is directed by love. Only God understands people—even you do not understand yourself. Is that not right? Think back carefully: There are those who complain about this and that, and people are unreasonable, and they live amid God’s blessings but do not even know it. No one knows how much God has suffered to come from heaven down to earth. God became a human being, He who is so noble and great—how great the pain He has suffered to become such an insignificant, humble human being who endured such humiliation! … God is able to perform this work today because His management plan has reached this stage; He would not save mankind unless He loved mankind, and it is only because He is prompted by love, under the precondition of love, that He works thus. God’s suffering of immense humiliation in becoming flesh in order to save corrupt mankind is full proof of just how great His love is.

Between the lines of God’s words there is exhortation, comfort, encouragement, tolerance, patience, judgment, chastisement, cursing, public revelation, glorious promises, and more. His every means is directed by love; this is the essence of His work. All of you have some understanding today, though it is not particularly deep. But at the very least, there are some things that you are able to sense. Later, when you have experienced for three or five years, you will sense just how profound and great this love is, how it is beyond description by the language of man. If people have no love for God, how can they repay His love? Even if you gave your life, still you would not be able to repay God’s love. If you experience for another few years, you will know what love is, and you will then look back on your disposition and what is manifested in you today, and you will feel the utmost regret, and will fall down to your knees before God. Today, why do most people follow God so closely, so ardently? Because they know the love of God, and they see that the work of God is the salvation of man. Think about it: Is God’s work not incredibly precise in its timing? His work proceeds one stage after another, without any delay—and why does He brook no delay? For the sake of man. He does not want to sacrifice a single soul, and He does not wish to lose one single soul more; man, meanwhile, cares not for his own fate. So who loves you most in this world? You do not love yourself, you do not know to cherish or treasure your own life—God has the greatest love for man. People may be insensible of this, and they may think they love themselves—but just what kind of love do they have for themselves? Only the love of God is genuine love. Going forward, you will slowly come to appreciate what true love is. It would be no easy matter for people to truly know God’s love if God had not become flesh to work and guide man face-to-face, passing day and night with man, and living together with man.

Excerpted from “Do You Know God’s Love for Mankind?” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

In man’s traditional notions, he believes that God’s love is His grace, mercy, and sympathy for the weakness of man. Although these things are also the love of God, they are too one-sided, and are not the primary means by which God makes man perfect. Some people begin to believe in God because of illness. This illness is God’s grace for you; without it, you would not believe in God, and if you did not believe in God then you would not have come this far—and thus even this grace is the love of God. In the time of belief in Jesus, people did much that was unbeloved by God because they did not understand the truth, yet God has love and mercy, and He has brought man this far, and although man understands nothing, still God allows man to follow Him, and, furthermore, He has led man into today. Is this not the love of God? That which is manifested in God’s disposition is the love of God—this is absolutely right! When the building of the church reached its peak, God did the step of work of the service-doers and cast man into the bottomless pit. The words of the time of the service-doers were all curses: the curses of your flesh, the curses of your corrupt satanic disposition, and the curses of the things about you that do not satisfy God’s will. The work done by God in that step was manifested as majesty, soon after which God carried out the step of the work of chastisement, and there came the trial of death. In such work, man saw the wrath, majesty, judgment, and chastisement of God, yet he also saw God’s grace, His love and His mercy. All that God did, and all that was manifested as His disposition, was God’s love for man, and all that God did was able to fulfill the needs of man. He did it in order to make man perfect, and He provided for man according to his stature. If God had not done this, man would be incapable of coming before God and would have no way of knowing the true face of God. From the time when man first began to believe in God until today, God has gradually provided for man in accordance with man’s stature, so that, inside, man has gradually come to know Him. Only having come to today does man realize just how wonderful is the judgment of God. The step of work of the service-doers was the first incidence of the work of cursing from the time of creation until today. Man was cursed into the bottomless pit. If God had not done that, today man would not have a true knowledge of God; it was only through the curse of God that man officially encountered His disposition. Man was revealed through the trial of the service-doers. He saw that his loyalty was unacceptable, that his stature was too small, that he was incapable of satisfying God’s will, and that his claims of satisfying God at all times were nothing more than words. Although God cursed man in the step of the work of the service-doers, looking back now, that step of God’s work was wonderful: It brought a great turning point for man, and caused a great change in his life disposition. Before the time of the service-doers, man understood nothing of the pursuit of life, what it means to believe in God, or the wisdom of God’s work, and nor did he understand that God’s work can test man. From the time of the service-doers through to today, man sees how wondrous is the work of God—it is unfathomable to man. Man is unable to imagine how God works by using his brain, and he also sees how small his stature is and that too much about him is disobedient. When God cursed man, it was in order to achieve an effect, and He did not put man to death. Although He cursed man, He did so through words, and His curses did not actually befall man, for what God cursed was the disobedience of man, and so the words of His curses were also spoken in order to make man perfect. Whether God judges man or curses him, both make man perfect: Both are done in order to make perfect that which is impure within man. Through this means man is refined, and that which is lacking within man is made perfect through His words and work. Every step of God’s work—whether it be harsh words, or judgment, or chastisement—makes man perfect, and is absolutely appropriate. Never throughout the ages has God done work such as this; today, He works within you so that you appreciate His wisdom. Although you have suffered some pain within you, your hearts feel steadfast and at peace; it is your blessing to be able to enjoy this stage of the work of God. Regardless of what you are able to gain in the future, all that you see of God’s work in you today is love. If man does not experience God’s judgment and refinement, his actions and fervor will always remain at surface level, and his disposition will always remain unchanged. Does this count as having been gained by God? Today, although there is still much within man that is arrogant and conceited, man’s disposition is much more stable than before. God’s dealing with you is done in order to save you, and although you may feel some pain at the time, the day will come when there occurs a change in your disposition. At that time, you will look back and see how wise the work of God is, and at that time you will be able to truly understand God’s will. Today, there are some people who say they understand God’s will, but that is none too realistic. In fact, they are speaking falsehoods, because at present they have yet to understand whether the will of God is to save man or to curse man. Perhaps you cannot see it clearly now, but the day will come when you see that the day God gains glory has arrived, and you will see how meaningful it is to love God, so that you will come to know the human life and your flesh will live in the world of loving God, so that your spirit will be set free, your life will be full of joy, and you will always be close to God and look to Him. At that time, you will truly know how valuable the work of God today is.

Excerpted from “Only by Experiencing Painful Trials Can You Know the Loveliness of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God’s love is not the kind of love that can be imagined by the mind of man. People are incapable of imagining this love, they must not use learning and knowledge to interpret this word, but must use another method to appreciate and experience it. Ultimately, you come to sense truly that the love of God is different to the love spoken of by worldly people, that the true love of God is unlike anything else, unlike the love understood by all mankind. So just what is this love of God? First you must not approach it with the notions and imaginings of man. Take a mother’s love, for example: A mother’s love toward her children is unconditional, it is protective and warm. Right now, does the love of God for man that you feel have the same level of sensation and meaning as a mother’s love? (Yes.) Then this is a problem—it is wrong. You must distinguish God’s love from the love of parents, of a husband, wife, or children, of your kin, from the concern of friends, and come to know the love of God anew. Just what is the love of God? The love of God is without emotion and is unaffected by relationships of blood. It is love pure and simple. So how should people understand the love of God? Why have we come to discuss the love of God? The love of God is embodied in the work of God, so that people acknowledge it, accept it, and experience it, and ultimately realize that this is the love of God, and acknowledge that these are not empty words, nor some form of behavior on the part of God, but the truth. When you accept it as the truth, you are able to recognize this aspect of God’s essence from it. If you treat it as some form of behavior, you will have difficulty recognizing it. What is meant by “behavior”? Take mothers, for example: They give their youth, their blood, their sweat and tears to bring up their children, they give them whatever they want, regardless of whether they have done right or wrong, or what path they take. A mother gives selflessly, never teaching, helping or guiding the child about walking the right path, only indiscriminately caring for, loving and protecting them, to the extent that ultimately, the child cannot tell right from wrong. This is the love of a mother or any kind of love born of the hot blood, emotions, and fleshly relationships of man. The love of God, meanwhile, is exactly the opposite: If God loves you, He expresses this by often chastening and disciplining you, by pruning and dealing with you. This might make things uncomfortable for you, your days may pass amid chastening and discipline, but once you have experienced this, you will discover that you have learned much, that you can have discernment and are wise when it comes to interacting with other people, and also that you have come to understand some truths. If the love of God were like the love of a mother or father, as you imagine it to be, if He were so scrupulous in His care, and invariably indulgent, could you gain these things? You could not. And so, people must approach what is manifested of the love of God in His work from the perspective of the truth, and within this, they must seek the truth. If they do not seek the truth, how could someone who is corrupt conjure, out of thin air, an understanding of what God’s love is, what the aim of His work in man is, and where His thoughtful intentions lie? People would never understand these things. This relates to one part of God’s work, one aspect of God’s essence that people are most likely to misunderstand, and have the most difficulty comprehending and appreciating; it is what people can engage with profoundly, empathetically, and practically. Generally speaking, love means giving people what they like, not giving them something bitter when they want something sweet, or giving something bitter to them in order to treat an illness; in brief, it involves the selfishness, the emotions and hot blood, of man; it involves one aspect of aims and motivations. But no matter what God does in you, even if you misunderstand Him, and even complain about Him in your heart, God shall, with unflagging patience, continue to work in you. What is God’s ultimate aim in acting thus? He uses this method to awaken you, or so that there might come a day when you understand God’s will—but when God sees that outcome, He has actually gained nothing. And why do I say this? Because your all comes from God. God does not need to gain anything. All He needs is for you to properly follow and enter in accordance with what He requires while He performs His work, to ultimately be able to live out truth reality, to live with the likeness of man, and no longer be deceived, misled, and tempted by Satan, to be able to turn your back on Satan, to obey and fear God, so that God gains you, and His great work is done. This is the love of God, and the work of God.

Excerpted from “Only by Resolving One’s Notions Can One Enter the Right Track of Believing in God (1)” in Records of Talks of Christ of the Last Days

If you wish to see God’s love, if you wish to truly experience God’s love, then you must go deep into reality, you must go deep into real life and see that everything God does is love and salvation, that all He does is to enable people to leave behind that which is unclean, and to refine the things within man that are unable to satisfy God’s will. God uses words to provide to man; He arranges the circumstances of real life for people to experience, and if people eat and drink many of God’s words, then when they actually put them into practice, they can resolve all the difficulties in their lives using many words of God. Which is to say, you must have the words of God in order to go deep into reality; if you do not eat and drink the words of God and are without the work of God, then you will have no path in real life. If you never eat or drink the words of God, then you will be confounded when something happens to you. You only know that you should love God, but you are incapable of any differentiation and have no path of practice; you are muddled and confused, and sometimes you even believe that by satisfying the flesh you are satisfying God—all of this is the consequence of not eating and drinking God’s words. Which is to say, if you are without the aid of God’s words and only grope about within reality, then you are fundamentally incapable of finding the path of practice. People such as this simply do not understand what it means to believe in God, much less do they understand what it means to love God. If, using the enlightenment and guidance of God’s words, you often pray, and explore, and seek, and through this you discover that which you ought to put into practice, find opportunities for the work of the Holy Spirit, truly cooperate with God, and are not muddled and confused, then you will have a path in real life, and will truly satisfy God. When you have satisfied God, inside you there will be the guidance of God, and you will be especially blessed by God, which will give you a sense of enjoyment: You will feel especially honored that you have satisfied God, you will feel especially bright inside, and in your heart you will be clear and peaceful. Your conscience will be comforted and free from accusations, and you will feel pleasant inside when you see your brothers and sisters. This is what it means to enjoy God’s love, and only this is truly enjoying God. People’s enjoyment of God’s love is attained through experience: By experiencing hardship, and experiencing putting the truth into practice, they gain God’s blessings. If you only say that God really loves you, that God has truly paid a heavy price for people’s sake, that He has patiently and kindly spoken so many words and always saves people, your utterance of these words is only one side of the enjoyment of God. Yet, greater enjoyment—real enjoyment—is when people put the truth into practice in their real life, after which they are peaceful and clear in their hearts. They feel greatly moved inside and feel that God is most lovable. You will feel that the price you have paid is more than fair. Having paid a great price in your efforts, you will be especially bright inside: You will feel that you are truly enjoying God’s love and you will understand that God has done the work of salvation in people, that His refinement of people is meant to purify them, and that God tries people in order to test whether they truly love Him. If you always put the truth into practice in this way, then you will gradually develop a clear knowledge of much of God’s work, and at that time you will feel that God’s words before you are as clear as crystal. If you can clearly understand many truths, you will feel that all matters are easy to put into practice, that you can overcome any issue and overcome any temptation, and you will see that nothing is a problem for you, which will greatly free you and liberate you. At this moment, you will be enjoying God’s love, and God’s true love will have come upon you. God blesses those who have visions, who have the truth, who have knowledge, and who truly love Him. If people wish to behold God’s love, they must put the truth into practice in real life, they must be willing to endure pain and forsake that which they love to satisfy God, and despite the tears in their eyes, they must still be able to satisfy God’s heart. In this way, God will surely bless you, and if you endure hardship such as this, it will be followed by the work of the Holy Spirit. Through the real life, and through experiencing God’s words, people are able to see God’s loveliness, and only if they have tasted God’s love can they truly love Him.

The more you put the truth into practice, the more you are possessed of the truth; the more you put the truth into practice, the more you possess God’s love; and the more you put the truth into practice, the more you are blessed by God. If you always practice in this way, God’s love for you will gradually enable you to see, just as Peter came to know God: Peter said that God not only has the wisdom to create the heavens and earth and all things, but, moreover, that He also has the wisdom to do real work in people. Peter said that He is not only worthy of people’s love because of His creation of the heavens and earth and all things, but, moreover, because of His ability to create man, to save man, to make man perfect, and to bequeath His love to man. So, too, did Peter say that there is much in Him that is worthy of man’s love. Peter said to Jesus: “Is creating the heavens and earth and all things the only reason You deserve people’s love? There is more in You that is lovable. You act and move in real life, Your Spirit touches me inside, You discipline me, You reproach me—these things are even more worthy of people’s love.” If you wish to see and experience God’s love, then you must explore and seek in real life and must be willing to put aside your own flesh. You must make this resolution. You must be someone with resolve who is able to satisfy God in all things, without being lazy or coveting the enjoyments of the flesh, not living for the flesh but living for God. There may be times when you do not satisfy God. That is because you do not understand God’s will; the next time, even though it will take more effort, you must satisfy Him and must not satisfy the flesh. When you experience in this way, you will have come to know God. You will see that God can create the heavens and earth and all things, that He has become flesh so that people can actually see Him and actually engage with Him; you will see that He is able to walk among man, and that His Spirit can make people perfect in real life, allowing them to see His loveliness and experience His discipline, His chastening, and His blessings. If you always experience in this way, in real life you will be inseparable from God, and if one day your relationship with God ceases to be normal, you will be able to suffer reproach and to feel remorse. When you have a normal relationship with God, you will never wish to leave God, and if one day God says He will leave you, you will be afraid, and will say that you would rather die than be left by God. As soon as you have these emotions, you will feel that you are incapable of leaving God, and in this way, you will have a foundation, and will truly enjoy God’s love.

Excerpted from “Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

When you are able to truly appreciate God’s thoughts and attitude toward mankind, when you can truly understand God’s emotions and concern for each being of creation, you will be able to understand the devotion and the love spent on every single one of the people created by the Creator. When this happens, you will use two words to describe God’s love. What are those two words? Some people say “selfless,” and some people say “philanthropic.” Of these two, “philanthropic” is the word least suited to describe God’s love. This is a word that people use to describe someone who is magnanimous or broad-minded. I loathe this word, because it refers to dispensing charity at random, indiscriminately, with no consideration for principle. It is an overly sentimental inclination, which is common to foolish and confused people. When this word is used to describe God’s love, there is inevitably a blasphemous connotation. I have here two words that more aptly describe God’s love. What are they? The first one is “immense.” Is this word not very evocative? The second is “vast.” There is real meaning behind these words which I use to describe God’s love. Taken literally, “immense” describes a thing’s volume or capacity, but regardless of how big that thing is, it is something that people can touch and see. This is because it exists—it is not an abstract object, but something that can give people ideas in a relatively accurate and practical way. Whether you look at it from a two- or a three-dimensional perspective, you do not need to imagine its existence, because it is a thing that actually exists in a real way. Even though using the word, “immense,” to describe God’s love can feel like an attempt at quantifying His love, it also gives the feeling that His love is unquantifiable. I say that God’s love can be quantified because His love is not empty, and nor is it a thing of legend. Rather, it is something shared by all things under God’s rule, something that is enjoyed by all creatures to varying degrees and from different perspectives. Although people cannot see or touch it, this love brings sustenance and life to all things as it is revealed, bit by bit, in their lives, and they count and bear witness to God’s love that they enjoy in each passing moment. I say that God’s love is unquantifiable because the mystery of God providing for and nourishing all things is something that is difficult for humans to fathom, as are God’s thoughts for all things, and particularly those for mankind. That is to say, no one knows the blood and tears the Creator has poured out for mankind. No one can comprehend, no one can understand the depth or weight of the love that the Creator has for mankind whom He created with His own hands. Describing God’s love as immense is to help people appreciate and understand its breadth and the truth of its existence. It is also so that people can more deeply comprehend the actual meaning of the word “Creator,” and so that people can gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the appellation, “creation.” What does the word “vast” usually describe? It is generally used to describe the ocean or the universe, for example: “the vast universe,” or “the vast ocean.” The expansiveness and quiet depth of the universe are beyond human understanding; it is something that captures man’s imagination, something for which they feel great admiration. Its mystery and profundity are within sight, but beyond reach. When you think of the ocean, you think of its breadth—it looks limitless, and you can feel its mysteriousness and its great capacity to hold things. This is why I have used the word “vast” to describe God’s love, to help people feel how precious it is, to feel the profound beauty of His love, and that the power of God’s love is infinite and wide-ranging. I used this word to help people feel the holiness of His love, and the dignity and unoffendableness of God that is revealed through His love.

Excerpted from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Footnotes:

1. “Ravages” is used to expose the disobedience of mankind.

172. The Principles of Requiting God’s Love

(1) As you undergo God’s judgment and chastisement and know your own, corrupt essence, and see the greatness of God’s love for man, do all you can to love Him;

(2) God expresses an enormity of truth and bestows it on humans to serve as their life; the grace of His salvation is vast. Be willing to perform your duty well to requite God’s love;

(3) As one undergoes trials and refinement, they are protected by God, can stand firm in their testimony, and they enjoy the great abundance of God’s grace; they should be willing to bear a lifetime and an eternity of witness for God;

(4) In experiencing God’s work, one’s corruption is purified, their life disposition is transformed, and they see God’s great loveliness; they should be willing to expend their entire life for Him.

Relevant Words of God:

What I now bestow upon you surpasses Moses and eclipses David, so likewise I ask that your testimony surpass Moses and that your words be greater than David. I give you a hundredfold—so I likewise ask you to repay Me in kind. You must know I am the One who bestows life unto mankind, and it is you who receive life from Me and must bear witness for Me. This is your duty which I send down upon you and which you ought to do for Me. I have bestowed all My glory unto you, I have bestowed unto you the life that the chosen people, the Israelites, never received. By rights, you ought to bear witness to Me and devote to Me your youth and lay down your life. Whomsoever I bestow My glory unto shall bear Me witness and give their life for Me. This has long been predestined by Me. It is your good fortune that I bestow My glory upon you, and your duty is to testify to My glory. If you were to believe in Me only to gain blessings, then My work would bear little significance, and you would not be fulfilling your duty. The Israelites saw only My mercy, love, and greatness, and the Jews witnessed only My patience and redemption. They saw very, very little of the work of My Spirit, to the point that they understood but one-ten-thousandth of what you have heard and seen. What you have seen exceeds even the chief priests among them. The truths you understand today surpass theirs; what you have seen today exceeds what was seen in the Age of Law, as well as the Age of Grace, and what you have experienced surpasses even Moses and Elijah. For what the Israelites understood was only the law of Jehovah, and what they saw was only the sight of Jehovah’s back; what the Jews understood was only the redemption of Jesus, what they received was only the grace bestowed by Jesus, and what they saw was only the image of Jesus within the house of the Jews. What you see this day is the glory of Jehovah, the redemption of Jesus, and all My deeds of this day. So, too, have you heard the words of My Spirit, appreciated My wisdom, come to know My wonder, and learned of My disposition. I have also told you all of My management plan. What you have seen is not merely a loving and merciful God, but a God filled with righteousness. You have seen My wondrous work and known that I brim with majesty and wrath. Furthermore, you know that I once brought down My raging fury upon the house of Israel, and that today, it has come upon you. You understand more of My mysteries in heaven than Isaiah and John; you know more of My loveliness and venerableness than all the saints of ages past. What you have received is not merely My truth, My way, and My life, but a vision and revelation greater than that of John. You understand many more mysteries, and have also looked upon My true countenance; you have accepted more of My judgment and know more of My righteous disposition. And so, though you were born in the last days, your understanding is that of the former and the past, and you have also experienced the things of today, and this was all personally done by Me. What I ask of you is not excessive, for I have given you so much, and you have seen much in Me. Thus, I ask you to bear witness for Me to the saints of ages past, and this is My heart’s only desire.

Excerpted from “What Do You Know of Faith?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What you have inherited this day surpasses that of the apostles and prophets throughout the ages and is greater even than that of Moses and Peter. Blessings cannot be obtained in a day or two; they must be earned through great sacrifice. Which is to say, you must possess a love that has undergone refinement, you must possess great faith, and you must have the many truths that God requires you to attain; what is more, you must turn toward justice, without being cowed or evasive, and must have a love for God that is constant unto death. You must have resolve, changes must occur in your life disposition, your corruption must be healed, you must accept all of God’s orchestrations without complaint, and you must be obedient even unto death. This is what you ought to attain, this is the final aim of God’s work, and it is what God asks of this group of people. Since He gives to you, so He will surely ask of you in return, and will surely make fitting demands of you. Therefore, there is reason to all the work God does, which shows why, time and time again, God does work that sets high standards and strict requirements. It is because of this that you should be filled with faith in God. In short, all the work of God is done for your sake, so that you may become worthy of receiving His inheritance. This is not so much for the sake of God’s own glory but for the sake of your salvation and for perfecting this group of people who have been so profoundly afflicted in the unclean land. You should understand the will of God. And so, I exhort the many ignorant people who are without any insight or sense: Do not test God, and resist no more. God has already undergone suffering never endured by any man, and long ago endured even greater humiliation in man’s stead. What else can you not let go of? What could be more important than the will of God? What could be higher than God’s love?

Excerpted from “Is the Work of God As Simple As Man Imagines?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Are you able to communicate the disposition expressed by God in each age in a concrete way, with language that suitably conveys the significance of the age? Are you, who experience God’s work of the last days, able to describe God’s righteous disposition in detail? Can you testify about God’s disposition clearly and accurately? How will you pass on what you have seen and experienced to those pitiable, poor, and devout religious believers who hunger and thirst for righteousness and are waiting for you to shepherd them? What kind of people are waiting for you to shepherd them? Can you imagine? Are you aware of the burden on your shoulders, your commission, and your responsibility? Where is your sense of historic mission? How will you adequately serve as a master in the next age? Do you have a strong sense of masterhood? How would you explain the master of all things? Is it really the master of all living creatures and of all physical things in the world? What plans do you have for the progress of the next phase of the work? How many people are waiting for you to be their shepherd? Is your task a heavy one? They are poor, pitiable, blind, and at a loss, wailing in the darkness—where is the way? How they yearn for the light, like a shooting star, to suddenly descend and dispel the forces of darkness that have oppressed man for so many years. Who can know the full extent to which they anxiously hope, and how they pine, day and night, for this? Even on a day when the light flashes past, these deeply suffering people remain imprisoned in a dark dungeon without hope of release; when will they weep no longer? Terrible is the misfortune of these fragile spirits who have never been granted rest, and long have they been kept bound in this state by merciless bonds and frozen history. And who has heard the sound of their wailing? Who has looked upon their miserable state? Has it ever occurred to you how grieved and anxious God’s heart is? How can He bear to see innocent mankind, whom He created with His own hands, suffering such torment? Human beings, after all, are the victims who have been poisoned. And although man has survived to this day, who would have known that mankind has long been poisoned by the evil one? Have you forgotten that you are one of the victims? Are you not willing to strive, out of your love for God, to save these survivors? Are you not willing to devote all of your energy to repaying God, who loves mankind like His own flesh and blood? When all is said and done, how would you interpret being used by God to live your extraordinary life? Do you really have the resolve and confidence to live the meaningful life of a pious, God-serving person?

from “How Should You Attend to Your Future Mission?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If you are truly possessed of conscience, then you must have a burden, and a sense of responsibility. You must say: “Regardless of whether I will be conquered or made perfect, I must bear this step of testimony properly.” As a creature of God, one can be utterly conquered by God, and ultimately, one becomes able to satisfy God, repaying God’s love with a heart that loves God and by completely devoting oneself to God. This is the responsibility of man, it is the duty that ought to be performed by man, and the burden that ought to be borne by man, and man must complete this commission. Only then does he truly believe in God. Today, is what you do in the church the fulfillment of your responsibility? This depends on whether you are burdened, and it depends on your own knowledge.

Excerpted from “Practice (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Some people say: “I’ve followed God for so many years and enjoyed so much of His grace, so many blessings. I’ve been subject to refinement and judgment from His words. So I’ve come to understand much, and I’ve seen God’s love. I must thank Him, I must repay His grace. I will satisfy God with death, and I will base my love for Him on my conscience.” People will not be able to feel God’s loveliness if they listen only to the feelings of their conscience. If they rely solely on their conscience, their love for God will be feeble. If you only speak of repaying God’s grace and love, you will not have any drive in your love for Him; loving Him based upon the feelings of your conscience is a passive approach. Why do I say that it is a passive approach? This is a practical issue. What kind of love is your love for God? Is it not just fooling God and going through the motions for Him? Most people believe that since there is no reward for loving God and one will be chastised all the same for not loving Him, then overall, just not sinning is good enough. So loving God and repaying His love based on the feelings of one’s conscience is a passive approach, and it is not love for God that comes spontaneously from one’s heart. Love for God should be a genuine feeling from deep in a person’s heart. Some people say: “I myself am willing to seek after God and to follow Him. Now even if God wants to abandon me, I will still follow Him. Whether He wants me or not, I will still love Him, and in the end, I must gain Him. I offer up my heart to God, and no matter what He does, I will follow Him for my entire life. No matter what, I must love God and I must gain Him; I will not rest until I have gained Him.” Do you have this kind of resolve?

The path of believing in God is one and the same as the path of loving Him. If you believe in Him you must love Him; however, loving Him does not only refer to repaying His love or loving Him based on the feelings of your conscience—it is a pure love for God. Sometimes people are unable to feel God’s love based on their conscience alone. Why did I always say: “May the Spirit of God move our spirits”? Why did I not speak of moving people’s conscience to love God? It is because people’s conscience cannot feel God’s loveliness. If you are not convinced by these words, try to use your conscience to feel His love. You may have some drive in the moment, but it will soon disappear. If you only feel God’s loveliness with your conscience, you will be driven while you pray, but soon after the drive will fade and disappear. Why is that? If you only use your conscience, you will be unable to rouse your love for God; when you really feel God’s loveliness in your heart, your spirit will be moved by Him, and it is only at this time that your conscience will be able to play its original role. That is to say that when God moves man’s spirit and when man has knowledge and is encouraged in his heart, that is, when he has gained experience, only then will he be able to love God effectively with his conscience. Loving God with your conscience is not wrong—this is the lowest degree of love for God. Loving by “just barely doing justice to God’s grace” simply will not impel man to enter in proactively. When people obtain some of the work of the Holy Spirit, that is, when they see and feel God’s love in their practical experience, when they have some knowledge of God and truly see that God is so worthy of mankind’s love and how lovely He is, only then are they able to genuinely love God.

Excerpted from “Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

God chastises and judges man because it is required by His work, and, moreover, because it is needed by man. Man needs to be chastised and judged, and only then can he achieve the love of God. Today, you have been utterly convinced, but when you encounter the slightest setback, you are in trouble; your stature is still too small, and you still need to experience more of such chastisement and judgment in order to achieve a deeper knowledge. Today, you have some reverence for God, and you fear God, and you know He is the true God, but you do not have a great love of Him, much less have you achieved a pure love; your knowledge is too superficial, and your stature is still insufficient. When you truly encounter an environment, you still have not borne witness, too little of your entry is proactive, and you have no idea how to practice. Most people are passive and inactive; they only secretly love God in their hearts, but have no way of practice, nor are they clear about what their goals are. Those who have been made perfect not only possess normal humanity, but are possessed of truths that exceed the measures of conscience, that are higher than the standards of conscience; they not only use their conscience to pay back God’s love, but, more than that, they have known God, and have seen that God is lovely, and worthy of man’s love, and that there is so much to love in God; man cannot help but love Him! The love for God of those who have been made perfect is in order to fulfill their own personal aspirations. Theirs is a spontaneous love, a love that asks for nothing in return, and which is not a transaction. They love God because of nothing other than their knowledge of Him. Such people care not whether God bestows graces upon them, and are content with nothing more than to satisfy God. They do not strike bargains with God, nor do they measure their love of God by conscience: “You have given to me, thus I love You in return; if You do not give to me, then I have nothing for You in return.” Those who have been made perfect always believe that: “God is the Creator, and He carries out His work upon us. Since I have this opportunity, condition, and qualification to be made perfect, my pursuit should be to live out a life of meaning, and I should satisfy Him.” It is just like that which was experienced by Peter: When he was at his weakest, he prayed to God and said, “O God! Regardless of the time or place, You know that I always remember You. No matter the time or place, You know that I want to love You, but my stature is too small, I am too weak and powerless, my love is too limited, and my sincerity toward You is too meager. Compared to Your love, I am simply unfit to live. I wish only that my life is not in vain, and that I can not only repay Your love, but, moreover, that I can devote all I have to You. If I can satisfy You, then as a creature, I shall have peace of mind, and will ask for nothing more. Although I am weak and powerless now, I will not forget Your exhortations, and I will not forget Your love. Now I am doing nothing more than repaying Your love. O God, I feel awful! How can I give back the love in my heart to You, how can I do all I can, and be able to fulfill Your wishes, and be able to offer all that I have to You? You know the weakness of man; how can I be worthy of Your love? O God! You know I am of small stature, that my love is too meager. How can I do the best that I can in this kind of environment? I know I should repay Your love, I know that I should give all that I have to You, but today my stature is too small. I ask that You give me strength and confidence, so that I will be more able to possess a pure love to devote to You, and more able to devote all that I have to You; not only will I be able to repay Your love, but I will be more able to experience Your chastisement, judgment and trials, and even more severe curses. You have allowed me to behold Your love, and I am incapable of not loving You, and though I am weak and powerless today, how could I forget You? Your love, chastisement and judgment have all caused me to know You, yet I also feel incapable of fulfilling Your love, for You are so great. How can I devote all that I have to the Creator?” Such was Peter’s request, yet his stature was too inadequate. At this moment, he felt as if a knife were being twisted in his heart. He was in agony; he knew not what to do under such conditions. Yet he still continued to pray: “O God! Man is of childish stature, his conscience is feeble, and the only thing I can achieve is to repay Your love. Today, I know not how to satisfy Your desires, and I only wish to do all I can, give all I have, and devote all I have to You. Regardless of Your judgment, regardless of Your chastisement, regardless of what You bestow upon me, regardless of what You take away from me, make me free from the slightest complaint toward You. Many times, when You chastised me and judged me, I grumbled to myself, and was incapable of achieving purity, or of fulfilling Your wishes. My repayment of Your love was born out of compulsion, and at this moment I hate myself even more.” It was because he sought a purer love of God that Peter prayed in this way. He was seeking, and entreating, and, furthermore, he was recriminating himself, and confessing his sins to God. He felt indebted to God, and felt hatred of himself, yet he was also somewhat sad and passive. He always felt thus, as if he was not good enough for God’s wishes, and unable to do his best. Under such conditions, Peter still pursued the faith of Job. He saw how great had been the faith of Job, for Job had seen that everything he had was bestowed by God, and it was natural for God to take everything from him, that God would give to whomever He wished—such was the righteous disposition of God. Job had no complaints, and could still praise God. Peter also knew himself, and in his heart he prayed, “Today I should not be content with repaying Your love using my conscience and with however much love I give back to You, because my thoughts are too corrupt, and because I am incapable of seeing You as the Creator. Because I am still unfit to love You, I must cultivate the ability to devote all that I have to You, which I would do willingly. I must know all that You have done, and have no choice, and I must behold Your love, and be able to speak Your praises and extol Your holy name, so that You may gain great glory through me. I am willing to stand fast in this testimony to You. O God! Your love is so precious and beautiful; how could I wish to live in the hands of the evil one? Was I not made by You? How could I live under the domain of Satan? I would prefer that my entire being live amid Your chastisement. I am unwilling to live under the domain of the evil one. If I can be made pure, and can devote my all to You, I am willing to offer up my body and mind to Your judgment and chastisement, for I detest Satan, and am unwilling to live under its domain. Through Your judgment of me, You show forth Your righteous disposition; I am happy, and have not the slightest complaint. If I am able to perform the duty of a creature, I am willing that my entire life be accompanied by Your judgment, through which I will come to know Your righteous disposition, and will rid myself of the influence of the evil one.” Peter always prayed thus, always sought thus, and he reached a, relatively speaking, high realm. Not only was he able to repay God’s love, but, more importantly, he also fulfilled his duty as a creature. Not only was he not accused by his conscience, but he was also able to transcend the standards of conscience. His prayers continued to go up before God, such that his aspirations were ever higher, and his love of God was ever greater. Though he suffered agonizing pain, still he did not forget to love God, and still he sought to attain the ability to understand God’s will. In his prayers he uttered the following words: “I have accomplished nothing more than the repayment of Your love. I have not borne testimony to You before Satan, have not freed myself from the influence of Satan, and still live amid the flesh. I wish to use my love to defeat Satan, to shame it, and thus satisfy Your desire. I wish to give my entirety to You, to not give the slightest bit of myself to Satan, for Satan is Your enemy.” The more he sought in this direction, the more he was moved, and the higher his knowledge of these matters. Without realizing it, he came to know that he should free himself of the influence of Satan, and should completely return himself to God. Such was the realm he attained.

Excerpted from “The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Now you should be able to clearly see the precise path that Peter took. If you can clearly see Peter’s path, then you will be certain about the work being done today, so you will not complain or be passive, or long for anything. You should experience Peter’s mood at the time: He was stricken with sorrow; he no longer asked for a future or any blessings. He did not seek profit, happiness, fame, or fortune in the world; he only sought to live the most meaningful life, which was to repay God’s love and dedicate what he held utterly most precious to God. Then he would be satisfied in his heart. He often prayed to Jesus with the words: “Lord Jesus Christ, I once loved You, but I never truly loved You. Though I said I had faith in You, I never loved You with a true heart. I only looked up to You, adored You, and missed You, but I never loved You nor truly had faith in You.” He constantly prayed to make his resolution, and he was always encouraged by the words of Jesus and drew motivation from them. Later, after a period of experience, Jesus tested him, provoking him to yearn for Him further. He said: “Lord Jesus Christ! How I miss You, and long to look upon You. I lack too much, and cannot make up for Your love. I beg You to soon take me away. When will You have need of me? When will You take me away? When will I once again look upon Your face? I do not wish to live any longer in this body, to continue becoming corrupted, nor do I wish to rebel any further. I am ready to dedicate all I have to You as soon as I can, and I do not wish to sadden You any further.” This is how he prayed, but he did not know at the time what Jesus would perfect in him. During the agony of his test, Jesus appeared to him again and said: “Peter, I wish to make you perfect, such that you become a piece of fruit, one that is the crystallization of My perfection of you, and which I will enjoy. Can you truly testify for Me? Have you done what I ask you to do? Have you lived out the words I have spoken? You once loved Me, but though you loved Me, have you lived Me out? What have you done for Me? You recognize that you are unworthy of My love, but what have you done for Me?” Peter saw that he had done nothing for Jesus and remembered his previous oath to give his life to God. And so, he no longer complained, and his prayers from then on grew much better. He prayed, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! I once left You, and You too once left me. We have spent time apart, and time together in company. Yet You love me more than all else. I have repeatedly rebelled against You and repeatedly grieved You. How can I forget such things? I am always bearing in mind and never forget the work You have done on me and what You have entrusted me with. I have done everything that I can for the work You have done on me. You know what I can do, and You further know what role I can play. I wish to submit to Your orchestrations, and I will dedicate everything I have to You. Only You know what I can do for You. Although Satan fooled me so much and I rebelled against You, I believe You do not remember me for those transgressions and that You do not treat me based on them. I wish to dedicate my entire life to You. I ask for nothing, and neither do I have other hopes or plans; I only wish to act according to Your intention and to do Your will. I will drink from Your bitter cup, and I am Yours to command.”

Excerpted from “How Peter Came to Know Jesus” in The Word Appears in the Flesh