Studying Eastern Lightning and Welcoming the Return of the Lord (Part 2)

the Word of Almighty God

 Studying Eastern Lightning and Welcoming the Return of the Lord (Part 2)

By Jianchi, Taiwan

Why has God Become Flesh to Perform His Work in the Last Days?The brother went on, saying, “So then, why does the Lord have to appear and work in the flesh when He returns in the last days, and not appear and work directly in the resurrected spiritual body? In the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus performed the work of redemption. Though our sins have been forgiven, our sinful nature remains deeply rooted within us, we are filled with such satanic dispositions as arrogance and conceit, selfishness and meanness and wickedness and deceitfulness, and we are still capable of involuntarily sinning and resisting God. If this carries on, then we will never be made clean, and we will be simply unworthy to enter into the heavenly kingdom. God is the Lord of creation and He is perfectly aware of the extent to which we have been corrupted by Satan. More than this, He knows what kind of work we need in order to thoroughly cast off the bonds of our sinful nature. The Lord Jesus therefore prophesied long ago: ‘I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come’ (John 16:12–13). ‘For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son’ (John 5:22). ‘And has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man’ (John 5:27). The Lord Jesus tells us clearly that, when He returns in the last days, He shall speak His words and perform the work of judgment in order to change and cleanse our sinful nature, enable us to understand all truths and, from within these truths, find the path to change our dispositions until we are ultimately able to thoroughly cast off the bonds of sin and achieve purification. Because God will speak His words in the last days to judge and cleanse our corrupt dispositions, only by God becoming flesh can this work achieve the best results. Therefore, God does not perform His work in a spiritual body in the last days, but instead must become flesh to do it.”

After hearing this, I said, “Now I understood that God will speak His words in the last days to judge and cleanse our sinful nature. This is exactly what we need. But I am still confused about one thing: After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body appeared to His disciples for 40 days. Could not the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body after His resurrection also express the truth and perform the work of judging and purifying man?”

The brother continued his fellowship, saying, “We believe that the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body after His resurrection could also express the truth and perform the work of judging and purifying man, but have we ever considered whether or not the spiritual body of the Lord Jesus after His resurrection from death is able to have normal contact with man and carry out work in a practical manner? As we all know, the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body after He was resurrected from the dead appeared on the surface to be exactly the same as the flesh of Jesus had appeared before. His resurrected spiritual body, however, was not subject to any limitation of the material world, of geography or of space; He was able to pass through walls, He could appear to man at will and then disappear at will, much to the astonishment of those who witnessed it. For example, after the Lord Jesus was resurrected, though all doors were closed, He was able to suddenly appear standing in the midst of His disciples to speak to them, and they were both amazed and afraid, feeling that the Lord Jesus had become shrouded in mystery and unapproachable. If the Lord Jesus were to return in this kind of spiritual body to perform the work of judgment, then not only would people be afraid to draw near Him, but the world would be thrown into chaos, and then God’s work of judgment in the last days would be unable to proceed properly. Back then, the Lord Jesus was resurrected from the dead and appeared to man for 40 days. He ate with them and spoke with them, and He allowed Thomas to touch His wounds that had been caused by the nails. This was all done to verify that the Lord truly had returned from the dead and so that people could all accept and confirm from the bottom of their hearts that the Lord Jesus was the incarnated Christ, that He was God Himself, and thereby strengthen their faith. In the last days, however, God performs the work of judgment and purification—He exposes the goats, the sheep, the wheat and the tares. If He were to work in the spiritual body of the resurrected Lord Jesus, everyone would bow down trembling in great fear to worship God, no one would dare reveal any corruption, no one would have any conceptions about God or any rebelliousness or resistance to God, and all would acknowledge that He is God. In that case, there would be no way to expose people and no way to separate the good from the wicked. In the last days, God expresses the truth to judge and purify man, and only by God incarnate performing this kind of work can optimum results be achieved. Because God incarnate possesses normal humanity, man treats Christ as an ordinary person, so much so that they may even have no respect for Christ, and will reveal all manner of conceptions, rebelliousness and resistance to Christ. It is in this way that God judges and exposes man according to the truth of mankind’s corruption and, when faced with the facts, man can only become wholly and utterly convinced and dutifully accept the judgment and chastisement of God’s words. Otherwise, though God may expose mankind’s rebelliousness and corruption, man would only acknowledge them verbally at most, we would not accept them in our hearts and our corrupt dispositions would remain rooted within us. In that case, the results of the work of judging and purifying man would not be achieved. Therefore, God’s work of judgment in the last days must be done by God incarnating and performing the work in a body which possesses normal humanity in order for the optimum results to be achieved. If God worked in a spiritual body, then people would find it hard to draw close to Him and it would not facilitate the work of exposing man’s corruption. This is a fact we must understand. Let’s read several more passages of God’s words and then it’ll be a lot clearer. Sister Jianchi, why don’t you read?”

I nodded happily, and read: “The reason why He becomes flesh is because the flesh can also possess authority, and He is capable of carrying out work in a practical manner among mankind, in such a way that it is visible and tangible to man. This work is much more realistic than the work done directly by the Spirit of God, who possesses all authority, and its results are also apparent. This is because God’s incarnate flesh can speak and work in a practical way. The outward form of His flesh holds no authority, and can be approached by man, whereas His substance does carry authority, but His authority is visible to none. When He speaks and works, man is unable to detect the existence of His authority; this facilitates Him in doing work of a practical nature. … If God did not become flesh, He would remain the Spirit who is both invisible and intangible to man. Man being a creature of flesh, he and God belong to two different worlds and are endowed with different natures. The Spirit of God is incompatible with man, who is of flesh, and there is simply no way of establishing relations between them, not to mention that man is incapable of turning into a spirit. This being so, the Spirit of God must become a created being in order to do His original work. God can both ascend to the highest place and humble Himself to become a human creature, doing work among men and living in their midst, but man cannot ascend to the highest place and become a spirit, and even less can he descend to the lowest place. This is why God must become flesh to carry out His work” (“The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“Because the one who is judged is man, man who is of the flesh and has been corrupted, and it is not the spirit of Satan that is judged directly, the work of judgment is not carried out in the spiritual world, but among man. No one is more suitable, and qualified, than God in the flesh for the work of judging the corruption of man’s flesh. If judgment were carried out directly by the Spirit of God, then it would not be all-embracing. Furthermore, such work would be difficult for man to accept, for the Spirit is unable to come face-to-face with man, and because of this, the effects would not be immediate, much less would man be able to behold the unoffendable disposition of God more clearly. Satan can only be fully defeated if God in the flesh judges the corruption of mankind. … If this work were done by the Spirit of God, then it would not be victory over Satan. The Spirit is inherently more exalted than mortal beings, and the Spirit of God is inherently holy, and triumphant over the flesh. If the Spirit did this work directly, He would not be able to judge all of man’s disobedience, and could not reveal all of man’s unrighteousness. For the work of judgment is also carried out through man’s conceptions of God, and man has never had any conceptions of the Spirit, and so the Spirit is incapable of better revealing the unrighteousness of man, much less of completely disclosing such unrighteousness. The incarnate God is the enemy of all those who do not know Him. Through judging man’s conceptions and opposition to Him, He discloses all the disobedience of mankind. The effects of His work in the flesh are more apparent than those of the work of the Spirit. And so, the judgment of all mankind is not carried out directly by the Spirit, but is the work of the incarnate God” (“Corrupt Mankind Is More in Need of the Salvation of God Become Flesh” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“Only through becoming flesh can He personally deliver His words into the ears of each and every human being, so that all who have ears may hear His words and receive His work of judgment by the word. Only this is the result achieved by His word, rather than the Spirit becoming manifest to frighten man into submission. It is only through this practical and yet extraordinary work that the old disposition of man, hidden deep within for many years, can be fully exposed, so that man may recognize it and have it changed. These things are all the practical work of God incarnate, in which, speaking and executing judgment in a practical manner, He achieves the results of judgment upon man by the word. This is the authority of God incarnate and the significance of God’s incarnation” (“The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

The brother continued with his fellowship, saying, “The words of Almighty God clearly explain why God incarnates in the last days to perform His work, as well as explaining the necessity of the incarnation. God incarnate can not only sympathize with the weaknesses of man, but He can also express the truth using human language; He can also tell man His will, His requirements and His attitude toward man, thus allowing us to better understand His will. At the same time, God exposes and dissects the truth of our corruption at the hands of Satan as well as the essence of our God-resisting nature, and He also shows us the path to changing our dispositions. This is much more beneficial to us understanding the truth, knowing God and to casting off our corrupt dispositions and achieving purification. When the Lord Jesus incarnated to perform His work, for example, people could see and touch Him, and they no longer felt that God was so distant from them and so unreachable, and therefore man’s relationship with God became closer and closer. Furthermore, when we don’t understand God’s will, God expresses His words to tell us clearly the path we should take and to make us understand correctly His intentions, so that we do not need to grope blindly or make guesses. As recorded in Matthew 18:21–22, Peter asked the Lord Jesus, ‘Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I say not to you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.’ It can be seen that God appearing and working in the flesh is much more beneficial to our understanding of His will and requirements than if God worked in the spiritual body, and it is much more beneficial to us being purified and attaining God’s true salvation.

“Therefore, if God wants to cleanse us of our satanic corrupt dispositions and save us utterly from the domain of Satan, the best way to do this is to have real contact with us, to express the truth face to face with us and judge and reveal our rebelliousness and corruption. In this way, we are better able to understand the truth. At the same time, we are then able to know God’s righteous disposition that brooks no offense, as well as His almightiness and wisdom, thus enabling us to generate a God-fearing heart, to truly repent to God and to achieve true obedience to God. Only by doing this can we gradually be purified and attain God’s true salvation. These kinds of results can only be achieved by God becoming flesh to perform His work, and they simply cannot be achieved by the work of the spiritual body. This is the reason why God must appear and perform His work in the flesh in the last days.”

My Conceptions Vanish and I Joyfully Welcome the Lord’s Return

Through reading Almighty God’s words and listening to the brother’s fellowship, I came to understand that the Lord appearing and working in the flesh when He returns is entirely what is needed by us as corrupt mankind, and it is done to better cleanse and save us. Although our sins have been forgiven by the Lord, our sinful nature certainly remains; we are still frequently able to commit sins and resist the Lord involuntarily, and we are simply unworthy to see the Lord’s face. Only by God incarnate speaking His words and exposing our corrupt dispositions can we come to know ourselves, cast off our sinful nature and be cleansed, and attain true salvation and enter into the heavenly kingdom. God becoming flesh to speak His words and perform His work of judgment is so very necessary! What’s more, I also saw that God’s love for man is earnest and sincere, and His coming down to earth from heaven and becoming flesh to perform His work is all done the better to save us. Yet I had always clung to the ideas and interpretations of my local church, believing that the Lord Jesus would appear to all nations in the resurrected spiritual body when He returns and that He could not possibly appear and work in the flesh. Even when I heard people testifying that the Lord Jesus had returned and had come again in the flesh to express the truth and perform the work of judgment, I still didn’t seek or investigate it—I had been so arrogant! Now that I was hearing the words expressed by Almighty God, my heart had become filled with light, and I felt that, by letting go of my conceptions and imaginings, and by harboring a humble, seeking heart, I would truly be able to obtain the work and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Almighty God’s words had conquered me and remedied my conceptions, and I accepted God’s work of the last days with joy.

Afterward, I often gathered with my brothers and sisters to fellowship about Almighty God’s words. No matter what difficulty I came across or what conception or idea arose within me, I would always pray to Almighty God and look for the path within Almighty God’s words. I would also seek with my brothers and sisters, and they would fellowship patiently with me about God’s words, and all my many questions were resolved. The more I read the words expressed by Almighty God, the more I discovered that God’s words carried authority and power—they are the expressions of the disposition of God, they are the utterances of the Holy Spirit, they are the voice of God, and they have the power to resolve all our confusion and problems.

Thanks be to God for saving me. Through the brothers and sisters patiently fellowshiping about Almighty God’s words with me time and time again, God had enabled me to hear His voice and had raised me up before His throne. This experience gave me a deep appreciation that, only by being wise virgins and taking the initiative to seek, and by not clinging to our own conceptions, can we see the appearance of God and attain His salvation, just as the Lord Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

I Perceive the Difficulty of God’s Work and See the Essence of the Pastors and Elders

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Later, I began to preach the gospel and bear witness to God’s work in the last days along with my brothers and sisters. As I preached the gospel, I came across many people who refused to investigate the true way because they had been obstructed by the pastors and elders and had been deceived by their lies, so much so that they even went along with the pastors and elders to condemn and forsake God’s work in the last days. This allowed me to perceive the difficulty of the work of God incarnate even more. In order to save mankind—we who have been corrupted so deeply—He endures our slander and rejection and just carries on doing His work in complete obscurity, never abandoning His salvation for us. At the same time, I also saw the God-resisting, truth-hating essence of the pastors and elders in the religious world. In their approach to the matter of the Lord’s return, they do not have a God-fearing heart, nor any desire to seek the truth. They can see clearly that the words expressed by Almighty God carry authority and power, and yet they continue to cling stubbornly to the fallacious idea that “Anyone who does not come in the resurrected spiritual body to raise us up into heaven is not the returned Lord Jesus, and anyone who testifies that the Lord has returned in the flesh is false,” and so they do all they can to resist and condemn the appearance and the work of Almighty God and fabricate all sorts of rumors to vilify, condemn and blaspheme God’s work in the last days. They do this in an attempt to hoodwink and deceive the faithful and to make them join the pastors and elders in their rejection of God’s work in the last days, and thereby lose God’s salvation of the last days. The pastors and elders of the religious world follow the Lord Jesus in name only, and they frantically condemn and resist Almighty God, and how is that any different from when the Pharisees kept the name of Messiah, and resisted and condemned the Lord Jesus? They believe only in a vague God in heaven, and yet they deny, resist and condemn Christ incarnate—does this not precisely make them antichrists who deny and resist Christ? The Bible says, “And as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 1:7). All who refuse to acknowledge God incarnate are antichrists, as are all who condemn and resist Christ. The Jewish chief priests, scribes and Pharisees were antichrists who were exposed by the work of the Lord Jesus. Now in the last days, the leaders of the religious world are the antichrists who are exposed by the work of Almighty God—Christ of the last days. All the truths expressed by Almighty God not only expose both the wise virgins and the foolish virgins, but they also totally expose all manner of antichrists and unbelievers. Only now do I see that God is so wise, and God incarnate’s work is so good at exposing people. After coming to this understanding, I have become even more determined to be considerate toward God’s will, and to bring before God those brothers and sisters who sincerely look forward to the Lord’s coming, so that I may repay God’s love and bring comfort to His heart.

Source from: the Church of Almighty God | Welcoming the Lord's Return

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Worshiping God | Best Christian Worship Song "Thanks and Praise to Almighty God"

Worshiping God | Best Christian Worship Song "Thanks and Praise to Almighty God"

I

We have been brought before God. His words we eat and drink.

Holy Spirit enlightens, we understand truth God speaks.

Rituals of religion, we’ve cast them off, all those bonds.

Unrestrained by rules, our hearts released.

And we are happy as can be, living in God’s light,

happy as can be, living in God’s light.

Thanks and praise to Almighty God,

who expresses truth to all mankind.

Thanks and praise to Almighty God,

we have a way to change,

and our vague faith subsides.

We sing praise, oh.

II

We closely follow God, kingdom training we accept.

God’s judgments are like a sword,

disclosing thoughts that we have.

Arrogance, selfishness, and falseness are not concealed.

Only then I see my truth. Ashamed I fall to God, revealed.

Thanks and praise (oh, thanks to God) to Almighty God,

who expresses truth to all mankind.

Thanks and praise to Almighty God,

we’re face to face with God,

and in His joy we rejoice.

Thanks and praise (thanks and praise) to Almighty God.

You are holy, You are righteous, oh.

My desire is to practice truth (practice truth),

forsake the flesh, to be reborn (be reborn),

comfort Your heart.

Thanks and praise to Almighty God,

Your judgment has me truly saved.

Thanks and praise to Almighty God,

my disposition has changed.

Because of You, I am blessed, oh, I’m blessed.

from Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs

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from The Church of Almighty God

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God's Utterance "God's Work, God's Disposition, and God Himself III" (Part Two)

 God's Utterance "God's Work, God's Disposition, and God Himself III" (Part Two)

God's words in this video are from the book "The Word Appears in the Flesh".

The content of this video:

1. (Matt 12:1) At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.

2. (Matt 12:6-8) 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.

Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

Special statement: This video production was produced as a not-for-profit piece by The Church of Almighty God. This video may not be distributed for profit to any third party, and we hope that everyone will share it and distribute it openly. When you distribute it, please note the source. Without the consent of The Church of Almighty God, no organization, social group, or individual may tamper with or misrepresent the contents of this video.

Some of the material in this video is from:www.stockfootage.com

Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

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The Word of God "Believing in God Should Focus on Actual Practice, Not Religious Rituals"

The Word of God "Believing in God Should Focus on Actual Practice, Not Religious Rituals"

    Almighty God says, ''Some men have a penchant for drawing attention to themselves. In the presence of his brothers and sisters, he says he is indebted to God, but behind their backs, he does not practice the truth and does entirely otherwise. Is this not as those religious Pharisees? A man who truly loves God and has the truth is one who is loyal to God, but does not outwardly reveal so. He is willing to practice the truth when matters arise and does not speak or act in a manner going against his conscience. He demonstrates wisdom when matters arise and is principled in his deeds, no matter the circumstances. A man such as this is one who truly serves. "

    Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

    Special statement: This video production was produced as a not-for-profit piece by The Church of Almighty God. This video may not be distributed for profit to any third party, and we hope that everyone will share it and distribute it openly. When you distribute it, please note the source. Without the consent of The Church of Almighty God, no organization, social group, or individual may tamper with or misrepresent the contents of this video.

    The content of this video has been translated entirely by professional translators. However, due to linguistic differences etc., a small number of inaccuracies are inevitable. If you discover any such inaccuracies, please refer to the original Chinese version, and feel free to get in touch to let us know.

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The Word of God | "Only the Perfected Can Live a Meaningful Life"

The Word of God | "Only the Perfected Can Live a Meaningful Life"

    Almighty God says, "Those who have been perfected are not just able to achieve obedience after being conquered, but they are also able to have knowledge of the work of judgment, change their disposition, and know God. They experience the path of loving God and are filled with the truth. They know how to experience God’s work, are able to suffer for God, and have their own wills. …The perfected refers to those who, after the conquering work ends, are able to pursue the truth and be gained by God. It refers to those who, after the conquering work ends, stand firm in tribulation and live out the truth."

    Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

    Special statement: This video production was produced as a not-for-profit piece by The Church of Almighty God. This video may not be distributed for profit to any third party, and we hope that everyone will share it and distribute it openly. When you distribute it, please note the source. Without the consent of The Church of Almighty God, no organization, social group, or individual may tamper with or misrepresent the contents of this video.

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God's Utterance "God Himself, the Unique (V) God's Holiness (II)" (Part Two)

God's Utterance "God Himself, the Unique (V) God's Holiness (II)" (Part Two)

Almighty God says, "You will not see God hold similar views on things that people have, and moreover you will not see Him use men’s viewpoints, their knowledge, their science or their philosophy or man’s imagination to handle things. Instead, everything God does and everything He reveals is connected to truth. That is, every word He has said and every action He has taken concerns the truth. This truth is not some baseless fantasy; this truth and these words are expressed by God due to God’s substance and His life. Because these words and the substance of everything God has done are truth, we can say that God’s substance is holy. In other words, everything God says and does brings vitality and light to people; it allows people to see positive things and the reality of those positive things and it points humanity toward the road of light so that they may walk the right path. These things are determined because of God’s substance and they are determined due to the substance of His holiness."

      Recommended: 
    Why would Almighty God want to express truth during the last days, doing the work of judging and purifying people?
    The Eastern Lightning is the manifestation of the Lord and His work.

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Almighty God's Word —The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age

Almighty God's Word —The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age

    God’s six-thousand-year plan of management is coming to an end, and the gate of the kingdom has already been opened to all those who seek His appearance. Dear brothers and sisters, what are you waiting for? What is it that you seek? Are you waiting for God to appear? Are you searching for His footprints? How one yearns for the appearance of God! And how difficult it is to find God’s footprints! In an age such as this, in a world such as this, what must we do to witness the day on which God appears? What must we do to keep pace with the footsteps of God? Questions of this kind are faced by all those who are waiting for God to appear. You have all considered them on more than one occasion—but with what outcome? Where does God appear? Where are God’s footprints? Have you got the answer? Many people would reply in this way: God appears among all those who follow Him and His footprints are in our midst; it’s that simple! Anyone can provide a formulaic answer, but do you understand what is meant by the appearance of God or His footprints? The appearance of God refers to His arrival on earth to do His work in person. With His own identity and disposition, and in the way that is innate to Him, He descends into mankind to conduct the work of initiating an age and ending an age. This kind of appearance is not a form of ceremony. It is not a sign, a picture, a miracle, or some kind of a grand vision, and even less is it a kind of religious process. It is a real and actual fact that can be touched and beheld by anyone. This kind of appearance is not for the sake of going through the motions, or for the sake of a short-term undertaking; it is, rather, for the sake of a stage of work in His management plan. The appearance of God is always meaningful and always bears some relation to His management plan. What is called “appearance” here is completely different from the kind of “appearance” in which God guides, leads, and enlightens man. God carries out a stage of His great work each time He reveals Himself. This work is different from that of any other age. It is unimaginable to man, and has never been experienced by man. It is work that starts a new age and concludes the old age, and it is a new and improved form of work for the salvation of mankind; moreover, it is work that brings mankind into the new age. This is what the appearance of God signifies.

    Once you have understood what the appearance of God means, how should you seek God’s footprints? This question is not hard to explain: Wherever there is the appearance of God, there you will find His footsteps. Such an explanation sounds straightforward, but is not so easy to carry out, for many people do not know where God reveals Himself, much less where He is willing to, or where He should, reveal Himself. Some impulsively believe that wherever the Holy Spirit is at work, there God appears. Or else they believe that wherever there are spiritual figures, there God appears. Or else they believe that wherever the people are well known, there God appears. For the moment, let us leave aside whether such beliefs are right or wrong. To explain such a question, we must first have a clear objective: We are searching for the footprints of God. We are not seeking spiritual figures, much less are we pursuing figures of renown; we are pursuing the footprints of God. For this reason, since we are searching for the footprints of God, it behooves us to search for God’s will, for the words of God, for His utterances—because wherever there are new words spoken by God, the voice of God is there, and wherever there are the footsteps of God, God’s deeds are there. Wherever there is the expression of God, there God appears, and wherever God appears, there the truth, the way, and the life exist. In seeking God’s footprints, you have ignored the words that “God is the truth, the way, and the life.” And so, many people, even when they receive the truth, do not believe that they have found God’s footprints, and still less do they acknowledge the appearance of God. What a grave mistake! The appearance of God cannot be reconciled with man’s conceptions, still less can God appear at the behest of man. God makes His own choices and His own plans when He does His work; moreover, He has His own objectives and His own methods. Whatever work He does, He has no need to discuss it with man or seek his advice, much less notify each and every person of His work. This is the disposition of God, which should, moreover, be recognized by everyone. If you desire to witness the appearance of God, to follow God’s footsteps, then you must first walk away from your own conceptions. You must not demand that God do this or that, much less should you place Him within your own confines and limit Him to your own conceptions. Instead, you should ask how you are to seek God’s footprints, how you are to accept God’s appearance, and how you are to submit to the new work of God; this is what man should do. Since man is not the truth, and is not possessed of the truth, he should seek, accept, and obey.

    Regardless of whether you are American, British, or any other nationality, you should step outside the confines of your own nationality, transcending your own self, and view the work of God from the perspective of a created being. In this way, you will not place limitations on the footprints of God. This is because, nowadays, many people conceive it to be impossible that God will appear in a particular nation or among a certain people. How profound is the significance of God’s work, and how important is the appearance of God! How can man’s conceptions and thinking possibly take their measure? And so I say, you should break through your conceptions of nationality and ethnicity in order to seek the appearance of God. Only thus will you not be constrained by your own conceptions; only thus will you be qualified to welcome the appearance of God. Otherwise, you will remain in eternal darkness, and never gain the approval of God.

    God is the God of the entire human race. He does not consider Himself the private property of any nation or people, but goes about doing the work as He has planned it, unconstrained by any form, nation, or people. Perhaps you have never imagined this form, or perhaps your attitude to this form is one of denial, or perhaps the nation where God reveals Himself and the people among whom He reveals Himself just happen to be discriminated against by everyone and just happen to be the most backward on earth. Yet God has His wisdom. With His great power, and by means of His truth and His disposition, He has truly gained a group of people who are of one mind with Him, and a group of people that He wished to make complete—a group, conquered by Him, who, having endured all manner of trials and tribulations and all manner of persecution, can follow Him to the very end. The aim of God’s appearance, free from the constraints of any form or nation, is to enable Him to complete the work as He has planned it. This is just as when God became flesh in Judea, His aim was to complete the work of the crucifixion in redeeming the entire human race. Yet the Jews believed that it was impossible for God to do this, and they thought it impossible that God could become flesh and assume the form of the Lord Jesus. Their “impossible” became the basis on which they condemned and opposed God, and ultimately led to the destruction of Israel. Today, many people have committed a similar error. They proclaim with all their might the imminent appearance of God, yet at the same time condemn His appearance; their “impossible” once more confines the appearance of God within the limits of their imagination. And so I have seen many people break into wild and raucous laughter after coming upon the words of God. But is this laughter any different from the condemnation and blasphemy of the Jews? You are not reverent in the presence of the truth, still less is your attitude one of yearning for the truth. All you do is scrutinize heedlessly and wait with blithe unconcern. What can you gain from scrutinizing and waiting like this? Could it be that you will receive personal guidance of God? If you cannot discern God’s utterances, in what way are you qualified to witness the appearance of God? Wherever God appears, there the truth is expressed, and there the voice of God will be. Only those who can accept the truth will be able to hear the voice of God, and only people like these are qualified to witness the appearance of God. Do put your conceptions to one side! Quiet down and give these words a careful reading. If you yearn for the truth, God will enlighten you and you will understand His will and His words. Do put aside your opinions about the “impossible”! The more that people believe something is impossible, the more likely it is to occur, because the wisdom of God soars higher than the heavens, God’s thoughts are higher than man’s thoughts, and the work of God transcends the limits of man’s thinking and conception. The more that something is impossible, the more it has truth that can be sought; the more that something lies beyond man’s conception and imagination, the more there is in it the will of God. This is because, no matter where He reveals Himself, God is still God, and His substance will never change on account of the location or manner of His appearance. The disposition of God remains the same regardless of where His footprints are, and no matter where the footprints of God are, He is the God of all mankind, just as the Lord Jesus is not only the God of the Israelites, but is also the God of all the people of Asia, Europe, and America, and even more the one and only God in the entire universe. So let us seek God’s will and discover His appearance in His utterances, and keep pace with His footsteps! God is the truth, the way, and the life. His words and His appearance exist concurrently, and His disposition and footprints are open to mankind at all times. Dear brothers and sisters, I hope that you can see the appearance of God in these words, and that you begin following His footsteps as you stride forward into a new age, and enter into the beautiful new heaven and earth that God has prepared for those who await His appearance!

from The Church of Almighty God---The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age

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Almighty God's Word—Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth

Almighty God's Word—Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth

The work of the last days is to separate all according to their kind, to conclude the management plan of God, for the time is near and the day of God has come. God brings all who have entered His kingdom, that is, all those who have been loyal to Him to the end, into the age of God Himself. However, until the coming of the age of God Himself, the work that God shall do is not to observe the deeds of man or to inquire into the life of man, but to judge his rebellion, for God shall purify all those who come before His throne. All those who have followed the footsteps of God to this day are those who have come before the throne of God, and this being so, every single person who accepts God’s work in its final phase is the object of God’s purification. In other words, everyone who accepts God’s work in its final phase is the object of God’s judgment.

The “judgment” in the words previously spoken—judgment will begin at the house of God—refers to the judgment God passes today on those who come before His throne in the last days. Perhaps there are those who believe in such supernatural imaginings as that, when the last days have arrived, God will erect a big table in the heavens, upon which a white tablecloth will be spread, and then, sitting upon a great throne with all men kneeling on the ground, He will reveal the sins of each man and thereby determine whether they are to ascend to heaven or be sent down to the lake of fire and brimstone. No matter what the imaginings of man, the substance of God’s work cannot be altered. The imaginings of man are nothing but the constructs of man’s thoughts and come from the brain of man, summed up and pieced together from what man has seen and heard. Therefore I say, however brilliant the images conceived, they are still no more than a drawing and are not able to substitute for the plan of God’s work. After all, man has been corrupted by Satan, so how can he then fathom the thoughts of God? Man conceives the work of judgment by God to be particularly fantastic. He believes that since it is God Himself doing the work of judgment, then it must be of the most tremendous scale and incomprehensible to mortals, and it must resound through the heavens and shake the earth; otherwise how could it be the work of judgment by God? He believes that, as this is the work of judgment, then God must be particularly imposing and majestic as He works, and those being judged must be howling with tears and on their knees begging for mercy. Such a scene must be a grand spectacular and be deeply rousing…. Everyone imagines God’s work of judgment to be preternaturally wonderful. Do you know, however, that God began the work of judgment among men long ago and all this while you have been nestled in peaceful oblivion? That, the time that you think God’s work of judgment is officially beginning, it is already time for God to make heaven and earth anew? At that time, perhaps you will have only just understood the meaning of life, but the merciless work of punishment of God shall bring you, still deep in sleep, into hell. Only then will you suddenly realize that God’s work of judgment has already concluded.

Let us not waste precious time, and talk no more of these abhorrent and detestable topics. Let us speak instead of what constitutes judgment. When it comes to the word “judgment,” you will think of the words that Jehovah spoke to all the places and the words of rebuke that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees. For all their severity, these words are not God’s judgment of man, only words spoken by God within different environments, that is, different settings; these words are unlike the words spoken by Christ as He judges man in the last days. In the last days, Christ uses a variety of truths to teach man, expose the essence of man, and dissect his words and deeds. 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 the normal humanity, as well as the wisdom and the disposition of God, and so on. These words are all directed at the essence of man and his corrupt disposition. In particular, those 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 just a few words; He exposes, deals with, and prunes over the long term. These methods of exposure, dealing, and pruning cannot be substituted with ordinary words, but with the truth that man does not possess at all. Only methods of this kind are deemed judgment; only through judgment of this kind can man be subdued and thoroughly convinced into submission to 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 substance 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 substance 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 with importance and constantly think of avoiding them or of finding a new way out apart from 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 do you 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 traitor who flees from the great white throne. God will not spare any of the rebellious that 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 lies in the future.

The work of judgment is God’s own work, so it should naturally be done by God Himself; it cannot be done by man in His stead. Because judgment is the conquering of the human race through the truth, it is unquestionable that God still appears as the incarnate image to do this work among men. That is to say, in the last days, Christ shall use the truth to teach men around the earth and make all truths known to them. This is God’s work of judgment. Many have a bad feeling about the second incarnation of God, for man finds it difficult to believe that God would become flesh to do the work of judgment. Nevertheless, I must tell you that often the work of God greatly exceeds man’s expectations and is difficult for the minds of men to accept. For men are merely maggots upon the earth, while God is the supreme One that fills the universe; the mind of man is akin to a pit of foul water that gives rise only to maggots, whereas each stage of the work directed by the thoughts of God is the distillation of God’s wisdom. Man constantly wishes to contend with God, to which I say it is self-evident who will suffer loss in the end. I exhort you all not to regard yourselves as more important than gold. If others can accept the judgment of God, then why can you not? How much higher do you stand above others? If others can bow their heads before the truth, why can you not also do so? God’s work has an unstoppable momentum. He will not repeat the work of judgment again for the sake of your “merit,” and you will be filled with boundless regret at letting such a good opportunity slip. If you do not believe My words, then just wait for that great white throne in the sky to pass judgment upon you! You must know that all of the Israelites spurned and denied Jesus, and yet the fact of Jesus’ redemption of mankind still spread to the ends of the universe. Isn’t this a reality that God made long ago? If you are still awaiting Jesus to take you up to heaven, then I say that you are an obstinate piece of deadwood.[a] Jesus will not acknowledge a false believer such as you who is disloyal to the truth and seeks only blessings. On the contrary, He will show no mercy in casting you into the lake of fire to burn for tens of thousands of years.

Do you understand now what is judgment and what is truth? If you have understood, 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 in the midst of 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 men 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. Men like 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 those who perform all kinds of wicked deeds during the time of judgment to a place infested with evil spirits, letting these evil spirits destroy their fleshly bodies at will. Their bodies give off the stench of corpses, and 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 did service at one time but are unable to remain loyal to the end are numbered by God among the wicked, so that they walk in the counsel of 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 dedicated any effort, and shall annihilate them all in the change of ages. 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 men can survive, while the majority shall perish along with those who are not qualified even to do service. Finally, God shall bring into His kingdom all those who are of the same mind as God, the people and the sons of God as well as those predestined by God to be priests. Such is the distillate obtained by God through His work. As for those who are unable to fall into 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 choose shall be your decision to make. 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.

from The Church of Almighty God—Christ Does the Work of Judgment With the Truth

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Almighty God's Word—Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen

Almighty God's Word—Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen

    I have sought many on earth to be My followers. Among all these followers, there are those who serve as priests, those who lead, those who form the sons, those who constitute the people, and those who do service. I divide them into these different categories based on the loyalty they show to Me. When all men have been classified according to their kind, that is, when the nature of each kind of man has been revealed, then I shall number each man among their rightful kind and put each kind into their fitting place so that I may realize My aim of salvation for mankind. In turn, I call groups of those I wish to save to return to My house, then I allow all of these people to accept My work in the last days. At the same time, I classify man according to kind, then reward or punish each one on the basis of his deeds. Such are the steps that comprise My work.

Now I live on earth, and live among men. All men are experiencing My work and watching My utterances, and along with this I bestow all the truths upon each of My followers so that they may receive life from Me and thus obtain a path that they can tread. For I am God, Giver of life. During the many years of My work, man has received much and given up much, yet I still say that man does not truly believe in Me. This is because man merely acknowledges that I am God with their lips while disagreeing with the truth I speak and, even less, practicing the truth that I require of them. That is to say, man acknowledges only the existence of God, but not that of the truth; man acknowledges only the existence of God, but not that of the life; man only acknowledges God’s name, but not His substance. Owing to his zeal, man has become abhorrent to Me. For man just uses words pleasing to the ear to deceive Me, and none worship Me with a true heart. Your speech holds the temptation of the serpent; further, it is haughty in the extreme, a veritable proclamation by the archangel. What is more, your deeds are tattered and torn to a disgraceful degree; your immoderate desires and covetous intentions are offensive to the ear. You have all become moths in My house, objects to be discarded with loathing. For none of you are lovers of the truth, but rather men who are desirous of blessings, of ascending to heaven, and of seeing the magnificent vision of Christ wielding His power on earth. But have you ever thought how someone like you, so deeply corrupted, and who knows not at all what God is, could be worthy to follow God? How could you ascend to heaven? How could you be worthy to see the magnificence, which is without precedent in its splendor? Your mouths are filled with words of deceit and filth, of betrayal and arrogance. Never have you spoken words of sincerity to Me, no holy words, no words of submitting to Me upon experiencing My word. What, in the end, is your faith like? Your hearts are filled with desires and wealth, your minds with material things. Daily, you calculate how to get something from Me, how much wealth and how many material things you have gained from Me. Daily, you await ever more blessings to come down upon you so that you may enjoy, even more and even better, the things that may be enjoyed. That which is in your thoughts at each and every moment is not Me, nor the truth that comes from Me, but rather your husband (wife), sons, daughters, or what you eat and wear, and how your enjoyment can become even more and even better. Even when you stuff your stomach to the brim, are you not little more than a corpse? Even when you adorn your outward form splendidly, are you not still a walking corpse that has no life? You toil for the sake of your stomach until your hair is dappled with gray, yet none of you sacrifice a single hair for My work. You are constantly on the go, taxing your body and racking your brain, for the sake of your flesh, and for your sons and daughters, yet not one of you shows any worry or concern for My will. What is it that you still hope to gain from Me?

    In doing My work, I am never hurried. Whatever way in which man follows Me, I do My work in accordance with each step, in accordance with My plan. Therefore, though you may rebel against Me so much, I still do not stop My work, and still continue to speak the words I wish to speak. I call to My house all those I have predestined in order to make them into an audience for My word, and then place all who obey and long for My word before My throne. Those who turn their backs upon My word, those who fail to obey and submit to Me, and those who openly defy Me, shall all be cast to one side to await their final punishment. All men live in the midst of corruption and under the hand of the evil one, so not many of those who follow Me actually long for the truth. That is to say, most do not worship Me with a true heart or with the truth, but rather try to obtain My trust through corruption, rebellion, and deceitful measures. It is for this reason that I say: Many are called, but few are chosen. All those called are deeply corrupted and they all live in the same age, but those who are chosen are only that group who believe in and acknowledge the truth, and who practice the truth. These men are merely a very small part of the whole, and from among these men I shall receive more glory. Measured against these words, do you know if you are among the chosen? What will your end be like?

    I have already said that those who follow Me are many but those who love Me with a true heart are few. Perhaps some might say, “Would I have paid such a great price if I did not love You? Would I have followed to this point if I did not love You?” Assuredly, you have many reasons, and your love, assuredly, is very great, but what is the essence of your love for Me? “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 distance 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 sacrifice and endure hardship, and you will become compatible with Me. You will give up your all for Me, give up your family, your future, your youth, and your marriage. Otherwise your love would not be love at all, but rather deceit and betrayal! What kind of love is yours? Is it a true love? Or false? How much have you given up? 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 many impurities are there in your love? You think that you have already given up enough for Me; you think that your love for Me is already enough. But then why do your words and actions always carry with them rebellion and deceit? 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 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 sacrificed 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? I admonish you: Those I call to Me are not the ones who have never been corrupted; rather, those I choose are the ones who truly love Me. Therefore, you ought to be vigilant with your words and deeds, and examine your intentions and thoughts so that they do not cross the line. In this time of the last days, do your utmost to offer up your love before Me, lest My wrath never depart from you!

from The Church of Almighty God —Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen

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Eastern Lightning—The Answer from God’s Word:—Why is the world so dark and wicked?

Eastern Lightning—Why is the world so dark and wicked? With mankind being at the height of corruption, should it be destroyed?

The Answer from God’s Word:

    Man lost his God-fearing heart after being corrupted by Satan and lost the function that one of God’s creatures should have, becoming an enemy disobedient to God. Man lived under Satan’s domain and followed Satan’s orders; thus, God had no way to work among His creatures, and was all the more unable to win fear from His creatures. Man was created by God, and ought to worship God, but man actually turned his back to God and worshiped Satan. Satan became the idol in man’s heart. Thus God lost His standing in man’s heart, which is to say that He lost the meaning of His creation of man….

from “God and Man Will Enter Into Rest Together” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

    After several thousand years of corruption, man has become numb and dull-witted, 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 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. … 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, 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.

from “To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

    None actively seek out the footsteps or appearance of God, and none wish to exist in the care and keeping of God. Rather, they are willing to rely on the corrosion of Satan and the evil one in order to adapt to this world and to the rules of life the wicked mankind follows. At this point, the heart and spirit of man are sacrificed to Satan and become its sustenance. Moreover, the human heart and spirit become a place in which Satan can reside and a fitting playground for it. In this way, man unknowingly loses his understanding of the principles of being human, and of the worth and purpose of human existence. The laws from God and the covenant between God and man gradually fade away in man’s heart and man no longer seeks or pays heed to God. As time passes, man no longer understands why God created man, nor does he understand the words that come from the mouth of God or realize all that is from God. Man begins to resist the laws and decrees from God; the heart and spirit of man become deadened….

from “God Is the Source of Man’s Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

    From when man first had social sciences, the mind of man was occupied by science and knowledge. Then science and knowledge became tools for the ruling of mankind, and there was no longer sufficient room for man to worship God, and no more favorable conditions for the worship of God. The position of God sunk ever lower in the heart of man. A world in man’s heart with no place for God is dark, empty without hope. And so arose many social scientists, historians, and politicians to express theories of social science, the theory of human evolution, and other theories that contravene the truth that God created man, to fill the heart and mind of man. And in this way, those who believe that God created everything become ever fewer, and those who believe in the theory of evolution become ever greater in number. More and more people treat records of the work of God and His words during the Old Testament age 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. Man lives in a hollow world only concerned 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 is less and less able to go according to man’s wishes, and there are even many people who feel that, living in such a world, they are less happy than people who have gone. 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 are but a temporary respite. Even with these things, man will inevitably sin and bemoan the injustices of society. These things cannot restrain man’s craving and desire to explore. Because man was made by God and the senseless sacrifices and explorations of man can only lead to more distress. Man will exist in a constant state of fear, will not know how to face the future of mankind, or how to face the path that lies ahead. Man will even come to fear science and knowledge, and fear even more the feeling of emptiness within him. 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. 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, but the salvation of God and His provision of life to them. Only when man receives the salvation of God and His provision of life to them can the needs, yearning to explore, and 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 to ruin, toward darkness, and shall be annihilated by God.

from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

    In the time of Noah, men had been eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage to such a point that it was unbearable for God to witness, so He sent down a great flood to destroy mankind and left behind only Noah’s family of eight and all kinds of birds and beasts. In the last days, however, those kept by God are all those who have been loyal to Him until the end. Though both were times of great corruption unbearable for God to witness, and mankind in both ages was so corrupt that he denied God as the Lord, all men in the time of Noah were destroyed by God. Mankind in both ages has grieved God greatly, yet God has remained patient with men in the last days until now. Why is this? Have you never given thought to this? If you truly do not know, then let Me tell you. The reason that God can deal graciously with men in the last days is not that they are less corrupt than men in the time of Noah or that they have shown repentance to God, much less is it that God cannot bear to destroy men in the last days where technology has advanced. Rather, it is that God has work to do in a group of men in the last days and this will be done by God incarnate Himself. Furthermore, God shall choose a part of this group as His objects of salvation, the fruit of His management plan, and bring such men with Him into the next age.

from “Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

    God laments the future of mankind, and grieves the fall of mankind. He feels sorrow for mankind’s slow march toward decline and the path of no return. Mankind has broken the heart of God and renounced Him to seek the evil one. None have ever given thought to the direction in which a mankind such as this will move. It is precisely for this reason that none sense the anger of God. None seek a way to please God or try to become closer to God. Moreover, none seek to comprehend the sorrow and pain of God. Even after hearing the voice of God, man continues on his path away from God, evading the grace and care of God, and shunning the truth of God, and he would rather sell himself to Satan, the enemy of God. And who has given any thought as to how God will act toward an unrepentant man who has dismissed Him? None know that the repeated reminders and exhortations of God are because He holds in His hands an unprecedented disaster that He has prepared, one that will be unbearable for the flesh and soul of man. This disaster is not merely a punishment of the flesh but of the soul as well. You must know this: When the plan of God is made void and when His reminders and exhortations beget no response, what anger will He unleash? This will be like nothing that has heretofore been experienced or heard by any creation. And so I say, this disaster is unprecedented and will never be repeated. This is because only one creation and one salvation are within the plan of God. This is the first time and also the last.

from “God Is the Source of Man’s Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

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