Questions and Answers on the Desolation of Churches: Question 2: You just talked about some lawless acts, so what specific acts do you mean when you say lawlessness is increasing?

    Answer: The increase in lawlessness means mostly that those religious leaders, pastors, and elders go against God’s will and go their own way instead. They don’t follow God’s commandments, and they misinterpret the Bible to shackle, control, and deceive people, drowning them in biblical theology, and taking them away from God, turning churches into places of religious ritual, and they treat their responsibilities and duties as access to status and income, which leads to many hypocritical acts that resist God in the church. Many people have revealed themselves to be unbelievers. They pursue worldly pleasures, depart from the way of the Lord, and even pass on God’s words as mere fairy tales. They do not believe at all that the Lord Jesus will come again to speak and do work. Especially those religious leaders without any reverence for God in their hearts, and all kinds of evil men and unbelievers who do not love the truth are exposed. They openly commit evil acts, deny God’s work of the last days, and reject the truth. These religious pastors and elders preach biblical knowledge and theology. They strive to protect their own status, influence, and income, but they refuse to follow the Lord’s way or spread the Lord’s word. They don’t exalt or testify to the Lord at all. Instead they preach things that betray the truth in God’s word, and use fallacies and human traditions to deceive and control people, stubbornly taking the Pharisees’ path of resistance to God. Many religious pastors and elders also pursue worldly pleasures, they seek fashion, lust for money, and struggle for position. They are purely men of the world, purely unbelievers. What’s most infuriating is that these religious leaders, pastors, and elders use their wild condemnation of God’s work in the last days to deceive and control the believers, and they even collude with the CCP regime, standing with Satan against God, striving to create their own kingdoms and re-crucifying God, for which God hates and curses them. These lawless acts are facts apparent to us all. They are nothing less than a betrayal from the religious word. And because of the increase in these lawless acts, the faith and love of many believers has gone cold, and they are negative and weak. Because these religious leaders have chosen their own path, and no longer follow God’s way, the work of the Holy Spirit has been withdrawn, and the religious venues have been abandoned. The Holy Spirit’s work has moved to those who accept Almighty God’s work of the last days. And in these things we see that God’s righteous disposition is intolerant of offense by man.

God's Utterance | What Do You Know of Faith?

    In man exists only the uncertain word of faith, yet man knows not what constitutes faith, much less why he has faith. Man understands too little, and man himself is too lacking; his faith in Me is but mindless and ignorant. Though he knows not what faith is, nor why he has faith in Me, he continues to believe in Me obsessively. What I ask of man is not merely for him to obsessively call upon Me in this way or to believe in Me in a desultory fashion, for the work I do is so that man may see Me, and know Me, not so that man is impressed and looks at Me in a new light. I once manifested many signs and wonders and performed many miracles, and the Israelites of the time showed Me great admiration and greatly revered My exceptional ability to heal the sick and exorcise demons. At the time, the Jews thought My healing powers to be masterly, extraordinary—and because of My many deeds, they all venerated Me, and felt great admiration for all of My powers. Thus, all who saw Me perform miracles followed Me closely, such that thousands surrounded Me to watch Me heal the sick. I manifested so many signs and wonders, yet people merely looked upon Me as a masterly physician; so, too, did I speak many words of teaching to people at the time, yet they merely regarded Me as a teacher superior to his disciples. Even today, after men have seen the historical records of My work, their interpretation continues to be that I am a great physician who heals the sick and a teacher to the ignorant, and they have defined Me as the merciful Lord Jesus Christ. Those who interpret the scriptures may have surpassed My skills in healing, or may even be disciples who have now surpassed their teacher, yet such men of great renown, whose names are known around the world, consider Me so lowly to be a mere physician. My deeds are greater in number than the grains of sand on the beaches, and My wisdom surpasses all the sons of Solomon, yet people merely think of Me as a physician of little account and an unknown teacher of man. So many believe in Me only that I might heal them. So many believe in Me only that I might use My powers to drive unclean spirits out from their bodies, and so many believe in Me simply that they might receive peace and joy from Me. So many believe in Me only to demand from Me greater material wealth. So many believe in Me just to spend this life in peace and to be safe and sound in the world to come. So many believe in Me to avoid the suffering of hell and to receive the blessings of heaven. So many believe in Me only for temporary comfort, yet do not seek to gain anything in the world to come. When I brought down My fury upon man and seized all the joy and peace he once possessed, man became doubtful. When I gave unto man the suffering of hell and reclaimed the blessings of heaven, man’s shame turned into anger. When man asked Me to heal him, I paid him no heed and felt abhorrence toward him; man departed from Me to instead seek the way of evil medicine and sorcery. When I took away all that man had demanded from Me, everyone disappeared without a trace. Thus, I say that man has faith in Me because I give too much grace, and there is far too much to gain. The Jews believed in Me for My grace and followed Me wherever I went. These ignorant men of limited knowledge and experience sought only to behold the signs and wonders I manifested. They regarded Me as the head of the house of the Jews who could perform the greatest miracles. And so when I exorcised demons from men, it caused much discussion among them: They said that I was Elijah, that I was Moses, that I was the most ancient of all prophets, that I was the greatest of all physicians. Apart from Myself saying that I am the life, the way, and the truth, none could know My being or My identity. Apart from Myself saying that heaven is the place where My Father lives, none knew that I am the Son of God, and also God Himself. Apart from Myself saying that I shall bring redemption to all mankind and ransom mankind, none knew that I am the Redeemer of mankind, and men only knew Me as a benevolent and compassionate man. And apart from Myself being able to explain all there is of Me, none knew Me, and none believed that I am the Son of the living God. Such is people’s faith in Me, and the way they try to fool Me. How could they bear witness to Me when they hold such views of Me?

God's word | Though Mankind Has Been Corrupted, He Still Lives Under the Sovereignty of the Creator’s Authority

    Satan has been corrupting mankind for thousands of years. It has wrought untold amounts of evil, has deceived generation after generation, and has committed heinous crimes in the world. It has abused man, deceived man, seduced man to oppose God, and has committed evil acts that have confounded and impaired God’s plan of management time and time again. Yet, under the authority of God, all things and living creatures continue to abide by the rules and laws set down by God. Compared to the authority of God, Satan’s evil nature and rampancy are so ugly, so disgusting and despicable, and so small and vulnerable. Even though Satan walks among all things created by God, it is not able to enact the slightest change in the people, things, and objects commanded by God. Several thousand years have passed, and mankind still enjoys the light and air bestowed by God, still breathes the breath exhaled by God Himself, still enjoys the flowers, birds, fish and insects created by God, and enjoys all the things provided by God; day and night still continually replace each other; the four seasons alternate as usual; the geese flying in the sky depart in this winter, and still return in the next spring; the fish in the water never leave the rivers and lakes—their home; the cicadas on the ground sing their hearts out during the summer days; the crickets in the grass gently hum in time to the wind during autumn; the geese gather into flocks, while the eagles remain solitary; the prides of lions sustain themselves by hunting; the elk don’t stray from the grass and flowers…. Every kind of living creature amongst all things departs and returns, and then departs again, a million changes occurring in the twinkling of an eye—but what doesn’t change are their instincts and the laws of survival. They live under the provision and nourishment of God, and no one can change their instincts, and neither can anyone impair their rules of survival. Although mankind, who lives among all things, has been corrupted and deceived by Satan, man still cannot forgo the water made by God, and the air made by God, and all things made by God, and man still lives and proliferates in this space created by God. The instincts of mankind have not changed. Man still relies on his eyes to see, on his ears to hear, on his brain to think, on his heart to understand, on his legs and feet to walk, on his hands to work, and so on; all the instincts that God bestowed upon man in order that he could accept the provision of God remain unaltered, the faculties through which man cooperates with God have not changed, mankind’s faculty for performing the duty of a created being has not changed, mankind’s spiritual needs have not changed, mankind’s desire to find his origins has not changed, mankind’s yearning to be saved by the Creator has not changed. Such are the current circumstances of mankind, who lives under the authority of God, and who has endured the bloody destruction wrought by Satan. Though mankind has been subjected to the oppression of Satan, and is no longer Adam and Eve from the beginning of creation, instead being full of things that are antagonistic to God, such as knowledge, imagination, notions, and so on, and full of the corrupt satanic disposition, in the eyes of God, mankind is still the same mankind that He created. Mankind is still ruled and orchestrated by God, and still lives within the course set out by God, and so in the eyes of God, mankind, who has been corrupted by Satan, is merely covered in grime, with a rumbling tummy, with reactions that are a little slow, a memory that’s not as good as it used to be, and of a slightly older age—but all the functions and instincts of man are completely undamaged. This is the mankind that God intends to save. This mankind has but to hear the call of the Creator, and hear the voice of the Creator, and he will stand up and rush to locate the source of this voice. This mankind has but to see the figure of the Creator and he will become heedless of all else, and forsake everything, in order to devote himself to God, and will even lay down his life for Him. When the heart of mankind understands the heartfelt words of the Creator, mankind will reject Satan and come to the side of the Creator; when mankind has completely washed the dirt from his body, and has once more received the provision and nourishment of the Creator, then the memory of mankind will be restored, and at this time mankind will have truly returned to the dominion of the Creator.

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

Recommendation: Christian Reflections

God's word | The Creator’s Sincere Feelings Toward Mankind

    People often say that it is not an easy thing to know God. I, however, say that knowing God is not a difficult matter at all, for God frequently allows man to witness His deeds. God has never ceased His dialogue with mankind; He has never concealed Himself from man, 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 that he does not know who God is, nor does he wish to understand God; even more so, he is not concerned with the Creator’s thoughts, words or deeds…. Truthfully speaking, if one only uses their idle time to focus upon and understand the Creator’s words or deeds, and pay a little attention to the Creator’s thoughts and the voice of His heart, it will not be difficult for them 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 substance 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, nor has He vanished. From dawn to dusk, He is mankind’s constant companion. His devoted care and special affection for humanity, as well as His true concern and love for man, were displayed bit by bit when He saved the city of Nineveh. In particular, the exchange between Jehovah God and Jonah laid barer the Creator’s pity for the mankind He Himself created. Through these words, you can obtain a deep understanding of God’s sincere feelings for humanity …

In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God

     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, but to receive certain benefits, or to escape the suffering of disaster. Only then are they somewhat obedient, but their obedience is conditional, it is for the sake of their own personal prospects, and forced upon them. So: why do you believe in God? If it is solely for the sake of your prospects, and your fate, then you’d best not believe. Belief such as this is self-deception, self-reassurance, and self-appreciation. If your faith is not built upon the foundation of obedience to God, then you will ultimately be punished as a result of opposing God. All those who do not seek obedience to God in their faith oppose God. God asks that people seek the truth, that they thirst for God’s words, and eat and drink God’s words, and put them into practice, so that they may achieve obedience to God. If your motivations are truly thus, then God will surely raise you up, and will surely be gracious toward you. No one can doubt this, and no one can change it. If your motivations are not for the sake of obedience to 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 God. You may be soft-spoken and mild-mannered, your every action and expression may look right, you may appear to be one who obeys, but when it comes to your motivations and your views about faith in God, everything you do is in opposition to God, and 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 every one of them, so all can see that every one of those who are hypocritical will be surely detested and rejected by the Holy Spirit. Don’t worry: God will deal with and resolve each of them in turn.

The Church of Almighty God | God's word | Preface

     Though many people believe in God, few understand what faith in God means, and what they must do to be after God’s heart. This is because, though people are familiar with the word “God” and phrases such as “the work of God,” they do not know God, much less do they know His work. No wonder, then, that all those who do not know God are possessed of a muddled belief. People do not take belief in God seriously because believing in God is too unfamiliar, too strange for them. In this way, they fall short of the demands of God. In other words, if people do not know God, do not know His work, then they are not fit for God’s use, much less can they fulfill the desire of God. “Belief in God” means believing that there is a God; this is the simplest concept of faith 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 experiencing the words and work of God based on a belief that God holds sovereignty over all things. So you shall be freed of your corrupt disposition, shall fulfill the desire of God, and shall come to know God. Only through such a journey can you be said to believe in God. Yet people often see belief in God as something very simple and frivolous. The belief of such people is meaningless and shall never gain the approval of God, because they tread the wrong path. Today, there are still those who believe in God in letters, in hollow doctrines. They are unaware that their belief in God has no substance, and that they are unable to gain the approval of God, and they still pray for peace and sufficient grace from God. We should stop and ask ourselves: Could believing in God really be the easiest thing on earth? Does believing in God mean nothing more than receiving much grace from God? Can people who believe in God but do not know Him, and believe in God yet oppose Him, really fulfill the desire of God?

Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men

    The old age is gone, and the new age has come. Year after year and day after day, God has done much work. He came into the world and then in turn departed. Such a cycle has continued on through many generations. This day, God continues to do as before the work that He must, the work that He has yet to complete, for to this day He has yet to enter into rest. From the time of creation to this day, God has done much work, but did you know that the work God does this day is much more than before and the scale much greater? This is why I say that God has done a great thing among men. All of God’s work is very important, be it to man or to God, for every item of His work is related to man.

God's word | Knowing God’s Work Today

    To know God’s work in these times is, for the most part, to know God incarnate of the last days, what His principal ministry is, and what He has come to do on earth. I have previously mentioned in My words that God has come to earth (during the last days) to set an exemplar before departing. How does God set this exemplar? By speaking words, by working and speaking throughout the land. This is God’s work during the last days; He only speaks, so that the earth becomes a world of words, so that every person is provided for and enlightened by His words, and so that man’s spirit is awakened and he is clear about the visions. During the last days, God incarnate has come to earth chiefly in order to speak words. When Jesus came, He spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and accomplished the work of redemption of the crucifixion. He brought an end to the Age of Law, and abolished all the old things. The arrival of Jesus ended the Age of Law and ushered in the Age of Grace. The arrival of God incarnate of the last days has brought an end to the Age of Grace. He has come chiefly to speak His words, to use words to make man perfect, to illuminate and enlighten man, and to remove the place of the vague God within man’s heart. This is not the stage of work that Jesus did when He came. When Jesus came, He performed many miracles, He healed the sick and cast out demons, and He did the work of redemption of the crucifixion. As a consequence, in his conceptions, man believes that this is how God should be. For when Jesus came, He did not do the work of removing the image of the vague God from man’s heart; when He came, He was crucified, He healed the sick and cast out demons, and He spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. In one regard, the incarnation of God during the last days removes the place held by the vague God in the conceptions of man, so that there is no longer the image of the vague God in man’s heart. Through His actual words and actual work, His movement across all lands, and the exceptionally real and normal work that He does among man, He causes man to know the reality of God, and removes the place of the vague God in man’s heart. In another regard, God uses the words spoken by His flesh to make man complete, and accomplish all things. This is the work that God will accomplish during the last days.

God's word | What Viewpoint Believers Ought to Hold

    What is it that man has received since he first believed in God? What have you known about God? How much have you changed because of your belief in God? Now you all know that man’s belief in God is not solely for salvation of the soul and welfare of the flesh, nor is it to enrich his life through love of God, and so on. As it stands, if you love God for the sake of welfare of the flesh or momentary pleasure, then even if, in the end, your love for God reaches its peak and you ask for nothing, this love you seek is still an impure love and not pleasing to God. Those who use love for God to enrich their dull lives and fill a void in their heart are those who seek to live in ease, not those who truly seek to love God. This kind of love is against one’s will, a pursuit of emotional pleasure, and God does not need this kind of love. What kind, then, is a love such as yours? For what do you love God? How much true love do you have for God now? The love of most among you is as previously mentioned. This kind of love can only maintain the status quo; it cannot attain eternal constancy, nor take root in man. This kind of love is that of a flower which bears no fruit after it has bloomed then withered. In other words, after you have loved God once in such a way and there is no one to lead you on the path ahead, then you will fall. If you can only love God in the times of loving God and you make no changes to your life disposition afterward, then you will continue to be shrouded by the influence of darkness, unable to escape, and still unable to break free from being manipulated and fooled by Satan. No such man can be fully gained by God; in the end, their spirit, soul, and body will still belong to Satan. This is unquestionable. 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 that burns with fire and brimstone to accept the next step of punishment from God. Those gained by God are those who rebel against Satan and escape from its domain. Such men will be officially numbered among the people of the kingdom. This is how the people of the kingdom come to be. Are you willing to be 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? Such things should all be clear and require no further explanation.

God's word | The Path … (6)

    It is because of God’s work that we have been brought into the present day. So, we are all the survivors in God’s management plan, and that we can be retained until the present day is a great uplifting from God. According to God’s plan, the country of the great red dragon should be destroyed, but I think that perhaps He has established another plan, or He wants to carry out another portion of His work. So until today I haven’t been able to explain it clearly—it’s as if it’s an unsolvable riddle. But overall, this group of ours has been predestined by God, and I continue to believe that God has other work in us. May we all beseech Heaven thus: “May Your will be accomplished and may You once again appear to us and not conceal Yourself so that we may see Your glory and Your countenance more clearly.” I always feel that the path that God guides us on doesn’t go straight up, but it’s a winding road that is full of potholes, and God says that the rockier the path is the more it can reveal our hearts of love, but not one of us can open up this kind of path. In My experience, I have walked many rocky, treacherous paths and I have endured great suffering; at times I have even been utterly grief-stricken to the point that I wanted to cry out, but I have walked this path until this day. I believe that this is the path led by God, so I endure the torment of all the suffering and continue on. For this is what God has ordained, so who can escape it? I do not ask to receive any blessings; all I ask is that I am able to walk the path I ought to walk according to God’s will. I do not seek to imitate others or walk the path that they walk—all I seek is that I may fulfill My devotion to walk My designated path until the end. I do not ask for the help of others; to be frank, I can’t help anyone else either. It seems that I am terribly sensitive on this matter. I don’t know what other people think. This is because I have always believed that however much an individual must suffer and however far they must walk on their path is ordained by God and that no one can really help anyone else. Perhaps a portion of our enthusiastic brothers and sisters may say that I am lacking in love. But this is just what I believe. People walk their paths relying on God’s guidance, and I believe that most of My brothers and sisters will understand My heart. I also hope that God provides us with much greater enlightenment in this aspect so that our love may become purer and our friendship may become more precious. May we not be confused on this topic, but only become clearer so that our interpersonal relationships may be established on the basis of God’s leadership.

God's word | The Path … (2)

    Perhaps our brothers and sisters have a bit of an outline of the sequence, the steps, and the methods of God’s work in mainland China, but I always feel it’s better to have a recollection or a little summary for our brothers and sisters. I’m just using this opportunity to say a bit of what’s on My heart; I’m not talking about anything outside of this work. I hope that the brothers and sisters can understand My mood, and I also humbly request that all those who read My words understand and forgive My small stature, that My life experience is truly inadequate, and that I truly cannot keep My head high in front of God. However, I always feel that these are only objective reasons. In short, no matter what, no people, events, or things can hinder our fellowship in God’s presence, and I hope that our brothers and sisters are able to work harder in front of God along with Me. I would like to offer up the following prayer: “Oh God! Please have mercy on us so that I and My brothers and sisters may struggle together under the dominion of our common ideals, be faithful to You until death, and never go back on it!” These words are the determination I set in front of God, but it could also be said that it’s My own motto as a man of flesh who is used by God. I have shared this in fellowship with the brothers and sisters by My side many times, and I have given this to those alongside Me as a message. I don’t know what people think of it, but no matter what, I believe that they not only have an aspect of subjective effort, but even more, they also contain an aspect of objective theory. Because of this, it’s possible that some people have certain opinions, and you can take these words as your motto and see how great your drive for loving God will be. Some people will develop a certain notion when they read these words, and think: “How could such an everyday, normal thing to say give people a great drive to love God until death? And it has nothing to do with the topic of what we’re discussing, ‘The Path.’” I acknowledge that these words don’t have a great deal of charm, but I have always thought that it can lead people onto the right track, and allow them to undergo all kinds of trials along the path of belief in God without losing heart or turning back. This is why I always treat this as My motto, and I hope that people can carefully think this over. However, My intention isn’t to force everyone to accept My own views—this is just a suggestion. No matter what other people think of Me, I think that God will understand the inner dynamics of every single one of us. God is constantly working on every single one of us, and His work is tireless. This is because we were all born in the country of the great red dragon—this is why He works this way in us. Those who were born in the country of the great red dragon have the fortune to gain this kind of work of the Holy Spirit. As one of them, I greatly feel the dearness, respectability, as well as the loveliness of God. This is God caring for us. Such a backward, conservative, feudalistic, superstitious, and depraved empire of the proletariat gains this kind of work from God. From this, it’s clear that we, this group of people in the final age, are very blessed. I believe that all of the brothers and sisters whose spiritual eyes are opened to see this work will all weep tears of joy for this, and at that time, won’t you express this to God by dancing with joy? Won’t you offer up the song in your heart to God? At that time won’t you show your resolve to God and make another plan before Him? I think that all of these are things that a proper believer in God should do. As human beings, I believe that every one of us should have some kind of expression in front of God. This is what a person who has feelings should do. Looking at the caliber of everyone among us as well as our birthplace, it shows how much humiliation God endured in order to come to our midst. Although we have some knowledge of God inside of us, based on what we do know, God is so great, so supreme, and so honorable, it is enough to know how great His suffering has been among mankind by comparison. But this is still a vague thing to say, and people can only treat it as words and doctrines. This is because those in our midst are too numb and dull-witted. I can only put more effort into explaining this issue to all those brothers and sisters who would accept it so that our spirits can be moved by the Spirit of God. May God open our spiritual eyes so that we may see the price God has paid, the effort He has made, and the energy He has expended for us.

God's will | The Path … (4)

 

    That people are able to discover God’s loveliness, to seek the way of loving God in this age, and that they are willing to accept the training of the kingdom of today—all of this is God’s grace and even more, it’s Him uplifting mankind. Whenever I think of this I strongly feel the loveliness of God. It is truly that God loves us. Otherwise, who would be able to discover His loveliness? It is only from this that I see that all of this work is personally done by God Himself, and people are guided and directed by God. I give thanks to God for this, and I’d like My brothers and sisters to join Me in praising God: “All glory be to You, the supreme God Himself! May Your glory multiply and be revealed in those of us who have been selected and obtained by You.” I have gained enlightenment from God—before the ages God had already predestined us and wanted to gain us in the last days, thus allowing all things in the universe to see God’s glory in its entirety through us. Thus, we are the crystallization of six thousand years of God’s management plan; we are the models, the specimens of God’s work in the entire universe. Not until now have I discovered how much love God truly has for us, and that the work He does in us and the things that He says all surpass that of ages past a millionfold. Even in Israel and in Peter, God never personally did so much work and spoke so much. This shows that we, this group of people, truly are incredibly blessed—incomparably more blessed than the saints of times past. This is why God has always said people of the final age are blessed. No matter what others say, I believe that we are the ones who are most blessed by God. We should accept the blessings bestowed upon us by God; perhaps there are some who will complain to God, but I believe that blessings come from God and that proves that they are what we deserve. Even if others complain or are not happy with us, I always believe that no one can accept or take away the blessings God has given to us. Because God’s work is carried out on us and He is speaking to us face to face—to us, not to others—God does whatever He wants to do, and if people are not convinced, isn’t that just asking for trouble? Isn’t that courting humiliation? Why would I say this? It’s because I have deep experience with this. Just like the work God does on Me that only I can accept—can anyone else do it? I am fortunate that God entrusts Me with this—could someone else just indiscriminately do that? But I hope that My brothers and sisters can understand My heart. It’s not to hold up My own credentials to boast to people, but it’s to explain an issue. I am willing to give all glory to God and to have Him observe each and every one of our hearts so that our hearts are all purified in front of God. I would like to make a wish from the bottom of My heart: I hope to be completely obtained by God, to become a pure virgin who is sacrificed upon the altar, and even more to have the obedience of a lamb, appearing among all of mankind as a holy spiritual body. This is My promise, the oath I have set forth in front of God. I am willing to fulfill it and repay God’s love through this. Are you willing to do this? I believe that this promise of Mine will invigorate more younger brothers and sisters, and bring more young people hope. I feel that it seems that God places special emphasis on young people. Perhaps it’s My own bias, but I always feel that young people have hope for their future; it seems that God does extra work in young people. Although they are lacking in insight and wisdom and they are all overly exuberant and hot-headed just like a newborn calf, I believe that the youth are not entirely without their merits. You can see the innocence of youth in them and they are easy to accept new things. Although young people do tend toward arrogance, fierceness, and impulsivity, these things do not impact their ability to receive new light. This is because young people generally don’t hold fast to outmoded things. That’s why I see limitless promise in young people, and their vitality; it is from this that I have a tender feeling for them. Although I don’t have any dislike for the older brothers and sisters, I’m also not interested in them. I do, however, sincerely apologize to the older brothers and sisters. Perhaps what I’ve said is out of line or is inconsiderate, but I hope that all of you can forgive My recklessness, because I am too young and do not place too much emphasis on My manner of speaking. However, to tell the truth, the older brothers and sisters do, after all, have their functions that they should perform—they are not at all useless. This is because they have experience in dealing with affairs, they are steady in how they handle things, and they do not make as many mistakes. Aren’t these their strengths? I’d like for all of us to say before God: “Oh God! May we all fulfill our own functions in our different positions, and may we all do our very best for Your will!” I believe this must be God’s will!

God's voice | The Path … (3)

    In My own life, I’m always willing to give Myself over to God entirely, body and mind. This way, there is no blame on My conscience and I can gain a little bit of peace. A person who pursues life must first give their heart over to God entirely. This is a precondition. I’d like for My brothers and sisters to pray with Me to God: “Oh God! May Your Spirit in heaven bestow grace upon people on the earth so that My heart may fully turn to You, that My Spirit may be moved by You, and that I may see Your loveliness in My heart and My Spirit, so that those on the earth are blessed to see Your beauty. God! May Your Spirit once again move our spirits so that our love is long-lasting and never changes!” What God does in all of us is to first test our hearts, and when we pour our hearts into Him, it is then that He begins to move our spirits. It is only in the spirit that one can see God’s loveliness, supremacy, and greatness. This is the path of the Holy Spirit in human beings. Do you have this kind of life? Have you experienced a life of the Holy Spirit? Has your spirit been moved by God? Have you seen how the Holy Spirit works in people? Have you given over your heart to God entirely? When you fully give your heart to God, you are able to directly experience the life of the Holy Spirit, and His work can be continually revealed to you. At that time, you can become someone who is used by the Holy Spirit. Are you willing to become that kind of person? In My memory, when I was moved by the Holy Spirit and first gave My heart to God, I fell down in front of Him and cried out: “Oh God! It is You who has opened up My eyes so that I may understand Your salvation. I am willing to give My heart to You entirely, and all I ask is that Your will be done. All I wish is that My heart gain Your approval in Your presence, and to carry out Your will.” That prayer is most unforgettable for Me; I was deeply moved, and I wept bitterly in front of God. That was My first successful prayer in God’s presence as a person who has been saved, and it was My first aspiration. I was frequently moved by the Holy Spirit after that. Have you had this kind of experience? How has the Holy Spirit worked in you? I think that people who seek to love God will all have this kind of experience, to greater or lesser degrees, but people forget about them. If someone says they haven’t had this kind of experience, that proves that they have not yet been saved and are still under the domain of Satan. The work that the Holy Spirit carries out in everyone is the path of the Holy Spirit, and it is also the path of someone who believes in and seeks God. The first step of work that the Holy Spirit performs on people is that of moving their spirits. After that, they will begin to love God and pursue life; all of those on this path are within the stream of the Holy Spirit. These are not only the dynamics of God’s work in mainland China, but also in the entire universe. He does this on all of mankind. If someone has not been moved even once, this shows that they are outside of this stream of recovery. I pray to God unceasingly in My heart that He may move all people, that everyone under the sun may be moved by Him and walk this path. Perhaps this is some minuscule request I have of God, but I believe that He will do this. I hope that all of My brothers and sisters will pray for this, that God’s will may be done, and that His work may conclude soon so that His Spirit in heaven may be at rest. This is My own little hope.

God's will | (I) Classic Words on God Revealing the Work of the Age of Law

    22. During the Age of Law, Jehovah laid down many commandments for Moses to pass on to the Israelites who followed him out of Egypt. Jehovah gave these commandments to the Israelites, which were unrelated to the Egyptians, and they were meant to restrain the Israelites, and were His requirements for them. Whether one observed the Sabbath, whether one respected one’s parents, whether one worshiped idols, and so forth, these were the principles by which one was judged sinful or righteous. Whether one was struck by Jehovah’s fire, or stoned to death, or received Jehovah’s blessing, was determined according to whether one obeyed these commandments. Those who did not observe the Sabbath were stoned to death. Those priests who did not observe the Sabbath were smitten by Jehovah’s fire. Those who did not respect their parents were also stoned to death. This was all commended by Jehovah. Jehovah established His commandments and laws so that as He led their lives, the people would listen to and obey His word and not rebel against Him. He used these laws to control the newborn human race, to lay the foundation for His work to come. And so, because of the work that Jehovah did, the first age was called the Age of Law. 

2. Why Is God Called by Different Names in Different Ages?

Relevant Words of God:

    In each age, God does new work and is called by a new name; how could He do the same work in different ages? How could He cling to the old? The name of Jesus was taken for the work of redemption, so would He still be called by the same name when He returns in the last days? Would He still do the work of redemption? Why is it that Jehovah and Jesus are one, yet They are called by different names in different ages? Is it not because the ages of Their work are different? Could a single name represent God in His entirety? In this way, God must be called by a different name in a different age, must use the name to change the age and represent the age, for no one name can fully represent God Himself. And each name can only represent God’s disposition during a certain age and needs only to represent His work. Therefore, God can choose whatever name befits His disposition to represent the entire age.

God's word | V Classic Words on the Relationship Between Each Stage of God’s Work and the Name of God

     1. The work done by God Himself in each age contains the expression of His true disposition, and His name and the work He does change with the age; they are all new. During the Age of Law, the work of guiding mankind was done under the name of Jehovah, and the first stage of work was carried out on earth. The work of this stage was to build the temple and the altar, and to use the law to guide the people of Israel and work among them. By guiding the people of Israel, He established a base for His work on earth. From this base, He expanded His work beyond Israel, which is to say that, starting from Israel, He extended His work outward, so that later generations gradually came to know that Jehovah was God, and that Jehovah had created the heavens and earth and all things, had made all creatures. He spread His work through the people of Israel. The land of Israel was the first holy place of Jehovah’s work on earth, and God’s earliest work on earth was throughout the land of Israel. That was the work of the Age of Law. … During the Age of Grace, the name of God was Jesus, which means that God was a God who saved man, and that He was a compassionate and loving God. God was with man. His love, His compassion, and His salvation accompanied each and every person. Man could only gain peace and joy, receive His blessing, receive His vast and numerous graces, and receive His salvation if man accepted the name of Jesus and accepted His presence. Through the crucifixion of Jesus, all those who followed Him received salvation and were forgiven their sins. During the Age of Grace, the name of God was Jesus. In other words, the work of the Age of Grace was done principally under the name of Jesus. During the Age of Grace, God was called Jesus. He did new work beyond the Old Testament, and His work ended with the crucifixion, and that was the entirety of His work. Therefore, during the Age of Law Jehovah was the name of God, and in the Age of Grace the name of Jesus represented God. During the last days, His name is Almighty God—the Almighty, and He uses His power to guide man, conquer man, and gain man, and in the end, conclude the age. In every age, in every stage of His work, God’s disposition is evident.

1. Why Does God Take Names, and Can One Name Represent the Entirety of God?

Relevant Almighty God’s Words:

    Could the name of Jesus, “God with us,” represent God’s disposition in its entirety? Could it fully articulate God? If man says that God can only be called Jesus, and may not have any other name because God cannot change His disposition, then such words are blasphemy! Do you believe that the name Jesus, God with us, can represent God in His entirety? God can be called many names, but among these many names, there is not one which can encapsulate all that God has, there is not one which can fully represent God. And so God has many names, but these many names cannot fully articulate God’s disposition, for God’s disposition is too rich, and extends beyond the knowledge of man. The language of man is incapable of fully encapsulating God. Man has but a limited vocabulary with which to encapsulate all that he knows of God’s disposition: great, honorable, wondrous, unfathomable, supreme, holy, righteous, wise, and so on. Too many words! Such a limited vocabulary is incapable of describing what little man has witnessed of God’s disposition. Later on, many people added more words to better describe the fervor in their hearts: God is too great! God is too holy! God is too lovely! Today, sayings such as these have reached their peak, yet man is still incapable of clearly expressing God. And so, for man, God has many names, yet He has no one name, and that is because God’s being is too bountiful, and the language of man is too inadequate. One particular word or name is powerless to represent God in His entirety. So can God take one fixed name? God is so great and holy, so why do you not permit Him to change His name in each new age? As such, in each age that God personally does His own work, He uses a name that befits the age to encapsulate the work that He does. He uses this particular name, one that possesses the significance of the age, to represent His disposition in that age. God uses the language of man to express His own disposition. Even then, many people who have had spiritual experiences and have personally seen God still feel that one particular name is incapable of representing God in His entirety—and what a pity that is! So man does not call God by any name, and simply call Him “God.” The heart of man seems full of love, yet it also seems beset with contradictions, for man does not know how to explain God. What God is is too bountiful, there is simply no way of describing it. There is no single name that can summarize God’s disposition, and there is no single name that can describe all that God has and is. If someone asks Me, “Exactly what name do You use?” I will tell them, “God is God!” Is that not the best name for God? Is it not the best encapsulation of God’s disposition? So why spend so much effort seeking the name of God? Why think so hard, going without food and sleep, for the sake of a name? The day will arrive when God is not called Jehovah, Jesus, or the Messiah—He will simply be called the Creator. At that time, all the names that He took on earth shall come to an end, for His work on earth will have come to an end, after which He shall have no name. … You should know that God originally had no name. He only took on one, or two, or many names because He had work to do and had to manage mankind. Whatever name He is called by, isn’t it freely chosen by Him? Does He need you, a creature, to decide it? The name by which God is called is according to what man can apprehend and the language of man, but this name cannot be encapsulated by man. You can only say that there is a God in heaven, that He is called God, that He is God Himself with great power, too wise, too exalted, too wondrous, too mysterious, too almighty, and you can say no more; that is all you know. In this way, can the name of Jesus alone represent God Himself?

God's word | The Path … (1)

    In their lifetime, no person knows what kind of setbacks they’re going to encounter, nor do they know what kind of refinement they will be subject to. For some it’s in their work, for some it’s in their future prospects, for some it’s in their family of origin, and for some it’s in their marriage. But what’s different from them is that today we, this group of people, are suffering for the word of God. That is, as someone who serves God, we have suffered setbacks on the path of believing in Him, and this is the path that all believers take and it is the road underneath all of our feet. It is from this point that we officially begin our course of believing in God, raise the curtain on our lives as human beings, and enter onto the right path of life. That is, it is when we enter onto the right path of God living alongside man, which normal people take. As someone who stands in front of God and serves Him, that is, someone who wears the robes of a priest in the temple, who has divine dignity and the authority and majesty of God, I make the following declaration to all people. To put it more clearly: The glorious countenance of God is My glory, His management plan is My core. I do not seek to gain a hundredfold in the world to come, but only to carry out God’s will in this world so that He may enjoy one small fraction of His glory on the earth due to the meager efforts I put forth in the flesh. This is My only desire. In My opinion, this is My only spiritual sustenance; I believe that these should be the final words of someone who lives in the flesh and who is full of emotion. This is the path underneath My feet today. I believe that this outlook of Mine is My final words in the flesh, and I hope that people do not have other notions or thoughts of Me. Although I have given it My all, I have still been unable to satisfy the will of God in heaven. I am immeasurably sad—why is this the essence of the flesh? So, because of the things I have done in the past as well as the work of conquering God has carried out on Me, only now have I gained a deeper understanding of the essence of mankind. Only since then have I set the most basic standard for Myself: to only seek to carry out God’s will, to give it My all, and to have nothing weighing on My conscience. I pay no mind to what requirements others who serve God have for themselves. In short, I have set My heart on carrying out His will. This is My confession as one of His creation who serves before Him—someone who has been saved and beloved by God, and who has suffered His blows. This is the confession of someone who has been watched over, protected, loved, and greatly used by God. From now on, I will continue down this path until I have completed the important task entrusted to Me by God. But in My opinion, the end of the road is imminent because His work has been completed, and as of today people have done all that they are able to do.

God's Utterance | Concerning the Bible (1)

The Church of Almighty God | God's Utterance | Concerning the Bible (1)

    How should the Bible be approached in the belief in God? This is a question of principle. Why are we communing this question? Because in the future you will spread the gospel and widen the work of the Age of Kingdom, and it’s not enough to merely be able to talk of God’s work today. To broaden His work, it is more important that you are able to resolve people’s old religious conceptions and old means of belief, and leave them utterly convinced—and getting to that point involves the Bible. For many years, people’s traditional means of belief (that of Christianity, one of the world’s three major religions) has been to read the Bible; departure from the Bible is not the belief in the Lord, departure from the Bible is an evil cult, and heresy, and even when people read other books, the foundation of these books must be the explanation of the Bible. Which is to say, if you say you believe in the Lord, then you must read the Bible, you must eat and drink the Bible, and outside the Bible you must not worship any book that does not involve the Bible. If you do, then you are betraying God. From the time when there was the Bible, people’s belief in the Lord has been the belief in the Bible. Instead of saying people believe in the Lord, it is better to say they believe in the Bible; rather than saying they have begun reading the Bible, it is better to say they have begun believing in the Bible; and rather than saying they have returned before the Lord, it would be better to say they have returned before the Bible. In this way, people worship the Bible as if it were God, as if it were their lifeblood and losing it would be the same as losing their life. People see the Bible as being as high as God, and there are even those who see it as higher than God. If people are without the work of the Holy Spirit, if they cannot feel God, they can carry on living—but as soon as they lose the Bible, or lose the famous chapters and sayings from the Bible, then it is as if they have lost their life. And so, as soon as people believe in the Lord they begin reading the Bible, and memorizing the Bible, and the more of the Bible they are able to memorize, the more this proves that they love the Lord and are of great faith. Those who have read the Bible and can speak of it to others are all good brothers and sisters. For all these years, people’s faith and loyalty to the Lord has been measured according to the extent of their understanding of the Bible. Most people simply don’t understand why they should believe in God, nor how to believe in God, and do nothing but search blindly for clues to decipher the chapters of the Bible. They have never pursued the direction of the work of the Holy Spirit; all along, they have done nothing but desperately study and investigate the Bible, and no one has ever found newer work of the Holy Spirit outside of the Bible, no one has ever departed from the Bible, nor have they ever dared to depart from the Bible. People have studied the Bible for all these years, they have come up with so many explanations, and put in so much work; they also have many differences of opinion about the Bible, which they debate endlessly, such that over two thousand different denominations have been formed today. They all want to find some special explanations, or more profound mysteries in the Bible, they want to explore it, and to find in it the background to Jehovah’s work in Israel, or the background to Jesus’ work in Judea, or more mysteries that no one else knows. People’s approach to the Bible is one of obsession and faith, and no one can be completely clear about the inside story or substance of the Bible. Thus, the result is that today, people still have an indescribable sense of magicalness when it comes to the Bible; even more than that, they are obsessed with it, and have faith in it. Today, everyone wants to find the prophecies of the work of the last days in the Bible, they want to discover what work God does during the last days, and what signs there are for the last days. In this way, their worship of the Bible becomes more fervent, and the closer it gets to the last days, the more credence they give to the prophecies of the Bible, particularly those about the last days. With such blind belief in the Bible, with such trust in the Bible, they have no desire to seek the work of the Holy Spirit. In people’s conceptions, they think that only the Bible can bring the work of the Holy Spirit; only in the Bible can they find the footsteps of God; only in the Bible are hidden the mysteries of God’s work; only the Bible—not other books or people—can clarify everything of God and the entirety of His work; the Bible can bring the work of heaven to earth; and the Bible can both begin and conclude the ages. With these conceptions, people have no inclination to search for the work of the Holy Spirit. So, regardless of how much of a help the Bible was to people in the past, it has become an obstacle to God’s latest work. Without the Bible, people can search for the footsteps of God elsewhere, yet today, His footsteps have been contained by the Bible, and extending His latest work has become double difficult, and an uphill struggle. This is all because of the famous chapters and sayings from the Bible, as well as the various prophecies of the Bible. The Bible has become an idol in people’s minds, it has become a puzzle in their brains, and they are simply incapable of believing that God can work exclusive of the Bible, they are incapable of believing that people can find God outside of the Bible, much less are they able to believe that God could depart from the Bible during the final work and start anew. This is unthinkable to people; they can’t believe it, and neither can they imagine it. The Bible has become a great obstacle to people’s acceptance of God’s new work, and has made it difficult to broaden this new work. Thus, if you don’t understand the inside story of the Bible, you will be unable to successfully spread the gospel, nor will you be able to bear testimony to the new work. Although, today, you do not read the Bible, you are still extremely amiable toward it, which is to say, the Bible might not be in your hands, but many of your conceptions come from it. You don’t understand the origins of the Bible or the inside story about the previous two stages of God’s work. Although you do not eat and drink the Bible, you must understand the Bible, you must achieve the correct knowledge of the Bible, and only in this way will you be able to know what God’s 6,000-year management plan is all about. You will use these things to win people over, to make them acknowledge that this stream is the true way, to make them acknowledge that the path you walk today is the path of truth, that it is guided by the Holy Spirit, and has not been opened up by any human. 

God Himself, the Unique I

God’s Authority (I)

My last several fellowships were about God’s work, God’s disposition, and God Himself. After hearing these fellowships, do you feel that you have gained an understanding and knowledge of God’s disposition? How great of an understanding and knowledge? Can you put a number to it? Did these fellowships give you a deeper understanding of God? Could it be said that this understanding is a true knowledge of God? Could it be said that this knowledge and understanding of God is a knowledge of the entire substance of God, and all that He has and is? No, obviously not! That is because these fellowships only provided an understanding of part of God’s disposition, and what He has and is—not all of it, or the entirety of it. The fellowships enabled you to understand part of the work once done by God, through which you beheld the disposition of God, and what He has and is, as well as the approach and thinking behind everything that He has done. But this is only a literal, spoken understanding of God, and, in your hearts, you remain uncertain about how much of it is real. What mainly determines whether there is any reality to people’s understanding of such things? It is determined by how much of God’s words and disposition they have truly experienced during their actual experiences, and how much they have been able to see and know during these actual experiences. “The last several fellowships allowed us to understand the things done by God, the thoughts of God, and, moreover, God’s attitude toward mankind and the basis of His actions, as well as the principles of His actions. And so we have come to understand the disposition of God, and have known the entirety of God.” Has anyone said such words? Is it right to say this? It clearly isn’t. And why do I say that it isn’t? God’s disposition, and what He has and is, are expressed in the things that He has done and the words He has spoken. Man is able to behold what God has and is through the work that He has done and the words that He has spoken, but this is only to say that the work and words enable man to understand a part of God’s disposition, and a part of what He has and is. If man wishes to gain a more plentiful and profound understanding of God, then man must experience more of God’s words and work. Although man only gains a partial understanding of God when experiencing part of God’s words or work, does this partial understanding represent God’s true disposition? Does it represent the substance of God? Of course it represents the true disposition of God, and the substance of God, of that there is no doubt. Regardless of the time or place, or in what manner God does His work, or in what form He appears to man, or in what way He expresses His will, all that He reveals and expresses represents God Himself, God’s substance and what He has and is. God carries out His work with what He has and is, and in His true identity; this is absolutely true. Yet, today, people only have a partial understanding of God through His words, and through what they hear when they listen to the preaching, and so to a certain extent, this understanding can only be said to be a theoretical knowledge. In view of your actual states, you can only verify the understanding or knowledge of God that you have heard, seen, or known and understood in your heart today if each of you goes through this in your actual experiences, and comes to know it bit by bit. If I did not fellowship these words with you, would you be able to achieve true knowledge of God solely through your experiences? To do so, I’m afraid, would be very difficult. That is because people must first have the words of God in order to know how to experience. However many of God’s words people eat, such is the number that they can actually experience. God’s words lead the path ahead, and guide man in his experience. In short, for those who have some true experience, these last several fellowships will help them achieve a deeper understanding of the truth, and a more realistic knowledge of God. But for those who don’t have any true experience, or who have only just begun their experience, or have only just begun to touch upon the reality, this is a great test.