VII. Words on God’s Disposition and What He Has and Is
255. God Himself has His own possessions and being. All that He expresses and reveals represents His own essence and His own identity. These possessions and this being, as well as this essence and identity, are things that cannot be replaced by any man. His disposition encompasses His love for mankind, solace toward mankind, hatred of mankind, and even more, a thorough understanding of mankind. The personality of man, however, may include being cheerful, lively, or unfeeling. God’s disposition is that which the Sovereign of all things and living beings possesses; it is that which the Creator possesses. His disposition represents honorableness, power, nobility, greatness, and most of all, supremacy. His disposition is the symbol of authority, the symbol of all that is just, the symbol of all that is beautiful and good. More than that, His disposition is a symbol of invulnerability against being overcome or invaded by darkness or by any hostile force, as well as a symbol of prohibition of offense (and intolerance of offense) by any created being. His disposition is the symbol of the highest power. No person or persons can disturb His work or His disposition, and it would be impossible for them to do so. But the personality of man is no more than a mere symbol of the slight superiority of man over beast. Man in and of himself has no authority, no autonomy, and no ability to transcend the self, but is in his essence one who is impotently at the mercy of all manner of people, events, and things. The joy of God is due to the existence and emergence of justice and light, because of the destruction of darkness and evil. His joy is due to Him bringing the light and a good life to mankind; His joy is a just joy, a symbol of the existence of all that is positive and, even more, a symbol of auspiciousness. The anger of God is due to the existence and disturbance of unjust things harming His mankind, because of the existence of evil and darkness, because of the existence of things that drive out the truth, and even more, because of the existence of things that oppose what is good and beautiful. His anger is a symbol that all things negative no longer exist and, even more than that, it is a symbol of His inherent holiness. His sorrow is due to mankind, for whom He has hopes but who has fallen into darkness, and it is because the work He does on man is not meeting His intentions, because the mankind He loves cannot all live in the light. He feels sorrow for the innocent mankind, for the honest but ignorant man, and for the man who is good but lacking in his own views. His sorrow is a symbol of His goodness and of His mercy, a symbol of beauty and of benevolence. His happiness, of course, comes from defeating His enemies and gaining the good faith of man. More than this, it arises from the expulsion and destruction of all hostile forces, and because mankind receives a good and peaceful life. The happiness of God is unlike the joy of man; rather, it is the feeling of reaping good fruits, a feeling even greater than joy. His happiness is a symbol of mankind being free from suffering from this time forth, and a symbol of mankind entering a world of light. The emotions of mankind, on the other hand, all arise for the sake of his own interests, not for justice, light, or what is beautiful, and much less for the grace bestowed by Heaven. The emotions of mankind are selfish, they exist in the world of darkness, and they do not arise for the sake of the will of God, much less for the plan of God. Therefore, man and God can never be spoken of in the same breath. God is forever supreme and forever honorable, while man is forever base and forever worthless. This is because God is forever devoting and exerting Himself for mankind, whereas man forever solicits and strives for himself. God is forever taking pains for mankind’s survival, yet man never contributes anything for the sake of justice or the light, and even if man makes a temporary effort, it cannot withstand a single blow, for the effort of man is always for his own sake and not for others. Man is forever selfish, while God is forever selfless. God is the origin of all that is just, good, and beautiful, while man is the one who succeeds to and expresses all ugliness and evil. God will never alter His essence of justice and beauty, yet man may betray justice and distance himself from God at any time and in any place.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. It Is Very Important to Understand God’s Disposition
256. I am righteous, I am faithful, and I am the God who scrutinizes the innermost heart of man! I will reveal at once who is genuine and who is false. Do not be flustered; all things work according to My time. Who wants Me sincerely, and who does not—I will tell you, one by one. You just focus on eating and drinking your fill, and in My presence drawing close to Me, and I will do My work Myself. Do not be too anxious for quick results; My work is not something that can be accomplished all at once. Within it there are My steps and My wisdom, and that is why My wisdom can be revealed. I will let you see what is done by My hands—the punishing of evil and the rewarding of good. I am absolutely impartial toward man. You who sincerely love Me, I will sincerely love you, and as for those who do not sincerely love Me, My wrath will ever be with them, so that they may forever remember that I am the true God, the God who scrutinizes the innermost heart of man. Do not act one way to others’ faces but another way behind their backs; I see clearly everything you do, and though you may fool others, you cannot fool Me. I see it all clearly. It is not possible for you to conceal anything; all lies within My hands. Do not think yourself to be very clever, and so skilled at your petty little calculations. I tell you: However many plans man may hatch, be they thousands or tens of thousands, in the end he cannot escape from the palm of My hand. All things and all events are controlled by My hands, never mind a single person! Do not try to evade Me or hide, do not try to wheedle or conceal. Can it be that you still do not see that My glorious countenance, My wrath and My judgment, have been publicly revealed? Whosoever does not want Me sincerely, I will judge them immediately and without pity. My mercy has come to its end; there is no more left. Do not be hypocrites any longer, and put a stop to your wild and reckless ways.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 44
257. I am the First, and I am the Last. I am also the resurrected and complete one true God. I speak My words to you in your presence, and you must be certain that what I say is true. Heaven and earth may pass away, but not one letter or one stroke of what I say will ever pass away. Remember this! Remember it! Once I have uttered it, not a single word has ever been taken back, and each one will be fulfilled.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 53
258. The universe and all things are within My hands. I speak, and it comes into being. I ordain it, and it is thus ordained. Satan is beneath My feet; it is in the bottomless pit! When My voice issues forth, heaven and earth will pass away and come to nothing! All things will be renewed; this is an eternally unchanging truth that is absolutely right. I have overcome the world, as well as all evil ones. I sit here talking to you, and all who have ears should listen and all who are living should accept.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 15
259. I mean what I say, and what I mean shall be done, and no one can change this—it is absolute. Whether they are words I have said in the past or words I will say in the future, they will all come true, one by one, and I will allow all of mankind to see this. This is the principle behind My words and work. … Of everything in the universe, there is nothing in which I do not have the final say. Is there anything that is not in My hands? As I say something is to be done, it is done thus, and who among human beings can change My resolve? Could it be the covenant I made on the earth? Nothing can hinder My plan from going forward. At all times, I am doing My work, and at all times, I am planning out My management. Who among human beings can involve themselves? Is it not I who have personally orchestrated everything? Entering into this realm today still does not stray outside My plan or what I have foreseen; it was predestined by Me long ago. Who among you can fathom this step? My people will assuredly listen to My voice, and each and every one of those who sincerely love Me shall assuredly return before My throne.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Chapter 1
260. I love all who sincerely expend themselves for Me and offer up themselves to Me. I hate all who are born of Me yet who do not know Me, and even resist Me. I will not abandon anyone who is sincerely for Me; rather, I will double that person’s blessings. I will doubly punish those who bite the hand that feeds them, and I absolutely will not let them off easily. In My kingdom there is no crookedness or deceit, and no worldliness; that is, there is no smell of the dead. Rather, all is rectitude and righteousness; all is pure simplicity and openness, with nothing hidden or concealed. Everything is fresh, everything is enjoyment, and everything is edification. Anyone who still reeks of the dead can in no way remain in My kingdom, and will instead be ruled by My iron rod.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 70
261. I am a consuming fire and I do not tolerate offense. Because man was all created by Me, whatever I say and do, he must submit, and he may not oppose. Man does not have the right to meddle in My work, and much less is he qualified to analyze what is right or wrong in My work and in My words. I am the Creator, and the created beings should achieve everything that I require with a heart of fear for Me; they should not try to argue with Me, and they especially should not resist. With My authority I govern My people, and all created beings made by Me should submit to My authority. Though today you are bold and presumptuous before Me, though you rebel against the words with which I teach you and do not know to be afraid, I only meet your rebelliousness with tolerance; I will not fly into a rage because tiny, insignificant maggots have stirred up dung, letting My work be affected. I tolerate the ongoing existence of everything that I loathe and all the things that I abhor for the sake of My Father’s will, and I will do so until My utterances are complete, until My very last moment.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. When Falling Leaves Return to Their Roots, You Will Regret All the Evil You Have Done
262. Since you have already made resolutions to serve Me, I will not let you go. I am a God who abhors evil, and I am a God who is jealous of humanity. Since you have already placed your words upon the altar, I will not allow your running off before My very eyes, nor will I allow your serving two masters. Did you think that you could have a second love after having placed your words upon My altar and before My eyes? How could I allow people to make a fool of Me in such a way? Did you think that you could casually make vows and oaths to Me with your tongue? How could you swear oaths by My throne, the throne of I who am Most High? Did you think that your oaths had already passed away? Let Me tell you: Even though your flesh might pass away, your oaths cannot. In the end, I will condemn you based upon your oaths. However, you believe that you can deal with Me perfunctorily by placing your words before Me, and that your hearts can serve unclean spirits and evil spirits. How could My anger tolerate the deceit of those people who are like dogs and pigs? I must carry out My administrative decrees, and wrest back from the hands of unclean spirits all of those stuffy, “pious” ones who have faith in Me so that they might “wait on” Me in a disciplined fashion, be My oxen, be My horses, and be at the mercy of My slaughtering. I will have you pick up your previous resolutions and serve Me once again. I will not allow any created being that cheats Me. Did you think that you could just wantonly make requests and lie in front of Me? Did you think that I had not heard or seen your words and deeds? How could your words and deeds not have been in My view? How could I ever allow people to cheat Me like that?
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. You Are All So Base in Character!
263. I am the unique God Himself and, even more so, I am the one and only person of God. Even more so, I, the entirety of the flesh, am the complete manifestation of God. Whosoever dares not fear Me, whosoever dares oppose Me with their eyes, and whosoever dares oppose Me with their lips will surely die from My curses and wrath. (There will be cursing because of My wrath.) Furthermore, whosoever dares not be loyal or filial toward Me, and whosoever dares try to trick Me, will surely die from My hatred. My righteousness, majesty, and judgment will endure forever and ever. At first, I was loving and merciful, but this is not the disposition of My complete divinity; only righteousness, majesty, and judgment are My disposition—the disposition of the complete God Himself. During the Age of Grace, I was loving and merciful. Because of the work I had to finish, I possessed lovingkindness and mercy; afterward, however, there was no more need for such things (and there has been none ever since). It is all righteousness, majesty, and judgment, and this is the complete disposition of My normal humanity coupled with My complete divinity.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 79
264. I rule all things, I am the wise God who wields full authority, and I do not let anyone off easily; I am utterly ruthless, completely devoid of personal feelings. I treat anyone (no matter how well they speak, I will not let them off) with My righteousness, rectitude, and majesty, meanwhile enabling everyone to better see the wonder of My deeds, as well as what My deeds are truly about. One by one, I punished evil spirits for all manner of actions they committed, casting them each into the bottomless pit. This work I finished before time began, leaving them with no position, leaving them no place to do their work. None of My chosen people—those predestined and selected by Me—can ever be possessed by evil spirits, and will instead always be holy. As for those I have not predestined and selected, I will turn them over to Satan, and no longer allow them to remain. In all aspects, My administrative decrees involve My righteousness and My majesty. I will not spare even a single one of those on whom Satan works, but cast them along with their bodies into Hades, for I hate Satan. I shall by no means spare it easily, but shall utterly destroy it, allowing it not the least opportunity to do its work.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 70
265. I shall chastise everyone born of Me who yet does not know Me in order to reveal all My wrath, My great power, and My full wisdom. In Me, all is righteous, and there is absolutely no unrighteousness, no deceitfulness, and no crookedness; whosoever is crooked and deceitful must be a son of hell, born in Hades. In Me everything is open. I speak, and it is accomplished. I command, and it is established. No one can change or emulate these things because I am the one and only God Himself.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 96
266. I will punish the evil and reward the good, I will bring into force My righteousness, I will carry out My judgment, and I will use My words to accomplish everything, making all people and all things experience My chastising hand. I will surely make all people see My full glory, My full wisdom, and My full bounty. No person will dare to rise up in judgment, because with Me, all things are accomplished; and here, let every man see My full honor, and taste My full victory, because with Me all things are manifested. This is sufficient to show My great power and My authority. No one will dare commit offenses against Me, and no one will dare obstruct Me. With Me, all is made open—who would dare hide anything? I would certainly not spare them! Such wretches must receive My severe punishment, and such scum must be purged from My sight. I will rule them with an iron rod and I will use My authority to judge them, without the slightest mercy and without sparing their feelings at all, for I am God Himself, who is without fleshly feelings and majestic and tolerates no offense. All should understand and see this, lest they come to be struck down and destroyed by Me “without cause or reason,” for My rod will strike down all who commit offenses against Me. I do not care whether they know My administrative decrees; this is not something I bother with, as My person tolerates no offense from anyone. This is the reason why it is said that I am a lion; whomever I encounter, I strike down. That is why it is said that it is now blasphemy to say that I am the God of mercy and lovingkindness. In essence, I am not a lamb, but a lion. No one dares commit offenses against Me; whosoever does so, I will punish with death, immediately, not sparing their feelings at all.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 120
267. My voice is judgment and wrath; it does not show leniency to anyone, and does not show mercy to anyone, for I am the righteous God Himself, and I am possessed of wrath, of burning, of cleansing, and of destruction. In Me, there is nothing hidden and there are no fleshly feelings; on the contrary, there is openness, righteousness, justice and impartiality. Because My firstborn sons are already with Me upon the throne, ruling over the myriad nations and peoples, those things and people that are unfair and unjust are now beginning to be judged. I will probe them one by one, missing nothing and revealing them completely. For My judgment has been fully revealed and opened up fully, and I have not kept back anything at all; I will throw out all who do not accord with My intentions, and make them perish for all eternity in the bottomless pit. There I will make them burn forever. Only this is My righteousness, and only this is My uprightness. No one can change this, and everything must comply with Me.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 103
268. Every sentence I utter carries authority and judgment, and no one can change My words. Once My words issue forth, things are certain to be accomplished in accordance with My words; this is My disposition. My words are authority and whosoever amends them offends My chastisement, and I must strike them down. In serious cases they bring ruination down on their own lives and they go to Hades, or into the bottomless pit. This is the only way in which I deal with mankind, and man has no way to change it—this is My administrative decree. Remember this! No one is allowed to violate My decree; things must be done according to My intentions! In the past, I was too easy on you and you encountered only My words. The words I spoke about striking people down have not yet come to pass. But from today, all the disasters (speaking in reference to My administrative decrees) will come one after another to punish all those who are not in line with My intentions. There must be the advent of facts—otherwise people would not be able to see My wrath but would debauch themselves over and over. This is a step of My management plan, and it is the way in which I do the next step of My work. I say this to you in advance so that you can avoid committing offense and suffering perdition forever. That is to say, from today forward, I will make all people except for My firstborn sons take their proper places in accordance with My intentions, and I shall chastise them one by one. I shall not let even one of them off the hook. Just you dare be debauched again! Just you dare be rebellious again! I have said before that I am righteous to all, that I am without a shred of sentiment, and this serves to show that My disposition must not be offended. This is My person. No one can change this. All people hear My words and all people see My glorious countenance. All people must submit to Me completely and absolutely—this is My administrative decree. All people across the universe and at the ends of the earth should praise Me and give glory to Me, for I am the unique God Himself, for I am the person of God. No one can change My words and phrasing, My speech and deportment, as these are matters for Me alone, and these are things which I have possessed from the most ancient times and which shall exist forever.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 100
269. All will be accomplished by My words; no man may partake, and no man can do the work that I will carry out. I will wipe clean the air of all lands and eradicate all trace of the demons on earth. I have already begun, and I will commence My initial work of chastisement in the abode of the great red dragon. Thus it can be seen that My chastisement has poured down upon the entire universe. The great red dragon and all kinds of unclean spirits cannot possibly escape My chastisement, for I scrutinize all lands. When My work on earth is completed, that is, when the time of judgment comes to an end, I will formally chastise the great red dragon. My people will surely see My righteous chastisement of the great red dragon, will surely express their praise without cease because of My righteousness, and will surely forever extol My holy name because of My righteousness. Hence you will formally perform your duty, and will formally praise Me throughout the lands, forever and ever!
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Chapter 28
270. Now is the time when I determine the outcome for each person, not the stage in which I began to work man. I write down in My record book, one by one, the words and actions of each person, the course of their following Me, their inherent attributes, and their ultimate manifestations. In this way, no matter what kind of person they are, no one shall escape My hand, and all shall be sorted according to their kind based on My allocation. I determine the destination of each person not on the basis of age, seniority, or amount of suffering, much less on how pitiable they are, but according to whether they possess the truth. There is no other choice but this. You must understand that all those who do not follow the will of God shall be punished without exception. This is something that no person can change. Therefore, all those who are punished are so punished for the righteousness of God and as retribution for their numerous evil acts.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination
271. If you have been of the faith for many years and have long associated with Me, yet remain distant from Me, then I say it must be that you often offend the disposition of God, and your outcome will be very difficult to reckon. If the many years of association with Me have not only failed to change you into a person possessed of humanity and the truth, but, moreover, have ingrained your evil ways into your nature, and you not only have twice as much arrogance as before, but your misunderstandings of Me have also multiplied, such that you come to regard Me as your playmate, then I say that your affliction is no longer skin deep but has penetrated to your very bones. All that remains is for you to wait for your funeral arrangements to be made. You need not beseech Me then to be your God, for you have committed a sin deserving of death, an unforgivable sin. Even if I could spare you, the God in heaven will insist on taking your life, for your offense against the disposition of God is no ordinary problem, but one of a very grave nature. When the time comes, do not blame Me for not telling you beforehand. It all comes back to this: When you associate with Christ—the God on earth—as an ordinary person, that is, when you believe that this God is nothing but a person, it is then that you shall perish. This is My only admonishment to you all.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. How to Actually Know the God on Earth
272. My mercy is expressed toward those who love Me and forsake themselves. The punishment visited upon the evil, meanwhile, is precisely proof of My righteous disposition and, even more, testimony to My wrath. When disaster comes, all who oppose Me will weep as they fall victim to famine and plague. Those who have followed Me for many years, but who have committed all manner of evil deeds, will not escape paying for their sins; they too, will be plunged into disaster, the like of which has seldom been seen throughout millions of years, and they will live in a constant state of panic and fear. And those of My followers who have shown undivided loyalty to Me will rejoice and applaud, praising My great power. They will experience an ineffable mood of carefree happiness and live amid joy such as I have never before bestowed upon mankind. For I treasure the good deeds of man and abhor his evil deeds. Since I first began to lead mankind, I have been eagerly hoping to gain a group of people who are of the same mind with Me. Those who are not of the same mind with Me, meanwhile, I never forget; I always hate them in My heart, awaiting the chance to make them answer for their evil deeds, which is something I shall relish to see. Now My day has finally come, and I need no longer wait!
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Prepare Sufficient Good Deeds for Your Destination
273. I will rectify the injustices of the human world. I will do My work with My own hands throughout the whole earth, forbidding Satan from grievously harming My people again, forbidding the enemies from acting willfully and recklessly again. I will become King on earth and move My throne there, making all My enemies prostrate themselves and confess their sins before Me. In My sadness, anger is commingled. I will trample the whole universe flat, sparing no one, and astonishing and terrifying all of My enemies. I will reduce the whole earth to ruins, and make My enemies fall into the ruins, that henceforth they may corrupt mankind no more. My plan is already fixed, and no one must change it. As I roam in majestic pomp above the universe, all humanity will be made new, and all things will be resurrected. Man will no longer weep, no longer cry out to Me for help. Then My heart will rejoice, and the people will return in celebration to Me. The whole universe, from top to bottom, will roil in jubilation …
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Chapter 27
274. Zion! Rejoice! Zion! Sing out! I have returned in triumph, I have returned victorious! The myriad peoples! Hurry to line up in order! All things of creation! Come now to a halt, for My person faces the whole universe and appears in the East of the world! Who dares not to kneel down in worship? Who dares not to call Me the true God? Who dares not to look up with a heart of fear? Who dares not to give praise? Who dares not to rejoice? My people will certainly hear My voice, and My sons will certainly be in My kingdom! Mountains, rivers, and all things will cheer unendingly, and leap about without cease. At this time, none will dare to withdraw, and none will dare to rise up in resistance. This is My wonderful deed, and even more than that, it is My great power! I will make everything have a heart of fear for Me and, beyond even this, I will have everything praise Me! This is the ultimate aim of My management plan of six thousand years, and it is what I have set in stone. Not one person nor thing nor event dares to rise up to resist Me or oppose Me. All My people will flow to My mountain (in other words, the world that I will later create) and they will certainly yield before Me, because I have majesty and judgment, and I carry authority. (This refers to when I am in the body. I also have authority in the flesh, but because the limitations of time and space cannot be transcended in the flesh, it cannot be said that I have gained complete glory. Although I gain the firstborn sons in the flesh, it still cannot be said that I have gained glory. It is only when I return to Zion and transfigure Myself that I may be said to carry authority—that is, that I have gained glory.) Nothing will be difficult for Me. By the words of My mouth, all shall be destroyed, and by the words of My mouth, all will be established and accomplished. Such is My great power and such is My authority. Because I am full of power and replete with authority, no person could dare obstruct Me. I have long since triumphed over everything, and won victory over all of the sons of rebellion.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 120
275. God created mankind; regardless of whether they have been corrupted or whether they follow Him, God treats human beings as His dearest loved ones—or as human beings would say, the people closest to Him—and not as His playthings. Although God says He is the Creator and that man is His created being, which may sound like there is a slight difference in rank, the reality is that everything God has done for mankind far exceeds a relationship of this nature. God loves mankind, cares for mankind, and shows concern for mankind, as well as constantly and unceasingly providing for mankind. He never feels in His heart that this is additional work or something that deserves a lot of credit. Nor does He ever feel that saving humanity, supplying them, and granting them everything, is making a huge contribution to mankind. He simply provides for mankind quietly and silently, in His own way and through His own essence and what He has and is. No matter how much provision and how much help mankind receives from Him, God never thinks about taking credit or tries to do so. This is determined by the essence of God, and is also precisely a true expression of God’s disposition.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I
276. Many are the sleepless nights that God has endured for the sake of the work for mankind. From up high to the lowest depths, He has descended to the living hell where man resides to live with man between the ends of the earth, He has never complained of the shabbiness among man, and He has never reproached man for his rebelliousness, but endures extreme humiliation as He personally carries out His work. How could God belong to hell? How could He spend His life in hell? But for the sake of all mankind, so that the whole of mankind can find rest sooner, He has endured humiliation and suffered injustice in coming to earth, and personally entered into “hell” and “Hades,” into the tiger’s den, to save man. How is man qualified to oppose God? What reason does he have to complain about God? How can he have the gall to face God? God of heaven has come to this most filthy land of licentiousness, and has never vented His grievances, or complained about man, but instead quietly accepts the ravages[1] and oppression of man. Never has He hit back at the unreasonable demands of man, never has He made excessive demands of man, and never has He made unreasonable demands of man; He just does all the work needed by man, bearing all hardship and not complaining: teaching, enlightening, reproaching, refining through words, reminding, exhorting, consoling, judging, and exposing. Which of His steps has not been for the life of man? Though He has removed the prospects and fate of man, which of the steps carried out by God has not been for the fate of man? Which of them has not been for the sake of man’s survival? Which of them has not been to free man from this suffering and from the oppression of dark forces that are as black as night? Which of them is not for the sake of man? Who can understand God’s heart, which is as the heart of a loving mother? Who can comprehend God’s eager heart?
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Work and Entry (9)
Footnotes:
1. “Ravages” is used to expose the rebelliousness of mankind.
277. When God comes to the earth, He is not of the world, and He does not become flesh in order to enjoy the world. He is born wherever His work reveals His disposition and is most meaningful, regardless of whether the land is holy or filthy. No matter where He works, He is holy. All things in the world were created by Him, it is just that they have been corrupted by Satan. However, all things still belong to Him; they are all in His hands. He comes to a filthy land and works there in order to reveal His holiness; He only does this for the sake of His work, which means He only endures great humiliation to do such work in order to save the people of this filthy land. This is done for the sake of testimony, for the sake of all of mankind. What such work shows man is God’s righteousness, and it is better able to demonstrate that God is supreme. His greatness and uprightness are precisely manifested in the salvation of a group of lowly people whom others scorn. Being born in a filthy land does not prove that He is lowly; it simply allows all of the created beings to see His greatness and His true love for mankind. The more He does so, the more it reveals His pure love, His flawless love for man. God is holy and righteous, even though He was born in a filthy land, and even though He lives with those people who are full of filth, just as Jesus lived with sinners in the Age of Grace. Is every bit of His work not done for the sake of all mankind’s survival? Is it all not so that mankind can attain great salvation? Two thousand years ago, He lived with sinners for a number of years. That was for the sake of redemption. Today, He is living with a group of filthy, lowly people. This is for the sake of salvation. Is all His work not for the sake of you humans? If not to save mankind, why would He have lived and suffered with sinners for so many years after being born in a manger? And if not to save mankind, why would He return to the flesh a second time, born in this land where demons congregate, and live with these people who have been deeply corrupted by Satan? Is God not faithful? What part of His work has not been for mankind? What part has not been for your destiny? God is holy—this is immutable! He is unpolluted by filth, though He has come to a filthy land; all of this can only mean that God’s love for mankind is extremely selfless and the suffering and humiliation He endures is extremely great! Do you not know how great the humiliation He suffers is, for all of you and for your destiny? Rather than saving great people or the sons of rich and powerful families, He makes a point of saving those who are lowly and looked down on. Is all of this not His holiness? Is all of this not His righteousness? For the sake of all mankind’s survival, He would rather be born in a filthy land and suffer every humiliation. God is very real—He does no false work. Is not every stage of work done in such a practical way? Though people all malign Him and say He sits at the table with sinners, though people all mock Him and say He lives with the sons of filth, that He lives with the lowliest of people, He still thus gives selflessly of Himself, and He is still rejected in this way among mankind. Is the suffering He endures not greater than yours? Is the work He does not more than the price you have paid?
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Significance of Saving the Descendants of Moab
278. God has humbled Himself to such a level that He does His work on these filthy and corrupt people, and perfects this group of people. God not only became flesh to live and eat among people, to shepherd people, and to provide what people need. More important is that He does His immense work of salvation and conquest upon these extremely corrupt people. He came to the heart of the great red dragon to save these most corrupt of people, so that all people may be changed and made new. The immense suffering that God endures is not only the suffering He endures in becoming flesh, but most of all it is that God’s Spirit suffers extreme humiliation—He humbles and hides Himself so much that He becomes an ordinary person. God was incarnated and took the form of flesh so that people see that He has a normal human life and normal human needs. This is enough to prove that God has humbled Himself to a great extent. The Spirit of God is realized in the flesh. His Spirit is so supreme and great, yet He takes the form of an ordinary human, of an insignificant human, so as to do the work of His Spirit. In terms of the caliber, insight, reason, humanity, and lives of each of you, you are really unworthy of receiving God’s work of this kind, and you are really unworthy of God enduring such suffering for your sake. God is so lofty. He is supreme to such an extent, and man is lowly to such a degree, yet He still works upon man. He not only was incarnated to provide for man, to speak to man, but He also lives together with man. God is so humble, so lovable.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Only Those Who Focus on Practice Can Be Perfected
279. The significance of everything God does has considerable depth. Consider, for example, the crucifixion of Jesus. Why did Jesus have to be crucified? Was it not to redeem all mankind? So, too, there is great significance in the current incarnation of God and His experiencing of the world’s suffering—it is for the beautiful destination of mankind. In His work, God always does exactly what is most practical. Why is it that God sees man as being without sin, and that man can have the good fortune to come before God? It is because Jesus was nailed to the cross, bore man’s sins, and redeemed mankind. Why, then, will mankind suffer no more, feel no grief, shed no tears, and sigh no more? This is because the current incarnation of God has taken all this suffering upon Himself, and this suffering has now been endured on behalf of man. It is like a mother who watches her child fall ill and prays to Heaven, wishing her own life would be cut short if it means her child can be cured. God also works in this way, offering His pain in return for the beautiful destination that will then come for mankind. There will be no more grief, no more tears, no more sighs and no more suffering. God pays the price—the cost—of personally experiencing the world’s suffering in return for the beautiful destination that will follow for mankind. Saying that this is done “in return for” the beautiful destination does not mean that God has no power or no authority to grant mankind a beautiful destination, but rather that God wants to find a more practical and powerful proof to utterly convince people. God has already experienced this suffering, so He is qualified, He has the power, and even more so He has the authority to deliver mankind to the beautiful destination, to give mankind this beautiful destination and promise. Satan will be thoroughly convinced; all the creations of the universe will be thoroughly convinced. In the end, God will allow mankind to receive His promise and love. Everything God does is practical, nothing He does is empty, and He experiences it all Himself. God pays the price of His own experience of suffering in exchange for a destination for humanity. Is this not practical work? Parents may pay an earnest price for the sake of their children, and this represents their love for their children. In doing this, God incarnate is, of course, being most sincere and faithful to mankind. The essence of God is faithful; He does what He says, and whatever He does shall be accomplished. Everything God does for humans is sincere—He does not simply utter words. Rather, when He says He will pay a price, He pays an actual price; when He says He will undertake humanity’s suffering and suffer in their stead, He actually comes to live among them, feeling and personally experiencing this suffering. After that, all things in the universe will acknowledge that everything God does is right and righteous, that all God does is realistic. This is powerful evidence. In addition, mankind will have a beautiful destination in the future, and all those who survive will praise God—praising the fact that everything God does is indeed love for humanity. God comes among man humbly, as an ordinary person. He does not merely perform some work, speak some words, then leave; instead, He speaks and works practically while experiencing the pain of the world. Only once He has finished experiencing this pain will He leave. This is how real and how practical God’s work is; all who survive will praise Him because of it, and they will see God’s faithfulness to man and His kindheartedness. God’s essence of beauty and goodness can be seen in the significance of His incarnation. Whatever He says is earnest and faithful; whatever He does is sincere. Everything He intends to do, He does practically; when there is a price to be paid, He actually pays it; He does not simply utter words. God is a righteous God; God is a faithful God.
—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. The Second Aspect of the Significance of the Incarnation
280. God considers this instance of His management of mankind, of His salvation of mankind, as more important than anything else. He does these things not merely with His thoughts, and not merely with His words, and even less does He do them in a casual manner—He does all these things with His intentions, while having a plan, a goal, and standards. It can be seen that this instance of God’s work to save mankind holds great significance for both God and man. No matter how hard the work is, no matter how great the obstacles to it are, no matter how weak humans are, or how profound mankind’s rebelliousness is, none of this is difficult for God. God keeps Himself busy, He is expending His heart’s blood, and He is managing the work He wants to carry out; He is also arranging everything, and He is holding sovereignty over all those people He wants to work and all the work He wants to do—all of this is unprecedented. This is the first time God has used these methods and paid such a great price to carry out the massive undertaking of managing and saving mankind. While God is carrying out all this work, little by little He is expressing and releasing to mankind, without any reservation, His heart’s blood, what He has and is, His wisdom and almightiness, and every aspect of His disposition, and His expression and release of these things through these methods is unprecedented. So, in the entire universe, aside from the people who God aims to manage and save, no other creatures have ever been so close to God or had such an intimate relationship with Him. In His heart, the mankind which He wants to manage and save is foremost, and He values this mankind above all else. Even though He has paid a great price for them, and even though He is continually hurt and rebelled against by them, He has no complaints or regrets, He still doesn’t leave them or abandon them, and He keeps performing His work without cease. This is because He knows that sooner or later, the day will come when people awaken to the call of His words, are moved by His words, recognize that He is the Creator, and then return to His side …
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III
281. When you are able to truly appreciate God’s thoughts and attitude toward mankind, when you can truly understand God’s affections and concern for each created being, you will be able to understand the devotion and the love spent on every single one of the people created by the Creator. When this happens, you will use two words to describe God’s love. What are those two words? Some people say “selfless,” and some people say “philanthropic.” Of these two, “philanthropic” is the word least suited to describe God’s love. This is a word that people use to describe someone who is magnanimous or broad-minded. I loathe this word, because it refers to dispensing charity at random, indiscriminately, with no consideration for principle. It is an outpouring of emotion which is common to foolish and muddleheaded people. When this word is used to describe God’s love, there is inevitably a blasphemous connotation. I have here two words that more aptly describe God’s love. What are they? The first one is “immense.” Is this word not very evocative? The second is “vast.” There is practical meaning behind these words which I use to describe God’s love. Taken literally, “immense” describes a thing’s volume or capacity, but regardless of how big that thing is, it is something that people can touch and see. This is because it exists—it is not an abstract object, but something that can give people ideas in a relatively accurate and practical way. Whether you look at it from a two- or a three-dimensional perspective, you do not need to imagine its existence, because it is a thing that actually exists in a real way. Even though using the word, “immense,” to describe God’s love can feel like an attempt at quantifying His love, it also gives the feeling that His love is unquantifiable. I say that God’s love can be quantified because His love is not empty, and nor is it a thing of legend. Rather, it is something shared by all things under God’s rule, something that is enjoyed by all creatures to varying degrees and from different perspectives. Although people cannot see or touch it, this love brings sustenance and life to all things as it is revealed, bit by bit, in their lives, and they count and bear witness to God’s love that they enjoy in each passing moment. I say that God’s love is unquantifiable because the mystery of God providing for and nourishing all things is something that is difficult for humans to fathom, as are God’s thoughts for all things, and particularly those for mankind. That is to say, no one knows the blood and tears the Creator has poured out for mankind. No one can comprehend, no one can understand the depth or weight of the love that the Creator has for mankind whom He created with His own hands. Describing God’s love as immense is to help people appreciate and understand its breadth and the truth of its existence. It is also so that people can more deeply comprehend the practical meaning of the word “Creator,” and so that people can gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the appellation, “created being.” What does the word “vast” usually describe? It is generally used to describe the ocean or the universe, for example: “the vast universe,” or “the vast ocean.” The expansiveness and quiet depth of the universe are beyond human understanding; it is something that captures man’s imagination, something for which they feel great admiration. Its mystery and profundity are within sight, but beyond reach. When you think of the ocean, you think of its breadth—it looks limitless, and you can feel its mysteriousness and its great capacity to hold things. This is why I have used the word “vast” to describe God’s love, to help people feel how precious it is, to feel the profound beauty of His love, and that the power of God’s love is infinite and wide-ranging. I used this word to help people feel the holiness of His love, and the dignity and unoffendableness of God that is revealed through His love.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III
282. There is something in God’s essence and disposition that is all too easy to overlook, something that is only possessed by God and not by any person, including those others think of as great people, good people, or the “God” of their imagination. What is this thing? It is God’s selflessness. When speaking of selflessness, you might think you are also very selfless, because when it comes to your children, you never bargain or haggle with them, or you think you are also very selfless when it comes to your parents. No matter what you think, at least you have a concept of the word “selfless” and think of it as a positive word, and that being a selfless person is very noble. When you are selfless, you esteem yourself highly. But there is no one who can see God’s selflessness in all things, among people, events, and objects, and in His work. Why is this the case? Because man is too selfish! Why do I say that? People live in a material world, and though you follow God, you never see or appreciate how God provides for you, loves you, and shows concern for you. So what do you see? You see your blood relatives who love you or care deeply for you, you see the things that are beneficial to your flesh, and you care about the people and things you love. This is man’s so-called selflessness. Such “selfless” people, however, are never concerned about the God that bestows life upon them. In contrast to that of God, man’s “selflessness” turns out to be selfish and despicable. The “selflessness” man believes in is empty and unrealistic, adulterated, doesn’t match up with that of God, and is unrelated to God. Man’s “selflessness” is for himself, while God’s selflessness is a true revelation of His essence. It is precisely due to God’s selflessness that man is constantly provided for by Him. You might not be too deeply affected by this topic I am talking about today and are merely nodding in approval, but when you try to appreciate God’s heart in your heart, you will unwittingly discover this: Among all the people, events, and things you can sense in this world, only God’s selflessness is real and concrete, because only God’s love for you is unconditional and unblemished. Apart from God, anyone else’s so-called selflessness is false, superficial, inauthentic; it has certain purposes, certain intentions, carries with it a transaction, and cannot withstand testing. You could even say that it is filthy and despicable.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I
283. God hates man because man is hostile to Him, but in His heart, His care, concern, and mercy for humanity never change. Even though He destroys mankind, His heart remains unchanged. When humanity is full of corruption and rebellious toward God to a certain extent, God has to destroy this humanity, because of His disposition and His essence, and in accordance with His principles. But because of God’s essence, He still pities mankind, and even wants to use various ways to bring mankind back so they can continue to live. Man, however, opposes God, continues to rebel against God, and refuses to accept God’s salvation; that is, man refuses to accept His good intentions—no matter how God calls to him, reminds him, supplies him, helps him, or tolerates him, man does not understand or appreciate it, nor does he pay attention. In His pain, God still does not forget to grant man His maximum tolerance, waiting for man to reverse course. After He reaches His limit, He does what He has to do without any hesitation. In other words, there is a specific time period and a process from the moment God plans to destroy mankind to the formal start of His work of destroying mankind. This process exists for the sake of man reversing course, and this is the last chance God gives to man. So what does God do in this period before destroying mankind? God does a significant amount of reminding and exhorting work. No matter how much pain and sorrow God’s heart is in, He ceaselessly vests His care, concern, and abundant mercy in humanity. What do we see from this? Undoubtedly, we see that God’s love for mankind is real and not something He merely pays lip service to. It is actual, tangible and appreciable, not feigned, adulterated, deceitful, or pretentious. God never uses any deception or creates false images to make people see that He is lovable. He never uses false testimony to let people see His loveliness, or to flaunt His loveliness and holiness. Are these aspects of God’s disposition not worthy of man’s love? Are they not worth worshiping? Are they not worth cherishing? At this point, I want to ask you: After hearing these words, do you think God’s greatness is merely empty words on a sheet of paper? Is God’s loveliness just empty words? No! Certainly not! God’s supremacy, greatness, holiness, tolerance, love, and so forth—every detail of every one of the various aspects of God’s disposition and essence find practical expression every time He does His work, are embodied in His intentions toward man, and are also fulfilled and reflected in every person. Regardless of whether you have felt it before, God is caring for every person in every possible way, using His sincere heart, wisdom, and various methods to warm each person’s heart, and awaken each person’s spirit. This is an indisputable fact.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself I
