3. What is the nature of the problem of man not acknowledging the truth expressed by Christ? What is the consequence of man not treating Christ as God?

IX. One Must Fellowship Clearly That Christ Is the Manifestation of God Himself

3. What is the nature of the problem of man not acknowledging the truth expressed by Christ? What is the consequence of man not treating Christ as God?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist” (1Jn 4:2-3).

“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2Jn 1:7).

Relevant Words of God:

Since you believe in God, then you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. That is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God.

If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him or accepted all of His words, but instead asked God to submit to you and act in accord with your notions, then you are the most rebellious of persons, and you are an unbeliever. How is one such as this able to obey the work and the words of God that do not conform to the notions of man? The most rebellious person is one who intentionally defies and resists God. He is the enemy of God and the antichrist. Such a person constantly bears a hostile attitude toward the new work of God, has never shown the smallest intention of submitting, and has never gladly shown submission or humbled himself. He exalts himself before others and never shows submission to anyone. Before God, he considers himself the most proficient in preaching the word and the most skillful in working on others. He never discards the treasures already in his possession, but treats them as family heirlooms for worship, for preaching about to others, and uses them to lecture those fools who idolize him. There are indeed a certain number of people like this in the church. It can be said that they are “indomitable heroes,” generation after generation sojourning in the house of God. They take preaching the word (doctrine) to be their highest duty. Year after year and generation by generation, they go about vigorously enforcing their “sacred and inviolable” duty. None dare touch them and not a single person dares openly reproach them. They become “kings” in the house of God, running rampant as they tyrannize over others from age to age. This pack of demons seeks to join hands and demolish My work; how can I allow these living devils to exist before My eyes?

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

Anyone who does not believe in God incarnate—that is, anyone who does not believe the work and speech of the visible God and does not believe in the visible God but instead worships the invisible God in heaven—does not have God in his or her heart. They are people who are disobedient to and resist God. These people lack humanity and reason, to say nothing of truth. For these people, the visible and tangible God all the more cannot be believed, yet the invisible and intangible God is the most credible and also the most gladdening to their hearts. What they seek is not the truth of reality, nor is it the true essence of life, much less God’s intentions; rather, they pursue excitement. Whichever things are most capable of letting them attain their own desires are, without a doubt, their faiths and pursuits. They only believe in God in order to satisfy their own desires, not to seek the truth. Are these people not evildoers? They are extremely self-confident, and they do not believe that God in heaven will destroy them, these “good people.” Instead, they believe that God will allow them to remain and, moreover, will reward them handsomely, for they have done many things for God and displayed a great deal of “loyalty” toward Him. If they were to pursue the visible God, they would immediately strike back against God or fly into a rage once their desires were to fall through. These are vile people who seek to satisfy their own desires; they are not people of integrity in pursuit of the truth. Such kind of people are the so-called wicked people who follow Christ. Those people who do not seek the truth cannot believe the truth. They are all the more unable to perceive humanity’s future outcome, for they do not believe any work or speech of the visible God, and they cannot believe in humanity’s future destination. Therefore, even if they follow the visible God, they still commit evil and do not seek the truth, nor do they practice the truth that I require.

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

The biggest problem with man is that he only loves things that he cannot see or touch, things that are supremely mysterious and wondrous, and that are unimaginable by man and unattainable by mere mortals. The more unrealistic these things, the more they are analyzed by man, who even pursues them heedless of all else, and deludes himself that he is able to gain them. The more unrealistic they are, the more closely man scrutinizes and analyzes them, even going so far as to make up his own exhaustive ideas about them. On the contrary, the more realistic things are, the more dismissive man is of them; he simply looks down his nose at them, and is even contemptuous of them. Is this not precisely your attitude toward the realistic work I do today? The more realistic such things are, the more prejudiced you are against them. You don’t spare any time to examine them, but simply ignore them; you look down your nose at these realistic, straightforward requirements, and even harbor numerous conceptions about this God who is most real, and are simply incapable of accepting His reality and normality. In this way, do you not believe amid vagueness? You have an unshakable belief in the vague God of times past, and no interest in the real God of today. Is this not because the God of yesterday and the God of today are from two different eras? Is it not also because the God of yesterday is the exalted God of heaven, whereas the God of today is a tiny man on earth? Is it not, moreover, because the God worshiped by man is the one produced by his conceptions, whereas the God of today is a real flesh produced on earth? When all is said and done, is it not because the God of today is too real that man does not pursue Him? For what the God of today asks of man is precisely that which man is most unwilling to do, and which makes him feel ashamed. Is this not making things difficult for man? Does this not lay bare his scars? In this way, many of those who do not pursue reality become the enemies of God incarnate, become antichrists. Is this not an obvious fact? In the past, when God had yet to become flesh, you may have been a religious figure, or a devout believer. After God became flesh, many such devout believers unwittingly became the antichrist. Do you know what is going on here? In your belief in God, you do not concentrate on reality or pursue the truth, but instead obsess over falsehoods—is this not the clearest source of your enmity to God incarnate? God incarnate is called Christ, so are not all those who do not believe in God incarnate the antichrist? And so is the one you believe in and love truly this God in the flesh? Is it really this living, breathing God who is most realistic and extraordinarily normal? What, exactly, is the objective of your pursuit? Is it in heaven or on earth? Is it a conception or is it the truth? Is it God or is it some supernatural being?

from “Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The return of Jesus is a great salvation for those who are capable of accepting the truth, but for those who are unable to accept the truth it is a sign of condemnation. You should choose your own path, and should not blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and reject the truth. You should not be an ignorant and arrogant person, but someone who obeys the guidance of the Holy Spirit and longs for and seeks the truth; only in this way will you benefit. I advise you to tread the path of belief in God with care. Do not jump to conclusions; what’s more, do not be casual and carefree in your belief in God. You should know that, at the very least, those who believe in God should be humble and reverential. Those who have heard the truth and yet turn their nose up at it are foolish and ignorant. Those who have heard the truth and yet carelessly jump to conclusions or condemn it are beset by arrogance. No one who believes in Jesus is qualified to curse or condemn others. You should all be someone who is rational and accepts the truth. Perhaps, having heard the way of truth and read the word of life, you believe that only one in 10,000 of these words are in line with your convictions and the Bible, and then you should continue to seek in that 10,000th of these words. I still advise you to be humble, to not be over-confident, and to not exalt yourself too highly. With your heart holding such meager reverence for God, you will gain greater light. If you carefully examine and repeatedly contemplate these words, you shall understand whether or not they are the truth, and whether or not they are life. Perhaps, having only read a few sentences, some people will blindly condemn these words, saying, “This is nothing more than some enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,” or, “This is a false Christ come to deceive people.” Those who say such things are blinded by ignorance! You understand too little of the work and wisdom of God, and I advise you to start again from scratch! You must not blindly condemn the words expressed by God because of the appearance of false Christs during the last days, and must not be someone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit because you fear deception. Would that not be a great pity? If, after much examination, you still believe that these words are not the truth, are not the way, and are not the expression of God, then you shall ultimately be punished, and be without blessings. If you cannot accept such truth spoken so plainly and so clearly, then are you not unfit for God’s salvation? Are you not someone who is not fortunate enough to return before the throne of God? Think about it! Do not be rash and impetuous, and do not treat belief in God as a game. Think for the sake of your destination, for the sake of your prospects, for the sake of your life, and do not play around with yourself. Can you accept these words?

from “When You Behold the Spiritual Body of Jesus Will Be When God Has Made Anew Heaven and Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who only believe in Jesus Christ but do not believe in the incarnate God of today are all condemned. They are all contemporary Pharisees because they do not recognize the God of today, and they all resist God. No matter how devoted their belief in Jesus is, it will all be in vain; they will not receive God’s praise.

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

You believe in the existence of the God in heaven but deny that of the God on earth. However, I do not approve your views. I commend only those men who keep their feet on the ground and serve the God on earth, but never those who never acknowledge the Christ who is on earth. No matter how loyal such men are to the God in heaven, in the end they will not escape My hand that punishes the wicked. These men are the wicked; they are the wicked ones who oppose God and have never gladly obeyed Christ. Of course, their number includes all those who do not know and, further, do not acknowledge Christ. You believe that you can act as you please toward Christ as long as you are loyal to the God in heaven. Wrong! Your ignorance of Christ is ignorance of the God in heaven. No matter how loyal you are to the God in heaven, it is merely empty talk and pretense, for the God on earth is not only instrumental in man receiving the truth and more profound knowledge, but even more instrumental in the condemnation of man and afterward in seizing the facts to punish the wicked. Have you understood the beneficial and harmful outcomes here? Have you experienced them? I wish for you one day soon to understand this truth: To know God, you must know not only the God in heaven but, even more importantly, the God on earth. Do not get your priorities confused or allow the secondary to supersede the principal. Only in this way can you truly build a good relationship with God, become closer to God, and bring your heart closer to Him. If you have been of the faith for many years and have long associated with Me, yet remain distant from Me, then I say it must be that you often offend the disposition of God, and your end will be very difficult to reckon. If the many years of association with Me have not only failed to change you into a person who has humanity and the truth, but rather ingrained your evil ways into your nature, and you not only have twice as many delusions of grandeur as before but your misunderstandings of Me have also multiplied, such that you come to regard Me as your little sidekick, then I say that your affliction is no longer skin deep but has penetrated into your very bones. All that remains is for you to wait for your funeral arrangements to be made. You need not beseech Me then to be your God, for you have committed a sin deserving of death, an unforgivable sin. Even if I could have mercy on you, the God in heaven will insist on taking your life, for your offense against the disposition of God is no ordinary problem, but one of a very grave nature. When the time comes, do not blame Me for not having informed you beforehand. It all comes back to this: When you associate with the Christ—the God on earth—as an ordinary man, that is, when you believe that this God is nothing but a man, it is then that you shall perish. This is My only admonishment to you all.

from “How to Know the God on Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Those who wish to gain life without relying on the truth spoken by Christ are the most ridiculous people on earth, and those who do not accept the way of life brought by Christ are lost in fantasy. And so I say that the people who do not accept Christ of the last days shall forever be despised by God. Christ is man’s gateway to the kingdom during the last days, which none may bypass. None may be perfected by God except through Christ. You believe in God, and so you must accept His words and obey His way. You must not just think of gaining blessings without receiving the truth, or accepting the provision of life. Christ comes during the last days so that all those who truly believe in Him may be provided with life. His work is for the sake of concluding the old age and entering the new one, and is the path that must be taken by all those who would enter the new age. If you are incapable of acknowledging Him, and instead condemn, blaspheme or even persecute Him, then you are bound to burn for eternity, and shall never enter the kingdom of God. For this Christ is Himself the expression of the Holy Spirit, the expression of God, the One whom God has entrusted to do His work on earth. And so I say that if you cannot accept all that is done by Christ of the last days, then you blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The retribution that should be suffered by those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit is self-evident to all. I also tell you that if you oppose Christ of the last days, and deny Him, then there is no one who can bear the consequences on your behalf. Furthermore, from this day onward you will not have another chance to gain the approval of God; even if you try to redeem yourself, you will never again behold the face of God. For what you oppose is not a man, what you deny is not some puny being, but Christ. Are you aware of this consequence? You have not made a small mistake, but committed a heinous crime. And so I advise everyone not to bare your fangs before the truth, or make careless criticisms, for only the truth can bring you life, and nothing except the truth can allow you to be reborn and behold the face of God.

from “Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh