I was once a preacher in the True Jesus Church. In October 1998, I accepted Almighty God’s gospel of the last days. When I knew that Almighty God I had resisted and slandered was the returned Savior Jesus whom I had been eagerly waiting for, I was very regretful and hated myself for being arrogant and not seeking the truth and thus becoming a Pharisee of the present age. It was Almighty God’s word that saved me and made me step onto the right track of believing in God and start a true human life.
In the fall of 1996, I accepted the Lord Jesus in the True Jesus Church. Later, I became a preacher, responsible for shepherding over thirty churches in my parish.
At a co-worker meeting in 1999, Elder Li from Shenyang said to us, “In recent years, there has arisen a sect called ‘Eastern Lightning.’ They preach that the Lord has been incarnated the second time, even as a female. They grow so rapidly in number that nothing can stand in their way. Whoever believes in Jesus is a target hunted by them. They belong to an underworld organization. In order to convert a believer in the Lord, they either seduce him with beauty and buy him off with money or threaten him with violence. If he refuses to obey them, they will break his arms or legs, or cut off his nose or ears. Many elders, deacons, and believers of our denomination have been taken captive by them. Now they have come to Changtu area, so you must take stringent precautions and keep a good watch over the flock lest any brother or sister be taken captive by them. …” I did not doubt about his words at all. From then on, whichever church I went to, I wantonly spread the elder’s words and even made up the rumor: “This gang of people of ‘Eastern Lightning’ are promiscuous, extremely filthy.” In order to better prevent the brothers and sisters from being converted to “Eastern Lightning,” I personally taught them in detail how to guard against and resist it.
I was formerly a key co-worker of the Justification by Faith Church, and I lived in Shuangyashan City. In 1992, I turned to the Lord Jesus because of my wife’s long-term illness. Not long afterward, my wife gradually grew better, and a year later she recovered. To repay the Lord’s love, my wife and I pursued hard, and we never lagged behind in attending meetings and preaching the gospel. Later, I was assigned by our church to work in other places and support the churches there all year round. At that time, I was full of enthusiasm and felt that believing in the Lord was the most meaningful thing and at no time would I leave the Lord.
Answer: The CCP are atheists. No one opposes God or hates the truth more than them. They’ve designated all churches and groups that believe in the true God as illegal cults. Also, they’ve openly labeled the Bible as a cult book. This is public knowledge. Besides, we’ve suffered so much persecution over the years, just for believing in Jesus. Many preachers and Christians have been tortured to death or jailed. That’s not enough? How can man still believe the government’s rumors? How should a good religion be distinguished from cults? A party or an individual shouldn’t decide that at will. And neither should a country or a constitution. A good religion is positive and benefits mankind. But cults are negative things. They corrupt mankind. If people want to know if it’s a good religion or a cult, they should look at whether it’s positive or negative. If it comes from God or God’s work, a church like that is the true way, a good religion. And what comes from Satan or the work of evil spirits are evil cults. The CCP is a satanic regime. It opposes God and hates the truth the most. The CCP is the real cult. They aren’t qualified to comment on faith, much less qualified to condemn any groups or churches that believe in God.
Answer: To answer this question, let’s read two passages of Almighty God’s words and see how Almighty God phrased it. Almighty God says, “What is the most basic principle in seeking the true way? You have to look at whether or not there is the work of the Holy Spirit, whether or not these words are the expression of the truth, who is testified, and what it can bring you” (“Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).
Question 1: If the “Eastern Lightning” is the true way, why is the CCP government so against them? Why do religious leaders condemn them with such fervor? The pastors and elders receive much persecution from the government too. So when they tell us about the “Eastern Lightning,” why would such servants of God have the same opinions and attitudes as those of the CCP government? What’s the reason behind this?
Answer: The Bible says, “the whole world lies in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). The Lord Jesus also said, “This is an evil generation” (Luke 11:29). So, to what extent has the world now become evil and dark? In the Age of Grace, the incarnate Lord Jesus who came to redeem mankind was nailed to the cross by the religious world and those in power then. In the last days, when Almighty God expresses the truth to judge mankind, He’s also condemned and opposed by both the religious world and the CCP regime, the regime of the great red dragon, and rejected by this age. This fulfills the Lord Jesus’ words, “For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines to the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation” (Luke 17:24-25). This prophecy of the Lord Jesus has now been fulfilled. All those who long for God’s appearance should find it clear that the Lord has arrived and is doing the work of judgment of the last days. The Lord Jesus’ prophecy is already fulfilled. Are any people still unclear about this fact? This atheistic regime and most religious leaders are Satan’s forces. They hate God and hate the truth. The Lord Jesus’ cruel crucifixion is proof of that fact. You see, the true way will always be rejected and condemned by godless regimes and the religious world. What’s more, those who preach and practice the true way will always face persecution and slander from the two. As the Lord Jesus said, “If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). And it’s for this reason that through all ages, those who can accept and follow the true way and the true God, are that small portion of humankind who love and pursue the truth. While most people, because they follow Satan’s forces or fear persecution, dare not seek the true way, so they lose their chance to receive God’s salvation. That’s why the Lord Jesus once warned, “Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
