The Standards and Bases for Discerning Various Kinds of Evil People

II. Based on One’s Humanity

Next, we continue to fellowship about the fourteenth responsibility of leaders and workers: “Promptly discern, and then clear out or expel all manner of evil people and antichrists.” The standards for discerning all manner of evil people are divided into three main categories. We have previously fellowshipped about one’s purpose of believing in God, and then moved on to their humanity. In terms of one’s humanity, we also categorized many different manifestations. What are the several manifestations we have already fellowshipped about? Read them. (The second item for discerning all manner of evil people concerns one’s humanity. 1. Loving to misrepresent facts and falsehoods; 2. Loving to take advantage; 3. Being dissolute and unrestrained; 4. Being inclined toward vengeance; 5. Being unable to guard one’s tongue.) We have fellowshipped up to the fifth point about not being able to guard their tongues. Regardless of whether we are fellowshipping about specific manifestations of humanity or of other things, as I have said, it will have a different effect on different types of people. Those who pursue the truth, after listening, will focus on examining themselves; they will measure themselves against My fellowship and have proactive and positive entry. However, those who do not pursue the truth, such as laborers, will just listen and that’s all. They don’t take it to heart or put their hearts into listening. Sometimes, they can even fall asleep while listening to sermons. They can’t absorb it, and even think, “What’s the use of listening to these trivial matters? It’s a waste of time—I still haven’t even finished the work I have at hand!” They are always concerned about the jobs that require toil. They are especially enthusiastic and devoted to toiling, showing loyalty, but they simply can’t muster the energy for matters involving the truth. This clearly reveals that such people are not interested in the truth; they are satisfied with merely toiling. There’s another group of people who maintain the same attitude regardless of how God’s house fellowships the truth: “I am just resistant and antagonistic. Even if you point out my problems and expose my manifestations, revelations, and dispositions, I still won’t pay attention or take it seriously. So what if others know I’m being exposed?” They just shamelessly continue to defy and oppose, which is irredeemable. Regardless, the manifestations of different types of people are distinguishable. The truth—whether for those who pursue it, those who are willing to toil but do not love it, or those who are repulsed by and averse to the truth—acts as a double-edged sword, a touchstone. It can measure people’s attitudes toward the truth and also the path they are walking on.

F. Being Unreasonable and Willfully Troublesome, With No One Daring to Provoke Them

Previously, we fellowshipped on discerning the five manifestations of various evil people. Today, we continue to fellowship on the sixth. The sixth is also a manifestation of a type of evil person, or rather, even if people do not consider this type to be evil, everyone still dislikes them. Why is that? It’s because these people lack conscience and reason, lack normal humanity, and interactions with them are particularly troublesome and difficult, eliciting repulsion. What are the specific manifestations of these people? It is being unreasonable and willfully troublesome, with no one daring to provoke them. Are there such people in the church? Although not many, there definitely are. And what are their specific manifestations? Under typical circumstances, these people can do their duties normally and interact with others quite normally; you won’t see a vicious disposition from them. However, when their actions go against the truth principles and they are pruned, they will explode in anger, completely rejecting the truth while making sophistic excuses for themselves. Suddenly, you realize they are like a hedgehog covered in spikes, a tiger that cannot be touched. You think, “I’ve interacted with this person for so long, thinking they were of good humanity, understanding, and easy to talk to, believing they could accept the truth. I didn’t expect them to be someone who is unreasonable and willfully troublesome. I must be more careful in my interactions with them in the future, minimize contact unless necessary, and keep my distance to avoid provoking them.” Have you seen such people who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome? Generally, those who understand them know how formidable they are and speak to them with particular politeness and caution. In particular, when you talk to them, you absolutely cannot hurt them, or it will result in endless trouble with them. Some people say, “Who exactly are these boorish people? We haven’t encountered them yet.” In that case, we really do need to talk about this. For instance, while the brothers and sisters are fellowshipping their experiences, when some mention their corrupt states or personal difficulties, it’s inevitable that others will empathize, having had similar experiences or feelings. This is quite normal. After listening, one might think, “I have had such experiences too, so let’s fellowship on this topic together. I want to hear how you went through it. If your fellowship has light, and it concerns an issue I have, then I will accept it and practice according to your experiences and path to see what the results will be.” There is only one type of person who, upon hearing others fellowship about knowing themselves and lay bare their own corruption and ugliness, believes that this is indirectly exposing and judging him, and cannot help but slam the table and burst into anger: “Who doesn’t have corruption? Who lives in a vacuum? The way I see it, your corruption is even worse than mine! What qualifications do you all have to target me, to expose me? As I see it, you just want to make things difficult for me, to exclude me! Isn’t it just because I come from the countryside and can’t speak pleasing words to flatter you all? Isn’t it because my education is not as high as yours? God doesn’t even look down on me, so what gives you the right to look down on me!” Others say, “This is normal fellowship, not targeted at you. Aren’t everyone’s corrupt dispositions the same? When someone is fellowshipping about some topic and mentions their own corrupt state, it’s inevitable that others will find themselves in similar states. If you feel that you share the same state, you can also fellowship about your experiences.” To which he replies, “Is that so? I could tolerate such fellowship from one person, but why are you two or three ganging up to bully me? Do you think I’m easy to push around?” Aren’t their words getting more outrageous the more they speak? (Yes.) Do such people have reason in saying these words? (No.) If you truly think that the topic of others’ fellowship is targeted at you, you can discuss or fellowship on this topic; directly ask if it’s targeted at you, instead of dragging in your background as a farmer, your lower level of education, or people looking down on you. What’s the use of saying those things? Isn’t that blathering about right and wrong? Isn’t it being unreasonable and willfully troublesome? (Yes.) Don’t you think such people are dreadful? (Yes.) After he makes such a scene, everyone knows what kind of person he is, and when fellowshipping at future gatherings, they always have to speak carefully and study his expressions. If his expression turns gloomy, others become hesitant to speak, and everyone feels stifled during fellowship at the gatherings. Isn’t this the constraint and disturbance brought about by his being unreasonable and willfully troublesome? (Yes.) Those who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome are all beyond reasoning; such individuals will not accept the truth and cannot possibly be saved.

This type of person who is unreasonable and willfully troublesome has another manifestation. Some people always say during gatherings, “I can’t act perfunctorily anymore. I need to focus on practicing the truth; I need to pursue perfection. I naturally strive to excel. Whatever I do, it must be done well.” They talk the talk, but in reality, they still act perfunctorily when they’re doing their duty, and the duty they do has many problems, far from achieving the effect of bearing witness to God. When leaders point out the problems in their performance of duty and prune them, they immediately become angry, saying, “I knew it. You all judge me behind my back, saying my professional skills are poor. Isn’t it just that you all look down on me? It was just a small mistake, is all. Is it necessary to prune me like this? Besides, who doesn’t make mistakes? Saying I act perfunctorily—weren’t you also perfunctory in your work before? Are you qualified to criticize me? Without my cooperation, who among you could shoulder this work?” What do you think of such people? In anything they do, they do not allow others to point out their deficiencies or offer suggestions; they do not accept even justified pruning. Whoever speaks up, they go up against them and oppose them, uttering unreasonable words, even saying that they’re looked down upon, or that they’re bullied for being alone and powerless, or other such things. Isn’t this being unruly, unreasonable, and willfully troublesome? There are even some people who, after being pruned, abandon their duty: “I won’t do this work anymore. If you can do it, be my guest. Then I’ll see if you can still carry on the work without me!” The brothers and sisters try to persuade them, but they don’t listen. Even when leaders and workers fellowship the truth to them, they refuse to accept; they start to put on airs and abandon their duty. During gatherings, they sulk, neither reading God’s words nor fellowshipping, always the last to arrive and the first to leave. When they leave, they stomp their feet and slam the door, and most people are at a loss on how to deal with them. When things happen to such people, they spout preposterous arguments and nonsense; they get unruly and even throw things, utterly impervious to reason. Some have even more severe manifestations: If the brothers and sisters do not greet them, they become displeased and take the opportunity during gatherings to wail: “I know you all look down on me. During gatherings, you all just focus on fellowshipping God’s words and discussing your own experiential understandings. No one cares about me, no one offers me a smile, and no one sees me off when I leave. What kind of believers are you? You people truly lack humanity!” They throw tantrums like this in the church. They get enraged even over trivial matters, unleashing all their accumulated grievances. Clearly, they’re revealing their own corrupt disposition, but they neither reflect on themselves nor know themselves, and they have no desire to pursue change or the truth. Instead, they look for trouble in others, finding various excuses to balance their own psyche—and while they do this, they seek opportunities to vent their grievances. More importantly, they aim to make more people notice and fear them, so as to gain a measure of prestige and attention among people. People like this are so troublesome! Whatever they say, no one dares to say “no”; no one dares to evaluate them lightly; and no one dares to open up and fellowship with them. Even if some flaws and corrupt dispositions are observed in them, no one dares to point them out. During gatherings, when everyone fellowships their personal experiences and their understanding of God’s words, they carefully avoid the “hornet’s nest” that is this person, afraid of provoking them and causing trouble. Some people vent during gatherings after feeling mistreated or facing displeasures at home or work. Clearly, they’re making the brothers and sisters their outlet and punching bag. When they are upset, they spout preposterous arguments, cry, and throw tantrums. Who would dare to fellowship the truth with them then? If they are fellowshipped with, and some word happens to touch a nerve, they will threaten suicide. That will be even more troublesome. With such people, normal fellowship won’t do; normal conversation won’t do; being too warm or too cold both won’t do; avoiding them won’t do; getting too close won’t do; and if the brothers and sisters do not express happiness to match their happiness, that won’t do; and when these people encounter some difficulty, if the brothers and sisters cannot match their distress, that too won’t do. Nothing works with them. Whatever is done can annoy them and enrage them. However they are treated, they are never satisfied. Even My sermons and fellowship about certain people’s states can provoke them. How does it provoke them? They think, “Isn’t this exposing me? You haven’t even interacted with me, and I haven’t told You anything about what I’ve done in private. How could You know? It must be someone snitching. I need to find out who’s been in contact with You, who has snitched, who has reported me; I won’t let it go!” This type of person who is unreasonable and willfully troublesome can have twisted thoughts about anything, and is unable to treat anything correctly. They are beyond reason! Rationality is quite beyond them, and less still can they accept the truth. It’s harmful, not beneficial, for them to stay in the church. They are just an encumbrance, a load that should be shaken off with speed; they should be cleansed away at once!

In China, believing in God results in oppression and persecution by the great red dragon, and there are so many who are hounded and can’t go home. However, some people, when persecuted and unable to return home, believe they have earned merit or qualification. They live with host families, and they don’t just have people wait on them—if anything goes slightly against their wishes or they start to miss home, they begin to make a scene, and others have to cajole and tolerate them. Aren’t such people unreasonable and willfully troublesome? So many people are persecuted, and there aren’t many host families. It is out of love that the brothers and sisters host those who cannot return home. They keep them off the streets and allow them to live in their homes. Isn’t this God’s grace? Yet, some not only fail to appreciate God’s grace, but also fail to see the love of the brothers and sisters. Instead, they feel aggrieved, and will even complain and be unruly. The living conditions in the homes of the brothers and sisters are actually somewhat better than in one’s own home. Especially in terms of believing in God and doing one’s duty, staying in the homes of brothers and sisters is even better than staying at one’s own home, and having brothers and sisters to cooperate harmoniously with is always far better than being all alone. Even if the living conditions in some regions are a bit lacking, they still amount to an average standard of living. What’s most important is that they’re able to live with the brothers and sisters, to often gather and eat and drink God’s words, to understand more truths, and to know what the goals of their pursuit are. So, those who pursue the truth are able to pay that price and undergo that suffering. Most people have the correct attitude toward this; they are able to accept it from God, in the knowledge that that suffering is worthwhile, and that it’s theirs to undergo. They can regard it correctly. But some unreasonable, willfully troublesome people who are unruly simply cannot comprehend things this way. They might barely tolerate not being able to return home for a week, but after two weeks, they become moody, and by one or two months, they get unruly, saying, “Why is it that your family can be happily together and I can’t return to mine? Why do I have no freedom, while you all can come and go as you please?” Others respond: “Isn’t it caused by persecution from the great red dragon? Isn’t it only right that we endure such suffering as followers of God? What’s the big deal about this bit of suffering? Given the circumstances, what’s there to be picky about? If others can endure this suffering, why can’t you?” Those who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome don’t want to suffer at all. If they were caught and put in jail, they would definitely become Judases. Just how much suffering is there in living with a host family? First, the food is still human fare; second, no one gives you a hard time; and third, no one bullies you. It’s just that you can’t go home and reunite with your family—and that bit suffering is simply unacceptable to unreasonable, willfully troublesome people. When others fellowship the truth to them, they refuse to take it in, but say things like, “Don’t lecture me about those grand doctrines. I understand no less than you do; I know all this! Just tell me, when can I go home? When will the great red dragon stop monitoring my home? When will I be able to go home without the great red dragon arresting me? If I don’t know when I can go home, then I might as well not live!” They create a scene again, and as they go on, they sit down on the ground, kicking their legs—and the more they kick, the angrier they become, and they have an unruly outburst, too, with crying and wailing. Others say, “Keep your voice down. If you carry on like this and the neighbors hear, discovering there’re outsiders living here, that’ll expose us, won’t it?” They reply, “I don’t care, I just want to make a scene! You all can go home, but I can’t. It’s not fair! I’ll make such a scene that you won’t be able to go home, either, just like me!” Their unruly outburst doesn’t abate, and their spite surfaces; no one can talk sense into them, no one can persuade them. When their mood improves a bit, they quiet down and stop causing a scene. But who knows—any day, they might be unruly again and cause a scene: They’ll just have to go out for a stroll and be free, and speak loudly indoors; they’ll constantly plot to go home. The brothers and sisters warn them: “Going home is too risky; there are police staking the place out and monitoring it.” They respond, “I don’t care, I want to go back! If they catch me, they catch me! What’s the big deal? At worst, I’ll just be a Judas!” Isn’t this madness? (Yes.) They openly say they’re willing to be a Judas. Who would dare to host them? Does anyone want to host a Judas? (No.) Is such a person a believer in God? The brothers and sisters host them as a believer in God. If their humanity is somewhat lacking, that could be tolerated; not pursuing the truth could also be tolerated. But they are capable of harming the brothers and sisters by selling out the church and becoming a Judas, and thereby rendering lots of people unable to return to their homes or do their duties normally—who could afford to shoulder the blame for these consequences? Would you dare to host this kind of enemy? Isn’t hosting them just inviting trouble for yourself?

People who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome think only of their own interests when they act, doing whatever pleases them. Their words are nothing but preposterous arguments and heresies, and they are impervious to reason. Their vicious disposition is overflowing. No one dares associate with them, and no one is willing to fellowship about the truth with them, for fear of inviting disaster upon themselves. Other people are on tenterhooks whenever they speak their minds to them, afraid that if they say one word that is not to their liking or not in line with their wishes, they will seize upon it and make outrageous accusations. Are such people not evil? Are they not living demons? All those with a vicious disposition and unsound reason are living demons. And when someone interacts with a living demon, they may bring disaster upon themselves with just a moment’s carelessness. Would it not spell big trouble if such living demons were present in the church? (It would.) After these living demons have thrown their tantrums and vented about their anger, they may speak like a human for a while and apologize, but they will not change afterward. Who knows when their mood will sour and they will throw another tantrum, spouting their preposterous arguments. The target of their tantrum and venting is different each time, as is the source and background of their venting. That is, anything can set them off, anything can make them feel dissatisfied, and anything can make them react with tantrums and unruly behavior. How terrible! How troublesome! These deranged evil people might lose their minds at any time; no one knows what they are capable of doing. I have the greatest hatred for such people. Every one of them should be cleansed away—they must all be cleared out. I do not wish to engage with them. They are muddled in thought and brutish in disposition, they are filled with preposterous arguments and devilish words, and when things befall them, they vent about them in an impetuous way. Some of them cry when they vent, others yell, others stomp their feet, and there are even some who shake their heads and wave their limbs about. They are simply beasts, not humans. Some cooks throw pots and dishes around once they lose their temper; others, who raise pigs or dogs, kick and hit these animals once they lose their temper, venting all their anger on them. These individuals, no matter what happens, always react with anger; they neither calm themselves to reflect nor accept it from God. They don’t pray or seek the truth, nor do they seek out fellowship with others. When they have no choice, they endure; when they’re unwilling to endure, they go mad, spouting preposterous arguments, accusing and condemning others. They often say things like, “I know you all are educated and look down on me”; “I know your families are wealthy, and you disdain me for being poor”; or, “I know you disdain me because I lack a foundation in my faith, and you disdain me because I don’t pursue the truth.” Despite being obviously aware of their own numerous issues, they never seek the truth to resolve them, nor do they discuss knowing themselves in their fellowship with others. When their own problems are mentioned, they deflect and make false counter-accusations, pushing all problems and responsibilities onto others, and even complain that the reason for their behavior is because others mistreat them. It’s as if their tantrums and senseless troublemaking are caused by others, as if it’s everyone else who’s at fault, they merely have no other choice but to act this way, and they’re legitimately defending themselves. Whenever they are dissatisfied, they start venting their resentment and spouting nonsense, insisting on their preposterous arguments as if everyone else is wrong, as if they’re the only good people and everyone else is a villain. No matter how much they throw tantrums or spout preposterous arguments, they demand to be spoken well of. Even when they do wrong, they forbid others from exposing or criticizing them. If you point out even a slight issue of theirs, they’ll entangle you in endless disputes, and you can forget about living peaceably then. What kind of person is this? This is someone who is unreasonable and willfully troublesome, and those who do so are considered evil people.

People who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome generally might not commit any significant treacherous or evil deeds, but the moment their interests, reputation, or dignity get involved, they immediately explode in anger, throw tantrums, act in an unruly manner, and even threaten suicide. Tell Me, if such an absurd and unreasonably crude person emerges in a family, wouldn’t the whole family suffer? The household would then be engulfed in turmoil, filled with cries and howls, making it unbearable to live. Some churches have such people; although it might not be apparent when everything is normal, you never know when they might have an outbreak and reveal themselves. The primary manifestations of such people include throwing tantrums, spouting preposterous arguments, and swearing in public, among others. Even if these behaviors occur only once a month or every half-year, they cause great distress and difficulty, bringing varying degrees of disturbance to the church life of most people. If it is indeed confirmed that someone falls within this category, they should be handled promptly and cleared out from the church. Some might say, “These people don’t do any evil. They can’t be considered evil people; we should be tolerant and patient with them.” Tell Me, would it be okay to not handle such people? (No, it would not be okay.) Why not? (Because their actions cause significant trouble and vexation to most people, and also cause disturbances to church life.) Based on this outcome, it’s clear that those who disturb church life, even if they are not evil people or antichrists, should not remain in the church. That’s because such people do not love the truth but are averse to it, and no matter how many years they believe in God or how many sermons they hear, they will not accept the truth. Once they do something bad and are pruned, they throw tantrums and spout nonsense. Even when someone fellowships the truth to them, they do not accept it. Nobody can reason with them. Even when I fellowship the truth to them, they may remain silent outwardly but do not accept it inwardly. When faced with actual situations, they still act as they always have. They don’t listen to My words, so your advice would be even less accepted by them. Although these people may not commit acts of major evil, they do not accept the truth one bit. Looking at their nature essence, not only do they lack conscience and reason, but they are also unreasonable, willfully troublesome, and impervious to reason. Can such people achieve God’s salvation? Absolutely not! Those who do not accept the truth at all are disbelievers, they are servants of Satan. When things do not go their way, they throw tantrums, persistently spout preposterous arguments, and do not listen to the truth no matter how it’s fellowshipped. Such people are unreasonable and willfully troublesome, purely devils and evil spirits; they are worse than beasts! They are mental cases with unsound reason, and are never capable of true repentance. The longer they stay in the church, the more notions they have about God, the more unreasonable demands they make on God’s house, and the greater the disturbance and harm they cause to church life. This affects the life entry of God’s chosen people and the normal progress of church work. Their harm to the work of the church is no less than that of evil people; they should be cleared out from the church early on. Some people say, “Aren’t they just being a bit unruly? They don’t reach the point of being evil, so wouldn’t it be better to treat them with love? If we keep them, maybe they can change and be saved.” I tell you, it’s impossible! There’s no “maybe” about it—these people absolutely cannot be saved. It’s because they cannot understand the truth, much less accept it; they lack conscience and reason, their thought processes are abnormal, and they even lack the most basic common sense required for being human. They are people with unsound reason. God absolutely does not save such people. Even those with slightly more normal thinking and of better caliber, if they do not accept the truth at all, cannot be saved, let alone those with unsound reason. To still treat such people with love and hold onto hope for them, isn’t that too foolish and ignorant? I’m telling you this now: Cleansing those who are unreasonable, willfully troublesome, and impervious to reason away from the church is absolutely correct. It fundamentally cuts off their harassment toward the church and God’s chosen people. This is the responsibility of leaders and workers. If there are such unreasonable people in any church, God’s chosen people should report them, and once leaders and workers receive such reports, they should handle them promptly. This is the principle for handling the sixth type of people—those who are unreasonable and willfully troublesome.