Antichrists have a clear fondness for status, and everybody knows this. To what extent do they like status? What are the manifestations of this? First of all, they seize any opportunity to climb the ladder, whether it’s through ingratiating or tricky methods, or by doing good things to win over people’s hearts. In any case, whenever there’s an opportunity to climb, they take it. Once they achieve status, they cherish it even more than before. When normal people achieve status, they have a sense of shame and restrain themselves a bit. Moreover, the position of a leader or worker in God’s house is a duty. It’s not a status or an official title, it’s a duty. Sometimes these normal people might reveal a bit of their corrupt dispositions by showing off, thinking that now they are in an official position. Normal people find it somewhat acceptable to behave like this on occasion, but if they do it regularly, they will feel disgusted with themselves and fear that their brothers and sisters will notice. They have dignity and a sense of shame, so they restrain themselves a little. After understanding the truth, they gradually come to place less importance on status. What positive impact will this have, and what good results will it bring? It will enable them to do their duty with peace of mind. Regardless of their current role, they will consider it a duty. Since they were chosen to lead, and leadership is a burden and a duty for man at the same time, first they must understand what things fall under the scope of this duty. When you are not in a leadership role, you don’t need to concern yourself with certain matters, and you do not really have any burdens. But when you take on a leadership role, you need to figure out how to perform your tasks well, and how to do your duty in accordance with the principles and the work arrangements of God’s house. Those who pursue the truth can progress in a positive direction like this. So, what’s the difference between antichrists and those who pursue the truth in terms of how they approach status? Antichrists are passionate about, pursue, cherish, and manage their status. They think about their status at every turn. Status is like their lifeblood. If others do not esteem them, or if they accidentally say something wrong and others look down on them, and they lose their place in other people’s hearts, they’ll feel anxious about their status constantly, and become extremely cautious in how they act and speak. No matter how you fellowship on pursuing the truth, they won’t be able to understand it. What is the only thing they can understand? “How can I perform this ‘office’ well and act like an official?” There are certain specific manifestations of this. For instance, when a church leader takes a group photo with over 20 brothers and sisters, where would someone with dignity and a sense of shame choose to sit? They would find a corner on the side to sit. Where do antichrists usually sit? (In the middle.) Is them sitting in the middle what everyone wants or their personal desire? (It’s their personal desire.) Sometimes, it may be that everybody else leaves a spot in the middle for them, forcing them into a central position, and in their hearts, they feel very pleased with themselves, “Look at how much support I have from everyone! I must sit here. I can see from this that I hold a place in everyone’s heart. They couldn’t do without me!” They feel quite happy and pleased. If they didn’t like the idea of everyone leaving them a spot in the middle, why would they go and sit there? It’s evident that they thoroughly enjoy their position in that particular moment and the feeling it brings. They really need and cherish the feeling of that moment in time, which is why they don’t decline the position. This leader sits right in the middle, surrounded by dozens of other people, and they even use a cushion to make themselves stand out. They think, “Being the same height as everyone else won’t do. How can this showcase my distinction as a leader? I need to raise myself up a bit, sit in the middle, then I’ll be conspicuous. This is knowing the right place to sit. When people look at the photo, the first thing they’ll see is me. They’ll say, ‘This is our leader So-and-so.’ How glorious! This photo will last for so many years. If people can’t see me, and they slowly forget about me, then what’s the point of me being a leader?” This is how highly they cherish their status.

One time, I sought out some people from a church to learn about the situation there. After they turned their video on, they all sat down in front of the camera, leaving a space in the middle. I didn’t understand why and suggested they move closer to the center because the camera’s frame wasn’t that big, and they looked awkward with half their faces showing. After that, they shifted a bit toward the center, but still left an empty seat in the middle. I muttered to Myself, “Why isn’t anyone sitting in the middle? It’s as if there’s some hallowed Buddha there—why does nobody dare to go over there?” Then, a rather fat man came over and plunked himself down right in the middle, looking just like a hallowed “Buddha,” all round and plump. It turned out the middle seat was reserved for him. Can you guess who this person was? (The leader.) Correct, he sat in the dead center. That’s a status symbol. When this devil arrived, looking like a Buddha, and sat there, he occupied that spot quite naturally, as if it were his rightful place. Everyone was more than happy to sit on either side, looking at him with a particular fondness, as if they “understood” him immensely. It felt like they were a bunch of bootlickers, saying, “Ah, you’ve finally arrived. We’ve been waiting for you for so long.” While I’d been speaking, no one had been taking any of it in; they were waiting for the leader. This hallowed “Buddha” had to come out first. If he didn’t come out, I couldn’t go on speaking. How was he able to sit there, and to sit there so naturally? Does this have anything to do with his usual preferences, priorities, and pursuits? (Yes.) What kind of scene would these people usually present? Use your imagination and think about it. When this leader hosts a gathering or enters a room where people are doing their duties, how do they treat him? It’s like he’s an ancestor or a Buddha: They quickly offer him a seat, and the principal seat must be reserved for him. Would it be alright if they didn’t reserve it for him? Based on the phenomenon I saw on camera in that moment, it probably wouldn’t be alright if they didn’t leave him the principal seat—it had become a rule, an unwritten rule. When the “Buddha” arrives, he must immediately be given the main seat. If the “Buddha” isn’t there, the principal seat must remain vacant. That is called status. Do any of you act like this, and regard status as higher than everything else? What can you notice from the scene I just described? Different people treat status differently. Those who love the truth consider their status to be a duty, treasuring God’s commission in their hearts. They accept their duty but don’t assert their status. Some people see status as an encumbrance, they believe it’s an additional burden that brings them pressure, restraints, and even trouble. However, those who worship status treat status like being an official, and always enjoy its benefits. They can’t live without status. Once they attain it, they are willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives and their self-respect for it—they are even willing to sell their bodies for it. Isn’t this wicked? (It is.) This is called wickedness. What is status in their eyes? It is a path and a means to come out on top, and a method for changing their identity, destiny, and standing among people. Therefore, they value status very highly. Once they attain it, and people listen to them, obey them, indulge them, and ingratiate themselves to them in everything, instead of feeling disgusted by all this, they find extreme pleasure in it. Just like that leader who took the middle seat—his posture was so relaxed and at ease, and had such an immense sense of pleasure and enjoyment to it. Isn’t this wicked? If a person particularly enjoys all the feelings of superiority and all the advantages that status brings, and especially pursues and cherishes these things, unwilling to let them go, then that person is extremely wicked. Why do I say they are extremely wicked? When it comes to those who flatter, speak pleasant words, and give compliments to people with status, what is it that they are saying? They are uttering false words, shameless words, sickening and nauseating words, and words of trickery, and even some things that are offensive to the ear. For instance, say that someone with status has a son who is really quite ugly, with a pointed face and ape-like cheeks—do those flatterers say that he is ugly? What do they say? (He’s really handsome.) Is it enough for them to just say “he’s really handsome”? They have to say something sickening, like, “He has a full forehead and a wide, round jaw. He’s got the face of someone who’ll be wealthy and hold high status in the future!” Even though it is clear that this isn’t the case, they still dare to openly utter these lies. When that official hears this, they feel elated, they love to hear these things—they enjoy listening to them. How much do they like listening to them? If no one said these hypocritical words, flattering words, and words of trickery in front of them, if no one spoke any false and disgusting words to make them happy and please them, they would find life uninteresting. Isn’t this wicked? (It is.) This is extremely wicked. When they tell lies themselves, that’s already quite nauseating, but they also enjoy having other liars revolve around them like a swarm of stinking flies, and they never grow tired of this. They love anybody who has a way with words, who is good at flattering and ingratiating themselves, and who speaks in a roundabout manner—they keep these people close by their side and place them in important positions. Aren’t such leaders in danger? What kind of work can they get done? Wouldn’t the church be done for if it fell under their control? Could it still have the work of the Holy Spirit?

I’ve heard that some leaders are fond of eating. When they used to live with brothers and sisters who weren’t skilled at cooking and didn’t prepare good meals, they would find a host who knew how to fawn over them and butter them up, and who would specially prepare delicious meals for them every day. Each day, the leaders would eat and drink to their hearts’ content, saying, “Thanks be to god, we get to enjoy god’s banquet every day. This is truly god’s grace!” Such people are in danger. Even if they are not antichrists yet, their behavior has already exposed that they have an antichrist’s nature essence and wicked disposition, and also that they are currently walking on the path of an antichrist. Whether they can become antichrists, or whether they are antichrists, depends on the path that they choose down the line. It’s quite evident that they are currently walking on the path of an antichrist and that their disposition essence aligns with that of an antichrist, and this is because they are fond of negative things and dislike things that are positive. They hold positive things in contempt, condemning and rejecting them in their hearts. What do they accept? Duplicity, lies, and all that is related to negative things. When I arrive in a certain place, some people say: “You don’t look well; rest for a while.” Whether I’m feeling well or not and when I need to rest, I know these things Myself. You don’t need to pretend to be smart, and you don’t need to show off how clever you are. I don’t accept this; I find it repulsive. What kind of people do I like? Those who can fellowship promptly when something happens and speak their minds to Me. I fellowship with you to resolve your difficulties, and you can be on closer terms with Me. Don’t be concerned with ingratiating yourself and trying to please Me—that’s terribly repugnant! People like this should stay away from Me, as I find them repulsive. I categorize you as an annoying fly or pest. Keep your distance! Some people say, “Don’t You need someone by Your side to serve You?” In your view, in accordance with My identity and status, there should be some corresponding treatment and service. But I don’t need that. You must not do these things, understand? I feel disgust and detestation toward these things. If you genuinely have it in your heart to be considerate of Me and care for Me, there are plenty of proper ways to do so. For example, if I tell you to do something, you obediently follow through with it, and when you encounter difficulties, you can promptly discuss them with Me. However, whatever you do, don’t imitate the way nonbelievers curry favor with people who hold office, uttering a lot of nice-sounding flatteries—I don’t like to hear them. I’m clearly not tall, yet you insist on saying, “You may not be tall, but You’re taller than us.” I don’t like hearing that, so whatever you do, don’t say it to Me; you’re saying it to the wrong person. Antichrists like to hear these kinds of words. For example, they ask the brothers and sisters under them: “Do I look fat?” And some people say: “Even if you’re fat, you look better than us.” “Then am I thin?” “Even if you’re thin, you look amazing. Either way, you’re like a fashion model; everything looks good on you.” When antichrists hear this, they feel delighted and consider you their partners and allies. All these things that antichrists are fond of are repulsive and wicked—how else could one call them wicked? Do antichrists love the elements of normal humanity, like a conscience, reason, a sense of shame, and dignity, as well as discernment between good and evil, black and white, and right and wrong, among other things in normal humanity? Do antichrists love people with a sense of shame? Do they love people with dignity? They love those who are shameless, who can speak in a cloying manner without any self-awareness and without getting embarrassed. Do they not lack a sense of shame? The more cloying your words are, the happier they become. Looking at antichrists’ preferences and their attitudes toward various things, as well as their choices and orientation, it’s evident that their wickedness knows no bounds. Forget about those who understand the truth—even people with a tiny bit of a sense of justice in society don’t appreciate that kind of behavior. You see, some people in official circles desperately ingratiate themselves with those who hold office. They give those in office whatever they need, even giving up their own wives—do they not lack dignity? (They do.) Furthermore, some officials engage in same-sex relationships, and some people of the same sex as these officials will get intimate with them, doing so even if they don’t personally want to. Could you do such things? (No, we could not.) But they could. They have no moral bottom line, no sense of shame, no awareness of conscience, no rationality—that’s why they do these things. You could not even utter those things that they say if you were made to perform them as lines in a play; these people are even more cloying than stage-performers. What do I mean by stage-performers? I mean those who don’t mind and do not bat an eyelash when they are seen or visited on while stark naked. Such people are called stage-performers. So, these flatterers, with their sickening and repulsive words and a preference for wicked things, are even worse than those stage-performers. The latter merely sell their bodies, but what does this gang of wicked folks known as antichrists sell? They sell their souls. They are a bunch of demons, beyond redemption. That’s why speaking the truth to these people is like casting pearls before swine—it’s impossible for them to love the truth. This is how they approach status, enjoying the various feelings of superiority and other good feelings that come with it. What are the various feelings that are derived from this enjoyment? Are they positive or negative things? These are all negative things. When they attain status, they expect to enjoy people flattering them, catering to them, and pandering to their interests. They also want to enjoy special treatment—their food, lodging, and the things they use must all be special, and they must be different from others in everything. Is that physical body of yours really any different from that of others? Once antichrists secure status, they believe themselves to be noble and extraordinary, as if there’s no place on earth that can accommodate them anymore—they must sit upon a “bed of roses” and have people make offerings to them. Isn’t that the case? Tell Me, are these the ideas that normal people usually entertain? Regardless of whether they have status or not, normal people may have a certain aspiration and desire for it, but because they possess a sense of shame, a conscience, and rationality, in addition to now having some understanding of the truth, their attachment to status diminishes and fades. Furthermore, they can put less importance on the advantages that come with status, and if they can see the benefits it brings as unimportant, they can also feel repelled by other people’s flattery and sweet-talking, sycophancy, and other such behaviors, and can distance themselves from or even turn their back on and forsake such things. But can antichrists forsake or let go of these things? Absolutely not. If you ask them to let go of these things, it’s as if you’re asking for their lives. Otherwise, why would some people say, “I won’t believe anymore, I won’t go on living, life is not worth living,” as soon as they lose their status? Isn’t there something going on here? Why is status so important to them? They can’t live an uneventful and ordinary life; they must have status, they must stand above the masses and bask in the veneration, worship, and exaltation of others, as well as the lies intended to pander to, dupe, and flatter them. They want to indulge in these things. Do people with normal humanity willingly indulge in such things? Certainly not; it makes them unsettled. Why do antichrists like to enjoy these things? It’s because they have a satanic disposition within them. Only those of Satan’s ilk pursue these things and have such demands. Normal people might enjoy these things for a while, but they come to find them meaningless and even annoying, and then stay away from all of them. But some people stubbornly refuse to let them go. For instance, why do some movie stars never retire from the film world, despite getting on in years? It’s because without that halo, without people surrounding them, they find life dull. They feel that the sky isn’t as blue, that their life has no direction, and that it has become meaningless and without value. They feel their entire life turns bleak, so they have to return to the film industry to relive the feeling of being a star. Antichrists share the same quality as them: They possess an equally wicked disposition and essence. When antichrists gain status, they flaunt it everywhere, even taking on an authoritarian role in their homes and making their family members obey them. Antichrists possess a wicked disposition and essence, and they treat status with particular affection, going out of their way to display it and flaunt it. What does this show us? Do these people have a sense of shame? They do not. They obtain status and think that their identity has changed, and even their relationship with their parents is altered. Isn’t there a problem here? It’s perverse! That they can hold such an attitude toward status is one type of evidence that exposes their wicked essence.

God is the Creator, and His identity and status are supreme. God possesses authority, wisdom, and power, and He has His own disposition and His possessions and being. Does anyone know how many years God has been working in the midst of humanity and all creation? The specific number of years for which God has been working and managing all of humanity is unknown; no one can give a precise figure, and God doesn’t report these matters to humanity. However, if Satan were to do something like this, would it report it? It certainly would. It wants to show itself off to mislead more people and make more people aware of its contributions. Why doesn’t God report these matters? There is a humble and hidden aspect to God’s essence. What is the opposite of being humble and hidden? It’s being arrogant and displaying oneself. No matter how great the work God does, He only tells people what they can grasp and understand, content with allowing people to gain knowledge, to know His essence through the work He does. What benefits does this bring people? What result does this achieve? Is it that people must know these things in order to worship God? That’s actually not it. People being able to worship God is the eventual objective outcome, but what is God’s original intention in letting people know these things? It is to enable them, after they have knowledge of these things, after they have an understanding of how God manages humanity and how He holds sovereignty over and arranges humanity, to be able to submit to God’s sovereignty, no longer engage in futile resistance, and no longer veer off-track—this way, people will suffer much less. By living naturally and existing in accordance with the ways and laws that God provides, and according to His requirements and the principles He gives, you will not fall into Satan’s clutches anymore, nor will you be corrupted and trampled upon a second time. Instead, you will live forever within the rules established by God, live with human likeness and as a created being, and receive God’s care and protection. This is the original intention and purpose of God’s work. So, with the immense work God has done, has He ever shown it off? Has He ever told people what He has done? He has never. Many people do not know what God has done, or which sorts of things were done by God and which were not. In actuality, God has done a great deal, but He has never declared these things to humanity. God does not declare them to humanity; all you need to do is be clear about what you ought to know. In the future, humanity will be able to exist on earth normally and accept God’s leadership, and when God arrives among humanity, people will be able to have normal interactions with God, receive Him, worship Him, listen to His words, and no longer walk with Satan. This way, God’s kingdom will appear on earth, and on earth there will be a group of people able to worship Him, a group of people who can listen to His words and put them into practice. God’s work will thus be accomplished; it is enough to achieve this result. So, when God does anything, if you don’t understand or aren’t aware of it, God won’t explain it to you. Why doesn’t He explain it? There’s no need to do so. There are many things you don’t understand, and God won’t reveal certain mysteries to you in order to make you know these things or understand His identity and essence, or understand His power. God doesn’t do this work. What is God currently focused on doing? He’s focused on making people understand the truth. Once you understand the truth, you will come to know God, have a foundation for your life, and be able to submit to and worship God in the future, and you will also be able to discern and forsake Satan, no longer being misled by it or going along with it—then His work is complete. As for those mysteries, humanity will have the opportunity to understand them in the future, but the mysteries of God’s actions are incredibly vast, and even if God reveals them to you it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will understand. Even if you come into contact with them, you may not be able to comprehend or grasp them. Why is this? It is because there exists a distance between created beings and God, between human thoughts and God’s ideas. For example, you might know that the rainbow is a sign of the covenant between God and humanity, but do you know how a rainbow is formed? If God were to explain this mystery to you, would you understand? You wouldn’t, so God doesn’t tell you. It would be burdensome for you if He did, since you would need to study and analyze it, which would be a pain. Therefore, God doesn’t say much about mysteries. But can man, who belongs to Satan, keep quiet if he knows about these mysteries? Absolutely not. This is where their essence differs. Does God explain the many things that He has revealed to humanity for years but that people can never understand? Does He do supernatural things? No, He doesn’t. Humanity is created by God, and God knows how much people can understand and to what extent they can understand it. These things are placed in front of people’s eyes, but if it’s unnecessary for them to understand, there’s no need to enlighten them or impose these things on people and have them turn into burdens for them, so God doesn’t work that way. Therefore, there are principles to God’s actions. His approach to humanity is one of cherishing, consideration, and love. God wants what’s best for people—this is the source and original intention behind all of God’s actions. On the other hand, Satan shows itself off, forces things upon people, gets them to worship it and be misled by it, and leads them to become degenerate, so that they gradually turn into living devils and head toward destruction. But when you believe in God, if you understand and gain the truth, then you can escape from the influence of Satan and attain salvation—you won’t face the outcome of being destroyed. Satan can’t stand to see people doing well, and it doesn’t care whether people live or die; it only cares about itself, its own profit, and its own pleasure, and it lacks love, mercy, tolerance, and forgiveness. Satan doesn’t possess these qualities; only God possesses these positive things. God has done a significant amount of work on humans, but has He ever spoken about it? Has He ever explained it? Has He ever declared it? No, He hasn’t. No matter how people misunderstand God, He doesn’t explain. From God’s perspective, no matter if you are sixty or eighty years old, your understanding of God is very limited, and based on how little you know, you are still a child. God doesn’t hold it against you; you are still an immature child. It doesn’t matter that some people may have lived for many years and their body shows signs of age; their understanding of God is still very childish and superficial. God doesn’t hold it against you—if you don’t understand, you don’t understand. That’s your caliber and your capacity, and it can’t be changed. God will not force anything on you. God demands that people bear testimony to Him, but has He borne testimony to Himself? (No.) On the other hand, Satan is afraid that people won’t know about even the smallest thing it does. The antichrists are no different: They boast about every little thing they do in front of everyone. Hearing them, it seems like they are testifying to God—but if you listen closely you’ll discover that they’re not testifying to God, but showing off, building themselves up. The intention and essence behind what they say is to vie with God for His chosen people, and for status. God is humble and hidden, and Satan flaunts itself. Is there a difference? Showing off versus humility and hiddenness: which are positive things? (Humility and hiddenness.) Could Satan be described as humble? (No.) Why? Judging by its wicked nature essence, it is a worthless piece of trash; it would be abnormal for Satan to not flaunt itself. How could Satan be called “humble”? “Humility” is said of God. God’s identity, essence, and disposition are lofty and honorable, but He never shows off. God is humble and hidden, so people do not see what He has done, but as He works in such obscurity, humankind is unceasingly provided for, nourished, and guided—and this is all arranged by God. Is it not hiddenness and humility, that God never declares these things, never mentions them? God is humble precisely because He is able to do these things but never mentions or declares them, and does not argue about them with people. What right have you to speak of humility when you are incapable of such things? You didn’t do any of those things, yet insist on taking credit for them—this is called being shameless. Guiding mankind, God carries out such great work, and He presides over the entire universe. His authority and power are so vast, yet He has never said, “My power is extraordinary.” He remains hidden among all things, presiding over everything, nourishing and providing for humankind, allowing all humankind to continue for generation after generation. Take the air and the sunshine, for example, or all the material things necessary for human existence on earth—they all flow forth without cease. That God provides for man is beyond question. If Satan did something good, would it keep it quiet, and remain an unsung hero? Never. It’s like how there are some antichrists in the church who previously undertook dangerous work, who forsook things and endured suffering, who may have even gone to prison; there are also some who once contributed to one aspect of the work of the house of God. They never forget these things, they think they deserve lifelong credit for them, they think these are their lifetime’s capital—which shows how small people are! People are truly small, and Satan is shameless.

Tell Me, if antichrists had equal status with God, what would they have to eat and wear? They would have to eat the best foods and wear the best brands, wouldn’t they? So, regarding their demands for material things, tell Me, don’t they have certain specifications? When they go somewhere, they have to take a plane. When they arrive there, can ordinary brothers and sisters host them at their homes? Even if they can, those antichrists won’t stay with them—they have to stay at a high-end hotel. Are antichrists not very particular about their specifications? As for the honor, enjoyment, and vanity that status would bring them, can they give these things up? As long as they have the right conditions and opportunities, they seize these things by the fistful and enjoy them. What are their principles? As long as they have status, they can get their hands on money and wear name-brand clothing and accessories. They do not want to wear ordinary things; they have to wear famous brands. Their ties, suits, shirts, cufflinks, gold necklaces, and belts—everything is name-brand. This isn’t a good sign, and don’t the brothers and sisters suffer because of it? The money that brothers and sisters offer is used by these antichrists to buy name-brand goods. Isn’t this a great evil that they did? Is it not caused by their wickedness? These are the sorts of things they can do. There was someone who dressed modestly when he first took on a leadership role, with only three to five sets of clothes that weren’t name brands or high-end. After several years in leadership, because he didn’t do any real work, he was replaced. When he left, he took a carload of things: name-brand clothes, bags, all sorts of nice stuff. He didn’t make any money as a leader, so where did these things come from? They came from his status. If he were to refuse when others bought these things for him, would the brothers and sisters still insist on buying them for him? Would that sort of thing have happened? If he didn’t want these things, the brothers and sisters wouldn’t have bought them for him. What is the problem here? He was forcibly and greedily seizing these goods. In one respect, he extorted the brothers and sisters, and in another, he actively bought them himself. Moreover, he let the brothers and sisters buy these things for him, and if anyone refused, he tormented them and gave them a hard time. These several reasons all come into play. In the end, he received a “bumper harvest” and became wealthy. Do you envy this kind of leader? If you had the opportunity, could you also gain this kind of wealth? Let Me tell you, it’s not good to get wealthy like this—there are consequences! When some people become leaders, they are afraid of these things happening to them. They think that the temptations would be too great, that it would be difficult to avoid or handle these temptations, and that it would be easy to fall for them. But some people don’t care, and think, “This is normal. Who takes office without enjoying such things? Why take office in the first place? That’s the whole point!” What kind of voice is this? It is the voice of antichrists, and these people are in danger.

I’ve been working for nearly thirty years now. Have I ever extorted anything from anyone? For example, if I saw someone wearing nice jewelry, did I extort it from them by sending a message like, “Give Me your jewelry; it doesn’t suit you. Gold and silver jewelry is meant for people of status, and those without status shouldn’t wear it”? Has this ever happened? It has not. Even when some brothers and sisters had a bit of money and bought Me a leather jacket or something, I always returned it. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it; it was just that I had no use for such things. Later on, I thought about it: “How should I handle these things appropriately? What should I do to avoid making the people who bought them feel hurt?” I took these things to the church so that the brothers and sisters could distribute them according to the principles. If someone was willing to buy the valuable items, the church would sell them at a discounted price. It wasn’t about making money; it was about handling things in a way that was suitable for both sides. Nobody should receive these things for free because they weren’t originally intended for you. These items were limited and couldn’t be distributed evenly among everyone, and it wasn’t appropriate for anyone to be given them. Therefore, the only option was for those who had the money and were willing to buy them to go ahead and buy them. They were certainly cheaper than what was sold at the market, so it was a favor from the house of God. I had the right to do things this way. That’s because once something was given to Me, it became Mine, and I had the right to handle it how I saw fit. It no longer had anything to do with the person who first bought it. By handling matters this way, I had already looked out for that person’s sense of pride. There shouldn’t have been any objections, as this approach was entirely appropriate. Many brothers and sisters have bought Me things. I didn’t entrust them to buy Me things, let alone demand that they do it. They had the heart to do this, which I appreciated, but there were many things that I couldn’t accept because I didn’t need them. This is a practical issue. Is what I’ve said appropriate? (Yes.) Was My handling of it also appropriate? (Yes.) There were also some brothers and sisters who knew I was sensitive to cold and didn’t eat cold foods, so they bought Me some medicine for a “cold stomach.” However, I didn’t feel too well after taking those medicines—My body cannot withstand such experiments, so there are many medicines that I have to be careful with. You need to understand this. Some brothers and sisters also bought some health supplements, such as mountain ginseng, red ginseng, and other types of tonics. I couldn’t take any of them. Why? Because they didn’t suit Me. It wasn’t that I looked down on what the brothers and sisters bought Me or where they were bought from; it was just that I couldn’t use them; I wasn’t able to use them. Not all good things are suitable for everyone. There are many good things out there, and if you take something good and it causes an adverse or allergic reaction, then it isn’t a good thing for you. So, how should this be handled? It’s best to let those for whom it is suitable use it. Therefore, let Me tell you, no matter who is spending money to buy Me things, remember these words—don’t buy them. If I need something, I will tell you directly, and I won’t be so polite about it. Got it? But when you bring these things to Me, and I say I don’t need them or they’re not suitable, that isn’t Me being polite with you either. It’s not false or hypocritical. Everything I say is real; it’s all true. Please, don’t read between the lines when I speak. When I say I don’t need it, it means I don’t need it. When I say I can’t use it, it means I can’t use it. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time thinking about buying things or spend money uselessly. Don’t think that all good things should be given to God—do you even know if I need them or not? If I don’t need them, have you not bought them in vain? If you genuinely wanted to buy something for Me, then let Me tell you—don’t buy Me anything. If you say you bought it for Me to share with everyone, then fine, I can pass it along. When it comes to how I treat such things, and how I treat the material possessions that status and position bring, this is My attitude. Do antichrists treat these matters the same way? (No, they don’t.) First off, they certainly do not refuse anything—the more, the better. No matter who sends them gifts or what they are, they accept them. Secondly, they undoubtedly extort certain things from people, and lastly, they take some things for themselves. This is what they seek and what they want; it’s what the status they pursue brings them.

Regarding the wicked essence of antichrists, based on our fellowship both last time and today, can you come up with a one-sentence summary that lays bare this wicked essence? The greatest characteristic of the wickedness in antichrists is this: They condemn everything positive, everything just and in line with the truth, and all that is considered beautiful among humanity. They hate and are averse to these things. Conversely, everything negative, and everything condemned and looked down on by people with a conscience and reason and a sense of justice is precisely what antichrists delight in. These are the things they pursue and cherish. There is also another sentence that can summarize this: Antichrists hate everything positive that comes from God and hate what God loves, instead loving precisely the things that God detests and condemns. This is the wickedness in antichrists. What is the primary characteristic of this wickedness? It’s that they have a special fondness for everything ugly and negative, while detesting and showing hostility toward everything that is beautiful, positive, and in line with the truth. That’s what wickedness is. You understand, don’t you? Today’s fellowship involved the topic of “what antichrists love.” We also gave some examples, some of which were more typical than others, but all of which can be used as proof to explain antichrists’ wicked nature essence. Next, what you need to do after this is to contemplate and fellowship on which wicked or positive things you see and understand, which negative things antichrists love, which positive things they hate, and what it is that you can understand, as well as what you see and experience. Antichrists and ordinary corrupt humans share certain problems with their dispositions and essences, and while the severity of these commonalities may differ, the essences of their dispositions are the same. The paths they walk and the goals they pursue may also vary, but they reveal many of the same corrupt disposition essences. Therefore, exposing the various aspects of antichrists’ essence is helpful for every corrupt person. If God’s chosen people can discern the essence of the antichrists, they can guarantee that they will not be misled by them and will not worship or follow them either.

August 7, 2019