Some people learn a bit of history, understand some politics, and, in one sense, they like to show off; in another, they think, “The god incarnate possesses god’s essence and truth. He knows the fact that god holds sovereignty over all things and understands the details within. So, if I understand politics and history, can I cater to his needs? Can I cater to his curiosity about all these things?” I tell you, you are wrong! What I am most repulsed by is firstly politics, and secondly, history. If you talk about history, sharing humorous, story-like anecdotes, or casual chitchat to pass the time, that’s okay. But if you treat these words, these matters, as something serious to discuss with Me, to fawn, to build a relationship, then you are mistaken; I have no desire to listen to these things. Some people mistakenly think, “You fellowship the truth and hold gatherings for people because you must; deep down, what you love most is great chaos in the world. You fear the world not being chaotic enough. Whenever there’s a disaster, who knows how happy you might be behind the scenes, maybe even setting off fireworks to celebrate!” I tell you, that’s not the case. Even if the great red dragon perishes and collapses, I will remain as I am. Some people ask, “Wouldn’t You be happy if the great red dragon collapsed? When the great red dragon is destroyed and punished, shouldn’t You set off fireworks? Shouldn’t You hold a grand feast and celebrate with God’s chosen people?” Tell Me, is this what I should do? Is it right or wrong to do so? Does this conform to the truth? Some say: “The great red dragon has persecuted God’s chosen people so much, spread rumors about God and slandered His name, blasphemed and judged God. Shouldn’t we celebrate a bit when it receives its retribution?” If you celebrate, I permit it, because you have your moods. If you’re all joyous, staying awake for three days and nights, gathering together to read God’s words, sing hymns and dance to praise God’s righteousness, rejoicing that God has finally destroyed and trampled the great red dragon, the enemy, underfoot, and God’s chosen people will no longer suffer its persecution and torture, no longer be unable to return to their homes, and can finally return to their families, everyone’s mood is understandable. If you wish to celebrate and relax in this way, I consent. But as for Me, I will do what I ought to do; I do not engage in these activities. Some people ask: “Why do You have such an attitude? Doesn’t this dampen people’s spirits? Why don’t You show some passion? If You’re not present at the most critical moment, how can we celebrate?” Celebrating is not wrong, but there is one thing we need to fellowship clearly: Let’s say the great red dragon is punished, God has eliminated it; this demon king, once serving to perfect God’s chosen people, is destroyed and eradicated—so, what about the stature of God’s chosen people? How much truth have you understood? If all of you can do your duties adequately, are all qualified created beings, able to fear God and shun evil, each person possessing the stature of Job and Peter, and are all already saved, then indeed it is a joyous moment, something worthy of celebration. However, if one day the great red dragon falls and your stature does not reach the level of loyally doing your duties, if there is still no fear of God in you, and you are unable to shun evil, extremely far from the stature of Job and Peter, unable to truly submit to God’s sovereignty, and can’t be considered as qualified created beings, then what is there for you to be happy about? Isn’t this just reveling in vain joy? Such celebration would be meaningless and valueless. Some people say: “The great red dragon persecutes us so much; surely it’s okay for us to hate it? To recognize its essence should be alright, right? It has persecuted us so much; why can’t we be happy when it is eliminated?” It’s okay to be happy, to express your emotions. However, if you think that the destruction of the great red dragon signifies the conclusion of God’s management plan, that humankind has been saved, equating the destruction of the great red dragon with the completion of God’s management plan, as well as your own salvation and perfection, isn’t this understanding wrong? (Yes.) So, what do you understand now? Regarding God’s enemy, the great red dragon, its destiny and how it is are God’s affairs, and they have no relation to your pursuit of a change in disposition or salvation. The great red dragon is just a foil, a service object, subjected to God’s orchestrations. What it does and how God uses it to render service are God’s business, unrelated to people. Therefore, if you are too concerned about its fate, letting it distract your heart, then there is trouble, there is a problem. God holds sovereignty over all things, including the great red dragon, all devils, and Satans, so whatever devils and Satans do, however they are, has no relation to your life entry or dispositional change. What does concern you? You need to recognize the wicked and vicious essence of its resistance to God, its essence of being hostile to and an enemy of God—this is what you need to understand. As for the rest, what disasters God brings upon it, how God orchestrates its fate, that has nothing to do with you, and knowing it is of no use. Why is it of no use? Because even if you know, you cannot understand why God acts in such a way. Even if you see it, you won’t know why God chooses to act that way, you can’t thoroughly perceive the truth behind it. I’ll conclude this topic here with just these brief remarks.

The manifestations of antichrists using fawning, flattery, and fair-sounding words are, of course, also found in ordinary corrupt people, but what differentiates antichrists from ordinary corrupt people? In their fawning, flattery, and fair-sounding words, there is no respect, no sincerity. Instead, they aim to toy with, test, and use the God incarnate, thus giving rise to these practices; they have their own objectives. They seek to toy with the ordinary person they see before them through fawning, flattery, and fair-sounding words, to dupe Christ, making Christ unable to see through who they really are, what kind of corrupt dispositions they have, what kind of integrity, what kind of essence they possess, and to which category of person they belong. They want to dupe and deceive, right? (Yes.) In their fawning, flattery, and fair-sounding words, is there a single sincere word? Not one. The intent and purpose of antichrists are to deceive, dupe, and toy with. Aren’t these practices the essence of antichrists despising the truth? (Yes.) They think that ordinary people all like to hear pleasant words, enjoy flattery, and like others to grovel before them, which gives them a sense of importance and makes their status appear more respected and grander than the average person. On the contrary, if someone behaves in an overly servile manner in front of Christ, lacking integrity and dignity, speaking evasively, always trying to deceive, and always trying to cover up facts, treating Christ with pretense and falsehood, not only will Christ not buy any of this, but He will be annoyed with you in His heart. To what extent? God would say that this person is disgusting, not uttering a single truth, just thinking about how to lick boots, is not anything good, is not a positive character—such a person is unreliable and untrustworthy. Unreliable and untrustworthy; this is the definition given to such people. On the surface, it’s just these two phrases, but in actuality, such a person does not love the truth, cannot obtain the truth, and is unlikely to be saved. What is the significance and value of such a person believing in God if they cannot gain the truth and are unlikely to be saved? If they don’t cause disruptions or disturbances, they can only play the role of a foil or service object in God’s house, just like the great red dragon. What does it mean to play the role of something? It means temporarily, going as far as they can, like pulling a cart, continuing as long as they don’t overturn it. Why are they made to play a role? Because such people don’t pursue the truth. They so despise and scorn the truth in their hearts, so mock and toy with the truth, that their ultimate end is guaranteed to be like Paul’s, unable to reach the end. Therefore, this type of person can only play the role of a temporary service-doer in God’s house. In one regard, they allow those who truly pursue the truth to grow in discernment and understanding. In another, they do whatever they are capable of in God’s house, rendering service as much as they can, because such people cannot make it to the end of the path.

One day, when I went out, I ran into an acquaintance. Before I could speak, she asked Me first, “It’s been such a long time since we last met. I’ve been waiting for you here every day, missing you so much that I can’t stay at home. I just keep looking for you among the crowds that come and go here!” I thought to Myself, this person might be a bit mentally unwell. Did I make an appointment with you? Why would you wait here for Me every day? Since we’ve run into each other, let’s talk about something substantial. I asked her, “How have you been recently?” She replied, “Oh, don’t get me started. Since our last meeting, I’ve been so preoccupied with thoughts of you that I can’t eat or sleep. I’ve just been hoping to see you one day.” I said, “Let’s talk about something substantial. How has your state been during this period?” “Pretty good. It’s been okay.” “Has your church held elections? Is it still the same leader?” “No, they elected so-and-so.” “How is he?” “He’s okay.” “Then why was the previous church leader replaced?” “Not sure; he was okay.” “Be more specific, don’t just keep saying ‘okay.’ Is it that he couldn’t perform concrete work?” “I thought he was okay.” “What about the newly elected leader’s humanity? How is his comprehension of the truth? Can he perform concrete work?” “He’s okay.” No matter what I asked her, her response was always “okay,” which made it impossible to have a conversation. So, I left. What do you think about this story? What should this story be titled? (“Okay.”) This story is “Okay.” In My interactions with many people, few speak from a place of human reason, let alone in accordance with the truth principles. Most people’s mouths are full of lies, nonsense, fallacies, and presumptuous words; there’s not a single truthful statement. I don’t even demand that every sentence you speak conforms to the truth or has truth reality, but at the very least, you should be able to speak like a human, show some sincerity, show some true feeling. Without these, can there be a dialogue? There can’t be. You always speak empty words and tell lies; when confronted with situations, nonsense, fallacies, insulting words, and presumptuous words all come out, and words of justification and defense all appear, which makes it impossible to get along or communicate, right? (Right.)

Many people eat and drink God’s words, believing these words are only related to the God in heaven, only to God’s Spirit, and only to the God who is invisible and intangible. Since that God is so remote, His words are thus deemed profound enough to be called the truth. However, this ordinary person before them, a person visible and audible when speaking, is thought to have little connection with the truth, with God, or with God’s essence. This is because He is visible and very close to people, He doesn’t impact their hearts or eyes in any way, and He doesn’t bring any sense of enigmatic curiosity to them. People feel that this ordinary, tangible, and speaking person is too easy to figure out, too transparent. They even think they can penetrate and see right through Him at a glance. As a result, people unconsciously treat Christ in the same way they would treat a human, the same way they would treat any person of status or power. Is this in line with the truth principles? How can Christ be equated with corrupt humans of status and power? When people fawn over and flatter corrupt individuals of status and power, they gain benefits and their appreciation. The corrupt enjoy this; they desire others’ fawning, flattery, and bootlicking, as it makes them appear more noble and superior, further emphasizing their own status and power. However, Christ, who has God’s essence, is exactly the opposite. When a person has status and fame, it is not because they possess a noble essence or character; so, they must avail of all sorts of means to get others to idolize and flatter them so as to display their fame and status. In contrast, Christ, who has God’s essence, inherently possesses the identity and status of God, which are higher than any created being’s essence and status. His identity and essence exist objectively, not needing any created being’s adulation for validation; nor does He need any created being’s fawning or flattery to demonstrate His identity, essence, or His noble status. This is because it is an inherent fact that Christ possesses the essence of God; it is not granted to Him by any person, much less is it earned through years of experience among humankind. That is to say, without all created beings, the identity and essence of God remain as they are; without any created being worshiping or following God, God’s essence remains unchanged—this is a fact which does not change. Antichrists mistakenly believe that whatever Christ says or does, people must use fair-sounding words, must cheer, must follow along, and must fawn to cater to His preferences and not go against His intentions, thinking that this might make Christ feel the existence of His identity and status. This is a grave error! How does anyone among corrupt humankind with fame, power, and status gain their fame and power? (By fawning and bootlicking.) This is one aspect. Additionally, it is mainly through their struggles and efforts among people, even through manipulation, and by earning or seizing it through various means. That is merely a reputation, a high position or ranking among people. This high reputation, high ranking, and high status make one stand out among the crowd, become a leader, a decision-maker with the right to call the shots. But what is the essence of this person with status and fame, who stands above others among people? Is there any difference between them and others? Their identity and essence are exactly the same as that of any ordinary corrupt human; they are an ordinary created being corrupted under Satan’s power, capable of betraying the truth and positive things, of inverting right and wrong, going against the facts, committing evil, resisting God, and defying and cursing Heaven. Their true identity and essence are that of a person corrupted by Satan, one who can resist God, making their fame and status mere empty titles. Those who are ruthless, brutal, and malicious enough, who would kill or harm others for status and fame, acquire high positions. Those who can scheme, who have methods and can devise plots, become leaders over others. These individuals are more malicious, brutal, and wicked than ordinary corrupt people. They like to be treated with nothing but fair-sounding words, bootlicking, fawning, and flattery. If you speak the truth to them, you risk your life. Antichrists bring these worldly rules of the game and philosophies for worldly dealings into God’s house, applying them in their interactions with Christ. They assume that if Christ wants to establish Himself firmly, He must also like being fawned upon, flattered, and spoken to with fair-sounding words. By doing this, they subtly treat the flesh in which God is incarnate as just a member of corrupt humankind, which is the approach of antichrists. Therefore, the disposition exhibited by antichrists in their interactions with Christ is undoubtedly wicked. They are of a wicked disposition, like to speculate and ponder over people’s thoughts, like gauging other people’s words and expressions, and like to use certain means, some rules of the game used by secular people in treating Christ and in matters concerning their interactions with Him. What is the most serious mistake they commit? Why can they act this way? Where does the root lie? God says that the incarnate God is an ordinary person. Antichrists, upon hearing this, are delighted, saying: “Well, then I’ll treat you as an ordinary person; now I have a basis for how to treat you.” When God says the flesh in which God is incarnate has God’s essence, antichrists respond: “God’s essence? How come I don’t see it? Where is it? How is it manifested? What does he reveal to prove he has god’s essence? I only know to fawn upon and flatter those with status. I can never go wrong with fawning and flattering people; it’s always the way to go. At any rate, it’s better than speaking the truth.” This is the wickedness of antichrists. This is how antichrists do not believe in or accept the truth, living solely by Satan’s philosophy.

Some people say: “Everyone likes those who can fawn, flatter, and speak pleasant words; God alone does not like such people. So, what kind of person does God actually like? How should one interact with God to be liked by Him?” Do you know? (God likes honest people, people who speak their hearts to God, people who open their hearts and fellowship with God without deceit.) Anything else? (Those who have a God-fearing heart, who are able to listen to and accept God’s words.) (Those who have a heart turned toward God’s house, who are of one heart with God.) You all have mentioned several aspects of being an honest person that should be practiced. Being an honest person is a requirement God has of man. It is a truth that man must practice. What, then, are the principles man should observe in their dealings with God? Be sincere: This is the principle that should be followed when interacting with God. Do not engage in the nonbelievers’ practice of fawning or flattery; God has no need of man’s fawning and flattery. It’s enough to be sincere. And what does it mean to be sincere? How should this be put into practice? (Simply opening up to God, without putting up a front or hiding anything or keeping any secrets, interacting with God with an honest heart, and being straightforward, without any ill intentions or trickery.) That’s right. To be sincere, you must first put aside your personal desires. Instead of focusing on how God treats you, you should bare yourself to God and say whatever is in your heart. Do not ponder or consider what the consequences of your words will be; say whatever you are thinking, put aside your motivations, and do not say things just to achieve some objective. You have too many personal intentions and adulterations; you are always calculated in the way you speak, considering, “I should talk about this, and not that, I must be careful about what I say. I will put it in a way that benefits me, and which covers up my shortcomings, and will leave a good impression on god.” Isn’t this harboring motives? Before you open your mouth, your mind is filled with devious thoughts, you emend what you want to say several times, so that when the words come out of your mouth, they are no longer so pure, and are not in the slightest bit genuine, and contain your own motives and the schemes of Satan. This is not what it is to be sincere; this is having sinister motives and ill intentions. What’s more, when you talk, you always take your cues from people’s facial expressions and the look in their eyes: If they have a positive expression on their face, you keep talking; if not, you hold it in and say nothing; if the look in their eyes is bad, and it seems as if they don’t like what they are hearing, you think it over and say to yourself, “Well, I’ll say something that interests you, that makes you happy, that you will like, and which makes you well-disposed toward me.” Is this being sincere? It is not. Some people do not report it when they see someone doing evil and causing a disturbance in the church. They think, “If I were the first to report this, I’d offend that person, and if I happened to be mistaken, I’d have to be pruned. I’ll wait for others to report it, and I’ll join in with them. Even if we’re wrong, it’s no big deal—you can’t convict a crowd, after all. As the saying goes, ‘The bird that sticks its neck out is the one that gets shot.’ I won’t be that bird; you’d have to be a fool to insist on sticking out.” Is this being sincere? It certainly is not. Such a person is wily, indeed; if they became a leader in the church, a person in charge, would they not incur a loss to the work of the church? They certainly would. Such a person absolutely must not be used. Can you discern this sort of person? Say, for instance, there is a leader who has done some bad things and disturbed the work of the church, yet no one understands what is actually going on with this person, nor does the Above know what they are like—only you know what is actually going on with them. Would you honestly convey the issue to the Above in such circumstances? This issue is what reveals man the most. If you hid the matter and said nothing to anyone, not even to God, waiting until the day came when that leader has done so much evil as to make a mess of the work of the church, and everyone has already exposed and handled them, to stand up and say, “I’ve known all along that they aren’t a good person. It’s just that some people thought they were; if I’d said anything, no one would have believed me. So, I didn’t speak up. Now that they’ve done some bad things and everyone can tell who they are, I can speak up about what’s really going on with them,” is that being sincere? (No.) If you, every time someone’s problems are exposed, or a problem is being reported, follow the crowd and are the last to stand up and expose them or report the problem, are you being sincere? None of this is being sincere. If you take a dislike to someone, or someone has offended you, and you know that they are not an evil person, but you, being petty, come to hate them and wish to take revenge on them, to make a fool of them, you may think of ways and seek out opportunities to say some bad things about them to the Above. You may just be stating facts, not condemning that person, but when stating those facts, your intent has been revealed: You wish to avail yourself of the hand of the Above or have God say something in order to handle them. By reporting problems to the Above, you are trying to achieve your goal. This is obviously adulterated with personal intentions, and it certainly is not being sincere. If they are an evil person who is disturbing the work of the church, and you report it to the Above in order to safeguard that work, and beyond that, the problems you report are completely factual, that is different from handling things by means of satanic philosophies. It is borne of a sense of justice and responsibility, and it is the fulfillment of your loyalty; that is how being sincere manifests.

God does not like people who fawn, flatter, or speak fair-sounding words. So, what kind of person does God like? How does God like people to interact and fellowship with Him? God likes honest people, people who are sincere with Him. You don’t need to consider His tone of voice and expression or ingratiate yourself with Him; you just need to be sincere, have a sincere heart, have a heart with no concealment, screen, or disguise, and let your external appearance match your heart. That is, when you treat and interact with Christ, you don’t need to make any effort, do any “homework,” or prepare or do anything in advance; none of this is necessary. God likes sincerity: heart-to-heart, normal, natural conversation and interaction. Even if you say something wrong or use inappropriate words, it’s not a problem. For instance, let’s say I go to some place and the cook asks, “Do you have any dietary restrictions? What are the foods you do and do not eat? What should I prepare?” I say: “Not too salty, no spicy food, and also, not too oily and no fried foods. For staple foods, either rice or noodles are fine.” Are these instructions profound? (No.) Anyone who knows how to cook would understand immediately, without the need for speculating, pondering, or specific guidance or explanation. Just cook according to your experience, it’s a simple matter. But even the simplest thing is unachievable for people because they have corrupt dispositions and selfishness. I say not too oily, but then during cooking, they use a big spoonful of oil for a small dish of vegetables, basically frying it, giving it a very greasy taste. I say not too salty, and they put just a tiny bit of salt, so it’s almost tasteless. With so much oil and such a bland taste, could it still be appetizing? The cook can’t even do this little thing right, and even says, “God’s intentions are hard to grasp. Every word god says is the truth; it’s hard for people to put into practice!” What does “hard to put into practice” mean? It’s not that it’s hard to practice, but that you don’t practice it. Your selfishness is too great; you always have your own intentions and personal adulterations. You always want to do things according to your own will, doing everything according to your own taste. I say: “Don’t make spicy dishes when cooking. If you all like spicy food, make some non-spicy dishes for Me.” But when cooking, they insist on making it spicy; they dig in and think it’s great. I say: “I told you not to make it spicy. Why did you?” “This dish needs to be spicy. It’s not flavorful without the spice, it loses its taste without it.” What kind of person is this? Do they have good intentions? Some people like to eat meat; I say, “If you like meat, make a meat-heavy dish for yourself. Put less meat in the dishes you cook for Me, or just make a vegetable dish for Me.” They readily agree, but when cooking, they disregard My request, adding big chunks of meat to the pot, even adding chili peppers. The meat is already greasy, and they still fry it, making everything to their own strong taste. If I don’t let them do this, it’s not acceptable to them; they even say: “You’re too hard to please. This is delicious! Everyone else eats it, why don’t you? Aren’t I cooking this for you? Eating more is good for your health, it gives you energy. If you’re healthy, can’t you preach more sermons? I’m considering both for you and for the brothers and sisters in the church.” Isn’t this person awfully troublesome? They have strong desires in everything, their own opinions and ideas in everything. Not to mention whether they possess any truth or not, they don’t even have the most basic humanity. Is this being sincere? (No.) At first, when this person asked Me, it felt like they were decent, like they should be able to cook pretty well. But once the meal is served, I know—they speak nicely, they seem to be good to Me, but in fact, they are just a selfish and despicable fellow.

There’s someone like this who I see often; she’s naturally calculating and quick-witted. When she interacts with Me, as soon as I take My medicine, she’s already bringing water over; when I’m about to go out, she immediately grabs My bag, and seeing it’s cold outside, she brings over a scarf and gloves too. I’m thinking: She’s quick, but why does it feel awkward? Whether I’m going in or out, putting on clothes, shoes, or a hat, there’s always someone quicker than Me. What do you think My feeling is? Should I be happy or annoyed? (Annoyed.) Would you be annoyed by this kind of behavior? (Yes.) If you would all be annoyed, do you think I am annoyed? (Yes.) Some people, after doing all this for Me, feel quite pleased and proud of themselves, saying: “When I was working, my boss liked me. Everywhere I go, people like me because I’m quick-thinking.” The implication is that they know how to bootlick, fawn, and flatter; they are not dull, slow, or foolish; they’re quick in action and sharp in mind, so they’re liked wherever they go. They say everyone likes them, meaning I should like them too. Do I like them? I’m thoroughly annoyed by them! I avoid such people whenever I see them. There are others who, seeing how bodyguards and sycophantic lackeys of underworld bosses and big villains open car doors and shield their bosses’ heads in the world, do the same to Me. Before I even get in the car, they’re reaching out to open the door, then shielding My head with their hand, treating Me like how nonbelievers treat a leading cadre. I feel disgusted by these people. These people, who do not pursue the truth in the slightest, have a humanity that is selfish, despicable, and sordid, and they lack any sense of shame. When you interact with others, fawning and flattering those with status and fame, and incessantly bootlicking, even some upright people find it repulsive and look down on such people. If you do this with Me, I find it even more repugnant. Don’t ever act this way with Me; I don’t need it, it disgusts Me. What I need is not your fawning, flattering, or bootlicking. I need you to be sincere with Me, to speak heart-to-heart when we meet, to talk about your understanding, experiences, and shortcomings, to discuss the corruption you reveal in the process of doing your duty, and things you feel you fall short of in your experiences. You can engage in seeking and fellowshipping in regard to all of these things, and you can explore them too. No matter what topic we fellowship or converse about, you need to be sincere, and have this kind of heart and attitude. Don’t think that by fawning, bootlicking, flattering, or ingratiating yourself you can leave a good impression—it’s utterly useless. On the contrary, such behavior not only fails to bring any benefit but might also cause you great embarrassment and expose your folly.

Those who cannot even be sincere with Christ, what kind of people are they? If you are sincere in your treatment of others, you fear they might know your true situation and harm you, you fear they might trick, exploit, ridicule, or despise you. However, what are you afraid of in being sincere with Christ? If there are these misgivings in your heart, that is a problem. If you cannot be sincere, that is also your problem; it is an area where you should pursue the truth and strive for change. If you truly believe and acknowledge that the person before you is the God you believe in, the God you follow, then you’d better not interact with Him by fawning, flattering, and speaking fair-sounding words. Instead, be sincere, speak your heart and say factual words. Do not say things that serve to dissemble, nor utter lies or words of concealment, nor engage in trickery or scheming. This is the best way to interact with Christ. Can you achieve this? Which is positive: being sincere, or fawning and flattering? (Being sincere.) Being sincere is positive, while fawning and flattering are negative. If people cannot achieve such a positive thing as being sincere, it indicates a problem in them, a corrupt disposition. Is this requirement of Mine excessive? If you think it is excessive, if you think I do not deserve such treatment, do not deserve for you to interact with Me in such a sincere manner and with such a sincere attitude, then do you have a better method, a better way? (No.) Then practice this approach. Let’s end our fellowship of this item on this point.