III. Despising the Words of God

Today, we shall continue to fellowship on the tenth item of antichrists’ various manifestations—they despise the truth, brazenly flout principles, and ignore the arrangements of God’s house. Last time we fellowshipped up to the third section of this major topic, which is antichrists despising the words of God. Our fellowship and dissection of this section was divided into three subtopics. What are those three subtopics? (The first is that antichrists arbitrarily tamper with and interpret the words of God; the second is that antichrists disclaim God’s words when they do not accord with their notions; and the third is that antichrists pry into whether God’s words come true.) Are these three the entirety of what it means for antichrists to despise God’s words? (There should be some more.) What other statements and manifestations are there? (Antichrists treating God’s words with irreverence.) Is treating God’s words with irreverence one of the manifestations that they despise God’s words? Isn’t treating God’s words with irreverence an interpretation of despising God’s words? Here we don’t need interpretations, but rather the various manifestations and practices of antichrists despising God’s words that you can see and touch, and that you have heard about. It seems that you don’t have much understanding of the various manifestations that antichrists despise God’s words. You might have some literal understanding of the three items I previously fellowshipped, but you can’t think of what other manifestations of antichrists despising God’s words there might be, right? You should have remembered all the three manifestations we previously fellowshipped. Are the behaviors and manifestations of antichrists in despising God’s words open and aboveboard? Are they what upright people should do? (No.) These are not manifestations that should exist in normal humanity; they are not positive, but negative. The underlying essence of these few behaviors points to Satan, to demons, to God’s enemies. In antichrists’ treatment of God’s words, there is no submission, no acceptance, no experiencing, no putting aside their own notions and accepting God’s words with simplicity and openness—instead, they generate various satanic attitudes toward God’s words. The disposition revealed through these manifestations and behaviors of antichrists is exactly what is revealed by Satan in the spiritual realm. These behaviors, in any situation, in any era, among any group of people, are not positive. They are wicked and negative, and not the manifestations or behaviors that a created being or a normal person should have. Thus, we characterize them as manifestations of antichrists. After fellowshipping these three items, most people might think that these three manifestations probably encompass all the basic attitudes of antichrists toward God’s words. However, there’s a point you’ve overlooked: Antichrists’ treatment of God’s words is far from limited to these three approaches. There is another manifestation and behavior that also illustrates that antichrists despise God’s words. What is this manifestation? It is that antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity. If we look at the literal meaning of this, some people might have some images in their minds pointing to certain individuals, but the specific and true manifestations of this are still not very clear; they’re still very vague and general. Today, then, we will fellowship about how antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity.

D. Antichrists Treat the Words of God as a Commodity

Antichrists treat the words of God as a commodity; it can also be said that antichrists treat the truth itself as a commodity. What does it mean to treat them as commodities? It means to just make some verbal claims, to show off, and then to fraudulently gain people’s trust, support, and endorsement to receive fame, gain, and status. God’s words and the truth thus become their stepping stones. This is the attitude of antichrists toward the truth. They exploit, play with, and trample on the truth, which is determined by the antichrists’ nature essence. So, what exactly are God’s words and the truth? How should we accurately define the truth? Tell Me, what is the truth? (The truth is the criterion for man’s comportment, actions, and worship of God.) This is an accurate and specific definition of the truth. How do you all understand this statement? How should you apply this statement in your day-to-day life and throughout your lives? How should you experience this statement? Say what you can think of and understand right away without filtering or processing. In the language of your experience, what is the truth? What are God’s words? (The truth can change a person’s outlook on life and their values, enabling them to live out the likeness of a normal human.) Although not comprehensive, everything you said conveys an experiential understanding of the truth; they are the insights and appreciations you’ve experienced and summarized from daily life. Who else would like to share? (The truth can purify our corrupt dispositions, enabling us to act on principles and do things in line with God’s intentions.) This statement is quite good and incisive. Continue, please. (The truth is life, the way to eternal life. Only by pursuing the truth and living by it can one attain life.) (The truth enables people to fear God and shun evil, to become a true human.) These two points both involve principles of practice for people’s daily living. Although the explanations are relatively deep and lofty, they are very practical. (The truth can expose the corrupt dispositions within us, change our incorrect viewpoints on matters, and enable us to live out the likeness of a true human.) These statements are practical and involve the value and significance of the truth to people, as well as the effects the truth can have on people. What you all have mentioned, we have often talked about before. Although each person’s emphasis differs, it all relates to the previously explained and defined statement about the truth—the truth is the criterion for measuring everything. Can the truth be equated with God’s words? (Yes.) God’s words are the truth. Based on the experiential understanding you have shared in your fellowship, can we say that the truth is the reality of all positive things? (Yes.) The truth is the reality of all positive things. It can be a person’s life and the direction in which they walk; it can allow one to cast off their corrupt disposition, to come to fear God and shun evil, to become one who submits to God and is a qualified created being, one whom God loves and finds acceptable. Given the preciousness of the truth, what attitude and perspective should one have regarding God’s words and the truth? It is quite obvious: For those who truly believe in God and have a God-fearing heart, His words are their lifeblood. People should treasure God’s words, eat and drink of them, enjoy them, and accept them as their life, as the direction in which they walk, as a ready aid and provision; people should practice and experience in accordance with the statements and requirements of the truth, and submit to each of the requirements and principles that the truth grants to them. Only thus can a person gain life. The pursuit of the truth is mainly the practice and experience of God’s words, rather than subjecting them to scrutiny, analysis, speculation, and doubt. As the truth is people’s ready aid and provision, and can be their life, they should treat the truth as the most precious thing. This is because they must rely on the truth to live, to come to satisfy God’s demands, to come to fear Him and shun evil, and to find within their daily life the path of practice and grasp the principles of practice, achieving submission to God; people must also rely on the truth to cast off their corrupt disposition, to become one who is saved and a qualified created being. No matter from which perspective or in what way it is expressed, the attitude people should least have toward the truth is to treat God’s words and the truth as a product or even as a commodity to be casually traded. This is what God least wants to see, and it is also the last kind of behavior and manifestation that a true created being should have.

What is the purpose and intention of antichrists treating God’s words as a commodity? What are they really aiming to do, and what is their motive? When a merchant acquires a commodity, their hope for the commodity is that it will bring them benefits and the substantial amount of money that they desire. Therefore, when antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity, they are undoubtedly treating God’s word as a material thing that can be exchanged for benefits and money. They do not treasure, accept, practice, or experience God’s words as the truth, nor do they regard God’s words as the way of life they should adhere to, nor as the truth they must practice to cast off their corrupt dispositions. Instead, they treat God’s words as a commodity. For a merchant, the greatest value of a commodity is to exchange it for money, for the desired profit. Thus, when antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity, their intention and motive are essentially the same. Antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity, meaning they are not using them to eat, drink, and enjoy, nor for their experience or practice, but rather as goods in their hands to be traded and sold anytime and anywhere, proffered to those from whom they can profit. When antichrists treat God’s words as a commodity, taken literally, it means treating God’s words like merchandise, used for transactions to exchange for money; they turn the buying and selling of God’s words into their profession. From a literal perspective, this is immediately clear. Such actions and behaviors of antichrists are disgraceful, garnering people’s repulsion and disgust. So, what are the specific manifestations of antichrists treating God’s words as a commodity? This is the key point which we will fellowship. Antichrists have some very obvious manifestations of treating God’s words as a commodity. To make it clearer and more understandable for you, we will still discuss them one by one. Why do I take this approach? Based on My many years of experience in working and speaking, most people have muddled thoughts and lack the ability to think independently. Based on this, I thought of the simplest and most effective method, which is to explain and clarify any issue or topic—no matter what—item by item, to help you think it through and mull it over. Is this suitable? (Yes.) Some people say, “That’s just perfect, it saves us the trouble of racking our brains and thinking hard. We’re too busy and don’t have the time for that! Our energy and thoughts are spent on big matters, not on these trivial, pea-sized issues. Having us ponder over these small matters, it seems a bit like You’re underestimating us and underusing our great talent.” Is that the case? (No.) Then what is it? (Our caliber is so low that sometimes we can’t comprehend the truth, and we need God to fellowship with us in detail, word by word, sentence by sentence, for us to understand some of it.) You see, I inadvertently described the actual state of affairs, revealing what’s really going on with you all, but that’s just what the facts are. It would still be the case even if I hadn’t exposed it. There’s no other way but to do it like this. If I just speak about the big topics simply and generally, then I will be speaking in vain and wasting My effort. That’s just wasting time, isn’t it? Let’s return to the main topic. Regarding antichrists treating God’s words as a commodity, we will divide this into several subtopics to explain and clarify step by step how antichrists do this, and what are the specific examples and manifestations that can sufficiently prove that antichrists despise God’s words, and also confirm that antichrists indeed possess such an essence. We will fellowship this item in two main parts.

1. Treating God’s Words as a Tool for Gaining Status, Reputation, and Dignity

The first major aspect is that the most common manifestation of antichrists treating God’s words as a commodity is using them as a tool for gaining their own status, reputation, dignity, and even more so for material enjoyment, and even further for money. When antichrists come into contact with God’s words, they feel, “God’s words are great. Every sentence is rational and correct; these words cannot be spoken by people, and they cannot be found in the Bible.” In the past two ages, God did not speak these words. Neither in the Old Testament nor the New Testament are there such explicitly and plainly spoken words. The Bible records only a very limited part of God’s words. Looking at what God is saying now, the content is very rich. Antichrists then feel jealousy and envy in their hearts, and they start internally scheming: “This ordinary person can say so much; when can I also speak these words? When can I, like this person, speak god’s words endlessly?” They have such an impulse and desire in their hearts. Judging from this impulse and desire, in their hearts, antichrists feel envy toward and revere these words spoken by God. I use the words “envy” and “revere;” in view of the wording of these two terms, what I mean to say is that the antichrists do not regard God’s words as the truth, and they do not intend to accept them, but rather they envy the rich content of these words, the extensive pieces, and also the profundity of these words, which reflect a depth unreachable by humans—and even more, they envy that these are words they themselves cannot speak. From these aspects of “envy,” it is evident that the antichrists do not consider these words of God as the expressions of divinity, as the truth, or as the life and the truth that God intends to save humanity with and supply to humanity. Given that antichrists can envy these words, then clearly, in their hearts, they also wish to become the ones who express such words. Based on this, many antichrists have put in tremendous effort behind the scenes, praying daily, reading these words daily, recording, memorizing, summarizing, and organizing. They have put a lot of work into these words spoken by God, making countless notes, and noting down numerous insights during their spiritual devotions, as well as praying countless times to remember these words. What is their purpose in doing all this? It is so that one day they might suddenly have a burst of inspiration and be able to endlessly speak the words God would say, like a floodgate of water opened; they hope that like God’s words, theirs could provide what people need, provide life to people, provide what people should achieve, and make demands on people. It is so that, like God’s incarnate flesh, they can stand in God’s perspective and status, and say the same things as God does with His tone and manner of speaking, just as they desire to. Antichrists have put a lot of effort into this, and it is no exaggeration to say that some of them even often secretly take out notebooks to record the words they want to say, the words they are waiting for God to give them. However, no matter what they do, the antichrists’ desires are always unfulfilled, their wishes never realized. No matter how much effort they put in, no matter how much they pray, no matter how much they record God’s words, or how they memorize and organize them, it’s all in vain. God doesn’t speak a single sentence through them, nor has God allowed them to hear His voice even once. No matter how much they yearn or how anxious they become, they just can’t speak a single sentence of God’s words. The more anxious and jealous they become, and the more they fail to achieve their goal, then the more irritated they become internally. What are they irritated about, and why are they so anxious? They see that God’s words are bringing more and more people before God to accept God’s judgment and chastisement, and accept His word as life, but there’s not a single person worshiping or admiring them at their feet, in their presence. This is what makes them anxious and irritated. In their irritation and anxiety, what the antichrists can think of and ponder over is still: “Why do these people do their duty in god’s house? Why is it different when they come to god’s house compared to the world of nonbelievers? Why do most people, after coming to god’s house, start to behave properly and get progressively better? Why do most people expend themselves and pay the price in god’s house without compensation, and even when they are pruned, they do not leave, and some even don’t leave after being cleared out or expelled? At bottom, the only reason is god’s words, it’s the effect and the role played by The Word Appears in the Flesh.” When the antichrists see this point, they become even more envious of God’s words. Therefore, after exerting great effort and still being unable to speak God’s words or become a mouthpiece for God, the antichrists shift their focus onto God’s words: “Although I can’t speak words other than what god has said, if I can speak words that are consistent with god’s words—even if they are just doctrines or hollow—as long as they sound right to people, as long as they seem to align with these words of god, then can’t I secure a place among people? Can’t I stand firm among them? Or if I frequently preach and explain the words in The Word Appears in the Flesh, often using these words to help people, and everything I say and preach sounds like it comes from god’s words and is correct, then won’t my status among people become more and more stable? Won’t I gain more prestige among them?” Thinking this, the antichrists feel that they have found a way to realize their wishes for gaining status, greater reputation and acclaim, and they see hope in achieving this. After seeing hope, the antichrists feel secretly pleased in their hearts: “How clever am I? Nobody else has realized this; why don’t others know this way? I’m so smart! But as clever as I am, I can’t tell anyone about this; it’s enough that I know it in my heart.” With such a goal and plan in mind, the antichrists start to put serious effort into God’s words. They think, “Before, I just glanced over god’s words, listened casually, and said whatever came to mind. Now I need to change my strategy; I can’t do that anymore, it’s a waste of time. Doing it that way before didn’t produce any results; continuing like that would be really foolish!” So, they pull themselves together, determined to put effort into God’s words and to make a great show of their abilities. What actions do the antichrists take to make a great show of their abilities? They scrutinize God’s way of speaking and the tone of His speech, and also scrutinize the specific content of God’s words in each phase and period. At the same time, they prepare how to explain these words of God, and when they preach God’s words, how to speak and explain them in a way that makes people admire and idolize them. Thus, bit by bit, the antichrists have indeed put a lot of effort into God’s words. However, one thing is certain: Because their motives behind this effort are wrong and their intentions evil, the words they speak, no matter how others listen to them, are just doctrines, they are just copied words and phrases of God’s speech. So, no matter how much effort the antichrists put into God’s words, they do not realize any personal gains themselves. What does it mean to have no gains? It means they don’t treat God’s words as the truth. They don’t practice, but only preach, so no one sees any change in them. Their erroneous thoughts and viewpoints do not change, their incorrect outlook on life does not change, they have no understanding whatsoever of their own corrupt dispositions, and they completely fail to compare themselves to the various states of man as described by God. Therefore, no matter how much antichrists scrutinize God’s words, only two outcomes are visible in them: First, although the words of God that they speak of are correct, and even their explanations of these words are not wrong, you cannot see any change in them. Second, no matter how much they vigorously promote and preach God’s words, they have no self-knowledge whatsoever. This is clearly observable. The reason antichrists exhibit such behavior is that although they often promote and preach God’s words to others, they themselves do not accept that God’s words are the truth. They themselves have not accepted these words; they only want to use them to achieve their ulterior motives. They hope to gain the status and benefits they desire by preaching God’s words, and if people treat and worship them as if they were god, that would be ideal. Although they cannot yet achieve this purpose or result, this is the ultimate goal of every antichrist.

Antichrists have put a lot of effort into God’s words; some people might misunderstand upon hearing this, asking, “Does that mean everyone who puts effort into God’s words is an antichrist?” If you interpret it this way, you lack spiritual understanding. What is the difference between the effort antichrists put into God’s words and the effort of those who pursue the truth? (The intention and purpose are different. Antichrists put effort into God’s words for their own benefit and status, to satisfy their personal ambitions.) What effort do antichrists put into God’s words? They memorize parts of God’s words that accord with their notions, learn to explain God’s words using human language, and write some spiritual notes and insights. They also distill, summarize, and organize God’s various statements, such as those people believe are relatively aligned with human notions, those that are easily perceived as having God’s speaking tone, some words about mysteries, and some of God’s words that are popular and often preached in the church for a time. Besides memorizing, organizing, summarizing, and writing insights, of course, there are more, including some peculiar activities. Antichrists will pay any price to gain status, satisfy their ambition, and achieve their goal of controlling the church and being god. They often work late into the night and wake at the crack of dawn, burning the midnight oil and rehearsing their sermons in the wee hours, and they also note down the brilliant things others have said, all in order to equip themselves with the doctrine they need to give lofty sermons. They ponder every day about how to deliver these lofty sermons, contemplating which of God’s words will be the most useful to choose, and will inspire admiration and praise among God’s chosen people, and then they learn those words by heart. Then, they consider how to interpret those words in a way that demonstrates their sagacity and brilliance. In order to really impress God’s word upon their hearts, they strive to listen to His word several times more. They do all this with the efforts like those of students vying for a spot in college. When someone gives a good sermon, or one that provides some illumination, or one that provides some theory, an antichrist will collect and compile it and make it into their own sermon. No amount of effort is too great for an antichrist. What, then, is the motive and intention behind this effort of theirs? It is to be able to preach God’s words, to say them clearly and with ease, to have fluent command of them, so that others may see the antichrist is more spiritual than them, more treasuring of God’s words, more loving of God. In this way, an antichrist can gain the admiration and worship of some of the people around them. An antichrist feels this is a worthwhile thing to do and worth any effort, price, or hardship. After putting in these efforts over two, three, five years, antichrists gradually become more and more familiar with God’s way of speaking and the content and tone of His words; some antichrists can even imitate God’s words or recite a few sentences of them whenever they open their mouths. Of course, this isn’t the most important thing for them. What is most important? As they are able to imitate and recite God’s words at will, their manner of speaking, tone, and even intonation become increasingly similar to god’s, more and more like christ’s. The antichrists rejoice about this in their hearts. What are they rejoicing about? They increasingly feel how wonderful it would be to be god, with so many people idolizing and surrounding them—how glorious that would be! They attribute all these achievements to God’s words. They believe that it is God’s words that have given them the opportunity, that have inspired them, and even more so it is because of God’s words that they have learned to imitate God’s way of speaking and God’s tone. This ultimately makes them feel more and more like god, increasingly approaching the identity and status of god. Even more so, it makes them feel that being able to imitate God’s way of speaking and tone, to speak and live with God’s manner of speaking and intonation, is extremely delightful, constituting their most enjoyable moments. The antichrists have reached this point—would you say this is dangerous? (Yes.) Where lies the danger? (They want to be god.) Wanting to be god is dangerous, just like Paul, who said that for him to live is christ. One is beyond redemption once such words are spoken. Antichrists treat God’s words as a pathway to become god. In this process, what have the antichrists done? They have put in a great deal of effort, spent a lot of energy and time on God’s words. During this period, they scrutinized and analyzed God’s words, repeatedly reading, memorizing, and organizing them. They even imitated God’s way of speaking and tone while reading His words, especially the commonly used phrases in God’s speech. What is the essence of all these actions? Here, I describe it as the essence of a merchant buying goods at wholesale prices; that is, the antichrists use the cheapest way to turn God’s words into a material thing they own. When they read God’s words, they don’t accept them as the truth, nor as the path that people should enter into and regard them as such. Instead, they try by all means to memorize these words, the way and tone of speaking, in an attempt to turn themselves into the ones who express such words. When antichrists are able to imitate God’s tone and way of speaking, and are able to fully utilize this way and tone of speaking in their speech and actions, living among people, what they aim to achieve is not to loyally do their duty, to do things with principles, or to be loyal to God. Instead, by imitating God’s speaking tone and manner, and by preaching these words of God, they want to enter deep into people’s hearts and become the object of people’s worship. They aspire to ascend the throne in people’s hearts and reign as kings there, and to manipulate people’s thoughts and behaviors, thereby achieving the goal of controlling people.

If we describe the antichrists putting effort into God’s words as merchants cheaply buying God’s words as commodities, then isn’t the antichrists’ imitation of God’s speech, their use of God’s way of speaking and tone to preach His words, the same as selling the word of God as a commodity? (Yes.) No merchant buys goods without later selling them. Their purpose in acquiring these goods and possessing them is to gain higher profits from these items, to exchange them for more money. Thus, the extensive effort antichrists put into God’s words and their attitude toward them are nothing more than antichrists acting like merchants to acquire them using the cheapest, most low-cost, and most expedient means, turning them into their own possessions, and then selling them at a high price to gain the benefits they desire. And what are these benefits? They are people’s high regard, idolization, admiration, and especially their following. Therefore, it is common in the church to see a phenomenon where a person who fundamentally does not practice God’s words and does not know themselves has many followers, many who rely on and idolize them. What is the reason for this? It’s because this person has a glib tongue, is articulate, and easily misleads people. They don’t practice God’s words, nor do they handle things according to principles, and they also fail to implement the church’s work and arrangements from the Above. But why can they still make a good impression on some people? When something really befalls them, why are there many people covering for them, protecting them? Why do some people defend them when they are a leader? Why do some people obstructively oppose their removal? The reason a person full of faults, filled with Satan’s corrupt disposition, and who never practices the truth can still receive such treatment in the church is only because this person is too skilled at speaking, too good at pretending, and too adept at misleading people—antichrists are precisely such people. Can we say that such people are antichrists, then? Yes, such people absolutely are antichrists. They often read God’s words, frequently memorize and preach them, often use God’s words to lecture and prune others, and assume God’s perspective and stances to lecture people, making them completely obedient and compliant to them, and rendering people speechless after they hear the grand doctrines they speak. Yet such people are the ones who never know themselves and never handle things according to principles. If they are a leader, their superior leaders are rendered ineffective. It becomes impossible to understand the situation in the church under their leadership. With them present, the work arrangements of God’s house, the principles and requirements set by God’s house, cannot be implemented. Aren’t such people antichrists? Do they treat God’s words as the truth? (No, they don’t.) They have put effort into reading God’s words and can recite some of them. During fellowship at gatherings, they often mention God’s words, and in their spare time, they listen to the recitation recordings of God’s words. When they speak to others, they only imitate God’s words and say nothing else. Everything they preach and say is faultless. Such a person, seemingly so perfect on the outside, a so-called “right person,” causes the work arrangements, requirements, and principles of God’s house to hit a roadblock when they reach them. The people under them recognize no one but them. Those under them, apart from revering them and the vague god in heaven, listen to no one else and ignore everyone. Is this not an antichrist? What means have they used to achieve all this? They have exploited God’s words. Those who are confused in their faith, who lack spiritual understanding, who are ignorant, who are muddled in thought, as well as those who do not pursue the truth, disbelievers, and those who are like reeds swayed by the wind, regard the antichrist as a spiritual person. They take the words and doctrines preached by the antichrist as the truth reality and regard the antichrist as their object of following. As they follow the antichrist, they believe they are following God. They use their following of the antichrist to replace following God. Even some people say, “Our leader hasn’t spoken or fellowshipped yet; even if we read God’s words, we can’t understand them ourselves.” “Our leader is not here—we pray to God about something but we cannot obtain light; we read God’s words but cannot understand the path. We have to wait for our leader to return.” “Our leader has been busy these days and doesn’t have time to resolve our issues.” Without their master, these people do not know how to pray, or how to eat and drink God’s words, they do not learn to seek and rely on God or to find the path of practice in God’s words on their own. Without their master, they are like blind people, it is as if their hearts have been dug out. Their master is their eyes, as well as their hearts and lungs. They believe their master is the best at eating and drinking God’s words. If their master is not present, they have no interest in eating and drinking God’s words themselves and must wait for their master to return to pray-read and interpret God’s words to them so that they can understand. Deep down, these people believe their master is their messenger who can help them come before God. To achieve such an “effect” is something the antichrists find most worthy of rejoicing over in the depths of their hearts: “All my years of effort have finally paid off; finally, the time I spent has not been in vain. Effort does indeed reward those who persevere—even an iron bar can be ground to a needle with enough perseverance. This effort was worth it!” Upon hearing that their followers can’t live without them, the antichrists do not feel any guilt deep inside. Instead, they secretly rejoice, thinking, “God’s words sure are great. My decision back then was right; the effort I’ve put in over these years was correct, and my approach over these years has been affirmed and has borne fruit.” They secretly feel pleased. Not only do they feel no guilt, regret, or hatred for their evil actions, but they become even more convinced and certain that their approach is right. Therefore, in the time to come, in their future life, they plan to study God’s way of speaking and tone as they did before, and to do so more diligently than they did in the past, and to imitate God’s way of speaking and choice of words even more extensively and deeply.

When antichrists read God’s words, their focus and intentions are completely opposite to those who pursue the truth. Those who pursue the truth, regardless of God’s way of speaking, are only interested in understanding God’s intentions, the truth principles, and what people should uphold and follow. In contrast, the antichrists push these things to the back of their minds and ignore them, even feeling averse to phrases that relate to these things, and secretly contradicting phrases and terms that concern these things. After achieving certain “results,” they continue to delve deeper and more meticulously into scrutinizing what God’s way of speaking and tone are, what the nuances of His intonation are like, what words He chooses, not even sparing the details of His grammar and usual syntax, using the same approach as before. To get closer to their goal, antichrists secretly resolve in their hearts to scrutinize even harder and more intensely and profoundly God’s words, scrutinizing the aims and objectives behind God’s speech, and even scrutinizing the way God—the Speaker addressing humankind and the entire universe—expresses Himself. Antichrists tirelessly scrutinize every aspect of God’s speaking, attempting to imitate God’s speech and pass themselves off as possessing God’s essence, possessing what God has and is, and possessing God’s disposition. All this seems to happen so naturally and smoothly; they work and act toward their goals as a matter of course and—also as a matter of course and without realizing it—transform themselves into god, into a figure of admiration and following for others. They scrutinize how God’s words touch people’s hearts and expose their corrupt dispositions, how God’s words expose people’s various states, and even more so how God’s words achieve effects in people. What is their purpose in scrutinizing all this? It is to enter people’s hearts, grasp their actual situations, and, while thoroughly perceiving their inner thoughts, mislead and control them. When God’s words expose people’s corrupt dispositions and strike at their weak points, antichrists think, “These words, this manner, are so great and wonderful! I also want to speak like this, I want to employ this way of speaking and treat people in this manner.” Throughout their many years of reading and becoming familiar with God’s words, the antichrists increasingly regard their wish and desire to become god as their sole goal in believing in God. Therefore, no matter how God’s words speak about requiring people to pursue the truth and do things according to principles, as well as all other realities of positive things, antichrists do not take this in and they disregard it. They single-mindedly pursue their own objective, doing what they want according to their own motivations for acting, as if nobody else matters. Not a single sentence of God’s words moves their hearts or changes their outlook on life and their philosophy for worldly dealings, much less does any sentence, any sermon, or any utterance from God lead them to have a repentant heart. Regardless of what God’s words expose, no matter what corrupt dispositions of man they expose, antichrists only scrutinize God’s way of speaking, His tone, the effects that God’s words are intended to achieve in people, and so forth—all matters unrelated to the truth. Therefore, the more antichrists are exposed to God’s words, the stronger their inner desire to be god becomes. How intense is this desire? It reaches the point where they even recite God’s words in their dreams, often talking to themselves and practicing preaching God’s words using His manner of speaking and tone. In the depths of their hearts, they constantly repeat God’s way of speaking and tone, as if possessed. Such are antichrists. No matter how specific, earnest, or genuine God’s words are, no matter how much help or inspiration they offer to people, antichrists remain indifferent toward and disregard all of this. They don’t value these words of God. Where are their hearts? They are focused on how to imitate God’s words in a way that makes people idolize them. The more intense their desire, the more they hope to hear God’s voice and be able to understand the purpose, wish, and thoughts behind each sentence spoken by God—even His innermost thinking. The more intense the antichrists’ desires and wishes become, the more they want to imitate God’s way of speaking and the more they aspire to quickly transform themselves to be more like god within a short time, possessing the way of speaking and tone of god. What’s more, some even want to adopt the style and demeanor of god in their actions. Antichrists are in such a condition, living every day under these thoughts, ideas, intentions, and motives. What are they doing? They are compelling themselves daily to walk the path of becoming god, becoming christ. They believe this path is aboveboard, that it is a bright road. So whether at gatherings or get-togethers, no matter how others fellowship their understanding of God’s words and their feelings about experiencing God’s words, nothing can move them or change their goals and wishes. They stride on the path toward becoming christ, toward becoming god, as if they are possessed, as if they are controlled by an invisible entity, as if they wear invisible shackles. What sort of mindset is this? Isn’t it vile? (Yes.)

While reading God’s words, antichrists absorb every aspect of them as their own possessions, treating them as commodities that can win them higher benefits and more money. When these commodities are sold, when these things are flaunted, they gain the benefits they desire. The more they do this, the more satisfied they feel internally; the more they do this, the greater and more intense their desire to be god becomes. What kind of attitude, what kind of situation is this? Why is antichrists’ desire to be god so strong? Is it something someone taught them? Who has instigated or instructed them? Do God’s words demand this? (No.) This is the path chosen by the antichrists themselves. Though they have no external help, they are so driven—why is this? It is determined by their nature essence. Antichrists tirelessly, unhesitatingly, and unapologetically walk this path without any external assistance; no matter how you condemn them, it is of no use; no matter how you dissect them, they do not take it in or understand; it is as if they are possessed. These things are determined by their nature. Antichrists’ treatment of God’s words appears, on the surface, to not be resistant or slanderous. They put in effort—more even than the average person. If you don’t know what they are thinking internally or the path they are following, then based on outward appearances, their treatment of God’s words seems to be one of yearning—at least this term could be used to describe it. But can a person’s essence be seen merely from their outward appearance? (No.) So, where can it be seen? Although it appears that they yearn for God’s words, often reading and listening to them, and even memorizing them, and although judging from these outward actions they should not be categorized as antichrists, when it comes to practicing God’s words in real situations, do they do so? (No.) After reading God’s words and memorizing them, when they are confronted with real situations, they might sometimes quote a passage of or recite a few sentences of God’s words, even accurately at times. But after they quote God’s words, observe what they do, what path they take, and what choices they make in the face of situations. If it involves their status or something that might damage their reputation or image, they absolutely will not act according to God’s words. They protect their own image and status. If they do something wrong, they absolutely will not admit it. Instead, they will find all sorts of ways to cover it up or avoid the issue, not mentioning it and even passing the blame for something they did onto others rather than admitting their own fault. They put effort into reading God’s words and safeguarding their status, but when it comes to putting aside their own interests and enduring physical hardship in order to practice the truth and act according to the truth principles, observe how they choose. If they are to act according to principles, to protect the interests of God’s house regardless of whom it hurts or offends, will they do it? Absolutely not. Their first choice is always to protect themselves. Even if they know who is at fault or who has committed evil, they will not expose them. They might even secretly rejoice in their hearts. If someone exposes evil people, they will even defend and make excuses for the evil ones. It is clear that antichrists are people who take pleasure in the misfortunes of others. Regardless of the situation they face, observe what they choose and which path they take. If they choose to act according to the truth principles, then their eating and drinking God’s words has borne fruit. If not, then no matter how they eat and drink God’s words or how well they memorized them, it is of no use—they still aren’t treating God’s words as the truth. Moreover, do antichrists know themselves? (No.) Some people say, “But antichrists even acknowledge their arrogance and self-righteousness, saying they are devils and Satans.” They just say these things, but what do they actually do when faced with a real situation? If someone is working with an antichrist and says something correct, something in line with the truth principles that contradicts the wrong thing the antichrist said, and if that person refuses to go along with what the antichrist says, the antichrist will feel their image and status have been harmed. What do they choose then? Could they choose to put themselves aside to listen to the other person and act according to the truth principles? Absolutely not. So, are those correct words they say of any use? Do they reflect their reality, their real stature, their choices, or the path they walk? No, those words are not born from their experience; they are simply words they have learned. What comes out of their mouths are just doctrines, deceptive words. As soon as their status or self-interest becomes involved, antichrists’ first choice is always to preserve and protect themselves, to benumb and mislead others, and to avoid taking any responsibility or admitting any transgressions. Considering these essences of antichrists, are they pursuing the truth? Are they reading God’s words to understand the truth and to reach a point where they can practice the truth? No. Given the intentions and goals of antichrists in reading God’s words, they will never achieve an understanding of them. This is because they do not read God’s words as the truth to be comprehended, but rather as a vehicle to achieve their own goals. Although antichrists do not explicitly state, “I want to be god, I want to be christ,” their goal to become christ is clear from the essence of their actions and the essence of how they treat God’s words. How can this be observed? They use God’s words and what they see revealed by God, such as His possessions and being and so on, to mislead people, to mislead those who do not understand the truth, the ignorant, those with little stature, those who do not pursue the truth, disbelievers, and even some evil people. They lead these people to believe that they possess the truth, that they are correct people, and that they are figures worthy of admiration and reliance. Antichrists aim to make these people place hopes in and seek from them, and when this happens, they feel satisfied inside.

Antichrists never admit that God is unique; they never admit that God’s words are the truth, nor do they ever admit that only God can express the truth. Judging from their attitude toward God’s words, the effort they put into God’s words, and their desire to be god, to become christ, antichrists believe that it is easy for a person to become god, that it is something achievable by humans. They say, “God incarnate is called christ simply because he can speak a bit of god’s words, no? Isn’t he just a mouthpiece for god’s words? Isn’t it just about having many people follow him? So if a person also has the same status and reputation among people, if they are also idolized and looked up to by just as many people, can’t they enjoy the treatment of christ, the treatment of being god? To be able to enjoy the treatment of christ, to enjoy the treatment of the one who has god’s identity and essence, doesn’t that make one god? What’s so difficult about that?” Thus, antichrists’ desire to be god is inherent; they share the same ambition and essence as Satan. It is precisely because they are antichrists and possess the essence of antichrists that they exhibit these reactions toward God’s words. For antichrists, what makes them happy is that God has incarnated; His words can be heard by people, and at the same time, He can be seen by them. He is an ordinary person who can be touched and seen, and it is precisely because this ordinary, insignificant, and unremarkable person can speak so much and thus be called God that antichrists see their opportunity to become god has finally arrived. If this ordinary person did not speak, antichrists would think that their hope of becoming god or christ is very slim. But precisely because this ordinary person has spoken God’s words and done God’s work, representing God to save people among them, antichrists see this as their chance, as an opportunity to take advantage of, giving them more clues to imitate God’s speech, His tone and way of speaking, and even His disposition, gradually making themselves more like god, more like christ. Thus, in the depths of their hearts, antichrists feel they are becoming more and more like god, that they are increasingly approximating god. They feel so very envious of a God who is revered, followed, and relied upon in all things, a God whom people seek and look up to in everything. They envy the identity and personal worth of Christ. What are antichrists thinking in their hearts? Aren’t the depths of their hearts dark and wicked? Aren’t the depths of their hearts despicable, sordid, and shameful? (Yes.) They are utterly revolting!

Some people say, “We’ve listened to You go on about antichrists, but how come we’ve never seen such a person? Are You just telling stories? Talking about things that are far-fetched?” Do you think such people exist? (Yes.) How many have you met? Are you one of them? (We also show these states and reveal such aspects. They’re not as severe as antichrists’, but the nature essence is the same.) Do you think having these states is dangerous? (Yes.) If you know it’s dangerous, you need to change. Is it easy to change? Actually, it can be both easy and difficult. If you take God’s words as the truth to abide by, just as simply as the Lord Jesus said, “Let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no,” then you can truly repent. For instance, God tells you to implement something, saying, “After eating, lick the bowl clean, as if it has been washed. This is saving food and also being hygienic.” Are these instructions simple? Are they easy to implement? (Yes.) If God makes such a request, just these few sentences, without going into people’s difficulties or their states, or talking about corrupt dispositions, and not differentiating various circumstances, how would you implement and practice this one matter? For you, these sentences are God’s words, they are the truth, and they are something you should abide by. What you should do is to follow God’s requirement every day, every time after eating—then you are following God’s way, treating God’s words as the truth, as what you ought to obey. You become a person who practices God’s words, and in this simplest matter, you have cast off the disposition of an antichrist. Alternatively, you might instead, after hearing these few words, verbally agree and remember them, but after eating, when you see a few grains of rice left in the bowl, you think, “I’m busy with other things!” and just leave the bowl as it is. And the next meal, you do the same. You keep these few instructions from God in mind, but there’s no exact day when you are actually going to practice them. As time goes by, you forget these words. So not only have you not practiced them, but you have also discarded God’s words. What kind of person does this make you? If you don’t implement these words, are you someone who can follow God’s way upon hearing His words? Are you someone who pursues the truth? Clearly not. If one is not pursuing the truth, can they be characterized as an antichrist? Is failing to practice the truth necessarily equivalent to being an antichrist? (No.) This kind of person treats the words of God as wind passing by their ears, as something unimportant, doesn’t practice them, and doesn’t give them much thought—they simply forget them. This is not an antichrist. There is another type of person who, after hearing these instructions from God, thinks: “Licking the bowl after eating? How embarrassing! I’m not a beggar, and besides, it’s not like there’s no food available. I definitely won’t do that! Those who are willing to lick their bowls clean can go ahead.” When someone says, “This is God’s requirement,” they think, “Even if it’s god’s requirement, it’s unacceptable. God shouldn’t demand such things. These words aren’t the truth! God also says things that are unremarkable, illogical, and not so great. Not all of god’s demands of people are necessarily the truth. This particular demand doesn’t seem like the truth to me. The lord Jesus said: ‘Whoever shall follow the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.’ Words like this are the truth! Licking a bowl clean after eating is being hygienic? Just washing it directly would be enough. Why have us lick the bowls? This demand doesn’t fit with my notions or imaginings; it would be unacceptable anywhere. Making me lick a bowl—fat chance! Is that how hygiene is defined? I wash my bowl with water, using disinfectant—that’s what I call hygiene!” This type of person, after hearing these words, has their own thoughts and internal resistance; they even engage in ridicule and slander. Because these words are from God, they don’t dare to judge them openly, but it doesn’t mean they have no opinions or notions about them. Where do their opinions and notions manifest? They do not accept or practice these words; they have their own thoughts about them, and are capable of judging them and forming notions about them. Therefore, when they finish their meal and see some people licking their bowls clean, they refrain from doing so, even harboring contempt in their heart for those who practice according to God’s words. Their exterior often reveals mockery and ridicule, and even an attitude of wanting to correct others’ behavior. They not only do not act according to what God says, but even act contrarily, engaging in actions opposite to those. They use their actions to deny God’s demands, to resist what God has said, and they also seek to draw more attention through their actions, persuading more people that what God says is incorrect, and that only their way is right, leading more people to resist and condemn God’s words. They simply do not act as God has instructed; each time after eating, they not only rinse their bowl with water but also wash it repeatedly with disinfectant and dish soap, and then sterilize it in a disinfection cabinet. While doing this, they also unconsciously generate some statements, telling everyone, “Actually, licking doesn’t eliminate germs, and neither does washing with water. Only by using disinfectant, combined with high temperature, can it be thoroughly sterilized. That’s being hygienic.” They not only refuse to accept what God says or practice as instructed by God, but they even use their own words and deeds to resist, condemn, and judge what God requires. Even more extreme, they use some opinions they deem correct to incite and mislead more people to join them in condemning, resisting, and judging God’s requirements. What role are they playing here? It’s not to lead more people to listen to God’s words and unconditionally submit to God, nor to resolve people’s notions when they arise, nor to resolve contradictions between people and God or people’s corrupt dispositions when such contradictions arise. Instead, they incite and mislead more people to judge God, joining them in analyzing and scrutinizing the correctness of God’s words. Outwardly, they appear to be upholders of justice, engaging in what seems rightful. But is this rightful conduct befitting someone who follows God? Is this a human sense of justice? (No.) Then, what exactly is the essence of this type of person behind their behavior? (They have the essence of antichrists, of devils.) These individuals not only fail to regard God’s words as the truth, but what’s more shameful is that they can disguise themselves as spiritual people, often using God’s words to instruct others, thereby embellishing themselves and gaining admiration. They themselves do not practice God’s words, nor do they treat them as the truth to experience and implement. Yet, they often sternly and solemnly tell others: “God said, after eating, lick your bowl clean; it’s a good habit and conserves food.” With every word and sentence, they brandish the banner of “god said,” “This is god’s word,” or “This is the truth,” but they themselves do not accept or practice it at all. Furthermore, they produce various judgments and fallacious interpretations of God’s words. This is what antichrists do.

Having just analyzed the manifestations of these three types of people, which is the most severe? (The last type.) This type of person does not practice God’s words themselves and is full of various resistances and judgments against God’s words. Moreover, they use God’s words to mislead others and achieve their own goals. Such people are antichrists. Regardless of the aspect of God’s words, even if these words accord with their notions, they do not regard God’s words as the truth; this is especially so for those words of God that completely contradict human notions, traditional culture, and philosophy—antichrists place even less importance on these words. Why would they preach God’s words if they don’t view them as important? They want to use God’s words to fulfill their purposes. The most dangerous of these three types of people is the last one. What about the first type? (They listen to God’s words and practice them.) Do you think those who listen to God’s words and practice them are all mindless? On the surface, does it seem somewhat foolish to strictly obey whatever God says and has people do? (No.) Those who practice God’s words are the smartest. The second type of person focuses on action; they do not practice the truth but only act according to their own will and perform some labor. They do not pay attention to the meaning or requirements and standards of God’s words. They do not apprehend God’s intentions or His inner voice, and just focus on doing. They think, “I know You mean well for us. Everything You say is right. We should submit to and practice what You say; You just focus on talking, and we’ll all listen.” But in reality, they do not take seriously what God says or the detailed requirements God has for people. They just act thoughtlessly. Acting thoughtlessly can sometimes lead to acting wildly and unscrupulously, to causing disruptions and disturbances; it can lead to resisting God. Resisting God to a severe extent sometimes causes a great deal of trouble, and this in turn can lead to destruction. This is the most serious consequence for those who do not pursue the truth, and some people can reach this point. The third type of person, the antichrists, are staunch followers of Satan. They never practice the truth, no matter what. Even if what you say is right, they won’t listen, let alone when they have their own notions. They are the sworn enemies of God, the sworn enemies of the truth. Outwardly, the most cunning and astute appear to be these people. They discern and scrutinize everything, pondering and striving to figure out all matters. However, after so much scrutinizing, they end up scrutinizing God Himself, developing notions and opinions about Him. No matter what God does, if it doesn’t pass their own judgment, they condemn it without exception; they refuse to practice it, fearing it might be detrimental to them. On the other hand, those who seem foolish outwardly, as if they lack intelligence, do exactly as God says. They appear exceptionally simple and honest, openly sharing even what shouldn’t be shared, even reporting what need not be reported, sometimes even displaying somewhat naive behavior. What does this indicate? It shows that such people’s hearts are open to God, not closed or blocked off from Him. By discussing this simple example, the purpose is to help you understand just what an antichrist is and what their attitude toward God’s words is really like. It’s to help you discern just which type of people are antichrists and which type do not practice the truth but are not antichrists. It’s to have this kind of discernment. I just casually brought up this example to make it easier for you to better understand the topic we are fellowshipping today. It’s not that I’m actually asking you to lick your bowls clean after meals. Nor have I defined that licking bowls is synonymous with hygiene or not wasting food. You don’t need to do this; you mustn’t misunderstand.

Today, an additional item regarding how antichrists despise God’s words was fellowshipped: Antichrists treat the words of God as a commodity. When it comes to commodities, selling, trading, profit, and money are involved. Antichrists treating God’s words as a commodity is something that should absolutely never be done, it is utterly sinful. Why? When we just began the gathering, everyone fellowshipped their understanding of God’s words and the truth in their own language, summarizing in the simplest terms. Overall, God’s words are the truth. For humankind, the truth is crucially important. The truth can be the life of man, it can save people and bring them back from the dead, and enable one to become a qualified created being. The value of the truth to humankind cannot be measured in words, material things, or money. It deserves to be cherished and treasured, and it’s worthy of being the guide, direction, and goal for one’s actions, conduct, life, and entire existence. People should attain the path of practice from the truth, as well as the path of fearing God and shunning evil, among others. To people, the truth is equivalent to life itself. No material object or wealth can be mentioned in the same breath as the truth. In this material world, or in the entire universe world, there is nothing that is worthy of being compared with the truth, nor is there anything that can equate to it. From this, it is clear that for humankind in need of salvation, the truth is a most precious asset, and it is priceless. Yet, astonishingly, there are individuals who treat such a priceless thing as a commodity to sell and trade for profit. Can such individuals be characterized as devils, as Satans? Absolutely! In the spiritual realm, such individuals are devils and Satan; among people, they are antichrists.

We just fellowshipped some of the manifestations of how antichrists treat God’s words as commodities for sale to gain personal benefits. Of course, this is said in a certain sense and doesn’t completely match the literal meaning—it’s not plainly visible that they are treating God’s words as commodities for sale. However, in fact, judging by their behavior, approach, and even their essence, they have already or with utmost certainty treated God’s words as commodities, as a material thing to possess. Once in their possession, they treat God’s words as an item in their little shop, selling it at the opportune moment to anyone in need and profiting from it. What benefits do antichrists gain from this? These include their reputation, the high regard and idolization from others, the admiring glances cast their way, and the protection others offer, such as protection to their status and face. Even when they are removed and eliminated, people will speak up for and defend them. These are the benefits antichrists derive from God’s words. These benefits are exactly what antichrists want and pursue, what they have long schemed for in their hearts. This is the essence of antichrists. Their actions and behavior are driven and dominated by their nature, and from these manifestations, the nature essence of antichrists can be seen.

2. Selling Books of God’s Words for Personal Profit

Next, we will fellowship the second aspect, which is the actual behavior and approach of antichrists treating God’s words as commodities. This approach involves this type of antichrist treating various kinds of books of God’s words as commodities. When they obtain these books of God’s words, they believe they have acquired the capital to earn money, possessing the assets needed to do so. These books, printed with God’s words, become their assets, the commodities they intend to sell, and the objects they use to make excessive profits. Antichrists withhold these books, not distributing them according to the principle required by God’s house but rather seeking to improperly gain profit based on their own intentions. What is the principle of distributing books in God’s house? It is to distribute them to all who love to read God’s words and who thirst for the truth, and to do so for free. Regardless of how many people receive them or how many books are distributed, it is always free of charge. When believing in God in Christianity, the Bible isn’t free; it must be bought. But now, these words of God and these books are freely distributed by God’s house, which is a key point. However, the problem arises when antichrists get hold of these books and fail to distribute them for free, according to the principle. Under normal circumstances, those with a bit of a God-fearing heart would distribute these books for free according to the principle, without charging money or seeking to improperly gain excessive profits. However, only antichrists, upon obtaining these books, think that a business opportunity has arrived. Their ambition and greed thus emerge: “To give away such thick, fine books for free—isn’t that a loss? Isn’t it stupid not to make some money from them? What’s more, these books can’t be bought elsewhere, and most people who believe in god would want to read them, no matter the cost.” Once they apprehend that people have this mentality, antichrists start to develop certain thoughts: “I can’t miss this opportunity to make money; such opportunities are hard to come by. When distributing the books, I should divide people into grades, charging more from the wealthy, a moderate price from the average, less from the poor or not distributing to them at all, giving a discount to those who flatter me, and charging more from those who don’t get along with me.” Is this in accordance with the regulations of God’s house for distributing books? (No.) This is doing business. Antichrists develop these kinds of ideas; setting aside whether they distribute the books according to the regulations and principles of God’s house, let’s first talk about how they treat God’s words. Once the books of God’s words are in their hands, do they treasure them? (No.) They are not interested in the way of life or the truth spoken of in God’s words; they don’t value them and are not even slightly curious about them. They just skim through the books superficially, casually flipping through and glancing at the pages: “It’s just talking about how god does the work of judging people, how he’s conquered a group of people, and how he gives people a good destination. As for the future of humankind, these details are not there, so this book isn’t that interesting. Although the book isn’t very interesting, many people are willing to read it. This is good; I can profit from it.” When books of God’s words fall into their hands, they become commodities, implying that many people, at least a portion of people, will have to spend money to buy these books. Antichrists, under the guise of believing in God, doing the work of God’s house, and being in charge of distributing books of God’s words, cut in and turn the free distribution of these books by God’s house into a transaction, into buying and selling. With God, His spoken words are supplied gratuitously to everyone who listens attentively to His words; they are free, requiring no exchange of anything. What is required of people is only to accept, practice, and experience, to achieve submission to God’s words, and to become a person who fears God and shuns evil. Then God is satisfied, His goal is achieved, and His words have not been spoken in vain. He finds comfort in this. This is God’s wish and also the aim of His six-thousand-year management work carried out upon man, the most beautiful desire of the Creator for created beings. God supplies His words, what He has and is, and His intentions gratuitously and continuously to those who follow Him. This is such a clean, holy act, such a magnificent deed; there is no transaction involved here. For every person who listens attentively to and yearns for God’s words, every sentence God speaks is priceless. People receive from God the truth and His words for free, and deep within their hearts, what they want to do for God is repay Him, satisfy His intentions, and allow Him to feel comforted, so that His great work can be completed soon. This is the tacit understanding that should exist between the Creator and created humankind. However, antichrists turn this matter into a transaction. They exploit the opportunity of God speaking and working, as well as people’s need for the provision of God’s words, to seek personal gain, obtaining money and benefits they should not obtain. Doesn’t such behavior make one deserve being cursed? From which of God’s statements have you seen or heard that God speaks to humankind in exchange for compensation? How much for a sentence, how much for a passage, for a sermon, for a book, or for one instance of pruning, or judgment and chastisement, or refinement, or life provision? Has God ever spoken such words? (No.) God has never said such things. Every sentence, passage, and piece issued by God, every instance of being pruned, chastised and judged, and tried and refined that people receive from God, as well as the supply and nourishment of God’s words, and so on—all of these, which of them can be measured by money? Which of them can be obtained by humans in exchange for money or material things, or by paying a fleshly price? None of them. Everything that God does, all the truths that God expresses, are priceless. Precisely because they are priceless, because there aren’t any money or material things that people could exchange for God’s possessions and being, God says He supplies His words to people free of charge. Yet, antichrists cannot see the priceless and precious nature of the truths and what God has and is which He expresses; instead, they seek to improperly obtain excessive profits from them, which is utterly shameful!

Some antichrists, in order to torment people, to establish their own reputation and prestige, and to make others feel their terror and power, withhold God’s words, not distributing them to the brothers and sisters under them. Thus, in some churches where such evil people and antichrists hold power, the brothers and sisters find themselves without God’s words to read or God’s sermons to listen to. Aren’t such people curse-worthy? What have they treated God’s words as? As their private property. God’s words are given by God to those who sincerely believe in and follow God; they are not bestowed upon any one individual, and they certainly are not any individual’s private property. God’s words are spoken to all humankind, and no one can withhold God’s speaking for any reason or excuse. Yet, antichrists exactly play such a role, breaking the norm to do this. Some antichrists, after receiving the latest sermon recordings, listen to them first and, discovering some new light and that there is some content they were unaware of, decide not to distribute this sermon series to those in their charge. Without anyone else’s knowledge, they withhold the sermon recordings. What is the purpose of withholding? The purpose is to show off during gatherings, which equates to engaging in sales. Through this act of showing off, when the people under them hear content they have never heard before, all of it new, they come to regard the antichrists highly, and in this way the antichrists’ goal is achieved. It’s undeniable that in churches everywhere, there definitely are some people who do not timely or completely distribute sermons of fellowship or recordings; such individuals absolutely exist. Furthermore, some antichrists distribute books of God’s words based on people’s attitudes toward them, giving them to those who cozy up to or flatter them. Even though the books are free, not everyone can easily receive them; the principle of free and timely distribution is compromised in the antichrists’ hands, subject to different conditions. They might grudgingly give the books to those who are with them or who listen to them, but not necessarily in a timely manner; as for those who disagree with their views or even oppose them, the antichrists might give them the books selectively or even not at all. Antichrists not only seek to improperly obtain excessive profits in the distribution of books of God’s words, but also use it as a means to draw people in, win people over, as well as to suppress and torment others—they are capable of all sorts of wrongdoing. They can even threaten people, saying that if someone speaks ill of them, doesn’t elect them, or votes against them, they might withhold God’s words as a means of taking action against that person. Therefore, some people, out of fear of not being able to timely receive books of God’s words or sermon recordings, are terrified of these antichrists. Even if the antichrists do evil and they themselves suffer unfair treatment, they dare not report them, fearing being suppressed and tormented by the antichrists, losing contact with the Above, and missing out on the watering and supply from the Above. Are there such people? Absolutely, one hundred percent. Antichrists engage in all kinds of bad deeds; not only do they fight for power and profit, form cliques, and create their own independent kingdoms, but they also make no exception when it comes to distributing God’s words. Anything that can enable them to improperly gain benefits, and obtain their status and power, is exploited by them; they spare nothing, including God’s words. Have these things happened in your church, around you? Some antichrists threaten those below them, saying, “If you don’t elect me, if you report me to the above, if you don’t take a liking to me, if you snitch and I find out, then you won’t get any more sermon recordings. I’ll cut off your supply, leave you without nourishment, thirst you to death, starve you!” Isn’t the disposition of antichrists vicious? It’s extremely vicious! They are capable of doing all manner of bad things.

If you encounter such antichrists, how would you handle them? Do you dare to report them to the Above? Do you dare to unite and reject them? (Yes.) You say yes now, but when you’re actually faced with them, you might not dare; you’d shrink back, thinking, “I’m of small stature, I’m young, I’m weak and alone. If the antichrists really gang up to bully me, wouldn’t I be finished? Where is God? Who would listen to my grievances? Who would redress my grievances and avenge me? Who would stand up for me?” Why is your faith so small? You become timid when faced with an antichrist, but what if Satan threatened you in person—would you then stop believing in God? What would you do if an antichrist didn’t distribute God’s words to you? What if they made you pay money for the books of God’s words? What if every time the antichrist distributed books of God’s words to you, they made it difficult for you and spoke harshly? Is this situation easy to handle? Let Me tell you a clever strategy: Whenever it’s almost time for the distribution of the books, you should stand aside with the antichrist, energetically speaking sweet words, vigorously praising and complimenting them to gain their trust. Once they distribute the books of God’s words and sermon recordings to you, then find an opportunity to report them to the Above. If there’s no avenue to report them to the Above, look for a chance to unite with discerning brothers and sisters to restrict and bind the antichrist. This is truly eliminating harm for the church and most aligns with God’s intentions. Some may ask, what if the antichrist discovers this plan? If you’re not confident this time, then wait for the next opportunity. When you have the courage and the conditions are right, that’s when you take action. In short, if you’re afraid that the antichrist will cut off your nourishment, then don’t make a big show of things at first. Don’t expose yourself or let the antichrist see through you. When you have gained enough stature, when you have suitable people, right people, and more people, who can stand with you in opposition to the antichrist, who can discern and reject the antichrist, that’s when you can break with the antichrist. How does this strategy sound? (Good.) Some might say, “Isn’t this deceiving others? Doesn’t God want us to be honest people? This doesn’t seem honest.” Is this deceiving others? (No.) This is toying with a devil. Any method is acceptable when dealing with an antichrist, who is a devil.

Are you afraid of antichrists? Suppose there really is an antichrist around you, in your own church. You’ve noticed them; they have power and status, and many people support them. They have a clique, a few staunch followers. Would you be afraid of them? Some say they would be. Is it correct to be afraid? There’s at least one good and correct aspect to this fear. Why do I say that? If you fear them, it at least shows that in your heart you believe they are evil, that they can torment you and harm you, that they are not a good person or someone who pursues the truth—you at least have this understanding and discernment about them in your heart. Although you may not be able to label them as an antichrist or discern that they are an antichrist, at the very least you know they are not a good person, someone who pursues the truth, an upright or kind person, or an honest person, so you fear them. What kind of people do normal and ordinary or guileless people usually fear, apart from demons? (Evil people.) Everyone is afraid of evil people. At the very least, you know in your heart that this person is evil. On this basis, observe their attitude toward God’s words and the truth principles; see if they practice the truth, and discern their various behaviors, and come to understand and discern their essence through their behaviors. Ultimately, if you can determine that they are an antichrist, then your fear will include another component—discernment toward them. Although you may fear them in your heart, you will not be on their side, and you will reject them in your heart—is this a good or bad thing? (A good thing.) If they ask you to join them in doing evil, will you agree? Will you have discernment toward this in your heart? If they ask you to join them in hurling abuse at God or judging Him, will you agree? If they ask you to collaborate with them in tormenting others, and not distributing books of God’s words to certain individuals, will you agree? Although you may not be 100% sure that you won’t agree to do these things, at the very least you will have discernment about their actions in your heart. You may do some things with them reluctantly and under coercion, but it will only be because you were forced to do so, and it won’t be voluntary; at least you won’t be the main perpetrator, at most, you’ll be an accessory to their crimes. Though you may not expose or provoke them in person, you will also not act as their follower or accomplice. This is, to a certain extent, rejecting the antichrist. Most people, due to their fear of evil people and antichrists, are only able to make concessions to protect themselves, so you managing to do this as a temporary, stopgap measure, is already pretty good. But does reaching this level count as standing firm in your testimony? Does it count as upholding the truth principles? Does it count as overcoming Satan? In God’s eyes, it doesn’t. So, how can you come to stand firm in your testimony? You all lack a path, and just make concessions to protect yourselves: “They do evil, but I dare not join them in doing evil; I fear being punished. They are evil people; they do bad things to torment people. But anyway, it’s fine as long as I myself haven’t tormented anyone. That evil won’t get blamed on me.” If, at most, you can do this, that’s already pretty good; you’re merely being a people pleaser and sticking to a middle-of-the-road approach, and you are not able to bear witness. What should be done, then, to bear witness? Doctrinally speaking, you ought to reject evil people, reject and expose antichrists, and prevent antichrists from running amok doing bad things in God’s house and causing losses to God’s house. But do you know specifically how to do this? (Report and tell the Above about it.) Is that the extent of the responsibilities and obligations that you can fulfill? Is that all the witness you can stand firm in, all the stature you have? Apart from reporting an antichrist, what else can you do? (We can first gather together the facts of the antichrist’s consistent behavior and evildoing, and then fellowship about discerning the antichrist with the brothers and sisters based on these facts. Once the brothers and sisters have developed discernment toward the antichrist, they can all take action to expose the antichrist, and afterward, we can expel them from the church.) The steps and procedures are correct, but what about some special cases? You’re speaking from the position of a leader, but what if an ordinary believer encounters an antichrist? Isn’t that like an egg hitting a rock? What would you do in such situations? Let Me tell you a story related to registering and reporting income and expenditures. There was someone in charge of keeping accounts, one for external use and one for internal use. One day, there was a discrepancy of two hundred dollars in the internal account. Later on, the supervisor came to check the accounts and saw the discrepancy; they said, “Tear up the internal account. Just keep the external one, so that there will be no evidence.” One of the individuals there disagreed, saying, “This is an offering. No matter how much money it is, it’s God’s money; you can’t do this.” The supervisor didn’t say anything, while another person commented: “What’s two hundred dollars? When antichrists embezzle, it’s tens of thousands at a time.” And so those people resolved the matter in that way. However, afterward, one person felt that this approach was wrong and reported it upward to the decision-making group. The group said that two hundred dollars was not a significant amount, and that they were too busy to deal with it. When it was reported to the church leaders, they also didn’t address it and they all ignored the matter. The person who reported the issue felt upset, saying, “How can these people all be like this? How can they be so irresponsible toward God’s offerings? They even dare to engage in deception so blatantly!” They were upset about this. One day, when I visited those people, that person reported this issue to Me, saying that the person doing the accounting was careless, that they’d made a mess of the account, and that there had ultimately been a discrepancy. Although this issue wasn’t too major, the attitudes of each person involved were different. These so-called supervisors and leaders did not address the issue. Not only did they not send the person doing the accounting away, but they also found an excuse to protect them. The person who reported the issue kept reporting it; however, they were excluded by many people. Tell Me, what kind of mentality did this person have when they reported the issue? If they had the same attitude as the other person—the one who said, “It’s just two hundred dollars, why are you making such a fuss about it? When antichrists embezzle, it’s tens of thousands at a time”—would they still have reported it? They wouldn’t have. If they said, “It’s not my money; let whoever wants to embezzle it do so—they will be responsible for it. Anyway, I haven’t embezzled anything, so I don’t need to bear this responsibility”; or “I’ve already reported it to the decision-making group and the church leaders, and they all ignored me, so I’ve done my part and need not bother further”—if they had this attitude, could they still have persisted in reporting it so relentlessly? Definitely not; most people would, at most, stop after reporting it to the decision-making group. But just when this person made their report to the decision-making group, they heard My fellowship about the stories of Noah and Abraham. After listening, they were moved, thinking, “After hearing God’s words, Noah adhered to them for so many years without backing out. Yet I encounter this minor difficulty and can’t persist—this isn’t what a person should do!” So, they persisted in reporting until it finally reached the Above, and the Above addressed the issue. Do you think many such people exist among you? If you encountered such a situation, how many of you would persist like this person did? Would you also believe that two hundred dollars isn’t a lot, that it’s not a big deal, and consequently think that there’s no need to adhere so firmly to the principles or to be so serious, and that you can wait until there’s a big discrepancy to make a report? Would you think, “In any case, I’ve fulfilled my responsibility. Whether it’s addressed or not is up to the leaders. I’m just an ordinary believer, I only have so much power, I can only do so much. I’ve reported it, I’ve fulfilled my obligation; the rest is not my concern”? Isn’t this how you would think? And if someone were to suppress you, wouldn’t you dare not report it? This person faced suppression during the process of reporting the issue, with some people pointing fingers and condemning them, and always looking to torment them. How malicious these people must be! I remember these few individuals—why do I remember them? They ate the food of God’s house and enjoyed all the truths supplied by God, yet they had such an attitude toward God’s offerings. Can they be considered as people of God’s house? They are not worthy! They weren’t required to stand firm in their testimony, as they did not have this character. But since they couldn’t even do what they were supposed to do, did they still deserve to stay in God’s house? Should such people be remembered? Do you like such people? (No.) Then what kind of people do you like? (Those who adhere to the principles, those who persist in protecting the interests of God’s house to the end.) I’m disgusted by those good-for-nothings who get scared at the sight of the formidable but grow a spine in front of guileless people. I’m also disgusted by those who bite the hand that feeds them, those who have no interest in the truth, and especially those who have listened to sermons for many years but haven’t understood the truth at all, or changed in the slightest, and still resist and guard against God deep in their hearts. If there aren’t cases of such people clearly doing evil, they may not be labeled as antichrists, but I’m disgusted by them. How disgusted? Just as much as with the antichrists. Why? Antichrists treat the word of God as a commodity to sell, trade, and exchange, profiting from it. While this type of person may not profit from God’s words, we can extrapolate from the attitude with which they treat God’s words that they are just like antichrists, that they do not follow God’s way, or even possess the simple and most basic attitude that they ought to have toward God’s offerings, and that they bite the hand that feeds them. What sort of things are they? They are Judases, who sell out the Lord and their friends. After hearing this story, what are your thoughts? Can you adhere to principles and stick to your stance in such situations? If you are a good-for-nothing, always shrinking back, always afraid of the force of antichrists, scared of being tormented by them, scared of their force harming you, and you’re always afraid in your heart, and you lack wisdom to respond to this, always making concessions to antichrists, not daring to report or expose them, or to find others to unite with you to reject them, then you are not someone who can stand firm in your testimony to God—you are a good-for-nothing, a thing biting at the hand that feeds it. When antichrists treat God’s words as commodities, using them to improperly obtain excessive profits for themselves, to threaten you, and cut off your nourishment, if you still cannot reject them in such situations, are you an overcomer? Do you deserve to be a follower of Christ? If you even lack the ability to obtain the words and the spiritual nourishment that God freely gives to you, and cannot even eat, drink, or enjoy these things, how worthless does that make you?

The facts I just fellowshipped on are some manifestations of antichrists treating God’s words as commodities. Antichrists do not eat and drink God’s words and they do not accept the truth, they merely skim through and glance at God’s words in order to adorn themselves with them. They treat God’s words as their possessions and private property, so that they can engage in transactions to obtain the money and benefits they desire, and so that they can control the freedom of God’s chosen people to read, eat, and drink God’s words. Such antichrists are evil people, devils, disbelievers; they are the ilk of nonbelievers! Any that appear in God’s house should be expelled, expelled forever! Do you dare to reject such people when you encounter them? Do you dare to unite and expose them? They should be exposed; they should be rejected. God’s house is reigned by the truth. If you don’t possess such stature, it proves that God’s words and the truth have not become life within you. If you are timid, afraid of Satans, afraid of evil people, preferring to make concessions to preserve yourself rather than fighting against antichrists, even if it means not eating and drinking God’s words or gaining them, then you deserve to starve to death, and no one will pity you if you do. If you encounter such situations, how should you choose and practice? You should expose them immediately. God’s words are not commodities; they are provided for all of God’s chosen people, they are not the private property of any individual. No one has the right to withhold or possess God’s words for themselves. God’s words should be distributed for free and without compensation to all the chosen people who follow God. Anyone who withholds them, seeks to improperly obtain excessive profits from them, or has personal plans regarding God’s words is curse-worthy. They are individuals whom God’s chosen people should stand up to expose and reject, and they should be cleared out and cut out.

Do the two items that I fellowshipped today sufficiently illustrate how antichrists despise God’s words? (Yes.) Antichrists never treat God’s words as the truth, nor do they cherish, treasure, or treat them like the words of the Creator. Instead, they display their unspeakable, despicable, sordid intents at every turn. They only wish to use God’s words to achieve their unspeakable goals, and whether in terms of material or immaterial things, they want to use God’s words to improperly obtain profit for themselves, to gain money and material things, or to achieve their goal of making people adulate, look up to, idolize, and follow them. These things are abhorrent to God and should be rejected by people. Whenever anyone discovers such individuals or such things taking place, they should rise to expose and reject them, stopping such individuals from standing firm among God’s chosen people. Some say that they would report it to the Above if they encountered these things, but that is too passive and slow. If you merely report these things to the Above, then you are so worthless! You have eaten and drunk so many of God’s words and heard so many sermons, yet you only know to make reports—this means that your stature is far too small! Surely you have other methods to deal with antichrists? Making a report to the Above is the last resort, a step taken only when absolutely necessary. If you are outnumbered, outmatched, and lack discernment, and are unsure whether someone is an antichrist, you might not dare to expose their various manifestations and actions. But if you are certain that they are an antichrist and still don’t dare to stand up to fight against, reject, and defeat them, aren’t you so worthless? The bit of truth you understand isn’t being put to use. Are you sure that what you understand and hear is the truth? If it is, why don’t you dare to stand up sternly and righteously and fight against the antichrists? It’s not like antichrists are the governing authorities—what are you afraid of them for? Unless there is a situation where they could hand you over to the authorities if you rashly exposed them—under those circumstances, you should be careful, not provoke them, and use wise methods to stealthily criticize and discredit the antichrists, gradually eliminating them. Isn’t it more impressive to quietly eliminate them? (Yes.) Alright, that’s all for today’s fellowship. Goodbye!

September 12, 2020