Regarding conscience—what have we previously said it refers to? It is the sense of justice and kindness of normal humanity. A person must be upright and kind to be said to have a conscience. So, how can the uprightness and kindness of normal humanity be optimized and elevated after one comes to believe in God? This must be built upon the foundation of understanding the truth. That is, after a person understands the truth, the criteria by which they conduct themselves and act will be a positive goal, which will have a positive effect, value, and significance for themselves and for everyone else. Once they understand the truth, they will view and handle everything based on the truth principles taught by God. In the eyes of others, such a person is quite upright. What does uprightness mean? Upright means not erring to the left or to the right, not erring toward impetuousness, feelings, private interests or relationships, or personal intentions, but rather practicing toward the most correct, most proper goal, one that is most worthy of people’s respect, admiration, and high regard—or, it can be said, practicing toward a goal that God sees as good and approves of. Is this not superior to “uprightness” as viewed by ordinary corrupt mankind? (Yes.) What does this uprightness mean? It is completely in accordance with the truth principles, entirely based on God’s words, and built upon the foundation of conscience. When a person understands the truth, they possess the ways and principles to solve problems and handle matters, so isn’t this person’s conscience quite perfect? Hasn’t it been optimized? (Yes.) Then shouldn’t a true person, a true created being, possess such a conscience? Shouldn’t they possess uprightness in this sense? (Yes.) A true person should possess uprightness in this sense that accords with the truth, instead of what people speak of—being resolutely upright and impartial, open and aboveboard, or “a real man hides nothing and always stands by his actions.” That is impetuousness, it has no actual content, and it is entirely feigned by people. Uprightness has the truth as its basis; there are actual lived-out practices to it. It means that a person with normal humanity has the truth as their source and starting point, and is able to treat and handle various matters according to God’s words—this is called uprightness. Kindness, even more so, goes without saying; at the very least, it surpasses the standard of conscience and reason. Within kindness, there is no hypocrisy, much less viciousness. It is acting entirely based on ways that are beneficial and edifying to people, and that simultaneously conform to God’s requirements; it is acting entirely based on the goal and criteria of fearing God and shunning evil, satisfying God, and following God’s way. This is the kindest, most wonderful thing under heaven, in the whole universe. A person who has God’s words or the truth as their life definitely has the kindest heart, because they are able to accept the truth, and this completely meets the standard God requires of people. Since they possess this kind of humanity, it is appropriate to say they are upright, and it is also appropriate to say they are kind. This is because they are able to accept and practice the truth, and they don’t go by their feelings or have ambitions or desires in the performance of their duty, and they do not harbor within them the poisons of traditional culture, and their standard for measuring morality and humanity is not adulterated by any of Satan’s philosophies, thoughts, or views—it completely conforms to the truth. So tell Me, isn’t the humanity that contains such conscience and reason already very optimized? (Yes.) Because this kind of person possesses the truth, and because the essence of the life they live out is the truth, their humanity that possesses such a life essence is perfect. If you don’t like hearing the word “perfect,” then I can also call it “optimized.” At the very least, in God’s eyes, they are optimized and are loved by God. God uses the little bit of awareness of conscience, reason, and sense of shame that people have to work His words and the truth into them. When the truth of God’s words is worked into you, not only are your conscience and reason not weakened or concealed, but instead they become more normal and optimized. Such is the mankind that God wants. Let’s not say perfect, let’s say optimized. Why not say perfect? If I say perfect, some people who lack spiritual understanding will say, “Didn’t You say not to be perfect people?” So I have to avoid this word, in case some people misunderstand. Actually, if something is optimized in God’s eyes, then among created mankind it can be said to be perfect. This perfection is not the perfection in people’s imaginings, but rather a beautiful and good thing, a force of justice, and also a positive thing, worthy of people’s praise, yearning, cherishing, respect, and treasuring. Therefore, if you want your conscience to not merely get stuck at not crossing the lowest boundary of humanity in your self-conduct, but want to make your conscience more sensitive, more aware, and make your reason meet God’s requirements, then you only have one path. This path is not overcoming the various flaws and defects of humanity, but pursuing the truth, putting effort into the various truths that God teaches people, and understanding what God’s required standards are for you when it comes to various people, events, and things, and how you should view, treat, and handle these people, events, and things. God has required principles and standards for all these aspects. What is your task? It is to practice toward this direction, this goal, according to these standards. First, seek and understand what the standards for practicing the truth are. Next, make demands of yourself according to the standards that God requires, while at the same time letting go of the various thoughts, views, rules, regulations, and so on in your notions and imaginings that do not conform to God’s words or the truth. Then, let God’s words little by little become your principles of practice. While learning to let go, don’t forget: The purpose of letting go is not to make you an empty-hearted person; God wants your life to have content. What does this content refer to? It refers to God’s required principles for various matters. Of course, God does not want people to turn the various principles of practice into empty theories, only talking about them but not putting them into practice. Instead, He hopes that people can firmly turn these truth principles into a part of their life, and bring God’s words into their real lives. Take doing a duty, for example—what standard does God require of people in this regard? It is for them to conduct themselves in a down-to-earth manner and according to their proper station. That is, in doing your duty, you must be down-to-earth, you must not be perfunctory or cursory, you must not go through the motions, or perform it for others to see, and you also must not show off; of course, what’s even more important is that you must act according to the truth principles. You should act in the way that God tells you to, and you should refrain from doing the things that God tells you not to do. If you cannot completely refrain from doing those things, then start with doing them less, rebel against your own desires and your own preferences, and gradually come to refrain from doing them entirely—isn’t this easy to achieve? (Yes.) In the process of pursuing salvation, you should resolve and let go of the various corrupt dispositions exposed by God’s words. Of course, letting go of these corrupt dispositions is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is, on the precondition of letting go of these corrupt dispositions, to accept God’s words and God’s requirements. Accepting them is not for the sake of changing your mood, nor is it for the sake of enabling you to live with dignity; it is for the sake of casting off your corrupt dispositions. This is the ultimate goal, as you can only attain salvation after you have cast off your corrupt dispositions.

The greatest obstacle for people to attain salvation is their corrupt dispositions. Your low education, old age, or clumsy manner of speaking and lack of ability to express yourself—none of these are the greatest obstacles to salvation. Your poor professional skills in your duty and your inability to get the hang of it—this is also not the greatest obstacle to your salvation. Then what is the greatest obstacle to salvation? It is your corrupt dispositions. Of course, the various corrupt dispositions of man that are exposed in God’s words aren’t easy for people to resolve. This is not because people are unwilling to let go of their corrupt dispositions, nor because their thoughts and views are outdated, and, of course, it is even more so not because of defects or flaws in their humanity, nor because people are numb, slow to react, and so on—none of these are the root of the problem. Then why is it? It’s simply because people’s corrupt dispositions have taken root in their hearts, people cannot cast them off just because they wish to, and so their corrupt dispositions often come out to cause disturbances and make trouble while they are doing their duties. For example, suppose you are a church leader, and you did something wrong and were pruned. In that case, you should accept it, admit you did something wrong, be willing to repent, and reverse that wrong approach and act according to the truth principles. This is a very simple matter, but you can’t do it. You ponder, “Was I pruned like this because they find me displeasing and want to dismiss me?” Complaints and misunderstandings arise in your heart, and you even try to argue with God, “Since You find me displeasing and want to dismiss and eliminate me, then okay, let’s get this straight. I started believing in God at eighteen, I’ve been a leader all these years, forsaking family and career, giving up marriage and family—how will these be accounted for?” The more you calculate, the more worked up you become. Is this merely being unable to let go? No. Why can’t you let go of these things? There is a root problem here. When you are pruned, you feel wronged, complain and feel defiant in your heart, and you also try to argue and justify yourself, and even ask others to stick up for you. Why do you act like this? (Because we have corrupt dispositions.) There is only one reason, one root cause: You have unresolved corrupt dispositions. Some of you will say, “Is it because my innate caliber and ability are insufficient and I can’t do the work?” It’s possible that, for some of you, this is one of the reasons; because of poor caliber you are incompetent for the work, and you also don’t understand the truth, so you do things that cause disruptions and disturbances. Is this really just because your caliber is poor? That’s only one aspect. The root problem is that there is an issue with your conscience. This issue with your conscience is directly related to your corrupt dispositions. You did things that caused disruptions and disturbances and were pruned—how should you approach this? How do you approach the matter of you being incompetent for the work? If you can practice the truth, these are not problems, and you can approach them correctly. But how do most people behave when they encounter these things? They try to argue, they complain, become negative, and they even speak impetuously, “Isn’t it just because you think my caliber is poor and I’m not capable? Didn’t God give me this caliber? Yet you complain that I can’t do the work! If you find me displeasing, you should have said so earlier!” If somewhat harsher words are used while they are pruned, they think, “Is my hope of gaining blessings gone? My status in this life is at risk, and perhaps I have no hope in the world to come either.” Do they have any intention of seeking the truth? Can they submit in their hearts? It’s not easy for them to submit. All these manifestations, in the final analysis, are because people have corrupt dispositions. Your caliber is poor and you are incompetent for the work—that is just one of humanity’s natural flaws or defects; that is not a problem. Even if your natural flaws and defects are great and you are incompetent for the work, God feels no distaste or detestation toward you at all. But, besides being incompetent for the work, you don’t recognize your own problems, and you also complain, feel resistant, and in the end become negative and abandon your work—what is this? This is corrupt dispositions. This is what you need to resolve. Right? (Yes.) After your corrupt dispositions are resolved, you will become fit for use in work that your caliber and the conditions of your humanity are competent for. But, if you don’t resolve your corrupt dispositions, and you cannot practice according to the truth, cannot submit to pruning, or submit to being exposed, then no matter how good your caliber, how superior the conditions of your humanity, you will not be fit for use. Understood? (Understood.) Tell Me, what was the point of what we fellowshipped on just now? (In believing in God, the most important thing is to know one’s own corrupt dispositions. The emphasis should be on resolving one’s corrupt dispositions, not outward defects or deficiencies of one’s humanity. When we encounter situations, we always get caught up in external matters, we are fundamentally unable to resolve essential problems, and we are also unable to achieve submission to pruning or submission to the environments God sets up.) If your corrupt dispositions are resolved, and in the matters you encounter, you can grasp the truth principles, and you know how to handle them according to the principles, then you will be fit for use in doing your duty. Regardless of whether your caliber is high or low and regardless of how much talent you have, if your corrupt dispositions are not resolved, then no matter what position you are placed in, you will not be fit for use. Conversely, if your caliber and abilities are limited, but you understand various truth principles, including the truth principles you should understand and grasp within the scope of your work, and your corrupt dispositions have been resolved, then you will be a person fit for use. Understood? You might need to digest these words for a while to fully understand them.

Currently, most people still rely on gifts and abide by regulations in doing their duty. As long as they don’t sin or do evil, they believe that they have fulfilled their duty. They don’t focus on pursuing the truth and reflecting on themselves to resolve their corrupt dispositions. Most people just get caught up and bogged down in approaches and behaviors, but don’t focus on seeking the truth and acting according to the principles. They are satisfied with just doing what they can, trying not to cause disruptions or disturbances, or to sabotage things, and that’s it. Most people haven’t yet encountered pruning or exposure, nor experienced chastisement and judgment, much less the stage of severe trials, so most people’s corrupt dispositions haven’t begun to change. This isn’t good news, but it is a fact. I’ll give an example, and then you’ll know what’s going on. You see, most people doing duties now are ordinary followers; they do not have status, and they have not got to the point where they’re performing an item of work while having status and power. The basic principle most people practice is to be obedient and submissive. They think that, in any case, the leaders are fellowshipping according to the Above’s work arrangements, so they just do what the leaders ask, in the way the leaders ask them to do it, and think that there is no need to discern right or wrong or to investigate whether it conforms to the truth, and that as long as they don’t make mistakes, it’s fine. Is this having the truth principles as one’s life? (No.) Then under what circumstances can it be ascertained if you have the truth as your life? It’s when you are chosen as a leader to do church work; this reveals people the most. Whether you have principles in handling matters and how much of your corrupt dispositions you reveal can prove whether you have the truth reality, and whether you are suitable to be a leader or worker. If you reveal corrupt dispositions, how should you treat this? Should you open yourself up and fellowship the truth, or conceal and disguise yourself? This is also when people are most revealed. Most people in the church are unable to view things according to the truth principles; instead, they view and comment on things according to their own notions and imaginings, and based on their preferences. Most people think, “As long as I don’t make major mistakes in my duty, and I keep the work moving along like this, that’s enough. If I make a major mistake and I’m isolated for self-reflection or moved to a B group, then that’s just my bad luck.” What does this situation illustrate? Although you are able to be obedient and submissive in the process of doing your duty, doing whatever is asked, this doesn’t mean you have the truth as your life, and it doesn’t mean you are a person who submits to God. When you are chosen as a leader and attain that status, you will be revealed. Why? Once you have status, you will do whatever you please, take charge of everything, assert complete dominance, and establish an independent kingdom; you will act based on impetuousness, based on your corrupt dispositions, and based on your own desires and ambitions. So, you are still not fit for use. Up to now, it can be said that ninety-nine percent of people are in this kind of state and condition. Although most people have done their duty for many years and outwardly have become relatively obedient and well-behaved, does this mean they no longer have corrupt dispositions? (No.) Their behavior is no longer dissolute, outwardly they are well-behaved, and they appear to have a bit of the decorum of a saint, but their corrupt dispositions haven’t changed in the slightest because they don’t actively seek the truth to resolve their own corrupt dispositions. When problems arise in their work, whether they are pruned by the leaders or the Above, at most they think, “Fine, if they tell me to correct it, I’ll correct it. I’ll just endure a bit more hardship, spend a bit more time, and hurry up and redo it.” They merely have this kind of attitude and mentality. This doesn’t represent submission to the truth, and it doesn’t represent true submission. Where does this mentality come from? It comes from the fact that, in their belief in God, people have a positive yearning, yearning to be good people, yearning to be up-to-standard created beings. This wish brings about this kind of mentality in people’s daily lives and in their performance of their duty; in human terms, it is: “Don’t cause trouble, let’s all behave.” What does “behave” refer to? Is this a truth principle? This just gets you to obey, abide by rules, and not cause trouble. This is the minimum requirement for people, and it falls short of being a truth principle. Then what is the truth principle? It is that you must actively seek God’s intentions. When you reveal corrupt dispositions, when you have selfish desires or reveal impetuousness, when corrupt dispositions cause a state to arise in you, you must actively compare these manifestations to God’s words. With God’s enlightenment, guidance, help, support, and even the stern judgment and chastisement of God’s words, little by little, you change your attitude toward God’s words, your degree of acceptance of God’s words gets higher and higher, and you increasingly acknowledge and say Amen to God’s words. Then you accept God’s words into yourself, let go of fallacious thoughts and views, and no longer hold onto the inheritance of man; you are able to accept the truth, and you are able to handle the people, events, and things around you, and change your perspective, stance, and viewpoint toward people, events, and things, according to God’s words and the truth principles. This is the path to resolving your corrupt dispositions. Then do you now have this kind of proactive practice? I think that ninety-nine percent of people do not. Most people’s experiential testimony articles are about experiencing an environment that forced them to act in a certain way and achieving “submission to God” in their actions. They feel quite pleased with themselves, thinking they have the truth reality. Although you wrote a testimony article, it is actually about boasting, testifying for yourself, and establishing yourself: “Look, I have a testimony. I didn’t let God down. I held fast to my duty in this environment!” Some other people’s experiential testimony articles are about how, after being pruned, they reflect and come to a realization, realizing that they were perfunctory and didn’t satisfy God, and are now willing to repent. Even though there is a period of showing repentance, where it seems they are no longer being perfunctory, have their corrupt dispositions changed? No. Behind the scenes, they are still so arrogant and overbearing. The standpoint, perspective, and viewpoints from which they view and deal with people and things are not based on God’s words at all. So their corrupt dispositions have not begun to change at all! So, what is the change you speak of? It is merely a change in behavior, lifestyle, and perhaps the tone, manner of expression, and style in which you interact with others and handle matters. Your faith has also strengthened; you are able to seek the truth after undergoing many instances of being pruned in various environments, and now understand many truths, and your resolve to follow God is firmer than before—these aspects have all changed. These changes make people more confident in gaining salvation, more willing to pursue the truth, and more hopeful and optimistic about following God. Whatever trials or tribulations come their way, they won’t become so negative that they abandon their faith. However, these are merely changes in what is outwardly lived out in normal humanity. These relatively positive and proactive thoughts and views gradually occupy people’s hearts. These changes are signs that their hearts are being awakened and revitalized. That is, people become more proactive and aspiring, and yearn more for positive things, becoming more confident in pursuing God’s words, His work, and His requirements. Naturally, they also have a clearer concept about the most important work God is doing—the work of saving people. Based on these conditions, many people do their duties in a more down-to-earth way, in a more rule-abiding manner, and more obediently than before. The efficiency of their duties improves, particularly in technical work, which progresses faster now. They are not as sluggish as they were before, when tasks that should take a few days would drag on for a week or more—now there are results in just a few days. Of course, this is good news. But what is the bad news? It is that what you reveal and exhibit are merely changes in behavior, thought, and mindset, and some signs of relatively positive, proactive, optimistic elements in your subconscious being awakened. However, these signs do not mean that your corrupt dispositions have begun to change. This news is not very good, is it? (No, it’s not.) Although it’s not very good, this is an inevitable process for corrupt humankind to achieve salvation. People are this pitiful and poor, this immature, and the speed of their life entry and casting off corrupt dispositions is this slow. The fundamental reason for this slow speed is that such a mankind lacks the faculty to accept the truth, and that they are this numb to the truth, positive things, and anything that comes from God.