For those who are to be made perfect, this step of work of being conquered is indispensable; only once he has been conquered can man experience the work of being made perfect. There is no great value to only performing the role of being conquered, which will not render you fit for use by God. You will have no means of playing your part in spreading the gospel, for you do not pursue life, and do not pursue the changes and renewal of yourself, and so you have no actual experience of life. During this step-by-step work, you once acted as a service-doer, and a foil, but if ultimately you do not pursue to be Peter, and your pursuit is not according to the path by which Peter was made perfect, then, naturally, you will not experience changes in your disposition. If you are someone who pursues being made perfect, then you will have borne testimony, and you will say: “In this step-by-step work of God, I have accepted God’s work of chastisement and judgment, and though I have endured great suffering, I have come to know how God makes man perfect, I have gained the work done by God, I have had the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and His chastisement has saved me. His righteous disposition has come upon me, and brought me blessings and grace, and His judgment and chastisement has protected and purified me. If I had not been chastised and judged by God, and if the harsh words of God had not come upon me, I could not have known God, nor could I have been saved. Today I see that, as a creature, not only does one enjoy all things made by the Creator, but, more importantly, that all creatures should enjoy the righteous disposition of God, and enjoy His righteous judgment, because God’s disposition is worthy of man’s enjoyment. As a creature that has been corrupted by Satan, one should enjoy God’s righteous disposition. In His righteous disposition there is chastisement and judgment, and, moreover, there is great love. Although I am incapable of completely gaining God’s love today, I have had the good fortune to see it, and in this I have been blessed.” This is the path walked by those who experience being made perfect and the knowledge of which they speak. Such people are the same as Peter; they have the same experiences as Peter. Such people are also those who have gained life, and who possess the truth. If man experiences until the very end, during God’s judgment he will inevitably completely rid himself of the influence of Satan, and be gained by God.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment

Are You One Who Seeks to Be Perfected by God?

I

If you are one of the people striving to be made perfect, you’ll have borne testimony, and you are going to say: “Through each and every step of what God is doing, I have accepted this work of chastisement and judgment. Though I have suffered a lot, I have gained God’s own work, I have known His righteousness and how He makes man perfect. Righteous God’s disposition has come upon me, brought me blessings and grace. And His judgment has saved me, purified and protected me. By the harsh words of God, His chastisement and judgment, I am saved and I know Him.” That’s the path walked by those who are being made perfect, that’s the knowledge of which they speak. They’re people who’ve gained life, people who are like Peter, people who possess God’s truth. When they walk this path till the end, through chastisement and judgment, they’ll surely be cleansed, they’ll completely get rid of the influence of Satan, and they will be gained by God.

II

If you are one of the people striving to be made perfect, you’ll have borne testimony, and you are going to say: “Today I have seen, as a creature of God, we not only enjoy all things made by the Creator. But what’s much more important, beings that He created should enjoy God’s righteous disposition and judgment. Because God’s disposition is worthy of all man’s savoring, and corrupt creatures should relish His righteousness. There’s judgment and chastisement, there is also great love. Though I can’t fully gain God’s love, I’ve been blessed to see it.” That’s the path walked by those who are being made perfect, that’s the knowledge of which they speak. They’re people who’ve gained life, people who are like Peter, people who possess God’s truth. When they walk this path till the end, through chastisement and judgment, they’ll surely be cleansed, they’ll completely get rid of the influence of Satan, and they will be gained by God.

Adapted from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Experiences of Peter: His Knowledge of Chastisement and Judgment