32. How to understand and resolve the problem of the nature of betrayal
Words of Almighty God of the Last Days
Man’s nature is quite different from My essence, for man’s corrupt nature originates entirely from Satan; man’s nature has been processed and corrupted by Satan. That is, man lives under the influence of its evil and ugliness. Man does not grow in a world of truth or a holy environment, and still less does man live in the light. Therefore, it is not possible for anyone to possess truth within their nature from the moment of birth, and less can anyone be born with an essence that fears and submits to God. On the contrary, people are possessed of a nature that resists God, rebels against God, and has no love for the truth. This nature is the problem I want to discuss—betrayal.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)
Man’s nature comes from the soul, not from the flesh. Only the soul of each person knows how they have experienced Satan’s temptations, affliction, and corruption. These things are unknowable to the flesh of man. Therefore, mankind unwittingly becomes ever darker, ever filthier, and ever more evil, while the distance between man and Myself grows ever greater, and life becomes ever darker for mankind. Satan holds the souls of mankind in its grasp, so, of course, man’s flesh has also been occupied by Satan. How could such flesh and such a mankind not resist God? How could they be innately compatible with Him? The reason I cast Satan down into midair is because it betrayed Me. How could humans, then, be free of their involvement? This is why betrayal is human nature.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)
“Man has been so corrupted by Satan that he no longer has the appearance of man.” The majority of people now recognize this phrase to an extent. I say this because the “recognition” to which I refer is merely a kind of superficial acknowledgment, as opposed to true knowledge. As none of you can evaluate yourself accurately nor dissect yourself thoroughly, you remain equivocal about My words. But this time, I am using facts to explain a most serious problem that exists within you. That problem is betrayal. All of you are familiar with the word “betrayal,” because most people have done something that betrays another, such as a husband betraying his wife, a wife betraying her husband, a son betraying his father, a daughter betraying her mother, a slave betraying his master, friends betraying each other, relatives betraying each other, sellers betraying buyers, and so forth. All of these examples contain the essence of betrayal. In short, betrayal is a form of behavior that breaks a promise, violates moral principles, or acts counter to human ethics, demonstrating a loss of humanity. Generally speaking, as a human being who has been born into this world, you will have done something that constitutes violation of the truth, no matter if you remember having ever done something to betray another person, or if you have betrayed others many times before. Since you are capable of betraying your parents or friends, then you are capable of betraying others, and you are moreover capable of betraying Me and doing things I despise. In other words, betrayal is not a mere superficially immoral behavior, but something that conflicts with the truth. This is precisely the source of mankind’s resistance and rebellion against Me. This is why I have summarized it in the following statement: Betrayal is man’s nature, and this nature is the great enemy of each person’s accord with Me.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)
Behavior that cannot submit to Me absolutely is betrayal. Behavior that cannot be loyal to Me is betrayal. Cheating Me and using lies to deceive Me is betrayal. Harboring many notions and spreading them everywhere is betrayal. Being unable to uphold My testimonies and interests is betrayal. Offering false smiles when far from Me in heart is betrayal. These are all acts of betrayal of which you have always been capable, and they are commonplace among you. None of you may think of this as a problem, but that is not what I think. I cannot treat a person’s betrayal of Me as a trifling matter, and I certainly cannot ignore it. Now, when I am at work among you, you behave in this way—if the day comes when there is no one to watch over you, will you not be as bandits who have declared themselves kings of their own little mountains? When that happens and you cause a catastrophe, who will be there to clean up after you? You think some acts of betrayal are mere occasional incidents, not your persistent behavior, and do not merit being discussed with such severity, in a way that injures your pride. If you truly think so, then you lack sense. To think so is to be a specimen and archetype of rebellion. Man’s nature is his life; it is a principle on which he relies to survive, and he cannot change it. Take the nature of betrayal as an example. If you can do something to betray a relative or friend, it proves that it is part of your life and a nature with which you were born. This is something nobody can deny. For example, if a person enjoys stealing from others, then this enjoyment of stealing is a part of their life, though they may steal sometimes and not steal sometimes. Whether they steal or not, it cannot prove that their stealing is just a type of behavior. Rather, it proves that their stealing is a part of their life—that is, their nature. Some will ask: Since it is their nature, then why, when they see nice things, do they sometimes not steal them? The answer is very simple. There are many reasons they do not steal. They may not steal something because it is too large to snatch from under watchful eyes, or because there is no suitable time to act, or something is too expensive, guarded too tightly, or perhaps they have no particular interest in it, or cannot see what use it may have to them, and so forth. All of these reasons are possible. But no matter what, whether they steal something or not, it cannot prove that this thought only exists as a momentary, passing flash. On the contrary, it is a part of their nature that is hard to change for the better. Such a person is not satisfied with stealing just once; such thoughts of claiming others’ possessions as their own arise whenever they encounter something nice, or a suitable situation. This is why I say the origin of this thought is not something that is simply picked up every now and then, but is in this person’s own nature.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)
Anyone can use their own words and actions to represent their true countenance. This true countenance is, of course, their nature. If you are someone who speaks in a tortuous way, then you have a tortuous nature. If your nature is deceitful, then you act in a sly way, and you make it very easy for others to be tricked by you. If your nature is sinister, your words might be pleasant to hear, but your actions cannot conceal your sinister tricks. If your nature is lazy, then all you say is meant to shirk responsibility for your perfunctoriness and laziness, and your actions will be slow and perfunctory, and quite adept at concealing the truth. If your nature is empathetic, then your words will be reasonable, and your actions, too, will conform well with the truth. If your nature is loyal, then your words are certainly sincere and the way you act is grounded, free of anything that might make your master uneasy. If your nature is lustful or greedy for money, then your heart will often be filled by these things, and you will unwittingly commit deviant, immoral acts that people will not forget lightly and that will disgust people. Just as I have said, if you have a nature of betrayal, then you can hardly extricate yourself from it. Do not trust to luck that if you have not wronged others, then you do not have a nature of betrayal. If that is what you think then, truly, you are revolting. All My words, each time I speak, are targeted at all people, not just one person or one type of person. Just because you have not betrayed Me in one matter does not prove that you cannot betray Me in any matter. Some people, during setbacks in their marriage, lose their confidence in seeking the truth. Some people forsake their obligation to be loyal to Me during a family breakdown. Some people abandon Me to seek a moment of joy and excitement. Some people would rather fall into a dark ravine than live in the light and gain the delight of the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people ignore the advice of friends for the sake of satisfying their lust for wealth, and even now cannot acknowledge their mistake and change their course. Some people live only temporarily under My name in order to receive My protection, while others devote only a little to Me under duress because they cling to life and fear death. Are not these and other immoral actions, which are, moreover, without integrity, just behaviors with which people have long betrayed Me deep in their hearts? Of course, I know people do not plan in advance to betray Me; their betrayal is a natural revelation of their nature. Nobody wants to betray Me, and nobody is happy because they have done something to betray Me. On the contrary, they are trembling with fear, are they not? So, are you thinking of how to redeem these betrayals, and how to change the current situation?
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)
The root cause of betrayal is Satan, Satan’s nature is betrayal, and the disposition people reveal by the things they do is seen as betrayal by God. Why does God discuss this matter at such length? It is because human betrayal is constant, irrespective of place or time and, no matter how someone behaves, something deeply rooted in human nature opposes God. Some people say: “I don’t want to oppose or resist God!” But you will, as within you is a betraying nature, which means you cannot submit to God, cannot follow Him to the end, and cannot completely accept God’s words as your life. How should you understand the problem of betrayal? No matter how long you’ve believed in God, or how many of His words you’ve eaten and drunk, or how much understanding you have of Him—so long as your nature betrays God, and you haven’t accepted His words as your life, and you have no entry into the truth of His words, then your essence will forever betray God. That is to say, if your disposition hasn’t changed, you’re someone who betrays God. Some people say: “I can comprehend God’s words, and understand everything He says. I’m also willing to accept them, so how can I be called someone who betrays God?” Just because you’re willing to accept doesn’t mean that you’re able to live out God’s words, let alone that you’ve already been made complete by them. The truth of mankind’s betraying nature is deep, and if you want to understand this aspect of the truth, then you might need a period of experience. In God’s eyes, everything that every person who believes in God does is at odds with the truth, incompatible with God’s word, and hostile to Him. You might not be able to accept this either, and say: “We serve God, worship God, do our duty in God’s house. We’ve done so much, all according to God’s words and requirements, and in line with work arrangements. How can it be said that we resist and betray God? Why do You always knock our enthusiasm? We gave up our family and careers with huge difficulty, and were determined to follow God, so how can You speak about us like this?” The aim of speaking thus is to ensure that everyone understands: It’s not the case that someone who behaves quite well, or gives something up, or suffers some hardships, will change their betraying nature. No way! Suffering is necessary, as is doing your duty, but just because you can suffer, or do your duty, doesn’t mean that your corrupt disposition no longer exists. This is because there has been no real change in life disposition within anyone, and everyone is still far from satisfying God’s intentions and meeting His requirements. People’s belief in God is too adulterated, their corrupt dispositions revealed too much. Although many leaders or workers serve God, they also resist Him. What does this mean? It’s that they intentionally go against God’s words and don’t practice according to His desires. They intentionally violate the truth, insist on acting according to their own will, to achieve their own designs and aims, to betray God and establish their own independent kingdom, where what they say goes. This is the meaning of serving God but also resisting Him.
—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. The Path of Practice Toward Changing One’s Disposition
The common element within human nature is betrayal of God; every single person is capable of betraying God. What is betrayal of God? What are its manifestations? Is it only those who stop believing in God who betray Him? People must understand what man’s essence is, and grasp the root of it. Your temper tantrums, flaws, bad habits, or lack of upbringing are all superficial aspects. If you always cling to these trivial things, recklessly applying regulations and failing to grasp what is essential, leaving the things inherent in your nature and your corrupt disposition unresolved, you will ultimately still go astray and end up resisting God. People can betray God anytime and anywhere—this is a serious problem. Perhaps for a while, you might have a bit of a God-loving heart, enthusiastically expend yourself, and perform your duties with a bit of loyalty; or you might have perfectly normal reason and a conscience during this period, but people are unstable and fickle, capable of resisting and betraying God at any moment and anywhere due to a single incident. For example, someone could possess perfectly normal reason, have the work of the Holy Spirit, practical experience, a burden, and loyalty in performing their duty, but just when their faith is particularly strong, God’s house expels an antichrist whom they worship, and they start to have notions. They immediately become negative, lose their enthusiasm for their work, perform their duty perfunctorily, no longer wish to pray, and complain, “Why pray? If someone that good can be expelled, who can be saved? God shouldn’t treat people like this!” What is the nature of their words? Just one incident doesn’t align with their desires and they pass judgment on God. Isn’t this a manifestation of betraying God? People can stray from God anytime and anywhere; upon encountering some situation, they might conceive notions and judge and condemn God—isn’t this a manifestation of betraying God? This is a big deal. You might now think you don’t have any notions about God and can submit to Him, but if you do something wrong and suddenly face being sternly pruned, would you still be able to submit? Could you seek the truth for a resolution? If you cannot submit or seek the truth to resolve the problem of your rebelliousness, then there’s still a chance you could betray God. You may not have actually said “I no longer believe in God,” but your heart has already betrayed Him at that moment. You must see clearly what exactly human nature is. Is the essence of this nature betrayal? Very few are able to see man’s nature essence clearly. Of course, some people have a little conscience and relatively good humanity, while others have no humanity, but regardless of whether someone’s humanity is good or evil, or whether their caliber is good or poor, the common factor is that they can all betray God. Human nature is essentially that of betraying God. You used to think, “Since humans corrupted by Satan betray God by nature, there’s nothing I can do about it but change gradually.” Do you still think this way now? Then tell Me, can someone betray God without being corrupted? People can still betray God without being corrupted. When God created humans He gave them free will. Humans are particularly fragile; they do not possess the innate desire to draw close to God and say, “God is our Creator, and we are created beings.” There is no such concept in people. They naturally lack the truth, nor is there anything related to the worship of God within them. God gave humans free will, allowing them to think, but people don’t accept the truth, don’t know God at all, and don’t understand how to submit to and worship Him. These things do not exist in humans, so even without being corrupted you are still able to betray God. Why say you’re able to betray God? When Satan comes to tempt you, you follow Satan and betray God. You are created by God but do not follow Him, following Satan instead—doesn’t this make you a traitor? A traitor is by definition someone who betrays. Do you fully understand the essence of this? Therefore, people can betray God anytime and anywhere. People will only not betray God when they live completely in God’s kingdom and in His light, when all that is of Satan has been destroyed, and when there is no longer anything to tempt or entice them to sin. If there is still something which entices people to sin, then they will still be able to betray God. Humans, therefore, are worthless things. You might think that just because you can spout some words and doctrines that you understand some truths and cannot betray God, that you should at least be considered—if not as gold or silver—as bronze or iron, more valuable than earthenware, but you overestimate yourself. Do you know what humans really are? People can betray God anytime and anywhere, they are not worth a single penny; just as God said: Humans are beasts, worthless wretches. But in their hearts, people don’t think this way. They think, “I don’t think I’m a worthless wretch! Why can’t I see through this matter? How come I haven’t experienced it? My belief in God is sincere; I have faith, so I can’t betray God. God’s words are all truth, but I just can’t understand the phrase, ‘People can betray God anytime and anywhere.’ I’ve already seen God’s love; I could never betray Him at any time.” This is really what people think in their hearts, but God’s words are facts, they are not spoken out of thin air. Every matter is made evident to you, convincing you wholeheartedly; only in this way will you be able to recognize your corruption and resolve the problem of betrayal. In the kingdom, there will be no betrayal; when people live under God’s dominion and not under Satan’s control, they are truly free. Then, there will be no need to worry about betraying God; such concern would be unnecessary, superfluous. In the future, it can be declared that you no longer have anything within you that would betray God, but for now, this is not the case. Because people have corrupt dispositions, they can betray God anytime. It’s not that the presence of certain circumstances leads to betrayal, and without certain circumstances or coercion you won’t betray God—even without coercion, you can still betray Him. This is a problem of man’s corrupt essence, a problem of man’s nature. Even if you aren’t thinking or doing anything now, the reality of your nature truly does exist, and cannot be eradicated by anyone. Since you have the nature of betraying God within you; He is not in your heart; in the depths of your heart, there is no place for God and no presence of the truth; thus, you can betray God anytime and anywhere. Angels are different; while they don’t have God’s disposition or essence, they are able to completely submit to God because they were created by Him specifically for His service, to carry out His commands everywhere. They belong entirely to God. As for humans, God intended for them to live on the earth, not equipping them with the faculty to worship Him. Thus, humans can betray and resist God. This proves that humans can be used and contested by anyone; they have no sovereignty of their own. Humans are such beings, utterly devoid of dignity and worthless!
—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Part Three
The nature of betrayal within people is quite severe; it is something deeply ingrained. Why is it said that the nature of people is betrayal? What is included in this betrayal? It includes people’s preferences, notions, what people long for, what people focus on, and what people most desire in their hearts. From the essence of these things, it can be seen that the nature of people is indeed betrayal. How can this be seen? By looking at people’s attitude toward God, their attitude toward the truth, their pursuit of God, what they think about in their hearts, and what they demand from God, it is entirely possible to compare and see whether what they think about all day long aligns with God’s intentions. What do people think about during the twenty-four hours of the day, apart from the time spent eating and sleeping? When they have nothing else to do, they always ponder, “Look at how others are living so happily and comfortably. If I could live like that and still believe in God, it would be perfect! How wonderful it would be to have everything!” Some spend all day pondering, “If I could find a good partner like others do, one who doesn’t persecute my belief in God, and have a happy family, how great that would be!” And there are some people who see others with a good job and think, “If I was in their circumstances, working a good job, making a lot of money, wearing nice clothes, eating well, and still believing in God, how great that would be!” People always place belief in God as their last priority. Some people, when belief in God is mentioned, feel, “Believing in God like this now is somewhat lacking. Wouldn’t it be even better if I could enjoy life a bit more, eat better, dress better, and face no persecution? Why doesn’t God satisfy me in that way?” Why was it said before that what people hold in their hearts is all evil, all things that do not align with God’s intentions? People’s minds are filled with thoughts of eating, clothing, enjoyment, and entertainment. What do these things belong to? They belong to the world, they belong to devils.
—God’s Fellowship
After Satan corrupted man, man became an embodiment of Satan, and the sort of satanic thing that resists God and is entirely capable of betraying Him. Why does God require people to change their dispositions? Because God wants to perfect and gain people, and people who are finally made complete possess a lot of added realities of knowing God, and the realities of all aspects of the truth. People like this are completely in accordance with God’s intentions. In the past, people had corrupt dispositions, and would make a mistake or show resistance whenever they did something, but now people understand some truths, and can do many things that are in line with God’s intentions. However, this doesn’t mean that people don’t betray God. People still can do this. A part of what is revealed from their nature can be changed, and the part that can change is the part where people are able to practice in accordance with the truth. But just because you can now put the truth into practice doesn’t mean that your nature has changed. It is like how people used to always have notions about and demands of God, and now in many respects they don’t—but they might still have notions or demands in some matters, and are still able to betray God. You might say, “I can submit to whatever God does, and submit in many matters without complaint and without demands,” but you can still betray God in some matters. Although you don’t resist God on purpose, when you don’t understand His intentions you can still go against His desires. So, what is meant by the part that can change? It’s that when you understand God’s intentions, you can submit, and when you understand the truth, you can put it into practice. If you don’t understand the truth or God’s intentions in some matters, then there is still a possibility that you could reveal corruption. If you understand the truth, but do not put it into practice because you are constrained by certain things, then this is betrayal, and this is something in your nature. Of course, there is no limit to how much your disposition can change. The more truths you gain, that is, the deeper your knowledge of God becomes, the less you will resist and betray Him. Seeking to change one’s disposition is mainly achieved by pursuing the truth, and understanding one’s own nature essence is achieved through understanding the truth. When one truly gains the truth, all of their problems will be resolved.
—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. People Make Too Many Demands of God
God exposes man’s betraying nature so people can have a true understanding of this matter and of themselves. People can start to change and try to find paths of practice from this aspect, understanding in which things they can betray God and what corrupt dispositions they have that can lead to betraying God. Once you reach a point where you do not rebel against God in many aspects, and do not betray Him in most aspects, when you come to the end of your life’s journey, to the moment when God’s work is finished, you will no longer need to worry about whether you will betray God in the future. Why do I say this? Before people were corrupted by Satan, they could betray God when enticed by Satan. When Satan is destroyed, won’t people stop betraying God? That time has not yet come. People still have Satan’s corrupt disposition within them, able to betray God anytime and anywhere. Once you have experienced life to a certain stage, where you have discarded all those wrong views, notions, and imaginings about resisting and betraying God; you have understood the truth, with many positive things in your heart; you can control yourself and master your own actions; and you no longer betray God in most situations, then when Satan is destroyed, you will be completely changed. The current stage of work is to solve man’s betrayal and rebellion. Future mankind will not betray God because Satan will have been dealt with. There will no longer be the matter of Satan misleading and corrupting mankind; this matter will then be unrelated to mankind. Now, people are asked to understand man’s betraying nature, which is an issue of the utmost significance. This is where you should start from. What belongs to the nature of betraying God? What constitutes the revelations of betrayal? How should people reflect and understand? How should they practice and enter? All of this must be understood and seen clearly. So long as the nature of betrayal still exists within someone, they can betray God anytime and anywhere. Even if they don’t openly deny or sell out God, they can still do many things which people would not consider betrayal, but which in essence are. This means that people have no autonomy; Satan has occupied them first. If you could betray God without being corrupted, how much more can you do so now that you are full of Satan’s corrupt disposition? Aren’t you even more capable of betraying God anytime and anywhere? The current task is to get rid of those corrupt dispositions, reducing the things that make you betray God, giving you more chances to be perfected and accepted by God in His presence. As you experience more of God’s work in various matters, you’ll be able to gain some truths and be perfected to some extent. If Satan and demons still come to tempt you, or evil spirits come to mislead and disturb you, you’ll be able to execute some discernment, and thus act less in ways which betray God. This is something that is developed inside people over time. When humans were first created, they didn’t know to worship or submit to God, nor did they know what it was to betray Him. When Satan came to entice them, they followed it and betrayed God, becoming traitors, because they were unable to distinguish good and evil, and didn’t have the faculty to worship God—even less did they understand that God is the Creator of mankind, and how they should worship Him. Now, God saves people by working truths about knowing Him—including His essence, disposition, almightiness, practicality, and so on—into them so that they become their life, granting them autonomy and enabling them to live according to the truth. The deeper you experience God’s words and their judgment and chastisement, the deeper you’ll understand your own corrupt disposition, and this will give you the resolve to submit to, love, and satisfy God. The more you know God, then the more of your corrupt dispositions you can cast off, and within you there will be fewer things which betray God and more things which are compatible with Him, thus completely overcoming and triumphing over Satan. With the truth, people gain autonomy and are no longer misled or constrained by Satan, living a true human life.
—The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. Part Three
All souls corrupted by Satan are held thrall in Satan’s power. Only those who believe in Christ have been made separate, saved from Satan’s camp, and brought into today’s kingdom. These people no longer live under Satan’s influence. Even so, man’s nature is still rooted in man’s flesh, which is to say that even though your souls have been saved, your nature is still as it was before, and the chance that you will betray Me remains one hundred percent. This is why My work lasts so long, as your nature is intractable. Now, you are all undergoing hardships to the best of your ability as you do your duties, yet each of you is capable of betraying Me and returning to Satan’s power, to its camp, and going back to your old lives—this is an undeniable fact. At that time, it will not be possible for you to present a shred of humanity or human likeness, as you do now. In serious cases, you will be destroyed and, more than that, doomed eternally, punished severely, never to be reincarnated again. This is the problem laid before you. I am reminding you in this way, firstly, so that My work will not have been in vain, and secondly, so that you may all live in days of light. In truth, whether My work is in vain is not the crucial problem. What is crucial is that you are able to have happy lives and a wonderful future. My work is the work of saving people’s souls. If your soul falls into Satan’s hands, your body will not live in peace. If I am protecting your body, your soul will also surely be under My care. If I really loathe you, your body and soul will fall at once into Satan’s hands. Can you imagine your situation then? If, one day My words are lost on you, then I shall either hand you all over to Satan, which will subject you to excruciating torture until My anger has completely dissipated, or I shall personally punish you irredeemable humans, for your hearts that betray Me will have never changed.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)
You should all now look into yourselves as quickly as you can, to see how much betrayal of Me remains within you. I am eagerly awaiting your response. Do not be perfunctory in dealing with Me. I never play games with people. If I say I will do something then I will certainly do it. I hope each of you will be someone who takes My words seriously, and not think as if they were science fiction. What I want is concrete action from you, not your imaginings. Next, you must answer My questions, which are as follows:
1. If you are truly a service-doer, can you render service to Me loyally, without any element of perfunctoriness or negativity?
2. If you discover I have never appreciated you, will you still be able to stay and render lifelong service to Me?
3. If I am still very cold to you despite you having expended much effort, will you be able to continue working for Me in obscurity?
4. If, after you have made expenditures for Me, I do not satisfy your petty demands, will you become disheartened and disappointed with Me, or even become furious and shout abuse?
5. If you have always been very loyal, with much love for Me, yet you suffer the torment of illness, poverty, and the abandonment of your friends and relatives, or if you endure any other misfortunes in life, will your loyalty and love for Me still continue?
6. If none of what you have imagined in your heart matches what I have done, how will you walk your future path?
7. If you do not receive any of the things you hoped to receive, can you continue to be My follower?
8. If you have never understood the purpose and significance of My work, can you be a submissive person who does not arbitrarily make judgments and draw conclusions?
9. Can you treasure all the words I have said and all the work I have done while I have been together with mankind?
10. Are you able to be My loyal follower, willing to endure a lifetime of suffering for Me, though you do not receive anything?
11. For My sake, are you able to forgo considering, planning, or preparing for your future path of survival?
These questions represent My final requirements of you, and I hope all of you can give Me answers. If you have fulfilled one or two things these questions ask of you, then you must continue to strive. If you cannot accomplish a single one of these requirements, you are surely the type of person that will be cast into hell. To such people, I need not say anything more, for they are surely not people who can accord with Me. How could I keep someone in My home who could betray Me under any circumstance? As for those who could still betray Me in most circumstances, I will observe their performance before making other arrangements. However, all who are capable of betraying Me, no matter under what conditions, I will never forget; I will remember them in My heart, and await the opportunity to repay their evil deeds. The requirements I have raised are all problems you must examine in yourselves. I hope all of you can consider them seriously and not deal with Me perfunctorily. In the near future, I will check the answers you have given Me against My requirements. By that time, I will require nothing more from you and will not offer you more earnest admonition. Instead, I shall exercise My authority. Those who should be kept will be kept, those who should be rewarded will be rewarded, those who should be given over to Satan will be given over to Satan, those who should be punished severely will be punished severely, and those who should perish will be destroyed. Thus, there will no longer be anyone to disturb Me in My days. Do you believe My words? Do you believe in retribution? Do you believe that I will punish all those evil ones who deceive and betray Me? Do you hope for that day to come sooner or for it to come later? Are you someone who is terrified of punishment, or someone who would resist Me though they must endure punishment? When that day arrives, can you imagine whether you will live amidst cheers and laughter, or if you will weep and gnash your teeth? What kind of end do you hope to meet? Have you ever seriously considered whether you believe in Me one hundred percent or doubt Me one hundred percent? Have you ever carefully considered what kind of consequences and outcomes your actions and behavior will bring upon you? Do you truly hope all My words will be fulfilled in turn, or are you terrified My words will be fulfilled in turn? If you hope that I depart soon in order to fulfill My words, how should you treat your own words and actions? If you do not hope for My departure and do not hope for all My words to be fulfilled immediately, why do you believe in Me at all? Do you truly know why you are following Me? If your reason is merely to broaden your horizons, there is no need for you to trouble yourself so. If it is to be blessed and evade the coming disaster, why are you not concerned about your own conduct? Why do you not ask yourself whether you can satisfy My requirements? Why do you not also ask yourself whether you are qualified to receive the blessings to come?
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)