I

You all wish to be rewarded before God and favored by God;

everyone hopes for such things when they start believing in God,

for everyone is preoccupied with the pursuit of higher things,

and no one wants to fall behind others.

This is just how people are.

Precisely for this reason, many among you are constantly

trying to curry favor with the God in heaven,

yet in truth, your loyalty and candor toward God

are far less than your loyalty and candor to yourselves.

II

Outwardly, you all appear highly obedient to this Christ on earth,

yet in essence, you don’t have faith in Him or love Him.

The one you truly believe in is that vague God of your feelings,

and the one you truly love is the God you yearn for night and day,

yet have never seen in person.

Toward this Christ, your faith is but fractional,

and your love is nothing, your love is nothing.

Faith means belief and trust;

love means adoration and admiration in one’s heart, never parting.

Yet your faith in and love of the Christ of today

fall far short of this, fall far short of this.

III

When it comes to faith, how do you have faith in Him?

When it comes to love, in what way do you love Him?

You have simply no understanding of His disposition,

still less do you know His essence, so how do you have faith in Him?

Where is the reality of your faith in Him?

How do you love Him?

Where is the reality of your love for Him?

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. How to Know the God on Earth