I

Many who follow God are only concerned

with how to gain blessings or stave off disaster.

As soon as God’s work and management are mentioned,

they fall silent and lose all interest.

They think that understanding such tedious issues

will not help their lives to grow,

will not help their lives to grow or provide any benefit,

will not help their lives to grow or provide any benefit.

Consequently, although they have heard

about God’s management,

they treat it in a muddle-headed way.

They do not see it as something precious to be accepted,

much less do they comprehend it by taking it as part of their lives.

Such people only have one simple aim in following God,

and that aim is to receive blessings.

Such people cannot be bothered to pay heed to anything else

that does not directly involve this aim.

II

Man’s relationship with God is merely one of naked self-interest.

It’s a relationship between a receiver and a giver of blessings.

It’s akin to the relationship between employee and employer.

The employee works only to receive the rewards

bestowed by the employer.

There is no affection in such a relationship, only transaction.

There is no loving or being loved, only charity and mercy.

There is no understanding, only suppressed indignation and deception.

There is no intimacy, only an uncrossable chasm.

Now that things have gotten to this point,

who can reverse such a course?

Who can reverse such a course?

And how many people are capable of truly understanding

how dire this relationship has become?

When people immerse themselves in the joy of being blessed,

none can imagine how embarrassing and unsightly

such a relationship with God is,

how embarrassing and unsightly such a relationship with God is.

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 3: Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst God’s Management