God’s work and word are meant to cause a change in your disposition; His goal is not merely to make you understand or know His work and word. That is not enough. You are a person who has the ability to comprehend, so you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, because most of God’s word is written in human language, and He speaks very plainly. For instance, you are perfectly capable of learning what it is that God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a normal person who has the faculty of comprehension should be able to do. In particular, the words that God is saying in the present stage are especially clear and transparent, and God is pointing out many things that people have not considered, as well as all manner of human states. His words are all-encompassing, and as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues, but there is still something missing—people putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of the truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, rather than simply waiting to absorb whatever is made available to them; otherwise they become little more than parasites. They know God’s word, yet do not put it into practice. This kind of person does not love the truth and will ultimately be eliminated. To be like a Peter of the 1990s, this means that each one of you should practice the word of God, have true entry in your experiences and gain even more and even greater enlightenment in your cooperation with God, which will be of ever increasing assistance to your own life. If you have read a lot of God’s word but only understand the meaning of the text and lack direct knowledge of God’s word through your practical experiences, then you will not know God’s word. As far as you are concerned, God’s word is not life, but just lifeless letters. And if you only live in observance of lifeless letters, then you cannot grasp the essence of God’s word, nor will you understand His will. Only when you experience His word in your actual experiences will the spiritual meaning of God’s word open itself to you, and it is only through experience that you can grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths and unlock the mysteries of God’s word. If you do not put it into practice, then no matter how clear His word, all that you have grasped are empty letters and doctrines, which have become religious regulations to you. Is this not what the Pharisees did? If you practice and experience God’s word, it becomes practical to you; if you do not seek to practice it, then God’s word to you is little more than the legend of the third heaven. In fact, the process of believing in God is the process of you experiencing His word as well as being gained by Him, or to put it more clearly, to believe in God is to have the knowledge and understanding of His word and to experience and live out His word; such is the reality behind your belief in God. If you believe in God and hope for eternal life without seeking to practice the word of God as something you have within you, then you are foolish. This would be like going to a feast and only looking at the food and learning the delicious things by heart without actually tasting any of it. Would such a person not be a fool?

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice

I

God wants His work and word to bring a change in your disposition. His goal isn’t so you understand and have that be all. People must experience all the truth in detail, and explore and seek it in greater detail. If people know God’s word but don’t put it into practice, they do not love the truth and will be cast out in the end. To be a 90s Peter, you should practice God’s word, have true entry, gain greater enlightenment. This will help your life even more. The process of believing in God is the process of experiencing His words, being gained by Him. To believe is to know and understand His words, experience and live them. This is the faith’s reality.

II

If you’ve read a lot of God’s words but only know the text’s meaning, and have no first-hand experience, then you won’t know God’s word. To you His words are not life, but just lifeless letters. You will miss the essence, and will not know God’s will. Only when you experience His word in your life will the spiritual meaning open up to you. Only in experience can you grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths and unlock the mysteries of His word. If you don’t practice God’s word, no matter how clear it may be, all you’ll grasp is empty letters and doctrines, which will have become religious regulations. Isn’t that just what the Pharisees did? If you believe in God, hope for eternal life, but don’t practice God’s word, you are truly foolish. The process of believing in God is the process of experiencing His words, being gained by Him. To believe is to know and understand His words, experience and live them. This is the faith’s reality.

Adapted from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Once You Understand the Truth, You Should Put It Into Practice