Each of God’s words strikes at our mortal spot, and leaves us sorrowful and afraid. He reveals our notions, reveals our imaginations, and reveals our corrupt disposition. Through all that we say and do, and every one of our thoughts and ideas, our nature and substance are revealed by His words, leaving us humiliated and trembling with fear. He tells us of all of our actions, our aims and intentions, and even the corrupt disposition that we have never discovered, making us feel we are thoroughly exposed, and even more feel completely convinced. He judges us for our opposition to Him, chastises us for our blasphemy and condemnation of Him, and makes us feel that in His eyes we are worthless, and we are the living Satan. Our hopes are dashed, we no longer dare to make any unreasonable demands and attempts upon Him, and even our dreams vanish overnight. This is a fact that none of us can imagine, and which none of us can accept. For a moment, our minds become unbalanced, and we do not know how to continue on the road ahead, do not know how to continue in our beliefs. It seems like our faith has gone back to square one, and that we have never met and been acquainted with the Lord Jesus. Everything before our eyes perplexes us, and makes us feel as if we have been cast adrift. We are dismayed, we are disappointed, and deep in our hearts there is insuppressible anger and disgrace. We try to vent, try to find a way out, and, what’s more, we attempt to continue waiting for our Savior Jesus, and pour our hearts out to Him. Though there are times when we are neither haughty nor humble on the outside, in our hearts we are afflicted with a sense of loss like never before. Though sometimes we may seem unusually calm on the outside, inside we endure rolling seas of torment. His judgment and chastisement have stripped us of all our hopes and dreams, have left us without our extravagant desires, and unwilling to believe that He is our Savior and capable of saving us. His judgment and chastisement have opened up a deep gulf between us and Him and no one is even willing to cross. His judgment and chastisement are the first time that we suffer such a great setback and such great humiliation. His judgment and chastisement have allowed us to truly appreciate God’s honor and intolerance of man’s offense, compared to which we are so lowly and impure. His judgment and chastisement have made us realize for the first time how arrogant and pompous we are, and how man will never be the equal of God, or on a par with God. His judgment and chastisement have made us yearn to no longer live in such a corrupt disposition, and have made us long to rid ourselves of such nature and substance as soon as possible, and no longer be detested by Him and disgusting to Him. His judgment and chastisement have made us happy to obey His words, and no longer willing to rebel against His orchestrations and arrangements. His judgment and chastisement have once more given us the desire to seek life, and have made us happy to accept Him as our Savior…. We have walked out of the work of conquest, stepped out of hell, stepped out of the valley of the shadow of death…. Almighty God has gained us, this group of people! He has triumphed over Satan, and defeated all of His enemies!

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 4: Beholding the Appearance of God in His Judgment and Chastisement

I

Each one of God’s words hits our mortal spot, and it leaves us sorrowful and afraid. He reveals our imaginings and notions, He reveals our corrupt dispositions. In all we say and do, our thoughts and ideas, His words reveal our nature and substance, leaving us trembling with fear and ashamed, leaving us unable to show our face. Plain folk with corrupt and satanic disposition, we’re the ones God predestined before the ages, we’re the needy He has lifted from the dunghill. We denied and condemned God, yet now, conquered by Him. We’ve received life and eternal life’s way. No matter where we are, and come what may, we can’t leave Almighty God’s salvation. He’s our Creator and only redemption.

II

He tells us all of our actions and our aims. He tells us all about our intentions and corrupt dispositions that we didn’t know. And we feel exposed, fully convinced now. He judges us for opposing Him, chastises our blaspheming, condemning Him. He makes us feel so worthless in His eyes, we are like living Satan in His eyes. Plain folk with corrupt and satanic disposition, we’re the ones God predestined before the ages, we’re the needy He has lifted from the dunghill. We denied and condemned God, yet now, conquered by Him. We’ve received life and eternal life’s way. No matter where we are, and come what may, we can’t leave Almighty God’s salvation. He’s our Creator and only redemption.

III

God’s love extends forth like a water spring, and it is given to you and me, to all who seek the truth and are sincere, who long for and wait for, for God to appear, for God to appear. As the moon follows the sun, God keeps working. His work’s carried out on you and me and him, and him, and those who choose to follow His footsteps and accept His judgment and chastisement. We’ve received life and eternal life’s way. No matter where we are, and come what may, we can’t leave Almighty God’s salvation. He’s our Creator and only redemption. He’s our Creator and only redemption. He’s our Creator and only redemption.

Adapted from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 4: Beholding the Appearance of God in His Judgment and Chastisement