The Church of Almighty God | God's voice | Chapter 15. Moving From Extremism to Seeking to Be a Survivor
1. People’s Move to Extremism
What have you all been seeking lately? Has it been a change of disposition and bearing witness for God? It has not! I see many people again seeking to die for God in order to shame old Satan. Are you only waiting to be punished rather than planning to carry out truth or seek change of disposition, to return God’s love? After reading “Betrayal (1)” and “Betrayal (2),” people had plans to die. They all believed that the ultimate goal of the work of God was to have people die to humiliate Satan. People therefore did not expect to gain anything for themselves, and they did not seek in a positive way, nor did they have the will to suffer. Isn’t this kind of pursuit a move into extremism? The purpose of the work and words of God is that people might enter deeper and better into truth, and into change of disposition. The intention is not to have people die, and it is not to punish people after they show their true colors. It is only so that people all ponder some key questions a little more, so that they may see more clearly their own condition, and enter more quickly after they have understood the demands of God. If all people were to die and be punished, then what would the work of God really be for? And what would the outcome of saving people be? If the purpose of God’s work were to have people die, would there be anyone confident to seek change of disposition? Would this not be leading people to an impasse? At that time people would all think: “I will be punished anyway, I will just make do and get by, with no need to be concerned about anything. However I act, I am going to die. I am going to be punished. What is the use of seeking truth?” They would not have much confidence. People have many difficulties even when being led from a positive side. To have people seek change of disposition and die anyway, not even one person would be saved because this is itself a contradiction. Testifying for God cannot be done from the negative side; it must be done from the positive side. Only in this way will people have the strength. As the stature of people is quite low, they do not see clearly how to enter in from a positive side. Further hypothesizing the negative side, they are then confused about the positive side, and give it up. If you say: “If we are to be punished later, then in what way should we practice now, how should we love God?” can people make this saying work? If you further say, “Be a good witness for God,” everyone will feebly say, “If you say so!” With this kind of communication people are all just waiting to receive punishment. No one will think of things like loving God or practicing truth, or of being God’s witness. Could a human race such as this be saved?
2. To Be a Survivor Is What People Should Be Seeking
At the beginning, this group of people sought to be kings and wield power. When at the end, God came to do His work and said that people were all service-doers, they plunged into this not to come out. Even if offered blessings, they don’t want them. They don’t believe in their being turned into God’s people. They also don’t believe when told they are not service-doers. Is this not two extremes? People always love to go to extremes. Let us not bring up what has gone before. We can say that it is only the necessary course of change of disposition, with no need to inquire into it further. Now you must ponder: “What is the most basic plan that people should have? What is the best way to repay God?” I will direct you to a way, one that ensures that you will all have a path to follow. That is to seek to be a survivor. No matter what position or status you will have later, only be concerned with what you should do, as you seek to survive. This is something that people should seek; it is proper. It is not an extravagant desire, because the human beings that survive will certainly be good people. They will certainly bear good witnesses for God, and will certainly satisfy His will. To seek to survive is therefore not an extravagant wish, rather it is something that people should seek. This is in agreement with God’s work of saving people. If you are preparing to be punished, then you are necessarily a bad person. How could a bad person be a witness for God? All people who receive punishment are people who do not love God. How could people who love God go to hell? Would it not be idle chatter for people who go to hell and are punished to talk of being God’s witness? If all people were to go to hell, God’s work would be meaningless. If all people were to die, God’s work would be even more meaningless, because the “product” of God’s work would all die. What a great joke that would be! Is it not true that this hypothesis does not stand? Is it not a big contradiction? You should therefore all make the most basic possible plan, to survive afterward, whether as a service-doer, as one of God’s people, as one of God’s sons, or as someone of high status. All you need to think about is what you need to do, so that with God’s approval you survive, because God hopes to have more people survive. Does this not make your seeking simpler? To have you seek in this way, I bet you will not worry any more about how to bear witness for God after death! Finally, you ought to understand: A normal pursuit is not an extravagant wish. In their belief in God, people should not have extravagant wishes. What they should have is normal pursuits.
From Records of Christ’s Talks
Recommendation：
Gospel Is Being Spread!
Expression of Almighty God
Understanding the Eastern Lightning
