Eastern Lightning-Kingdom Praise Musical Drama

Eastern Lightning-Kingdom Praise Musical Drama

菜單

Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts

Jul 3, 2018

God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II (Part Two)



During the same period as Abraham, God also destroyed a city. This city was called Sodom. Without doubt, many people are familiar with the story of Sodom, but none are acquainted with the thoughts of God that were background to His destruction of the city.
And so today, through God’s exchanges with Abraham below, we will learn of His thoughts at that time, while also learning of His disposition. Next, let us read the following passages of scripture.
B. God Must Destroy Sodom
(Gen 18:26) And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
(Gen 18:29) And he spoke to him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it.
(Gen 18:30) And he said to him, Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it.
(Gen 18:31) And he said, Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it.
(Gen 18:32) And he said, Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it.
Jehovah,Life,truth,Judgment,salvation

Mar 24, 2018

Movie Clip (1) - How Do We Treat Eastern Lightning in a Way That Accords With the Lord's Will?

When people testify that Eastern Lightning is the return of Lord Jesus, many believers feel that Eastern Lightning is the true way, and that they should proactively seek and investigate it to hear the Lord's voice. Pastors and elders of religion, however, misinterpret the Bible to resist and condemn Eastern Lightning. Under the banner of "protecting the way of the Lord, keeping the flock safe, and being responsible for the lives of believers," they prevent believers in every means from investigating the true way. Is Eastern Lightning really the return of the Lord, becoming manifest and doing work? How should we treat Eastern Lightning, so that we accord with the Lord's will?



Recommendation:

Hymns of the Church of Almighty God

New Gospel Movie | Is Life From the Bible or From God | "The Bible and God"

What is the consequence and the outcome of the religious world rejecting God’s work of judgment in the last days?


Mar 23, 2018

Someone asks: The Lord Jesus already redeemed mankind in the Age of Grace, and people’s sins that have been forgiven no longer count as sin. Why would God undertake judgment and cleansing work in the last days?

 truth,Judgment,God’s family,God’s will,Jesus

 Bible Verses for Reference:🕊🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑
 “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Lev 11:45).
 “… holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14)
 “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jhn 12:47-48).
 Classic Words of God:
grace,gospel,Bible,Holy Spirit,kingdom “Though man has been redeemed and forgiven of his sins, it is only considered as God not remembering the transgressions of man and not treating man in accordance with man’s transgressions. However, when man lives in the flesh and he has not been set free from sin, he can only continue to sin, endlessly revealing the corrupt satanic disposition. This is the life that man leads, an endless cycle of sin and forgiveness. The majority of men sin in the day only to confess in the evening. As such, even if the sin offering is forever effective for man, it would not be able to save man from sin. Only half the work of salvation has been completed, for man still has corrupt disposition. … it runs deeper than sin, planted by Satan and deeply rooted within man. It is not easy for man to become aware of his sins; man is unable to recognize his own deeply rooted nature. Only through judgment by the word can such effects be achieved. Only thus can man gradually be changed from that point onward.”
from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Mar 15, 2018

One must recognize the difference between the way of repentance in the Age of Grace and the way of eternal life in the last days.

The Church of Almighty God | One must recognize the difference between the way of repentance in the Age of Grace and the way of eternal life in the last days.


 Bible Verses for Reference:
 “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jhn 12:47-48).
 “Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Mat 7:21).
 Relevant Words of God:
 Though Jesus did much work among man, He only completed the redemption of all mankind and became man’s sin offering, and did not rid man of all his corrupt disposition. Fully saving man from the influence of Satan not only required Jesus to take on the sins of man as the sin offering, but also required God to do greater work to completely rid man of his disposition, which has been corrupted by Satan. And so, after man was forgiven his sins, God has returned to flesh to lead man into the new age, and begun the work of chastisement and judgment, and this work has brought man into a higher realm. All those who submit under His dominion shall enjoy higher truth and receive greater blessings. They shall truly live in the light, and shall gain the truth, the way, and the life.
from The books of the Church of Almighty God Appears in the Flesh "Preface" 

Mar 12, 2018

I know that Eastern Lightning is the true way, but if I accept Almighty God’s work of the last days I shall be subjected to rejection and slander by the brothers and sisters belonging to my previous denomination. I really don’t have the courage to face that, so what should I do?

  
  Bible Verses for Reference:

  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8).

  Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it (Mat 7:13-14).

  Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (Jhn 12:42-43).

Mar 10, 2018

Question 6: I acknowledge the words expressed by Almighty God as the truth, but my family have been confused by rumors disseminated by the CCP and by pastors, and they do all they can to obstruct me getting in touch with Christians from the Church of Almighty God. I don’t dare to investigate Almighty God’s work of the last days, but neither do I want to lose the chance to be raptured and saved by God. How should I solve this problem?

 Bible Verses for Reference:
 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8).
 A man’s enemies are the men of his own house (Mic 7:6).
 And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me (Mat 10:38).
 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven(Mat 5:10).
 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Rev 21:8).
 Relevant Words of God:
 Because God has become flesh, Satan has employed all sorts of methods of accusation, wanting to attack God this way. However, God does not retreat because of this—He just speaks and works among mankind and allows people to know Him through His incarnate flesh. Satan is red-eyed with fury and has put forth a great deal of effort on God’s people to make them negative, retreat, and even lose their way.
from “Interpretation of the Thirteenth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Mar 8, 2018

Question 4: Through seeking and investigating the words of Almighty God, we are certain that Almighty God is the appearance of the Lord. But after we decided to follow Almighty God, some unfortunate things and mishaps happened in our lives. We have read so little of God’s words and we still don’t understand the truth, so it is possible for our states to be disturbed which leads us to doubt God. How then should we experience these things when we encounter them?

Question 4: Through seeking and investigating the words of Almighty God, we are certain that Almighty God is the appearance of the Lord. But after we decided to follow Almighty God, some unfortunate things and mishaps happened in our lives. We have read so little of God’s words and we still don’t understand the truth, so it is possible for our states to be disturbed which leads us to doubt God. How then should we experience these things when we encounter them?


  Bible Verses for Reference:
  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8).

  And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God (Zec 13:9).

  Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him (Jas 1:12).

Mar 7, 2018

We believe in the Lord and we spread the gospel as the Lord requires. We frequently give financial aid to deprived areas or to help the disabled, we donate money and items to the church, we do well at our jobs and with our children’s education and we conduct ourselves well. This way, we have glorified the Lord and been approved by Him, and when the Lord returns we will be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven. Why then do we also have to experience God’s work of judgment in the last days?

Question 3: We believe in the Lord and we spread the gospel as the Lord requires. We frequently give financial aid to deprived areas or to help the disabled, we donate money and items to the church, we do well at our jobs and with our children’s education and we conduct ourselves well. This way, we have glorified the Lord and been approved by Him, and when the Lord returns we will be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven. Why then do we also have to experience God’s work of judgment in the last days?

  
   Bible Verses for Reference:
  Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity (Mat 7:21-23).

Mar 6, 2018

Question 1: Living abroad, we are quite busy with our work and with things at home and sometimes we don’t have time to read God’s words or attend meetings. I feel that this is not putting God first, however, and I feel in my heart that I owe God. I’d like to ask how we can find a better balance between our work, our families and seeking the truth?

Question 1: Living abroad, we are quite busy with our work and with things at home and sometimes we don’t have time to read God’s words or attend meetings. I feel that this is not putting God first, however, and I feel in my heart that I owe God. I’d like to ask how we can find a better balance between our work, our families and seeking the truth?


   Bible Verses for Reference:
  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mak 8:36-37).
  And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment (Luk 12:22-23).

Feb 27, 2018

God's word | What Attitude Do You Hold Toward the Thirteen Epistles

gospel,Bible,Holy Spirit,Jesus,Christ

The Church of Almighty God | God's wordWhat Attitude Do You Hold Toward the Thirteen Epistles


    The New Testament of the Bible contains the thirteen epistles of Paul. Over the time that he did his work, Paul wrote these thirteen letters to the churches in which Jesus Christ was worshiped. That is, Paul was raised up and wrote these letters after Jesus ascended to heaven. His letters are testimonies of the Lord Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven after His death, and they also spread the way of repentance and bearing the cross. Of course, all these messages and testimonies were meant to teach the brothers and sisters in various locations around Judea at that time, because back then, Paul was the Lord Jesus’ servant, and he had been raised up to bear witness to the Lord Jesus. During each period of the Holy Spirit’s work, various people are raised up to perform His different work, that is, to do the work of the apostles in order to continue the work that God completes Himself. If the Holy Spirit did it directly, and no people were raised up, then it would be very difficult for the work to be carried out. As such, Paul became one who was struck down while on the road to Damascus, and who then was raised up to be a witness for the Lord Jesus. He was an apostle apart from Jesus’ twelve disciples. In addition to spreading the gospel, he also undertook the work of shepherding for the churches at various locations, which involved looking after the brothers and sisters of the churches—in other words, leading the brothers and sisters in the Lord. Paul’s testimony was to make known the fact of the Lord Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven, as well as to teach people to repent, confess, and walk the way of the cross. He was one of Jesus Christ’s witnesses of that time.

Feb 20, 2018

The Testimony of a Christian | I Have Found True Happiness

The Church of Almighty God | The Church of Almighty God | I Have Found True Happiness

Zhang Hua, Cambodia
I was born into an ordinary farming family. Even though my family was not wealthy, my father and mother loved each other and treated me very well. Our family life was quite abundant and blessed. After I grew up, I told myself: I must find a husband that will treat me well and I must establish a blissful and happy family. This is what is most important. I do not seek riches, I only need to have a loving relationship with my husband and a peaceful family life.

Feb 8, 2018

Christian Video | Chronicles of Religious Persecution in China | "To the Brink and Back"


Christian Video | Chronicles of Religious Persecution in China | "To the Brink and Back" | The Church of Almighty God


Since it came to power in mainland China in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has been relentless in its persecution of religious faith. It has frantically arrested and murdered Christians, expelled and abused missionaries operating in China, confiscated and destroyed countless copies of the Bible, sealed up and demolished church buildings, and vainly attempted to eradicate all house churches.

Jan 27, 2018

Breaking Through Satan’s Tight Encirclement (Part 1)

The Church of Almighty God | Breaking Through Satan’s Tight Encirclement (Part 1)

Zhao Gang
It was bitterly cold this past November in Northeast China, none of the snow that fell to the ground melted away, and many people who walked outside were so cold that they stuffed their hands into their armpits and walked along cautiously, bodies bent over. The other day in the early morning the winds were blowing from the northwest, when I, my brother-in-law and his wife and about a dozen brothers and sisters were sitting in my home on the warm kang (a heatable brick bed). Everyone had a copy of the Bible beside them and in their hands everyone was holding a copy of the book Judgment Begins With the House of God. Two sisters from The Church of Almighty God were fellowshiping on the truth concerning God’s three stages of work. The two sisters were drawing pictures of the three stages of work as they fellowshiped: “God’s work for the salvation of mankind can be divided into three stages, from the Age of Law to the Age of Grace and then to the Age of Kingdom. Each stage of work is newer and more improved and also more profound than the previous stage. The work done in the last days is the final stage of work, in which God expresses words to judge and cleanse man….” We nodded our heads as we listened, and our minds felt especially clear: Who would’ve thought that God’s management plan for the salvation of mankind would have so many mysteries! Besides God Himself, who else could speak of the mysteries of these three stages of God’s work so clearly? This truly is the work of God! We fellowshiped into the evening of the following day, and our whole group expressed a willingness to seek out and look into Almighty God’s work of the last days.

Jan 5, 2018

The Church of Almighty God | After Listening with My Heart, I Have Welcomed the Lord’s Return

The Church of Almighty God | After Listening with My Heart, I Have Welcomed the Lord’s Return


Max, United States
In 1994, I was born in the United States. My parents are both Chinese. My mother was the classic example of a successful career woman. She is able to think for herself and is very competent. I love my mother very much. When I was in Grade 2, my parents brought me back to China to study so that I would be able to learn Chinese. It was also at that time that I started to get acquainted with the Lord Jesus. I remember one day in 2004, after I got home from school, there was a guest at our house. My mother introduced her and told me that she was a pastor from the United States. I was very happy because that was when I found out that my mother had believed in the Lord Jesus for some time. Before, she did not believe. Every Chinese New Year, she would burn incense and worship Buddha. However, after my mother started to believe in the Lord Jesus, I no longer had to smell the whiff of burnt Joss paper and incense. That day, the American pastor told me a story about the Lord Jesus. Soon after, I was brought to the bathroom and before I could react, “plop,” the pastor had dunked my head into the bathtub and after a moment, pulled my head out. All I heard was my mother and the pastor telling me, “Welcome to the embrace of the Lord Jesus. We are all lost sheep.” In this way, I started a new life journey before I knew it. However, because the Lord was with me, my heart was very happy. Afterward, each Sunday, I would go to church to worship and listen to the pastor talk about Bible stories and read from the scriptures. I was very happy all along. My heart was steadfast and I felt that believing in the Lord Jesus was truly a good thing.

Jan 2, 2018

The Church of Almighty God | Why is it only through experiencing and obeying the work of God incarnate that one can know God?

The Church of Almighty God | Why is it only through experiencing and obeying the work of God incarnate that one can know God?

Bible Verses for Reference:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jhn 1:14).
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from now on you know him, and have seen him” (Jhn 14:6-7).
I am in the Father, and the Father in me …” (Jhn 14:10).
I and my Father are one” (Jhn 10:30).

How does God incarnating to do the work of judgment bring to an end mankind’s belief in the vague God and the dark age of Satan’s dominion?

How does God incarnating to do the work of judgment bring to an end mankind’s belief in the vague God and the dark age of Satan’s dominion?

Bible Verses for Reference:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come you, and let us walk in the light of the LORD” (Isa 2:2-5).

Dec 31, 2017

The Church of Almighty God | How to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life?

The Church of Almighty God | How to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life?


Bible Verses for Reference:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (Jhn 1:1-2).
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jhn 1:14).
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me” (Jhn 14:6).
The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jhn 6:63).
Relevant Words of God:
The truth comes from the world of man, yet the truth among man is passed on by Christ. It originates from Christ, that is, from God Himself, and is unattainable by man.
from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Dec 29, 2017

Why is it said that corrupt mankind is more in need of the salvation of God become flesh?

The Church of Almighty God | The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven

Corrupt Mankind Is More in Need of the Salvation of God Become Flesh
God became flesh because the object of His work is not the spirit of Satan, or any incorporeal thing, but man, who is of the flesh and has been corrupted by Satan. It is precisely because the flesh of man has been corrupted that God has made fleshly man the object of His work; moreover, because man is the object of corruption, He has made man the only object of His work throughout all the stages of His salvation work. Man is a mortal being, is of flesh and blood, and God is the only One who can save man. In this way, God must become a flesh that possesses the same attributes as man in order to do His work, so that His work might achieve better effects. God must become flesh to do His work precisely because man is of the flesh, and incapable of overcoming sin or divesting himself of the flesh. Though the substance and identity of God incarnate differ greatly from the substance and identity of man, yet His appearance is identical to that of man, He has the appearance of a normal person, and leads the life of a normal person, and those who see Him can discern no difference to a normal person. This normal appearance and normal humanity are sufficient for Him to do His divine work in normal humanity. His flesh allows Him to do His work in normal humanity, and helps Him do His work among man, and His normal humanity, moreover, helps Him carry out the work of salvation among man. Although His normal humanity has caused much tumult among man, such tumult has not impacted the normal effects of His work. In short, the work of His normal flesh is of supreme benefit to man. Though most people do not accept His normal humanity, His work can still be effective, and these effects are achieved thanks to His normal humanity. Of this there is no doubt. From His work in the flesh, man gains ten times or dozens of times more things than the conceptions that exist among man about His normal humanity, and such conceptions shall all ultimately be swallowed by His work. And the effect that His work has achieved, which is to say, the knowledge that man has toward Him, far outnumbers man’s conceptions about Him. There is no way to imagine or measure the work He does in the flesh, for His flesh is unlike that of any fleshly man; although the outer shell is identical, the substance is not the same. His flesh produces many conceptions among man about God, yet His flesh can also allow man to acquire much knowledge, and can even conquer any man possessed of a similar outer shell. For He is not merely a man, but is God with the outer shell of a man, and none can completely fathom or understand Him. An invisible and intangible God is loved and welcomed by all. If God is just a Spirit that is invisible to man, it is so easy for man to believe in God. Man can give free rein to his imagination, can choose whatever image he likes as God’s image to please himself and make himself feel happy. In this way, man may do whatever is most pleasing to his own God, and that which this God is most willing to do, without any scruples. What’s more, man believes that no one is more loyal and devout than he toward God, and that all others are Gentile dogs, and disloyal to God. It can be said that this is what is sought by those whose belief in God is vague and based on doctrine; what they seek is all much the same, with little variation. It is merely that the images of God in their imaginations are different, yet their substance is actually the same.

Dec 28, 2017

What are the essential differences between the incarnate God and those people who are used by God?


The Church of Almighty GodThe Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven




Bible Verses for Reference:
“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Mat 3:11).
Relevant Words of God:
Christ is the flesh donned by the Spirit of God. This flesh is unlike any man that is of the flesh. This difference is because Christ is not of flesh and blood but is the incarnation of the Spirit. He has both a normal humanity and a complete divinity. His divinity is not possessed by any man. His normal humanity sustains all His normal activities in the flesh, while His divinity carries out the work of God Himself. Be it His humanity or divinity, both submit to the will of the heavenly Father. The substance of Christ is the Spirit, that is, the divinity. Therefore, His substance is that of God Himself; this substance will not interrupt His own work, and He could not possibly do anything that destroys His own work, nor would He ever utter any words that go against His own will. …

Why does God not use man to do His work of judgment in the last days but instead He must incarnate and do it Himself?

Why does God not use man to do His work of judgment in the last days but instead He must incarnate and do it Himself?

Bible Verses for Reference:
For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (Jhn 5:22).
And has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (Jhn 5:27).
Relevant Words of God:
The work of God’s entire management plan is personally done by God Himself. The first stage—the creation of the world—was personally done by God Himself, and if it had not been, then no one would have been capable of creating mankind; the second stage was the redemption of all mankind, and it was also personally done by God Himself; the third stage goes without saying: There is an even greater need for the end of all God’s work to be done by God Himself. The work of redeeming, conquering, gaining, and perfecting the whole of mankind is all personally carried out by God Himself. If He did not personally do this work, then His identity could not be represented by man, or His work done by man. In order to defeat Satan, in order to gain mankind, and in order to give man a normal life on earth, He personally leads man and personally works among man; for the sake of His entire management plan, and for all of His work, He must personally do this work. If man only believes that God came to be seen by him and make him happy, then such beliefs hold no value, they have no significance. Man’s knowledge is too superficial! Only by carrying it out Himself can God do this work thoroughly and completely. Man is incapable of doing it on behalf of God. As he does not have God’s identity or His substance, he is incapable of doing His work, and even if man did, it would not have any effect. The first time God became flesh was for the sake of redemption, to redeem all mankind from sin, to make man capable of being cleansed and of being forgiven for his sins. The work of conquest is also personally done by God among man. If, during this stage, God were only to speak prophecy, then a prophet or someone gifted could be found to take His place; if only prophecy were spoken, man could stand in for God. Yet if man were to personally do the work of God Himself and were to work the life of man, it would be impossible for him to do this work. It must be personally done by God Himself: God must personally become flesh to do this work. In the Age of Word, if only prophecy were spoken, then Isaiah or Elijah the prophet could be found to do this work, and there would be no need for God Himself to do it personally. Because the work done in this stage is not merely the speaking of prophecy, and because it is of greater importance that the work of words is used to conquer man and defeat Satan, this work cannot be done by man, and must be personally done by God Himself. In the Age of Law Jehovah did part of God’s work, after which He spoke some words and did some work through the prophets. That is because man could stand in for the work of Jehovah, and the seers could foretell things and interpret some dreams on His behalf. The work done in the beginning was not the work of directly changing man’s disposition, and was unrelated to the sin of man, and man was required only to abide by the law. So Jehovah did not become flesh and reveal Himself to man; instead He spoke directly to Moses and others, made them speak and work on His behalf, and caused them to work directly among mankind. The first stage of God’s work was the leadership of man. It was the start of the battle with Satan, but this battle had yet to officially begin. The official war with Satan began with the first incarnation of God, and it has continued right up until today. The first instance of this war was when God incarnate was nailed to the cross. The crucifixion of God incarnate defeated Satan, and it was the first successful stage in the war. When God incarnate begins to directly work the life of man, this is the official start of the work of regaining man, and because this is the work of changing man’s old disposition, it is the work of doing battle with Satan. The stage of work done by Jehovah in the beginning was merely the leadership of man’s life on earth. It was the beginning of God’s work, and although it had yet to involve any battle, or any major work, it laid the foundation for the work of the battle to come. Later, the second stage of work during the Age of Grace involved changing man’s old disposition, which means that God Himself wrought the life of man. This had to be personally done by God: It required that God personally become flesh, and if He had not become flesh, no one else could have replaced Him in this stage of work, for it represented the work of fighting directly against Satan. If man had done this work on God’s behalf, when man stood before Satan, Satan would not have submitted and it would have been impossible to defeat it. It had to be God incarnate who came to defeat it, for the substance of God incarnate is still God, He is still the life of man, and He is still the Creator; whatever happens, His identity and substance will not change. And so, He put on the flesh and did the work to cause the complete submission of Satan. During the stage of work of the last days, if man were to do this work and were made to speak the words directly, then he would be unable to speak them, and if prophecy were spoken, then it would be incapable of conquering man. By assuming the flesh, God comes to defeat Satan and cause its complete submission. He utterly defeats Satan, fully conquers man, and completely gains man, after which this stage of work is completed, and success achieved. In God’s management, man cannot stand in for God. In particular, the work of leading the age and launching new work is in even greater need of being personally done by God Himself. Giving man revelation and providing him with prophecy can be done by man, but if it is work that must be personally done by God, work of the battle between God Himself and Satan, then this work cannot be done by man. During the first stage of work, when there was no battle with Satan, Jehovah personally led the people of Israel using the prophecy spoken by the prophets. Afterward, the second stage of work was the battle with Satan, and God Himself personally became flesh, coming into the flesh, to do this work. Anything that involves the battle with Satan also involves the incarnation of God, which means that this battle cannot be waged by man. If man were to do battle, he would be incapable of defeating Satan. How could he have the strength to fight against it whilst still under its domain? Man is in the middle: If you lean toward Satan you belong to Satan, but if you satisfy God you belong to God. Were man to stand in for God in the work of this battle, would he be able to? If he did, would he not have perished long ago? Would he not have entered into the netherworld long ago? And so, man is unable to replace God in His work, which is to say that man does not have the substance of God, and if you did battle with Satan you would be incapable of defeating it. Man can only do some work; he can win some people over, but he cannot stand in for God in the work of God Himself. How could man do battle with Satan? Satan would take you captive before you’d even started. Only God Himself can do battle with Satan, and upon this basis man can follow God and obey Him. Only in this way can man be gained by God and escape from the bonds of Satan. What man can achieve with his own wisdom, authority and abilities is too limited; he is incapable of making man complete, of leading him, and, moreover, of defeating Satan. Man’s intelligence and wisdom are unable to thwart the schemes of Satan, so how could man do battle with it?
from “Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh