Eastern Lightning | How to Know God’s Disposition and the Result of His Work（part3）
And then there is a type of person who is the most tragic, a type that I most don’t wish to talk about. What type of person is this? I say they are tragic not because God punishes them or because God makes harsh demands of them and they come to a tragic end. That’s not it. It’s because they bring tragedy upon themselves, just as the saying says: “They dig their own graves.” They don’t walk the right path and they reveal their own ends prematurely. Their lives are now very tragic. God views them with the utmost detestation and, in human terms, I say that they are the most tragic of all. What type of person? There are some people who are very enthusiastic when they first begin to follow God’s work; they pay a great price and they have a good outlook on the prospects of God’s work, or they are filled with imagination about their own futures, feeling that God can make man complete and bring them into a good destination, and they are filled with faith for God. In short, no matter how they believe at the beginning or what kind of views they have, during God’s work they flee. What do I mean by “flee”? I mean that, without letting anyone know, without saying a word, they just up and leave without so much as a goodbye. What are these people? Although they may say they believe in God, they believe for a bit and then they’re gone; some run off into the world, some go off to run a business, some go off to live their lives, some go off to make it rich and some find a husband or wife and then leave. Of this type of person, there are some who now want to return, saying that they have drifted in the world for many years and suffered much, and they feel that they are unable to leave God, that the world is too painful, and they want to return—return to God’s family seeking comfort, seeking warmth. They want to return to God’s family and continue to believe in God in order to obtain a good destination and be saved. They want this because they believe that God’s great love is boundless and immeasurable, as is God’s great grace, higher than heaven and deeper than earth. Whatever the case, they believe that God should show patience and tolerance toward their past. They say over and over that they want to return to do their duty, and some people even donate something or another to the church, in this way wishing to once again return to God’s family. Tell Me, how in your view should God determine these people’s ends? (I used to think that God would still admit this kind of person, but after listening to the fellowship just now I think that maybe God won’t admit them again.) You’re saying “maybe,” right? Anyone else? (It’s out of the question.) Speak your reasons. (This kind of person comes before God only so that they may become immortal, not because they have a genuine and true desire to believe in God. They know that God’s work has reached the final stage, they want to return just so they can be blessed.) You’re saying they are not sincere or true, therefore God cannot admit them, right? (Yes.) (My understanding is that these people are opportunists and that they don’t truly believe in God.) They don’t believe in God and they are opportunists. Well said! Everyone hates an opportunist. They sail in whichever direction the wind blows, so of course they are hated. (We also need to look at their essences, and not just look at the external circumstances of whether or not they return to ascertain whether they are opportunists or not. It’s better to look at their essences.) So tell Me, should this kind of person be admitted? (In God’s words it is written that God detests those who betray Him.) That God detests them is His way of thinking, that is, God’s thought is this kind of attitude. But does He admit this kind of person? Can He still show tolerance? God’s essence toward man is love! It’s mercy! (I’m not sure. Maybe He can be tolerant. I mean, God absolutely hates those who betray Him, but it does indeed say in God’s words which kinds of people He can admit, and if they truly believe in God then they may still have a chance.) Mm. Does any other brother or sister have a view? (God won’t admit them again, because His work is now about to be concluded, and the time has come to determine people’s ends. If they return now then their state of mind will be that of an opportunist, and they do not genuinely want to seek the truth. It is only because they see the disasters coming, or because of some other factor in the outside world, that they want to come back. If they really had a heart that seeks the truth, then they wouldn’t have fled halfway through the journey when trials befell them.) Mm. (God won’t admit them. In fact, God has given them chances, and yet their attitude to God has always been to brush Him aside. Regardless of their intentions, whether they really feel remorse or what, God’s work will soon be concluded and He won’t admit them any longer, for He has already given them many chances. God gives people trials at different times, at different periods, and in different places and then He watches their attitudes every time. Their attitudes have already shown that they wanted to leave God, so God won’t admit them now when they want to come back again.) (God’s attitude toward this kind of person should be to not admit them.) “He should not admit them.” You’re certain about this, aren’t you? (Yes.) (I agree that God won’t admit this kind of person, because they can return to the world after seeing the true way and after having experienced God’s work for so long. Although God’s essence is merciful and loving, it depends on the type of person it is directed at. If they embrace this kind of state of mind and they come before God looking for comfort and sustenance, they are simply not people who truly believe in God, and God’s mercy toward this kind of person only goes so far.) So God’s mercy ends there, is that what you’re saying? (No. I just mean that He is not merciful to this kind of person.) God’s essence is merciful, so why doesn’t He show a little mercy to this kind of person? Wouldn’t they have another chance if God showed them a little mercy? People often used to say: God wants everyone to be saved and wants no one to perish. If one sheep out of 100 should go missing, He will abandon the 99 in order to look for that one missing sheep. Now as for these people, if they can truly believe in God then, for the sake of their belief, should God admit them, give them an opportunity and give them a second chance? This question is actually not hard to answer. It’s very simple! If you truly understood God, if you had a true knowledge of Him, then you would say only a few words and it would be very simple. You would not need to explain it over-much or engage in too much conjecture, right? You’re on the right track with what you’ve said, but you’re still some way off with God’s attitude.
