Answer:

Many believe that the Bible represents the Lord, represents God and that belief in the Lord means belief in the Bible, belief in the Bible is the same as belief in the Lord. They afford the same status to the Bible as they do to God. There are even those who acknowledge the Bible without acknowledging God. They think of the Bible as the supreme, and even endeavor to replace God with the Bible. There are even religious leaders who acknowledge the Bible without acknowledging Christ, and claim that those who preach the second coming of the Lord are heretics. Exactly what is the issue here? It’s obvious, the religious world has sunk to the point where they only acknowledge the Bible and fail to believe in the Lord’s return—there’s no saving them. From this it is clear, the religious world has become a group of antichrists, resisting God and taking God as their enemy. It is undeniable that many religious leaders are hypocritical Pharisees. Especially those claiming that “those who preach the second coming of the Lord are heretics,” they are all antichrists and unbelievers. It seems many people don’t know what exactly faith in the Lord is. They call their belief in this vague God the orthodox faith and even believe in the Bible in place of God. They even deny and condemn Christ incarnate of the last days. They ignore and neglect any truth which Christ expresses. What is the problem here? It’s quite a deep question. Back in the days when the Lord Jesus did His work, the Jews acted in just the same way. Before Christ appeared to perform His work, they all based their faith in God on the Bible. No one could tell whose faith was real and whose was false, and certainly no one could tell who was truly obeying God and who was opposing Him. Why was it that when the Lord Jesus Christ became flesh and performed His work, each kind of man was revealed? This is where God’s almightiness and wisdom lie. When Almighty God, Christ of the last days, appears and performs His work, the wise virgins hear His voice and follow closely the footprints of God; thus, naturally, they are brought before God’s throne. As for those foolish virgins, because they insist on the Bible and fail to recognize that Almighty God, Christ of the last days is indeed God, they are thus revealed and cast off. For now they still hold firm to their so-called faith, but when the great disasters come, they will end up with wailing and gnashing of teeth. From this we can see, those that only cling to the Bible and fail to accept the truth, those that only believe in God in heaven but fail to accept the incarnate Christ are all unbelievers and will surely be eliminated by God. This is the truth. Let’s see what Almighty God says about this.　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

“From the time when there was the Bible, people’s belief in the Lord has been the belief in the Bible. Instead of saying people believe in the Lord, it is better to say they believe in the Bible; rather than saying they have begun reading the Bible, it is better to say they have begun believing in the Bible; and rather than saying they have returned before the Lord, it would be better to say they have returned before the Bible. In this way, people worship the Bible as if it were God, as if it were their lifeblood and losing it would be the same as losing their life. People see the Bible as being as high as God, and there are even those who see it as higher than God. If people are without the work of the Holy Spirit, if they cannot feel God, they can carry on living—but as soon as they lose the Bible, or lose the famous chapters and sayings from the Bible, then it is as if they have lost their life” (“Concerning the Bible (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“They believe in My existence only within the scope of the Bible. For them, I am the same as the Bible; without the Bible there is no Me, and without Me there is no Bible. They pay no heed to My existence or actions, but instead devote extreme and special attention to each and every word of Scripture, and many of them even believe that I should not do anything I wish to do unless it is foretold by Scripture. They attach too much importance to Scripture. It can be said that they see words and expressions as too important, to the extent that they use verses from the Bible to measure every word I say, and to condemn Me. What they seek is not the way of compatibility with Me, or the way of compatibility with the truth, but the way of compatibility with the words of the Bible, and they believe that anything that does not conform to the Bible is, without exception, not My work. Are such people not the dutiful descendants of the Pharisees? The Jewish Pharisees used the law of Moses to condemn Jesus. They did not seek compatibility with the Jesus of that time, but diligently followed the law to the letter, to the extent that they ultimately nailed the innocent Jesus to the cross, having charged Him with not following the law of the Old Testament and not being the Messiah. What was their essence? Was it not that they didn’t seek the way of compatibility with the truth? They obsessed over each and every word of the Scripture, while paying no heed to My will and the steps and methods of My work. They were not people who sought the truth, but people who rigidly followed the words of Scripture; they were not people who believed in God, but people who believed in the Bible. Essentially, they were watchdogs of the Bible. In order to safeguard the interests of the Bible, and uphold the dignity of the Bible, and protect the reputation of the Bible, they went so far as to nail the merciful Jesus onto the cross. This they did merely for the sake of defending the Bible, and for the sake of maintaining the status of each and every word of the Bible in people’s hearts. So they preferred to forsake their future and the sin offering to condemn Jesus, who did not conform to the doctrine of Scripture, to death. Were they not lackeys to each and every word of Scripture?

“And what of people today? Christ has come to release the truth, yet they would rather expel Him from among man in order to gain entry into heaven and receive grace. They would rather completely deny the coming of the truth in order to safeguard the interests of the Bible, and would rather nail the Christ returned to flesh to the cross again in order to ensure the everlasting existence of the Bible. How can man receive My salvation, when his heart is so malicious, and his nature so antagonistic toward Me?” (“You Should Seek the Way of Compatibility With Christ” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

What does it mean to believe in the Lord? What does it mean to believe in the Bible? What is the relationship between the Bible and the Lord? Which came first, the Bible or the Lord? Then who is it that does the work of salvation? Can the Bible stand in for the Lord in doing His work? Can the Bible represent the Lord? If we put blind faith in the Bible and worship the Bible, does this mean that we believe in and worship God? Is holding onto the Bible tantamount to practicing and experiencing God’s word? Does holding onto the Bible necessarily mean that we are following the Lord’s way? So if we place the Bible before everything else, does this mean that we are worshiping the Lord as great, that we are reverent of and obedient to the Lord? No one sees the truth of these issues. For thousands of years, people have been blindly worshiping the Bible and affording the same status to the Bible as they do to the Lord. Some even use the Bible to substitute for the Lord and His work, but no one truly knows the Lord and is obedient to Him. Just because of holding onto the Bible, the Pharisees nailed the Lord Jesus to the cross. What was the issue? Does understanding the Bible mean knowing God? Does holding onto the Bible mean following the Lord’s way? The Pharisees were experts of biblical exegesis, but they didn’t know God. Instead, they nailed the Lord Jesus who expressed the truth and did the redemptive work, to the cross. Isn’t this a fact? Exactly what does it mean to really know God? Does just being able to interpret the Bible and understanding the Bible knowledge qualify as knowing God? If that’s the case, then why would the Pharisees condemn and oppose the Lord Jesus even as they interpreted the Bible? The key of whether one is able to truly know and obey God is whether or not he knows and obeys the incarnate Christ. God incarnate reveals all of mankind, this is what most people fail to realize. The Lord Jesus’ curse on the Pharisees is a testament to the fact that God treats everyone with righteousness. As is clear, if we do not obey and worship the Lord but only blindly believe in and worship the Bible, we will not receive God’s approval. If one’s faith consists solely in abiding by the Bible and his heart has no place for the Lord, if he cannot worship the Lord as great and practice His words, if he is incapable of accepting and obeying God’s work and guidance, is such a man not a hypocritical Pharisee? Is such a man not an antichrist, a man who has made Christ his enemy? Thus, if we only cling to the Bible, this certainly does not mean that we have gained truth and life. It is wrong to worship and blindly follow the Bible, by doing so we certainly will not receive the Lord’s approval. God become flesh expresses the truth to purify and save us humans, and to rescue us from Satan’s influence so that we may obey God, worship God and be gained by God in the end. This is the purpose and meaning of God incarnate doing His work. The key to our faith is seeking the truth, and practicing and experiencing the Lord’s word. Only in this way will we receive the work of the Holy Spirit and come to know God. Then, we will be able to revere God, and magnify the Lord in our heart. Also, we will have true faith in and obedience to Him. This is the true meaning of faith in the Lord. Only by practicing faith in this way will we receive the Lord’s approval. From this, everyone can plainly see that belief in the Bible is not tantamount to belief in God. So what is the relationship between God and the Bible? With regard to this question, the Lord Jesus spoke very clearly. Please turn to the Gospel of John chapter 5 verses 39-40: “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life.” From the Lord Jesus’ words, it is very clear that the Bible is only a testimony to God, it is merely a record of God’s work in the past. The Bible does not represent God, because the Bible only contains a limited account of God’s words and work. How can this limited account of God’s words and work represent God? God is the Creator who fills all in all, He is the Master of all things. God’s life is unlimited and inexhaustible. Man can never fathom God’s greatness and abundance. And the limited record of God’s words and work found in the Bible is but a drop in the vast sea of God’s life. How could the Bible represent God? How could the Bible be on a par with God? God can do work to save man, can the Bible do work to save man? God can express the truth, can the Bible do that? God can enlighten, illuminate and guide man at any time, can the Bible do it? Of course not! So, the Bible cannot represent God. Some people place the Bible on a par with God and think that the Bible can represent God. Is this not a belittlement and blasphemy of God? If we use the Bible in place of God’s work, this is a denial and betrayal of God. God is God, the Bible is the Bible. The Bible cannot represent God, nor can it stand in place of God’s work. The Bible is just a record of God’s work. The words of God within the Bible are truth. They are a manifestation of the life disposition of God, and can show God’s will. But each stage of God’s work only represents God’s requirement and will for mankind during that age. They do not represent the words and work of God in other ages. Are you all clear on this now?　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

With regard to the inside story of the Bible, I think we can have a look at some passages from Almighty God. “No one knows the reality of the Bible: that it is nothing more than a historical record of God’s work, and a testament to the previous two stages of God’s work, and offers you no understanding of the aims of God’s work. Everyone who has read the Bible knows that it documents the two stages of God’s work during the Age of Law and the Age of Grace. The Old Testament chronicles the history of Israel and Jehovah’s work from the time of creation until the end of the Age of Law. The New Testament records Jesus’ work on earth, which is in the Four Gospels, as well as the work of Paul; are they not historical records?” (“Concerning the Bible (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“What they recorded, it can be said, was according to their level of education and human caliber. What they recorded was the experiences of men, and each had their own means of recording and knowing, and each record was different. Thus, if you worship the Bible as God you are extremely ignorant and stupid! Why do you not seek the work of the God of today? Only the work of God can save man. The Bible cannot save man, it has not changed at all for several thousands of years, and if you worship the Bible you will never gain the work of the Holy Spirit” (“Concerning the Bible (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“People’s approach to the Bible is one of obsession and faith, and no one can be completely clear about the inside story or substance of the Bible. Thus, the result is that today, people still have an indescribable sense of magicalness when it comes to the Bible; even more than that, they are obsessed with it, and have faith in it. … With such blind belief in the Bible, with such trust in the Bible, they have no desire to seek the work of the Holy Spirit. In people’s conceptions, they think that only the Bible can bring the work of the Holy Spirit; only in the Bible can they find the footsteps of God; only in the Bible are hidden the mysteries of God’s work; only the Bible—not other books or people—can clarify everything of God and the entirety of His work; the Bible can bring the work of heaven to earth; and the Bible can both begin and conclude the ages. With these conceptions, people have no inclination to search for the work of the Holy Spirit. So, regardless of how much of a help the Bible was to people in the past, it has become an obstacle to God’s latest work. Without the Bible, people can search for the footsteps of God elsewhere, yet today, His footsteps have been contained by the Bible, and extending His latest work has become double difficult, and an uphill struggle. This is all because of the famous chapters and sayings from the Bible, as well as the various prophecies of the Bible. The Bible has become an idol in people’s minds, it has become a puzzle in their brains, and they are simply incapable of believing that God can work exclusive of the Bible, they are incapable of believing that people can find God outside of the Bible, much less are they able to believe that God could depart from the Bible during the final work and start anew. This is unthinkable to people; they can’t believe it, and neither can they imagine it. The Bible has become a great obstacle to people’s acceptance of God’s new work, and has made it difficult to broaden this new work” (“Concerning the Bible (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

“After all, which is greater: God or the Bible? Why must God’s work be according to the Bible? Could it be that God has no right to exceed the Bible? Can God not depart from the Bible and do other work? Why did Jesus and His disciples not keep the Sabbath? If He were to keep the Sabbath and practice according to the commandments of the Old Testament, why did Jesus not keep the Sabbath after He came, but instead washed feet, covered head, broke bread, and drank wine? Isn’t this all absent from the commandments of the Old Testament? If Jesus honored the Old Testament, why did He defy these doctrines? You should know which came first, God or the Bible! Being the Lord of the Sabbath, could He not also be the Lord of the Bible?” (“Concerning the Bible (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

Seeking and exploring the truth with regard to the question of whether the Bible can represent God and what relationship is between the Bible and God is of the utmost importance. First we must come to know: What kind of God is God? As we all know, God is the Creator of all things, the Ruler of all things. God is who He is and is infinitely omnipotent and wise. Only God can save mankind and guide mankind. Only God can determine the fate of mankind. This is a widely acknowledged fact. How was the Bible made? After God had finished His work, the men used by Him wrote down their testimonies and experiences, and these testimonies and experiences were later compiled to make the Bible. This is the truth. It is for this reason that we can, with great certitude, state that the Bible is merely a record of God’s work in the past, it is nothing more than a testimony to God’s work. The Bible cannot represent God, nor can it stand in place of God to do the work of saving man. If our faith is based only on reading the Bible and not on experiencing God’s work, we will never receive the work of the Holy Spirit and be saved. Because God’s work of salvation is an ongoing development. Thus, we shouldn’t fixate on one or two stages of God’s work. We must follow the footsteps of God’s work until God completes His work of saving mankind. Only in this way may we receive God’s full salvation and enter into our beautiful destination. God’s management plan of salvation includes three stages of work: the work of the Age of Law, the Age of Grace, and the Age of Kingdom. The Age of Law was the time when God used laws to guide the life of man. The Age of Grace was when God did the redemptive work on mankind. The Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross so as to redeem mankind from the domain of Satan, pardon them from their sins, and qualify them to come before God, pray to God, and commune with Him. As for the work of judgment in the Age of Kingdom, this is the very work to thoroughly cleanse, save and perfect all of mankind. If mankind only passes through the work of the Age of Law and the Age of Grace but fails to accept God’s work of judgment in the last days, they will not be thoroughly saved and gained by God. We can all see that in the Age of Grace the Lord Jesus’ work was only to redeem mankind. In this age, believing in the Lord only allowed us to be forgiven of our sins, be qualified to pray to God, and enjoy all of God’s grace, but we could not attain purity during this age. Why is that? Because we have sinful nature within, and we often commit sins, rebel against and oppose God, the Lord Jesus promised that He shall come again, and express all the truths that save mankind in the last days to purify all those who hear the voice of God and are brought before God’s throne. Just as the Lord Jesus foretold: “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (Jhn 16:12-13). Almighty God’s words and work are a complete fulfillment of the verse in John: “when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” So Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. Almighty God is currently engaged in the work of judgment in the last days, and is purifying and perfecting all those who have come before His throne. That is, He is perfecting into overcomers those wise virgins who have returned toward Him after hearing His voice and will bring them into the kingdom of God. The fact of God doing three stages of work for salvation allows us to see that God has always been working to guide and save mankind. Each stage of God’s work is more elevated and more profound than the last. As for the Bible, it’s no more than a must book for us believers in God. The Bible cannot do the work of God, to guide and save mankind.　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

The Bible is just a record of God’s work. When God had completed a work, man recorded His words and work in texts and the compiled text became the Bible. Though the Bible is indispensable to our faith, only by receiving the work of the Holy Spirit can we truly understand the Bible and the truth. This is fact. So, faith in the Lord requires that we follow the footsteps of the Lamb closely, accept and obey God’s work of judgment in the last days. Only in this way can we receive the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s salvation and perfection. If we only read the Bible but fail to accept the words and work of God in the last days, we cannot be purified and saved. Actually, even if all of God’s words were recorded in the Bible, without the work of the Holy Spirit, we would still be incapable of understanding and knowing God’s word. To understand the truth, we must experience and practice the words of God, we must receive the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Only thus can we understand God’s word, understand the truth, enter into the reality of the truth and be perfected by God. The facts are sufficient to prove that the key to man’s salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, the perfection of the Holy Spirit. Now, who is the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit not just God Himself? The Bible is just a record of God’s work in the past. So how could it possibly stand in for God Himself? So as I’ve said, only God can save man, the Bible is incapable of saving man. If one’s faith consists only in adhering to the Bible and not in accepting the words and work of God in the last days, if he doesn’t follow the pace of God’s work, he will be abandoned and eliminated. In the Age of Law, there were many that failed to accept the work of the Lord Jesus, they were eliminated. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus but fail to accept the work of Almighty God in the last days will also be abandoned and eliminated. It can be said that these people are blind and do not know God. All that is left for them is to bear the brunt of the coming disasters, wailing and gnashing their teeth.

The work of judgment done by Almighty God in the last days through expressing the truth is the core work in God’s management plan to save all of mankind. It is also the last stage of God’s work to thoroughly purify, save and perfect mankind. So if we only hold to the first two stages of work described in the Bible but fail to accept the work of purification and salvation of Christ of the last days, we will never be saved and enter into the kingdom of God. No matter how many years we have practiced faith, it will all be for naught, because all those that reject the salvation of Almighty God of the last days are opponents of God, they are all hypocritical Pharisees. There is absolutely no question about this. Even though the Pharisees rejected the Lord Jesus Christ on the basis of the Bible and in the last days, the elders and pastors reject the work of Almighty God on the basis of the Bible, their arguments do not hold up. Because they do not base their arguments on God’s word, but on the letter of the Bible. No matter how many arguments they may have, anyone who fails to accept the work of Almighty God in the last days is an opponent and betrayer of God. In God’s eyes, they are all evil-doers, God will never acknowledge them. These antichrists and unbelievers exposed by the work of God in the last days will have to bear the punishment of the disasters to come with wailing and gnashing of teeth. They have all been cast off and eliminated by God forever, and will never again have the opportunity to see God and receive His approval. It is the truth. Here, we can come to understand a fact: The Bible just cannot represent God, and certainly cannot stand in for God’s work. God is God, the Bible is the Bible. Since we believe in God, we must experience God’s work and follow the pace of God’s work, we must eat and drink the word of God in the last days, and we must accept and follow all the truths that God expresses. This is the true meaning of faith in God. Every time that God becomes flesh to work, He has to cast off and eliminate those who only adhere to the Bible but fail to recognize and obey God. So, we can say with confidence, “Faith in God must be in line with the Bible, abiding by the Bible is true faith in God, the Bible represents God,” these assertions are pure fallacy. Anyone who makes such assertions is blind and does not know God. If man were to put the Bible above all else and use the Bible in place of God, would he not be walking down the path of the Pharisees? The Pharisees adhered to the Bible in opposition to God, as a result they met with God’s curses. Is this not fact?

from Answers to Screenplay Questions

Whether people gain life through their belief in God depends on whether they obtain the truth. If they do, then they have truly known God; only those who have done so have truly gained the life. Those who do not really know God have not obtained the truth; such people therefore have not acquired the life. This is certain, beyond any doubt. So what exactly does it mean to obtain the truth? This requires having knowledge of Christ, because He is God incarnate among humans, the Expresser of all truth. The truth originates from God’s life, and is entirely an expression of Christ, whose essence is the truth, the way, and the life. Only Christ possesses the essence of truth and life, so knowing Him and gaining Him is the only real way of obtaining the truth. From this it is evident that among the faithful, only those who know Christ and have gained Him have truly acquired life, known God, and reaped eternal life. This exactly fulfills what is written in the Bible: “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God stays on him” (Jhn 3:36). Believing in the Son undoubtedly refers to following Christ incarnate. Of people who believe in God, only those who recognize Christ to be the truth, the way, and the life can truly know God, be saved, and made perfect; only they will receive God’s praise. Anyone who believes in God yet can still deny, resist, or forsake Christ is a person who has faith but opposes and betrays God. As such, he will not be able to achieve salvation or perfection. If someone believes in God but only blindly worships and witnesses the Bible while resisting or feeling hatred toward Christ, then that person has already set foot upon the path of the antichrist and become an enemy of God. Being an actual antichrist, such a person will be punished and cursed by God, and will end up passing into perdition and ruination. For the faithful, this is the most serious failure and sorrow.　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

There are many who only believe in a vague God in heaven according to the Bible, but who do not believe God can become flesh, let alone accept Christ to be God incarnate, to be corrupt mankind’s Savior, or to be the practical God who saves humans. Such people do not know that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life; what’s more, they cannot achieve compatibility with Christ. They are certainly the sort of people who grow bored with, and feel hatred toward the truth. We can all read in the Bible that the Jewish chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees believed in God their whole lives yet refused to accept the incarnate Jesus, to the point that they could even crucify Jesus Christ to death. As a result, they became people who resisted and betrayed God, and therefore received His punishment and curses. Despite their lifelong faith, they were unable to obtain God’s blessings and promise. How pitiful and sad it was! Thus, whether people succeed in their faith depends on whether they know and have gained Christ. The crux of the matter is whether they have accepted all of the truths expressed by Christ, and obediently experienced all of God’s work; it is whether they can exalt Christ and witness Him until they are compatible with Him. This is the key matter that determines the success or failure of their faith in God. However, many people do not agree with this; they see the Bible as being above all else, and have even used it to supplant God in their hearts. When God incarnate comes to work, these people can actually deny, reject, and oppose Christ. If Christ’s words and actions are not in line with certain rules of the Bible, these people go so far as to condemn, reject, and forsake Him. Rather than believing in God, it would be more accurate to say that they believe in the Bible. In their eyes, the Bible is their Lord, their God. It seems that for them God, the Lord, is in the Bible, and it represents Him. Thus, they believe that the truth is anything that is in complete agreement with the Bible, whereas anything that differs from the Bible cannot be the truth. They see the Bible as being higher than all truth; to stray from the Bible would be to stray from the truth, for only what is written in the Bible is the truth. They think God’s work and utterances are only those listed within its pages; they refuse to acknowledge anything He may have done or said apart from the Bible. Such people are the same as those Jewish chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, who only recognized the Bible, yet did not know God whatsoever; and they were even less willing to admit to the existence of Christ incarnate. They even set the Bible and Christ against each other, absolutely having no knowledge that He is the truth, the way, and the life; instead, they exalted and witnessed the Bible and nailed Christ to the cross, thereby committing the monstrous sin of resisting God. In this way, they might have believed in God, but were not saved; on the contrary, they became God’s enemies, and were destined to receive His punishment and curses. This is the direct consequence of people who believed in God in religion, who were deceived and controlled by the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, and set foot upon the path of the antichrist. It shows that what the Lord Jesus said is true: “And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Mat 15:14). People like that certainly cannot be saved or perfected.

The Bible contains a word that best represents Christ’s essence. It was what the Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man comes to the Father, but by me” (Jhn 14:6). With these words, the Lord Jesus hit the nail on the head, and revealed the greatest mystery of faith in God—the fact that only by knowing Christ and gaining Christ can people achieve salvation. This is because only when God incarnates Himself as Christ can He thoroughly save mankind. Christ is the only gateway for His sheep to get into the kingdom of heaven, and only Christ incarnate is the practical God that can bring salvation to humans. If they believe in God, then only by accepting and following Christ can they set foot upon the path to salvation and perfection. This is the only way they can become those who do the will of the heavenly Father, and in turn enter the kingdom of heaven. From this, it can be seen that believers in God must accept and obey Christ incarnate before they can be saved and perfected to receive God’s praise. This is the way in which God has predestined people to believe in Him and achieve salvation. Thus, the question of whether people who believe in God know Christ and have gained Christ really is of utmost importance, and has a direct bearing upon their destination and outcome.

When we recall the work the Lord Jesus did when He came to earth to initiate the Age of Grace, we can see that none of the believers in the religion knew or followed Him. This was especially true of the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees of the Judaism, all of whom refused to recognize or accept Christ. Furthermore, these people denied, judged, and condemned the Lord Jesus according to what was written in the Bible. They even crucified Him, thus committing the hellish sin of resisting God and becoming archetypes of people over the past two thousand years who believe in God yet resist and betray Him, and who therefore have had to suffer God’s punishment and curses. Actually, early on, while preaching, the Lord Jesus had already perceived the actual fact that the religious world was, essentially, resisting against God, and with great accuracy, He directly exposed the root and essence of the Pharisees’ resistance against God: “And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life” (Jhn 5:38-40). The Lord Jesus’ words revealed the truth and essence of religious community believing in God yet resisting God. Simultaneously, they shed light on the essence of the relationship between the Bible and Christ. This is undoubtedly an enormous salvation for people who believe in God. However, in today’s religious community, most people still blindly believe, worship, and witness the Bible, placing it on a pedestal above Christ and testimonies of Christ. This is especially true of religious leaders and pastors who, like the Pharisees did, continue to judge, condemn, and blaspheme Christ incarnate in the last days according to the Bible, despite the truth He expresses. Their actions have led to the final tragedy of crucifying Christ a second time, and long ago stirred up God’s fury. The consequence is disastrous, for Almighty God warned early on, “Woe to those who crucify God” (“The Wicked Must Be Punished” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). It is therefore completely necessary to establish a clear connection between the Bible and Christ so that everyone can treat the Bible correctly, accept Christ, and obey His work to obtain God’s approval.　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

…………

With regard to the scriptures, the Lord Jesus once said, “they are they which testify of me.” Here God’s word was spoken with great clarity; the Bible is merely a compilation of testimonies about Him. We all understand that the Bible is a genuine record of the first two stages of God’s work. In other words, it is the testimony of the first two stages of God’s work, which conclude the guidance and redemption of mankind after the creation of the heavens and earth and all things, as well as of mankind. From reading the Bible, everyone can see how God led humans in the Age of Law and taught them to live before Him and worship Him. We can also see how God redeemed mankind in the Age of Grace and forgave them for all their past sins while bestowing upon them peace, joy, and all manner of grace. Not only can people see that God had created mankind, but also that He had constantly guided them and then redeemed them. Meanwhile, God has also provided for and protected mankind. Moreover, we can read from the biblical prophecies that in the last days, God’s words will burn like fire to judge and cleanse His people. They will save mankind from all sins and help us to escape from Satan’s dark influence so that we may completely return to God and ultimately inherit His blessings and promise. This is what God meant when He said, “they are they which testify of me.” Therefore, anyone who has conscientiously read the Bible can see some of God’s actions and recognize His existence and the almightiness and wisdom with which He created, dominates, and controls everything in heaven and on earth. Thus, the Bible is deeply meaningful to people in believing in God, knowing God and setting foot on the path of faith—the proper path of life. Anyone who sincerely believes in God and loves the truth can find a goal and direction in life by reading the Bible, and learn to believe in Him, rely on Him, obey Him, and worship Him. These are all the effects of the Bible’s testimony to God; this is an undeniable fact. However, the Lord Jesus also expounded an even more important point when He said, “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life,” “And you will not come to me, that you might have life.” These words are so important! Because if people who believe in God wish to obtain the truth and life, merely relying on the testimony of the Bible is not enough; they also must come to Christ to gain the truth and life. This is because only He can express the truth, redeem mankind, and save mankind. God is the One who gives us life. The Bible cannot take the place of His power, let alone the work of the Holy Spirit, and it cannot bestow life upon humans on God’s behalf. Only by accepting and obeying Christ can we obtain the Holy Spirit’s work and gain the truth and life. If people only believe in the Bible without accepting the practical God incarnate, then they will not be able to gain life, because the Bible is not God; it is merely testimony to God’s work. In believing in God, we should comprehend that there are stages to His work of saving mankind; three stages of work are a must to thoroughly save mankind from Satan’s influence, so that they can truly return to God and be gained by Him. Therefore, every stage of God’s work that humans experience brings them part of His salvation. Only by following closely the pace of the Holy Spirit’s work and experiencing God’s judgment and chastisement in the last days can we receive God’s ample and full salvation. For example, in their belief in Jehovah God, the Israelites could only enjoy God’s promise during the Age of Law. If they did not accept Jesus Christ’s salvation, they could not be forgiven of their sins, much less enjoy the peace, joy, and bountiful grace bestowed by God; this is a fact. If people only accept the Lord Jesus’ redemption to be forgiven of their sins, as well as the many graces bestowed by God, yet do not accept His work of judgment and chastisement in the last days, then they cannot obtain truth or life, nor will they be able to achieve a transformation in their life disposition. As such, they will not be qualified to inherit God’s promises and enter the kingdom of heaven. Every stage of God’s work bears its own fruit. God’s work is built upon one stage at a time, and these stages all complement each other; not a single one can be skipped. They gradually lead to perfection. If one were to not accept one of the stages of God’s work, that person could only obtain a portion of His salvation, not all of it. This, too, is a fact. If people only believe in the Bible without accepting Christ in the last days, they will become resisters and betrayers of God. As a result, they will have lost the full complement of God’s final salvation. In other words, people who only believe in the Lord Jesus and do not accept the salvation brought by His return—Almighty God—in the last days, then their faith will be ruined halfway through, and will all come to naught. What a pity that would be! How regretful! Therefore, not accepting Christ incarnate leads to being unable to obtain life. By only believing in the Bible, people cannot be saved or obtain life, and will never be able to know God, because the Bible is not God; it is merely the testimony to Him. Thus, if people only believe in the Bible without accepting Christ, they cannot receive the Holy Spirit’s work. As a result, they cannot be saved by God; they can only be eliminated by Him. This is certain beyond doubt. It is a fact that can be seen by reading the Bible. Moreover, this is also the root cause why the religious leaders and pastors believe in God yet resist God, which leads to failure in their faith.　https://reurl.cc/6kxdr

from “Those Who Are Unable to Know Christ as the Truth, the Way and the Life Will Never Enter the Kingdom of Heaven” in Collection of Sermons—Supply for Life

5　神是怎麼主宰、掌管整個宇宙世界的？

相關神話語：

「茫茫宇宙穹蒼，多少生靈在繁衍生息，周而復始地在遵循著生命的規律，遵循著一個不變的法則。死去的人帶走活著的人的故事，而活著的人又在重複著死去之人的歷史悲劇。人類不禁要問：我們為什麼活著？又為什麼要死去？是誰掌管著這個世界？又是誰創造了這個人類？難道真的是大自然的造化嗎？人類真能掌握自己的命運嗎？……人類根本就不知道宇宙萬物的主宰究竟是誰，更不知道人類的起初與將來，只是很無奈地在這個規律中活著，沒有人可以擺脫，也沒有人可以改變，因為在萬物其間、在天宇之上有一位從亙古到永遠的那一位主宰著這一切。他是人類從未目睹過的那一位，是人類從來就不曾相識的那一位，是人類從來就不相信存在的那一位，但他卻是吹給人類祖先氣息、給人類生命的那一位，是供給、滋養人類生存的那一位，是帶領人類走到今天的那一位，更是人類唯一賴以生存的那一位。他主宰著萬物，主宰著天宇中的萬物生靈；他掌管著四季，調節著風霜雪雨的轉換；他賜給人類陽光，也為人類帶來夜幕的降臨；他鋪張天地，為人類帶來了山河湖泊與其中的活物。他的作為無處不在，他的能力無處不在，他的智慧無處不在，他的權柄無處不在。這一切一切的規律法則是他作為的體現，是他智慧與權柄的流露。誰能逃脫他的主宰？誰能逃脫他的安排？萬物都在他的眼目中存活，更在他的主宰之下生息。他的作為與他的能力使人類不得不承認他的確實存在，不得不承認他主宰著萬物這一事實。除他之外沒有任何一樣東西可以掌管這個宇宙，更沒有一樣東西可以這樣源源不斷地供應著這個人類。」https://reurl.cc/jpYAM

摘自《話在肉身顯現·人在神的經營中才能蒙拯救》

「生命的道不是任何一個人都能具備的，也不是每一個人都能輕易得到的，因為生命只能從神而來，也就是說只有神自己才具備生命的實質，只有神自己才有生命的道，所以說，只有神才是生命的源頭，只有神才是湧流不斷的生命活水泉源。創世以來神作了大量的帶有生命活力的工作，作了許多帶給人生命的工作，付出了許多使人能得生的代價，因為神自己就是永生，神自己就是使人復活的道。……神的生命力能戰勝一切的力量，更超越一切的力量，他的生命是永久的，他的力量是超凡的，任何的受造之物、任何的敵勢力都是難以壓倒他的生命力的。無論何時無論何地他的生命力都存在著，都閃爍著耀眼的光輝，天地巨變而神的生命卻永久不變，萬物都逝去而神的生命卻依然存在，因為神是萬物生存的起源，是萬物賴以生存的根本。人的生命是來源於神，天的存在是因著神，地的生存也是來源於神的生命的力量，任何帶有生機的東西都不能超越神的主宰，任何帶有活力的東西都不能擺脫神權柄的範圍。這樣，無論何許人士都得歸服於神的權下，都得活在神的掌管之中，都不能逃出神的手心。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·只有末後的基督才能賜給人永生的道》

「在有這個人類以先，宇宙天體就存在了，從宏觀角度上來說，這個不管存在了多少年的宇宙天體在神的掌管之下有規律地運行著，哪個星球什麼時候轉到什麼位置，哪個星球在什麼時間執行什麼樣的任務，哪個星球在哪個軌道上運行以及到什麼時候消失或更換都絲毫不差。這些星球所在的位置與它們之間的距離都有嚴格的規律與準確的數據，它們運行的軌跡、運行的速度、運行的規律與它們在什麼時間能運行到什麼位置上都有精準的數據與特定的規律。千萬年來它們都在這個規律中運行著，從來沒有任何誤差，也沒有任何一種力量能改變、破壞它們的軌跡與規律。因為這些精準的數據與特定的運行規律都來自於造物主權柄的命定，所以它們都自覺地在造物主的主宰與掌管之下有規律地運行著。人類從宏觀角度上不難發現一些規律，發現一些數據，也能發現一些人所不能解釋的奇特的定律或現象。雖然人類不承認神的存在，不接受造物主創造、主宰萬物這一事實，更不承認造物主權柄的存在，但是人類的科學家、天文學家、物理學家都越來越發現：萬物的生存、運行的規律與法則是在一個隱祕的龐大的暗能量的主宰、掌管之下。這一事實的存在不得不讓人類正視與承認在萬物的運行規律中有一位『能者』在擺佈著這一切。他的能力超凡，雖然沒有人能親睹他的真容，但他在時刻主宰、掌管著這一切，沒有任何人或勢力能超越他的主宰。在這個事實面前，人類不得不承認萬物的生存規律不是人能掌控的，是任何人都改變不了的，同時，人類也不得不承認這個規律是人測不透的，這個規律不是自然形成的，而是有一位主宰者在掌管著。這些都是人類在宏觀方面能夠感受到的神的權柄。

從微觀角度上來說，在地球上人能看得見的山川、湖泊、海洋、陸地，以及人經歷的四季與在地上生存的萬物，包括各種植物、動物、微生物與人類都在神的掌管與主宰之下。神的掌管與主宰讓萬物隨著神的意念出現或消失，也讓萬物的生存產生了規律，萬物便在這樣的規律中繁衍生息，這個規律是沒有任何人與物能超越的。」https://reurl.cc/jpYAM

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　三》

「神造萬物時為山川、平原、沙漠、丘陵與江河湖泊都劃分了界限。地球上有山川，有平原，有沙漠，有丘陵，還有各種水源，這些是不是各種地理形勢啊？神為這各種地理形勢劃清了界限。一說劃清了界限，那就意味著山有山的界限，平原有平原的界限，沙漠有沙漠的範圍，而丘陵有丘陵固定的面積，江河湖泊這些水源也都是有固定的量的。就是說，在神那兒，他造萬物的時候將萬物劃分得很清楚。……在神所造的所有這些不同的地形、不同的地理環境中，神都在有計劃地、有規律地管理著這一切，所以，這一切的地理環境在神創造完幾千年幾萬年之後都依然存在著，都依然發揮著它們各自的功用。即便是在哪個時期有火山迸發，即便是哪個時期有地震，地有大的挪動，神也絕對不會讓任何的地理形勢失去它原有的功能。因著神這樣的管理，神主宰著這個規律，神掌握著這個規律，這一切——人所享受到的這一切，人所看到的這一切，才能有規律地在地球上生存。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　九》

「神所造的萬物，無論是固定的還是能喘氣的，都有它的生存規律。在神造這些生物以先，神早就為它們預備好了各自的家園、各自的生存環境。這些生物有了自己固定的生存環境，有了自己的食物，有了自己固定的家園，有了自己固定的適合它們生存的地點或者適合它們生存的溫度的地方，它們就不會到處亂跑，就不會對人類的生存造成破壞，不會對人類的生活造成影響。神就是以這樣的方式管理萬物，以提供給人最好的生存環境。這些萬物中的生物，它們在各自的生存環境中也都有維持自己生命的食物，有了這樣的食物，它們就被固定在固有的生存環境中，在這樣的生存環境中，它們依然在按著神為它們制定的規律生存著，繁衍著，繼續著。因著有這樣的規律，因著神的命定，萬物與人類和睦相處，而人類與萬物也相互依存。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　九》

「神創造萬物的時候，用各種方式，用各種形式來平衡萬物，平衡山川湖泊的生存狀態，平衡植物的生存狀態，平衡各種動物、鳥類、昆蟲的生存狀態，目的是為了各種生物都在神所制定的規律中繁衍生息。萬物不能超過這樣的規律，這樣的規律不能打破，在這樣一個基本的環境中，人類才能安安全全地、一代又一代地生息，繁衍。任何一種生物如果超出了神所定的數量、範圍，超出了神所主宰的生長速度、生長頻率、生長數量，那人類的生存環境就會遭到不同程度的破壞，遭到不同程度破壞的同時，人類的生存就會受到威脅。如果一種生物的數量太多，它會搶奪人類的食物，它會破壞人類的水源，也會破壞人類的家園，這樣，人類的繁衍或人類的生存現狀會即時地受到影響。」https://reurl.cc/jpYAM

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　九》

「自從神造了萬物之後，萬物就按著神所制定的規律在運行著，在有規則地向前發展著，在神的眼目之下，在神的主宰之下，與人的生存同時有規則地向前發展著，沒有任何一樣東西能改變這個規律，也沒有任何一樣東西能破壞這個規律。因著神的主宰，萬物得以滋生，也因著神的主宰，因著神的管理，萬物得以存活，所以說，萬物在神的主宰之下有規律地生發、消失以至於輪迴。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　九》

「神創造了這個世界，創造了這個人類，更締造了古希臘的文化與人類的文明，只有神在撫慰著這個人類，也只有神在朝夕看顧著這個人類。人類的發展與人類的進步不能離開神的主宰，人類的歷史與人類的未來都不能逃脫神手的安排。你若是一個名副其實的基督徒，那你一定會相信任何一個國家與民族的興盛與衰退都在神的安排之下。任何一個國家與民族的命運將會是如何只有神自己知道，這個人類將何去何從也只有神自己掌握。人類要想有好的命運，一個國家要想有好的命運，那只有人類都俯伏敬拜神，都來到神的面前向神悔改認罪，否則人類的命運與歸宿將會是一場不可避免的劫難。

…………

神不參與人類的政治，但神卻掌握著每一個國家與民族的命運，掌握著這個世界，掌握著整個宇宙。人類的命運與神的計劃息息相關，沒有一個人、一個國家、一個民族能逃脫神的主宰。想知道人類的命運就必須得來到神的面前，神會使跟隨敬拜他的人類興盛，會使抵擋、棄絕他的人類衰退滅亡。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·神主宰著全人類的命運》

「靈界的存在與人類的這個物質世界有著千絲萬縷的聯繫，它在神所主宰的萬物中擔任著人類生死輪迴的重要角色，這就是它的作用，這就是它存在的一個重要性。……在這樣一個人看不到的世界，它的各項天條、法令、行政制度是遠遠高於物質世界的任何一個國家的法律與制度的，是任何一個生活在這個世界的生靈所不敢僭越與觸犯的。這涉不涉及神的主宰、神的管理？這裡有明確的行政、明確的天條規定、明確的法令，在各個階層與領域做事的差役在他們各自的崗位上都恪守本分、循規蹈矩，因為他們知道觸犯了天條的後果是什麼，他們也清楚地知道神是如何賞善罰惡、神是如何管理萬物、神是如何主宰萬物的，他們更清楚地看到神是如何實施他的天條與法令的。……它雖然與物質世界共存，與物質世界同時接受著神的管理，接受著神的主宰，但是神對於這個世界的管理與主宰遠遠要比在物質世界的管理與主宰嚴格得多。」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　十》

「人類的命運、萬物的命運都與造物主的主宰有著千絲萬縷的聯繫，都與造物主的擺佈有著密不可分的關係，歸根結底，人類與萬物的命運如何都與造物主的權柄有著不可分割的聯繫。人類在萬物的規律中體會到了造物主的擺佈與主宰，在萬物的生存法則中看到了造物主的掌管，在萬物的宿命中歸結出了造物主對萬物主宰與掌管的方式，而在人類與萬物的生死輪迴中人類真正體驗到了造物主對萬物生靈的擺佈與安排，也真正看到了造物主的擺佈與安排超越世間的一切法令、規章、制度，超越任何的力量與勢力。由此，人類不得不承認造物主的主宰是任何受造之物所不能破壞的，而在造物主命定之下的萬事萬物是任何勢力都不能侵擾、不能改變的，人類與萬物正是在這樣的天規天條中生存、繁衍了一代又一代。這不正是造物主權柄的真實體現嗎？」

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　三》

「神是主宰萬物的那一位，神是管理萬物的那一位，他創造了萬有，他管理著萬有，同時他也在主宰、供應著萬有，這就是神的地位，這就是神的身分。對於萬有來說，對於萬物來說，神的真實身分是造物的主，也是萬物的主宰，神擁有這樣的身分，在萬物中是獨一無二的。任何一個受造之物，在人類中的，還有在靈界的，都不能以任何的方式或者以任何的藉口來冒充或替代神的身分、神的地位，因為具有這樣身分的、具有這樣能力的、具有這樣權柄的、能主宰萬物的在萬物中只有一位，那就是我們的獨一無二的神自己。他活在萬物中，在萬物中行走，他也能升為至高，在萬物之上，他能降卑為人，成為有血有肉的人中間的一分子，與人面對面，與人同甘共苦，同時，他掌管著萬有，決定著萬有的命運，決定著萬有前行的方向，他更引導著全人類的命運，引導著全人類前行的方向。這樣的一位神是任何一個有生命的人都應當敬拜的，都應當順服的，也都應當認識的。所以，無論你是人類中間的哪一部分人，你是人類中間的哪種人，信神，跟隨神，敬畏神，接受神的主宰，接受神對你命運的安排，這是任何一個人，任何一個有生命的人唯一的選擇，也是必須的選擇。」https://reurl.cc/jpYAM

摘自《話在肉身顯現·獨一無二的神自己　十》