How Can Man Who Has Delimited God in His Notions Receive the Revelations of God?
The work of God is always moving forward, and though the purpose of His work does not change, the method by which He works constantly changes, which means that those who follow God are constantly changing, too. The more work God does, the more thorough man’s knowledge of God is. Corresponding changes occur, too, in man’s disposition in the wake of God’s work. However, it is because the work of God is ever-changing that those who do not know the work of the Holy Spirit and those absurd people who do not know the truth start to resist God. Not ever does the work of God conform to the notions of man, for His work is always new and never old, and never does He repeat old work, but rather forges ahead with work never done before. As God does not repeat His work, and man invariably judges God’s current work by the work He did in the past, it has become exceedingly difficult for God to carry out each stage of work of the new age. Man has far too many difficulties! He is too conservative in his thinking! No one knows the work of God, yet everyone delimits it. When he leaves God, man loses life, truth, and God’s blessings, yet neither does he accept life nor truth, much less the greater blessings God bestows upon mankind. All men wish to gain God, yet are unable to tolerate any changes in God’s work. Those who do not accept God’s new work believe that the work of God is immutable, that it forever remains at a standstill. In their belief, all that is needed to gain eternal salvation from God is to observe the law, and as long as they repent and confess their sins, the will of God will always be satisfied. They are of the opinion that God can only be the God under the law and the God who was nailed to the cross for man; it is their opinion, too, that God should not and cannot exceed the Bible. It is precisely these opinions that have shackled them firmly to the laws of old and nailed them to dead rules. There are even more who believe that whatever the new work of God might be, it has to be substantiated by prophecies, and that in each stage of such work, all those who follow Him with a “true” heart must also be shown revelations; if not, such work could not be the work of God. It is already no easy task for man to come to know God. Taken in addition to man’s absurd heart and his rebellious nature of self-importance and self-conceit, it becomes all the more difficult for him to accept God’s new work. Man neither gives careful consideration to the new work of God, nor accepts it with humility; instead, he adopts an attitude of contempt as he awaits revelations and guidance from God. Is this not the behavior of those who rebel against and resist God? How can such people gain God’s approval?
Jesus said that the work of Jehovah had fallen behind in the Age of Grace, just as I say today, that the work of Jesus has also fallen behind. If there had been only the Age of Law and not the Age of Grace, then Jesus would not have been crucified and could not have redeemed all mankind. If there had only been the Age of Law, could mankind ever have gotten as far as today? History moves forward, and is not history the natural law of God’s work? Is this not a depiction of His management of man throughout the entire universe? History moves forward, and so does the work of God. God’s will is constantly changing. He could not remain at a single stage of work for six thousand years, for as everyone knows, God is always new and never old, and He could not possibly keep doing work like the crucifixion, being nailed to the cross once, twice, three times…. It would be ridiculous to think thus. God does not keep on doing the same work; His work is ever-changing and always new, much as how I speak new words to you and do new work each day. This is the work I do, and what is key are the words “new” and “wondrous.” “God is immutable, and God will always be God”: this saying is indeed true; the substance of God does not change, God is always God, and He could never become Satan, but this does not prove that His work is as constant and invariable as His substance. You declare God is immutable, but how, then, can you explain that God is always new and never old? The work of God continuously spreads and constantly changes, and His will is continuously manifested and made known to man. As man experiences God’s work, his disposition changes without cease, as does his knowledge. Whence, then, does this change arise? Is it not from the ever-changing work of God? If the disposition of man can change, why cannot man allow My work and My words to continuously change also? Must I be subject to the restrictions of man? In this, are you not using forced arguments and perverted logic?
Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and said, “I send the promise of My Father on you: but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high.” Do you know how these words can be explained? Are you, now, endued with His power? Do you understand what “power” refers to? Jesus proclaimed that the Spirit of truth would be bestowed upon man during the last days. The last days are here now; do you understand how the Spirit of truth expresses words? Where does the Spirit of truth appear and work? In the book of prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, there was never any mention that a child named Jesus would be born in the age of the New Testament; it was merely written that a male infant named Emmanuel would be born. Why was the name “Jesus” not mentioned? Nowhere in the Old Testament does this name appear, so why, then, do you still believe in Jesus? Surely you did not only start believing in Jesus after seeing Him with your own eyes, did you? Or did you begin to believe upon receiving a revelation? Would God really show you such grace? Would He bestow such great blessings upon you? What is the basis of your belief in Jesus? Why do you not believe that God has become flesh today? Why do you say that the absence of a revelation to you from God proves that He has not incarnated in the flesh? Must God inform people prior to commencing His work? Must He first receive their approval? Isaiah merely proclaimed that a male infant would be born in a manger; he never prophesied that Mary would give birth to Jesus. What exactly do you base your belief in Jesus born of Mary on? Surely your belief is not muddled! Some say that the name of God does not change. Why, then, did the name of Jehovah become Jesus? It was prophesied that the Messiah would come, so why then did a man by the name of Jesus come? Why did the name of God change? Was such work not carried out long ago? Is God unable to do newer work today? The work of yesterday can be altered, and the work of Jesus can follow on from that of Jehovah. Cannot, then, the work of Jesus be succeeded by other work? If the name of Jehovah can be changed to Jesus, then cannot the name of Jesus also be changed? None of this is odd; it is just that people are too simple-minded. God will always be God. No matter how His work changes, and regardless of how His name might change, His disposition and wisdom will never change. If you believe that God can only be called by the name of Jesus, then your knowledge is far too limited. Do you dare assert that Jesus will forever be the name of God, that God will forever and always go by the name of Jesus, and that this will never change? Dare you assert with certainty that it is the name of Jesus that concluded the Age of Law and will also conclude the final age? Who can say that the grace of Jesus can bring the age to an end? If you lack a clear understanding of these truths, then not only will you be incapable of preaching the gospel, but you yourself will be unable to stand firm. When the day comes on which you resolve all the difficulties of those religious people and refute all their fallacies, that shall be proof that you are absolutely certain of this stage of work and have not the slightest doubt. If you are unable to refute their fallacies, then they will frame you and slander you. Would that not be disgraceful?
The Jews all read the Old Testament and knew of Isaiah’s prophecy that a male infant would be born in a manger. Why, then, despite being fully aware of this prophecy, did they still persecute Jesus? Was it not because of their rebellious nature and ignorance of the work of the Holy Spirit? At the time, the Pharisees believed the work of Jesus to be different from what they knew of the prophesied male infant, and people today reject God because the work of God incarnate does not conform to the Bible. Is not the essence of their rebelliousness toward God the same? Can you accept, without question, all the work of the Holy Spirit? If it is the work of the Holy Spirit, then it is the right stream, and you should accept it without any misgivings; you should not pick and choose what to accept. If you gain more insights from God and exercise more caution toward Him, then is this not uncalled for? You need not look for further substantiation from the Bible; if it is the work of the Holy Spirit, then you must accept it, for you believe in God to follow God, and you should not investigate Him. You should not seek further evidence of Me to prove that I am your God, but should be able to discern whether I am of benefit to you — this is what is most crucial. Even if you find much irrefutable proof within the Bible, it cannot bring you fully before Me. You merely live within the confines of the Bible, and not before Me; the Bible cannot help you know Me, nor can it deepen your love for Me. Though the Bible prophesied that a male infant would be born, none could fathom upon whom that prophecy would come to pass, for man did not know the work of God, and this is what caused the Pharisees to stand against Jesus. Some know that My work is in man’s interests, yet they continue to believe that Jesus and I are two entirely separate, mutually incompatible beings. At the time, Jesus only gave His disciples a series of sermons in the Age of Grace on such subjects as how to practice, how to gather together, how to supplicate in prayer, how to treat others, and so forth. The work He carried out was that of the Age of Grace, and He expounded only on how the disciples and those who followed Him ought to practice. He only did the work of the Age of Grace, and none of the work of the last days. When Jehovah set down the Old Testament law in the Age of Law, why did He not then do the work of the Age of Grace? Why did He not make clear in advance the work of the Age of Grace? Would this not have helped man to accept it? He only prophesied that a male infant would be born and come to power, but He did not carry out in advance the work of the Age of Grace. The work of God in each age has clear boundaries; He does only the work of the current age, and never carries out the next stage of work in advance. Only thus can His representative work of each age be brought to the fore. Jesus spoke only of the signs of the last days, of how to be patient and how to be saved, of how to repent and confess, and of how to bear the cross and endure suffering; never did He speak of how man in the last days should achieve entry, nor of how he should seek to satisfy God’s will. As such, is it not ridiculous to search the Bible for God’s work of the last days? What can you see by merely clutching the Bible? Be it an expositor of the Bible or a preacher, who could have seen the work of today in advance?
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Have you now heard the words of the Holy Spirit? The words of God have come upon you. Do you hear them? God does the work of words in the last days, and such words are those of the Holy Spirit, for God is the Holy Spirit and can also become flesh; therefore, the words of the Holy Spirit, as spoken of in the past, are the words of God incarnate today. There are many absurd people who believe that since it is the Holy Spirit talking, His voice should speak from the heavens for people to hear. Anyone who thinks this way does not know the work of God. In truth, the utterances spoken by the Holy Spirit are those spoken by God become flesh. The Holy Spirit cannot speak directly to man; even in the Age of Law, Jehovah did not speak directly to the people. Would it not be far less likely that He would do so in this age today? For God to speak utterances to carry out work, He must become flesh; otherwise, His work would not be able to accomplish its goals. Those who deny God incarnate are those who do not know the Spirit or the principles by which God works. Those who believe that now is the age of the Holy Spirit, yet do not accept His new work, are those who live amid a vague and abstract faith. Such people shall never receive the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who ask only for the Holy Spirit to speak and carry out His work directly, and do not accept the words or work of God incarnate, shall never be able to step into the new age or be brought complete salvation by God!
Source: Walk in the Light
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