8. How to discern the vicious nature of antichrists

Words of Almighty God of the Last Days

Another part of the disposition essence of antichrists is viciousness. Antichrists can be summed up with one phrase: Antichrists are evil people. When they have status, it is evident that they are antichrists. When they don’t have status, how can you judge whether they are antichrists? You must look at their humanity. If their humanity is malicious, insidious, and venomous, then they are one hundred percent antichrists. … The viciousness of antichrists is a disposition, an essence—it is a genuine satanic essence. It is not an instinct, nor a need of the flesh, but rather a manifestation and characteristic of the disposition of antichrists. So, what are the manifestations, revelations, and approaches of the vicious disposition of antichrists? Which of their actions represent that their disposition is vicious, that they have the essence of evil people? Share your thoughts. (They punish others.) (They suppress and exclude those who are different from them.) (They frame others and set traps for them.) (They control and manipulate people.) (They create cliques and sow discord.) Creating cliques and sowing discord are a bit insidious; these are manifestations of a wicked disposition, but they fall short of viciousness. Spreading notions, establishing independent kingdoms—are these vicious? (Yes.) Opposing work arrangements, disturbing the work of God’s house, seizing hold of God’s offerings, and directly opposing God—are these vicious? (Yes.) Seizing hold of offerings is not just greedy; it is also a manifestation of a vicious disposition. That antichrists can seize hold of offerings indicates an extremely vicious disposition, equal to that of bandits. Restate the items we just summarized. (They punish others, suppress and exclude those who are different from them, frame them and set traps for them, control and manipulate people, spread notions, establish independent kingdoms, oppose work arrangements, attack God, and seize hold of offerings.) Nine items in total. These are more or less the manifestations of the vicious disposition of antichrists. In fact, there are still some specific manifestations, but they are nearly identical to these, so I will not list them in detail. In short, those who employ these approaches and strategies are evil people. In one respect, their approaches are insidious, for example, framing, setting traps, and spreading notions, are all relatively insidious. In another respect, their strategies are quite venomous and fierce, which qualifies them as having a vicious disposition.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Excursus Six: Summarizing the Character of Antichrists and Their Disposition Essence (Part Three)

One of the main strains in the nature of antichrists is viciousness. What does “viciousness” mean? It means that they have a particularly vile attitude regarding the truth—not only failing to submit to it, and not only refusing to accept it, but even condemning those who prune them. That is the vicious disposition of antichrists. Antichrists think that whoever accepts being pruned is vulnerable to bullying, and that people who are always pruning others are those who wish always to tease and bully people. So, an antichrist will resist whoever prunes them, and they will give that person a hard time. And whoever brings up an antichrist’s deficiencies or corruption, or fellowships with them about the truth and God’s intentions, or has them know themselves, they think that person is giving them a hard time and finds them displeasing. They hate that person from the bottom of their heart, and they will take revenge on them and make things hard for them. This is another manifestation of how antichrists treat being pruned which we will fellowship. They hate whoever prunes them and exposes them. This is a very obvious manifestation in antichrists. What sort of people are possessed of such a vicious disposition? Evil people. The fact is that antichrists are evil people. Therefore, it is only evil people and antichrists who are possessed of such a vicious disposition. When a vicious person is faced with any kind of well-intentioned exhortation, accusation, teaching or help, their attitude is not to be grateful or accept it humbly, but instead to become enraged from shame, and to feel extreme hostility, hatred, and to even retaliate. There are some who prune and expose an antichrist by saying, “You have recently been running wild, not acted according to principle, and consistently flaunted yourself while doing your duty. You have been working for the sake of status and making a complete mess of your duty. Have you done right by God? Why have you not sought the truth when doing your duty? Why have you not been acting according to principle? Why have you not accepted it when the brothers and sisters fellowship about the truth with you? Why have you ignored them? Why have you gone on doing as you please?” These several whys, these words that expose their expression of corruption—they get under their skin: “Why? There is no ‘why’—I do whatever I want! What gives you the right to prune me? Who are you to do that? I am willful; what can you do about it? Now that I’ve gotten to this age, nobody dares speak to me like this. Only I can speak this way to others; nobody else can speak to me like this. Who dares to lecture me? The person who can lecture me has not been born yet! Do you really think you can lecture me?” Hatred arises deep in their hearts, and they seek an opportunity for revenge. In their minds they are calculating: “Does this person pruning me have power in the church? If I retaliate against him, will anybody speak up for him? If I make him suffer, will the church deal with me? I have a solution. I won’t retaliate against him personally; I’ll do something in absolute secrecy. I will do something to his family to cause him suffering and embarrassment, that way I will be free of this resentment. I must get my revenge. I can’t let the matter drop now. I didn’t start believing in god so that I could get pushed around, and I didn’t come here to let people bully me as they wish; I came to gain blessings and enter the kingdom of heaven! People need their pride just as a tree needs its bark. People must have the spine to fight for their dignity. How dare you expose me. This is bullying! Now that you don’t treat me like an important figure, I’ll give you hell, and I’ll make you bear the consequences. Let’s fight it out, and see who’s fiercer!” Just a few simple words of exposure enrage antichrists and provoke such great hatred in them, causing them to go to such great lengths for revenge. Their vicious disposition is entirely laid bare. Of course, when they retaliate against another because of hatred, it is not because they have hatred toward or an old grudge against that person, but because that person has exposed their mistakes. This shows that the mere act of exposing an antichrist, regardless of who does so, and regardless of their relationship with the antichrist, can trigger their hatred and instigate their revenge. Regardless of who it is, whether they understand the truth, or whether they are a leader or worker or an ordinary member of God’s chosen people, as long as anyone exposes and prunes the antichrist, they will treat that person as an enemy. They will even openly say, “I’ll go hard on whoever prunes me. Whoever prunes me, exposes the skeletons in my closet, gets me expelled by the house of god, or robs me of my share of blessings, I’ll never leave them be. That’s how I am in the secular world: No one dares give me trouble. The person who dares to bother me hasn’t been born yet!” These are the type of ruthless words antichrists let out when they face being pruned. When they let out these ruthless words, it isn’t to intimidate others, nor are they venting to protect themselves. They are truly capable of doing evil, and they will stoop to any means available to them. This is the vicious disposition of antichrists.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Nine (Part Eight)

When antichrists are pruned, their attitude is not one of acceptance and obedience. Instead, they are resistant and averse to it, which generates hatred. They hate deep in their hearts everybody who prunes them, everybody who reveals the skeletons in their closet and exposes their actual circumstances. To what extent do they hate you? They grind their teeth with hatred, wish that you would disappear from their sight, and feel that the two of you cannot coexist. If antichrists are like this with people, then can they accept God’s words which expose and condemn them? No, they can’t. Whoever exposes them, they will hate just for exposing them and being unfavorable to them and they will retaliate. They wish they could make the person who pruned them get out of their sight. They cannot stand to see this person doing well. If this person died or met with disaster, they would be happy; as long as this person is alive and still doing their duty in God’s house, and everything carries on as usual, they feel suffering, unease, and annoyance in their hearts. When they do not have a way to retaliate against somebody, they secretly curse them, or even pray for God to bring punishment and retribution upon that person, and for God to redress their grievances. Once antichrists have generated this hatred, this leads to a series of actions. These actions include retaliation and curses, and of course some other actions, such as framing, slandering and condemning others, which stem from hatred. If someone prunes them, they will undermine that person behind their back. When that person says something is right, they will say it is wrong. They will distort all the positive things that person does and make them negative, spreading these lies and causing disturbances behind their back. They will incite and draw in others who are ignorant and can’t see through things or discern for themselves, so that these people join their side and back them up. Clearly the person pruning them has not done anything bad, but they still want to pin some misdeeds on this person, so that everyone mistakenly believes they do these kinds of things, and then get everyone to come together to reject this person. Antichrists disturb church life in this way and disturb people in the performance of their duty. What is their goal? It is to give the person pruning them a hard time and make everybody abandon this person. There are also some antichrists who say: “You pruned me and gave me a hard time, so I’m not going to give you an easy time of it. I’ll give you a taste of what it’s like to be pruned and abandoned. However you treat me, I will treat you. If you don’t give me an easy time, don’t think that you’ll have an easy time either!” When antichrists do evil, some leaders and workers call on them for a chat, tell them they must repent, and read them God’s words to help and support them. Not only do they not accept it, but they also start rumors that the leader doesn’t do any real work and never uses God’s word to solve problems. In fact, the leader has just done such work, but they turn around and distort the facts and slander the person helping them. Is this not vicious? With their eyes wide open, these evil people and antichrists claim that positive things are negative, that their wrongdoings, mistakes, wicked deeds, and malicious acts are positive things that conform to the truth. However big a mistake they make while doing their duty, however much harm they cause to the work of the church, they do not acknowledge it or take it seriously at all. When they talk about it, they play it down and brush over it. The person pruning them because of this matter becomes a sinner in their eyes and becomes the target of criticism instead. Isn’t this calling white black? Some antichrists even make false countercharges when they are pruned by a leader or a worker, saying: “Whatever mistakes us brothers and sisters make are all caused by ignorance and by leaders and workers failing to do a good job. If the leaders and workers knew how to perform their work, gave us prompt reminders, and managed things well, then wouldn’t the losses to god’s house be reduced? Therefore, no matter what mistakes we make, the leaders and workers are entirely to blame and should assume the greatest responsibility.” Isn’t this making false counterclaims? These false counterclaims are calling white black and a form of retaliation.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Nine (Part Eight)

Once antichrists are replaced or eliminated, they take the gloves off and complain without restraint, and their demonic side is exposed. What demonic side is exposed? In the past, they absolutely did not perform their duties in order to pursue the truth and attain salvation, but to gain blessings, and now they tell the truth about this and reveal the real situation. They say: “If I weren’t trying to get into the kingdom of heaven or gain blessings and great glory later, would I have mixed with you people who are lower than dung? Are you worthy of my presence? You don’t train me or promote me, and you want to eliminate me. One day I’ll show you that there’ll be a price to pay for you eliminating me, and the consequences that you’ll suffer because of it!” Antichrists disseminate these ideas, and these devilish words slip out of them. Once they have taken the gloves off, their malicious nature and vicious disposition are exposed, and they start to spread notions. They also start to rope in those who are new believers, who are of relatively small stature and lack discernment, who do not pursue the truth, and who are often negative and weak, and they also rope in those who are consistently perfunctory in their duties and who do not truly believe in God. As they said themselves, “If you eliminate me, I will have to drag several others down with me!” Hasn’t their satanic nature been laid bare? Would normal people do this? Generally, people with corrupt dispositions just feel sad and hurt when they are dismissed, believing themselves to be hopeless, but their consciences make them think: “This is our fault, we haven’t fulfilled our duties. In the future I will strive to do better, and as for how God treats me and what determinations He makes about me, that’s God’s business. People have no right to make demands of God. Aren’t God’s actions based on people’s manifestations? If one walks the wrong path then they ought to be disciplined and chastened, this goes without saying. Right now, the sad thing is that I have poor caliber and cannot satisfy the intentions of God, and that I do not understand the truth principles and act arbitrarily and willfully based on my corrupt dispositions. I deserve to be eliminated, but I hope I’ll have the chance to make up for it in the future!” People with a little conscience will walk a path like this. They choose to consider the issue in this way, and in the end, they also choose to resolve the issue in this way. Of course, there are not many elements of practicing the truth within this, but because these people have consciences, they won’t go as far as resisting God, blaspheming against God, or opposing God. But antichrists are not the same. Because they have a vicious nature, they are innately antagonistic toward God. When their prospects and destiny are threatened or taken away, when they cannot see any chances to live, what they choose to do is to spread notions, to judge the work of God, and to get the disbelievers who are in league with them to disturb the work of God’s house alongside them. They even refuse to take responsibility for any of their past misdeeds and transgressions, as well as any losses they have caused to the work or property of God’s house. When God’s house handles them and eliminates them, they say one sentence that is most often spoken by antichrists. What is it? (If this place won’t keep me, there’s a place for me out there.) Isn’t this another devilish sentence? This is something that a person with normal humanity, a sense of shame, and a conscience could not say. We call them devilish words. These are various manifestations of the vicious dispositions that antichrists reveal when they are pruned and feel that their status and reputation are in danger, that their status and prestige are being threatened, and especially that they’re about to be deprived of their prospects and destiny; at the same time as this, their disbeliever essence is exposed.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Nine (Part Eight)

Antichrists consider their own status and reputation as more important than anything else. These people are not only deceitful, cunning, and wicked, but also extremely vicious. What do they do when they detect that their status is at risk, or when they lose their place in people’s hearts, when they lose these people’s endorsement and affection, when people no longer venerate and look up to them, and they have fallen into ignominy? They suddenly change. As soon as they lose their status, they become unwilling to perform any duty, everything they do is perfunctory, and they have no interest in doing anything. But this isn’t the worst manifestation. What is the worst manifestation? As soon as these people lose their status, and no one looks up to them, and no one is misled by them, out comes the hate, jealousy, and revenge. They not only have no God-fearing hearts, but also lack any shred of submission. In their hearts, furthermore, they are liable to hate God’s house, the church, and the leaders and workers; they long for the work of the church to run into problems or come to a standstill; they want to laugh at the church, and at the brothers and sisters. They also hate anyone who pursues the truth and fears God. They attack and mock anyone who is loyal in their duty and willing to pay a price. This is the disposition of the antichrists—and is it not vicious? These are clearly evil people; antichrists are in their essence evil people. Even when gatherings are held online, if they see that the signal is good, they quietly curse and say to themselves: “I hope the signal drops! I hope the signal drops! It is better if no one can hear the sermons!” What are these people? (Devils.) They are devils! They are definitely not the people of God’s house. These kinds of devils and evil people stir the pot in this way, no matter which church they are in. Even if discerning people expose and restrict them, they won’t reflect on themselves or admit their mistakes. They will think it was just a momentary lapse on their part and that they should learn from it. A person like this, who absolutely refuses to repent, won’t submit, no matter who discerns and exposes them. They will seek retaliation against that person. When they feel uncomfortable, they don’t want the brothers and sisters to have it easy either. In their hearts, they even secretly curse the brothers and sisters, wishing for bad things to happen to them, and they curse the work of God’s house, wishing that trouble comes into it. When anything goes wrong in God’s house, they secretly rejoice and celebrate, thinking, “Hmph! Finally, something went wrong. This is all happening because you replaced me. It’s good that everything is falling apart!” They feel happy and take pleasure in seeing others weaken and grow negative, they speak words of mockery and ridicule to denigrate people, and even spread words of negativity and death, saying, “We believers give up our families and careers to do our duties and endure suffering. Do you think god’s house can really take responsibility for our futures? Have you ever thought about that? Is it worth the price we’re paying? My health isn’t great right now, and if I wear myself out, who will take care of me in my old age?” They say such things so that everyone will feel negative—only then will they feel happy. Aren’t they up to no good, aren’t they sinister and malicious? Shouldn’t such people receive retribution? (Yes, they should.) Do you think such people truly have God in their hearts? They don’t seem like genuine believers in God, they fundamentally don’t believe that God scrutinizes the depths of people’s hearts. Aren’t they disbelievers? If they truly believed in God, how could they say such things? Some may say that it’s because they lack God-fearing hearts—is that correct? (No, it isn’t correct.) Why is it incorrect? (God is simply absent from their hearts; they are in opposition to God.) In reality, they dare to say such things because they don’t believe in the existence of God. They believe even less that God is scrutinizing everyone, and they don’t believe that God is observing their every word and deed, every thought and idea. They don’t believe these things, so they are not afraid and can freely and unscrupulously speak such devilish words. Even nonbelievers often say, “Heaven has eyes” and “When man acts, Heaven is watching.” Anyone with even a bit of genuine faith wouldn’t casually utter these devilish words of disbelievers. Won’t there be severe consequences for believers who think and speak like this? Isn’t the nature of this severe? It’s very severe! That they can deny God in such a way means that they are authentic devils, and evil ones who have infiltrated God’s house. Only devils and antichrists dare to openly clamor against God. The interests of God’s house represent God’s interests, and everything God’s house does is under God’s leadership, His permission, and His guidance; it is closely related to God’s management work and cannot be separated from it. People who openly curse the work of God’s house in this way, who slander it in their hearts, and want to make fun of God’s house, who wish to see God’s chosen people all arrested, the church’s work completely paralyzed, and believers turning away from their faith, who will be happy when this happens—what kind of people are these? (Devils.) They are devils, they are evil demons reincarnate! Ordinary people have corrupt dispositions, they are occasionally rebellious, and they entertain a few little ideas when they feel negative and weak, that’s it, but they wouldn’t be so bad or give rise to such wicked and malicious thoughts. This kind of essence is only present in antichrists and devils. When antichrists have these ideas, do they suspect that they might be mistaken? (No, they don’t.) Why not? (Because they consider what they think and say to be the truth. They don’t believe in God, they lack God-fearing hearts, and their nature is to resist God.) Exactly, that’s their nature. When has Satan ever treated God as God? When has it believed that God is the truth? It never has, and it never will. Antichrists, these devils, are the same; they don’t treat God as God or believe Him to be the truth. They don’t believe that God is the One who created and holds sovereignty over all things. That’s why they think that whatever they say is right. They unscrupulously think and act in this way; this is their nature. When corrupt humans do the same, they experience inner conflict. They have consciences and human awareness. Their consciences, awareness, and the truths they understand have an effect on them internally, and this gives rise to conflict. When this conflict arises, a battle between correct and incorrect, right and wrong, and justice and wickedness, takes place, and an outcome is reached: Those who pursue the truth stand on the side of God, while those who don’t pursue the truth stand on the side of Satan’s wicked forces. Everything that antichrists do is in collaboration with Satan. They disseminate negativity, spread rumors, and make fun of God’s house. They curse and slander the work of God’s house and curse the brothers and sisters. They even feel at ease doing all this, without any accusation from their consciences, without the slightest bit of remorse, and they believe that their actions are entirely correct. This fully reveals the satanic nature of antichrists, and reveals their ugly faces that resist God. Therefore, it’s no exaggeration to say that antichrists are genuine devils and Satans. Antichrists are born devils and are absolutely not recipients of God’s salvation. They are absolutely not a part of ordinary corrupt mankind. Antichrists are devils reincarnate, they are born evil demons. That’s how things are.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Nine (Part Two)

One of the most obvious characteristics of the essence of an antichrist is that they monopolize power and run their own dictatorships: They do not listen to anyone, they do not respect anyone, and regardless of people’s strengths, or what correct views or wise opinions they may express, or what suitable methods they might put forward, they pay them no heed; it is as if no one is qualified to cooperate with them, or to take part in anything they do. This is the kind of disposition antichrists have. Some people say this is being of bad humanity—but how could it be commonplace bad humanity? This is an entirely satanic disposition, and such a disposition is supremely vicious. Why do I say that their disposition is supremely vicious? Antichrists expropriate everything from the house of God and the property of the church, and treat them as their personal property, all of which is to be managed by them, and they do not permit anyone else to intervene in this. The only things they think about when doing the work of the church are their own interests, their own status, and their own pride. They do not allow anyone to harm their interests, much less do they allow anyone of caliber or anyone who is able to speak of their experiential testimony to threaten their reputation and status. And so, they try to suppress and exclude as competitors those who are able to speak of experiential testimony, and who can fellowship the truth and provide for God’s chosen people, and they desperately try to isolate those people completely from everyone else, to drag their names thoroughly through the mud, and to bring them down. Only then will the antichrists feel at peace. If these people are never negative, and are able to carry on doing their duty, speaking of their testimony, and supporting others, then the antichrists will turn to their last resort, which is to find faults with them and condemn them, or to frame them and fabricate reasons to torment and punish them, until they get them cleared out of the church. Only then will the antichrists completely relax. This is what is most insidious and malicious about the antichrists. What causes them the most fear and anxiety is the people who pursue the truth and are possessed of true experiential testimony, because people with such testimony are the ones whom God’s chosen people approve of and support the most, rather than those who blather on emptily about words and doctrines. Antichrists do not possess true experiential testimony, nor are they capable of practicing the truth; at best, they are capable of doing a few good deeds to curry favor with people. But no matter how many good deeds they do or how many nice-sounding things they say, these are still incomparable to the benefits and advantages that a good experiential testimony can bring to people. Nothing is a substitute for the effects of the provision and watering provided to God’s chosen people by those who are able to speak of their experiential testimony. And so, when antichrists see someone speaking of their experiential testimony, their gaze becomes a dagger. Rage ignites in their hearts, hatred rises up, and they are champing at the bit to shut the speaker up and stop them from saying any more. If they carry on talking, the antichrists’ reputation will be completely ruined, their ugly faces completely exposed for all to see, so the antichrists find a pretext to disturb the person who is speaking testimony, and to suppress them. Antichrists permit only themselves to mislead people with words and doctrines; they do not allow God’s chosen people to glorify God by speaking of their experiential testimony, which indicates what kind of people the antichrists hate and fear the most. When someone distinguishes themselves with a little work, or when someone is able to speak of true experiential testimony, and God’s chosen people receive benefits, edification, and support from it, and it earns great praise from everyone, envy and hate grows in the hearts of the antichrists, and they try to exclude and suppress that person. They do not, under any circumstances, allow such people to undertake any work, in order to prevent them from threatening their status. People with the truth reality serve to accentuate and highlight the poverty, wretchedness, ugliness, and wickedness of antichrists when they’re in their presence, so when the antichrists choose a partner or co-worker, they never select people with the truth reality, they never select people who can speak of their experiential testimony, and they never select honest people or people who are able to practice the truth. These are the people the antichrists envy and hate the most, and they are a thorn in the side of the antichrists. No matter how much these people who practice the truth do that is good or of benefit to the work of God’s house, the antichrists will try their hardest to cover these deeds up. They will even twist the facts to claim the credit for good things while shifting the blame for bad things onto others, as a means to elevate themselves and belittle other people. Antichrists have a great jealousy and hatred toward those who pursue the truth and are able to speak of their experiential testimony. They are fearful that these people will threaten their own status, and so they do all they can to attack and exclude them. They prohibit the brothers and sisters from contacting them or getting close to them, or from supporting or praising these people who are able to speak of their experiential testimony. This is what most reveals the satanic nature of antichrists, which is averse to the truth and hates God. And so, too, does it prove that the antichrists are an evil countercurrent in the church, that they are the ones to blame for the disturbance to church work and impedance of God’s will. What’s more, the antichrists often fabricate lies and twist facts among the brothers and sisters, belittling and condemning people who can speak of their experiential testimony. No matter what work those people do, antichrists find excuses to exclude and suppress them, and are judgmental about them, saying they are arrogant and self-righteous, that they like showing off, and that they harbor ambitions. In fact, these people have some experiential testimony and possess some of the truth reality. They are of relatively good humanity, have conscience and reason, and are able to accept the truth. And though they may have some shortcomings, deficiencies, and occasional revelations of a corrupt disposition, they are capable of reflecting on themselves and repenting. These people are the ones whom God will save, and who have hope of being made perfect by God. In sum, these people are suited to doing a duty. They satisfy the requirements and principles for doing a duty. But the antichrists think to themselves, “There’s no way I’m going to put up with this. You want to have a role in my domain, to compete with me. That’s impossible; don’t even think about it. You’re more educated than me, more articulate than me, more popular than me, and you pursue the truth with greater diligence than I do. If I were to cooperate with you and you stole my thunder, what would I do then?” Do they consider the interests of the house of God? No. What do they think about? They think only of how to hold on to their own status. Though antichrists know themselves to be incapable of doing real work, they do not cultivate or promote people of good caliber who pursue the truth; the only people they promote are those who flatter them, those who are apt to worship others, who approve of and admire them in their hearts, those who are smooth operators, who have no understanding of the truth and are incapable of discernment. The antichrists bring these people up to their side to serve them, to run about for them, and to spend each day orbiting around them. This gives the antichrists power in the church, and it means that many people draw close to them, and follow them, and that no one dares to offend them. All these people whom antichrists cultivate are people who do not pursue the truth. Most of them lack spiritual understanding and know nothing but rule-following. They like to follow trends and the powers that be. They are of the sort that is emboldened by having a powerful master—a gang of muddle-headed people. How does that saying of the nonbelievers go? Better to be a squire to a good man than the worshiped forebear of a bad one. Antichrists do precisely the opposite—they act as the worshiped forebears of such people, and set out to cultivate them as their flag-wavers and cheerers-on. Whenever an antichrist is in power in a church, they will always recruit muddle-headed people and those who blindly fool around as their helpers, while excluding and suppressing those people of caliber who can understand and practice the truth, who can take on work—and especially those leaders and workers who are capable of actual work. In this way, two camps are formed in the church: In one camp are those whose humanity is relatively honest, who do their duty with sincerity, and are people who pursue the truth. The other camp is a gang of people who are muddle-headed and who blindly fool around, led by antichrists. These two camps will continue to battle each other until the antichrists are revealed and eliminated. Antichrists always fight and act against those who do their duty with sincerity and pursue the truth. Does this not severely disturb the church’s work? Does this not disrupt and disturb God’s work? Is this force of antichrists not a stumbling block and an obstacle preventing God’s will from being carried out in the church? Is it not a wicked force opposing God?

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Eight: They Would Have Others Submit Only to Them, Not the Truth or God (Part One)

Judging from their approach of controlling people’s hearts, the humanity of antichrists is despicable and selfish, and their disposition is averse to the truth, wicked, and vicious. Antichrists use all manner of despicable and underhanded tricks to achieve their aims, without any sense of shame—this is a characteristic of their wicked nature. Additionally, without paying any regard to whether people are willing or not, without informing them or acquiring their consent, they always want to control people, manipulate them and dominate them. They want everything that people think about and wish for in their hearts to be subject to their manipulations, they want people to hold a place for them in their hearts, worship them, and look up to them in all things. They want to circumscribe and influence people with their words and viewpoints, and manipulate and control them based on their own wishes. What kind of disposition is this? Is it not viciousness? It’s just like a tiger trapping your neck in its jaws—try as you might to gasp for breath and struggle to move, you cannot do as you wish, instead you are under the firm, deathly grip of its ferocious mouth. Try as you might to struggle free, you cannot, and though you plead with the tiger to loosen its jaw, that’s impossible, there is no room for discussion. Antichrists have just such a disposition. Suppose that you engage them in discussion, saying, “Can’t you please stop trying to work out ways to control people? Can’t you behave yourself and be a follower? Can’t you behave yourself and fulfill your duties and keep to your position?” Would they be able to agree to this? Would you, using good conduct or what you understand of the truth, be able to dissuade them from continuing on their course? Is there anyone who could change their point of view? Judging from the vicious disposition of antichrists, no one would be able to change their thoughts and perspectives, nor would anyone be able to change their desire to control people’s hearts. No one can change them, and there is no negotiating with them—this is called “viciousness.”

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Thirteen: They Control Church Finances As Well As Controlling People’s Hearts

The inborn nature essence of antichrists, these devils and Satans, is to vie with God for all things. Within the church, apart from fighting with God over His chosen people, antichrists also try to wrest away the offerings that people have made to Him. On the surface, it would appear that antichrists are being covetous, but in reality, it is because they have the disposition and essence of antichrists. That they should wish to seize hold of and devour the money and items that people offer to God—this, in its essence, is viciousness. It is the same as if, for instance, you buy a new padded jacket, that is stylish and of good quality, and then someone sees it and says, “This padded jacket of yours is better than mine. The ratty one I’m wearing has holes in it, and it’s out of style. How come yours is so nice?” and when he’s done speaking, he forcibly pulls your padded jacket right off you, and then gives his damaged one to you. You can’t refuse to trade with him—he would make you suffer, give you a hard time, beat you up, and he might even kill you. Would you dare to resist him? You wouldn’t dare to resist him, and he would take your stuff against your wishes. So, what is this person’s disposition? It is a vicious disposition. Is there any difference between this and the disposition of antichrists in taking possession of and using church property? (No, there is not.) According to the antichrists’ perspective on property, as soon as they become leaders and “officials,” and have the property of the church in their grasp, the church’s property belongs to them. Regardless of who made the offering, or what they gave as an offering, antichrists will seize hold of it for themselves. What does it mean to seize hold of something? It means that after the property of the church—which should be properly used and allocated in accordance with church regulations—comes under the control of antichrists, they alone have the exclusive power to use it. Even when this property is needed for the work of the church or by workers in the church, antichrists do not permit it to be used. They alone are allowed to use it. As for how the church’s property is used and allocated, the antichrists have the final say; if they wish to let you use it, you may use it, and if not, then you may not. If the church offering funds are not plentiful and get completely used up for the antichrists’ personal expenses after they take possession of them, they don’t care that there’s no money left for the church work. They don’t take either the church’s work or the normal expenditures of the church into consideration. All they want is to take these funds and spend them themselves, treating them like their own earnings. Isn’t this way of doing things shameful? (Yes, it is.) In some churches located in relatively affluent areas, antichrists think: “This place is quite nice. When it comes to expenditures, I can splurge and do as I please, and there’s no need to stick to the church regulations and principles. I can spend money however I want. Ever since I became a leader, I’ve finally been able to enjoy a life of spending money without needing to run the numbers. All I have to do is say the word if I want to spend money on something, I don’t need to worry about it, and I certainly don’t have to talk it over with anyone.” When it comes to spending the church’s wealth, antichrists wield all the power themselves, they act recklessly, and they spend money like water. In addition to not doing any work in accordance with the church’s principles or the work arrangements, antichrists treat church property the same way, without any principles. Could it be that they do not understand the principles? No, they know full well the principles governing the allocation and expenditure of church property, but they cannot keep their own greed and desires under control. When they are ordinary people without any status, they’re humble and live simple day-to-day lives, but as soon as they become leaders, they think themselves to be a big deal. They become particular about how they dress and eat—they no longer eat ordinary meals, and they learn how to look for quality and famous brands while dressing themselves. Everything has to be high-end; only then do they feel it’s compatible with their identity and status. As soon as antichrists become leaders, it is as if the brothers and sisters all owe them a debt, and must offer up gifts to them. If anything good comes along, they must be given priority, and the brothers and sisters are expected to spend their money on them. Antichrists believe that becoming a leader means they should have the power to prioritize their possession and use of the property of the church. Not only do they think in this way, they also behave in this way. What’s more, they take it very far, to the disgust of other people. Viewed from this perspective, what is the character of antichrists like? After becoming leaders, and without doing a lick of work, they want to take possession of offerings and prioritize their use of them. What kind of person is capable of doing such things? Only a brigand, a tyrant, or a local bully would do these things.

—The Word, Vol. 4. Exposing Antichrists. Item Thirteen: They Control Church Finances As Well As Controlling People’s Hearts

Related Experiential Testimonies

Facing the Suppression of an Honest Report

Related Hymns

Who Is Considerate of God’s Heart?

Previous: 7. How to discern the wicked nature of antichrists

Next: 9. How to discern the nature of antichrists that is averse to the truth and hates the truth

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