Example 9: Not Caring About Hygiene

Some people, because they were born in underdeveloped countries or environments, or into families with poor conditions, aren’t so particular about things in their lives. They may not be meticulous about food hygiene, they may wear the same clothes for a long time without washing them, and may not even notice if their clothes smell of sweat. What kind of manifestation is this? (It is a manifestation of one’s lifestyle habits.) This is a matter of lifestyle habits; it’s not paying much attention to hygiene. Some people use the same towel for washing their face and feet, and then use it to wipe sweat when they go out working during the day. Sometimes, if they see someone injured, they even use that same towel to cover the wound. They show no concern for hygiene at all. What issue is this? This has a certain connection with the conditions of the family they were born into. Some people come from families with good living conditions, where each person has multiple towels and bath towels, with clear distinctions between those used for the face and those used for the feet. They bathe and wash their face every day, and the towels and bath towels are also washed daily, so it seems that they are especially fastidious. How are such habits formed? They’re the result of having a certain economic foundation and financial conditions in the family, which lead to these refined lifestyle habits. This makes a person appear very attentive to hygiene and respectable. On the surface, it seems they are very fastidious, but in actuality, behind all this are the innate conditions that have led to it. So, why are some people not attentive to these things? Some people are naturally not inclined to pay much attention to such matters, and even if they have the means, they don’t take these things too seriously—this is not a significant issue. For others, it’s due to their family conditions and environment. In a family of seven or eight people, they might all use the same towel for washing their face and feet, with one person using it after another. Some people even go to bed without washing their feet and still sleep soundly. This doesn’t affect their daily life or their self-conduct. Those who are fastidious might say, “But there are germs on your feet—they’re so dirty!” To which others might respond, “Feet aren’t dirty; they’re covered all day and don’t come into contact with the outside world, so there aren’t any germs, just some foot sweat. People think foot sweat is dirty, but it’s actually not. In some places, feet are even used to produce food. Who knows, the food you buy in the market might have been made by mixing dough with people’s feet. You can’t see that, and you eat it—yet you still think yourself so fastidious!” Whether someone is particular or not, all of this is lifestyle habits or ways of living that are shaped by innate conditions. This doesn’t have anything to do with how they conduct themselves. So, what kinds of manifestations involve a person’s conduct? For example, when faced with a dangerous situation, when being hunted by the great red dragon, everyone feels tense and scared, and they will have some instinctive reactions. However, some people might say, “No matter how tense and scared we all are right now, we must calm down and deal with the problems of the situation. We should first cover for the leaders and workers, and the brothers and sisters from other regions, so they can leave quickly.” But others might think differently: “Cover for them? What about me? What if I can’t escape in the end? I need to run first! Whoever runs first won’t get caught, and won’t be sentenced or tortured.” You see, when faced with danger, although everyone has the same instinctive reaction of fright, some people prioritize protecting others and put the safety of their own life in the background—such people demonstrate love and kindness. Others, however, first think of themselves, running off without considering others—this is selfishness. Actually, in the sense of conscience of their humanity, does this latter group know that they should first protect the leaders and workers and the brothers and sisters from other regions? In terms of rationale, do they get this? (Yes.) When everyone equally understands this rationale and has instinctive reactions, people differ in terms of their manifestations. This reflects the differences in humanity between individuals. Some people are selfish and base, only looking out for themselves and ignoring others, while others are kind-hearted, able to be selfless and considerate of others, prioritizing their protection and not acting selfishly. Does this reflect different types of humanity? (Yes.) This makes the distinction clear. So, of these types of people, with their two different types of humanity, which type of person is able to accept the truth and cast off their corrupt disposition? (The type of person with good humanity is able to accept the truth and easily cast off their corrupt disposition.) What about selfish people? (It’s not easy for them to practice the truth; even if they understand it, they can’t put it into practice, so it’s hard for them to cast off their corrupt disposition.) Exactly. So, while everyone may reveal a corrupt disposition, if people’s humanities are different, then they will likewise differ in terms of whether they can cast off their corrupt disposition. When people have different types of humanity, they respond to the same situation with different attitudes and approaches. This determines whether a person can ultimately accept the truth and positive things, whether they can walk the path of pursuing the truth, and whether they can cast off their corrupt disposition. One’s humanity is crucial, isn’t it? When encountering danger, everyone will have some instinctive reactions—they all feel fright, panic, and terror, they are uncertain, afraid of death, and want to run away. In such a critical situation, a person with good and kind humanity will first think of protecting the leaders and workers, and the brothers and sisters from other regions—what they think about first is the safety of others. Although they also have instinctive reactions—fright, panic, terror—and naturally also possess the instinct for self-protection, the way they handle the situation is not to protect themselves first but to protect others. This is the way a person with kind humanity conducts themselves. And what about the way a selfish person conducts themselves? They might think of others, but they don’t protect them—they protect themselves first. Therefore, people with kind humanity, who can empathize with and protect others, are likely to accept the truth. The conscience and reason of their humanity align with the conditions needed to accept the truth and to cast off their corrupt disposition. As for the selfish type of person, even if they understand the truth, they neither accept nor practice it. When faced with danger, their humanity manifests self-protection and selfishness. It’s therefore evident, judging from this humanity which they manifest, that they lack the basic conditions necessary to accept the truth and cast off their corrupt disposition. This means that in situations where practicing the truth is required, their conscience and reason lose their function. They act against their conscience and reason. They do not choose to seek the truth and do the just things that they should do, but instead they choose to go against their conscience and reason, and even go against moral justice and against the truth, fully satisfying their selfish desires and the needs of their interests to protect themselves and preserve all their interests. Therefore, it will not be easy for this type of person to walk the path of pursuing the truth or the path of salvation. The implication of this is that their corrupt disposition is very difficult to cast off. To put it somewhat prudently, instead of saying that they are unable to cast off their corrupt disposition, we will say that it is very difficult for them to do so. So, looking at the issue now, does whether a person can cast off their corrupt disposition and attain salvation entirely depend on their innate conditions? (No.) What does it depend on? (Their humanity.) It depends on their character, and whether the conscience and reason of their humanity can function when they face various people, events, and things. In other words, it depends on whether they act according to their conscience and reason when things happen. If a person acts under the direction of their conscience and reason, they will choose positive things and choose the truth. However, if they act against their conscience and reason, then regardless of how much truth they understand or whether their caliber is high or low, they will go against moral justice, go against the truth principles, and even forfeit their humanity. What does this make clear to you? Is humanity crucial? (Yes.) If a person, regardless of the situation, acts against their conscience and reason and against moral justice whenever it relates to their interests, they will forfeit their humanity. They will do anything to secure and protect their own interests. So, when faced with a situation, they won’t choose to act according to their conscience and reason. Instead, they will go against them for the sake of their own interests, sacrificing their integrity and dignity to achieve their goals. Looking at it from this perspective, no matter how well this type of person usually behaves, they pursue nothing but their own interests—their corrupt disposition is very difficult to cast off. They do not accept the truth—the more critical the moment, and the more they are confronted with reality, the more they choose to go against their conscience, reason, and the truth; and the more critical the moment, the more they reveal their corrupt disposition of being averse to the truth and their selfish, base humanity. Therefore, for this type of person, it is very difficult to cast off their corrupt disposition. By now, is it clear that a person’s humanity is a fundamental condition for casting off a corrupt disposition? What kind of humanity a person has determines whether they can ultimately cast off their corrupt disposition, whether they can ultimately walk the path of pursuing the truth, and whether they can ultimately attain salvation.

Example 10: Being Naturally Taciturn

Some people are naturally taciturn, with a personality that is gentle and tolerant. They seldom fuss over things or dispute with others, nor are they overly raucous. Their speech is not ostentatious, and their voices are soft. Outwardly, they appear especially gentle, and they do things in a methodical and unhurried manner. There are even some bashful people who do not like to have much verbal communication with others and are unwilling to have too much interaction with people. Wherever they go, they basically do not have any sense of presence. What kind of issue do these manifestations relate to? (This is an issue to do with their personality.) This is an issue with their innate personality. These people have this kind of personality on the outside, and inwardly their thoughts are also very simple. They are relatively nice to others, interact with others relatively fairly, do not take advantage of others, and when they receive favors or help from others, they repay them, and they also remember the kindness of others in their hearts. These people outwardly appear to have good humanity: They are harmless to both humans and animals; they are tolerant, sensitive toward others, and do not fuss over things with others; they do not get entangled in disputes, nor do they gossip about others; they do not pass judgment on people behind their backs, and they never proactively attack or harm others; when someone is in difficulty, as long as they can help, they will never refuse, and they do not ask for anything in return. Most people would say that these individuals are quite easygoing. So, do these people outwardly appear to have good humanity? (Yes.) But on one occasion, God’s house asks them about how things are going: “How is the work of your church leaders? What do the brothers and sisters think of them? Has the gospel work had any results during this period? Has anyone disrupted or disturbed the work of the church?” They mull this over: “Why are they asking me about this? What are they getting at? Are they implying that I should say the leaders aren’t doing well? Are they looking to dismiss our leaders? They are trying to worm words out of me and get confirmation from me. Well, I’m not going to say anything. If the leaders are dismissed one day, and they find out that I reported their issues, won’t they hold a grudge against me?” So they reply, “The leaders have been doing a pretty good job recently; I haven’t noticed any issues.” That’s all they say. When they’re asked again, “You really haven’t noticed any issues?” they reply, “How about you ask Sister So-and-so to tell you, she frequently interacts with the leaders. They associate quite often and she knows them well. I don’t know them that well.” But actually, they think to themselves: “Even if I do know, I can’t say anything. If I speak up and the leaders are dismissed later, won’t they hold a grudge against me? Even if they aren’t dismissed, if they find out I said something bad about them, won’t they make things difficult for me? Could they torment me? Would my duty be taken away? I can’t say anything!” What kind of manifestation is this? (It’s a manifestation of deceitfulness.) And what kind of problem does this relate to? A corrupt disposition. This kind of person outwardly seems to have a naturally good personality and good humanity, but whenever it comes to evaluating others or reporting issues, they claim they don’t know, saying that they’ve been a believer for a short time and don’t understand the truth, that they’re too foolish to see through things. No matter whose problems they notice, they never report it or speak up about it. When someone passes judgment on the leaders behind their backs or does their duty perfunctorily, they pretend not to notice or know about it and never report anything. When the leaders ask, “You’ve spent a lot of time with So-and-so; what is their performance of duty usually like? Are they able to endure hardship and pay a price?” they respond, “Well, I see that they get up pretty early in the morning and go to bed quite late at night.” In actuality, they had long since noticed that this person often watches the videos of the nonbelieving world and does not pay a price in doing their duty, but they do not speak the truth; they always maintain a superficial harmony with everyone. Outwardly, their innate personality seems fine, and their humanity appears good as well, but what is hidden beneath this appearance of good humanity? They are people pleasers; they are people pleasers who offend no one, never harm anyone, never take advantage of others, and never make enemies. What is their principle for conducting themselves? (To offend no one.) They offend no one, harm no one, and only seek to protect themselves. Is this being slippery? (Yes.) Even when someone sincerely fellowships with them, saying, “We’ve spent the most time together doing our duties. Please point out any issues you see with me. I promise to accept it and change. Please also fellowship with me about the principles of practice in this regard”—even when the other person is so earnest, they still don’t tell the truth. Instead, they insincerely say, “You’re much better than me. Actually, none of you realize it, but I’m really weak. I get negative, and I’m also rebellious.” No matter how sincerely others ask them to, they still won’t say anything. They absolutely refuse to offend anyone and will never make a single truthful statement. They won’t speak the truth to anyone, keeping everything buried in their hearts. From this, it can be seen that it’s not that they have no thoughts, because they aren’t robots, and they don’t live in a vacuum. They do have opinions about different people and matters, but they never express them or share or convey them to anyone. They just keep everything to themselves, in part because they do not want others to see through them, and in part because they do not want to offend anyone. So, what is their principle for conducting themselves? Do they have no principles? (Yes.) They have no principles. They never seek the truth or uphold principles. They only focus on defending and safeguarding themselves. As long as they don’t get hurt, they don’t care about what God requires. They have no principles or boundaries in how they conduct themselves, and they offend no one—they are simply people pleasers. Therefore, in the eyes of others, they are also seen as good people because those who interact with them often receive their help, and whenever others ask them for anything, they never refuse, leading people to believe they are good people. However, if you closely examine the principles by which they conduct themselves, you’ll find that they have no principles for conducting themselves. When it comes to issues related to corrupt dispositions, will they seek the truth to resolve them? Will they practice according to the truth principles? (No.) The answer is definitely no. These people hold on to their own subjective understanding, believing that they have good humanity and kind hearts. They think that they never harbor ill intentions toward others, or at the very least, would not actively harm others or damage their interests. Whenever others have any request or need, they always respond. In their understanding, they believe that not offending or harming anyone makes them good people. By not making any enemies, they think they won’t put themselves in any dangerous situation, and no one will see them as an enemy. This way, they won’t get hurt and will remain safe. What is the goal of people of this type in how they conduct themselves? Their only aim is self-protection; for them it is sufficient to live in what they believe is the most comfortable and secure haven and comfort zone. They have no intention of changing the principles and boundaries in how they conduct themselves, or the direction of their conduct, and they certainly have no intention of casting off their corrupt dispositions. These people are people pleasers and trouble avoiders. No matter how others fellowship about the truth principles or about the boundaries and principles of how to conduct oneself, they won’t change the way they conduct themselves. So, do these people have good humanity? (No.) Can these people accept the truth or uphold principles? (No.) Why can’t they uphold the truth principles? Because in their minds, their standard for conducting themselves is to be people pleasers. When it comes to any matter that requires having an opinion or taking a stance, they remain silent, maintain an indifferent attitude, and take a hands-off approach, remaining unconcerned and aloof as if it doesn’t concern them. As a result, they have no edge in how they conduct themselves and act; they are like a slippery eel. They don’t care about the people and events around them. No matter how significant the issues are in any environment or with any person, they have no interest in caring, inquiring, or knowing about them. They believe that as long as it doesn’t involve them, there’s no need to be concerned. There’s a saying for this, how does it go? “Seek not merit, but to avoid blame.” This is also a principle by which people pleasers conduct themselves. What are the characteristics of such people’s corrupt dispositions? Deceitfulness, wickedness, intransigence, a refusal to accept the truth—they possess nearly all the characteristics of corrupt dispositions. Outwardly, they may not do evil and rarely commit transgressions, but if you observe the principles and ways in which they conduct themselves, the most notable feature is that they never uphold the truth principles and have no boundaries in how they conduct themselves. Even when someone insults them or hurts their dignity, they can put up with it and laugh it off, never revealing or manifesting their inner thoughts. Outwardly, they seem very tolerant, with kind humanity, and show no intention of attacking or seeking revenge. However, it’s not that they have no thoughts—they remember what you did, and at the right moment, they will come out and protect and defend themselves, giving you a certain counterattack that you might not even notice. They are not upholding the truth principles; the principles and the boundaries in how they conduct themselves are solely to defend their own interests, safety, and reputation. For people like this, it is correct to describe them as wicked, and to describe them as intransigent, deceitful, and averse to the truth. Some people might say, “They haven’t harmed others’ interests or done anything evil, so how can you say they have these corrupt dispositions? What are you basing this on?” It’s based on their thoughts, viewpoints, and attitudes when it comes to how they view people and things and how they conduct themselves and act. Have you noticed this? (Now we see it.) Why is it that you couldn’t see it before? What about them misled you? (We thought they were quite easygoing in their speech and actions, and in how they interacted and cooperated with others, and they didn’t hurt anyone, so we assumed they had good humanity. We were misled by their outward facade.) Outwardly having a gentle personality and never attacking people and hurting animals does not mean that someone has good humanity. What kind of revelations of humanity represent truly good humanity? (For one thing, not harming others or taking advantage of them. Additionally, when danger arises, one’s first thought is to protect the leaders and workers, as well as the brothers and sisters who pursue the truth, without considering one’s own safety, and being able to put the interests of God’s house first in every situation. These are all manifestations of good humanity.) To be kind-hearted, loving, patient and tolerant, respectful of others, willing to consider others, to not take advantage of people, to be relatively upright, as well as humble, low-key, and not overbearing: possessing these qualities of humanity, combined with the ability to uphold the truth principles and safeguard the interests of God’s house—this is good humanity. If someone outwardly possesses qualities of humanity like tolerance, patience, kindness, not taking advantage of others, sensitivity toward others, caring for others, but when it comes to the interests of God’s house, they readily hand them over and even actively sell them out, do they have good humanity? (No.) This means their humanity is not good. How is good humanity measured? What is the minimum requirement? (At the very least, being able to safeguard the interests of God’s house.) Being able to safeguard the interests of God’s house; and then, on this foundation, being able to cooperate harmoniously with others, being kind-hearted and tolerant, not taking advantage of others, and being able to be patient and understand others’ weaknesses, being sensitive toward others, being able to be loving, being able to help and support others, and care for those who are weak, and so on—these are all characteristics of good humanity. Conversely, selfishness, baseness, greed, being harsh and overly calculating with others, loving to gossip and oppress people, being willful, showy, particularly superficial, wicked, dissolute, brazen, and lacking a sense of shame—what kind of manifestations are these? (These are manifestations of bad humanity.) Can someone with these manifestations still safeguard the interests of God’s house? (No.) Possessing the manifestations of good humanity, along with the ability to safeguard the interests of God’s house—this is what truly good humanity is.

Example 11: Appearing Kind but Squandering Offerings

Some people outwardly appear very kind; they are able to be patient with and tolerant of others, and they possess all the characteristics of good humanity. But when it comes to the work of the church, God’s offerings, or the interests of God’s house, they are able to sell out all of this. Would you say that this kind of person has good humanity? (No.) For example, when buying things for the brothers and sisters, some people choose items that are of good quality, cheap in price, and practical. But when it comes to spending offerings to buy things, they opt for expensive goods. Even if it’s just a tractor, they’ll even want to get one with navigation. No matter what they’re buying, they always go for the best, the most expensive, and the high-tech options, refusing to consider anything cheaper. Usually, they seem to get along normally with others; they don’t take advantage of people, are quite tolerant, and treat others well in all ways. But when it comes to spending offerings, their ruthless side emerges, and their sinister face comes out. Can they be considered as having good humanity? (No.) Is their good humanity truly genuine? It’s just outward pretense and affectation, it’s all a facade. When it really comes to matters involving the interests of God’s house, especially when it comes to spending offerings, their greed surfaces, and their sinister face, devilish visage, and ferocious demeanor are revealed. Is this good humanity? (No.) For example, someone is applying for the copyright of The Word Appears in the Flesh, and they say: “If we apply in the name of the church as an organization, it will save a lot of money. But if we apply in the name of Christ incarnate, it will cost much more. We should save money on this; offerings must not be spent carelessly!” Is this statement correct? Do they have principles in handling such an important matter? Just who were these words expressed by, God or the church? (They were expressed by God.) So who should the copyright belong to? Is it more appropriate for it to belong to God or to the church? (It’s more appropriate for it to belong to God.) This is a crucial issue. What are the consequences of focusing on saving money in such a critical matter? What problems could arise? The consequences could be unimaginable! If you disregard the interests of God’s house and only consider saving money, what kind of person does that make you? Do such people have a conscience or humanity? (They have no humanity.) No matter how kind or tolerant such people may seem on the outside, do they truly have humanity? (No.) In the church, all expenses for food, drink, and daily needs are covered entirely by God’s offerings. Have I ever been petty with you about these expenses? The only requirement is that you avoid waste, but have I ever scrutinized your normal expenses? (No.) In all aspects, I have been mindful of you and never scrutinized your expenses, yet you turn around and cut corners with Me. Is this not a lack of humanity? (Yes, it is.) No matter how kind or tolerant toward people someone without humanity appears, it’s just a facade. When it really comes to moments where conscience and reason should come into play, they are revealed as being devoid of all humanity. Are they even human? (No.) They cannot be called human. When I make purchases, I also shop carefully and frugally, considering when items are discounted and suitable ways to buy them, and if something is practical, suitable, and reasonably priced, I’ll purchase it. But I don’t buy recklessly, I don’t spend money on unworthy purchases. However, there are some expenses that can’t be avoided and must be spent, and in those cases, I spend according to principles. I also try to be frugal with My own food, clothing, and daily needs. It’s not about buying whatever I want; I have to carefully consider My purchases. You see, I dress simply, appropriately, and presentably. My spending follows principles: I buy what is necessary and practical, and I don’t buy what isn’t. Don’t squander or waste money; don’t spend money that shouldn’t be spent; save where you should, and avoid unnecessary expenses—these are the principles. However, when some people without humanity see an opportunity to spend God’s offerings, their eyes widen. As long as it involves spending on people’s food, clothing, housing, or transportation, they rush to take action. Especially when it comes to buying clothes for others or doling out living expenses, they become overly enthusiastic and very generous. In their hearts, they think, “Well, it’s not my money being spent. It’s God’s money being spent, and this helps my reputation, so why not?” So they take the opportunity to splurge. In their hearts, they harbor ill intentions, wanting nothing more than to do harm to God’s house! But if it were their own money, they’d calculate everything, refusing to spend even a penny more than necessary. No matter how kind they usually appear, such people do not have good humanity. In My view, their attitude toward God’s offerings speaks volumes. The fact that they can squander offerings and are totally devoid of a God-fearing heart shows, at the very least, that they are not kind, they are base, and they have bad humanity. Isn’t this the case? (Yes, it is.)

There are many manifestations related to one’s innate conditions, humanity, and corrupt dispositions. We’ve skimmed a portion of them today; there are likely other manifestations, which we can cover in future fellowships. Let’s end our fellowship here for today. Goodbye!

September 23, 2023