1 At present there are many people who believe in a confused manner. Your curiosity is too great, your desire to pursue blessings is too great, and your desire to pursue life is too small. You are only following perfunctorily, are not seeking the true way at all, and are not intentionally coming to gain life. You have an attitude of just wanting to see what will happen. Because you have not put down many of your old notions, there is not one among you who has been able to fully offer himself or herself up. Having arrived at this point, you are still all worried about your own fate, thinking day and night, never able to put it down.

2 Do you think that the Pharisees of whom I speak are the “old men” in religion? Aren’t you representatives of the most progressive Pharisees of the present age? Do you think that those people I mention who check Me against the Bible only refer to those Bible experts of religious circles? Do you think that when I speak of those who once again nail God to the cross I am talking about the leaders of religious circles? Are you not the very best actors who are playing this role? Do you think that all of the words I say to fight back against people’s notions are mocking the pastors and elders of religion? Haven’t you also taken part in all of these things?

3 Do you think that you have only a few notions? It is merely that you have all learned to be so clever now. You do not talk about the things you don’t understand or betray your feelings about them, but your heart of reverence and your heart of submission simply do not exist. As you see it, studying, observing, and waiting are your greatest practices of today. You have learned to be too clever. Do you know, however, that this is a kind of cunning psychology of yours? Do you think that a moment of cleverness on your part will help you escape the eternal chastisement?

Adapted from “You Must Understand the Work; Don’t Follow Confusedly!”

in The Word Appears in the Flesh