I

Though many people believe in God, few understand what belief in God means, and exactly how they should act to be in line with the intentions of God. This is because, though people know the word "God" and phrases such as "the work of God," they do not know God, and still less do they know His work. Then, it is little wonder that all those who do not have knowledge of God are muddled in their belief in Him. People don't take belief in God seriously, and this is entirely because believing in God is too unfamiliar, too strange for them. In this way, they fall far short of God's requirements. In other words, if people don't know God or His work, they cannot be fit for God's use, and still less are they able to satisfy His intentions.

II

"Belief in God" means believing that there is a God; this is the simplest concept of belief in God. To take this a step further, believing that there's a God is not truly believing in God; rather, it's a kind of simple faith with strong religious overtones. True belief in God means the following: On the basis of the belief that God holds sovereignty over all things, one experiences His words and His work, and thereby casts off one's corrupt dispositions, satisfies God's intentions, and comes to know God. Only a journey of this kind can be called "belief in God." Yet people often see belief in God as a very simple and frivolous matter. When people believe in God in this way, it loses its meaning, and though they may continue to believe until the very end, they shall never gain the approval of God, because they tread upon the wrong path.

III

Those who, to this day, believe in God amid words and hollow doctrines, still don't know that they lack the essence of belief in God, and that they can't receive the approval of God. Still they pray for God to bless them with peace and sufficient grace. Let us quiet our hearts and think hard: Can it be that believing in God is the easiest thing on earth? Can it be that believing in God means nothing more than receiving much grace from God? Are people who believe in God without knowing Him or who believe in God and yet oppose Him really able to satisfy the intentions of God?

from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Preface