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  • Why didn't the Lord take us to His kingdom at His return

  • and why does He still have to pass judgment in the last days?

  • Our sins have been forgiven because we believe.

  • We are saved by the Lord's grace, so we can't be judged when He returns.

  • Our sins may have been forgiven,

  • but we still can't deny

  • that we commit sins during the day and confess those sins at night.

  • We're still far from being cleansed,

  • and far from obeying God and following God's way.

  • The Lord is holy. How could He allow those who sin often

  • and resist Him to enter the kingdom of heaven?

  • So now, if someone has a question, feel free to ask.

  • Almighty God's word can resolve all of our most difficult problems.

  • God's word can make us enlightened at once and feast our eyes. (That's right!)

  • You know we haven't heard such fellowship for a very long time. Thank the Lord.

  • Thank the Lord. I'd like to ask a question.

  • Sure!

  • Many brothers and sisters believe

  • that our faith in Jesus means our sins are forgiven,

  • and that we've enjoyed much of the Lord's grace,

  • and we've experienced His compassion and mercy.

  • Jesus Christ doesn't see us as sinners,

  • so we should all be raptured directly into God's kingdom. (Yes, well said!)

  • Then why didn't the Lord take us to His kingdom at His return

  • and why does He still have to pass judgment in the last days?

  • Is God's judgment to cleanse and save the whole of mankind,

  • or kill, condemn us to death?

  • Many people just don't seem to understand this.

  • So sisters, could you please tell us more about this? (Sure!)

  • Hold on!

  • You were saying that the Lord has come to perform His judgment of the last days.

  • But then, Jesus once made this promise to us,

  • Amen!

  • The Lord will return and take us directly to the kingdom of heaven.

  • If He will, how could He judge us?

  • Praise the Lord!

  • Our sins have been forgiven because we believe.

  • We are saved by the Lord's grace, so we can't be judged when He returns.

  • Sister Diao, Sister Lai, our sins may have been forgiven,

  • but we still can't deny

  • that we commit sins during the day and confess those sins at night.

  • We're still far from being cleansed,

  • and far from obeying God and following God's way.

  • The Bible says,

  • God is holy and righteous.

  • We're so filthy and corrupt.

  • How can we go to the kingdom of heaven?

  • Now, we have this great opportunity to seek the truth.

  • Let's ask these sisters from the Church of Almighty God

  • to fellowship this aspect of the truth with us.

  • Sure.

  • Elder Peng, the question you asked was very realistic.

  • Even though the Lord has forgiven our sins and thus we're redeemed,

  • but from God's point of view,

  • man is still filthy and corrupt, and has too much sin and hasn't been cleansed.

  • Being forgiven means we won't be condemned by the law,

  • and that is what "saved by grace" really means. (Yeah!)

  • God may have forgiven us for our sins and bestowed much grace upon us,

  • letting us enjoy a certain peace and happiness,

  • and giving us the right to pray and communicate with God.

  • But what can't be denied

  • is that we still sin against God quite often and we haven't reached holiness.

  • We still need God to return to us all in the last days

  • to cleanse and save us thoroughly.

  • So you see, the work of Jesus' redemption

  • was just to pave the way for God's judgment in the last days.

  • God's plan to save mankind doesn't actually end there.

  • It would help if everybody knew this.

  • Yes.

  • Earlier you all asked us:

  • How come after man has been forgiven,

  • he still can't help himself when he commits sins so often,

  • and can't seem to stop living in such sin?

  • Yes, it's a question that's puzzled us for a long time.

  • It's all because we are corrupted by Satan just far too deep

  • to a point where we're all satanic by nature with satanic disposition.

  • That's why mankind can't help but keep committing so many sins. (Yes.)

  • If their satanic nature never gets resolved,

  • mankind is still capable of sin even if they've all been forgiven.

  • And then, mankind won't be able to achieve compatibility with God.

  • This is why Jesus Christ said He'd return.

  • It's so He can cleanse us with His judgment in the last days

  • and save all of mankind.

  • Just as Almighty God says,

  • I'll read more of God's word.

  • Almighty God's words couldn't be more clear!

  • In the Age of Grace, Jesus only did His redemptive work.

  • Mankind's sins were forgiven for their belief,

  • and yet still their sinful nature has not been resolved.

  • Mankind's sinful nature is Satan's nature.

  • It has already taken root deep inside men's hearts and has become their lives.

  • That is why man still can't help but give in to sin and try to resist God.

  • Man's satanic nature is the reason behind his resistance to God.

  • Mankind's sins can be forgiven, but can God forgive his satanic nature too?

  • We are not sure. I don't know.

  • Our satanic nature directly opposes God and is in direct enmity to the truth.

  • God would never forgive it.

  • Therefore, for God to completely save mankind

  • from the bondage of their satanic nature,

  • He must judge and chastise all of mankind.

  • God's judgment in the last days

  • is targeted at man's satanic nature and disposition.

  • They're still deep inside the hearts of mankind.

  • Now knowing that you might wonder:

  • Can that satanic nature only be removed from us

  • through judgment and chastisement?

  • Can't we through suffering subduing our bodies and restraining ourselves

  • resolve this satanic nature ourselves?

  • Definitely not.

  • Look at the many saints throughout all of history

  • who paid the price through suffering and restraint,

  • who all wanted to escape the bondage of their sin and transcend their own flesh.

  • How many of them could defeat Satan and become truly obedient to God?

  • Almost none.

  • Even if they did, they were people who were especially perfected by God.

  • But just how many people did this?

  • This was because there was no judgment from God,

  • so that sinful nature was never able to be cleansed.

  • So man's disposition was unable to be really changed.

  • This one fact sufficiently proves

  • that using human means will not help us resolve our satanic nature. (Yes.)

  • Man must ultimately go through God's judgment, chastisement, trials,

  • and some refinement before they gain the truth

  • and finally receive the way of eternal life.

  • This is the only way that we can resolve man's satanic nature.

  • That's why based on the groundwork of Jesus Christ's redemption of mankind,

  • Almighty God carries out His judgment in the last days

  • to free man from the grip and control of his satanic nature

  • so that mankind can be cleansed

  • and can receive God's salvation and be gained by God.

  • From this we can understand that

  • it's God's judgment in the last days

  • that can thoroughly cleanse mankind and save all of mankind.

  • We know this is the truth.

  • Yes. Amen. Such fellowship is so clear.

  • Thank the Lord. For all these years, we've confessed our sins and repented,

  • and tried to restrain ourselves from sinning and displeasing the Lord,

  • but then I don't know why we've always failed.

  • And now, after listening to what you've said, I finally understand.

  • The redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ was to forgive man for his sins,

  • but not to forgive man's sinful nature.

  • Man will sin because he has this nature.

  • If this satanic nature isn't resolved, then man will naturally resist God.

  • It seems that for man to get rid of this nature,

  • be saved by God and enter His kingdom,

  • he must accept God's work of judgment and chastisement in the last days.

  • Yes. Of course. That's right.

  • My sisters, what you've fellowshiped with us today

  • has been very constructive for us.

  • Today's fellowship is very enlightening!

  • Yes, they've really shown us the way!

  • Sisters, what you've shared with us today makes a lot of sense,

  • but still we think of the Lord as merciful and loving.

  • We think the Lord will forgive all our sins,

  • and His grace is enough for us to enjoy.

  • I don't think we need the Lord's return to execute His judgment.

  • Yes, I agree with that too.

  • If we still have to face judgment when the Lord returns,

  • doesn't that mean we'll be condemned?

  • Will His grace still actually be grace?

  • The Lord is loving and merciful. His return won't be to judge His followers.

  • Sisters,

  • yes, our sins have been forgiven by the Lord,

  • and we've also enjoyed much of His grace,

  • but does any of that mean we have no sin?

  • Does it prove that man is qualified to enter God's kingdom?

  • The Lord is holy.

  • How could He allow those who sin often and resist Him

  • to enter the kingdom of heaven?

  • Now come on, when the Lord returns and passes judgment to cleanse man,

  • are you not going to accept it?

  • Limiting God and trying to judge God's work

  • is offending God's disposition and resisting Him.

  • The Lord is already inspecting us.

  • You're right. We can't draw conclusions like this.

  • Brothers and sisters, we're all much more aware

  • that God's final judgment is mankind's greatest chance at salvation.

  • If man doesn't experience God's judgment,

  • then man's satanic nature will never really be resolved,

  • and mankind won't be able to turn to God and be gained by Him;

  • and then mankind won't be able to enjoy God's promise

  • or receive a good destination

  • a fact that not one believer can deny. (Yeah. That's right. I agree. Of course.)

  • But now, many people don't understand

  • what is the meaning behind God's judgment and chastisement?

  • Is God's judgment actually condemning mankind or saving us all?

  • This requires us to know God's work of saving mankind.

  • That way we can understand God's intentions.

  • Let's read a few passages from God's word.

  • Allow me to read a passage.

  • These words are too authoritative!

  • After reading Almighty God's word, we can see a truth that we can understand:

  • Corrupt mankind won't be able to receive the truth and life

  • if they don't go through God's judgment.

  • And so, they won't lose their sinful nature and find salvation.

  • And even worse,

  • they'll never know God's righteousness or see what He has and is.

  • Man's been corrupted by Satan for thousands of years,

  • and they all have a satanic nature.

  • They've all been arrogant, deceitful, and so reckless.

  • So then even though we believe in God, we can't help it,

  • and we often find ourselves sinning against God.

  • What this shows us is that man doesn't have a true knowledge or fear of God.

  • We know that's a fact.

  • For such a person who's trapped in satanic disposition

  • to be fully obedient to God and be utterly convinced,

  • what method do you think that God should use to achieve this result?

  • Could it be judgment and chastisement?

  • You see, man must experience God's judgment,

  • so they see God's righteous, majestic, and wrathful disposition,

  • and they see the truth God has expressed,

  • which is what He uses to judge and cleanse mankind.

  • Only then will they be conquered,

  • fall down completely before God and then truly repent.

  • They'll start to understand the truth, practice the truth,

  • and gradually change their disposition to be compatible with God.

  • But why couldn't believers from the Age of Grace

  • get the chance to truly know themselves?

  • Why did they not fear God and lived in sin so often,

  • rebelling and fighting against God like it wasn't a big deal?

  • It's because God hadn't performed His judgment of the last days yet.

  • Without experiencing God's judgment,

  • mankind can't get to know his own satanic nature,

  • and his arrogant disposition will never be able to change.

  • He won't be able to achieve true obedience and fear to God.

  • Some of you might still be wondering

  • how can we take up the cross and then follow the Lord if we don't obey Him.

  • In the Age of Grace,

  • people gave up everything to pay the price and work for the Lord.

  • They thought they would all receive a crown, be rewarded,

  • and enter the kingdom of heaven.

  • But these people, did they truly love and obey the Lord?

  • Did the life dispositions of these people really change?

  • Did they really achieve compatibility with the Lord?

  • So then why when mankind is spending for the Lord,

  • do they try to make it a transaction to utilize and deceive Him?

  • God observes the depths of man's heart.

  • Man looks at the outside, God the inside.

  • Despite how good they look, they may not be after God's heart.

  • Therefore,

  • God's work of judgment beginning with the house of God in the last days

  • is the work that's targeted at man's satanic nature

  • for thoroughly cleansing and saving mankind.

  • It looks like we might need God's judgment after all.

  • Only after we experience God's judgment in the last days

  • can we see man's nature and the real situation

  • as to how mankind has been corrupted by Satan,

  • and how man's actions have been in Satan's image and so inhuman.

  • When that happens, we all feel ashamed and fall down before God.

  • We repent to God and feel remorseful.

  • We never again feel like we're stronger or better.

  • We start to despise and curse ourselves,

  • and we choose not to live in our corrupt disposition.

  • And subconsciously, we become honest, losing all of our insolence.

  • But also, we see for ourselves

  • that God's disposition is too righteous, too holy and truly unoffendable.

  • We can't help but develop a reverence for God.

  • We won't do as we please or say what we want for fear of angering Him.

  • We begin to forsake the flesh, practice the truth,

  • and through all of that, we change the way we see things.

  • Our disposition gradually starts to change,

  • and we're willing to obey God's arrangements.

  • We're no longer controlled by our desires for blessings.

  • We live out the likeness of a real man.

  • Thank the Lord.

  • After we've experienced God's judgment, we all really appreciate

  • that Almighty God uttering words to judge us and chastise us

  • is not meant to punish or destroy us,

  • but instead, it's meant to perfect us and cleanse us.

  • Because you see, this is how God grants salvation and mercy,

  • and how He shows His genuine love for mankind. (Amen!)

  • That's right. Thank the Lord.

  • Their fellowship has been very practical. (Yes, praise the Lord!)

  • And also, we have seen the work of judgment beginning with the house of God

  • is targeted at all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days.

  • God will make a group of overcomers before disaster.

  • These people will then receive God's promise and enter the kingdom of heaven.

  • Amen. Praise the Lord.

  • As for those wicked people who resist God,

  • God won't perform judgment on any of them

  • nor will He try to perfect any of them.

  • Instead, He will simply let the great disasters arrive and destroy them.

  • So now we're all capable of seeing

  • that Almighty God's judgment to His chosen is purifying, saving and perfecting.

  • And to those antichrists and truly wicked ones who hate truth and oppose God,

  • it is condemnation and destruction.

  • We all know that this is the absolute truth. (That's right!)

  • Today's fellowship has enlightened my heart.

  • My thoughts on God's judgment in the last days were full of made up ideas.

  • I thought of God's judgment as punishment and curse for man.

  • Praise the Lord! Because now I know

  • that God's judgment of corrupt mankind is so He can cleanse them and save them,

  • and take them into a beautiful destination.

  • (sigh) God's judgment of mankind has such significance for man's salvation.

  • This is God's most genuine, and truest love for mankind.

  • That's right. Praise God!

  • Yes. Praise God!

  • That's right. Mankind's corruption in the last days runs too deep.

  • They're all licentious, weary of the truth, hate the truth,

  • and they all ignore positive things.

  • They don't have an ounce of righteousness.

  • Even worse, they worship evil, invert justice, and take the evil path.

  • (sigh) Even those who have believed in the Lord for years

  • are following the sinful ways of the world,

  • sinning against Lord, and failing to keep the Lord's word. (Yes, that's true.)

  • If God doesn't rescue mankind,

  • then man will all have to perish for resisting God.

  • God's way of using judgment in the last days

  • to cleanse us and save us all is necessary!

  • They say that bitter medicine cures the disease, and that is like God's love.

  • Yes! Thank the Lord! Praise God!

  • It's true. Man's corruption is deep.

  • Wanting God's kingdom by grace is indulging in fantasy. We must let go!

  • Yes, praise the Lord!

  • Almighty God perfects those true believers in Him

  • through His judgment and also through His chastisement,

  • and exposes those who would resist Him,

  • then rewards good, punishes evil, and ends the age.

  • Only God has this kind of authority and power.

  • It seems Almighty God is truly the second coming of the Lord.

  • We finally see the One we've been waiting for. Praise the Lord!

  • Thank the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Why didn't the Lord take us to His kingdom at His return

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