Almighty God’s Word | Chapter 1. Understanding Nature and Putting Truth Into Practice

1. People Do Not Thoroughly Understand Their Own Natures

You currently know about some of your own difficulties, you know the corruption that usually happens easily, and which things are easy for you to do; however, the most difficult thing is being able to control yourselves. You don’t know when you will do something or which serious things you will do. Perhaps there is something that you thought you would never do, but in a given time or environment that happened; you really did it and said it. These unexpected things are things that people are not able to control; how can this be? It is because people nowadays do not thoroughly understand the substance of their own natures; they do not really understand or deeply recognize their own substance in several big ways; therefore putting truth into practice is very strenuous for them. For example, if a person is quite deceitful, and dishonest in his words and deeds, then what will he say when you ask him what his biggest shortcomings are? He will say: “I am a little deceitful.” He will merely say he is a little deceitful, but he won’t say that his nature is deceitful, and he won’t say that he is a deceitful person. He doesn’t see his own nature all that deeply, he doesn’t see it as critically or thoroughly as other people see it. As other people see it, this person is too deceitful and crooked; every word he speaks carries lies, his words and actions are never honest, but he doesn’t see how deep it is. Even if he recognized it a little, it would only be a superficial recognition. So when he speaks and works, he always reveals something about his nature, yet he is unaware of it. He thinks that he is being honest in what he is doing and that he is doing things in accordance with truth. Actually, from the perspective of bystanders, this person is very crooked and deceitful; he is still dishonest in his words and actions. This is to say that there is always a huge discrepancy between the way people understand their own natures and the way God has revealed human nature. This is not a mistake in what God reveals, but rather it is mankind’s profound lack of understanding of his nature. People do not have a fundamental or substantial understanding of themselves, but rather they focus on and devote their energy to their actions and outward expressions. Even if someone occasionally said something about understanding himself, it wouldn’t be very profound. No one has ever thought that they are this type of person or have this type of nature for doing this type of thing or revealing something in a certain aspect. God has revealed the nature and substance of man, but man understands that their way of doing things and way of speaking is flawed and defective; therefore it is a strenuous task for people to put truth into practice. People think that their mistakes are merely momentary manifestations, which are revealed if they are not careful, rather than being revelations of their nature. People that understand themselves in this way are not able to put truth into practice, because they are not able to accept truth as truth and do not thirst after truth; therefore, when putting truth into practice, they perfunctorily follow the rules. People do not view their own natures as being too corrupt, and believe that they do not reach the level of being destroyed or punished. They think that it is not a big deal to lie occasionally, and they are much better than before; but in fact, according to the standards, there is a big difference, because people only have some practices that outwardly don’t violate truth, but in fact they are not putting truth into practice.

2. Understanding Your Own Nature and Controlling Yourself From Doing Things Excessively

Changing actions does not imply that people’s natures have also changed. The reason for saying this is because actions do not fundamentally change people’s old appearances or change people’s natures. Only after people understand their natures can they practice deeply rather than just obey the rules. People nowadays are not up to par when they put truth into practice; they do not completely meet the requirements of truth. People only put some truth into practice, practice parts of truth. They only practice the truth in certain situations and in certain environments. They do not put truth into practice in every environment and in every context. Occasionally when one is happy or in a good situation, or when everyone is fellowshiping together and he feels more at ease on the inside, he will momentarily do some things in accordance with truth and say some reasonable remarks; but when with negative people or with people who have fallen behind, he will be a little off and will not behave very properly. This is where people do not have a persevering attitude toward putting truth into practice. Rather, this practice is carried out under the influence of occasional and temporary moods and environments; it is also because you do not have a grasp on your own situation and nature. Therefore, sometimes you do something that you would never expect. Do you believe Me? You only understand some situations and don’t have a grasp on your own nature; therefore, you won’t be able to guarantee what things you do in the future, that is, you won’t have absolute control. Sometimes, you are able to put truth into practice in a situation as if you have changed a little, but in another environment you don’t put truth into practice. You can’t help yourself. You don’t do it this time, but soon after you do it and everything inside still exists. This proves that you still don’t see this matter thoroughly or deeply understand it, and you don’t deeply understand your corrupt disposition and ultimately you will do it. Under normal circumstances, if you were able to thoroughly understand your nature and despise it, then you would be able to control yourself and put truth into practice.

3. The Substance of People Who Don’t Put Truth Into Practice Is Not Fond of Truth

Nowadays, people do not pay close attention to putting truth into practice, they only pay attention to coming together to fellowship and satisfy their own state of mind so that they do not feel uncomfortable or negative. They don’t consider setting their minds to practicing the truth. No matter how much it helps you at the time, after the matter, it doesn’t serve any real purpose, because you only pay attention to understanding or listening to the truth, but don’t pay attention to practicing the truth. Who among you have summarized how to put which truths into practice for which situations? None! How can a summary be drawn up? One must have personal experiences in order to draw a summary; merely superficial speech won’t do. This is people’s greatest area of difficulty—there is no interest in putting truth into practice. Being able to put truth into practice concerns personal pursuits; some people equip themselves with truth to spread the gospel, and some do it to assist the church, but they don’t do it to put truth into practice and transform themselves. People who pay attention to these things have a difficult time putting truth into practice. This is also an area of difficulty for people.

4. Putting Truth Into Practice Stops at Outer Actions

Some people say: I feel that I am able to put some truth into practice now, it’s not that I can’t put any truth into practice. In some environments, I can do things in accordance with truth, which means I count as a person who puts truth into practice, and I count as a person who has the truth. Actually, in contrast with the states of the past, or in contrast with when you first believed in God, there is a little transformation. In the past, you didn’t understand anything, and you didn’t know what the truth was or what a corrupt disposition was. Now you know some things and you are able to have some good practices, but this is only a small part of the transformation; it is not truly a transformation of your disposition, because you don’t carry out advanced and deep truths that involve your nature. If there is some transformation, it is in contrast to your past, and this transformation is only a small transformation of your humanity. However, when compared with the highest state of truth, you are way off the mark. This is to say that you have not hit the mark when putting truth into practice.

Sometimes people who are in these types of situations don’t know what is going on: I am not negative and have enthusiasm, but when it comes to putting truth into practice and understanding the truth, I feel that there is no way for me and that I don’t have any interest in this aspect. How can this be? Sometimes you don’t see this situation very clearly and are forced to act superficially doing this and that, yet your actual difficulties remain unresolved. You feel: I have done it and have been devoted; why do I still not feel so assured? This is because your conduct and actions are based on your good intentions; they are done with subjective diligence, but you have not sought God’s will and you have not done things in accordance with the requirements of truth. You are off by this much, which results in you always feeling distant from God’s requirements and that you are not assured and unconsciously become negative. Personal subjective desires and subjective diligence are very different than the requirements of truth; they are different with regard to their nature. People’s outer actions cannot replace truth, and actions are not completely done according to God’s intentions; rather truth is the true expression of God’s will. Some people who spread the gospel feel that they are not idle, and they wonder: How can You say I am not putting truth into practice? Now I ask you: How much truth is in your heart? How many things have you done in accordance with truth during the time you have been spreading the gospel? Does your heart understand the will of God? You can’t even say if you are just doing things or are putting truth into practice, because you only emphasize using your practices to satisfy God and make God happy, but you don’t reciprocate God’s love with the conviction of “Seek God’s will in all things to satisfy God and accord with truth.” If you say you are putting truth into practice, then how much has your disposition changed during this time? How much has your love for God increased? These measures are sufficient to show whether or not you are putting truth into practice.
from:Almighty God’s Word | Chapter 1. Understanding Nature and Putting Truth Into Practice