Can We Meet the Return of the Lord by Following Blindly?

Can We Meet the Return of the Lord by Following Blindly?

One day, I read a small story: An old man and a kid led a donkey to a fair. At first, the kid rode the donkey, while the old man walked. Then, passers-by saw them and said the kid was naive and that he should let the old man ride the donkey. So the kid dismounted and let the old man ride it. Later on, they encountered a person who said the old man was too selfish to ride the donkey alone. Thus they rode it together. After a while, some people met them and commented that they were cruel for they would exhaust the donkey. For this reason, they got off it and walked the donkey. Again, another passing person said they were silly for they didn’t ride the available donkey. They did not know whom they should listen to. Finally, they pushed the donkey into a well and had nothing left.

I’m deeply affected by this story. People, who have no definite views of their own, think that each statement sounds reasonable and lack the ability to discern. At last, they harm themselves. This reminds me that many people are incapable of distinguishing anything by themselves or thinking for themselves concerning the return of the Lord. They believe whatever pastors and elders say, such as “God’s work and words are all in the Bible, and departure from the Bible is heresy,” “Who comes without riding on a white cloud is not the Lord Jesus,” “When God returns, pastors and elders must be revealed first,” “We believe in the Lord Jesus and have been saved, so we will be raptured into the kingdom of heaven directly when God returns,” “It is impossible that God’s incarnate flesh is female,” “God could not possibly carry out His work in China,” “The word of Almighty God is the voice of God, but people of the Church of Almighty God may cut off others’ ears and gouge out their eyes.” Moreover, they have never discerned but only believed the rumors crafted by CCP about the Church of Almighty God. Deceived by the religious pastors and elders and the CCP, people dare not investigate the true way. Finally, their chances for salvation are ruined.

Almighty God says: “Those who do not understand the truth always follow others: If people say that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, then you, too, say it is the work of the Holy Spirit; if people say it is the work of an evil spirit, then you, too, become doubtful, or also say it is the work of an evil spirit. You always parrot the words of others, and are incapable of distinguishing anything by yourself, nor are you able to think for yourself. This is someone without a position, who is unable to differentiate—such a person is a worthless wretch! Such people always repeat the words of others: Today it is said that this is the work of the Holy Spirit, but chances are one day someone will say it isn’t the work of the Holy Spirit, and nothing but the deeds of man—yet you can’t see through this, and when you witness it said by others, you say the same thing. It is actually the work of the Holy Spirit, but you say it is the work of man; have you not become one of those who blaspheme against the work of the Holy Spirit? In this, have you not opposed God because you cannot differentiate?” (“Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

From God’s words, we see that those who are without the truth are incapable of differentiating. Thus they have no definite views of their own and always follow and listen to others. However, as long as they have yearning, seeking hearts, God will enlighten them to understand the truth and they will receive God’s salvation. As it is said in the Bible, Nathanael and the Samaritan woman recognized the Lord Jesus is Christ from His words and then followed Him. So how should we welcome the return of the Lord today? Revelation 2:7 says, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches.” Today, Almighty God’s words have shown us the way. He says: “As such, since we are searching for the footprints of God, we must search for God’s will, for the words of God, for the utterances of God—for where there are the new words of God, there is the voice of God, and where there are the footsteps of God, there are the deeds of God. Where there is the expression of God, there is the appearance of God, and where there is the appearance of God, there exists the truth, the way, and the life. While seeking the footprints of God, you ignored the words that ‘God is the truth, the way, and the life.’ So when many people receive the truth, they do not believe that they have found the footprints of God and much less acknowledge the appearance of God. What a serious error that is!” (“The Appearance of God Has Brought a New Age” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).