Eastern Lightning | Gospel Questions & Answers

If we do not accept Almighty God’s work of judgment, then can we really do the heavenly Father’s will? Can we really enter the kingdom of heaven?

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Eastern Lightning | What Does “Christ” Actually Mean?

What Does “Christ” Actually Mean?

by Xie Shang

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As Christians, we are all familiar with the word “Christ.” Because we pray in the holy name of Jesus Christ every day, we believe the Lord Jesus is Christ. Some people may say, “Christ means the anointed One.” Some say, “Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God.” Some say, “Christ is the incarnate Lord Jesus.” Others say, “Christ is the Lord Jesus, the Son of man.” Everyone has his own opinion. For these opinions, other people raise questions. Some of them say, “Jesus Christ is the Son of man. Then, according to the record of the Old Testament, Jehovah God called those who were used by Him the son of man. Are those who were used and called the son of man by God Christ? Just as the Bible says, ‘And he said to me, Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you’ (Ezekiel 2:1). ‘And he said to me, Son of man, have you seen this?’ (Ezekiel 47:6). Here, Jehovah God called Ezekiel the son of man. Then was he Christ? In the Old Testament, those who were used by Jehovah God to do work were prophets, priests and other people. God called them the son of man. So, were they Christ?” Some say, “Christ means the anointed One. In the Old Testament, the kings and priests were all the anointed ones. Why weren’t they Christ?” Some say, “Christ is the Messiah; then why do we pray to Jesus Christ, not Messiah Christ?” They all hold to their opinions, and it makes us confused: What on earth is Christ?

Why is it said that religious pastors and elders are all walking the path of the Pharisees? What is their essence?

Why is it said that religious pastors and elders are all walking the path of the Pharisees? What is their essence?

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Bible Verses for Reference:

“And he began to speak to them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and dig a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the farmers a servant, that he might receive from the farmers of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent to them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last to them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those farmers said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our’s. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others” (Mak 12:1-9).

Why did the Lord Jesus curse the Pharisees? What exactly is the essence of the Pharisees?

Why did the Lord Jesus curse the Pharisees? What exactly is the essence of the Pharisees?

 Why did the Lord Jesus curse the Pharisees? What exactly is the essence of the Pharisees?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death. But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. You hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mat 15:3-9).

Why has the religious world always denied Christ, rejected Him and condemned Him, thereby suffering the curses of God?

Why has the religious world always denied Christ, rejected Him and condemned Him, thereby suffering the curses of God?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dig a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the farmers took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did to them likewise. But last of all he sent to them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him” (Mat 21:33-39).

Why the Lord Jesus Gave the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter

Why the Lord Jesus Gave the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter

Yang Qing

Baffled From Reading the Bible

When I got up early in the morning, I made a prayer, then opened up the Bible to Matthew 16:19, where the Lord Jesus says to Peter: “And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Reading this passage of scripture, I became confused, thinking: “Peter didn’t do any great work nor were the epistles he wrote very famous. On top of that, when the Lord Jesus was arrested and stood trial, Peter denied Him three times. Why didn’t the Lord give the keys of the kingdom of heaven to other disciples, but only to Peter?” I searched and searched through the Scriptures, but nothing resolved my confusion. I had no choice but to go off to work.

 Why the Lord Jesus Gave the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter

Eastern Lightning | Methods on How to Pray So That God Will Listen

Methods on How to Pray So That God Will Listen

Cheng Shi

Brothers and sisters:

Peace to you in the Lord! Praying is an important way for us Christians to establish a normal relationship with God. This is especially the case during the morning and at night. That is why learning how to pray is extremely important. However, many brothers and sisters feel perplexed: Every single day, we pray both in the morning and at night; we also pray before we eat and after we finish eating as well as when we have gatherings; furthermore, each time we pray, we say a lot to the Lord and pray for a long time. However, we always feel as if God is not there; it feels as if we are just talking to ourselves when we pray, and our spirit does not feel peace or joy. Why does God not listen to our prayers? How should we pray so that we can receive God’s praise?

Actually, there are a few reasons why God may not listen to our prayers. I will share my personal understanding of this with everybody.

In Your Experience, How Much Practical Understanding Do You Have of God’s Salvation?

In Your Experience, How Much Practical Understanding Do You Have of God’s Salvation?

Nannan

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      Since I was small, I had always had a strong desire to be better than others. No matter what group of people I was in, I always sought to be the best. While I was still at school, though I had an average mind and my grades weren’t outstanding, I studied very hard so that I wouldn’t fall behind the other students. Teachers praised me for my desire to make progress, and relatives also praised me for being such a diligent student and taking my studies so seriously. I would often feel proud of myself for receiving their praise and getting favorable comments from them, and I considered myself top of my age group. After I’d accepted God’s work in the last days, I came to understand some truths by reading God’s words and living the church life, and I saw that, no matter what disposition God expresses, whether it be mercy, lovingkindness or righteous judgment and chastisement, they are all God’s true love for man. My heart was moved and inspired by God’s love, and I felt that the only right path in life was to believe in God and seek to be perfected by God. I therefore made a resolution to pursue the truth in earnest, to give up everything and expend myself for God to repay His love. But because my deeply-rooted corrupt disposition and satanic nature had not yet been resolved, I still sought to distinguish myself and to make others look highly upon me when performing my duties. I remember one time when I was given the choice of two duties, and without any hesitation whatsoever I chose the duty that I thought would cause others to look highly upon me. Once I’d started this duty, a sense of superiority arose in my heart, so much so that I looked down on other brothers and sisters, thinking that they were only doing common duties, whereas I was performing an important duty, and that I was a person of talent in God’s family.

Why There Is No Reply to Your Prayer: Three Methods on How to Pray

Why There Is No Reply to Your Prayer: Three Methods on How to Pray

Cheng Shi

Brothers and sisters:

Peace to you in the Lord! Praying is an important way for us Christians to establish a normal relationship with God. This is especially the case during the morning and at night. That is why learning how to pray is extremely important. However, many brothers and sisters feel perplexed: Every single day, we pray both in the morning and at night; we also pray before we eat and after we finish eating as well as when we have gatherings; furthermore, each time we pray, we say a lot to the Lord and pray for a long time. However, we always feel as if God is not there; it feels as if we are just talking to ourselves when we pray, and our spirit does not feel peace or joy. Why does God not listen to our prayers? How should we pray so that we can receive God’s praise?

When the Lord Jesus Knocks at the Door, How Will We Answer

When the Lord Jesus Knocks at the Door, How Will We Answer

Xiao Fei

After I entered belief in the Lord, the brothers and sisters liked to sing a hymn called “The Good Man Is Knocking at the Door” which goes: “The good man is knocking at the door, His hair wet with dew; let us quickly rise and open the door, and not let the good man turn around and leave. …” Every time we sang this hymn, our hearts were deeply moved and stirred. We all want to ask the good man to stay the night, so when the good man comes and knocks at the door we will welcome the Lord the first time we hear the good man’s voice. It can be said that all of us who believe in the Lord have such a hope. But when the Lord comes, how will He knock? When the Lord knocks, what should we do to make sure we are welcoming Him as the Lord? This is something people who believe in the Lord should think about.

 When the Lord Jesus Knocks at the Door, How Will We Answer

Is There Any Biblical Basis for the Statement “Once Saved, Always Saved”

By Yang Xin, Shandong Province

The sun sank into the west, and the last light of the sinking sun spread across the world as I walked back home after a meeting, thinking of what the pastor had said: “Once saved, then we are always saved, for the Bible says, ‘That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation’ (Romans 10:9-10). As we believe in the Lord Jesus, as long as we believe in our hearts and acknowledge Him with our mouths, then we are saved, and if we are saved once then we are always saved. As long as we keep working and expending ourselves for the Lord and endure till the very end, then when the Lord returns, we will immediately be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven!” I gave an Amen to the pastor’s words: “Yes! The Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross so that we could be redeemed, so as long as we call upon the Lord’s name, confess our sins and repent to the Lord, then our sins will be absolved and we will be saved by His grace—once saved, always saved, and afterward we will surely be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven.” Over the years of my belief in the Lord, I had always firmly believed that this view was correct, and never once doubted it.

How does one actually confirm that Almighty God is the returned Jesus?

How does one actually confirm that Almighty God is the returned Jesus?

The Answer from God’s Word:

First, He is able to open up a new age; second, He is able to supply the life of man and show man the way to follow. This is sufficient to establish that He is God Himself. At the very least, the work He does can fully represent the Spirit of God, and from such work it can be seen that the Spirit of God is within Him. As the work done by the incarnate God was mainly to usher in a new age, lead new work, and open up new circumstances, these few conditions alone are sufficient to establish that He is God Himself.

from “The Difference Between the Ministry of the Incarnate God and the Duty of Man” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Eastern Lightning | There Is a Way to Resolve the Generation Gap

Eastern Lightning | There Is a Way to Resolve the Generation Gap

  There Is a Way to Resolve the Generation Gap

Eastern Lightning | What Does It Mean to Have Humanity?

What Does It Mean to Have Humanity?

 What Does It Mean to Have Humanity?

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, peace be with you! The majority of us understand “normal humanity” as, if nothing else but, living harmoniously with others, having a loving heart, tolerance and acceptance for others or being kind and charitable. Now, do you know how we should live out a normal humanity as God requests us to? As Christians, how can we practice and gain entry so that we can live out a genuine humanity in accordance with God’s will? The essay that will be shared today will provide us with a new understanding about this topic. Please listen …

Why Does the Chinese Communist Party Force Christians to Join the Three-Self Church?

 Why Does the Chinese Communist Party Force Christians to Join the Three-Self Church?

Hou Xiangke (Chief of the Public Security Bureau): Han Lu, you must know that the Communist Party is an atheist party and started out from revolution. The Communist Party is most inimical to God and God’s word. The truth that you accept and the path that you walk are hated the most by the Communist Party. You are an eyesore and a thorn in the side for the Communist Party. Therefore, the Communist Party will severely repress you, punish you, and ban you! In China, you must follow the leadership of the Communist Party when you believe in God, accept the Communist Party’s United Front, join the Three-Self Church, and take the path of love for country and religion. Aside from this, there is no way out! Have you seen through these matters?

Where do rumors come from and how are they created?

Where do rumors come from and how are they created?

 Where do rumors come from and how are they created?

Bible Verses for Reference:

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said to the woman, Yes, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die: For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:1-5).

Why Did the Chinese Communist Party Manufacture the 5/28 Zhaoyuan Incident?

Why Did the Chinese Communist Party Manufacture the 5/28 Zhaoyuan Incident?

  

 Why Did the Chinese Communist Party Manufacture the 5/28 Zhaoyuan Incident?

Ma Jinlong (Captain of the National Security Team): Tell you the truth, Han Lu. It isn’t that we don’t understand people who believe in God. There are believers of God among my friends. I know that those who believe in God are good people who do not do bad things. Then why does the Communist Party want to capture you? It is because your Church of Almighty God is developing too fast, its impacts are increasingly greater. You still keep spreading the word of Almighty God, shocking the entire religious community. Is it possible that the Communist Party does not suppress and restrict you? Do you know what the “May 28 Shandong Zhaoyuan Case” is about? It was the Communist Party’s signal to the whole world that it wanted to ban and destroy the Church of Almighty God. And it also shouted the slogan, “Troops won’t be withdrawn until the ban is done!” What does this demonstrate? This demonstrates that the central leadership has determined to completely ban and eliminate all the underground churches, especially your Church of Almighty God. After the public trial of the Shandong Zhaoyuan case, although many people have raised all kinds of questions about the Shandong Zhaoyuan case, saying that this case was most likely a phony case fabricated intentionally by the Communist Party to frame and smear the Church of Almighty God, nevertheless, this case was heard publicly by the court. The news media also made a follow-up report on the case. No matter how much you doubt and deny the May 28 Shandong Zhaoyuan case, it is useless. When the Communist Party can say and do so, there will certainly be many people who believe it. Although the lie and violence are not a positive thing, they are effective. Isn’t it what is all about?

Why God Was Called Jesus in the Age of Grace

Why God Was Called Jesus in the Age of Grace

Why God Was Called Jesus in the Age of Grace

When Jesus began to perform His ministry, the Holy Spirit began to testify to the name of Jesus, and the name of Jehovah was no longer spoken of; instead, the Holy Spirit undertook the new work principally under the name of Jesus. The testimony of those who believed in Him was borne for Jesus Christ, and the work they did was also for Jesus Christ.

Why the Second Age Is Called the Age of Grace

Why the Second Age Is Called the Age of Grace

Why the Second Age Is Called the Age of Grace

Jesus represents all the work of the Age of Grace; He was incarnated in the flesh and crucified on the cross, and He also inaugurated the Age of Grace. He was crucified in order to complete the work of redemption, to end the Age of Law and begin the Age of Grace, and so He was called the “Supreme Commander,” the “Sin Offering,” the “Redeemer.”

Why God Worked Through the Spirit in the Age of Law

Why God Worked Through the Spirit in the Age of Law

Why God Worked Through the Spirit in the Age of Law

The initial work of the three stages of God’s work was done directly by the Spirit, and not by the flesh. The final work of the three stages of God’s work, however, is done by the incarnate God, and not directly by the Spirit. The work of redemption of the intermediary stage was also done by God in the flesh.