Pastor Lai!
Pastor Lai! Open the door! Quick!
Pastor …
What happened?
It's bad.
I've just been to Li Village,
and discovered that many believers have accepted Eastern Lightning!
What?
It gets worse. Your nephew is who preached it to them.
Chenguang?
That's right.
We better think of something quick,
or else the whole church
will soon be following Eastern Lightning!
Why did they convert to Eastern Lightning so quickly?
What divine miracles could be manifesting in the Eastern Lightning?
It's mostly that they read the book,
The Word Appears in the Flesh,
which they have determined is God's voice,
so they accepted Almighty God.
Oh right. I brought a copy.
Let me have a look.
What's so special about it?
How come once people read it, they believe it is God's voice?
Here.
So many words! When was all this expressed?
Exactly.
Wouldn't it take years and years to express this many words?
Why didn't I know of it?
Exactly!
You're a pastor.
The Lord should've revealed His coming to you.
What's that mean?
Just what is meant by "word"?
Does it refer to God's word?
God's word?
"God's word appears in the flesh,"
might it mean the Lord's returned?
The Lord's returned?
Who else could express God's word?
Only the Lord Jesus could express God's word!
That's right! Then we really have to read this.
If this really is God's word,
then it means the Lord has returned.
Hey, not so, that's wrong.
All of God's word is in the Bible.
The Lord never said He'd return to express new words.
That's right.
Words not in the Bible, no matter how sound or well-phrased,
must not be referred to as the word of God!
Right!
Let's think this through.
People in the church read this book and believe the Lord has returned.
That must be why they accept Eastern Lightning.
Now I know the root of the problem!
This!
Right!
We must tell the brothers and sisters they are not to read this book!
- Right! - Now!
Pastor, on the way here today,
I saw Chenguang visit your daughter's house.
Do you think he could be preaching Eastern Lightning to Xinming?
- No! - Oh no!
Brother Wu,
go tell the congregation
that they're forbidden from receiving people from Eastern Lightning.
And anyone who does will be expelled!
Right, I'll go now.
Hello? Xinming? Can you come over?
Is Chenguang there?
Good, bring him too.
Yeah. Quickly!
"Christ of the Last Days" … "the Way of Eternal Life" …
Dad, we're here!
Hi.
- I'll take that. - Thanks.
Uncle. Hey!
You're reading The Word Appears in the Flesh too?
Chenguang, what's the deal with this book?
Oh, these are the words of the returned Lord in the last days.
This book is quite valuable.
If you can read and understand it, you'll be able to receive the Lord.
What a great blessing!
Chenguang,
we need to base our belief in the Lord on the Bible.
But instead of reading the Bible, you read The Word Appears in the Flesh.
Aren't you departing from the Bible and betraying the Lord?
Uncle …
Listen, you must confess your sins to the Lord and repent!
Uncle Lai, but Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus.
He has expressed the truth to do judgment work beginning with God's house.
Accepting Almighty God is following the footsteps of the Lamb and receiving the Lord.
How could that be a betrayal?
- Chenguang, in the Bible it … - Dad, Dad!
Chenguang was just fellowshiping with me,
and it was very enlightening.
Let's read Almighty God's word together
and decide if it's God's voice.
Then we can determine if Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus.
- That's right, Uncle Lai. - What do you think?
- Read Almighty God's word? - Yeah.
- That sounds … - Smart?
Ludicrous!
Dad!
You two, honestly …
Our belief in the Lord must be based on the Bible.
All God's words are in the Bible;
none of His words exist outside of it.
Even if the Lord Jesus returns, He won't depart from the Bible.
Anyone who goes beyond the Bible is not the returned Lord Jesus.
Uncle, you shouldn't delimit God like that.
Chenguang, I'm doing no such thing.
What matters is that as believers in God
all our actions and words must be based in the Bible!
Uncle, think about it.
Could the words the Lord Jesus said
when He appeared to work be found in the Old Testament?
Then your claim that "God has no words and work outside the Bible"
doesn't match the facts.
It is said in Revelation:
And that the Lord Jesus will return to unfurl the scroll and open the seven seals.
Now what the Holy Spirit will speak to the churches,
the content of the scroll and mystery of the seven seals,
are these recorded in the Bible?
No, not at all.
They're mysteries the Lord will accomplish in the last days.
How could the Bible contain …
… any record of them?
Tricky.
It's all true.
Uncle, it's like you just said,
these are mysteries the Lord reveals upon His return.
How could they be put in the Bible ahead of time?
Also, John chapter 16 verses 12–13 say,
Don't the Lord's words explain it well?
The Spirit of truth will come in the last days and guide us into all of the truth.
This proves the Lord will speak new words when He comes in the last days,
and these words will certainly be outside the Bible,
am I right?
Hey! That's new insight!
So the notion that "when the Lord returns, He'll produce no words or work outside the Bible"
doesn't hold up.
It denies the Lord's work and words in the last days and even His return!
Chenguang, but how can you say that?
I've believed in the Lord for years.
Every day I watch for Him to descend on a cloud.
How can I possibly deny His return?
Right.
In our belief in the Lord, everything's based on the Bible.
Especially concerning the Lord's coming,
we cannot depart from the Bible.
Now, tell me.
Eastern Lightning testifies that the Lord has returned,
and is incarnate.
That's right.
Is this in the Bible?
Which verse is it that prophesies the Lord will come incarnate when He returns?
Uncle, now that you mention it,
there are clear prophecies within the Bible that tell us the Lord will appear and work
in incarnate flesh in the last days.
There are?
Yeah.
Do you recall what's said in Luke chapter 12 verse 40?
Chapter 17 verses 24 to 25?
That's right.
And what is mentioned in both of these verses?
- They both mention "the Son of man"? - That's right.
They both refer to the Lord's coming with the specific phrase "the Son of man," right?
Since you often read the Bible,
you must know what "the Son of man" and "the Son of man comes" refer to.
"Son of man"?
The Son of man is born of man, a human.
That's right.
I think it's quite obvious.
"The Son of man" in these verses clearly refers to the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus was God's incarnation and the Son of man.
That's right.
But,
these are all prophecies of the Lord's return in the last days.
How could they be about the Lord Jesus?
That's right. Therefore …
That means the prophecies that He'll return as the Son of man
are unquestionably saying that the Lord will return in incarnate flesh!
Uncle, think about it.
If Lord Jesus came down in a spiritual body after His resurrection,
could we call Him the Son of man?
No we couldn't.
If the Lord came as a spiritual body, people would bow the moment they saw Him.
Who would dare reject Him?
How'd the Lord Jesus' prophecy,
be fulfilled?
Hey, when you put it that way I understand.
God can only be rejected and suffer many things if He comes as the incarnate Son of man.
Correct.
- So that's how the Lord's prophecy is fulfilled! - Exactly!
You're getting so frenzied.
If you ask me, you've both been hoodwinked.
How does Hebrews Chapter 13 verse 8 go?
Come on Dad.
Say it.
Fine!
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
What does this prove?
What?
It proves there's only one Christ,
the Lord Jesus who is our author and perfecter.
Only the Lord Jesus is Christ, Son of God.
Eastern Lightning claims that Almighty God is Christ,
which is impossible!
Almighty God is just an ordinary person.
But, Dad, I do not agree with that idea.
See on the outside,
the Lord Jesus seemed like a regular person,
but He could express the truth and perform redemption,
which means He was God incarnate.
That's right.
When the Lord Jesus performed work,
the Pharisees falsely said He was an ordinary person,
the son of a carpenter.
- For this they condemned and rejected Him. - Right.
Dad, we can't make the mistake the Pharisees did.
We must learn to listen for God's voice.
That is clearly what's most important.
Amen!
Now you're preaching to me?
Dad.
I've served the Lord many years and read this many times.
If the Lord returned, wouldn't I know it?
How could I possibly walk the path of the Pharisees?
Uncle Lai,
I have no doubt that you know far more clearly than us
how the Pharisees judged and condemned the Lord Jesus.
Yes.
Eastern Lightning testifies that the Lord has returned,
shouldn't we take a lesson from the Pharisees
and not judge them and say they believe in an ordinary person?
We should proactively seek and investigate,
and see whether the words in The Word Appears in the Flesh are the truth,
whether they truly are the words of God
and then make conclusions.
Then we'll avoid the mistake of the Pharisees.
He's right.
- Dad, we should seek and investigate. - Yes.
I am a pastor.
How could I carelessly condemn a religious entity?
I've seen most religious pastors and elders
say what you believe in is an ordinary person.
Could they all be wrong?
What's more,
throughout the country the CCP is suppressing and arresting believers in Almighty God.
Do you think this church will survive for long?
From just that fact alone,
this can't possibly be God's work.
God is almighty and has tremendous wisdom,
so I don't need to investigate this.
I know this can't be the true way.
Uncle,
the CCP's an atheist party.
It despises God and hates the truth.
Just think, since the moment it took power, it has called Christianity a cult,
the Bible cultish literature and it seized and burned countless copies.
Could such a party ever accept Christ?
Could it ever permit God to appear and work on earth?
It doesn't even acknowledge God in heaven.
How could it accept the incarnate God?
That's right.
The CCP's demonic essence drives it to deny and condemn Christ.
Uncle, as believers in the Lord, we can't trust the CCP's lies.
I know that. I understand all that you're saying.
It is an atheist party, I know.
How could I let myself believe in its lies?
I'm well aware of that.
But we have to be wise.
We can't give the CCP leverage over us.
Me rejecting Almighty God is a separate thing.
What's key is that most religious pastors and elders have condemned Eastern Lightning.
That's the trend in the religious world.
How could I go against that trend?
Beyond that, if Almighty God were the true God,
He would have revealed His coming to pastors,
so they and elders could accept Him first.
That's how the Lord Jesus would return.
But nothing's been revealed to me.
Uncle—
What's more is
God simply couldn't come incarnate in the last days.
So I think any message that preaches God has come incarnate is false.
So there's simply no way I'll ever accept Almighty God.
Uncle,
The Bridegroom has come and we must go out to meet Him.
I read Almighty God's word, heard God's voice,
and determined that Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus.
Uncle, read Almighty God's word,
and all of your questions will be answered.
If you don't read His word but rely purely on human deductions,
you'll never admit that Almighty God is the incarnate God.
Dad, Chenguang has it right.
To find out whether Almighty God is Christ or the incarnate God,
we should read Almighty God's word and make the determination.
That's right, Uncle Lai.
Read Almighty God's word?
I don't see any need!
Dad! Dad!
You've worked and preached for many years and know the Bible.
Listen with us so you can help us to discern things!
- Please. - Yeah.
Go ahead.
OK.
Chenguang, let me read next.
OK. Here.
Read this as well.
These words are really special.
If we don't forbid believers from reading them …
Dad,
Dad, these words are fantastic.
They explain very clearly both what incarnation is and what Christ is.
Yes.
What do you think?
These words are correct,
but aren't the words inspired by the Holy Spirit also correct?
If someone is inspired by the Holy Spirit,
can we call him God?
Leaders in the religious world have been inspired by the Holy Spirit,
so should we also call them God?
Uncle,
the words of one inspired by the Holy Spirit and the words of the incarnate God
clearly can't be compared.
Almighty God's words clearly explain the mysteries of incarnation and what Christ is.
These are things only God could reveal.
Just think,
in the last 2,000 years, the Holy Spirit inspired many to speak,
and many in the religious world have expounded theories,
but which one of them could clearly explain the mystery of incarnation?
That's true.
Dad, you've read many spiritual books.
Have any so clearly explained the mystery of incarnation?
Yeah.
I suppose not.
It's as the Bible says,
Only God knows the mystery of incarnation, right?
The incarnation is God's Spirit wearing flesh to become man.
He might appear ordinary, but Christ's essence is divine,
which is why Christ's able to express the truth
and do the work of redeeming and saving mankind.
These are things no created being could do or accomplish.
- That really is true. - Yes.
Christ's divine essence is hidden within His fleshly body,
and from His appearance,
it is very easy for people to treat Him as an ordinary person.
When you put it like that, I can understand.
Thank God!
If we want to determine if someone is Christ,
we can't trust our eyes.
The key is whether they can express the truth
and do God's work of redeeming and saving mankind.
That's completely true.
Dad, tell me, don't you agree?
You're right.
The Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross to save us and to redeem our sins,
and He granted us bountiful grace and blessings,
so we recognize Jesus as Christ, the Son of God.
You say Almighty God is Christ of the last days,
but based on what?
Can you explain that?
Xinming?
I base this on the fact
that all words of Almighty God are truth and are the voice of God,
so I conclude that Almighty God is Christ of the last days.
Almighty God expresses the truth to perform judgment beginning with God's house,
judges man's nature of resisting God and the truth of their corruption,
and reveals and explains mysteries,
such as how God judges and cleanses man,
how to enter the kingdom of heaven,
escape corruption and be purified,
and how to believe in God to gain eternal life.
- How wonderful! - Yes.
Dad!
Dad, tell me, who else could express such truth,
and judge and purify people?
Only God could do that!
That's right. Almighty God reveals many mysteries,
such as God's management work and incarnation,
the secrets of the Bible, God's will for man,
and humankind's ending and destination.
Uncle, who could reveal the mystery of God's management work?
Or define man's ending and destination?
- Aside from God no one could do that. - Right.
Dad, I believe that Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus.
We really must read Almighty God's word,
or we'll miss the chance to receive the Lord and He will abandon us
and then it'll be too late!
- It's true, Uncle. - Enough!
I don't care how much truth Almighty God has expressed
or how much work He's done.
Anyone who's not the Lord descending on a cloud is a false Christ.
Any message preaching the Lord has returned incarnate is false.
I'll keep to the Bible
and wait for the Lord to descend on clouds and lift me to the kingdom of heaven.
But, Almighty God's appearance and work fulfills biblical prophecies.
Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus.
So many sincere believers from all over have read Almighty God's word
and determined it's the true voice of God and have turned to Almighty God.
So why do you keep denying Christ of the last days?
You're blaspheming the Holy Spirit and will be condemned by God.
So now you are lecturing me?
Uncle, in the Bible it says,
And 1 John chapter 4 verse 3 says,
Uncle Lai, these verses are very clear.
Any who denies that God comes in the flesh is an antichrist;
any who resists and condemns Christ of the last days is an antichrist.
Enough!
Many religious pastors and elders deny that the Lord will return incarnate.
Are you saying they're antichrists?
- Uncle Lai … - That's enough!
What I hear is that you are condemning all those pastors and elders!
Dad! Listen …
Pastor Lai!
Pastor!
What's wrong?
Eastern Lightning was at the Wang Village church.
I told our people to detain them.
Call the police!
- Uncle, how could you! - Dad!
How could you hand believers in God to the CCP?
This is selling out the Lord and your friends!
Don't you fear offending the Lord?
Exactly!
I am protecting the Lord's flock.
How could that offend Him?
How many of my best flock has Eastern Lightning stolen?
Am I not their pastor?
- Uncle please— - Chenguang, Xinming.
Pastor Lai is doing all this to protect the church,
and to protect our brothers and sisters as well.
Why can't you understand his intentions in all of this?
Uncle, the Lord's returned.
You don't just fail to lead our brethren in receiving Him, you try to prevent them.
You're seizing the Lord's sheep for your own
and ruining their chance to enter the kingdom of heaven!
That's no way to speak to your uncle!
Uncle, if you make an enemy of God like this,
are you not acting just like the Pharisees did?
Enough!
You, you dare to call me a Pharisee?
So long as I keep my flock from Eastern Lightning,
you're free to call me a Pharisee or an antichrist,
and I will accept all of it.
- Dad! - A Pharisee!
How could you say something like that?
You've believed in the Lord for years because you await His return,
but now the Lord has returned, Dad,
so how come you do not receive Him?
Xinming, if you want me as your father,
you can't believe in Eastern Lightning!
Dad, at last I understand.
You aren't hoping for the Lord's return at all.
You would prefer that He never return
so that you can retain control of His sheep.
Dad, what you serve isn't the Lord.
- It's clearly your position as pastor! - You!
Okay. It's okay.
If you insist on following Eastern Lightning,
it's fine!
Starting now,
you are, you're no longer my daughter!
Uncle …
And you,
you stop coming to my church to steal sheep!
Come. To Wang Village!
- Uncle Lai! - Dad!
Dad, won't you please stop opposing God!
Don't …
- Xinming … - Dad!
Uncle!
Dad!
Uncle Lai!