How to Resolve the Satanic Disposition of Arrogance and Self-righteousness
Some people are self-righteous. They never listen to anyone else, they always see themselves very highly, more highly than anyone else, but people like this are in serious danger. They are the most likely to resist God and become antichrists. With the most self-righteous, whatever he wants to do or say, no one else dares say no, because he attacks anyone who tells him no. This is the most obvious satanic disposition. As a leader, someone with this disposition is an antichrist. Do you believe these words? You should, because this is how you should evaluate people. So, what kind of disposition do your leaders have? Do others not dare to say “no” no matter what he says or who he praises? If he wants to promote someone, no one is allowed to say that person is bad, everyone has to say they are good, or if he condemns someone, no one may say that person is good, and everyone has to join in the condemnation. Are there leaders like this? Such people point at black and call it white. Aren’t they false leaders and antichrists? That’s exactly what they are, false leaders and antichrists. If someone wants to expend for God and change his life disposition, what is the first problem he must solve? The problem of self-righteousness. No matter where you are, no matter what kind of person you face, no matter what your views, never be certain that what you think is the truth or is correct. If you say, “I think this situation is like this, it seems right, but why don’t you take a look at it, I’m not certain,” and another says, “No, that’s wrong,” and he explains the reasons why it’s wrong, and you listen, and answer, “There’s wisdom in what you say, you’re right, my view of this was wrong, yours was right,” that makes you much more useful, because you can accept when other people are correct. Aren’t people who seek the opinions and views of others in all their considerations and actions, and then decide the path much more useful than self-righteous people? You can be 80% sure about something, but don’t say that you are absolutely right. Never be 100% certain, always leave a little room. Or you can say, “I think this person has a problem, but I lack penetration, I only know what I’ve observed, and maybe some people will describe it like I do, but I’m not 100% certain of that, so I’d like to understand more.” Those who use that viewpoint to understand people, who have that level of understanding and practice, are not self-righteous people. When someone is self-righteous, he can’t listen to anyone else. Sometimes even when another person is right, his sense of dignity makes him deny that person. Such people are arrogant and have no reason. People who are self-righteous, arbitrary and reckless will absolutely never be used by God. If such people are used, God’s chosen people would be harmed! They would suffer! No church leader is perfect, and none truly possess the truth. How can a person be without deficiencies? We all have many deficiencies. Those not perfected by God are unfit for use, and even those perfected by God are not perfect. Would you dare to claim you possess so much of the truth that you completely meet God’s standards? You are nowhere near it! So, those who have not been perfected lack much. If you know these details of corrupt humanity and have penetration into the stage and depth of state of all people, how should you treat yourself? Don’t think of yourself too highly or consider yourself much better than others. If someone else suggests something or gives you advice, look into it, accept it if it’s right, and don’t attack others if it’s wrong. Who doesn’t have times when they are wrong? Who sees everything the right way all the time? We fellowship to make up for each other’s shortcomings, so simply accept and use the correct fellowship. Nothing could be easier! For the things you don’t possess or understand, ask for help from others. What’s wrong with asking others for help? Why can’t you listen to someone else’s opinion? If someone else is wrong, you can stop listening, if they’re half correct, accept the correct half, and if they’re completely right, then accept all of it. That benefits both you and God’s house, and benefits God’s chosen people even more.
If someone can truly submit and accept many kinds of different opinions, if someone can accept and submit what is right no matter who says it, isn’t this a good person? Such people are more useful than most, and if such a person can understand the truth, has penetration into matters, and can use the truth to resolve problems, he is definitely someone fit for use by God. I like such people the most. I absolutely hate the self-righteous and arrogant! Even when such people are wrong or only partially right, they follow through on their mistakes, and they don’t listen to others. Such people are the most loathsome. They might as well behave evilly! They ruin work and bring trouble upon God’s chosen people. If you serve God, but still want to dictate your own actions, won’t discuss things with people, and won’t cooperate to serve with your coworkers at all, is that not Satan’s demonic nature? You are so arrogant, so self-righteous, so arbitrary and reckless that you refuse to even discuss things with others, but you still want to serve God. The arrogance! The self-righteous! You see yourself far too highly! Such people always think, “I’m capable of doing this by myself, I don’t need to discuss this with anyone, my ideas are absolutely in accord with God’s will and the truth, because I am a genius, everyone else is beneath me, and their perspectives and views are far inferior to mine.” What kind of a person holds such views? An antichrist! Do you truly understand God? What level of understanding is this, that your brothers and sisters can’t even keep up with you, that their perspectives and views are so inferior to yours? Then why hasn’t God testified you formally? Why don’t I see any of the fruits of the Holy Spirit’s work in you? Why haven’t I seen God’s chosen people confirm you? This is nothing but arrogant bluster and bragging! If someone has such an arrogant, self-righteous, and utterly disobedient satanic disposition, is he fit to be a leader or worker? If someone wants to carry out his duties in some aspect or do some practical work, yet he has this kind of satanic disposition, how can he guarantee the work will be in accordance with God’s will? At the very least, you need to find two people whose opinions differ from yours to cooperate with you, so that they can restrain you. And it shouldn’t be two sidekicks, it shouldn’t be two people who are easy to manipulate, because then you’ll only be spreading your demonic nature. You need to find two people who can limit your demonic nature. You should say, “These two people see things entirely differently from me, and sometimes they’re right, so having them will reveal my deficiencies.” With people like that as partners, your satanic nature will be restricted. There is always one thing to conquer another. Try it out on yourself. See who dares try to restrain you and make him your partner in service. Do you dare choose partners like this? These things aren’t entirely questions of being willing. Sometimes you cannot accomplish things even if you are willing. People follow their own desires even when they don’t intend to! For example, if someone hears another person say something that goes against his views, the first time he might feel injury to his self-respect and begin to hate the other person, and though hate is produced in his heart, he doesn’t show it externally. The second time he produces fury, which shows on his face, and the third time, he can’t help but open his mouth and shout curses at the other. You see? He couldn’t hold it in. Without two capable partners, he can’t restrain his satanic disposition. So, when corrupt humanity holds power, if you ask them to choose leaders and partners, they will always choose a sidekick, someone easily led, to be at their side. Look at every leader and see which of them don’t choose such sidekicks. Every one of them does, unless their partners are chosen by someone else, in which case they don’t have a say. Why do people always choose such sidekicks? Why would someone choose a partner who obeys and listens to everything he says? Because he wants to hold the power. Isn’t that his intention? He wants to hold all the power alone, so he chooses a sidekick he can manipulate and toy with as he likes. If his purpose was to carry out God’s will and properly do church work, he would choose someone who pursues the truth and upholds principles as a partner, which would also make up for his own deficiencies. Wouldn’t that be better? This is how people are before they are perfected. Without discipline, pruning, dealing, and suppression, they run wild. Before you achieve change in your life disposition, you need these methods to restrain yourself, or you won’t be able to work.
There are some people who select others for roles without discussing their selection with anyone else, and instead want to make decisions by themselves. Such people follow right behind the false leaders and antichrists and also walk the path of the antichrists. You say someone is no good, eliminate him, and take his place; you are no good either. Don’t be self-righteous when you select people for roles. Listen to different opinions, especially from those who know details about the potential candidate. As these people’s family know about them, let them speak the truth, because they know better than anyone about the potential candidate. All you know is what you’ve heard, and that isn’t reliable. Why are people so self-righteous? Why do they have so many twisted ideas? Whenever I see someone so self-righteous, with such twisted ideas, I get furious. Sometimes I receive letters exposing a leader, and even as I have a statement of his actions in my hand, he argues for his own reasoning and makes excuses. How can I not be angry? Why doesn’t he accept it? If he was honest, he would think, “We’ve only heard one aspect of the leader’s situation, we don’t know about the other aspects yet, but given that people who know this leader are reporting this situation, we obviously have to consider it, and make a decision based on this.” Everything would be fine if he would simply tell the truth. He obviously did something wrong, and even though he’s only heard biased information, he still thinks he’s right. It’s ridiculous. Why is it that leaders at every level so badly need pruning and dealing? Because they are performing different duties! If these people are dishonest, break the rules, and cannot practice the truth, they do serious harm to the work of God’s house. This is why my demands of leaders and workers at every level are strict, why I deal with them harshly, why my words are pointed, and sometimes even cutting. When I deal with them, you can imagine my mood. Shouldn’t leaders and workers at every level be dealt with more harshly than others? They should. And some people complain about this, they imagine I have something against the leaders or workers, that all leaders and workers are devils in my eyes, but is that reasonable to think? Do I not deal with people according to the facts? I always do. Which leader or worker hasn’t committed a transgression?! Which doesn’t expose even a little corruption?! It’s normal to do so if you have not been perfected, or if you haven’t gained the truth, but major mistakes should be avoided. How can we avoid them? If you lack penetration into a matter, would it hurt to ask about it more? If your views, thoughts, and methods do not have the affirmation, approval, agreement, and praise of your coworkers, don’t try to force them into being implemented or pushed forward, because doing so more than likely will cause trouble for the church’s work. It’s best to thoroughly examine your views and perspectives, build a case for them, fellowship about them with other coworkers and leaders, and implement them only once you have affirmation and everyone’s support. It’s not too late to wait for that, don’t simply do whatever you like. Don’t simply put your ideas into practice. That is self-righteous and arrogant. Even if you lack truth, you can do what I’ve just asked, can’t you? Even the unbelievers say things are easier once you talk about them, so as a believer in God, someone who has read so much of God’s word and heard so much fellowship of the truth, why is it so hard to do things after you discuss them? Why are you still so arbitrary and reckless, even more so than the unbelievers? There are many cautious people among the unbelievers, as well as many skilled people. Why are they able to seek others’ opinions before they act? Because they fear making mistakes. They fear making mistakes, so they know to be cautious. As a leader or worker in the church, especially church leaders or workers at high levels, why can’t you learn to be cautious? Why can’t you do things after you discuss them? Are you reasonable if you don’t? You may think you can fellowship on the truth, but where is your obedience? You may think you understand God, but if you do, why are you so self-righteous? Why are you so arbitrary and reckless? Why don’t you listen to the opinions of your brothers, sisters, and coworkers? What disposition is this? You understand truth, but why are you still ruled by your corrupt disposition? Some people learn a few words of doctrines and think they understand God and the truth. Is that not deception and falsity? I see the way you practice in the performance of your duties is still Satan’s way, Satan’s path, the practice of the great red dragon! Why haven’t you achieved any change in your life disposition? Why can’t you get along with your brothers and sisters? Why do you always act alone? Why can’t you cooperate with your coworkers and your brothers and sisters? If a leader, someone responsible for work, can’t work together with his coworkers, brothers, and sisters, can’t peacefully get along with them, and can’t normally fellowship on the truth or discuss work, then does he not have a satanic disposition? Are such people fit to be leaders? If you cannot work peacefully with your coworkers or your brothers and sisters, if you can’t get along with them, you are unqualified to be a leader, and you should bow out and resign. Such people aren’t even fit to do service! Those who truly possess the truth never dare to leave men’s side. Why? We are corrupt mankind! We cannot leave God’s word, we cannot leave God’s work, so leaving our brothers and sisters is a sign of danger, especially those brothers and sisters who genuinely pursue the truth. If you leave them, it means you are leaving church life, and when temptations come, you are assured to crumble. If someone isolates himself from his coworkers, if no one likes him, doesn’t this person have a problem? Is it possible that everyone else is a devil, and you alone are a saint? That you alone have truth, and no one else has any truth! That makes you nothing but a hypocrite!