Relevant Words of God:
The five wise virgins represent My sons and My people among the humans that I created. Addressing them[a] “virgins” is because although they are born on earth, they are still gained by Me; one can say they have become holy, so they are called “virgins.” The aforementioned “five” represents the number of My sons and My people that I have predestined. “Five foolish virgins” refers to the service-doers. They do service for Me without placing the slightest degree of importance on life, only pursuing external things (because they do not have My quality, no matter what they do it is an external thing), and they are unable to be My capable helpers, so they are called “foolish virgins.” The aforementioned “five” represents Satan, and their being called[b] “virgins” means that they have been conquered by Me and are able to do service for Me, but this kind of person is not holy, so they are called service-doers.
That being so, there will be a new approach: Those who read My word and accept it as their very life are the people of My kingdom. Since they are in My kingdom, they are My people in the kingdom. Because they are guided by My words, although they are referred to as My people, this title is not at all inferior to being called My “sons.” As My people, all must be faithful in My kingdom and fulfill their duties, and those who offend My administrative decrees must receive My punishment. This is My warning to all.
from “Chapter 1” of God’s Words to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Only those who are at peace before God value life, value fellowship in the spirit, thirst for God’s words, and pursue the truth. Whoever does not value being at peace before God and does not practice being at peace before God is vain and superficial, attached to the world and without life; even if they say they believe in God, they are just paying lip service. Those whom God ultimately perfects and completes are people who can be at peace in His presence. Therefore, those who are at peace before God are graced with great blessings. People who scarcely take time to eat and drink God’s words throughout the day, who are busily preoccupied with external affairs and place little value on life entry—these are all hypocrites with no prospect of future growth. It is those who can be at peace before God and who can genuinely commune with God who are God’s people.
from “On Quieting Your Heart Before God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Right now most people (meaning all the people except for the firstborn sons) are in this condition. I say these things so clearly and these people have no reaction and still care for their fleshly enjoyments—they eat and then they sleep; they sleep and then they eat, and they do not ponder My words. Even if they are energized, it will only be for a while, and afterward they remain the same as they were, completely unchanged, as though they did not listen to Me at all. These are the typical feckless humans who have no burdens—the most obvious freeloaders. Later, I will forsake them one by one. Don’t worry! One by one I will send them back to the bottomless pit. The Holy Spirit never works on this kind of person, and everything he does is a gift. When I speak of this gift, I mean that this is a person with no life, who is My service-doer. I do not want any of them and I will eliminate them (but right now they are still a little bit useful).
from “Chapter 102” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh
And what is the role of these service-doers? To serve God’s chosen people. In the main, their role is to serve God’s work, to cooperate with God’s work, and to cooperate with God’s completion of His chosen people. … The identity of a service-doer is service-doer, but to God, they are one among all the things that He created—it’s simply that their role is that of service-doer. As one of God’s creatures, is there a difference between a service-doer and God’s chosen people? In effect, there is not. Nominally speaking, there is a difference, in substance there is a difference, in terms of the role they play there is a difference, but God does not discriminate against these people. So why are these people defined as service-doers? You should understand this. The service-doers come from among the unbelievers. The mention of the unbelievers tells us that their past is bad: They are all atheists, in their past they were atheists, they did not believe in God, and they were hostile to God, the truth, and positive things. They did not believe in God and did not believe there is a God, so are they capable of understanding God’s words? It is fair to say that, to a large extent, they are not. Just as animals are incapable of understanding human words, the service-doers don’t understand what God is saying, what He requires, why He makes such requirements—they don’t understand, these things are incomprehensible to them, they remain unenlightened. And for this reason, these people are not possessed of the life that we talked of. Without life, can people understand the truth? Are they equipped with the truth? Are they equipped with the experience and knowledge of God’s words? (No.) Such are the origins of the service-doers. But since God makes these people service-doers, there are still standards to His requirements of them; He does not look down upon them, and He is not perfunctory toward them. Even though they don’t understand His words, and are without life, God is still kind to them, and there are still standards to His requirements of them. You just spoke of these standards: Being loyal to God, and doing what He says. In your service you must serve where needed, and must serve to the very end. If you can be a loyal service-doer, are able to serve right up to the very end, and are able to perfectly complete the commission given to you by God, then you will live a life of value, and so you will be able to remain. If you put in a bit more effort, if you try harder, are able to double your endeavors to know God, can speak a little of the knowledge of God, can bear testimony to God, and moreover, if you can understand something of God’s will, can cooperate in God’s work, and be somewhat mindful of God’s will, then you, this service-doer, will have a change in fortune. And what will this change in fortune be? You will no longer simply be able to remain. Based on your conduct and your personal aspirations and pursuit, God will make you one of the chosen ones. This will be your change in fortune. For service-doers, what is the best thing about this? It is that they can become one of God’s chosen people. … Is that good? It is, and it’s good news. Which is to say, service-doers can be molded. It is not that case that for a service-doer, when God destines him to serve, he will do so forever; that is not necessarily so. Based on his individual conduct, God will handle him differently, and reply to him differently.
from “God Himself, the Unique X” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:
What are God’s people? All who are God’s people are those who will be able to remain and survive in the Age of Kingdom. They are those who have experienced God’s work and obtained the truth; they are people with new life. God’s people have true knowledge of God, they are able to practice the truth, and in the end after undergoing many trials, refinements, tribulations, and disasters, they have been made perfect. They are those who are perfected through experiencing the work of God. All those who are God’s people possess three characteristics. One, they have a heart of reverence for God—this is the main thing. Two, they possess relatively good humanity, they have a good reputation, and most people approve of them. Three, they do their duty devotedly. Anyone who possesses these three characteristics is one of God’s people. For God’s people, it doesn’t matter how high their caliber is; they are of average caliber at the least and can understand average truths, but the main thing is that they have hearts of reverence for and good humanity. No matter where they’re placed or what duty you ask them to do, they are quite reliable. They’re not one way to your face but another behind your back; they are not duplicitous, and they do not overtly agree but covertly oppose. They are rather honest and trustworthy; they inspire trust in others. All people like this have fairly good humanity and are quite honest; they are God’s people in the Age of Kingdom.
from “One Must Have Clarity on the Essences and Outcomes of Every Kind of Person” in Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life IX
Service-doers have not gained the truth as their very life; they only do service for God. They have a sincere heart toward God as well as faith, and they possess relatively good humanity, but they do not like the truth that much. They rely on their enthusiasm in expending themselves for God and are willing to suffer any hardship. They’ll follow to the very end and never depart from God. This is why people who are devoted service-doers will remain. … Why is it said that they are service-doers? It’s because they don’t pursue the truth. Those who pursue the truth also have moments where their corruption is revealed and times where they fall in defeat, but once they are pruned and dealt with, experience failures and setbacks, or are expelled from God’s house, they realize: “He who is without truth is so pitiable, he who relies on zealousness cannot stand firm! If one cannot practice the truth, if one doesn’t understand truth, then one will never be able to do their duty up to standard. Is this not a service-doer? I cannot be a service-doer—I must pursue the truth and strive to complete my duty up to standard to comfort God’s heart, and to reciprocate God’s love.” He awakens and begins to pursue truth, and in the end truly gains some truths, truly begins to have a heart that reveres God. So are people like this still service-doers? They belong to God’s people because they possess some truths and have a heart that reveres God, a heart that loves God. The moment they become disobedient and resistant they realize that and repent to God, and then change; this kind of person is one who has gained the truth as their own life.
Is there a great difference between God’s people and the service-doers? Although it is not so great or so apparent, they really are essentially different. Service-doers have little fear of God, just saying at the most: “Do not offend God! If you offend God you will be punished!” Can something so small be considered true reverence for God? Those with a heart that truly reveres God do not only consider whether or not they will offend God, but also consider whether or not they are running counter to the truth, whether or not they are running counter to God’s words, whether doing something is disobedient to God, whether it can hurt God’s heart, and how they can satisfy God. They consider all of these aspects, this is having a heart that reveres God. He who has a heart that reveres God, while practicing the truth, can at least keep away from evil and refrain from doing things that resist God; he is able to surpass this base line. This is called having a heart that reveres God. There is a difference between having a heart that reveres God and having a heart with a bit of fear of God. If someone with a heart that reveres God really understands some truths and can put some of God’s words into practice, then this person definitely possesses life; he who has the truth as his life belongs to the people of God. Service-doers do not have the truth as their life, they do not like the truth, and all they possess is faith in God. In addition, they possess zeal and average humanity at the least; they are willing to expend themselves for God. No matter how many troubles at home, no matter what situations or trials they face, they persist in doing service for God and are devoted to the very end without retreating. These are people that will remain, the loyal service-doers. Some service-doers do not serve until the end; as soon as they hear they will not gain blessings, they stop rendering service. Some service-doers who are unable to render service well, allow no one to deal with them. As soon as someone deals with them, they say, “I won’t do service anymore, I’m going home.” Some service-doers, facing serious circumstances, for instance, being arrested, become cowardly and retreat. In the course of their service, some still worry about their family’s lives: “How will my family live? I have to go back and earn some money, I have to take good care of my husband (or wife) and children.” They look backward with their hand on the plow, lacking any loyalty to God. These kinds of service-doers are not up to standard, and thus will all be eliminated.
from “Sermons and Fellowship About God’s Word ‘Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen’” in Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life XIV
In the past, there were many people that had no understanding of God’s people. What, after all, are the people of God? Isn’t it true that we who have accepted Almighty God are His people? It is not when you accept the name of Almighty God that you become one of His people. For that, there is a process of being made perfect, which contains a criterion. What is this criterion? It is having performed your duty up to the standard, and only then are you one of the people of God; those who have not reached this criterion in their duty are not God’s people. They are not people of God. To put it precisely, they are the service-doers—this is what they are called during this period of exercise. Those who have not yet gained the truth are called service-doers. When one has gained the truth and is able to handle affairs in accordance with principle, it means that they have attained life. Only those who have the truth as their life are truly people of God.
from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life, Volume 125
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