What Does Christ Mean? Why Is the Lord Jesus Called Christ?
by Xie Shang
What Does Christ Mean? Why Is the Lord Jesus Called Christ?
As Christians, we are all familiar with the word “Christ.” Because we pray in the holy name of Jesus Christevery 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.
Gospel Movie clip "My Dream of the Heavenly Kingdom" (5) - Testimonies of Experiencing the Judgment Before the Seat of Christ and Receiving Life
Introduction Almighty God has initiated the work of judgment beginning with the house of God by expressing the truth. The prelude to the judgment before the great white throne has started. How do we experience God's judgment and chastisement? What kind of cleansing and transformation can be gained after experiencing God's judgment and chastisement? What true knowledge of God can be learned? Recommendation: Eastern Lightning | The Church of Almighty God was founded by Almighty God personally
The significance of God’s judgment in the last days can be seen in the results achieved by God’s work of judgment in the last days.
Picture of the Church of Almighty God
(2) God’s work of judgment in the last days is to separate all according to their kind, to conclude the entire age, and to finally achieve the realization of the kingdom of Christ.
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:11-15).
Almighty God's Words "Those Incompatible With Christ Are Surely Opponents of God"
Almighty God says, "You always wish to see Christ, but I exhort you not to exalt yourselves so; everyone may see Christ, but I say none are fit to see Christ. Because the nature of man is filled with evil, arrogance, and rebellion, when you see Christ, your nature will ruin you and condemn you to death. Your association with a brother (or a sister) may not show much about you, but it is not so simple when you associate with Christ. At any time, your conceptions may take root, your arrogance bud, and your rebellion bear figs. How can you with such humanity be fit to associate with Christ? Are you truly able to treat Him as God every moment of every day? Will you truly have the reality of obedience to God? You worship the lofty God within your hearts as Jehovah but regard the visible Christ as a man. Your sense is too inferior and your humanity too lowly! You are unable to forever regard Christ as God; rather, you simply pull Him over and worship Him as God when it strikes your fancy. This is why I say you are not believers of God, but accomplices to those who fight against Christ. Even men who show kindness to others are repaid, yet Christ, who does such work among you, is not loved or repaid by man, nor does He receive man’s obedience. Is this not a most saddening thing?"
II. One Must Bear Witness to the Aspect of Truth Concerning the Three Stages of Work of God’s Salvation of Mankind
(3) The aim and significance of God’s work in the Age of Kingdom
Picture of the Church of Almighty God
Relevant Words of God:
When Jesus came into the world of man, He brought the Age of Grace and ended the Age of Law. During the last days, God once more became flesh, and when He became flesh this time, He ended the Age of Grace and brought the Age of Kingdom. All those who accept the second incarnation of God will be led into the Age of Kingdom, and be able to personally accept the guidance of God. Though Jesus did much work among man, He only completed the redemption of all mankind and became man’s sin offering, and did not rid man of all his corrupt disposition. Fully saving man from the influence of Satan not only required Jesus to take on the sins of man as the sin offering, but also required God to do greater work to completely rid man of his disposition, which has been corrupted by Satan. And so, after man was forgiven his sins, God has returned to flesh to lead man into the new age, and begun the work of chastisement and judgment, and this work has brought man into a higher realm. All those who submit under His dominion shall enjoy higher truth and receive greater blessings. They shall truly live in the light, and shall gain the truth, the way, and the life.
My entire management plan, which spans six thousand years, consists of three phases, or three ages: first, the Age of Law; second, the Age of Grace (which is also the Age of Redemption); and finally, the Age of Kingdom. My work in these three ages differs according to the nature of each age, but at each stage it accords with man’s needs—or rather, it varies according to the tricks that Satan employs in My war against it. The purpose of My work is to defeat Satan, to make manifest My wisdom and omnipotence, to expose all Satan’s tricks and thereby to save all of humanity, which lives under its domain.
Beholding The Appearance Of God In His Judgment And Chastisement
Picture of the Church of Almighty God
Like hundreds of millions of other followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we abide by the laws and commandments of the Bible, enjoy the abundant grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and gather together, pray, praise, and serve in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—and all this we do under the care and protection of the Lord. We are often weak, and often strong. We believe that all of our actions are in accordance with the teachings of the Lord. It goes without saying, then, that we also believe ourselves to walk the path of obedience to the will of the Father in heaven. We long for the return of the Lord Jesus, for the glorious arrival of the Lord Jesus, for the end of our life on earth, for the appearance of the kingdom, and for everything as it was foretold in the Book of Revelation: The Lord arrives, and brings disaster, and rewards the good and punishes the wicked, and takes all those who follow Him and welcome His return into the air to meet Him.
1. God’s work in passing judgment is not, in two or three words, to make clear man’s whole nature, but slowly to reveal, deal with, prune him over time. Such forms of treatment can’t be changed for common words, only for truth, which lies beyond man’s compass. Only such work is deemed judgment; only such judgment can make man obey God in heart and mouth, within, without, and truly come to know Him.
One day, I suddenly heard that my father was expelled from the church. I was totally stunned at the time and couldn’t figure it out. In my heart, my father was the world’s greatest person.
"The Substance of Christ Is Obedience to the Will of the Heavenly Father" (Excerpt)
Almighty God says, "The incarnate God is called Christ, and Christ is the flesh donned by the Spirit of God. This flesh is unlike any man that is of the flesh. This difference is because Christ is not of flesh and blood but is the incarnation of the Spirit. He has both a normal humanity and a complete divinity. His divinity is not possessed by any man. His normal humanity sustains all His normal activities in the flesh, while His divinity carries out the work of God Himself. Be it His humanity or divinity, both submit to the will of the heavenly Father. The substance of Christ is the Spirit, that is, the divinity. Therefore, His substance is that of God Himself; this substance will not interrupt His own work, and He could not possibly do anything that destroys His own work, nor would He ever utter any words that go against His own will. Therefore, the incarnate God would absolutely never do any work that interrupts His own management. This is what all man should understand. The essence of the work of the Holy Spirit is to save man and is for the sake of God’s own management. Similarly, the work of Christ is to save man and is for the sake of God’s will. Given that God becomes flesh, He realizes His substance within His flesh, such that His flesh is sufficient to undertake His work. Therefore, all the work of God’s Spirit is replaced by the work of Christ during the time of incarnation, and at the core of all work throughout the time of incarnation is the work of Christ. It cannot be commingled with work from any other age. And since God becomes flesh, He works in the identity of His flesh; since He comes in the flesh, He then finishes in the flesh the work that He ought to do. Be it the Spirit of God or be it Christ, both are God Himself, and He does the work that He ought to do and performs the ministry that He ought to perform."
Eastern Lightning, The Church of AlmightyGodwas created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
Recommendation: Know more of the Church of Almighty God
God's Utterance "God Himself, the Unique (II) God's Righteous Disposition" (Excerpt)
Almighty God says, "People often say that it is not an easy thing to know God. I, however, say that knowing God is not a difficult matter at all, for God frequently allows man to witness His deeds.
One day, I saw this following passage of God’s word in the piece “How Peter Came to Know Jesus”: “Over the time he followed Jesus, Peter observed and took to heart everything about His life: His actions, words, movements, and expressions. … From his time in contact with Jesus, Peter also realized that His character was different from that of an ordinary man. He always acted steadily and never with haste, never exaggerated nor underplayed a subject, and conducted His life in a way that was both normal and admirable. In conversation, Jesus was elegant and graceful, open and cheerful yet serene, and never lost His dignity in the execution of His work. Peter saw that Jesus was sometimes taciturn, yet other times talked incessantly. He was sometimes so happy that He became agile and lively like a dove, and yet sometimes so sad that He did not talk at all, as if He were a weather-beaten mother. At times He was filled with anger, like a brave soldier charging off to kill enemies, and sometimes even like a roaring lion. Sometimes He laughed; other times He prayed and wept. No matter how Jesus acted, Peter grew to have boundless love and respect for Him. Jesus’ laughter filled him up with happiness, His sorrow plunged him into grief, His anger frightened him, while His mercy, forgiveness, and strictness made him come to truly love Jesus, developing a true reverence and longing for Him. Of course, Peter only gradually came to realize all of this once he had lived alongside Jesus for a few years.” After reading this passage I thought: No wonder Peter could achieve knowledge of God! Turns out it was because during the time he lived alongside Jesus day and night, he personally witnessed Jesus’ every word and every move, and from that he discovered more of God’s adorableness. Now is also the era of when God becomes flesh to personally descend upon the world of man to work. If I could also have the fortune of being able to come into contact with God and spend time together like Peter had, then wouldn’t I also know God better? Oh! It’s a shame that now I can only read God’s word but cannot see the face of Christ. Then how would I be able to gain true knowledge of God?
Just when I was sad and disappointed over this and losing my confidence in God, His words enlightened me: “Knowing God must be done through reading God’s word and understanding God’s word. Some people say: ‘I haven’t seen God incarnate, so how can I know God?’ God’s word is actually an expression of God’s disposition. From God’s word you can see God’s love for mankind, His salvation of mankind, and the way He saves them … because God’s word is expressed by God as opposed to God using man to write it out. It is personally expressed by God. It is God Himself expressing His own words and His inner voice. … expressing His disposition, His will, His thoughts, His love for mankind, His salvation of mankind, and His expectations of mankind. Among God’s words.… Sometimes God speaks from a gentle and compassionate perspective, and people see God’s love for mankind; sometimes He speaks from a strict perspective, and people see God’s unoffendable disposition. Man is deplorably filthy and is not worthy of seeing God’s face, and is not worthy of coming before God. People’s coming before God now is purely out of God’s grace. God’s wisdom can be seen from the way God works and the meaning of His work. Even if people don’t come into contact with God, they will still be able to see these things in God’s word” (“Knowledge of the Incarnation” in Records of Christ’s Talks). God’s words made me suddenly see the light. Yes! God in the flesh of the last days has already used His word to express all His disposition to man, allowing man to see through God’s word His great power, His supremacy, His humility and hiddenness, and His adorableness, and moreover understand His joys and sorrows, and know all He has and is. This is sufficient to show that reading God’s word and experiencing God’s word is the only path to knowing God. If I move away from God’s word, then so what even if I see God in the flesh? Didn’t the Pharisees also see Jesus back then? So why did they nail Jesus to the cross? Wasn’t it because they didn’t listen to Jesus’ words, they were arrogant and stubbornly held on to their own conceptions and imaginations, and resisted and condemned the Lord Jesus based on that little bit of the scriptures they understood? On the other hand, Peter was able to know Jesus because he could let go of his own conceptions and imaginations, listen closely to the words of Lord Jesus, and was good at carefully contemplating every word and sentence uttered by Jesus. Through Lord Jesus’ utterances and work he got to know God’s disposition and all He has and is, ultimately gaining true knowledge of God. Doesn’t this ironclad fact sufficiently explain that man can only know God through His word? Moreover, given that the main work of God in the flesh of the last days is the work of the word, doesn’t this benefit me in getting to know God?
The more I thought back to my logical reasoning the more I felt my own wretchedness, foolishness, and childishness. Every day I held God’s word in my hands, ate and drank God’s word, read God’s word, and experienced God’s word, but I did not love God’s word dearly, thinking that I could only know God by seeing the face of Christ. I really was living a blessed life without appreciating it! Oh God! Thank You for revealing and turning around my wrong way of knowing and making me see the path to knowing God. From now on, I will long to read Your word, contemplate Your word, seek to understand Your joys and sorrows through Your word, and through discovering more of Your adorableness get to know You even deeper. Recommendation: About the Church of Almighty God Eastern Lightning
Back to God | Recital and Singing "Chinese Gospel Choir 12th Performance"
God created this world and created mankind. He cares for mankind night and day. At the beginning, man, innocent and carefree, lived happily under God’s care. Corrupted by Satan, man stayed further and further away from God, forgot God’s instructions, forsook God’s way, and abandoned himself to hideous depravity. He lost the blessings and promises of God and fell under the wrath of God….
I
The seven thunders roll, shaking up the world, rending through the sky, changing heaven and earth. Piercing is the sound. Where can man run and hide? Heaven and earth are changed by thunder and lightning. Man lies dying. A fierce storm rolls in across the universe, fast as thunderbolt; heavy rain pours in. Each corner of the earth is bathed in this storm and nothing impure remains, oh, oh. The whole world is washed and nothing unclean stands. Who can hide from the stormy rain? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. When destruction comes, all enemies will fall, defeated helpless into the raging torrent. They're swiftly taken to their deserved end, defeated hopeless, rushed away to their death.
II
The seven thunders roll. God's purposes are clear. Evil will be punished with gusts of weeping. Some wake from their dreams, ponder their wicked schemes, only to hurry back to the foot of God's throne. They don't hesitate, hurry to God's throne. They do not indulge in their deceit and crime, but repent just in time. God is righteous and God is loving and God is merciful, oh, oh, God is trustworthy, He's God of majesty. Someday the earth will see, oh, oh, God is a burning fire. God is a burning fire. He will show no mercy, when judgment is in His path. From His royal throne God gazes down, searching deeply into hearts and minds, saving all those who seek after Him, sincerely seek after Him. Whoever loves God above other things, knows God's heart with understanding, follows Him all the way to the end, God will save him eternally.
III
The seven thunders roll all throughout the earth. Man gets salvation and comes to God's throne. They seek to survive in the light of life, come worship and bow down to God Almighty! The seven thunders roll, lightning flashes down, proclaiming to one and all judgment has begun. He who speaks not his heart, who's doubtful and careless, and refuses God's will, judgment surely awaits them, awaits them! God is righteous and God is loving and God is merciful, oh, oh, God is trustworthy, He's God of majesty. Someday the earth will see, oh, oh, God is a burning fire. God is a burning fire. He will show no mercy, when judgment is in His path. Let the whole universe know the truth, Almighty God is the only God worth bowing to. Who can fight against God or oppose Him? There is none who can judge or revile Him. Every heart and tongue will be allegiant. Every nation will surrender before God. Today and tomorrow and eternally, they will bow down to God forever! They will bow down to God forever! They will bow down, they will bow down, they will bow down to God forever!
from "The Thirty-fifth Utterance" of Utterances and Testimonies of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
Recommendation: The brief introduction of the Church of Almighty God
Love is a pure emotion, pure without a blemish. Use your heart, use your heart to love and feel and care. Love doesn't set conditions or barriers or distance. Use your heart, use your heart to love and feel and care. If you love you don't deceive, grumble, turn your back, look to get something in return. If you love you'd sacrifice, accept hardship and be one with God in harmony.
I Step by step, the Creator did the work intended according to His plan. One by one, they appeared, the things intended according to His plan. All things exist under His authority. All creatures give thanks to Him for His provision and His grace. Whatever shape or structure doesn't matter. All were made by the Creator.
“And he said, I beseech you, show me your glory. And he said, … You can not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:18-20).
“And the LORD came down on mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish” (Exo 19:20-21).
“And all the people saw the thunder, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said to Moses, Speak you with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (Exo 20:18-19).
True God Saves Man on the Earth | Gospel Music "Chinese Choir 14th Performance"
The 14th Episode of the Chinese Choir of the Church of Almighty God comprises two classic hymns of God’s word, “The Substance of Christ Is God” and “The Incarnate God Is Very Important to Mankind.” Breathy tone and bel canto will bring to you an unusual auditory experience. In a solemn atmosphere, this episode starts with the chorus of God’s chosen people, who use their singing to give testimony to the substance and identity of Christ. Though the flesh of Christ is ordinary and normal, He can do the work of God Himself and express God’s disposition, so too can He express the truth as man’s supply at any time and any place, and bestow the perpetual way of life upon man. The substance of Christ is completely God Himself. The supreme God came into flesh and personally works on earth to save man and expresses all truths to lead the whole mankind. This is great love and salvation to all mankind!
In a spiritual body, or in the flesh? “Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not” (Luke 12:40). “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:27). “This time, God comes to do work not in a spiritual body but in a very ordinary one. Not only is it the body of God’s second incarnation, but also the body in which God returns” (The Word Appears in the Flesh). Please stay tuned for the musical drama of the Church of Almighty God—Every Nation Worships the Practical God!
