God Inspects Us

God’s word is being spread rapidly throughout the world according to Bible prophecy. As the truth is being preached so quickly, more and more people are gathering to Zion. So, there are still some members who practice the habits they have learned from the world.

We have received the truth, and we are cleansing ourselves from the filth of the world little by little in God, so we can change into perfect beings with upright personalities and behaviors that God desires. Through the Bible, let us now examine the earnest will of God who wants His children to be fully born again.

God inspects everyone

A sister in Zion led one of her friends to the truth. But her friend continued to speak and behave recklessly as she had always done at school, which worried the sister. Her friend didn’t care at all, saying, “Nobody sees me. So, what’s the problem?” Then the sister said to her, “God is our CCTV.”

It seems that this short but implicative message gives a warning to all members of Zion—both existing and new members who live a life of faith. In the past, criminals might have been able to get away with their crimes if there were no eyewitnesses. Recently, however, CCTV cameras have been widely installed to monitor the activities of people. They play a decisive role in recognizing and deciding right from wrong and catching criminals. CCTV cameras are not a problem for those who live upright lives, but criminals cannot help but fear surveillance cameras. It is the same spiritually. Our every behavior is being recorded before God. God inspects everyone.

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind . . . Ps 33:11–13

God looks down from heaven on all people. Those who are worldly may doubt if God really sees all mankind. So, sometimes they commit offenses with the thoughts such as: ‘It’s dark, so nobody can see,’ ‘There’s no one here except me.’ However, God sees everything everywhere.

God knows the thoughts and attitudes of our heart

God inspects all people in order to lead them to the way of salvation by correcting their wrong thoughts and behaviors, and also to repay them according to what they have done. That’s why God sees both good and evil deeds and even our heart.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Ps 53:1–2

The most foolish people are those who think there is no God because He is invisible. Contrary to their foolish thought, however, God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who seek God, and listens to their sincere prayers. With concern and love for all mankind, God leads the work of salvation.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:12–13

Starlight scopes, developed for military use, can identify objects and detect people’s movements even in total darkness by amplifying feeble light and infrared rays. Even humans, God’s creation, are able to see in such total darkness. How much more can God the Creator see? There is nothing that can be hidden from God. God sees our visible acts, and knows even our invisible thoughts and feelings. So, nothing among God’s creatures can be concealed from God.

Nothing is hidden before God

God wants us to do good things according to His will, anytime and anywhere, regardless of our circumstances. As God knows our behaviors and even our deepest thoughts, He corrects us when we are wrong and makes up for our shortcomings. By doing so, God always leads us along the path of blessing. Salvation is given to us when we follow the path of faith with the right mindset and behavior in God’s eyes.

“But now I will send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks. My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes . . .” Jer 16:16–18

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD. Jer 23:23–24

God says that He observes everyone’s ways and that sinners cannot hide in secret places or conceal their sins from God. They may be able to hide from people, but none of them are able to hide in secret places so that God, who fills heaven and earth, cannot see them.

The prophet Daniel also declared that God reveals deep and hidden things and knows what lies in darkness, before he interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Da 2:17–22

The earth is just a tiny speck of dust in the universe. Although the earth is so small, people regard it as a very big place and think they can hide their sins from God. However, it is a very foolish thought, because everything is laid bare before God, even though they think they can hide in secret places.

God has the power to see even things that are completely concealed. No one can hide from God, and nothing can be concealed from God, either.

God repays each person according to what they have done

God inspects us because He loves us. God loves us so much that He counts every hair on our head, and He knows us far better than we know ourselves (Mt 10:30). We are God’s only concern. As God’s children who receive so much love and care from God, let us make efforts to be born again and changed by God’s eternal word every day.

God says He will repay each person according to what they have done—the righteous for their righteous deeds and the wicked for their evil deeds—at the Last Judgment.

“I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” Rev 2:23

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Rev 20:11–14

At the last day, the dead will be judged according to what they have done as recorded in the books. The wicked will end up being thrown into the lake of fire according to their evil deeds. Even things done in secret are all recorded in God’s books, and God watches our every move. As everything is laid bare before God, no one can make excuses for their sins before God’s judgment seat. So, shouldn’t we have a good heart and live holy and godly lives to enter into the glory of the righteous, instead of involving ourselves in evil so that we will receive the judgment and punishment that the wicked deserve?

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” Mt 16:26–27

Jesus has promised that when He comes in glory with His angels, He will reward each person according to what they have done. He will give blessings to those who have worked hard for the gospel, according to their good deeds, and He will also bestow on those who have prayed continually the blessings they deserve. The Bible also records the blessings that God will give to those who sacrifice themselves and are considerate of others to achieve unity and harmony.

Sin arises when we forget that God always inspects us. Since we believe in God, we need to constantly think of God who searches us and live in a manner worthy of being called God’s children, with faith as well as good words and deeds in our daily lives. The truly wise person is the one who understands that everything is laid bare before God.

The gospel of the kingdom is now being preached to all nations of the world according to Bible prophecy. We must think about how to fill our lives so that we can enter heaven, instead of indulging in temporary peace and comfort. As God’s children, let us put our whole heart, soul and mind into what pleases God, so we can be in good standing with God when we go back to the eternal kingdom of heaven.

Our mission during our short lifetime

Our ancestors said “life is like a drop of the morning dew.” This means that our life is as evanescent as the dew on the grass that disappears quickly in the sun. Life is so short that we must not become distracted by the transient things of this earth, but set our minds on the things of heaven, just as God has taught us:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mt 28:18–20

Jesus has asked us to go to all nations and teach them to obey everything He has commanded us. Human life is fleeting, and there is the world of essence waiting for us after this life. Those who understand this fact correctly are to follow God’s commands. God allows them to have faith enough to experience righteousness.

On the other hand, those who think their life will last forever cannot have faith and hope for heaven in their hearts. They cannot help but become more captivated by worldly things. There is such a big difference between those who have understood God’s will and those who have not.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, there were two robbers—one on His right and the other on His left. In the last moments of their lives, there was a great difference between them in their understanding. The robber on the left side had a lingering desire of life, and he slandered Jesus in collusion with the crowd. On the contrary, the robber on the right side repented of his sins and earnestly begged Jesus for salvation. It’s because he looked at the eternal world and acted accordingly, instead of trying to avoid the moments of crisis.

Alexander the Great who changed history by conquering the world, Genghis Khan who established the greatest empire in world history, and Napoleon who crowned himself emperor—they no longer exist. In their time, they had all power in the world, but everything they had was gone one day, as if it had not existed at all. When a play ends, the performers have to leave the stage. Likewise, even heroes who dominated their era had to go back to dust in the end.

Let us remind ourselves once again that our life is so short, and realize that God inspects us, who will inherit salvation, in order to lead us into the way of truth—the way of righteousness. As God’s children, we should always display God’s glory, which will be recorded on CCTV in heaven. Brothers and sisters in Zion! I would like to ask you all to accumulate the wonderful achievements of faith, without anyone falling away from the path of salvation God leads us on, so you can all enter the eternal kingdom of heaven and receive great rewards from God, who repays each person according to what they have done.