Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2800

2800 Professional missionaries.... Academic knowledge....

July 6, 1943: Book 37

Every mission on earth with the aim of redeeming the bound souls is pleasing to God and thus has His blessing, but those who have accepted such a mission as their task in life must also endeavour to spread the pure truth. Not everyone can therefore carry out this work if he does not know the truth himself. And the human being's will is once again the decisive factor .... it depends on the reason which impels him to tackle this work. His good will to be of service to God and to lead lost souls to Him will also grant him the pure truth which enables him to accomplish redemptive work on earth. This is why such an intention must first be preceded by the realisation of his own lack of knowledge, which prompts him to genuinely turn to God with an appeal for spiritual enlightenment. Only this fulfils the first condition for a profession, which must arise from the heart, but it must not be a profession in the sense of the word. However, the danger of the latter exists once a person deems himself knowledgeable due to academically accepted knowledge which nevertheless does not enable him to work as a teacher, because he does not recognise the truth as yet and therefore cannot pass it on either. In that case he will never be able to instruct his fellow human beings correctly. He will not be able to explain the purpose and goal of earthly life to them because he has no knowledge of the very first beginning and the ultimate goal of everything which must take the path across earth. He will merely strictly adhere to dogmatic teachings, which are certainly passed on again academically but which do not stimulate the soul's activity and would be able to awaken its indwelling spirit. The human being merely accepts the knowledge intellectually but it fails to enter his heart and therefore does not achieve the soul's transformation which, however, is absolutely essential for the soul's redemption from its bound state. This academic knowledge can therefore never be enough for a mission on earth whose aim is the redemption of erring souls.... And thus it is also understandable why professional missionaries have such little success unless profound humility towards God and deepest love for their fellow human beings impels them to take up this office.... For only the latter are true servants of God whose work amongst people can be a blessing for them. True service to God solely consists of helping to redeem that which had emerged from God and separated from Him but which the eternal Love will never turn away from.... And as soon as a person sets himself this task in life and, in recognition of his own ignorance, desires God's support, he will be of service to God. Then he will be able to fulfil his task conscientiously and successfully, he will fulfil his mission on earth and contribute towards the redemption of the bound souls.... Whereas the actual profession of a servant of God is no guarantee that he had first fulfilled the condition and thus he must also be denied the ability of being able to instruct his fellow human beings of the truth. Consequently, the redemption of these souls is questionable, because only truth can set people free, because only the pure truth is redemptive....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna