Search Results

Bible Correspondence Course Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course - Lesson 1 Lesson 1 - Why Study The Bible In The Space Age? Start Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course - Lesson 2 Lesson 2 - What Is The Message Jesus Brought From Heaven? Start Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course - Lesson 3 Lesson 3 - Where Is The Arms Race Leading? Start Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course - Lesson 4 Lesson 4 - Why Do So Few Understand The Bible? Start Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course - Test 1 Test 1 - Lessons 1 to 4 Start Test Please reload

Who Are We? The Church of God was prophesied to scatter - Daniel 12:7 The Vigilant Church of God is a group of people who believe Jesus Christ raised up an apostle in the 20th century to lead the Philadelphia era of God's Church. That man was Herbert W. Armstrong. In Matt. 28:19-20, Christ gave the commission to preach the gospel to all nations, to His original apostles, not to the Church. When He gave that commission to the apostles, the Church had not yet been born. Christ gave this great commission to the apostles 10 days before the spirit begotten Church of God even existed. Jesus Christ gave that same commission to His end-time, last apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong. Christ spelled it out in clear words in Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come” (emphasis ours). Christ also laid the original foundation of the Church by the original apostles, along with the prophets of the old testament, as the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 2:20. Down through the centuries and through great persecution, much, even most, of that foundation became lost. As Christ always places truth in the Church through apostles, so in this end-time, He raised up an apostle to restore that same, original foundation of truth. The commission that Christ gave to his end-time and last apostle, Mr. Armstrong was, two-fold: To preach the gospel of the kingdom to all nations as a witness and to restore the complete, original foundation (the truth) to the Church. Mr. Armstrong faithfully completed the job he was given to do. Matthew 24:14 is a prophecy that has now been fulfilled. Christ said that it would be done, Mr. Armstrong said that he had done it, and many of us saw it being done. Please view the video "The Gospel Has Been Preached" Accomplishing that two-fold commission was the work (of an apostle) in the Philadelphia era of God's Church. It was the work of God and Jesus Christ did that work. Mr. Armstrong often said this is not the private work of Herbert W. Armstrong, this is God's work and Christ is doing it. He said he was the only man that Christ was using. Mr. Armstrong always gave all the credit to Jesus Christ. That was the assigned work of the Philadelphia era and once the job was accomplished, God allowed the apostle, Mr. Armstrong, to die after faithfully serving the Church of God for more than 5 decades. That ended the Philadelphia era, and thus Jesus Christ closed the door to that work. It is Jesus Christ who actually does the work of God and we saw that the work that He did in the 6th era was taking the gospel to all nations as a witness. When that job was done He closed that door and that era ended. So the next era began, which is the 7th and final era and Christ called it Laodicea. What is the work that we find Christ doing in this era ? Rev.3:20 says “Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Read verses 19-21. The work that Jesus Christ is now doing, in this Laodicean era, is knocking on the hearts of each person who has the Spirit of God dwelling in him/her to open and allow them in to feed them. Though this era thinks it still has the OPEN DOOR OF PHILADELPHIA, it has in actual fact closed the door to Christ! Rev. 3:20 shows that Christ is outside of His Church, not inside. He is calling on them to repent and return to the full truth that He, Christ, had placed in the Church during the previous era, the Philadelphia era. Christ is now measuring His Church, as described in Rev. 11:1-2. The Vigilant Church of God promotes the work Jesus Christ did and is doing through Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. We believe he was used in the spirit and power of Elijah, to restore the TRUTH and raised up the Philadelphia Work (Revelation 3:7-13). We understand completely that Mr. Armstrong was merely a man whom Christ used as His tool to do that work and we, like Mr. Armstrong give all the credit to Jesus Christ and God the Father. Isaiah 2:22 says “Cease ye from man, whos breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” We are also totally aware of Jeremiah 17:5 “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Therefore we trust Jesus Christ and His judgment, by respecting the leader that He chose to use. The work of KNOCKING AND MEASURING is the work that Jesus Christ is doing in this final era and the Vigilant Church of God is committed to being a tool as a Messenger in the Hand of Christ, as He does this Work. Therefore, we as a small group are committed to the message of the knock of Christ and holding fast to the faith once delivered. First to the original apostles and finally, to this end-time apostle (Herbert W. Armstrong). We are holding fast to all of the truth of Revelation 3:11, set in the Church by Jesus Christ through His final apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong. The work of preaching the gospel to the world and the Ezekiel work to Israel has been completed. Mr. Armstrong fulfilled those commissions. Listen to Mr. Armstrong saying, "The Work will be finished when I die." "The Knock" sermon by Mr. Ellery Burgess The Knock of Christ - Mr. Ellery Burgess 00:00 / 00:00

Booklets My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Hos 4:6) File too large CONTACT US File too large CONTACT US

Prospective Members Page ...not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others (Phil. 2:4). Prospective Member’s Guide Vigilant Church of God herewith welcomes you as a prospective member. Please study this guide thoroughly and feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Contact details are at the end of this guide. Laodicean Era vs. Philadelphia Era While it is vital to understand the difference between the two Church Eras, if you do not understand Church Eras as it appears in the Book of Revelation, do not be overly concerned, as you will learn what they are by the end of this study (1 Tim 2:15). The first and arguably the most important to understand is that the Philadelphia Era ENDED in 1986 with the death of Mr. Armstrong, the last Apostle and also the type of Elijah (Mal 4:5). The commission of the Philadelphia Era was to take the Gospel to the whole world (Matt 24:14). Mr. Armstrong accomplished this and with his death that phase of the Work was finished. Many C.O.G leaders teach that this is still the Philadelphia Era OR at least that their organisation is a “remnant of Philadelphia”. THIS IS FALSE! The Bible does not teach this, but false leaders use this statement to continue taking tithes and drawing a salary, making merchandise of the brethren (2Pet 2:3) with feigned (fictitious) words. The very truth is that we are now, since the death of Mr. Armstrong, deeply into the Laodicean Era where both leaders and brethren are lukewarm and indifferent (Rev 3:16-17), not believing the Gospel has been preached and that Matthew 24:14 has been fulfilled. So, if this is true, what is the Work of God now, and what are the brethren of God supposed to do, since the Work of preaching the Gospel is complete? Well, here starts your exciting journey with Vigilant Church of God! The Work of the Church of The Laodiceans Notice precisely how your Bible address the final Era of God’s Church in Rev 3:14: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;” (plural) Yes, instead of Christ, the Leader of this Work, addressing the Laodicean Era as a whole, He address each believer individually, knocking on each one’s door (Rev 3:20), asking them to invite Him into their lives once again by “buying gold tried in the fire” (returning to the truth) and anointing their eyes (repenting from a lukewarm attitude) so they may once again believe as before, when Mr. Armstrong restored all things. Read or listen to his own words here . Please take time to study the following material as it will help you to understand the Work in this Era on VCG website: Read “About US” and listen to “The Knock”: https://www.vigilantcog.com/about-us Read or re-read “Mystery of the Ages” or listen to the audio book: https://www.vigilantcog.com/from-mr-armstrong Read the booklet “Tithing”: https://www.vigilantcog.com/_files/ugd/7e4368_d67f1f94721d44e89e6ce34c57e1a4b7.pdf Review VCG video “Save Yourself Brethren”: https://youtu.be/akOi0Vo_zjQ Review VCG video “The Greatest DOCTRINE – restored”: https://youtu.be/gDuXMitpUH0 Review VCG video “The Greatest Doctrine part 2”: https://youtu.be/f0JzgVO8s3M While the above material is given to understand the Work we are doing, there are many more items available on the website, so we urge you to review all you can in the time you have available. While a prospective member, you will be assigned an experienced preaching elder to help guide you through this path to full membership with Vigilant Church of God. Contacts: (Phone or Whatsapp) Mr. Gerhard Coetzer +27 64 248 5710

Copyright Disclaimer Our aim is to promote and share quality material. We always attempt to properly attribute all of the material on this site. We do not claim the copyright over any material, unless specifically stated. If you are the copyright owner of anything on this site which has not been properly attributed, please contact us and we are more than happy to properly recognize the legal copyright. If you are the copyright owner of anything on this site and you do not want your material to be linked, shared or promoted in this way, please contact us and we will remove it immediately. All material is believed to be in the public domain. If not, it will be properly cited or removed upon request by its author. Privacy Policy 1. Introduction Welcome to the Vigilant Church of God We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with integrity, respect, and care. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website: www.vigilantcog.com . 2. Information We Collect We may collect the following types of information: Personal Information You Provide When you: Fill out a contact form Subscribe to a newsletter Submit a prayer request Make a donation Register for an event We may collect: Name Email address Phone number Mailing address Payment information (if donating) Any information you voluntarily provide Automatically Collected Information Like most websites hosted on Wix, we may automatically collect: IP address Browser type Device information Pages visited Time spent on the site This information helps us improve our website and user experience. 3. How We Use Your Information We use your information to: Respond to messages and prayer requests Send newsletters or ministry updates (if you subscribe) Process donations Improve website functionality Communicate about events or services Comply with legal obligations We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. 4. Donations & Payment Processing If you make a donation through our website, payment information is processed securely by third-party providers (such as Wix Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.). We do not store full credit card information on our servers. 5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to: Improve user experience Analyze website traffic Enable essential site functionality You may disable cookies through your browser settings. 6. Third-Party Services We may use third-party services provided by Wix or other tools (such as email marketing services or analytics providers). These services may collect information in accordance with their own privacy policies. 7. Data Security We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. 8. Children’s Privacy Our website is not intended for children under the age of 13 without parental supervision. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without consent. 9. Your Rights Depending on your location, you may have the right to: Request access to your personal information Request correction or deletion Withdraw consent to communications To exercise these rights, contact us at: [your email address] 10. Changes to This Policy We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. 11. Contact Us If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: Vigilant Church of God. 58 Saffron St. Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa gcoetzer.vcg@yahoo.com

A Word to the wise from Herbert W. Armstrong "The Work IS Finished"... Herbert W. Armstrong "The Work is finished" refers to Matthew 24:14 and ended the Philadelphia era as described in Revelation 2 and 3. His intention was not to state that there was and is no more work to do. On the contrary, Christ is still working with His Church in what is now the final few years, before His return, known as the Laodicean era. We serve God's people in this capacity, helping God's flock to find their direction and inspiration in these final, challenging years, just prior to the establishment of God's Kingdom on Earth. Few understand that the Work is not FINISHED, but has merely CHANGED and Christ is the One leading the "church of the Laodiceans" today! Congress of leading ministers hears defined and reemphasized spiritual organization of Church. Worldwide News March 6, 1981 Did the leaders of the Scattered Churches of God BELIEVE what Mr. Armstrong told them?... Read his own words in a March 6, 1981 Worldwide News to all these "leaders"! "... there is no one in the Church that has the qualifications, the experience that could carry on the work that God has given me to do. Who is there among you who can do it? If you will tell me I would like to know. It would be so nice if I could retire. Because it's a pretty heavy load I have to carry. But I'm not thinking of myself, I'm thinking of what I've been called to do. And it must be done. And God's Will will be done". Read more .. . SERMON: Mission of the Philadelphia Church of God Philadelphia Church Herbert W. Armstrong 00:00 / 1:25:49 Listen to Mystery of the Ages - Audio Book MOA tape 1 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 1 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 2 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 2 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 3 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 3 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 4 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 4 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 5 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 5 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 6 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 6 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 7 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 7 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 8 side A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 MOA tape 8 side B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00

Sermon Archive Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock (1 Peter 5:2-3). Below is a small selection of our Sabbath Sermon messages. Contact us should you require full access. Watch - Ellery Burgess 00:00 / 00:00 A Bond Slave - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 The Binding power of the AIR - Michael Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Acts 3 and the Gospel - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 LOT'S WIFE LOOKED BACK - MICHAEL VENISH 00:00 / 00:00 Be Illuminated by God's Word - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 UN MYSTERY OF THE AGES - GERHARD COETZER 00:00 / 00:00 Beware of Worldly Wisdom - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Time to CHANGE not FEAR - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Government - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Drunkards of Isaiah 28 - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Two Witnesses - M Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Suffer As Good Soldiers - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Human Nature the Hidden Enemy - Dr. Burrus Smith 00:00 / 00:00 What is Important? - M. Downing 00:00 / 00:00 The Sabbath Day Is Much More - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Thus Says The Eternal - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Salvation And You - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Put Your Trust in the Living God - D. Smith 00:00 / 00:00 Faith x 2 - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Physical Salvation for the Jews - B. Smith 00:00 / 00:00 God Declares Who We Are - M. Downing 00:00 / 00:00 It's Not AbouT Growth... But HIS Likeness - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Passover, Crucifixion and Resurrection Timeline - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Blessed Is He - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Becoming Moses - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 In Those Days - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Satan and Sin Before Man - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Becoming Moses - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Lessons From King Josiah - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Are We Preparing - J. Schiphorst 00:00 / 00:00 What Christ Did For US - M. Downing 00:00 / 00:00 God's Benefits Include Truth - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Our Children Refresh The Earth - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 A Royal Key - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Trust - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 What Is Better? - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 Reaffirming The Wonder Of Salvation - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 To Revive The Humble And Contrite Ones - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Resist Discouragement - G. Coetzer 00:00 / 00:00 The Knowledg Of The Real Jesus - M. Vnish 00:00 / 00:00 A Power Inherent - Michael Venish 00:00 / 00:00 Loyalty, A Zeal For God - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 At One - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 The Day Of Christ - M. Venish 00:00 / 00:00 The Tale Of Two Brides - B. Smith 00:00 / 00:00 Visit our Vigilant Radio Podcast at Spotify

Apostates EDITED Literature without Mr. Armstrong's knowledge Mystery of the Ages Softbound - this version of the book arrived from the printer in November 1985. The soft bound is 66 pages shorter than the hardcover, this is understandable, as the smaller font size and line spacing allows for more text per page. However! Prior to the book going to print the editorial department at WCG decided to make some changes to Mr. Armstrong's statements regarding race. Compare pages 148-149 of the Hardcover to edits to pages 122-123 of the soft bound edits... Mystery of the Ages: On page 147 of the hardback version we read the following... "Proof of this lies in the meaning of the Hebrew word translated “perfect.” It may refer either to spiritual character (Gen. 17:l) or to physical characteristics (Lev. 22:21). Therefore Genesis 6:9 allows the translation that Noah was either “blameless” or “unblemished.” The context (Gen. 6:2) clearly indicates the latter is the intended meaning of “perfect.” So a good rendering of Genesis 6:9 is that Noah was the only “just” man (in spiritual character), and also “unblemished’ (in his genetic heritage) among his contemporaries. Notice the Subtle Corruption The softback version renders the same paragraph as... "Proof of this lies in the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "perfect." It may refer either to spiritual character (Gen. 17:1) or to physical characteristics (Lev. 22:21). Therefore Genesis 6:9 allows the translation that Noah was either "blameless" or of "pure strain." The context (Gen. 6:2) clearly indicates the latter is the intended meaning of the Hebrew word translated, "perfect". So a good rendering of Genesis 6:9 is that Noah was the only "just" man (in spiritual character), and also of "pure strain", unmixed (in his genetic heritage) among his contemporaries. Serialization of Mystery of the Ages: July 1985 Mr. Armstrong wanted Mystery of the Ages to reach the largest audience possible. He used the Plain Truth circulation which stood at 8 million. The original text in the Plain Truth was corrupted, especially obvious, was chapter 6 "Mystery of the Church" in the July-August 1986 Plain Truth. All the Plain Truth Magazines from Jul-August to November-December 1986 are available here Softbound version corrupted Restoration of God's Truth "From the year 1931, exactly 1900 years (a century of time cycles) from the foundation of the Church, this small remnant of the original true Church of God began to take on new life ." Mr. Armstrong wrote in the hardback version... "From the year 1931, exactly 1900 years (a century of time cycles) from the foundation of the Church, this small remnant of the original true Church of God began to take on new life as the Philadelphia era." The Bible Story Books were edited four years before Mr. Armstrong died and without his knowledge

Explore our in-depth churches of god bible study resources to gain insights into God's word. Discover the truth with churches of god bible study. Bible Studies Below is a small sample of our Bible Studies. To access the full collection, contact us The Book of James "Study to show yourself approved" "Study to show yourself approved" "Study to show yourself approved" "Study to show yourself approved" The Armor of God The Armor of God - Part 1 The Armor of God - Part 2 The Breast Plate of Righteousness - Part 1 The Belt of Truth - Part 2 12 Rules for Bible Study Pray for guidance Be willing to accept correction Prove all things Realize the Bible never contradicts itself Be sure to read the Bible as it is written Check the context carefully, that is read all the scriptures around the verse in question Get all the scriptures "let God be true and every man a liar" Don't put vague scriptures first Use several translations Don't establish doctrine with Bible helps Mark your Bible Why is the Bible the most misunderstood book in all history? The most twisted, distorted, maligned, misrepresented and lied-about book there is? Because people refuse to believe it means exactly what it says! This second installment explains twelve simple, basic rules to help you understand the plain truth of God's Word! Do YOU understand the Bible when you read it? Or, have you not even bothered to study your Bible because you felt it was out-of-date? Because the old English is difficult to understand? Or because you felt the Bible was supposed to be mysterious? You Can Understand! The Bible is the instruction book of the One who created you. It is His instruction TO YOU, explaining clearly and plainly how you can have a happy, filled-with-interest, abundant and successful life! God's Word reveals the purpose for your being! It explains the REASON for human suffering. It explains WHEN and WHY and HOW GOD IS going to intervene to relieve that suffering! It therefore ought to be the one book everyone should understand! But why has it been so grievously misunderstood? Because almost no one, it seems, has been willing to apply the twelve rules of Bible study. The First Six Rules To summarize, briefly, before going on to the seventh rule of Bible study, here are the first six rules: Rule 1 — Pray for guidance. Rule 2 — Be willing to accept correction. Rule 3 — Prove all things. Rule 4 — Realize the Bible never contradicts itself. Rule 5— Be sure to read the Bible exactly as it is written. Rule 6 — Check the context carefully — that is, read all the scriptures around any particular verse in question. This brings us to rule number seven. Up In last month's PLAIN TRUTH, the first six of the twelve simple, basic rules of Bible study were explained thoroughly. If you are a new reader and missed this first article because you were not on The PLAIN TRUTH mailing list last month, just write and ask for the August issue of The PLAIN TRUTH — it will be sent to you just as freely as you received this issue. Click on image for detailed first six rules. Click on Image for the last six rules. Bible Study Plain Truth Aug 1964_0033, _0034, _0043 and _0044 Rule 7 Get All the Scriptures No one scripture can OF ITSELF, taken OUT OF CONTEXT, be used to establish the Truth. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any PRIVATE interpretation" (II Pet. 1:20 ). God has put His Bible together in a very unusual manner. He has written it so that men could study it intricately in its original languages, poring over its pages for their entire lifetime — AND YET NEVER COME TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. Many people have memorized great sections of the Bible and yet not come to realize what those sections mean. You must take the whole Bible in its entire context, getting ALL OF THE SCRIPTURES in that Bible ON ANY ONE SUBJECT BEFORE you can come to the knowledge of that particular subject from God's point of view. "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little...." That is how the converted mind is to study the Bible. Yet, when the unconverted study God's Word a little here and a little there they are STILL NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND the Message of God's Truth because they do not have His Holy Spirit guiding them. That Holy Spirit — the very mind and understanding of God — is the power that inspired those words in the first place, and WITHOUT THAT SPIRIT TO INSPIRE THE UNDERSTANDING, THE DOOR TO THE WORD OF GOD REMAINS SHUT! (The Holy Spirit is given ONLY to those who OBEY God — Acts 5:32 .) Continuing from Isaiah: "... But the word of the Lord WAS unto them {those who DISOBEY} precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken" (Isa. 28:9-10 , 13 ). Oftentimes people think that the Bible is CONTRADICTING itself when actually all it is doing is SUPPLEMENTING itself. A good example of this is found in Matthew 27:37 as compared to Luke 23:38 . Here Matthew and Luke APPEAR to contradict one another in their statements as to what was written on the sign affixed to the stake upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Now while you're going through this article, just take time to GET YOUR BIBLE and USE this example to PROVE that getting ALL of the scriptures on any one subject WILL give you God's understanding on it. In order to find out WHAT was written on that sign, WHO wrote it, and HOW MANY languages it was written in, you will need to put at least four scriptures together, not just two. So turn first to Matthew 27:37 , and WRITE DOWN what the Bible says was written on that sign. Then, GO RIGHT ON to Mark l5:26 and write beneath what you have written what MARK says was written on that sign. Then do the same with Luke 23:38 and also John 19:19 . Put them all together and you will see what was written on that sign. If ONE of these scriptures were left out you would not know that it was PILATE who did the writing. If TWO of these scriptures were left out you would not know that the writing was originally done in THREE LANGUAGES. These four bits of information, each from a different author, supply us with a complete record of what was written there originally. No one scripture contradicts the other — each only serves to complement and round out the information of the other. Click on Image for the last six rules. Bible Study Plain Truth Sept 1964_0014, _0015 & _0018 Up Rule 8 Let the Bible Interpret the Bible So many people write in to The WORLD TOMORROW and comment how much they enjoy MR. ARMSTRONG'S INTERPRETATION of the Bible. Over and over again you will hear Mr. Armstrong explain to the radio audience that it is NOT HIS INTERPRETATION that is being heard over The WORLD TOMORROW, BUT ONLY PLAIN BIBLE TRUTH! In your edition of the King James Bible the book of Revelation will probably be entitled, "The Revelation of ST. JOHN THE DIVINE." This is an excellent example of MAN'S INTERPRETATION. Now in order for you to understand WHAT the book of Revelation IS — WHOSE revelation it is, TO WHOM it was written and WHAT it is about — all you have to do is read the first few verses of THE BOOK ITSELF! In fact the very first words of the very first verse DIRECTLY CONTRADICT MAN'S INTERPRETATION of the Bible with the plain Bible statement that this book is, THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST!" (Rev. 1:1 .) Romans 3:4 is a good clear principle to live by in this EIGHTH rule of Bible study — "... let GOD be true, but every man a liar." This book of Revelation has long been an enigma to the people of the world — GOD SAYS it is a book of REVELATION. THE WORLD SAYS it is a book of HIDDEN MYSTERY. PEOPLE have come up with many weird interpretations for the book of Revelation — yet the book of Revelation is VIVID in its own clear description and needs no interpretation! Continue in Revelation 1: As you read in verse 12 that John saw seven GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS, you don't have to WONDER what these seven golden candlesticks are — all you have to do is READ ON until you come, in the CONTEXT, to verse 20 and that verse tells you plainly that the seven candlesticks ARE the seven churches. In verse 16 it states that John saw SEVEN STARS in the hand of the Son of man. There is no need to go into great, eloquent illustrations of what the seven stars are, because again verse 20 reveals the plain Bible truth — no interpretation necessary — that the seven stars ARE the angels of the seven churches. And so it goes through the rest of the Bible. All you have to do is be patient and search God's Word and you will come up with God's clear answers to the muddled questions of mankind. Up Rule 9 Don't Put Vague Scriptures First Perhaps a better general statement of this NINTH RULE of Bible study would be: NEVER ESTABLISH A DOCTRINE BY A VAGUE OR DIFFICULT-TO-BE-UNDERSTOOD SCRIPTURE. Too many people ASSUME that the vision which Peter had regarding the unclean beasts lowered to him on a sheet affirms that God "cleansed" unclean meat. Because they TAKE OUT OF CONTEXT a verse, unclean of itself, that says, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15 ). However, all they need to do is read on TWO MORE VERSES and verse 17 very plainly says that PETER HIMSELF DOUBTED what the vision meant when he saw it — he didn't jump to any conclusions, but vague-scripture quoters are eager to! Further reading in the same chapter will explain what Peter finally came to understand about the vision — read verse 28: "God hath showed me {by means of this vision} that I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON OR UNCLEAN." Don't overlook TENTH rule. Up Rule 10 Use Several Translations In Matthew 27:46 Jesus Christ, while hanging on the stake before He died, used the ARAMAIC translation of the first verse of Psalm 22. Even though the original Word of God was inspired in the Hebrew or the Greek, God has allowed it to be translated into nearly every language spoken by mankind. If we were going to be particular about which language we used or which translation, then we would all have to learn Hebrew and Greek and study the Bible in its original languages. The King James Version was written 353 years ago. In the time since, the English language has undergone many changes. Sometimes those texts which are vague and unclear in the King James can be cleared up very easily by just reading a MORE MODERN TRANSLATION, such as the Moffatt or the Revised Standard Version. There is one thing to note about the King James translation and that is regarding italics. This word ITALIC is written in italics. Words that look like this in your King James Version are NOT in the original languages but are SUPPLIED by the translators. So everywhere in the King James Version where you notice words in italics they are supplied to help you understand the meaning of the sentence. However, since the translators were carnally minded, they did not always supply the words correctly. So some of these words in italics are incorrect and do not help but rather hinder your understanding. On the other hand, NOT ALL OF THE WORDS WHICH ARE SUPPLIED by the translators are in italics. Take I John 5:7 for instance, where the reference to three who bear witness in heaven is a completely erroneous reference inserted by a monk-copyist in the Middle Ages. The fact is this particular verse appears only in the King James Version and is in NONE of the other translations of the Bible. Often these difficulties will be cleared up by merely reading another translation and comparing it to the King James. Any questions arising after a thorough reading through several translations of any one verse will be few, and can be handled by studying further in Bible helps. If there are WORDS that you have difficulty in understanding, remember not only to look them up in an English dictionary such as Webster's, but if possible in A BIBLE DICTIONARY OR IN STRONG'S CONCORDANCE so that you can see what the meaning of the word in the original is. Sometimes people will look up a word in a modern dictionary and find a definition that is not at all the SENSE of the word as used in the King James Version. Take for example the word "conversation" in I Peter 3. Conversation to us today means talking between two people. A modern dictionary will give this definition. However, in the time of King James this particular word meant THE ENTIRE CONDUCT of a person and that is the meaning in the BIBLEusage of this word. In order to understand it then, you need to understand the meaning of the ORIGINAL word, and not just the meaning in a modern dictionary. But this leads to our ELEVENTH rule. Up Rule 11 Don't Establish Doctrine With "Bible Helps" "Clarke's Commentary" and the commentary by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown are good reference works — as is Halley's "Pocket Bible Handbook". Sometimes in the back of Bibles there will be sections called "Bible Helps." Even the marginal references in your Bible, which SOMETIMES prove to be very helpful, are often misleading. These "helps" often turn out to be the insidious instruction of Satan himself and they may lead you astray. Therefore, all of these Bible helps should be used ONLY to establish historical or grammatical facts related to the Bible and MUST NOT be used TO ESTABLISH DOCTRINE OR TO INTERPRET THE MEANING OF THE BIBLE ITSELF. The chain reference in my Bible in the center of the two columns at Revelation 1:10 says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day..." and by the Lord's day there is a little "z". In the column by the "z" there are two scriptural references — one to Acts 20:7 and the other to I Corinthians 16:2 which both refer to the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK but have nothing to do with the Lord's day which is explained in the rest of the book of Revelation. Yet to find out what the BIBLE says about what day Jesus Christ is Lord of, read Mark 2:27-28 ! "And he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: therefore THE SON OF MAN IS LORD ALSO OF THE SABBATH." So, with Bible helps you must remember to use them only for technical facts and not for interpretative facts. And now, rule TWELVE: Up Rule 12 Mark Your Bible! Perhaps you have thought the Bible should not be marked. But realize that what is HOLY about the Bible is not the paper, ink and leather out of which it is made, but the WORDS OF TRUTH the SPIRITUAL FACTS! Any PHYSICAL tool you can employ — such as marking with a pen or colored pencils — to help you remember and apply the spiritual truths in your life, is right with God! He expects you to USE His written Word to worship HIM — not physical paper ant ink! Sometimes we hold back from marking the Bible and think that we'll do it later — especially when we're listening to a point that we need to remember about a particular scripture — but we never seem to get around to it. It's always so difficult to get out the pencil and ruler, and have our hands clean. So I have found over years of experience that the best way to mark the Bible is to JUST MARK IT! When you find out for instance that the word "conversation" in I Peter 3:1 ought to be "conduct," the thing you need to do is to IMMEDIATELY WRITE DOWN "conduct" in the margin and draw a little line and circle the word "conversation" in the verse. This way you will always remember. Use These Rules Apply these twelve rules diligently, and your Bible study will be both interesting and rewarding. And if you are not already one of the nearly SEVENTY THOUSAND students of the "Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course " — Click Link for it NOW! Don't put it off! This course is designed to help you study YOUR BIBLE. It employs all of these twelve rules of Bible study — it can help YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR BIBLE as you never have before. This course is entirely free of any cost to you! You'll always be glad you did! Up

Questions and Answers 1Pe_3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Is sprinkling an appropriate method of baptism? Sprinkling has been practiced as an acceptable method of baptism by most Christian Churches, but is not suitable according to Scripture. The Bible word for “baptize” comes from the Greek word, which means “to immerse”. In order to be properly baptized, one must be fully immersed in water, which symbolizes a type of death. To learn more about this crucial subject, read the booklet entitled: All About Water Baptism available on this website at no cost. Should children be baptized? Of the many religions that practice baptism, many believe children should be baptized as young as possible. The Bible points out that Christ laid His hands on children, which lead many to believe that it proves baptism should be performed on children. While Christ did lay His hands on children, it was not for the purpose of baptizing them. To learn more about this crucial subject, read the booklet entitled: All About Water Baptism available on this website at no cost. What is the correct biblical name for God's Church? The correct biblical name for God’s Church, according to Scripture is mentioned twelve times in the New Testament. Every time it is referred to as the “Church of God”. This is the same Church that was founded in A.D.31 by Christ Himself who said that God’s true Church would never be destroyed (Matt 16:18). To learn more about this fascinating subject, read the booklet: Where Is The True Church? available free on this website. Where is the original true Church that Jesus Christ founded? Consider the fact that Christ said in Matt 16:18 that He would build His Church and that it would never be destroyed by His enemies. This Church must then be in existence today, somewhere on earth, teaching the truth. Also consider that He said “Church”, not Churches (plural). This means that there are many “Churches” that say they are for and from God and Christ, but they do not preach the full truth, necessary for salvation. To learn more about this fascinating subject, read the booklet: Where Is The True Church? available free on this website. How can you scientifically prove that God exists? It is easy to believe in things that we can see. On the other hand, it is not so easy to believe that something is real if we cannot see it with our own eyes. We hear so many conflicting theories about our origin and the origin of the universe and everything that exists in it. But did it all come out of an explosion—the Big Bang—or was it created by a God, the God of the Bible. Science has given us conflicting answers to this crucial question. To learn more, read our free booklet: Does God Exist? available at no cost on this website, and decide for yourself! Where did life come from? Anthropologists have unearthed ancient skeletal remains of men whom they attributed as having lived over 10,000 years ago. The methods for establishing such dates have been very dubious. Such methods as radio carbon-14 dating been shown to lead to false interpretation, but still, science and evolution contain theories that man came into being almost by chance. The truth is that Scripture say—and prove that God created everything, including man. To learn more, read our free booklet: Does God Exist? available at no cost on this website, and decide for yourself! Does the Bible support the theory of the existence of extraterrestrial life forms and the validity of UFOs? The many UFO sightings reported over the past decades are, most likely, manifestations by spirit beings or fallen angels, rather than the presence of physical aliens from outer space. While it is true that there are mysteries that are not fully understood and explained; many of these mysteries can be accounted for by the existence of fallen angels who have possessed and influenced people with super-human power. The Bible discloses that the Earth has been chosen as the single setting for God’s working with human life and how this very planet will become the eventual headquarters of God’s government throughout the universe. No other planets are implied or mentioned in that context. To learn more, read our free booklet: Does God Exist? available at no cost on this website, and decide for yourself! What is the purpose of human life? God formed man of matter, but after His own image and likeness. But the animals and man have the same breath, the same source of life. They die the same death. Human life is animal existence, but in the form and shape of God, and with the human spirit added to the brain. Man was created to have a relationship with his God. Therefore he was made in God's form and shape, with contact and relationship with Him, made possible by the presence within him of the human spirit. But man's creation was not completed. He was made mentally and spiritually only "half there." He needed the addition of God's Spirit to unite with his spirit, begetting him as a child of God -- uniting him with God. The purpose of life is clearly explained in our free online booklet: Why Were You Born? How does one determine the beginning and ending of the Sabbath in the Arctic? In the Ten Commandments it is required of Christians to observe and keep the Sabbath holy. This is the seventh day of the week, in other words, Saturday. Biblically speaking, a day begins and ends at sunset, and lasts for a twenty four hour period. This can be a problem for Sabbath keepers in Arctic/Antarctic regions where the days are not clearly demarcated by sunsets. In such cases, it is acceptable for the person to observe the Sabbath as they would have, were they back in their home country. Where Sabbath keepers live in such areas permanently, they generally work according to the closest country to the south where sunsets are clearly visible. For more help to fully understand the true Sabbath God created, read the free booklet: Which Day Is The Christian Sabbath? Why do some Christians keep the “Jewish” Sabbath? If, like most Christians, you believe that the Sabbath is only “for the Jews”, you may be surprised to learn that it is not. At the end of the 6 day creation, God rested and called the seventh day—Saturday—holy. In other words this day was created long before there were any races or nations on earth. This then means God created the Sabbath for all people, not only for “the Jews”. Man-made religions, other than the true one kept by the Church started by Christ, has perverted the truth, including the right understanding that all true Christians should be observing the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. For more help to fully understand the true Sabbath God created, read the free booklet: Which Day Is The Christian Sabbath? What is the meaning of the word “Easter”? Traditionally, “Easter” is observed as one of the most important Christian events. Sadly, the truth about this day is unknown to most who celebrate it. You may be astonished to learn that the word “easter” does not appear in the Bible. That’s correct! Try to look it up. “Easter” actually originated many thousands of years ago and is really an ancient pagan tradition, not to be observed by those who follow the true God, who calls this type of thing an “abomination”. God expects all His true followers to prove all things from the Bible. For more help on this important subject, please read our free booklet: The Plain Truth About EASTER. Why do some Christians celebrate Lent? Lent is a 40 day period of the Christian Year, preceding Easter Sunday, where Christians focus on simple living, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God. Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. But many do not recognize this practice today. Should you? For more help on this important subject, please read our free booklet: The Plain Truth About EASTER. Which nations are the modern descendants of the tribes of Israel? The Bible points to the fact that some is the tribes of the original nation of Israel somehow got “lost”. Even so, many believe that the nation of Israel is made up only of Jews. The truth is that those nations are not literally lost, but merely lost their identity due to the fact that they ceased to observe the Sabbath as the Jews still do today. By never moving away from the Sabbath, the Jews kept their identity and as such are very much “visible”. To learn where the lost ten tribes are today, refer to the free online booklet: The United States And Britain In Prophecy. Was there more than one gospel Christ preached? Many different gospels are being preached in today’s Churches, most false. Some preach a gospel of love, while others focus on prosperity and yet others preach about being “born again”. The Bible, however is very specific about the gospel being the “good news” that Christ preached during His ministry on earth. He went about performing miracles, while telling people the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, to be set up when Christ returned the second time, overthrowing Satan and implementing the world-ruling Government of God: You can gain full understanding about this question by reading our free booklet: What Is The True Gospel? Please explain 1 Cor. 15:24? This verse reads as follows: “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” In just a few short years, the reign of Satan will be cut short. He was given the power to rule earth when mankind rejected God’s wishes in the Garden of Eden. However, the Word of God explains the good news that Satan will be “cast down” and bound at the return of Christ, “putting down” the authority and power of Satan and ending mankind’s failed self-rulership. To find out more, read the free online book: The Incredible Human Potential. Why so many evils and troubles in this world, has God forsaken us? Seemingly, with all the world’s unsolvable problems, God has abandoned His creation. The truth is that through sin, in the garden of Eden, mankind cut itself off from God. Currently, mankind is trying to rule itself, with disastrous consequences. Also it seems as though God is losing the battle with Satan for the souls of men. In reality, Satan has been given free reign for a time, until the return of Christ. At that time, the book of Revelation explains, that those who have overcome Satan in this life will be rewarded with rulership in the Kingdom of God. To find out more, read the free online book: The Incredible Human Potential.

From Mr. Armstrong About Us Prospective Members Contact Us Admin Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Welcome to the Vigilant CHURCH of GOD The Vigilant Church of God presents the Truth directly from the scriptures to help and guide the scattered Churches of God. The work of KNOCKING AND MEASURING is the work that Jesus Christ is doing in this final era and the Vigilant Church of God is committed to being a Messenger in the service of Jesus Christ. Sabbath services are held in an on-line meeting room. To join this service, Contact Us. How Are We Different? Latest Sermon on Spotify Visit Vigilant Radio podcast at: Spotify Featured video for former Worldwide Church of God members See all videos HERE View all YouTube videos Popular Videos Must Listen Jesus sends His leader Mr. Michael Venish 00:00 / 1:04:36 As a member of a Church of God which splintered off of the Worldwide Church of God - Please listen to this message Latest Sermons The Key to Victory Mr. Mike Downing 00:00 / 30:57 Lift Up the Banner Dr. Burrus Smith 00:00 / 38:13 Check Your Blind Spot Mr. Gerhard J Coetzer 00:00 / 53:21 The LOVE of God and YOU Mr. Michael Venish 00:00 / 52:44 Handwriting-is-on-the-Wall Mr Michael Venish 00:00 / 1:19:50 Important Message In John 5:17 Jesus says ".... My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. " To find out what He meant, listen to the audio below... The Knock of Jesus Christ - Rev. 3:20 Mr. Ellery Burgess 00:00 / 29:06 Follow this link Listen to all Audio here Vital Study Aid SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF GOD This listing was composed by ministers of the Worldwide Church of God approximately 1984 or before and was used in the Graduate Spokesman's Club in the Chicago area and is presented here unchanged. While this listing is very detailed, it is not an exhaustive listing of the doctrines of The Church of God. View Doctrines Follow this link Do you remember Herbert W. Armstrong? Do you remember Herbert W. Armstrong? Do you remember Herbert W. Armstrong? Do you remember Herbert W. Armstrong?

Audio Books For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard (Act 4:20). A World Help Captive by Herbert W. Armstrong A World Held Captive - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 You live in world of awesome progress, but paradoxically of appalling evils. WHY? All About Water Baptism by Herbert W. Armstrong All About Water Baptism - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 Is WATER baptism essential to salvation? What about the "thief on the cross"? Was he saved without it? Are We Living in the Last Days? by Herbert W. Armstrong Are We Living in the Last Days? - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 How can you know whether we are near "the end of the world"? Can we prove it? Did God Creat a Devil? by Herbert W. Armstrong Did God Creat a Devil? - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Bible pictures the whole world under the sway of an invisible devil. Where did he come from? Did God create a devil to tempt us and lead us astray? Does God Exist? by Herbert W. Armstrong Does God Exist? - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 Can the existence of God be scientifically proved? Where did the first LIFE come from? Can we know whether God possesses MIND power? Ending All Your Financial Worries by Herbert W. Armstrong Ending Your Financial Worries - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 What concerns the average person most? War? The Space Race? Or making ends meet? The Incredible Human Potential by Herbert W. Armstrong The Incredible Human Potential - 1A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 1B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential answers mankind's most unanswerable question: Why were you born? The Incredible Human Potential - 2A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 2B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 3A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 3B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 4A - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 The Incredible Human Potential - 4B - HWA 00:00 / 00:00 Mr. Armstrong's audio book, MYSTERY OF THE AGES is available here. More books to follow. Please return soon...