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Additional Study Aids Countries and Their Biblical Names A helpful reference to the Biblical countries and what they are called today OPEN Difficult Bible Scriptures Many Bible scriptures are confusing and difficult to understand. Find some of them explained here. OPEN Doctrinal Scriptures Scriptural references for the fundamental doctrines of the Church of God OPEN Generations Chart Where are the descendants of Abraham, Shem, Ham and Japheth today? A graphic illustration. OPEN God's Temple in Prophecy - By Leroy Neff The future Temple of God as seen by the Prophet Ezekiel - illustrated. OPEN How To Mark Your Bible Suggested colour codes to easily identify different subjects in your Bible OPEN Josephus The complete works of Romano-Jewish historian and scholar, Flavius Josephus. OPEN Mr. Rice's Notebook These Bible Studies covered a variety of topics, but most were related to dating, and developing Godly character. OPEN Please reload

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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

APOSTLES AND TRUTH By Ellery Burgess Why did God create the office of apostle? What does that office have to do, with truth in the true Church of God? What does that have to do, with you personally? The answer to these questions concerns your eternal salvation. Until Jesus Christ came and paid the ransom price for humanity and until the birth of the New Testament Church of God on Pentecost in 31 AD, the office of apostle did not exist. When God brought the spirit begotten Church of God into existence, He created the office of apostle in it, but why? Exactly what is the office of apostle, in the Church and within the government of God? Does this office have anything to do, with the truth that is placed in God’s own Church? THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH Apostles are foundational. They, along with the prophets, form the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:19-21). The prophets mentioned here are the prophets of the Old Testament. The one who became Jesus Christ, revealed the word to the prophets through the Holy Spirit and they delivered those words to the people. In like manner, Jesus Christ reveals His word to the apostles of the New testament Church and they reveal them to the people today. Together they, both the prophets of the Old Testament Church in the wilderness (Act 7:38) and the apostles of the now spirit begotten Church of the New Testament, form the foundation of the Church, with Jesus Christ being the Chief Corner Stone. WHAT DOES “APOSTLE” MEAN? The word apostle comes from the Greek word apostelos. Vines Greek-English Dictionary says “Apostelos = apostle, one sent with a special message (truth) or commission”. Apostles are sent to reveal the truth FOR THE FIRST TIME, to those whom God chooses to call. Many may hear the apostle’s message, but only those whom God chooses to open their eyes (mind), can see the truth when they hear it. It is like a person being in a dark room and God turns on the light switch. Suddenly they can see, they could not see before, but now they can see. Read Rom. 15:21, then read verses 18 through 20, then read verse 21 again. The apostle Paul was sent to bring the truth, to those who had not heard it before. He understood, that he was not supposed to go in and lay a foundation where another apostle had already laid the foundation. Apostles (sent), are given the commission from Jesus Christ, to reveal God’s own words, to those whom God the Father chooses. He does not bring his own words, but reveals the words that God has revealed to him. Jesus Christ gave the commission to the apostles, to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God and also “all things”, that He had given them (Matt. 28: 16-20). This was before the New Testament Church of God even came into existence. The commission was given to apostles. If Christ had wanted to give the commission to the entire Church, He would have given it ten days later, when the spirit begotten Church was born. Instead, He gave the commission to those that He sent (apostelos) with the message. Does the whole Church have a part in the spreading of this great commission? Yes, it surely does , the part of the Church is to back up and support the apostle (one sent) in doing this job. Not to take the job of God’s chosen apostle upon themselves, but to stand behind and in full support of him, as he does the job that God assigned to him. If the leaders of the various groups that are calling themselves the Church of God, would only understand this one paragraph, it would go a long way in helping to remove much of the confusion that we see today. HOW DOES GOD REMOVE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS? There is an account in the 9th chapter of John, that has been mostly overlooked. Let’s look at it in some detail. Christ and His disciples saw a man who was blind from birth (v.1). The disciples asked Christ, whose sin caused the man to be born blind, his or his parents (v.2)? In answer to their question, Jesus makes an amazing statement. “Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (v.3). Now, get this, Jesus said that this man was born blind, for the express purpose, of revealing (made manifest) how God works. “I must work the works of Him that sent (apostelos) me while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (vs. 4 – 5). As long as he, Jesus Christ , was in the world, he personally, brought light to those that the Father chooses to call. But now, in the remainder of this account, he reveals (makes manifest) how the light would be brought, once He was no longer physically in the world. Here, Jesus explains how God brings light (reveals truth), once Jesus Christ returns to heaven to be with the Father. Now, according to Jesus’ own account, here is how He does it. Remember, this man was born blind; he had always been blind, even as all humans are born blind to the spiritual things of God. In verse 6, Jesus spat on the ground and made clay and put it on the man’s eyes. Jesus did not go to a source of water to make the clay, He was the source that made the clay. Now the blind man’s eyes were covered with the physical mud, that he was composed of, even as our eyes were blinded before being called, by the physical matter, mud , that we are all composed of. Now in verse 7, Jesus reveals the whole matter of, why this man was born blind and what its significance is to us today. “ And he ( Jesus ) said unto him, go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, sent ) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing”. The word “sent”, is from the Greek word apostelos, meaning apostle! So what Jesus Christ told the blind man, was for him to go to apostle to receive his sight. Remember, Jesus said this man was born blind, to reveal how God would work after Jesus was no longer on this earth in the flesh. This whole account was to show that after Jesus returned to heaven, He would reveal truth to His apostles and they would give that revealed word, to those whom the Father calls to Christ. If one will read John 9: 1 – 7 , that is clearly what Christ is saying there. The blind man had to go exactly to where Christ told him to go. Not to just any pool that he might select, but only to Siloam (or apostle). The message is unmistakable; we must go to God’s apostle, to remove our blindness so we can see God’s truth. APOSTLES LAY FOUNDATIONS II Cor. 10: 13 – 16 in the NKJV says, that Paul understood, that he was not to try to lay foundations where others had already laid them. Connect that with Acts 16: 6 – 12. Here we see, that Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit, from going into part of Asia and Bithynia. That area was where many of the “lost tribes” were and Andrew, the brother of Peter, was already working there ( Where did the 12 Apostles Go ? H.L. Hoeh – Plain Truth- May, 1964). This clearly shows, that Christ does not have an apostle go in and lay a foundation, where another apostle has already laid the foundation. A building only needs one foundation, it cannot have two. Read I Cor. 4:14–16. Here, the apostle Paul is telling the converts at Corinth, that they were begotten (converted), by the gospel (truth) brought through him. They were not converted by him, but through his preaching. They were called by God and received their understanding of the truth from Jesus Christ. It came through Paul, but not from him. He faithfully taught them as he had been taught by Christ. Paul told them to be followers of him, “ Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: The seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord”. (I Cor. 9:1-2 ). The very fact that Paul had been the one whom Christ used, to lay the foundation (reveal the truth for the first time) to this Church at Corinth, was the proof of his apostleship to them. Paul was their apostle, through whom they first heard the word of truth. Herbert W. Armstrong was the apostle, through whom all of us, either directly or indirectly, first heard the truth. God opened our minds to the very truths, that He had revealed to and restored through his end-time apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. He is our apostle. The very fact that we are in the body of Christ, is the proof of his apostleship. The very same thing, that was the proof of Paul’s apostleship. If I Cor 9:1-2 is the proof for Paul, it is also the proof for Mr. Armstrong. We may have many teachers, but Mr. Armstrong is our father in the gospel, just as Paul was to the Church at Corinth. Any who try to lay another foundation where the true foundation has already been laid, is off track. The fact that Mr. Armstrong is dead, has no bearing on the foundation and government of God, that Christ set through him. In II Peter 1:13–15, Peter tells us what we are to do after an apostle dies. Peter said, “to have these things always in remembrance”. But, it seems today, that almost everyone has forgotten! THE WORK IN THE 1ST AND 20TH CENTURY We know, that Christ sent the original apostles to the lost sheep, of the house of Israel ((Matthew 10: 5 – 6). Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. The only way they had to travel was by horseback, boat, or walking. These apostles were limited on how much territory they could reach. That is why it took so many of them to do the job, that Christ had given them. They were each assigned a certain area and they faithfully went to their assigned area and preached the gospel in that area. They then fed those whom God called and brought to conversion. In the 20th century, God raised up just one apostle, to go to his assigned area. His job was to “restore” the same foundation, that had been laid by the original apostles. Over the course of 18 centuries, after years of persecution, the true Church of God had lost most of the great truths, that made up the foundation of the Church. Some truths remained, but much had been lost. This lone apostle was used by Christ, to restore all of the foundation on which God’s Church is founded. Just like all of the apostles before him, he faithfully performed the job given to him. This apostle faithfully went to his assigned area. But, as Christ had to use many apostles in the 1st century to do the job, now in the 20th century, Christ could get the job done, by using just one apostle. That apostle was Herbert W. Armstrong and his assigned area, was the whole world ! Mr. Armstrong had many things available to him, that those before him did not have. He had the printing press, radio, television, computers, automobiles, trains and airplanes, with which he was able to reach the whole world. And he did reach the whole world, regardless of what some might say. For a period of two 19 year time cycles, he preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God, to Manasseh and Ephraim and the rest of the “lost tribes” of Israel. Then Christ sent him personally to the gentile countries of the world. Jesus Christ opened doors and gave him special favor with Rulers, Kings, Emperors, Princes, Prime Ministers around the whole world. That was an unprecedented act, that was never done before and many who are reading this article now, saw it happening right before their eyes. I wonder how many can remember what they did see? Mr. Armstrong clearly understood what his job was . I will include here, just one quote by Mr. Armstrong, but there are many more, “God has called me to do a job, to do a commission. I think when God lets me die, the thing He has called me for, will have been completed, preparing the way for the second coming of Christ, carrying the gospel of the Kingdom of God, to the world for a witness to all nations and if I have been someone in the power and spirit of Elijah, remember, there is no prophecy that God will have an Elisha following Elijah. But the job that God has called me to do is a prophesied job”. That from The Worldwide News, March 6, 1981. Mr. Armstrong, as Christ’s apostle, was the one who was to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, to lift away the blindness and restore the “all things”, that had been lost. He faithfully did the job set before him. He understood that he had fulfilled the prophecy of Matt. 24:14. With the use of the printing press, radio, television, computers, modern transportation and the open door to take the gospel to the gentile world, he was able to reach the whole world. He carried the gospel around the whole world and there was a time that the entire Church understood that fact. In Mystery of the Ages, chapter titled, “Mystery of the Church”, page 291 hardback, he wrote, “These prophecies (Matt. 24:14 and others) HAVE NOW DEFINITELY BEEN FULFILLED. The true gospel has been restored and has now gone in power into every nation on the face of the earth” (emphasis mine). Now, consider, Jesus Christ uses apostles, to lay the foundation of the truth, for the first time to those in the specific area where He sends that apostle. Because of distance and means of travel, Christ used many apostles, to reach the areas where He wanted it done in the first century. But in this end time, because of the modern means of communication and travel, specifically air travel, the specific area that He sent this end time apostle to, was the whole world. Jesus Christ used Mr. Armstrong to restore the foundation of the Church of God and to preach the true gospel to the whole world, fulfilling Matt.24:14, at which time we completed entering the time of the end. Then Christ let that apostle die, but the foundation that Christ had laid through him, still exists today. We still have all of it with us. His audio sermons, videos, all of his books, booklets, articles and magazines are available today. And the gospel has been preached into all of the world. All of the leaders today, who have taken it to their own selves to complete that commission, are sorely mistaken! They are trying to set in the seat of an apostle, if they have claimed that title or not. That is an office and commission that Christ has not given to them. Jesus Christ has already done that job and He did it through His apostle, just as Jesus said he would. The people of God, are now in the time described in Rev.3: 20 – 22 and Rev. 11:1 – 2. , measured in “holding fast”, to what was restored through that end time apostle and practicing and living by it. The end can and will come, when Jesus Christ completes getting His people ready, to meet Him and meet Him, we will! The ministry of the churches of God, have become delinquent in their duty toward God's heritage. Their responsibility as instructed by Christ, to never LORD it over God's heritage, His Church. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD (Jer 23:1) .

Holy Day Messages Unleavened Bread Pentecost Trumpets Atonement Feast of Tabernacles

Who Feeds The Flock? ... Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep (John 21:17). In this age of the Laodicean Church of God, many lay-members have taken it upon themselves to enter the Temple of God to perform the work of a priest. Why this lack of understanding of who works at the Altar, who lights the Lamps and who makes the Shew bread? How serious does Jesus Christ, the Head of His Church take these infringements in His Temple? Jesus warned His disciple Peter, that Satan the devil wanted to sift him like wheat, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). This same Peter–an Apostle–once he was converted, did go on to strengthen his brethren. Prior to this warning by Jesus, there was contention among the disciples (Luke 22:22-26), we can be sure with a certainty, the irritated feelings which that contention caused, prepared the way for the testing and sifting of Peter. Satan desired to try Peter; to place trials and temptations before him; “to agitate him” like agitating wheat in a sieve to see whether he had faith and if it would remain. Satan used the same tactic with Job in chapters 1 and 2, therefore like Job, God allows Satan to test our faith as well. Strengthen Thy Brethren Notice how John described what took place the same evening that Luke spoke about in Luke 22, ... “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17). The responsibility to feed the flock of God was place squarely on the shoulders of an Apostle. Once converted, Peter took that responsibility very seriously. In his epistle of I Peter ch. 5, this faithful Apostle encourages the ministry of Jesus Christ to do the same... “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 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. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet 5:1-4). The ministry were to be types of the Great Shepherd. They stood in place of Jesus Christ, feeding the flock as He inspired them. Another apostle, one “born out of due time” Paul, also encouraging the ministry to feed the flock... “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Act 20:28). Paul went on to warn these ministers... “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). And “grievous wolves [did] enter in among the church, not sparing the flock” as we have witnessed soon after an apostasy in the church of God! That apostasy in the twentieth century, ushered in the Laodicean era, an era wherein the people decide, Judge and want to rule. It was during this time–of the Laodiceans–that men who were once deemed faithful, men who love the truth, began to scatter the flock of God, bringing about in many members the attitude of “every man and every woman will do what was right in their own eyes.” This evil attitude of self-indulgence, espoused by the devil, gave birth to the rejection of the government of God, which Jesus inspired and revealed to the “last” apostle Herbert W. Armstrong in the 20th century. Feed the Flock in the 20th Century During the twentieth century Jesus Christ raised up the Philadelphia era of His church to do the final work of preaching the true gospel to the world (Matt 24:14; Rev 3:7-8). Like Paul, a great and effectual door was opened to to Mr. Armstrong (1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3). Once that apostle, Herbert W. Armstrong, took the gospel to all the world, and completed his prophetic assignment, the door to preaching the gospel as an organized work was closed and darkness once again covered the earth. Please read the Worldwide News, March 6, 1981 for in it, Mr. Armstrong wrote on page 12... “I think that when God lets me die, the thing He's called me for will have been completed, preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ carrying that Gospel of the Kingdom to the world for a witness to all nations.” This same apostle was inspired to distinctly teach the membership of Worldwide Church of God the reason Jesus Christ was building His church. Notice what he wrote in Mystery of the Ages page 228... “The Church may be called God’s teachers’ college to prepare rulers and teachers for the kingdom of God when God does offer redemption and eternal life to the world as a whole. The CHURCH was planned to be God’s instrumentality for calling predestinated human beings out of this world to be trained for positions of leadership in the world tomorrow, when they shall teach and train others. That is why in the New Testament, the Church is called the firstfruits of God’s salvation. All this necessitated certain vital steps-one at a time-in the procedure of God’s supreme master plan!” Mr. Armstrong continued to explain the church on page 230... "So, once again, WHAT and WHY is the CHURCH? The Church is the called out (from this world) begotten children of God. It is the Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:23). It is the spiritual organism that shall be the “Bride of Christ”– after its resurrection to immortality. Then it shall be married to Christ! It is the spiritual TEMPLE to which Christ shall come at his second appearing” (Eph. 2:21). The Church is the Spiritual Temple (1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16) and Paul tells us, it is only the ministry who are typed, as temple priests and it is only the priests who live off the temple, serve at the altar, and who are partakers thereof (1 Cor 9:13). Mr. Armstrong wrote in a Worldwide News June 24, 1985 under the title: “Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the Worldwide Church of God”.... “Little groups, splintering off, centered in Washington, D.C.; Eugene, Ore.; Tyler, Tex.; Monterey, Calif.; and other places with groups too small to mention. They are not bearing fruit for the Kingdom. They are not pleasing God or being blessed by Him. Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them." They usually claim to be "branches" of the Church of God. But Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). He did not say denominations, sects, cults, branches or a church divided against itself. Rather He said a house divided against itself cannot stand. There is one true Church and one only. The apostle Paul pictured humanly self-appointed "branches" when he said to the elders of the local church at Ephesus that some of their own selves would depart to draw a following after themselves. …. “The Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord" (Eph 2:20-21). Note, the Church is organized and fitly framed together, not organized with competing and differing branches.” And I may add, this includes lay-members who left the Body of Christ in rebellion against God's government and now try to teach and write articles to the church on websites or blogs on the internet! It would also include deacons and local elders doing their own thing, such as building websites and leading church groups; taking tithes and offerings with absolutely no authority from Christ to do so. Paul admonished the ministry and wrote... “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Why? Why be so determined to preach the word by telling members their faults (rebuke), why encourage them (exhort), and why persevere in doctrine? Because in verses 3-4 Paul wrote “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their–members–ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim 4:2-4). Yes an unfaithful ministry has caused this confusion in the Church of God by turning away from the truth which was inspired and revealed by Christ to Mr. Armstrong. The word fable is the Greek word: muthos and it means a fiction, an invention and a falsehood. And today, the fable that has deluded many lay-members is the fact that they think they have the authority to teach and preach in the temple, outside of the Government of God. The actual fact is their rebellion against God's Government has placed them outside of the body of Christ and in serious danger of hearing Jesus Christ say to them... Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen (Mat 22:13-14). These despicable people need to realize that God changes not (Mal 3:6) and He is the same today as He was yesterday (Heb 13:8)! Do you think, oh man or woman, who despise God's servants, those who represent His government, that He will treat you any different than he did Miriam, Aaron (Numbers 12) and to Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their families (Numbers 16)? All these men and woman, despised God's servants! Be careful that you don't. Shrouded In Darkness Its amazing, the one central point, that caused the death of thousands of Israelites in Numbers 16:3 was this attitude... “And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?” This same despicable attitude, has infected the church of the Laodiceans, today they say... “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;” (Rev 3:17). Their self-aggrandizement, their self-sufficiency and self centered attitude, toward Christ and his rule over them, causes them to say, “we do not need anyone to tell us what to do, we can rule and teach ourselves”. They do not hear Christ saying to them, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” (verse 18). The eye salve they need to open their eyes, is to be washed by the Holy Spirit and get back to the understanding that Christ sent an apostle with a message about the restoration of the GOVERNMENT of God – the Gospel... more later. How often have we heard it said by lay-members, deacons and local church elders in this age! “Who are you to tell me, that I'm wrong, I have the Spirit of God!” If YOU have that attitude, you would do well to HEAR what Jude has to say... “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, (through the spirit in man) as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core (Korah). These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear (of God): clouds they are without water (no Holy Spirit), carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 1:10-13). Influenced by the prince of darkness, they have allowed their minds to become darkened and are so deceived, they cannot see the light of the glorious gospel. As soon as the last apostle died, Jesus Christ closed the door to the work of the Philadelphia era, this action–the end of an era–resulted in dramatic changes in the THINKING of both the membership of the Church of God–The Worldwide Church of God–and the world at large, the world took upon itself the life-style of Sodom and Gomorrah and the attitude of violence, that prevailed during Noah's time, and the church took rulership to itself. End of the Philadelphia Era The end of the Philadelphia era resulted in the earth once again being shrouded in darkness (Gen 1:2), because that which had brought light to a darkened world, the message of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, was fulfilled! As an organized work, Philadelphia was over, there was no group of people being led by a true apostle of Jesus Christ, doing a worldwide work. Soon after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, the Church of God became confused and the leaders in the church at that time, did not explicitly comprehend the gospel message. BLINDNESS began to cover their minds and soon afterward, they led the Church of God astray through a scattering. And Jesus said... “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). It is only the true gospel that brings light, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:4). These scriptures and many more, give vociferous testimony to the fact that Satan has deceived not only the entire world, but the entire Church of God... “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5-7). When you reject the authority of the Government of God over you, YOU become blind once more! And if you say, “I see”, while rejecting God, “your sin remains” (John 9:41). All the Laodiceans can see, are themselves and the physical things, that surround them. They have forgotten that they were once purged of their sins by Christ and enlightened by the one sent by Christ in the 20th century–the last apostle. Jesus, through a graphic healing of a man blind from birth, reveals how the spiritually blind can once again be enlightened. Jesus...“When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing” (John 9:6-7). Jesus illustrated rather clearly, that mankind's eyes have been blinded, to their selfishness and their vanity, since the creation of Adam–the clay–and to remove the blindness, it took the washing of their eyes by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:10), which is symbolized by water (John 7:38), to enlighten them. This blind man, was told to go wash his eyes in the pool Siloam–which means sent! Only an apostle filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent by Christ, can reveal the true gospel and thereby once again enlighten those in the Church of God, who have become blind to the real meaning of the gospel. Miriam, Aaron, Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their families, were all blinded to the understanding of the Government of God, therefore, it was natural for them to despise Moses' leadership. You see, the central message of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, is the GOVERMENT of God. Even though God miraculously intervened in Num 16:6... “And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.”... the people still rebelled by blaming Moses verse 41... “But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured–they were obstinate–against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.” As a minister, I have witnessed the very same rebellion, time after time in the Church of God. When a member rebels against the ministry, and then when that member of his own accord leaves the Church, in a vitriolic state, there are some members who agree with the rebel and follow him out, yet in their deceived minds they still think they are a part of the Body of Christ! God Does Not Change Notice what God said to Moses in verse 45... “Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.” The rebels in the Church of God have forgotten... “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal 3:6). With that said let us also notice something else, which GOD INSTRUCTED after this terrible incident of rebellion, verses 37-40: "Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.” The Almighty God takes rebellion toward Him in a very serious light, ONLY those duly called and ordained may serve at God's Altar and represent His people! Let me remind you, the reader, of what Mr. Armstrong wrote on pages 48-49 of the book, Mystery of the Ages, about God's Government … “The very fact of law presupposes GOVERNMENT. Government is the administration and enforcement of law by one in authority. This necessitates authoritative leadership-one in command. When the only conscious Life-Beings existed, God was leader-in authoritative command. Thus, even when the only conscious Life-Beings were God and the Word, there was GOVERNMENT with God in supreme command. The government of God is of necessity government from the top down. It cannot be “government by the consent of the governed.” Its laws originate and are handed down from God-never legislated by the people-never dictated by the governed how the government over them shall rule them. Since they created other conscious, thinking life-beings, this very fact of necessity put the GOVERNMENT of God over all creation, with God supreme Ruler.” And you may say, “yes that is right, I agree and I serve Christ”. Well, if you say that, you are assuming to yourself the prerogative of governing yourself apart from God and this is exactly what caused rebellion in Numbers 16, and was causing contention among those in the Corinthian congregation. Furthermore, the same attitude is causing rebellion, division and contention in the Churches of God today... “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ (1 Cor 10-12). Example of King Uzziah I said the following above... “The Almighty God takes rebellion toward Him in a very serious light, ONLY those duly called and ordained may serve at God's Altar and represent His people!" The following biblical example from 2 Chr 26:14-21, will show just how serious God takes it, if a "king", nevermind a lay-person or deacon, assumes the responsibility, to serve at the altar: “And Uzziah [a king] prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land". And those who make excuses, about their claims to be, "preaching deacons", or those who create websites as a “Watering Hole” or as a “Research Center” for the flock of God, I am here to tell YOU, “God is not mocked by your rebellion toward His name nor to His elected servants”. "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chr 36:16). These people have deluded themselves into believing they are still serving God! So...Who FEEDS the Flock of God? So who has the authority to preach and teach the flock of God? According to Paul... “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "(Rom 10:9-17). BUT! Are these few verses and examples enough for those who have hardened their heart to God's Government? Some will use the following scriptures to condone their actions... "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women"... verse 14 "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit " (Acts 8:5-17). Philip, like most brethren would have discussed the truth with these people. Philip did not preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, but his message had elements of that gospel in it (Acts 8:5) and Jesus Christ certainly is the center of the gospel, being the King that will establish the kingdom of God at His return. The word "concerning" in verse 12 is the Greek word peri which means "around or respect to". Philip understood an apostle was given the responsibility of preaching the gospel (Acts 6:6; Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:18), nevertheless moved by what was occurring through the persecution by Saul, he did preach a message, with certain miracles, resulting in the conversion of some which of which the scripture does not tell us these people believed his message. And though, as a deacon (Acts 6:5), Philip baptised some, they could not receive the Holy Spirit as he was not sanctioned to lay hands upon them. Later after Peter and John preached the gospel to Samaria (Acts8:25) in verse 26, Philip gets a message to go to Gaza which resulted in the baptism of an Ethiopian eunuch. After the baptism, Philip leaves the eunuch and goes to Caesarea. It seems obvious that Peter and John saw the work Philip did in Samaria, and ordained him and Evangelist... "And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven (Acts 6:5); and abode with him" (Acts 21:8). TO BE CONTINUED...

COMING... Feast of Tabernacles 2026

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

Prophetic Q & A 2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. Greetings friends and brethren... the Vigilant Church of God is not a prophecy website. Our duty is to feed the flock of Jesus Christ, "occupying" until His return. However, the Bible instructs us not to be negligent regarding prophecy, at least from an observer's point of view. There are no true prophets alive today, although many would like to present themselves as such. This page is intended to educate visitors regarding the most pertinent view presented on platforms such as Youtube, where a host of true and false information is available. We present Truth straight from the Bible and therefore do not endorse OR reject any of the views presented by outside "experts". We hope you will enjoy this page as we explore prophetic questions and answers, occasionally giving our opinion, based on the only source of Truth - The Holy Bible. Who is currently seen as the Antichrist? Some of the current candidates are: Klaus Schwab Founder of the World Economic Forum Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: Europe Civil Founder of the World Economic Forum, 2025 non-executive role at the World Economic Forum Global agendas, address social issues alongside corporate and political leaders. View Video "In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, it's the fast fish which eats the slow fish" ~ Klaus Schwab King Charl es III Monarch of United Kingdom Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: View Video "On an increasingly crowded planet, humanity faces many threats – but none is greater than climate change. It magnifies every hazard and tension of our existence"~ King Charles III Europe Royal Monarch of UK, Prince of Wales, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, “Defender of the Faith”(s). Global agendas. Symbolic head of Commonwealth Vladimir Putin President of Russia Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: Europe and Asia Political President of Russia, Global Diplomat Energy leverage. Large Military and Nuclear power. In War with Ukraine. View Video "A great leader is that which defends his people" ~ Vladimir Putin Donald Trump President of the United States Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: North America Political President of United States, Global Diplomat Leading Economy and Military power. Global peace talks. Foreign policies have global impact. View Video "As president, my highest aspiration is to bring peace and stability to the world." ~ Donald Trump Pope Leo XIV Leader of Roman Catholic Church Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: View Video Europe (born in USA) Religious Leader of Roman Catholic Church, Sovereign of Vatican City Global religious influence over a billion Catholics, prioritized global peace and unity, also the "Jubilee of the Poor". "I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world" ~ Pope Leo XIV Elon Musk CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, xAi, "X" Continent: Leader: Role: Influence: North America (born in RSA) Tech/Business CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and xAI. Owner of X (* twitter) Global tech influence, including AI, global communications platforms, space exploration View Video “The least scary future I can think of is one where we have at least democratized AI…[also] when there’s an evil dictator, that human is going to die. But for an AI, there would be no death. It would live forever. And then you’d have an immortal dictator from which we can never escape.”~ Elon Musk

Annual Holy Day Calendar Click on the image to read the booklet Holy Days for Beginners Here’s a clear, plain-language explanation of each of God’s Holy Days as understood in the tradition of the Worldwide Church of God. Think of them as a step-by-step picture of God’s plan for humanity. The Vigilant Church of God is committed to keeping God’s Holy Days in this tradition. Below is an overall guide for any who have never observed these annual Feasts correctly. More detailed guidance can be requested by individuals from a Minister shortly before each separate event. Please refer to the Holy Day Calendar for dates of the Holy Days each year, noting that the dates are not the same from year to year. 1. Passover – Remembering Jesus’ Sacrifice Passover is the starting point. It reminds you that forgiveness of sin only comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. On this night, baptized members take small amounts of bread and wine, which represent Jesus’ body and blood. There is also a foot-washing ceremony, which teaches humility and serving others. In simple terms, Passover is about this: You recognize your sins, accept Jesus’ sacrifice, and commit to following Him. It’s a serious, reflective time—not a celebration, but a deeply meaningful one. Passover is not a Holy Day. 1. Passover – Step by Step (baptized members only) When it comes (evening): Prepare beforehand Spend time in prayer and self-examination Read passages like 1 Corinthians 11 Attend a Passover service (if possible) Usually held after sunset or later. When attending a service with others, a specific time will be set aside. Take part in the service: Foot washing (showing humility) Eat a small piece of unleavened bread Drink a small amount of wine Leave quietly and reflect The mood is respectful and serious Focus: gratitude, humility, and commitment to Christ 2. Feast of Unleavened Bread – Removing Sin From Your Life Right after Passover comes a seven-day period called Unleavened Bread. Leaven (like yeast) is used as a symbol of sin. A few days before this time, you: Remove leavened products from your home Eat unleavened bread each day (purchase Jewish / Kosher Matzos) The idea is practical and spiritual at the same time. Just like you physically clean out leaven, you are also working to remove sin from your life. It teaches that accepting Christ isn’t the end—you must actively change how you live. Feast of Unleavened Bread – Step by Step Before it starts: Remove leavened products from your home (bread, yeast, etc.) Each of the 7 days: 2. Eat some unleavened bread daily 3. Pray and think about removing sin from your life On Day 1 and Day 7: 4. Do not work (Holy Day Sabbaths) 5. Attend services if possible 6. Give an offering Focus: actively changing your life 3. Day of Pentecost – Receiving God’s Spirit Pentecost focuses on God giving His Holy Spirit. This is the power that helps a person: Understand the Bible Grow spiritually Overcome sin It also marks the beginning of the New Testament Church. In simple terms, Pentecost shows that you cannot live God’s way on your own—you need His help through His Spirit. Day of Pentecost – Step by Step On the day: Rest from regular work Attend a church service Listen to messages about God’s Spirit and the Church Give an offering (Deuteronomy 16:16) Spend time in prayer asking for more of God’s Spirit Focus: relying on God’s power, not your own 4. Feast of Trumpets – A Warning and Christ’s Return Trumpets is about a future event: the return of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, trumpets often signal: Warnings Major world events The arrival of a king This day points to a time when: World troubles increase Jesus returns to intervene in human affairs It’s both a warning and a message of hope. Things may get worse before they get better—but Christ will step in. Feast of Trumpets – Step by Step On the day: Do not work Attend services Listen to messages about Christ’s return and world events Reflect on the seriousness of the times ahead Pray for readiness and faith Give an offering Focus: being spiritually alert and prepared 5. Day of Atonement – Removing Satan and Reconciling Humanity Atonement is a very serious day. Members fast for 24 hours (no food or water). This day represents: The removal of Satan’s influence Humanity being brought back into a right relationship with God In plain terms, it shows that the world cannot truly be at peace until the source of deception and evil is removed. It’s about reconciliation—being “at one” with God. Day of Atonement – Step by Step From sunset to sunset: Begin a fast (no food or water if physically able) Spend extra time in prayer Attend services (if possible) Give an offering During the day: 4. Stay spiritually focused 5. Avoid distractions where possible At sunset: 6. Break the fast gently Focus: humility, repentance, and drawing close to God 6. Feast of Tabernacles – The World Tomorrow This is one of the most joyful Holy Days. It lasts seven days and often involves traveling to a specific location to keep the Feast. It represents a future time when: Jesus Christ rules the earth There is peace, justice, and prosperity God’s way of life is taught worldwide People often stay in temporary housing (like hotels), symbolizing that this present life is temporary. In simple terms, this is a picture of a better world—a time when things are finally done God’s way. Feast of Tabernacles – Daily Routine Before the Feast: Set aside funds (often called “second tithe”) Travel to the Feast location Each day (7 days): 3. Attend daily church services 4. Give an offering (Day 1 and Day 7) 5. Fellowship with other members 6. Share meals and time together 7. Rejoice—this is a joyful time General approach: Stay in temporary housing (like a hotel) Focus on learning about God’s coming Kingdom Focus: joy, community, and the future Kingdom of God 7. The Last Great Day – The Final Opportunity for Salvation This day comes right after the Feast of Tabernacles and has a very hopeful meaning. It represents a time in the future when: Everyone who has ever lived but never truly understood God will be brought back to life They will be given a real chance to learn and choose God’s way This shows God’s fairness and mercy. He doesn’t condemn people who never had a true opportunity to understand Him. It’s about hope for all humanity. The Last Great Day – Step by Step On the day: Attend a church service Reflect on God’s mercy and plan for all humanity Give an offering Spend time thinking about the hope God offers to everyone Focus: hope, mercy, and God’s fairness Simple Daily Pattern for Any Holy Day If you ever feel unsure, follow this simple pattern: Don’t work (if it’s a Holy Day Sabbath) Attend services (in person or online) Pray and study Reflect on the meaning of the day Give an offering when required Bringing It All Together When you step back, the Holy Days form a complete picture: Passover → forgiveness through Christ Unleavened Bread → removing sin Pentecost → receiving God’s Spirit Trumpets → Christ’s return Atonement → removal of evil Tabernacles → a peaceful world under God Last Great Day → opportunity for all people These days aren’t just rituals—they tell a story. And that story is about how God is working with humanity from beginning to end. The goal is not perfection—it’s to help you confidently observe each day in a meaningful way. You don’t need to get everything perfect right away. Start with what you understand and build from there. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8 Each Holy Day is an opportunity to grow, learn, and become closer to God—one step at a time.

From the BOOK Your word is a LAMP that gives light to wherever I walk (Ps 119:105). CONTENTS (click on a title to go there) Beware of false Prophets What is the Savior's Name? TRIALS What is the WORK of the Church of God TODAY? Please reload False Profits Beware of FALSE prophets! In this age of the Laodicean Church of God, many lay-members have taken it upon themselves to enter the Temple of God to perform the work of a priest. Why this lack of understanding of who works at the Altar, who lights the Lamps and who makes the Shew bread? How serious does Jesus Christ, the Head of His Church take these infringements in His Temple? Including lay-members who despise the Government of God, these lay people are teaching without Christ's authority. "Wolves in sheep's clothing," Christ called them. Will you be misled by a soft and fleecy exterior? Here is help from God's Word to see through the disguise. God reserves His strongest condemnation for those who claim to be speaking for Him, but are actually leading people away from the true God. "Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams... and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all... for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts, our God. "Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence; And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten" (Jer. 23:25-40). Christ's warning Throughout His ministry, Jesus Christ gave repeated warnings to avoid false teachers. In the Sermon on the Mount He cautioned: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:15-20). Christ said we should look at the fruits. What fruits should we examine? Obviously not those in which a wool-covered wolf could most easily pass himself off as a sheep. We should expect a false prophet to attempt, with all his heart, to look like a real one, or what he thinks is a real one. As Paul wrote: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [Did you know Satan has ministers?] also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (II Cor. 11:13-15). We should expect a warm and ready smile. We can be confident of an outward expression of accommodation, at least at first. We should also expect humility — lots of [false] humility. So those "fruits" are untrustworthy. What next? Perhaps we should consider "good works" such as missionaries, converts, hospitals, drug clinics or free meals for vagabonds and vagrants? Surely if they preach in the name of Christ, that is good fruit, isn't it? No, not necessarily, according to Jesus Christ. Right after telling us to beware of false prophets and to look at their fruits, He continued the Sermon on the Mount by saying, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). Referring to Christ as the Lord is not conclusive proof of good fruit. Doing what God says, is. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? [preaching, hospitals, missionaries] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you." Startling as it may seem, many people who have used Christ's name, who have accomplished many beneficial works, often at great sacrifice to themselves, were never recognized by Him as His servants. They used that name falsely! He continued, "depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (verses 22-23). Instead of doing the will of the Father, they did iniquity. What is iniquity? The word iniquity in Matthew 7:23 was translated from the Greek word "anomia" — literally against law or lawlessness. Christ said that He never knew, and would send away those that work lawlessness. False prophets find it troublesome to define sin. If forced to do so, they usually try to express sin as vaguely and unspecifically as possible. They reason that there is no point in losing followers by condemning what their congregations enjoy doing or bluntly refuse to change. Most will even refuse to consider the Bible definition in I John 3:4, "Sin is the transgression of the law." Leader and layman alike want nothing to do with God's law. Under any circumstances. Period. "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets," the founder of Christianity said. Yet most people that come in His name, claiming He is Christ, think exactly that. He continues, "I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one iota, not a dot [not one little bit], will pass from the law until all is accomplished [everyone is keeping it]. "Whoever then relaxes [let alone breaks] one of the least of these commandments and teaches men [to do] so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:17-19, Revised Standard Version). God's law expresses God's will. It shows the way He wants us to go. He does not want His law relaxed, diluted or slackened. He wants it kept fully, from the heart (Rom. 6:17-18). In spite of Christ's words, many will claim that they are "free from the law" or "the law is done away." The Ten Commandments, to some, need not be kept. If that be true, it would mean the "faithful" are free to have another god before God the Father. They may take His name in vain, crush His holy Sabbath underfoot, steal, lie, commit adultery and covet until they turn bright green — all without guilt or sin. No wonder Christ will tell them "depart"! Yet that is the ungodly doctrine many have been taught. Laymen are not without some blame. "This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits" (Isa. 30:9-10). For pastors of godless flocks, it is easier to change the message than the members. Many non-biblical observances are now called "Christian" for that precise reason. Yet, the main responsibility God lays at the door of the false prophets. "There is a conspiracy of her [the nation's] prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the profane [God has set some days as Holy Days (also, the first tenth of all income is holy to Him (Lev. 27:30)], neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean (God did not intend all animals for food) and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths (God says the seventh day - why does anyone attempt to keep the first?) and I am profaned among them" (Ezek. 22:25-26). Legalistic? Occasionally, a minister who upholds the law is accused of being legalistic. Every minister should be known for godly mercy. But mercy does not mean relaxing the law of God. It means God granting forgiveness for the repentant, those who acknowledge their sins and strive to turn from them. On the other hand, God denounces the false prophets for not showing the right, but unpopular way. "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil ways and from the evil of their doings" (Jer. 23:21-22). When God created mankind, He knew we would need a lot of forgiving. That is why Christ was "slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). Christ's blood covers our sins, not when we wallow in sin (knowingly continue to break God's law), but when we forsake sin, ask His free gift of forgiveness and begin to obey Him. False prophets don't give the straight story about sin. They give their own ideas about what sin is. A true minister knows that God defines sin, not man. And the law of God is that definition (Rom. 3:20). Inside the Church Not all false prophets come from outside the Church. Some were formerly faithful servants of God, but swerved from the "straight and narrow" path. The apostle Paul called the ministers of Ephesus together during his last visit to that ancient city. He knew that false prophets would soon descend upon the flock of God. So he alerted the leaders to the dangers that both pastors and flock would face. "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you [overseers], to care for [feed] the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock." These wolves would mostly come from outside the Church. But worse, "and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things [distorted doctrine] to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:28-30, RSV). Faithful pastors protect the flock from those who would spoil them. But some of those called and ordained in God's true Church would covet Christ's sheep. So they would turn from the teachings and the teachers they had originally acknowledged. Then set up their own government, with themselves at the top. That is treason, one of the most vicious attacks the flock of God must endure. A faithful minister would always submit to those leaders whom Christ chose, trained and put in authority over His Church. Christ's words are especially clear. "A person who speaks on his authority is trying to gain glory for himself. But he who wants glory for the one who sent [commissioned] him is honest, and there is nothing false in him" (John 7:18, Good News Bible). Christ faithfully honored, obeyed and glorified the Father who sent Him. The apostles of Jesus Christ, whom He sent into all parts of the world, responded to Him in the same spirit of honor and respect. They in turn were to ordain other men to various Church offices under themselves to see to the spiritual needs of the people as God added to the Church. Except for Judas, all the apostles remained faithful to the One who sent them. But that was not true of some of the, individuals whom the apostles ordained and sent. Paul said some would turn from serving the needs of Christ's flock under the government of God to serving their own interests instead. Peter's warning Peter alerted the Church of the same danger. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in [to the Church] damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them [they were converted], and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways: by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words [in sheep's clothing] make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not" (II Pet. 2:1-3). Everyone can make a mistake. But usually, true prophets become false prophet; to receive for themselves the respect and contributions due to God's true representative. Wolves wear sheepskins to eat mutton. The prophet motive becomes the profit motive. Why a following? Peter said many would follow the wrong way. Why do false prophets have a following? First, God says that the entire world is deceived (Rev. 12:9). The inhabitants of the earth are separated from God and don't know it. They are cut off from His law, from His mercy and from His Spirit. God will make all of those freely available to every human who ever lived. But not at this time. Only a few are called now. The rest are blinded to God's ways. Many simply inherit their religion from their parents. They never question it deeply, just accept it as they do their name and nationality. But a more basic reason is that most people prefer looking good to doing good. After telling Isaiah to "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins," God complains of their love of religiosity. "Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinance of justice; they take delight in approaching to God" (Isa. 58:1-2). Many people want a religion that has all the trappings of godliness but few of the constraints. Choirs and candles are pleasant. Sabbaths and tithes are not. Preachers that are innocuous are tolerated. Those who expect their congregations to conform to the Word of God will be told to go. False prophets have followers because many people want a religion more than they want God. You can choose from hundreds of different types of "Christianity." Some are very sober. Others are actually wild. Some are strict, others lenient. You can be soothed or shouted at, but you won't be "lost" if you attend regularly. Or pick from the hundreds that never mention the name Jesus Christ. False prophets don't need to use His name. Marx and Mao didn't. Converted members of the true Church can fall into the same trap. Paul wrote Timothy: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (II Tim. 4:2-4). False prophets respond to the itching ears of wayward sheep. The wolves entice them away from life toward death. Constantly, in Paul's writings, he records how often he had to contend with false prophets and false brethren. He wrote Timothy how to recognize them quickly. "Anyone who teaches novelties and refuses to fall in with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine that tallies with godliness, is a conceited, ignorant creature with a morbid passion for controversy and argument which leads only to envy, dissension, insults, insinuations and constant friction between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the Truth. They imagine religion is a paying concern" (I Tim. 6:3-5, James Moffatt translation). Why does God permit false prophets? Why does God allow wolves to have access to His flock? Why doesn't He expose them before they do any harm? He has His reasons! The first and most basic scripture about false prophets explains why. "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut. 13:1-3). God wants his flock to stay with Him and the truth no matter what. Those with "itching ears" desiring to turn away from or relax His law or overthrow the stewards He chose will have the opportunity to do so. Maybe, upon seeing the fruit of their own heart, some will acknowledge their wrong way and return to the flock. He is confident the true sheep will not be led astray by false prophets. Referring to Himself as the shepherd of the sheep, He said: "And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:4-5). His sheep acknowledge Him. They acknowledge His doctrine. "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his way, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:16-17). They would respect those whom Christ placed as leaders. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me" (John 13:20). Jesus warned, "For false Christs and false prophets shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect" (Mark 13:22). The flock of God is certain to encounter many trials and tests — false prophets and treasonous pastors among them. But the true sheep of His pasture, who seek His leadership and His will, won't be led astray and devoured. Thankfully, it is just not possible. Christ's sheep will see the fake fleece and run! Savior's Name What is the Savior's NAME ? Good News February 1980 Are Hebrew terms for the Creator God - rather than English or Greek titles - the only ones accepted or recognized by God? Is some one name absolutely essential for salvation? Here's evidence from the original texts of the Bible. Must we use only Hebrew terms when speaking of the Creator? Should we say Yahweh rather than God? Is it a sin to use the name Jesus Christ and to call His true people the Church of God? Is God's name Jehovah? Despite the fact that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament contains many divine names and titles, the major argument propagated by certain religionists centers around the word many English translations have rendered Lord. Let's examine this word - the tetragrammaton YHWH. The Old Testament text as it was preserved for many centuries consisted only of consonants, though semi consonants were used to indicate certain long vowels. The exact pronunciation, with the correct vowel sounds , was preserved only by oral usage. The vowel sounds were not written down until about the sixth or seventh century, A.D. At that time, Jewish textual scholars known as Masoretes (hence Masoretic text) devised symbols to represent the vowels. They added these symbols (vowel points) to the consonantal text of the Old Testament. It was only at this time – centuries after both the Old and New Testaments had been completed – that the then-current pronunciation as orally preserved was written down. But the tetragrammaton, the Hebrew name YHWH, had long before ceased to be pronounced by the Jews as too sacred to be uttered. Whenever reciting orally, they always substituted the word Adonai (Lord) or occasionally Elohim wherever YHWH appears in the text. This practice began long before the time of Herod. Later, in the sixth or seventh century, wherever the Masoretes found the word YHWH, they inserted the vowel points of Adonai or Elohim (not the original vowels of YHWH) to give the synagogue reader the clue to use the acceptable word. It was from the consonants YHWH plus the vowel points of Adonai that the impossible form Jehovah was later created by Catholics only partially knowledgeable of the Hebrew language and text. Hebrew scholars are quick to admit that the exact vowel sounds and pronunciation of YHWH are not absolutely certain. Most feel that Yahweh (pronounced Ya-hweh, with the second syllable sounding like the whe in where) is a close approximation . But this reconstruction is partly based on transliterations into Greek by some of the so-called church fathers several centuries after the writ ing of the New Testament. This Jewish custom of substituting one word for the other was already practiced, for example, by the Essene sect at Qumran, who left us the Dead Sea Scrolls. For several technical reasons we need not list, it is certain the Qumran sect had stopped pronouncing YHWH as early as the beginning of the second century B.C. If the correct pronunciation were known at all in New Testament times , it has not survived in writing. Some scholars disagree with the pronunciation Yahweh. Some believe the name was Yaho or Yahwo or Yahu. There is simply no way to be absolutely sure how it was pronounced when YHWH introduced this name to Moses. And, of course, vowel pronunciation is always subject to great change through the centuries and from region to region. Even if Ezra and later generations pronounced this name Yahweh, how had Moses pronounced it? After all, that would have been the only correct way - if exact pronunciation is what matters. Consider also this factor. Today's Jews have traditional pronunciations for Hebrew vowels and even consonants - and hence words – different from one another in various parts of the world, even in the same generation, just as English speakers from various parts of the world pronounce English words differently. Were there no differences in Hebrew dialects in Bible times between the Nile and the Euphrates? Linguistic records such as Judges 12:6 indicate there were . .[f the exact pronunciation were all important, what about those today whose native tongue or dialect is different? They' can't form the sounds of Yahweh correctly. Are they all without hope? What about the man today who says Yahvah instead of Yahweh? Any who continue to support a. requirement to designate the Creator as YHWH - regardless of how he might think it should be pronounced - must explain the statement in Exodus 6:2-3: "And Elohim spoke unto Moses and said unto him , I am YHWH. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as EI Shadday [God Almighty]. But by my name YHWH I was not known to them" (all Bible quotes used in this article are translated directly from the Hebrew or Greek). No YHWH before Moses Did Elohim mean what He said? - that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not even know the name YHWH? Or must we try to explain away this passage by saying (as some do) that Abraham actually used the . name YHWH but just didn't understand it? On the contrary, these two verses strongly indicate the name YHWH was simply not revealed as the name before Moses. Supporting evidence for the statement of these verses is found in an examination of the theophoric names of people who lived before Moses - names, that is, bearing some form of divine name within them. Our modern society seldom uses such names except for names actually taken from the Bible. But Hebrew society was different. So we find many names in the Bible with an E[, or Yah or Yahu (short for YHWH) in them. For example, early in the Bible we run across names with E[ in them. Genesis 5:12 mentions Mahalaleel whose name means praise of El. Genesis 10:28 lists Abimael - a father is El. Jacob changed the name of Luz to ' Bethel (house of El Gen. 28: 19) and later had his own name changed to Israel , he perseveres with El. Similarly, we find the divine name Shadday, which first appears in Genesis 17:1, in the name Zurishaddai, meaning my rock is Shadday, (N um. 1:6). Zurishaddai lived before the exodus. Yet we find no human names with YHWH (including Yah or Yahu or any shortened form of the name) until after the time of Moses. A careful examination of all the biblical names before the time of Moses reveals no trace of the ' name YHWH. Some are bound to ask why the name YHWH is used in the text all through Genesis if it were not known before Moses. It's simple. By the time the book of Genesis was composed, the name YHWH was known and was simply inserted into the text. This means that such men as Abel and the other preachers of righteousness before the flood, as well as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph - righteous men for more than 2 millennia - never so much as heard this name that some today emphatically assure us is absolutely necessary for salvation! The many names of God A careful study of the Bible reveals the Creative Family has a multitude of meaningful names and titles, but yields absolutely no prohibition against translating them into another language. Nowhere in the Bible are we told that only the Hebrew form is permissible. On the contrary, we are given positive examples of these names being translated into other languages. Many do not realize that several sections of the Old Testament (Dan. 2:4 through 7:28; Ezra 4:8 through 6:18; and 7:[2-26) are written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew. Aramaic was not the language Moses spoke. Nowhere in these Aramaic sections do we find YHWH, or any Hebrew names for the deity. Instead we find the Aramaic form Elah. Similarly, we find no Hebrew names in the New Testament. Instead we find the Greek terms theos (God) and kurios (Lord). Furthermore, the New Testament uses kurios in quotations from the Old Testament where YHWH is used in the Hebrew, such as Matthew 3:3, quoting from Isaiah 40:3. New Testament: inspired or corrupted? Of course, some would rather throw out God than their false theory about sacred names. So they theorize that the New Testament has been corrupted. But what they claim would have required no less than one of the most thorough editing jobs in all history! For not a single Greek New Testament manuscript shows any evidence for the use of original Hebrew YHWH supposedly put there by the authors for their Greek readers! Someone would have had to have superhuman powers to gather every single Greek manuscript scattered around the entire Mediterranean basin and carefully expunge YHWH from all New Testament manuscripts and substitute the Greek kurios. The apostle Paul certainly spoke Hebrew (Acts 21:40), but he was under no illusions that only Hebrew names for God were acceptable. Not only did he use Greek terms in his letters, but even a common greeting in Aramaic, which was widespread in the early Church. When Jesus spoke Greek to someone He used the Greek form of His name. He inspired His servants to use that same form in the New Testament. He didn't say that YHWH is the only name by which we must be saved - nor Hebrew Yehoshua, or Yahshua. Instead, the apostle Peter uses the Greek form lesous in Acts 4: 10-12 and goes on to state that whoever calls on the name of kurios (Lord without the in front of it) will be saved! Why shouldn't we then use the English forms Jesus and Lord? Meaning of YHWH Each of the many divine names and titles describes some aspect of the Creative Family's character. The Bible does not emphasize a pronunciation - a particular combination of laryngeal vibrations modulated by the mouth. It emphasizes that we understand the meaning of the divine names and titles in order for us to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ. As we cannot be absolutely sure of the vowels in YHWH, we cannot be positive about its exact grammatical form . But scholars generally feel it is some form of the verb to be. Some suggest He causes to be, others He exists . But perhaps no better interpretation can be found than the Greek statement of Revelation I :8, referring to Jesus Christ: "I am the Alpha and the Omega [in English we would say the A and the Z, the first and the last], says the Lord God, the One who is being, who was being, and who is coming, the Almighty." What's in a name? God names things what they are. YHWH means the self-existent one ---,--- the "Ever Living " as the Fenton translation uses - the "Eternal" as in the Moffatt translation. There is much in a name. Jesus has been given a name above all, in heaven or earth. There is power and authority in His name - the only name by which we may be saved. To act in His name is to act by His authority, as "power of attorney." The New Testament, written entirely in the Greek, as inspired by God's Holy Spirit, in quoting from the Old Testament, did not quote the Hebrew names, but translated them into the Greek, as we also translate them into English. Christ said He came to reveal the name of the Father (John I: 18;17:6,26). Yet we would search in vain for any discussion of its pronunciation or requirement to use only Hebrew. What then is meant by these verses? What Christ revealed is the way. . He revealed the way to life, which is the way of the character of God. . That character is the origin of His names - expressed by whatever different language. The same character in us will lead us to have eternal life like God and to bear His names that summarize His character. "But this is eternal life, that they might know thee the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ (John 17:3). We don't get to know God by concentrating on a few Hebrew characters or their English transliterations. So the use of only one name for Jesus Christ or a certain unmistakable pronunciation of that name is not a prerequisite for entering God's Kingdom. Don't be misled by any such false teachings . Trials TRIALS By Mr. Ellery Burgess The subject of trials has been on my mind recently. Some trials are what I call, “run of the mill” issues, but some are severe, or as the Apostle Peter said, “fiery”. In 1 Peter 4:2 Peter said, “Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you”. Yes, some trials are fiery, but they are to try us. There is a purpose for them. In the next verse Peter tells us, “But rejoice inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that when His glory is revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy”. He is not saying to rejoice because we are in fiery trials, but rather, to rejoice because we are being allowed to partake of Christ's suffering. Because that will build godly character in us. The King James Version of the Bible, in the model prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples, records Jesus as saying, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. The Good News translation says, “Do not bring us to hard testing but keep us safe from the evil one”. That is the correct translation of what Christ actually said and is in perfect agreement with what James said in James 1:13, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man”. When we look at what Christ said about the hard testing and Keep us safe from the devil, the connection seems to be that Satan is bringing about the trials. Brethren, trials and especially hard ones will have one of two effects on us. They will either draw us closer to God, or they will drive us farther away from Him. They can cause us to become resentful and bitter, that God would allow us, to be in this predicament and reason, 'why does God not deliver me out of it?' but what would be the correct approach? Although trials must come and sometimes they are even fiery, there is a way to deal with them, that will give us God's help to endure them and overcome. Once we find ourselves in trials, any and all trials, and especially the fiery ones, the very first thing we need to do, is to find a private place and go to God in prayer. I mean fervent, heartfelt, supplication. We can cry aloud, even with tears, to our God and ask Him to help us and allow us, to see what we need to learn and give us a heart to submit to Him and His will. Also, remember what Paul said, “There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able: but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that you be able to bear it” 1 Cr. 10:13. Remember God is ALWAYS in control! There is another point I want to make, that is very important. Anything that happens to us, God allows it for our good. In Romans 8:28 Paul writes, “And we know that all things work together for our good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose”, and in verses 38-39, he said, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Work What is the WORK of the Church of God today? by Burrus Smith We find the answer in John 6:28-29. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." In the 20th century, God sent one man… Herbert W Armstrong, and he came preaching the same message. How many today believe what was said by this man? Mr. Armstrong died Jan 16, 1986. I have seen his grave. He awaits the resurrection. The work God gave him to do is finished… or is it? Let’s turn to Revelation chapter 10:10-11 “And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” In a message, given by Mr. Gerald Waterhouse in 1980, titled “ Measuring the Temple ”, he states: “Mr. Armstrong is the man that is used, right up to Christ’s coming. Is Mr. Armstrong being used by God today? From the perspective of 1980, Mr. Armstrong had died in 1977 to be revived from cardiac arrest and beginning in 1978, with vigor took the gospel before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. Mr. Armstrong with power, finished the work God gave him to do, as stated in Matthew 24:14, and died in 1986. Let’s notice a key point that Mr. Waterhouse brought up: “Mr. Armstrong will reach the world twice. Not once but twice. It says, you must prophesy again. You can’t do anything again … unless you have done it at least once .” Another key point is: “Mr. Armstrong’s death (in 1986) brought the work to an end… if the work had kept going, there would be no way to do it again" ( Measuring the Temple ). What about the Great Commission of Matthew 24:14? Are we to reach the world again, to preach the gospel of the kingdom unto all the world for a witness? It is not referring to the Great Commission, as Mr. Armstrong had not reached all the world at the time of this message. It is not to be done again for it is a sign and marks the end of the Philadelphia era work, and has been accomplished. That prophesy has been fulfilled. It was a sign, a great miracle. It cannot be done again, otherwise it would be two signs. H e states: “Mr. Armstrong is the man that is used, right up to Christ’s coming. Is Mr. Armstrong being used by God today? Mr. Armstrong did prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. The doors that were opened to Mr. Armstrong in the Philadelphia era, to carry this message with power to the world have been closed by Christ. Today, the internet allows Mr. Armstrong’s trumpet to penetrate all the world on a scale he could hardly have imagined. The internet is a tool that Mr. Armstrong did not have available while he was alive. Yet his voice, his message can be found any time of the day by anyone in the world who has a computer and internet connection. The "gates of hell" cannot prevail against his message. Through the internet, Mr. Armstrong continues with the message Jesus Christ gave him to deliver. We understand Revelation 11:1 from a different perspective in history than Mr. Waterhouse in his message in 1980. However, it is important for us to understand the teaching of the Church during this time period, for it has significance to us today. Mr. Waterhouse goes on to say, quoting Mr. Armstrong: “God raised me for a purpose… to get the Church back on track… to prepare the bride and lead you people into the Kingdom of God without spot, blemish, or wrinkle. Mr. Armstrong came to see during this time that the Temple Christ would return to is a spiritual Temple, and that Temple is his people bearing his Holy Spirit and being led by his Spirit to do his work. Mr. Armstrong’s hands laid the foundation for the spiritual temple during this time, and his hands finished it by the Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6-10). Is that temple complete today or is it still in preparation? Mr. Armstrong recognized the need for the Bride to make herself ready. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Do the work of God, support his messenger and believe what he said with one mind. Prepare yourself for the Kingdom of God. Prepare the bride. Remove every spot, blemish and wrinkle .

ARTICLES Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation (Act 15:31). Should Women Preach? Millions have been mixed up on this important principle a principle more far-reaching than you have realized. Here is GOD'S ANSWER clearly revealed in His Word. HERE IS a vital subject which greatly NEEDS to be understood in every home, in every church, in every nation. Untold misery and suffering can be avoided if God's truth is understood and obeyed! The very fact of women preaching reveals a striking condition in our modern churches of which very few are aware. Thousands of people of both sexes have a prejudicial conception of this subject. In nearly every instance, they look on it as an isolated topic having little or no bearing on the gospel itself — or on the very purpose of our human existence. But they fail to realize that this subject deals with the very FOUNDATION of the gospel itself — and that its proper understanding carries an URGENT message to our present society. Before this world goes crashing to its doom, it's time to OPEN our minds to God's truth! One Clear Answer Where should a Christian look to find the truth on this important subject — or on any subject for that matter? Should you look to men, to groups of men, to the many differing churches of men? Where is basic truth to be found? As a Christian, you should know that there is only one source of spiritual truth. Jesus Christ said, "Thy WORD is truth" (John 17:17 ). And God's Word reveals — IF we are willing to receive the truth — that the subject of women preaching is more far-reaching and more fundamental than you have probably realized. It is VITAL that every Christian man and woman understand the truth on this matter. God's Word is clear and definite is revealing the status of women in the church, in society, and in the home. From Genesis to Revelation, the same principles are consistently revealed by God on this topic. Here is one subject upon which there is just no place for disagreement if we are to accept God's Word as truth. Yet here is a matter upon which whole church denominations disagree — a matter which is causing much of the wretchedness and rottenness in our toppling modern civilization. It's time to find the truth! Free your mind from blinding prejudice. Ask God humbly to open your mind to His truth as CLEARLY revealed in His Word, the Bible. Why Woman Was Created After God had created the man, He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an HELP meet [suitable] for him" (Gen. 2:18 ). Finding that none of the animal creation fitted this need, God created woman our of a part of man. And Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Verse 23). Notice that the very purpose of woman's creation was to provide a help for the man. But on the first occasion when man had a severe trial and needed help, what happened? Genesis 3:1-16 shows that the woman allowed the serpent, representing Satan, to beguile her into disobeying her Creator, God. And she thereupon caused her husband, whom she was supposed to help, to disobey God also and cur himself off from God's blessings. The woman had taken the initiative. She had tried to lead the man — a thing for which she was not intended nor equipped — and as a result the whole human family was cut off from God until Christ came to obey God and make reconciliation. Because she had sinned in doing this thing, God told the woman, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall RULE over thee" (Gen. 3:16 ). Plain words, these. And these are God's words — not human opinion. God had made the man first — in His direct image, as God is always spoken of in the masculine gender. God had made the man physically stronger, and with every necessary quality to be the woman's leader. Adam knew that the woman was to be his helper — and he her head. But now that the woman had taken the initiative without consulting her husband, and had sinned and led him to sin in so doing, God made their status doubly CLEAR: "thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall RULE over thee." Adam had nor fulfilled his God-given responsibility to lead the woman in the right way, but had let her wrest the initiative from him. And so God told Adam, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life" (Gen. 3:17 ). Yes, Adam was punished "Because," God said, "thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife" — and so had been led to disobey God. It is easy for a man to bog down and let his wife "run things." Adam did — and Satan soon took over! Thousands of modern men are doing the same thing — particularly in America. And crime, almost universal corruption in every phase of life, broken homes, unhappy homes} and juvenile delinquency are abounding and growing EVILS which beset our society on every hand. It's something to think about seriously! In the final analysis, man will learn that when the God-constituted system of authority breaks down, real TROUBLE is in score. This pattern of authority is conspicuously violated today in the realm of the relation of men and women in society and in the home. Consistent Principle The examples and teaching throughout the Old Testament reveal that the man was recognized as the head of the house, and was always designated and used by God to carry our any group project. The genealogy always came down from father to son. When Jacob was inspired to give prophetic blessings (Gen. 49 ), they were given co his sons, not his daughters in any case. In other words, man was regarded as the direct representative of God over all the animate creation, and woman was recognized and respected as his helper. She derived her honor and blessings indirectly through her husband, her God-constituted head. God called Moses to lead his people our of Egyptian bondage. And when ir came time to institute God's physical priesthood, God chose Aaron and his son (Exodus 29:9 ). Note this point. In every case, God chose men — not women — to be the leaders and spokesmen, or preachers — if you wish to apply it that way. What a striking contrast to our society where women are conducting themselves in a way that would have made their great-grandmothers blush! But let's get the point and not try to excuse ourselves. The contrast is not between us and what is termed "old-fashioned." It is between our way and GOD'S way as revealed in His Word, God's Word is consistent in teaching that woman is to be in subjection to the man — never his leader or spokesman. Another point to notice is that while in both ancient and modern times the Gentile nations often had queens or women ruling over them, at no time did God ever appoint a woman as queen or to ANY administrative office either in the nation of Israel or in the church either in Old or New Testament times. That is God's way! If our own human idea or way is different, then it is we — not God — who should REPENT of this error and change our own carnal, human ways. Are we going to defy our CREATOR on this point? Prophetesses In both the Old and New Testaments, we find that God did use some righteous women in the office of a prophetess. If we study these examples carefully, we will see that their function has often been misinterpreted and that their office carried no administrative authority, but that they were simply used of God to convey a message to one of His servants. or to other people — but never in the capacity of preaching or exercising authority over them. Exodus 15:20-21 gives the account of Miriam the prophetess leading the women out to dance and praise God in song. But she is nowhere spoken of as having preached or having had authority of any kind over the men. And any honest Bible student knows that it would have been contrary to existing mode of conduct, and to God's command, for her to have done so. Deborah An unusual situation in Israel which in many ways parallels our own present day DEGENERACY is described in chapters 4 and 5 of the book of Judges. To properly understand this account, we need to realize that the entire book of Judges is primarily devoted to a history of Israel's mistakes because: "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6 ; 21:25 ). In Judges 4:1 we find that Ehud, Israel's present "deliverer" (Judges 3:15 ) had died, and the people began doing evil in God's sight. There seems to have been no man of real purpose and leadership to guide Israel at this time, and God sold them into the hand of the king of Canaan for their disobedience, At this point, we read: "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time" (Judges 4:4 ). Since no man had courage and leadership to master the situation and take the initiative, Deborah — being a prophetess and knowing God! will — reminded Barak, "Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded..." And she proceeded to remind him — not command him, because she had no such authority over the men — of what God had commanded should be done. Barak, being a weakling and too fearful to exercise his God-given-responsibility of leadership, told her, "If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go" (verse 8). Knowing full well that Barak ought to be man enough to carry out this responsibility without having to cling to the skirts of a woman, Deborah told him: "I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" (verse 9). Deborah herself — a righteous and God-fearing woman — had no desire at all to usurp man's responsibility for leadership. And her own words betray how ashamed she must have felt of her men, who were so weak that she had to "mother" them along to get them to carry out God's will. She later sang of this national tragedy: "The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel. until that I arose a MOTHER in Israel" (Judges 5:7 ). Like Today This pitiful spectacle of men being too weak and too lazy to carry out their God-given responsibility for leadership is closely paralleled in America today — right now! And it is a growing trend in many other nations. It seems to be a part of our so-called "civilization." And it is wreaking havoc in our homes, our churches, our society. Women preachers constitute only a small part of this general problem. The big problem is that men and women have departed from the WAY of God in their lives. They have forsaken the knowledge and practice of exercising the God-constituted authority He set in the home, in the church, and in society. The divorce rate and the number of juvenile delinquents and criminals is constantly growing. And most people don't seem to know why. Asked to account for the rise in juvenile delinquency, an expert on this subject, Police Commissioner Gibbons of Philadelphia, answered: "Throughout the country there is a general disregard for CONSTITUTED AUTHORITY. I think that goes for the adults and is reflected in the thinking of the juvenile." Yes, Commissioner Gibbons and many other men and women who are constantly dealing with this problem have been forced to realize that proper understanding and respect for authority is rapidly disappearing from our society. In its wake, we find increasing violence, murder, rape, corruption! Commenting on America's problem of growing juvenile crime, a famous visiting British general said that he remembered that when he was a boy, father's word was law and disobedience was quickly rewarded by physical chastening. But now, in both countries, most fathers just don't seem to care, and the mother is either unwilling or unable to properly handle the situation. Yes, men used to feel their God-given duties as head of the house and exercise them. But now it seems they just don't care. In fact, the whole population seems to delight in ridiculing man's position as head of the house. This attitude of contempt for what GOD has ordained is prominently displayed in comic strips, movies, radio, and now television — all of which like to portray the husband as a big, helpless dumb brute who has to be "managed" by his intelligent, "modern" wife. A recent newspaper report says: "The United States is moving rapidly toward the 'woman's world' with diaper-changing husbands and independent wives." Yes, the weak, spiritless American husband is fast becoming the butt of every joke. The situation may strike some as being very funny, but it is an ABOMINATION to Almighty God! The lack of a real father and HEAD in every home is leading to more broken homes, broken young lives, and wretchedness than you have realized. It's time to wake up and get back to the WAY of God. Other Prophetesses There are a few other prophetesses mentioned specifically in the Bible, and in every case they were used as Deborah was — to impart knowledge to others as to God's will. In no case did they exercise authority. We read of Huldah the prophetess in II Chronicles 34:22-28 . Here we find that the King of Judah sent to Huldah to find out what Gods will was. But, upon learning be made the decision as to what should be done. In Luke 2:36-38 , we read of Anna, a prophetess, who was a widow 84 years old. She was a very righteous woman who "served God with fastings and prayers night and day." And so it was revealed to her that the child Jesus was the expected Messiah, and she was privileged to announce this to those who were gathered informally about Jesus and His earthly parents. The four virgin daughters of Philip the evangelist are mentioned in Acts 21:8-9 . The accounts says they "did prophesy," but we find an example of how this was often done in the following verses (10-12) describing Agabus, the prophet. Notice that Agabus did not preach to the group or have authority over them, but simply warned Paul personally, and those with him, of what God had revealed would befall him at Jerusalem. So, although the word "prophesy" means to "foretell for God," whether in the sense of a revelation of future happenings or of inspired preaching, we see that the latter function was never exercised by women prophetesses, who never held authority over the men or the congregation, but only spoke privately to convey a message from God. New Testament Teaching The New Testament teaching, example, and direct commands on this subject are very clear. In I Corinthians 11:3-16 , the Apostle Paul says (verse 3), "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the HEAD of every woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." Paul says the man "is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of man" (verse 7). Man stands in the direct image and as the visible representative of God, and so should not have his head covered as a sign that he is in subjection to any visible being — as he is in direct subjection to the invisible God. But the woman is to subject herself to the man; she was made "for the man" (verse 9). Therefore, she ought to have a sign, that she is under authority — on her head. If she acknowledges her subjection to the man by this outward sign, she will be granted special favor by the ministering and guardian angels, whose help the woman — as the weaker sex — is particularly in need of. Notice that this symbol of being in subjection — this covering or veil spoken of — is the wearing of long hair by the woman. Some interpreters have falsely assumed that this covering was a veil or scarf, but this was not the custom of Grecian women, as they assume, and Paul clearly defines the woman's covering as her long hair, which he says is a glory to her (I Cor. 11:15 ). Paul concludes this passage by saying that if anyone brings up a contrary idea, the churches of GOD recognize no such ideas of men. However, many of the churches of today have rejected these commands of God. Many unthinking modern women, kept in spiritual ignorance by their professing Christian ministers, now cut their hair short like a man — thereby dishonoring their human head, man and their spiritual head, Christ, whose command they are rejecting. It's time to realize that true Christianity means OBEDIENCE to God's commands! Paul's Inspired Commands The Apostle Paul was inspired to give directions for exercising spiritual gifts in chapters 12, 13, and 14 of First Corinthians. He concludes these instructions in I Cor. 14:34-40 by commanding: "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law" (verse 34). Here is a direct command from God that women are NOT to speak in church even, in exercising the spiritual gifts of which Paul is speaking. The woman's praying or prophesying does not mean presiding over a group in these activities (I Cor. 11:5 ). Their husbands are to study God's word and to be their head, their leader, in spiritual as well as physical matters. Thus, if women wish to ask questions, "Let them ask their husbands at home: for it as a SHAME for women to speak in the church." Present circumstances are no excuse for disobeying the commands of God. Nevertheless, how many husbands are qualified to fulfill their responsibility as spiritual head of the family? The shameful answer is: far too few. But this is no reason for women usurping this authority. For in I Timothy 5:12 , God inspired Paul to write: "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." He continues (verses 13 and 14), "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." The woman is not to have authority over the man, for she was created to be his helper. And this passage and others (II Timothy 3:6 ) indicate that women do tend to be more easily deceived than men. They were not intended by God to be physical or spiritual leaders over men — and most God — fearing women realize this and would be thankful if the men would AWAKEN to their God-given duty to guide the family and instruct their wives in spiritual knowledge. But — alas! how far men have fallen short of this CHRISTIAN DUTY. God's Way Best Women preachers? Women leaders? The answer is abundantly plain if we seek God's way! This knowledge should certainly cause no "battle of the sexes," but rather bring both men and women to the sober realization of how far we have departed from the ways and commands of God. If men and women everywhere will both acknowledge the great error they have made, the great SIN they have committed in transgressing the commands of God in this matter — and will REPENT and turn from this wrong way, God will forgive and abundantly pardon. Yes, we need to restore God's system of authority in our homes, our churches, our nations. Then growing children will be properly trained for life by firm but loving parents. And wives — as many of them secretly realize — would have a new respect and love for their husbands. And with people understanding God's authority and why, our church life would become cleansed of all the mixture of paganism and human tradition with what is left of real Christianity — the kind found in God's Word. Society as a whole would be immeasurably benefited by a renewed respect for constituted authority — and the realization that authority comes down from God himself. God Holds Men Responsible Women — and women preachers have taken unto themselves much authority that is not rightfully theirs. But in most cases they have done so because men were too lazy or indifferent to carry out the responsibility as they should. And so it is a situation for which we should all repent. But you will have to realize that God at no time has used a woman as His minister in preaching or writing His word. Any woman usurping this authority was so doing in direct violation of the commands of God, and so cut herself off from God and from the Holy Spirit "whom God hath given to them that OBEY Him" (Acts 5:32 ). And any church or denomination which continues to REJECT this truth is not being used of God at all, for He says: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee" (Hosea 4:6 ). Jesus Christ said: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4 ). God's word is consistent. His will is clear. Where do you stand? A NEW Look At Revelation 3:11 By Mr. Ellery Burgess Revelation 3:7–13 is a message to the Philadelphia era (time period) of God's Church. But, verse 11 is directed to the following era, the Church of the Laodiceans. It is concerning holding fast to what was given in the Philadelphia era but it is directed to those in the Laodicean era. We are living in the Laodicean era. Whether we, individually, are a practicing Laodicean or not is determined by our conduct as well as holding faithfully to the truth once delivered. Revelation 3:11 says “Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” We will focus on “that no man take thy crown”. We will look at that phrase in a way that you may not have considered before. The message to the Laodiceans starts with “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:15). The reason that they are neither cold or hot is because Laodiceans do not understand what Christ's work is in this age. They are either trying to re-do the work of the Philadelphia era or just taking care of the people in their own groups, calling it “preparing the bride”. It is not wrong to preach the good news of the coming Kingdom of God or to take care of those in your charge, so it is not cold. But it is not hot because it is not the main thrust of the work that Christ is doing in the Laodicean era. The work that Christ is doing today is: “knocking on the door (heart)” of every person who has the spirit of God residing in them, and Christ is measuring those who open and let Him in” (Rev. 3:20 and Rev. 11:1), preparing the temple for His second coming. That is the work of God today. HOW CHRIST IS DOING HIS WORK TODAY. But how is Christ doing that work today? Exactly the same way that He has always done it! By using the government structure that He has always used. Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed “. Now, turn back to Hebrews 13, verse 7 “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their (conduct)”. Verse 9: “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with (foods), which have not profited them that have been occupied therein”. How did God work in the past? How did He work in the time of the Philadelphia era, which I often refer to as our living history? The Bible tells us exactly how God works... “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph 2:20-22), read also Ephesians 4:1 – 6, 10-12. That is how He worked in times past, that is how He worked in the 20th Century, and that is how He is working today and forever. God never changes, Christ never changes, “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal 3:6). But, people sure do! Now, in this Laodicean age, people look at it differently. Herbert W. Armstrong died and the ministry, as a whole, sold out the truth. From evangelists, down through every rank of the ministry, all the way to church elders, turned from the faith once delivered to them, to fables and lying doctrines. Most of the ministry became all out apostates from the truth. So the Laodicean attitude set in. Laodicea means the people judge, rule, and decide. People caught up in this mind set just decided, well okay, we will become our own teachers. Lay members started their own churches, deacons started their own churches and became “preaching deacons.” Church elders started their own churches and declared themselves pastors. Notice what Mr. Armstrong wrote in a Brethren Letter February 25, 1974... “There are no apostles nor evangelists in the local churches. ALL ministers, from Apostle on down, are called Elders in the Bible. It is evident that the Apostle Paul ordained some elders who were preachers, in charge of one or more churches. Also, that some who were not preachers were ordained elders, who were teachers but not preachers in the sense of inspired or pulpit preaching. Sometimes these were in a small local church where there was no preaching elder, but who presided at meetings, and sometimes they were under a preaching elder. Although the terms "preaching elder" and "local elder" are not specifically used in this manner, there is sufficient biblical example that the Church in our day has used those titles for rank of office.” Mr. Armstrong also wrote in the same letter, about a liberal element that was creeping into the Church of God in 1974... “Those now advocating this Scriptural HERESY want to abolish all authority which Christ as our Head SET in His Church. Their contentions would lead to VOTING -- the "democratic way" – the very OPPOSITE of God's Way. They want to be "LIBERAL," and soon this liberality would lead into general and widespread SIN. They would become just a few more churches OF THIS WORLD – Satan's." These liberal ministers went underground, waiting for the apostle to die, as soon as he did in January 1986, they came out of their hiding and began to institute their evil agendas, and trap an unsuspecting flock. Their rebellion against God's government, is very evident in the United Church of God an International Association as well as COGWA and a few others. The lowest rank of the ministry that Jesus Christ established to pastor a Church is that of preaching elder. Those holding the rank of church elder are not authorized by scripture to be pastors. I am ordained to the office of church elder. If something happened so that Mr. Venish was no longer here, I could not and would not attempt to pastor this Church. Because I have no authority to pastor. So here, near the end of this Laodicean era, Jesus Christ is doing His work, the work described in the message to this era. He is knocking on the hearts door of each and every one of His people and if any will open, He will come in and begin the final preparing, the measuring if you will, of each one for entrance into His soon coming kingdom. That is the work that Jesus Christ is doing now! The work of knocking and measuring is the work of God in this final era. Back to Rev. 3:11...“hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”, I know that means to hold fast to doctrinal truth. But it also means to hold fast to following Christ as He does His work of knocking and preparing. To really follow Christ, we must be taking part in what He is doing, part of His work. The phrase in Rev. 3:11 “that no man take thy crown” does have a meaning that most have not considered. Look at it like this: If we have a leader who is not teaching false doctrine, who is upholding the faith once delivered, who is doing the work of knocking and preparing, but we don't like something about him personally. We may consider that he did something that we consider “rude”, because I have heard that said. Maybe we just don't care for his personality. If that ever is the case, will we just turn and walk away from the very work that Jesus Christ is doing in this Church ? If we do that, then I say plainly that we have let a man take our crown. There have been some who have left this little group knowing that here is where the truth is being taught. Knowing that the only true work of Christ is being done here, and to my knowledge, the only place where it is being done, but they still left because they did not like an administrative decision. That is putting a man's actions before the work of God and that is letting a man take away your crown. “Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11) The final thing that Christ said to His people in the message to the Laodiceans was “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 3:22). God's Ultimate Purpose - WHAT is IT? By Mike Downing Just what is the overall work of Almighty God? This work of God has not changed. God is reproducing Himself through mankind. He is developing His holy, righteous character in each individual that has surrendered to Him. Jesus said, none can come to the Father, unless the Father draw them (John 6:44, 65). We are called by the Father for a supreme purpose. We have to keep this over-arching purpose firm in our minds, this is the reason why you were created. Notice Genesis 1: 26-27 “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His Own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” This is God’s overall, primary work. All the smaller secondary works, the great commission, Matthew 24:14, the knock of Christ and measuring, the work of the two witnesses, are all for the purpose of accomplishing God’s supreme feat: Reproducing Himself. God’s ultimate goal is that all mankind receives eternal life in His Kingdom. PREACHING THE GOSPEL The church's commission of preaching the gospel is the means by which the Father calls and draws us, as Mark 16:15-16 states “And He said to them, Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” As God calls the individual, He starts to create righteous character within him. The church is the instrument God uses to help develop that character (Eph. 4: 11-16). Through the ministry we are taught Gods ways and laws. The ministry's duty is to teach and serve the flock of God. We also learn from the example of our brethren, as well as encouragement. We are called now, in this church age, to be a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2: 9). We are to change our lives now, so that we in turn, can teach others when God opens salvation to them. Ask yourself if you are qualifying to do this? All those called today are accountable to God, we all have to improve spiritually and grow in Godly character and divine nature. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”(2 Tim. 2:15). We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). We have to constantly be overcoming sin and our weaknesses. It is only by repentance and faith, that we turn our lives over to God, which He will mold and shape to be like Him, if we allow Him to do it. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). GET RID OF SIN Everyday we should be striving to rid ourselves of sin. And what is sin? As 1 John 3:4 states, sin is the transgression of the law, when put together with Romans 7:7 it is very clear that sin is breaking the Ten Commandments. We must put on righteousness, “...and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). To put away our human nature, which is the old man (Rom. 6:6, Eph. 4:22, Col. 3:9) and put on the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). We should be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). But just what does this verse mean? I quote now from Herbert W. Armstrong in his booklet, "What is a real Christian"? “Being a real Christian involves developing the mind and attitude of Christ, thinking the way He did every moment of every day. Christ has revealed principles that bear on every facet of life. We are even to let our innermost thoughts be ruled by the Lord Jesus”. We have to continually get our noses into the Bible to enable us to become authorities in the word of God, so we in turn can help, serve and teach others in the future. Salvation is between you and God alone, we are to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). We have to get ourselves right with The Father before we can help others. We all need to look in the spiritual mirror at ourselves and repent accordingly, as 2 Cor. 13:5 instructs us to examine and test ourselves. Each individual has his own part to play in this character development. We have to choose God’s way, to allow Him to mold and shape us into His very nature. We do this by our willingness to obey Him. This is how we will be prepared and ready when Christ returns. God gives strong warnings to His end time church of the dominant attitudes that we, each individual need to be aware of (Rev. 3:16-17, 19; Luke 21:34: Matt. 25:5). MATTHEW 24:14 During the Philadelphia era of God’s church under Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, God raised up a mighty work to fulfill the prophesy of Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.” God opened doors and supplied means (money, helpers, ect) for Matthew 24:14 to be fulfilled. As it was being fulfilled, the church was also making disciples of all nations, many were called during this time. But the majority that heard the message did not grasp it, “it was as a witness unto them.” God is not at this time calling all mankind to salvation. Mr. Armstrong had clearly seen that God did open doors for him and the church to fulfill Matthew 24:14. That door is now closed (Rev. 3:7). This fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 was a sign to the church that Christ’s return is very near and that the church needs to get prepared. The church continues to proclaim the gospel for all those God is calling. This is being done primarily today through the internet. There are numerous books, booklets, sermons and World Tomorrow broadcasts by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong explaining very plain the gospel of the kingdom of God and how we can be a part of it. The ministry also does this from the pulpit and each individual also does this by being examples and by our conduct. Also during the Philadelphia era of the church, God restored vital truths to His church to prepare them for the return of Jesus Christ (Matt. 17:11, Mal. 3:1-3, 5-6). The prophesied apostasy which occurred after Mr. Armstrong’s death caused great division and confusion among God’s church. We as Christians need to return to and hold fast to the unadulterated truths and standards that were restored in the 20th century. THE KNOCK OF CHRIST Christ is now knocking (Rev. 3:20) on the hearts of each person who has His Spirit. He is saying to His church “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”. He wants us to repent of the lukewarm attitude and become zealous for the faith once delivered (Jude 3). God is now sending out a midnight cry to His church (Matt. 25:6). He gives each of us counsel to help us which we can take now, or later during the time of Great Tribulation, the choice is ours (Rev 3:18). We have to make the decision now to allow Christ to work in us. We must strive with all our hearts and minds to fulfill God’s purpose for us, in creating His Holy, Righteous character within us. As we respond to Christ by opening the door, we also need to show real Christian love to one another and have "the love of God shed abroad in our hearts” (Rom 5:5). By applying what has been written in this article the bride will have made herself ready (Rev. 19:7). The church of God is a spiritual organism. It consists of all those who have God’s Holy Spirit who are scattered all over the world, regardless of which group they attend. There is only one true church, it is those with God’s Spirit living and working in them, they are the church. God is measuring each individual. Jesus Christ is the one performing the knock to the church in this end time. He convicts the mind of our need of repentance and where we need to overcome. Christ is at this time using a small group as a tool to deliver this knock and the midnight cry to His scattered church. To encourage them to repent, be zealous and to be watchful, to return to the truths that were restored. To hold up a measuring rod so that each Christian measures themselves to Jesus Christ and the truths and standards of Almighty God. We all in the Body of Christ are to model ourselves after Christ, He is our example, we are to copy Him, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (I Peter 2:21). This is what we have to be focused on. We have to allow Christ to chip away at us, enabling us to be fitted into the Spiritual temple He is returning to. We, in this Vigilant Church of God, are a group of individuals within the scattered, divided church who have come to see our need of repentance and of returning to the faith once delivered. We have a common goal, to prepare ourselves and help others prepare themselves for Christ’s return and entrance into the Kingdom of God. We are here to lead by example and by our willingness to obey and serve God. Hopefully this article helps each one of us to realize our purpose. That we “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:23) with all our being. Let us strive to fulfill God’s great purpose in us. To be born into the very family of God as children of Almighty God. In conclusion I quote from God’s word (Eccl. 12:13), “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man”. MAN'S INSOLUBLE PROBLEMS by Herbert W. Armstrong There seems to be no solution in sight today to the frightening world troubles with nuclear World War III threatening to blast all human life off this planet. But there is a solution and it's already underway, but the world doesn't seem to know it, or to understand it. Now the United States and the Soviet Union are not going to get together and solve it; the United Nations isn't solving anything; modern science is not going to solve it. They've only built the weapons of mass destruction that can erase all human life from the face of this earth, can destroy all human life. Now there are some religious broadcasters who seem to think that just accepting Jesus Christ, just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's going to solve all of our problems. But I want you to notice what Jesus Christ Himself said and it's in Mark the seventh chapter beginning with verse seven, He said: "Howbeit in vain do they worship me [not only accepting Him, not only believing on Him, but worshipping Him], teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mark 7:7 ) If they don't live the way He said to live, and if they teach a different way of living, if they just teach about Christ. Unless you turn from the way you've been living it isn't going to help. And then He said: "For [leaving] aside the commandment of God..." (Mark 7:8 ) And they say that the commandments of God are done away, that Christ came and did away with His Father's commandments. But Jesus said He had kept His Father's commandments. He said; "Think not that I am come to destroy the law..." (Matthew 5:17 ), and yet they say He did. "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men [the things that men say, but not the law of God, which they say is done away]... And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may [hold to] your...tradition." (Mark 7:8-9 ) So, we have what we call, 'traditional Christianity.' And I want to tell you, that while it is necessary to believe on Jesus Christ, and He is the solution; but just believing on Christ, just accepting Christ alone isn't going to do it. It's going to mean that you have to change your life, and that's what He said, and that's what He came to teach. That's what He came to have us understand. Now in Matthew seven and verse 21 He said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord [then accepts Christ, that believes on Christ; not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, that just professes Christ, just says; 'I accept and I receive Christ'], shall enter into the kingdom of [God]; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21 ) He that does; "...not [just] the hearers of the law...[shall be just, as we read in Romans again], but the doers of the law shall be [saved]." (Romans 2:13 ) The Cause of Troubles and the Cause of Peace The troubles in the world have come from the way we have been living. We have been living the wrong way and that has brought all of our troubles on us; there has to be a cause for every effect. And if the world is in trouble today, if the world is unhappy today, if people are discontented all over the world, if half of the world is poverty stricken, living in filth and squalor, if half of the world is illiterate and can't even read or write, and that is true; then there is a cause. And it is the way people have been living, and it is because they have ignored the way of God. Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel; and there is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as I've read so many times on this program, in Mark the first chapter beginning with the first verse. And He... "came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [what Gospel? the Gospel] of the kingdom of God [that's the Government of God, to govern the way we live, to govern our lives], And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand..." (Mark 1:14-15 ) The time was fulfilled, because He had just conquered Satan who has been ruling the world. And the Kingdom of God was at hand, because He had come to build the Church which was simply the Kingdom of God in embryo. But not the literal Kingdom of God as yet; just the beginning of it. So, then He said: "...repent ye, [repent] and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15 ) Believe this Government of God, and the Way of life of God. It is all a matter of the way we have been living. So, the cause is the way we've lived, the cause is what we have done. We've been transgressing God's Way of life. And yet the Bible shows that we are going to have peace. Let me give you now the good news, it's in Isaiah in the second chapter, and it's also quoted in Micah, one of the prophets, just word for word. This is the second chapter of Isaiah beginning with verse two: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains..." (Isaiah 2:2 ) Here 'mountains' is simply a symbol for nations. In other words; the Kingdom of God, God's nation, the Kingdom of God. That's what Jesus Christ came to preach, that's what He came to teach us, about the Kingdom of God. A kingdom of people which are ruled by God, and God's Way of life. And you don't hear that kind of preaching today, except on this program, if I may say so. And that nation will be: "...established on the top of the mountains [or the nations, mountains is used here as a symbol], and shall be exalted above the hills [that's the smaller nations]; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [or the Kingdom] of the Lord [and], to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways [the way we live, of God's ways of living according to the law of God], and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2-3 ) And you read in Isaiah, the eleventh chapter, that the earth will be as full of the Word of God and the Way of God, the Way of living of God, as the ocean beds are full of water. That's how it will be in the time just ahead of us when we're going to have world peace. Now listen to this: "...for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among [many] nations [that's when the Kingdom of God is set up on earth], and shall rebuke many [nations]: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:3-4 ) We're going to have world peace! And the time is now near; because this is the generation in which Jesus Christ is coming to rule. Now Christ is the solution yes, but He's coming as a Ruler and as Government. But Jesus Christ came to start it, and it started on the way by His Church. Now Jesus came into a world ruled as the world is going today; man going his own way, and going the wrong way and the way that is causing all of the troubles; everything that we're seeing today. Christ's Church But, when Jesus came He said; "...I will build my church..." (Matthew 16:18 ). He said He would build His Church. But He didn't build the Church with calling hundreds of thousands and millions of people immediately. Jesus came into a world such as we are living in now only it had not grown as big as it is now, there weren't as many people. The evils weren't as great as the evils are today, evils have multiplied, people have multiplied. It is just bigger in every way, but it is just that much more evil than it was then. The word 'church' means; 'called out ones', the word 'church' means 'called out ones'. And so, you will read in Matthew four and beginning with verse 18. {1} Jesus didn't call thousands of people all at once but you will read how Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. I've walked by the shores of this same sea many a time - it has to be the same spot, there's only one spot where this could be. And He "...saw two brethren [brothers], Simon [who was] called Peter..." (Matthew 4:18 ) That is, he was surnamed Peter, and 'surname' is a title. It's the title of leader, he was the leader of the apostles. To be an apostle but he wasn't an apostle at the beginning; he was a student or a learner. Or, as the Bible calls it a disciple, which means a student, or one who is learning. So anyway Simon was surnamed Peter: "...and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers." (Matthew 4:18 ) They were fishermen. Now, they didn't want to be preachers, they didn't want to be apostles; they wanted to be fishermen. And Jesus was not asking now for volunteers, He was calling. And so, He said, He called out to them and He said: "...Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from [there], he saw other two brethren [two other brothers], James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, [and they were fishing there with their father in another boat]. And they immediately left their ships and their father, and [they] followed him. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in [the] synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom..." (Matthew 4:19-23 ) And you'll read in many other places how they were astonished at His teaching, at His doctrine, at the things He said; because He was teaching that they ought to live a different way. They were living the way that was causing all of the troubles in the world. And, He was calling them out of the world. The Church is merely the 'called out ones'. Now Jesus didn't begin by calling everybody, and asking for volunteers and saying; "If you just accept me you'll go to heaven." But He called disciples, and He began to teach them a better way of living. He began to teach them about the Kingdom of God, the Government of God, and the way of life of God, God's way of life. And God's way of life is the way Jesus Christ lived when He was on earth. It's the way He and God the Father have lived for all eternity because they have lived forever. There never is a time when they began living, they have always lived. Now let me explain something about the Church that you probably haven't heard before. He didn't just call for everybody to come to salvation; He called certain men, twelve men to be students, only twelve; and He began to teach those twelve. And after He had taught them for three and a half years, then He gave them the great commission, and I'm going to read that in just a moment. But Jesus was building the Church, and He was calling the Church out of this world, out of this way of living to God's way of life, as the beginning, and of the foundation of a different and a new world. The Result of Adam's Sin Now, to understand the world that Jesus came into - what's wrong with the world, why we're having all the troubles we're having in the world. And we still are, because it's still the same world, only as I said a moment ago it is greater. The evils are greater, the troubles are greater, the population is greater. There's just more of everything today. It all began with the incident of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Now in the Garden of Eden God had showed Adam and Eve the way of life, His Way of Life. Eve had strayed away just a little bit, and she came across a serpent, a snake. But Satan was in that snake, and Satan is the great former archangel, that is now Satan the Devil, who rebelled against God. Who was filled with vanity, who was filled with an idea of destruction, instead of construction and building. Who was filled with the way of rebellion against God, and God's way of living; against peace, against everything good, against happiness. And he misled her, he said: "'Has God said that you could eat of all of the trees of the garden?' And she said; 'Well, He said we could eat of all of the trees, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But, He said; if we eat it we will surely die' [well then, here came the first lie; he said]. 'You won't surely die, you're an immortal soul, you're going to live forever.'" (Genesis 3:1-4 paraphrased) And do you know that people have been believing — and even traditional Christianity believes that lie today? That you are an immortal soul; you won't surely die, you are going to live forever. Well I nail that lie right here and now, in the name and by the Authority of Jesus Christ. Satan is a liar and he is the father of it. And that was the first lie told. Not by human man but by Satan himself. But Eve fell for it, and she swallowed it hook line and sinker. And she took of the forbidden fruit, and disobeyed God, and gave to her husband. She started the first ERA movement; and she took her husband by the nose and led him, when he was supposed to lead her in love, and in happiness, and in God's way. But he followed his wife and he disobeyed God; and that started another world led by Satan. They rejected God, and they rejected eternal life which God had offered them in the Tree of Life. And God would have given them eternal life by and through His Holy Spirit. His life had to be injected into them, begotten into them; because humans have been made from the dust of the ground. God formed man after His own image, after His likeness, after the God kind. God is reproducing Himself, and He made man to become like God. But He made man of the dust of the ground; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became - the dust of the ground - became a soul. The dust of the ground became a soul, matter, not spirit. But man disobeyed God, and Adam, the first man, could have taken of the Tree of Life. In other words, of the Holy Spirit of God, and that would have impregnated him with the life of God, and also with a mind like God, and with God's way of living. With an attitude like God, an attitude of love, of giving instead of getting, of obedience to God and God's way; which leads to peace, and happiness, and life, and good will, and joy, and everything that is pleasant and good, and wholesome and right. But he went the wrong way, and that began a human civilization. There'd never been such a civilization on the earth - it was the first man, the first human, but that began this world. It was the foundation of the world at that time. And at that time, you will read in Revelation 13:8 that Christ, there called :"...the Lamb [of God, was] slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8 ) In other words; it was determined that time would come when Christ would be the second Adam. That Jesus Christ would come as a sin bearer, and He would live a perfect life setting us an example that we should live as He did; following His Father's commandments, keeping the commandments of God, God's Way of life. A way that brings peace, that produces peace, and telling us to follow His example, and live that Way. And He would live in a perfect way, He would never commit a sin; therefore He would never bring a death penalty on Himself. But then He would give His life for you and me, and: "...God [Himself] so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [Jesus Christ], that [we] should not perish..." (John 3:16 ) You are not immortal, you would perish otherwise, except for Christ paying a penalty in your stead. And Jesus gave Himself to pay the penalty of sin that we do not have to die, but that we may yet have the Tree of Life opened to us. And receive the Holy Spirit, which Adam could have received and didn't, and made it available. But at that time God closed up the Tree of Life, and you read of that in Genesis three, verses 22-24, the last three verses of the third chapter of Genesis. Now also at that time, as you read in Hebrews 9:27 , it was appointed that man should die because of Adam's sin, that human beings, man, should: "...once...die, but after [that] the judgment:" (Hebrews 9:27 ) Then in I Corinthians 15:22 you read, I Corinthians 15:22 , 23 , 24 , if you read right on from that point: "...as in Adam all die..." (I Corinthians 15:22 ) And all do die, and all have been dying ever since Adam up to now. After seventy, eighty, some even a little over a hundred years. I'm not too far from it now myself but God has still given me the strength to talk to you, and give you His Truth. After this the judgment, and: "...as in Adam all die...so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:22 ) Everyone who ever died is going to be brought back to life by a resurrection. God's Plan for the Future Now then, God had closed up the Tree of Life. It was not even open to ancient Israel, they had no salvation, no eternal life was ever offered to ancient Israel. But in Joel, one of the prophets, Joel 2 and verse 28 you read that the day will come, the time will come when God will again: "...pour out [His] spirit upon all flesh..." (Joel 2:28 ) Now, that time had not come yet, but it was just beginning in the time of Christ. He taught His disciples and after He had taught them for three and a half years you read in Matthew 28 and the last three verses beginning with verse 18: "...Jesus came and spake unto them [and this was after His resurrection, and], saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach..." (Matthew 28:18-19 ) Now remember He had taught them, He was a teacher and He had taught them as students. Now they had graduated from that college, so to speak, and now they were going to be apostles. That was their degree, their college degree, so to speak. Now He said: "You go, and teach [they now were to become teachers] all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them [they were to go and teach others, teaching them] to observe [what?] all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." (Matthew 28:19-20 paraphrased) That He had taught them! He taught them God's Way of life, and now He told them to go out and teach others God's Way of life. It's a lot more, my friends, than just believing on Christ and accepting Christ. That's the beginning. First you believe, or first of all you repent, and then you believe, and then you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now they started out on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came, and on that day the apostle Peter preached a marvelous sermon. And the people that were there, there were a few thousand people there, and they were pricked in their heart, and they said; Well: "...Men and brethren, what shall we do [now]? Then Peter said; Repent..." (Acts 2:37-38 ) That is, change your mind, admit how wrong you are. Admit the way you've been living, you've been living the wrong way. Repent; and it means turn around and go the other way, and start living a different way, and believe on Jesus Christ: "...and [you] shall receive the...Holy Spirit " (Acts 2:38 ) he said. Now when you receive the Holy Spirit you are not yet born of God, that is only the impregnation, you become a child of God, yes; but you are a begotten child. You are an heir, not yet a possessor of the Kingdom of God. So, then after that what does one do? They were starting the Church, the Church started with Christ, and it started then with Him teaching twelve. And then those twelve went out and they taught thousands. There were three thousand that were converted and baptized in water on that day, and they received the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost. About a day or so later there were two thousand or more and the Church began to grow. And the Church then become students. That is, they become disciples and the Church is founded on; "...the apostles and the prophets [the prophets of the Old Testament],...Christ...being the chief corner stone;" (Ephesians 2:20 ). And the Church itself will grow, and in the time of the Kingdom of God, when Christ comes very soon and Satan will be put away, the Church is going to teach the rest of the world how to live. And the earth will be as full of the knowledge of God and the Way of Life of God, as the ocean beds are filled with water, as I said awhile ago. And then at last we're going to have peace, and I read that prophecy just awhile ago. The Church is the Kingdom of God in embryo, but only in embryo; and when you were an embryo on your mother's womb you weren't born yet my friends; and we need to learn that lesson. Very few people understand the Church, and what it is, and why it is, how it was started, how it grows, the True Church of God. Oh, I wish people could just understand the real truth, if God would open our minds to see it. And certainly we can see the troubles all about us; certainly we can see the result of the way people have been living. And God's Way is a way that makes sense, it's a sensible way, and it makes sense, and it's the only way that does. And we're going to have to live the way that brings happiness, and peace, and joy. And then there will be great production and there will be everything good and that is the real Good News that Jesus came to bring, and the Gospel means Good News. Related Reading I can't give you but a little of it on this program. I have a booklet here that'll tell you a whole lot that I couldn't explain today: 'Never Before Understood - Why Humanity Cannot Solve Its Evils .' Why they're not solving them. This will open your eyes, this will tell you all about that incident of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and what has happened ever since. Leading up to the time of the beginning of the Church, and you need it. JUST CLICK ON THE LINK TO ACCESS THE BOOKLET WHO SHOULD GOD'S MINISTERS BE? If the Bible truth were known, thousands would never have "chosen" the ministry as their profession! Should you teach, preach, or "witness" for the Lord? How does God call His true ministers? "I'VE BEEN called to preach!" said the eager young man to the elder pastor. "HOW do you know you've been called to preach?" asked the dignified old gentleman. "Well sir, I saw a vision in the sky," began the hopeful youngster, "and it seemed the initials 'P C' appeared to me. I saw them with my own eyes!" "And what do you believe the vision meant?" asked his elder. "PREACH CHRIST! " was the enthusiastic answer. At this the old gentleman sadly shook his head. "No, my son — I'm afraid you've misinterpreted your vision." "Huh?" came the quizzical reply. "Yes — you see," he said gently, "the real meaning of the vision was that you should PLOUGH CORN"! "A 'Calling' to Preach" This story serves to illustrate the manner in which perhaps many sincere people decide upon the ministry as their life's work. Undoubtedly, a number of the students in the theological seminaries of this world feel they have been given a special "calling" of God to preach. Still, many others will readily admit they simply chose the ministry according to their aptitudes, much the same way a man might choose aeronautical engineering, civil service work, or farming. Perhaps some of YOU, reading this article, feel you have been given a "calling" to preach. But just what IS a CALL from God? Surely, should YOU be one who is presently teaching a Bible class, holding a study group, or in any way "witnessing" for Christ — you should want to know EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT IT, shouldn't you? God DOES CALL His Ministers! It is GOD, not man, who chooses and calls His servants. Jesus said, "I will build MY Church" (Matt. 16:18 ). Christ DID build that Church, and is its LIVING HEAD TODAY! Jesus intended certain GOD-GIVEN offices be established in His true Church for the CARRYING OF THE GOSPEL — which was the vitally important mission of that Church (Matt. 28:19-20 ). Notice how the apostle Paul describes the basic foundation of the organizational pattern of these offices: "Now therefore ye (Gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the FOUNDATION of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner Stone" (Eph. 2:19-20 ). Christ is the Head of the Church He built (Eph. 1:22 , 5:23 ), and therefore it is CHRIST who chooses His ministers and officers. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you..." said Jesus to His disciples (John 15:16 ). "But now hath GOD set the members every one of them in the body (of Christ — the Church) as it hath pleased HIM!" (I Cor. 12:18 ). False Ministers Prophesied Just as the early beginning of the true Church of God was fraught with many dangers from ravening men — men who would KILL because of religious hatred and bigotry — so IS OUR AGE! When Jesus told His disciples of the times just before His return to the earth, He warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matt. 24:4 ). In His warning about deceptions, Jesus talked of false ministers who would be masquerading as true ministers of the Gospel, who would "show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt. 24:24 ). This warning is about OUR TIMES — NOW! And to WHOM was the warning given? To the people of God! The students, learners — disciples of Christ! Take warning now! There is a very grave danger that YOU, as a "babe in Christ" could LOSE your salvation by failing to understand and heed these warnings about false ministers. These false teachers who are working right now — as you read this article — will always despise the AUTHORITY of God's TRUE MINISTERS. They will PRESUME to 'themselves a position as leader and teacher of other people. Perhaps even in all sincerity, it simply begins as a Bible study group after a broadcast — but a certain dominant personality will always arise — and oftentimes today it is a woman — and begin to teach, explain and expound to the others — WHEN THERE HAS BEEN NO CALLING FROM GOD TO DO SO! In the early Church, there arose false ministers and lay members, who began to set themselves up (note this well) as "teachers" and "leaders" of the people. The whole theme of the New Testament, from the very inception of God's true Church to the end of the book of Revelation is one of APOSTASY, one Of God's true apostles and ministers constantly struggling against FALSE DOCTRINES creeping in, and against counterfeit ministers who were trying to lead off people after themselves. Notice, the council at Jerusalem was held for this very reason! "And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, 'Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved'" (Acts 15:1 ). Notice further that these men wanted to ARGUE about the small, physical question of circumcision. "When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question" (Acts 15:2 ), God's government went into effect, and, after hearing all the facts, and certain recommendations from other leading apostles, James, the chief apostle at Jerusalem (vs. 19) rendered a binding decision, which the others delivered to the churches as an authoritative DECREE! (Acts 16:4 ). Paul's Experience with False Ministers In Paul's letters of correction and exhortation to the early Church, he was often forced to show them, by the manner of his calling and training, the real authenticity of his office. Notice how many of his letters begin with statements of divinely ordained authority. (See Rom. 1:1-5 ; I Cor. 1:1 ; II Cor. 1:1 ; Gal. 1:24 , etc.) Almost immediately after the beginning of God's true Church, certain men arose who began to lead away followings after themselves. Perhaps they were sincere at first — wishing only to share with others their new-found truth. Perhaps they, like many today, only wanted to "witness" to others. But, they HAD NOT BEEN CALLED OF GOD! They let human nature, with its VANITY and LUST FOR POWER creep in. The apostle Paul was constantly being criticized by unthinking, carnal-minded people who did not really fear God's government as they should have. The Corinthians were accusing him of being covetous of what they supposed was their money (which was not theirs, but Gods). The whole underlying theme of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians was concerned with this problem. "Mine answer to them" he had said in the first letter, "that do examine me is this, Have we not power (authority) to eat and to drink?" (I Cor. 9:3-4 ). He then proved the ministry should be supported from God's tithes. The entire first chapter of Galatians is Paul's affirmation of the DIVINE AUTHORITY with which he spoke and wrote. The important thing to realize is that this defense was necessary only because of the false teachers and "leaders" who were teaching the people — leading them in humanly devised "ideas" and traditions — trying to bring discredit upon God's true ministers. It is part of your nature to want to be important, well thought of, and approved by other people! It has been said the busier a man becomes, and the more he accomplishes, the more criticism he will receive. God's word certainly affirms that statement! Jesus Christ was the busiest, and, at the same time, the most criticized man who ever lived. Paul's Warning In some cases even the true ministers of God grew luke-warm, and dropped out of the Church. "For I know this," Paul said to the Ephesian elders "that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of YOUR OWN SELVES shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples [students, learners] after them" (Acts 20:29-30 ). Paul told the young evangelist, Timothy, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times [now] some shall depart from the faith doctrine, body of beliefs, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons" (I Tim. 4:1 ). After describing the very conditions which will be extant during this time in which YOU LIVE — Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, warned, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (II Tim. 3:13 ). Remember, these letters to Timothy were concerned primarily with Church Government. Never forget even false ministers APPEAR, as the ministers of Christ. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works" (II Cor. 11:13-15 ). Peter's Warning! Peter was not unaware of the undercurrent toward apostasy that was beginning then. He wrote, "But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction" (II Peter 2:1 ). Paul had said the "falling away" from true doctrine was a mystery of iniquity, or LAWLESSNESS, that was beginning in his time! (II Thess. 2:7 ). The entire second chapter of Peter's second letter is a grave warning against false teachers. Notice, however, that there is always ONE THING THESE TEACHERS HAVE IN COMMON. Even Korah, and the ones he led with him in his rebellion against the authority of Moses, showed the same traits (See Num. 16:1-3 ). "But chiefly them that walk after the flesh," who are concerned about the PHYSICAL SENSES, and the fleshly, carnal sensations, the vanity they might have in leading others — becoming their teacher — the popularity, or the money and the security they covet — "in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government" [AUTHORITY, RSV] (II Pet. 2:10 ). Do you see? "Presumptuous are they," continues Peter (II Pet. 2:10 ). Yes, they are always presuming to be a self-appointed leader over others, "self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities... but these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand HOT; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption..." (II Pet. 2:10-12 ). Surprising though it may sound — some individuals are not afraid to deliberately misrepresent, and to CLAIM they represent The World Tomorrow program, or The Plain Truth magazine. There have been cases of some deliberately lying, simply because they know the scope and power of this work of God — and wish to begin to SET THEMSELVES UP as TEACHERS when there has been no calling of God! God prophesied His true sheep would be SCATTERED, and FEW, the "salt of the earth" — not the great, organized, politically powerful machines of the world. It is because of this that many begin to yearn for physical fellowship with other human beings of like belief. This is natural. It is good. But, it is also something to be WARNED ABOUT FIRST! "BEWARE OF MEN!" said Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:17 ). And remember our first fellowship is with Christ! (I John 1:3 ). Those who begin to teach others apparently do not even faintly begin to realize the GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY of such an action. A Dangerous Position It is because the true ministers of God must labor in TEACHING OTHERS the WAY TO SALVATION — telling them of the things pertaining to ETERNAL LIFE, that God lays such a heavy responsibility on them. Notice Peter's exhortation: "The Elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder... feed the flock of God which is among you... neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock" (I Pet. 5:1-3 ). To cause another human being to LOSE SALVATION is the most dastardly act a person can commit! Notice what Jesus said of such an act: "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences (causing another to stumble — to go back into sin!) for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Matt. 18:6-7 ). A minister can be responsible for converting people — for convicting them of sin and bringing them to Christ in real DOWN TO EARTH REPENTANCE! Or, he can, by teaching false ideas — by setting himself up as a leader when God has not called him — send people straight into the lake of fire — Gehenna fire! But it is not only those who deliberately masquerade as the ministers of God, but ANYONE, be he false minister, professing teacher, deliberate liar, or INNOCENT LAY MEMBER simply trying to "do good" to others, but who teaches doctrines which LEAD THAT PERSON ASTRAY — who comes under the condemnation of the word of God — which says WOE unto that man! (Luke 17:1-2 ). How God Calls His Servants It is GOD who chooses and calls His servants (Eph. 4:11 ; I Cor. 12:38 ). The WAY He calls them needs to be definitely understood! Notice, Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you..." (John 15:16 ). When He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He said to Peter and Andrew, "FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19 ). Notice, NOT ONE of Jesus' disciples whom He called and ORDAINED to the ministry CHOSE THEMSELVES! I want you to think very carefully about this next statement! It constitutes a great principle of God's word — and a vitally important KEY to be used in God's true ministry! THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE EXAMPLE — ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE, WHERE A CALLED AND CHOSEN SERVANT OF GOD CAME forward and VOLUNTEERED for THE OFFICE! Moses argued that he was unfit for the job, Jeremiah said he was too young, Jonah ran away, Samuel was directly called of God, David knew nothing until Samuel announced it to him. All of the prophets say, "The Word of the Lord CAME unto..." them, not that they volunteered for the office! Jesus called and appointed His true disciples. Paul was struck down by a miracle. Paul "took" Timothy unto him, and so it is throughout the history of God's Church. My father fought vigorously against the truth of God before He was finally called. God Works Through Human Instruments But Jesus said, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them! (Matt. 7:20 ). The Scriptural QUALIFICATIONS imposed upon any person whom God is calling to the ministry are so absolutely RIGID. One great principle that seems so difficult for some few to understand is that the Creator who gives us every breath of air we breathe accomplishes His plan here below — yes, and even governs His Church — THROUGH HUMAN BEINGS — HIS INSTRUMENTS! God is now sending the Gospel of His soon-coming Government into many parts of this darkened world. But He is not yet shouting with His own booming, earth-shaking voice — He is sending the Gospel over the airwaves by the voice of HIS HUMAN INSTRUMENT, Mr. Armstrong! He is seeing to it that YOU are receiving this magazine, to feed and nourish you in His truth, to warn you of impending dangers, to try to HELP each hungry "babe in Christ" gain an entrance into His glorious Kingdom. But the magazine is written, edited, typed, printed, and mailed by human instruments. It is the same in calling His ministry! Many have assumed the apostle Paul was the exception to the rule that ministers were always ordained through HUMAN INSTRUMENTS, by the laying on of the hands of the ministry! That assumption is false! Paul's Ordination Read the account of Paul's ORDINATION by human instruments with your own eyes! Turn to Acts, the 13th chapter. Here, you see the gathering of the elders at Antioch, and the ordination of Paul. Paul had been struck down on the road to Damascus, blinded, and made willing to receive God's Spirit through a real REPENTANCE! He was able to "preach Christ" to the Jews at Damascus then, "proving that this is very Christ!" (Acts 9:20 and 22 ). But notice that Paul was not a MINISTER — he was not an active member in the Governmental body of the Church — he was merely doing what ANY of YOU should be able to do — "... 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" (I Pet. 3:15 ). But notice — it entails giving an ANSWER TO THOSE THAT ASK — not the kind of door-to-door "witnessing" that is being done by many today. I remember a time when I was eating a meal in a restaurant. Two women entered, unnoticed in the crowd of others finding booths or chairs, and gradually made their way toward the rear of the small, somewhat crowded restaurant. Finally, taking up positions just behind the booth in which I was seated, with another minister, they began to SHOUT — at the TOP OF THEIR LUNGS, "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! is burning in the gates of HELL for every lost sinner!" The near disastrous results could have meant a severe lawsuit for both of them. The people in the restaurant were so shocked by the "FIRE" cry they didn't really hear the rest of it — which was just as well — and some of them began to hastily jump up to flee the place! They thought a customer had discovered a fire! Scenes of this type bring a REPROACH on the precious word of God! Should these women have been "witnessing"? Mr. Meredith answered this question, in the article "Should Women Preach?" appearing in the February-March, 1955, Plain Truth. Your Bible says NO! "Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a SHAME for women to speak in the Church" (I Cor. 14:34-35 ). After the short preaching at Damascus on the part of the apostle Paul, that Jesus was the true Christ, Paul went to Arabia (Gal. 1:17 ) and returned to Damascus (vs. 18). After three years (vs. 18), Paul then went down to TARSUS, the city of his birth. Prior to this time, however, Paul had been with the other apostles in Jerusalem, after Barnabas had told them of the miraculous way in which God struck him down. He learned from them how they carried out their offices in the government of the Church: "And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem" (Acts 9:28 ). PAUL was TRIED AND PROVED in the actual ministry. Notice how Barnabas, also a disciple of the Church, later took Paul with him when he went to Antioch, and they taught many people for another additional YEAR (Acts 11:25-26 ). It was only after this time of actual ministerial experience and training — having been alone with Christ in the desert of Petra — having been under the direct supervision of the headquarters Church at Jerusalem, then taken with Barnabas who was older in the faith, to Antioch, that God finally led His servants to ordain Paul! Notice, as the elders were ministering to the Lord at Antioch, they were FASTING (Acts 13:2 ). During this time as they were in fasting and prayer — the "Holy Spirit said, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them'" (vs. 2). God's Holy Spirit directed the minds of His praying, fasting servants — His HUMAN INSTRUMENTS! For example, the Holy Spirit led Mr. Armstrong to separate Herman Hoeh, Roderick Meredith and others unto the work whereunto God had called them! He directly REVEALED to Mr. Armstrong — who could see by the FRUITS being borne of these men, by their consecration and dedication to God's work, by the need of the work — by their spiritual leadership and qualifications that God was doing the calling! And so it was with the apostle Paul! The ministers were told to "separate" Paul! A setting apart or a "separation" for an office is just another word for ORDINATION! Notice what happened! "And when they had fasted and prayed (as in all cases of ordinations), and LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM, they sent them away" (Acts 13:3 ). There is the record of the ordination of the apostle Paul by HUMAN INSTRUMENTS, in the exact same way God always calls and chooses His true ministers — after conversion, a number of years of study and preparation, actual field testing and proving in the ministry, and final ordination when GOD shows His ministers His will! Some, however, who are always looking for ways to GET AROUND the set and established ways of their Creator and RULER, want to "have their own way," and so try to achieve their own goals by wrong means! False "Visions" and "Dreams" Frequently, some will get a certain "feeling" they are being called to the ministry! Setting their heart on the ministry, they DECIDE God has called them to be His stewards — and begin to FORCE THEMSELVES IN! Notice, they have NOT been trained — have NOT fulfilled the divinely imposed Scriptural qualifications, have NOT been observed, tested and proved by God's true ministers — they merely "make up their minds" and then VOLUNTEER! BUT NONE OF GOD'S TRUE SERVANTS HAVE EVER VOLUNTEERED ON THEIR OWN. Others have a "dream" and then come to the ministers, telling them God IS calling them to the ministry! But WHO HAD THE DREAMS IN THE BIBLE? The one being called? Or the human instrument used in the actual calling? Notice! In the case of the apostle Paul, the miraculous vision on the road to Damascus WAS ALSO COUPLED WITH A VISION WHICH APPEARED TO ANANIAS — a truly converted man, who was already in God's Church — whom God used as the instrument in baptizing Paul. Ananias DID NOT ordain Paul — he merely baptized him! God's true servants are not called by weird dreams and visions which God keeps HIDDEN from His already-called and ordained officers of the Church. A lay member will not be called to the ministry without the MINISTERS being the FIRST ONES TO RECOGNIZE IT — BEFORE THE LAY MEMBER EVER DOES! A Host of "Volunteers" The Bible is also explicit on a whole GROUP of men who "volunteered" for the ministry, or a prophetic office, or a position of leadership in the congregation! "Now Korah... rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel... against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, 'You take too much upon you, seeing ALL the congregation are holy... wherefore then lift ye up YOURSELVES above the congregation?" (Num. 16:1-3 ). Notice! Moses and Aaron were accused of having APPOINTED THEMSELVES and "lifting up themselves" over the congregation! You and I know, however, that Moses and Aaron were called of God! But — as is nearly ALWAYS the case when a presumptuous person tries to USURP authority, he repudiates the office of the one in the already-established position, and accused that person of having arrogated the office to himself! Let's never let this happen to any of us! Notice the fearsome END of Korah! "...the ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods... and they perished from among the congregation" (Num. 16: 31-33 ). Satan "volunteered" to take over the office of God! All the FALSE prophets set themselves up, claiming to be the true prophets of God! Adonijah, Solomon's half-brother, tried to set himself up as King over Israel, and was finally killed for his presumptuousness! Simon, the sorcerer, wanted the power of God, and tried to buy it with money! Peter said, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money... thy HEART IS NOT RIGHT in the sight of God" (Acts 8:20-21 ). Any person who tries to arrogate to himself an office of the ministry joins ranks with Korah, with Adonijah and all the false prophets, and with Satan the Devil himself! REMEMBER! There is not one single example in your Bible where the true ministers of God VOLUNTEERED OF THEMSELVES FOR THE OFFICE! PROPHECIES Against PROPHETS! There are many thousands today who, even in innocence, have taken to themselves the prerogative of teaching God's word. And, it is a great SHAME to state the further truth — that HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF "TEACHERS" OF THE BIBLE TODAY KNOW LITTLE IF ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIBLE! THEY ARE IGNORANT OF IT, GROPING IN THE DARK, and because they have not realized the GRAVE WARNINGS about this very thing in the Bible itself — are heading for an awful END unless they REPENT of it, and CHANGE THEIR WAYS! James warns, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation" (Jas. 3:1 ). In the King James English, this verse is a little obscure, but by taking other translations, and the original Greek, the rendering, in modern English, is this: "Do NOT MANY OF YOU BECOME TEACHERS, KNOWING THAT WE (WHO TEACH GOD'S WORD) SHALL RECEIVE GREATER JUDGEMENT! " The entire third chapter of James — famous as the chapter about the tongue, and evil speaking of man — is directed as a warning to THOSE WHO DARE TO TEACH THE BIBLE TO OTHERS! Jeremiah was a prophet of God. God used Him to prophesy against other prophets — both past, PRESENT and FUTURE! In Jer. 23 , a startling prophecy is revealed concerning the' end times. You are now living in these end times — the time just before the INTERVENTION of Almighty God, and the return of Jesus Christ to this earth! Let's notice the dire warnings contained in this prophecy about false teachers! "WOE be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord" (Jer. 23:1 ). Subsequent verses show God will bring the evil of their own doings upon them (even though they preach against any "works" ir is WORKS they'll be JUDGED BY!). But it is not only those who style themselves ordained ministers this prophecy is directed to. Notice! "I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed'" (Jer. 23:25 ). They say, "I know the answers! I can tell you what the Bible means" — but they DON'T KNOW! "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal" (vs. 26-27), So they're not all standing in a pulpit, or holding an office — but some are simply teaching their neighbors! When God has NOT CALLED THEM! Here is what God says: "Behold, I am against the prophets... that use their tongues, and say, He saith. "Behold I am against them that prophesy false dreams... and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord" (Jer. 23:31-32 ). Finally, when the KINGDOM OF GOD is established on this earth, we read: "It shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a hairy cloak (marginal reading) to deceive, but he shall say, 'I am no prophet! I am a FARMER, for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth!" (Zech. 13:3-5 ). YES! In that day a man will aspire to be a FARMER before claiming to teach others in the name of Christ when Christ has NOT SENT HIM! To those who CHOSE FOR THEMSELVES THE MINISTRY — WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE JOB — WHO SET THEMSELVES UP AS TEACHERS OF OTHERS — THESE SCRIPTURES GIVE WARNING! You have read this article. You are now RESPONSIBLE for it. May God give you the grace and wisdom to be obedient to Him in ALL things!