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  • Bible Correspondence Course | vigilant-church

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

  • Additional Study Aids | vigilant-church

    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

  • Online News | vigilant-church

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  • From Mr. Armstrong | vigilant-church

    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

  • Apostate Changes | vigilant-church

    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

  • From the Book | vigilant-church

    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 .

  • Feast of Tabernacles | vigilant-church

    COMING... Feast of Tabernacles 2026

  • Holy Day Calendar | vigilant-church

    Annual Holy Day Calendar Click on the image to read the booklet

  • About Us | vigilant-church

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

  • Just Biblical TRUTH | vigilant-church

    Just Biblical TRUTH! True Christian Fellowship Good News June-July 1980 I was sitting at the main hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, with three of our African ministers. And I looked over and saw a group of Nigerian men dressed in their extremely colorful native garb. Each wore a long robe with baggy trousers embroidered in fancy colors and gold, shining in the sunlight, and a little pillbox hat. There were five of them sitting in a circle in the late afternoon after working hours, just talking and gesturing. They appeared to have known each other for years. They displayed a very pleasant, beautiful kind of relationship. Their companionship was striking. No one was left out. Everybody was a part of the group, everybody was accepted, everybody shared — and everybody was enjoying it. I saw the courtesy they extended to each other. I saw the joy they shared at each other's comments, the laughter they had at various remarks. They really enjoyed each other. I saw a real brotherhood in those men. I said to myself: "That's it! That is what is pleasing to God — this fellowship. That's what His plan is all about." "The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (verses 2-3). In God was life. There was total cooperation. They had the same mind (such that later One was able to say, in effect, "If you've seen Me, you've seen the Father, because We look at the basic issues exactly alike" — see John 14:9). They were generous and all-wise. But They were alone. So They wanted to add other beings, with whom to share the eternal life They had. Beings who would be like Them, with all the same characteristics. Perhaps — and here, admittedly, we may be extrapolating from the plan They put together — perhaps They were lonesome. So They wanted a community of people. They wanted diversity. They wanted different personalities and outlooks so They could have a fellowship like that of those five men I saw in Nigeria. They did not want other beings just there to take up space, or selfish beings who would foul the nest and fight and scream and say, "That's mine!" They wanted beings who would shun sin and exercise wisdom, beings equally as immortal as Themselves, who would always display respect for God as leader and for their fellow beings. They wanted to enjoy the other beings viewpoints and feelings. Look at how God pictures the world tomorrow — what He's looking forward to. I like the idea of the lion dwelling with the lamb and snakes that won't harm. In the world tomorrow the plowman will overtake the reaper. Families will be happy. People will grow up in an environment with no war. But look at Zechariah 8:1-3: "Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem." God is going to dwell right smack in the middle of it. Why? "And Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age" (verses 3-4). God is looking forward to a time when He will dwell in the middle of Jerusalem with people. People will be living, working and playing safely. You won't have to worry about somebody assaulting your children. "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" (verse 5). God likes the idea of a community of people, together and sharing. The God Family When you realize what plan the Father and the Son were working out, you may find it interesting and instructive to think about what Christ's last Passover supper meant to Him. "And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him" (Luke 21:14). Look at how God pictures the world tomorrow... the plowman will overtake the reaper. Families will be happy. People will grow up. in an environment with no war. Here was a beginning of His expanding Family-a beginning of the government for the time when all mankind would be members of the God Family. Christ was sitting at a dinner with men whose company He enjoyed, who had been with Him as disciples three years. There had been only two Beings. Now there were to be more. "And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer" (verse 15). Can we understand that more deeply than before? Christ was eager. This was His final dinner as a human being before the plan went into effect. He was to be scourged, crucified and raised back to the God level. Then He would work with these men to bring other people into a "Church" through them. Then He would guide the Church as it announced that all the earth was eventually going to be encompassed in His fellowship. "For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof [of the Passover — the communion or fellowship supper], until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (verse 16). Christ would again have fellowship with them then. He desired those men. He appreciated and loved everyone. He said so later on, and He told them, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35). Christ told them their love for each other would show the world they were His disciples. Beings in that kind of relationship were the beings he wanted to dwell with Him forever. Take a look at Revelation 19:5-7: "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." The wife represents the people who are going to be a part of His Family in that enjoyable fellowship forever. How does Christ celebrate this marriage? First He dresses His people royally: "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" (verses 8-9). He's also going to celebrate His reign with a banquet. It's a community rejoicing — as much as the fellowship of those five men in Nigeria, but much more. Christ is eager for it. He says: "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God" (verse 9). Brotherly Love vs. Loneliness The whole law God has given to mankind is based on love. Love is outgoing concern for other people, for their welfare, for their feelings. Love is the basis of true fellowship. Love is social. If you are stuck on a desert island alone, you may have difficulty expressing love and outgoing concern. You will still be able to have love toward God, of course, but love is also between persons, between minds. It involves a joy of association and sharing. The opposite of love is expressed in the life of a hermit who is fed up with everybody and wants nothing to do with people. Some people get so hurt and upset for various reasons — some their own fault and some not — that they get to the point where they just don't want communication. They say, in effect, "I only trust me." That's the opposite of what God wanted. Loneliness is epidemic in our society. The further we go from God's law, from love and companionship (God's law is called the law of love), the more lonesome people feel, regardless of the size of the crowd they're in. We've got wall-to-wall cities, and people are more lonely than ever. When the real problem is, "I am lonely," people say instead, " Life is boring." Or: " I just feel unhappy. I don't know why, but I'm unhappy all the time." Or, "I've got a drinking problem," or, "I'm overweight," "I can't sleep," "I'm irritable." Unfulfilled would be the bottom line under all that. Authorities have identified other signs in lonely people. They brag a lot, talk about themselves or talk too much or too loud. They develop other outlets to try to satisfy their need for fellowship. Others become overly quiet, timid, seemingly fearful. But all these different cues signal one underlying problem — loneliness and discouragement. It's one of the most effective tools against God's people that Satan has. Because people do not generally recognize what the real problem is, it's impossible for them to find the solution. They may have a lot of talk and pizzazz on the outside, but nevertheless they begin to draw inward. Their thoughts become self-centered. Then, worse, they become addicted to props — chemicals sometimes, in the form of alcohol or drugs. Doctors now know that some chemically-addicted people are really lonely. Some people become addicted to their work, their house, a hobby or a dog or cat. They get all wrapped up in non-human company because human company has become so distressing. The real problems come after that. A constant anger can build up underneath — a constant frustration that keeps boiling, and the blood pressure begins to rise. Or anger disguises itself as depression and causes mental breakdowns, irrational behavior, physical illness, divorce, alcoholism, drug abuse or suicide. Emotional psychologists say that loneliness is probably the number one problem of our age. It's interesting when you consider that God's plan offers the exact opposite. God's law and God's way lead totally away from that. A Treatment for Loneliness Overcoming loneliness involves being able to look around and see those with whom you come in contact perceiving their loneliness and fastening your mind there. We all have deep problems, apprehensions, hopes and dreams. But it helps to have another human being you love... to talk to you or listen. A lonely person needs to focus on others — to express outgoing concern — instead of drawing inward and concentrating on himself. Most people will respond with friendship — the commodity they are dying for — if they are approached in the right way. Doctors have found in group sessions that the loneliest people never nurture others. They never consider the other person's feelings. When others are speaking, they don't listen. They're self-obsessed. They insist on their share of time. The fact that the speaker might be at a great point of interest or covering some point that would be beneficial makes no difference to them. To solve this problem, these people need to learn to share. The doctors suggest that these people develop a skill and share it with somebody — tennis, racquetball, swimming, sewing, playing cards, walking or some other hobby. The thing not to do is just sit down and say, "Help me, I'm lonely." If you do that, you're asking for a babysitter. You should go out and do something — share, participate. A friend of mine has known a certain elderly gentleman for a long time, and he regards this old man as very wise. Once he asked the old fellow, "Tell me, in my lifetime, how many really close friends can I expect to have?" The man told him, "Well, if you're lucky, as many as you have fingers on one hand." It's a rare thing to have a really close friend. But if you're able to be one, then you're going to have far more than usual. I Corinthians 13 describes love, an outgoing concern for others. Learn to nurture others. That's biblical love, serving others. It is exactly what God wants. It is the essence of keeping His commandments — showing love toward God and also toward every fellow human. Close families talk and share outings and sports. There's never a lonesome person in the middle of a close family. Everybody feels accepted. As Malachi says, we should turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers (Mal. 4:6). In principle, that includes aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers and cousins — and even neighbors, in the broadest sense of the term. When is the last time your family had a reunion? Help for problems In my Ambassador College days all the guys in the dormitory and all the friends I knew had problems. They would share them with me a little bit, and I'd start praying about everyone of those problems. That can take an awful long time, just one after the other. I wouldn't bring up one of mine. But before I knew it, my problems seemed somehow more manageable. God made us so that one of our greatest needs is to be understood and be able to share in an open way. We all have deep problems, apprehensions, hopes and dreams. But it helps to have another human being you love, have affection for and admire to talk to you or listen. Job's three friends came to him and sat there seven days. They were grief-stricken by what had happened to the man- his family and possessions were wiped out and he was covered with boils from head to foot. For seven days they never said a word. That was good. But then they made one mistake. They began to talk to him, tell him his problems and preach at him. And that was the last thing the man needed. Then he thought, my friends are against me as well. His wife had given him' the discouraging advice, "curse God and die." All together it put poor Job right at the bottom. Be careful how you share. In this world, when you're lonely, the solution isn't to go hunting for some human friends who will solve your problem. But there is one Being who is always available who's always a friend you can go to. That's God the Father. Take a look at Psalm 73:23-25: "Nevertheless I [David, or anyone of us] am continually with thee [God]: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory [God will welcome you into His Family]. Whom have I in heaven but thee?" There was nobody else David could share with, deal with, trust. "And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever [God is the One who strengthens you]. For, 10, they that are far from thee shall perish [God's purpose was to bring them close to Him and give them life. As Christ said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). And those who remain far from Him are going to perish.]: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works" (verses 25-28). If that's your outlook, as it was David's, other children of the Father who share that relationship with God are going to be very close to you. You're going to appreciate them more and more. Paul wrote of "preferring" the brethren, just because they're brethren (Rom. 12:10). People not acquainted with God's true Church don't have this fellowship, and may run into enormous problems. They're just totally alone in a society where nobody is their friend. We need fellowship. In the Church of God, we have the Father first, the Son and then all the sons and daughters. We have fellowship among us. Don't be separate, off by yourself. Be part of the Body that's growing and readying itself to be brought into the Kingdom of God, to share eternity with God and live with Him forever. If you're part of that Body, let everybody know by your presence. Returned to BABYLON! The scattered churches of God have become worldly. Why does God say to His people, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues (Re, 18:4)." Why are His people in Babylon and why did Jude write "you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints?" Do the churches of God still believe in devine revelation do they still believe in duality? This present twenty first century world, has amazing technology. This technology has advanced so far that we have hand held computers which are in the form of a phone. Notice this early type of computer and how technology in the field of computers has advanced in the last 72 years.... The ENIAC-Computer-Its construction began in 1943 and it occupied about 1,800 square feet, used 17,468 vacuum tubes, 15,000 relays, weighed almost 50 tons, uses 200 Kilowatts of electricity, and cost about $500,000. Today the same or similar technology, has given the church of God an incredible tool, which enables it, the church, to reach people with its message, this is the World Wide Web or as commonly known as ..."the Internet". The internet is the most advanced form of communication-other than human speech-which man has developed so far, it is almost instant communication, almost anywhere on this planet. Herbert Armstrong, the late Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), said in the introduction to the book Mystery of the Ages,... "I learned that the Bible is like a jigsaw puzzle-thousands of pieces, that need putting together-and the pieces will only fit together one way. Then the picture becomes crystal clear, to the one willing to believe what God the Creator says. This present book, Mystery of the Ages -merely puts the many pieces of the great puzzle together, so that they can be clearly understood. As you read and reread the book, compare with your own Bible. See the truths with your own eyes, in your own Bible. And open your mind to God's leading you into his TRUTH as you do. It will make a lot of sense as nothing ever did before. Mystery of the Ages became the most important piece of literature in the WCG, it was presented "to the fundamentals of theology class at Pasadena Ambassador College Sept. 9, 1985. During an hour lecture, Mr. Armstrong then explained why he had written the book as the textbook for the class " (WWN 1985). This book was so important, that it was required reading for all baptismal candidates of the Worldwide Church of God. However, just six months after Mr. Armstrong's death, that requirement was removed. Eighteen months later, Mystery of the Ages was removed from circulation and multiple thousands of copies of that book were sold for pulping! In 1994, at a storage facility used by the South African Worldwide Church of God in Cape Town, I personally witnessed pallet loads of Mystery of the Ages, when I requested a few of those copies, I was told they were "sold and were waiting to be removed for pulping." The ministry of the churches of God have lost all understanding of revelation from God and by their rejection of this important book and its author, they have given themselves over to a spirit of error (1 John 4:6; Jude 11). Does that Book make "sense" Today? The Ministry of the Church of God are responsible for upholding the truth, as it was restored to the Church of God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:1-4). It has become obvious, that these ministers were infected by an anti-Armstrong, anti truth virus, injected into their minds through their association with the apostates. These vile men, destroyed all the fundamental doctrines of the church of God (WCG) and replaced them with Protestant doctrines. During the formation of the United Church of God an International Association, at Indianapolis Indiana in 1995, the unanimous cry from the over 600 ministers present was, "we are free from that evil one man rule", of course they meant free from Mr. Herbert Armstrong, being responsible for presiding over the government of God, in the church (WCG) under Christ the Head. The one church who fought a court case to buy the copyrights to Mr. Armstrong's literature, the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG), changed or edited out an important paragraph in Mystery of the Ages, from the original 1985 edition, that paragraph on pages 244-245 is "No prophets are mentioned as having either administrative, executive or preaching functions in the New Testament Church." This was removed because Mr.Gerald Flurry claims to be a New Testament prophet, and has appropriated various other biblical names. The Measuring We have produced videos, Measuring the Churches of God, involving the ministers of the scattered churches of God and their responsibility to uphold the TRUTH, that was restored through Jesus Christ to His Church, by His twentieth century servant Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. These videos involved: 1. Rejection of Mr. Armstrong as the one who came in the spirit and power of Elijah and the rejection of the literature, that help build the Church of God. And 2. these ministers reject what Mr. Armstrong said how important Mystery of the Ages is. This book is the “Banner”. We have been preaching about the Church of God, unknowingly, having returned to Babylon. These leaders of the churches of God, have introduced different doctrines contrary to what Christ restored in the twentieth century. And furthermore, almost all of the membership of these churches of God have become worldly in the way they dress, the use of make-up, their conduct, conversation, their belief of the TRUTH and their REJECTION OF GOD'S GOVERNMENT ! Their leaders have not used the biblical pattern (Eph 4:6-12; 1 Cor 12:28) and have structured these churches of God differently, as to the tradition that was established in the Worldwide Church of God. With regards to them returning to Babylon, the prophet Isaiah writes, “The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see” (Isaiah 13:1). God has given us (VCG) the ability to SEE the burden, that has come upon these scattered churches of God. The word burden in verse 1, has seen considerable differences of opinion, in regard to the meaning of the word. So, before we get to the meaning of that word, we must first understand, that the Great God is not only Creator, He is also the Revealer of basic knowledge, knowledge which is incomprehensible to man and because of this, mankind has rejected revelation, as a source of basic knowledge, unfortunately so have many of the ministers in the scattered churches of God...rejecting of revelation! If they didn't, they would still follow Christ's teachings and instructions, through His late apostle. However, the rot in these men's minds began around 1969, Mr. Armstrong gave a sermon on June 24 1978, to a combined Pasadena congregation and said... "We were one. Nobody was in doubt about who was in charge. But then many, near the top, began-every man to try to do his "own thing." Instead of trying to do God's thing, they began to do their own thing and a spirit of competition began to come in. At the same time, what I call the "leaven of intellectualism coming in....". Brethren, that same spirit of competition and intellectualism was entering into this work of the Vigilant Church of God. A few months ago our Festival Coordinator, had his performance, as such, evaluated, to the point of causing him some despair. Programs were introduced on our website, which unfortunately some of us subscribed to, they were introduced by an intellectual, who wanted all of us to think like he does. When I had it taken down, there was some resentment, which eventually spread becoming, "a root of bitterness". Too many have forgotten revelation comes through the Holy Spirit, which we have, notice 1 Corinthians 2:10, "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." And of course to have the Spirit of God, necessitates obedience (Acts 5:32). The leaders in these scattered churches have also rejected the principle of "duality"! The Burden So with this in mind... the word ‘burden,’means... utterance, a doom, to raise up, a mental desire, carry away and to bear. God's heritage has been carried away, by a weak and cowardly ministry, under the sway of the spirit of error, to return to Babylon to a love of the world. Isaiah continues in verse 2, "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles". This is an incredibly revealing verse, about a short work that has to take place before God reveals His final two witnesses. In this verse we are told to support the "Banner," or cause one to bear the banner, notice the wording and structure of this verse. After we see the church being taken back to Babylon, we are told to, support the "banner", you have seen this photo below... It takes a dedicated converted team, to raise the banner and that banner is Mystery of the Ages , because it is the book that honors and restores God to His place as head of His government and it describes the plan of God. This banner has to be the rallying point for God's people, it has to be lifted high, so they can see it and understand its importance, because it and its author have been shamefully demeaned. This is what the "Presiding" Evangelist, of the Living Church of God said of that book in a sermon..."he was like a god-the Elijah to come. His writings are to be enshrined-Mystery of the Ages is like a New Testament inspired by God, so you don't mess with it". The sarcasm of this individual is shocking and made more so, by the fact, that this same leaders' church, has a large framed photo of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong hanging on the wall of their Board room, I've seen it! All of these leaders in some way are causing God's heritage, to depart from the revealed and inspired truth restored by Mr. Armstrong. The Mountain Let us continue with verse 2, it says upon the high mountain, but which mountain? Mt Zion? Psalm 50:2, "Out of Zion, the perfection [completeness] of beauty, God hath shined. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. 5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice".There is only one book, one publication, other than the Bible that explains the plan of God, in the most simple way and only one small group of people, who are doing a work of gathering [or recovering] God's people back to Zion and to the understanding of God's plan of salvation. The Voice The verse continues... "exalt the voice unto them" the word voice is "kole", in this verse it means the loud sound of a trumpet, such as Isa 58:1, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." So, this is an alarm, the sound of the Shofar which we must raise up, notice Jeremiah... "My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" (Jer 4:19). Can we hold our peace when we KNOW what is going to happen in the inner court and the sanctuary of God? Who is the "them?" in that statement? It is those who have been taken back to Babylon in Isaiah 1:1. Then we have "shake the hand," this is describing, calling a people who will not hear the voice -the trumpet- however, they see the physical action of calling through the waving of the hand, they see the physical display that is used, they see Mystery of the Ages and are reminded of the HOPE of their calling. What is Our Heritage? Then we have, "that they may go into the gates of the nobles." So we cry out aloud, we indicate through using our throat-voice-aloud and through using physical means (the internet), to show these people of God the desperate need for them, to come back to the understanding of becoming the "noble" the royal family of God. And the Banner, Mystery of the Ages, is the book that will reveal God's total plan of salvation to them, in the simplest and easiest way. The church is to become the Bride of Jesus Christ, the Church is to inherit all things, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?..." (1Cor 6:9). We will sit on a throne in the kingdom of God... "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Rev 3:21). Dear brethren, we have to come out of Babylon, to inherit all things and to sit on the throne with Christ. We have to return to the faith that was established by Christ, through His servant Herbert W, Armstrong. Verse 3, I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. Only God's first fruits are sanctified, and only those first fruits who champion for God and rejoice in His highness - His Majesty, will be willing to do the final work of measuring His church. So my brethren, we have an awesome opportunity laid before us, as those who will do a short but mighty work. Satan has his eyes on us and he will do his utmost to destroy or discredit the Vigilant Church of God. But, be assured, Christ knows who are His and all you have to do is make sure, YOU ARE one of His.

  • FAQ | vigilant-church

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

  • Members | vigilant-church

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

Vigilant Church of God 

2, Boston Place

20- 8th Avenue Boston,

Cape Town 5730

South Africa

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