 |
| Which is Which? |
A while back we came out with an article, showing a teaching that was being taught as "God's truth" to many people believing what they were being told as the TRUE TEACHING of God's Word. This subject on BINDING and LOOSING. How could one tell the difference in this? The biggest step is READ YOUR BIBLE.
Too many don't read the Bible, and they let men and denominations deceive them into a counterfeit "Gospel" or "Message". What does God require us to do as Christians? (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.As always we must RECOGNIZE and ACCEPT how God's Truth, that TRUE TEACHING was restored to the Church in this End time, this last half of the Philadelphia Era of God's Church.
Beware of many coming to you saying that we preach or teach that "Mr. Herbert W Armstrong is the WAY of Salvation", putting him up as a deity worthy of worship. That is completely FALSE! We believe, and teach, as Mr. Armstrong always taught, which GOD'S WORD teaches, that the ONLY way of Salvation is CHRIST! And no one else! We however believe Christ restored and prepared that way through Mr. Herbert W Armstrong. Christ did it, not any man.
How did you come to know of the many truths of God's Word today? By and through the Worldwide Church of God! And how did we receive it? Through God's Apostle, Mr. Herbert W Armstrong! There are MANY articles that answer this in deeper detail.
This answers the HOW it came to us! This point is what MANY want to deny! They want to ignore how God gave us the many truths all on a silver platter. It is like one asking "how did the Church start? Who started it?" whilst denying Jesus Christ was ever involved. We must see Christ in the PICTURE! Mr. Waterhouse explained it perfectly. He said, it is like a telephone ringing, you answer and ask who is it? Are you in Doubt of who is calling when so-and-so says this is they? No! Christ is doing His Work similarly. God has his instrument, his telephone if you want, and has sent HIS, that is CHRIST'S MESSAGE, and it is calling you. You answer the phone, responding to the INSTRUMENT God is using to reach you. Would we DENY then, the one CALLING? The one who is on the other end? "Who is this?" "This is Jesus Christ". "Oh, I don't believe you". "I'm not really sure that Christ can do such a thing in using a human as His Instrument to reach me. I'll wait for the REAL Christ to reach me, the way I think. For I don't quite believe you have done such a thing!" [Hangs up] Raised up in the Resurrection. Christ: "Why didn't you believe me(my message) and the Work I did through My Servant Herbert W Armstrong?"
Mat 7:22 "...Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? "
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock..."
Mat 7:21 Not every one 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.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.And as typified by the Laodicean attitude that is here, and of the coming Church Era...
Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.Something we all must understand is that God works through Human Instruments.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
God Works through Human Instruments by Reinhold Fuessel
http://sermons.wwcg-archives.com/Reinhold%20Fuessel/202%20Fuessel-How%20God%20Works%20Through%20Human%20Instaments.mp3
"But what are we to do as Christians concerning God's Government and what TEACHING we are to HOLD FAST to?
"But what of the separated individual believer, who tries to GET his salvation all by himself or by following some MAN or any of hundreds of professing Christian denominations of our day? He is CUT OFF from that TRUE teaching, which Christ reveals to and through His apostle!What if one in the Church disagrees on some point of doctrine? Then he is out of harmony with God's Church. And GOD HAS ONLY THE ONE CHURCH.Why the Church by Herbert W Armstrong
And all in the Church are commanded to speak the same thing - and it must be what CHRIST, either in person or by written Word, has taught His apostle.
To the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote: "Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing". (I Corinthians 1:10) Some of them wanted to follow Peter, some wanted to follow Apollos, some Paul. But PAUL was their apostle and Christ taught them by PAUL.
The separated individual believer will follow his own idea of God's truth. THAT IS NOT GOD'S WAY.
God in His almighty wisdom, has raised up the CHURCH, as HIS MEANS of teaching all the SAME TRUTH - all speaking the SAME THING! Not each individual his own thing! "
http://wwcgarchives.blogspot.com/2016/10/why-church.html
"Later, other "men of renown" in God's Church could not see CHRIST in the Church - only THE PEOPLE! They were in very high position in God's Church - but they wanted to make it MAN'S church. Their conspiracy was far more subtle than that of 1974. They undertook to produce a "scholarly work" setting forth their own distortion and perversion of the doctrines God had put in His Church through His chosen apostle. It was done secretly. Christ's apostle was overseas most of the time, and it was carefully kept from him. It was handed out to all the ministers as the "official doctrines of the Church." There were at least six or seven in TOP offices next to Christ's apostle in authority - men trusted and honored. But they were going to make it "THE CHURCH OF PEOPLE," instead of the CHURCH OF GOD. They could not see God nor Christ in their mental picture of God's Church. They were LIBERALS! They liberalized Ambassador College. They liberalized The Plain Truth magazine. They changed and liberalized Church doctrines and teachings and beliefs."
Shall We All Leave THE CHURCH OF GOD and Join "THE CHURCH OF PEOPLE"?
By Herbert W Armstrong
http://good-news.wwcg-archives.com/1980-1986/Good%20News%201980%20%28Prelim%20No%2008%29%20Sep.pdf#page=3
AGAIN, WE must SEE Christ in the PICTURE!
"Brethren, think a moment. HOW did the first Church of God receive its doctrines -- its teachings -- its beliefs? Answer: Only through the APOSTLES. And how did they receive this teaching? Direct from JESUS in person. He is the WORD of God. The Bible is the SAME Word of God in writing! How did YOU receive the true teachings of Christ? From God's apostle. How did I receive this wonderful truth? From the SAME JESUS, only IN WRITING. The Bible is a coded book. The Catholics and Protestants have access to it, but can't UNDERSTAND IT! WHY? "A GOOD UNDERSTANDING have all they that DO his COMMANDMENTS," says Christ in writing -- in the Bible. Catholics and Protestants say his commandments are DONE AWAY -- nailed to the cross! They CAN'T understand the Bible. Jesus said these truths are hidden from the wise of this world and revealed to babes -- to those who submit to his commandments and his GOVERNMENT.
[...] I submitted to the GOVERNMENT OF GOD! I GAVE my life to Christ, to let him live his life IN ME. He opened my understanding to HIS TRUTH, used me to share it with you and all his Church. WE MUST ALL SPEAK THE SAME THING -- and it must be the very same thing Jesus teaches in HIS WORD. There must be NO DIVISIONS or contentions among us. We must be ONE with Christ and with God. We are NOT an Australian church or an American church -- we are all ONE in Christ Jesus!"January 26, 1983 Australian Member Letter - By Herbert W Armstrong
Now this gets down to the MAIN POINT in this article. God's Word is specific on WHO was given Authority to "BIND and LOOSE" in the Church of God. You can read more on this subject here - http://wwcgarchives.blogspot.com/2016/09/donald-ward-teaching-others-their.html
Who are we to BELIEVE? Jesus Christ? or a Man or denomination speaking against God's Word?
The TRUE Teaching is God's WORD! And God taught and RESTORED THAT TRUE TEACHING to His Church VIA His Apostle Herbert W Armstrong! No one else! That is how God gave the doctrines of which it was to teach and continue in, by and through His chosen Apostle!
Now are we holding the man, Herbert W Armstrong, as the FOCUS here? Are we holding him up as the "Way of Salvation"? Nonsense.
The Way of Salvation here is Jesus Christ. And we MUST SPEAK THE SAME THING. God's Truth, God's WORD as taught and restored through Christ's Apostle Herbert W Armstrong! Christ prepared THE WAY by human instruments. THAT is how God works!
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.Remember it is God's TRUTH, God's WORD is the TRUE TEACHING that Herbert W Armstrong taught! That is the REAL DEAL. The Bonifide ORIGINAL! The Truth! And anything that contradicts God's Word, that departs from that TRUE TEACHING, is not to be followed! We are not saying to Follow a man, but GOD'S WORD, that TRUE TEACHING. On one hand we do recognize God's True Minister with the Authority to Bind and Loose and PREACH God's WORD! God's Apostle Herbert W Armstrong. Most importantly the focus is that TRUE TEACHING, which is God's Word!
REMEMBER THIS!!
"But what of the separated individual believer, who tries to GET his salvation all by himself or by following some MAN or any of hundreds of professing Christian denominations of our day? He is CUT OFF from that TRUE teaching, which Christ reveals to and through His apostle!What if one in the Church disagrees on some point of doctrine? Then he is out of harmony with God's Church. And GOD HAS ONLY THE ONE CHURCH.Why the Church by Herbert W Armstrong
And all in the Church are commanded to speak the same thing - and it must be what CHRIST, either in person or by written Word, has taught His apostle.
To the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote: "Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing". (I Corinthians 1:10) Some of them wanted to follow Peter, some wanted to follow Apollos, some Paul. But PAUL was their apostle and Christ taught them by PAUL.
The separated individual believer will follow his own idea of God's truth. THAT IS NOT GOD'S WAY.
God in His almighty wisdom, has raised up the CHURCH, as HIS MEANS of teaching all the SAME TRUTH - all speaking the SAME THING! Not each individual his own thing! "
http://wwcgarchives.blogspot.com/2016/10/why-church.html
What Does it Mean to Be "Back on the Track"?
By Robert Fahey
http://sermons.wwcg-archives.com/Dennis%20Luker/Back%20On%20Track%20Sermonette%20-12-14-81.mp3
"What does it mean Brethren, when Mr. Armstrong says, "BACK ON THE TRACKS"? Or Christ has shown him that He's going to put His Church "Back on the tracks"?
You know since June 1978, Mr. Armstrong has been telling us, that Christ has shown him that Jesus Christ Himself, was going to put HIS Church "Back on the Tracks". And from that time we heard about the Church itself being put back on the tracks. The Plain Truth Magazine, Ambassador College, Various things that was going on, one after the other as it was addressed and found not to be as it should be, was put back, and IS being put back on the tracks. One after the other. And that job is not DONE yet, there's still much to do, but yet the major turn around is certainly taken place.
But what does it mean, to be "Back on the tracks"?
Take a look at John Chapter 12. The Apostle John, faithfully recording Christ's words. For he says in John chapter 12, and verse 49(John 12:49) And you can find several scriptures where Christ says this very same thing, or very similar to it. He says, "for I have not spoken of myself". The words that He brought and He spoke were not His own words! Christ did NOT claim authorship for the words that He delivered! "for I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment what i should say, and what I should speak". Now you know most of us, would be reluctant to say something like that. We just don't want to say, that we just speak what we're TOLD to speak, but Jesus Christ faithfully said, "That His words were not His own". He spoke the words the Father GAVE Him to speak. And He says and "I KNOW that His commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me. So I speak."
Christ NEVER claimed authorship for His words. He always said the words were from His Father! Who is greater than He! Take a look in John Chapter 17. John Chapter 17, you'll remember that this was the last night,. This was the prayer that Christ prayed to the Father before He was crucified. It's a very moving prayer. And it's got a lot of knowledge. Lot of Spiritual knowledge, and understanding for us. Notice John 17 and verse 6(John 17:6), He said "I have manifested Your Name unto the men which You gave Me out of the world. Yours they were and You gave them to me, and they have kept YOUR word." Notice again He doesn't claim authorship, He says they have kept the Word of God, The Father. They kept God's Word. "Now they have known that ALL things whatsoever you have given me are of You". The Apostles, the disciples at the time, recognized that the words that Christ gave them was NOT Christ's Words! They knew that he was sent from the Father with a message! They understood that. And He says "now they have known that ALL things whatsoever you have given me are of You. And I have given unto them the WORDS which You gave me!" The Word was given to Christ. He was sent to the earth with a message. And He gave it to the APOSTLES! "I have given them the words which You gave Me. And they have received them". They recognized them for what they were, "and have known surely that I came out from You, and they have believed that YOU did send me". The Apostles knew that. They recognized Christ as the one that was sent from God. And His words as GOD'S words!
Now, notice what they were to do. In Verse 18, of the same Chapter, "As You have sent Me into the World" Christ said, that's why Paul referred to him as an Apostle, He was sent too, "As you have sent me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world." Those Apostles were given the Words of God. Christ faithfully delivered them to the Apostles, and then He sent then into the world to take them and preach them and whosoever would hear, they would, they would listen and recognize the words for what they were.
Notice in 2nd Timothy Chapter 3. 2nd Timothy, Chapter 3 and verse 14(2Timothy 3:14). Here's Paul, who was trained personally by Christ as well, and Christ, you know, is SO much identified with the Word of God, and it so fills Him, that HE'S CALLED The Word of God! God permits that name to be on Him, because He's so much like it, He is exactly the Word of God! He says in 2nd Timothy, Chapter 3, and verse 14, the Apostle Paul trained personally by Christ as well, "but continue you in the things which you have learned, and have been assured of". Timothy was a young minister, and he TOLD to keep going the same direction. "...knowing of whom you have learned them." Knowing that the Apostle Paul had taught him. And he had a direct connection with Christ who has taught him the Words from the Father. And that Christ had faithfully delivered the Father's words. "...knowing of whom you have learned them, and that from a child you have KNOWN the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." Timothy KNEW the Words of God, the Old testament of course, from a Child. But did he understand them? NO! Not until an Apostle came and explained it to him. And showed him what those words were, and helped him to put them together, here a little and there a little. To understand the Words of God! Notice brethren it's ALWAYS called the Word of God. It comes from the Father. And it was sent by Christ, Christ was sent into the world to bring the Words of God! And He gave them to the Apostles. And the Apostles were to faithfully pass them on, to the membership, and the ministry, ALL of them! And they would carry them on Faithfully.
Now when you have it straight down the line, and you get God's mind on any subject, on any subject there is, and it comes from the Father. And it was given to Christ, and He faithfully passed it on to the Apostles. And the Apostles faithfully passed it on in the Word that we're reading now, which is called the Word of God! SO representing Christ's message that it's the Word of God too. And we faithfully are in line with that, and it comes from the Apostles down to the ministry and the membership, and it's straight and there are NO Changes or delusions, YOU'RE ON TRACK!
And when there is anything that's distorted, or somebody gets in the way, and changes it, and decides he is not going to deliver it faithfully as he's been taught it, then it's diluted, or distorted in some way, and then YOU'RE OFF TRACK! Then it's NOT God's Word faithfully passed on down! That might be on a subject like the Sabbath, which is very clear in the scripture. Which we can understand very clearly. Or a subject that is not covered directly, like smoking. Where the principles of God's law are applied, and the clear Will of God is plain, about, in the Church of God, that we don't smoke. Even though there's no specific prohibition about it. Whether it's on keeping God's annual festivals, the Holy Days, that again is clearly set out n the Word. And kept in there and taught faithfully right through. Or something like applause in Church, where a certain decision has to be made based on the principles of God's Law, and the principles of His Way of Life. Whether it's a matter like Tithing, which again shows God's mind very clearly in the scripture, that He wants us each to Tithe. Or something that is Not covered directly like calling a minister by his first name. But a principle based on God's Law. When we have God's mind on those subjects passed on down FROM God, to Christ, to the Apostles, in our age, APOSTLE, and on down to the ministry and membership, then we're faithfully on track, and we're going the way God wants us to go!
There will be two results of that! That we now enjoy far more in the Church of God, than we did when we were OFF the track! And the one result is PEACE!
Where no one's arguing and bickering for his OWN point of view, he wants to have GOD'S Point of view on every subject! And he wants to know what God's mind is. Cuts out all of the arguments and all the fights and the bickering.
And the 2nd result is, that we'll all speak the SAME THING! Exactly God's Word as it comes down from Him, right through Christ, the Apostles, right on down through to us, the ministry and the membership. And I'll tell you that is a pleasant thing, that can be. Because you see God knows the Way of Peace! He knows the way that men should go! He knows how we should have a proper relationship with God. And He knows how we should have a proper relationship with each other. And nobody else does. And when we have His Word straight, and we're following it, we're RIGHT ON TRACK! Exactly the way we ought to be.
Take a look at Ephesians. The book of Ephesians, Chapter 4. You know it's instructive, that anyone COULD alter the Words of God, the most qualified to do so, is Jesus Christ himself! He's absolutely perfect! And yet in the scripture He goes TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME, to say that He DOESN'T Alter it, He DOESN'T CHANGE it, that they're NOT His Words! And that He faithfully passed iit on just the way the Father gave it! And each of us in our own lives, should do exactly the same thing. Following God's Will. Following God's Way.
Notice in Ephesians Chapter 4 and verse 11(Eph 4:11), "and He gave", Christ did, "some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints", so that the Church, the people that are the saints, would be perfect. "...for the work of the ministry, for the edifying..." or the Building "...of the body of Christ, till we all come..." ALL of us! "...in the UNITY of the faith". There's one faith! And there's ONE way to go! "...and of the knowledge of the Son of God" with the knowledge of God's Way. The knowledge that He brought from the Father. "...till we all come in the Unity of the Faith, and the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Till we TOO can be called the Word of God, identified with God's way, and to be filled with it, although we may never have that title, that's His. But, till we follow that Word, until we are LIKE it! And we all have the SAME mind, and we serve God with one consent! And when we are, when Christ brings that Unity to His Church, It can be clearly said that the Church is, on the Tracks!"
No comments:
Post a Comment