THE APOSTLE’S TEACHING

“GOVERNMENT”

Part III

Binding and Loosing

In past ads it has been shown that we must be speaking and continuing in the same doctrines as God’s late apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. On page 249, in Mystery of the Ages: " In I Corinthians 1, the apostle Paul was inspired to command that all in the Church "SPEAK THE SAME THING." There must be no division in what is believed, taught or preached" (emphasis mine).

( Note: Today, the various splinter Church groups are not speaking the same things as the apostle, including his teaching on government. To this they would all agree.)

Mr. Armstrong continues: "Yet none is truly the Church OF GOD , unless it is GOD'S CHURCH, continuing in doctrine, practice, organization, in all ways on the original biblical pattern...."

Then on page 350: “ One thing there will not bein the millennial Headquarters Church is a doctrinal committeeof intellectual "scholars" to decide whether Christ's teachings are true doctrines. ... All teaching came from Christ through the apostles--and a few times Christ communicated to apostles via the prophets ( of which there are none in God's Church today since the Bible for our time is complete). God's Church today , as in the first century, receives its teachings from the living Christ, through an apostle, just as in A.D. 31."

These are strong words from the highest delegated human authority under Jesus Christ. They are not empty words, nor were they given in vain. To not heed them constitutes rebellion against God, plain and simple. This brings us to the next part in this series on Government, that of Binding and Loosing in the Church.

GET THE CONTEXT OF A VERSE

Many ministers in God’s Church believe they, the ministry, have the power to bind and loosen doctrine in the Church. This claim is most often made by ministers because of the statement in Matthew 18:18: “ Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

On the surface this verse would seem like adequate proof for ministers to state they have the authority to bind and loosen anything, including doctrine. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why doctrines have been altered, eliminated, or polluted in the Church since Mr. Armstrong’s death. But what does this verse really say?

We must look at those verses before and after this particular one to get the context in which this statement was made. The subject being discussed here tells how to handle problems between brethren and the ultimate fate for one who does not heed those instructions. These verses do not in any way discuss doctrine being bound or loosened in the Church. In fact they re-affirm a doctrine, that had already been set long before this in Deuteronomy 17:6-13, by Jesus Christ the Lord of the Old Testament.

Matthew 18:18 deals with a problem between brethren in the Church and what to do about it. That is quite simple to understand. Men do not have any right to take a scripture or verse out of context and use it however they feel they want. That certainly is not following the apostle’s instructions as given to him from Jesus Christ.

Another scripture used by ministers that feel they can bind or loose doctrine is found in Matthew 16:19: “ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

This verse is explained in great detail by Mr. Armstrong in the Good News Magazine, Nov. 20, 1978 . After reading what Mr. Armstrong wrote about this verse, you will see where the ministry has misled the Church about binding and loosing doctrine. The apostle had it right.

THE APOSTLE’S TEACHING

What did the apostle teach about binding and loosing? We have already established that doctrine is put into the Church through an apostle only. Whether we will or won’t keep and teach the same doctrines is our choice as members and ministers.

Now, some quotes from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong: The Good News Magazine, Nov. 20, 1978 : " The New Testament Church of God received all its teaching, practices, customs, FROM THE APOSTLES, with Peter chief over all the others . Peter did have primacy as chief apostle! I shall amply prove that. YET PETER WAS NOT A POPE! There is a vast DIFFERENCE!

Remember, an apostle is “ONE SENT FORTH WITH THE GOSPEL.” The Roman Catholic pope sits permanently (unless, as some few have done, he takes a trip to some other place --- not as carrying the Gospel, but as a POLITICAL HEAD OF STATE).

Yet the apostles were the teachers who instilled in the Church the
BELIEFS, TEACHINGS, PRACTICES AND CUSTOMS of the Church. And all members of the Church were required by God to BELIEVE and SPEAK THE SAME THING!

The word apostle means “one sent forth.” The meaning here is unmistakable --- as Peter was the chiefapostle to Israel and Judah , so Paul was chief apostle to the gentiles .”

Nevertheless, when ALL of the scriptures on this subject are put together, it becomes certain that Peter, in fact, was the overall chief apostle. The New Testament Church of God received all its teaching, practices, customs, FROM THE APOSTLES, with Peter chief over all the others .

SOURCE OF CHURCH BELIEFS

“Let’s GET THIS STRAIGHT, once and for all ! The SOURCE of the beliefs, teachings, customs and practices in the Church of God is GOD HIMSELF! Not any man. Jesus said, “I have spoken nothing of myself” --- the FATHER had instructed Him! Jesus, in turn, taught His apostles in Person!

THERE WAS NO DOCTRINAL BOARD! The teachings of the Church did not come from a COUNCIL of ministers and/or lay members, who voted on what to believe.

Right here, SOME are going to ask, “WHAT ABOUT ACTS 15? Wasn’t that the first Church Council at Jerusalem , to settle points of doctrine?” THE ANSWER IS NO!”

(Notice: This question is the basis some have used for forming a different government today in some of the groups. They are going against what the apostle taught. Notice the answer he gave; a big NO! You members and ministers better wake up!)

UNAUTHORIZED TEACHERS

Notice, verse 1: “. . . certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” Who were these men? NOT apostles, or they would have been named.

Right here, MARK WELL THIS POINT: GOD PUT HIS TRUTH INTO HIS CHURCH THROUGH CHRIST AND THROUGH THE APOSTLES! These men were not apostles. What they taught was NOT FROM JESUS!

The apostle Paul KNEW WELL that God gave His Church its teachings only through Christ and the apostles. Immediately Paul withstood these unauthorized teachers.”

(Notice how these above quotes knock out the belief of various Church groups today that have made the basis when formed a different government structure for themselves. They certainly are not following the teachings of the apostle. Mr. Armstrong, if alive today, would certainly withstand them as Paul did then for their wrong teaching about government)

Further quotes from the apostle Good News Nov. 20 1978 : “But God has always worked primarily through ONE MAN at a time --- as Abraham, then Isaac, then Jacob, then Joseph --- later Moses, then Joshua, later Samuel, then David --- and, in the New Testament Church, PETER. But Peter was an apostle --- one sent forth proclaiming the message --- not a resident pope over a political hierarchy.

Now notice how JESUS gave Peter primacy over apostles: Jesus had asked His apostles-to-be whom they said Jesus really was. “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said unto him [UNTO PETER] Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee [UNTO PETER], That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell [the grave] shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto THEE [PETER, not the Church] the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou [PETER] shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou [PETER] shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:16 -19).

There has been much discussion at Pasadena between certain ministers of lower than apostle rank as to the CHURCH binding and loosing.

So now let it be MADE OFFICIAL --- by Christ’s present-day apostle --- that this binding and loosing PLAINLY, CLEARLY, was given to Christ’s chief APOSTLE --- not to lower-rank ministers ordained by his authority --- not by the CHURCH as a body --- but by the APOSTLE!

When men who held office under the apostle, and by his appointment or approval, took it into their own hands, in his absence --- stealthily KEEPING IT FROM HIM --- to water down God’s TRUTH, alter His doctrines, assume unauthorized authority, then the living CHRIST moves His apostle to ACT SWIFTLY, to PUT OUT the prime mover in this conspiracy, and, under Christ, set God’s Church and Work BACK ON GOD’S TRACK” (End of quotes)!

CONCLUSION

Now, this brings us to the very purpose of these ads, to help keep you on track! Mr. Armstrong is no longer with us but Jesus Christ, the one who inspired His apostle to write these things, is ALIVE. The words of the apostle, inspired by God, are being presented before you at this very moment. You now have the choice of WHETHER you will follow those teachings or not. Will you make the right choice?

The ministry has changed the teaching about binding and loosing as given to us through an apostle. They have no authority to do this. They are wrong. They are not keeping the instructions of an apostle as he was inspired by Jesus Christ. They have deceived the membership of God’s Church into believing they do have the authority to Bind and Loose doctrines. They are wrong. Be not deceived!

We need to adhere to doctrine as given through the apostle. Only by doing so can we have unity once again in God’s Church. Acts 2:42 -43: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul:..”