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Chapter Index 2 -Is That Door Still Open Today? 4 - Problems Of A Divided Church 7 - A Faithful Minister’s Duties 12 - The Conclusion Of The Matter
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The Work of God in the Laodicean Era | ||
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Chapter Eleven Other Areas Of Caution When proving whether a minister is faithful in keeping the truth and doctrines of God, there are other areas of which we need to be aware. Some ministers who appear to be teaching and keeping all the doctrines act like overlords with God's people. They treat harshly members who have a disagreement with them. Using fear and threats of disfellowshipment they try to force members to conform to their own way of thinking. That type of conduct is neither proper nor becoming of a true minister of God. God has set standards for the conduct of ministers. Mr. Armstrong taught those same standards. “But rulership emphatically, as the living Christ taught it, and wields it Himself today, and as God's Church teaches and wields it, emphatically DOES NOT imply "lordship" (Member Letter, May 2, 1974). Ministers are to be of good behavior, hospitable, and have a good report of those not in the Church. They are not to have pride, nor be self-willed, and not soon angry. They are to be just and temperate. They must be good stewards of God’s money (I Timothy 3, Titus 1). They are to be an example of God’s way of life to the flock: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (I Peter 5:1-3). Some ministers are not always honest and just in their dealings with the brethren. One who doesn't follow these instructions disqualifies himself from leadership over God's Church. Ministers have been known to repeat personal and private information about a member to others. Anyone who does this is guilty of gossip and tale bearing. This breaks the confidentiality and trust God places between Church members and the ministry. In Proverbs 6:16-19, God says He hates such conduct. It is an abomination to Him. God does not, and will not use deceitful and dishonest men to administer His laws in His government. He will not accept the work of a minister who will lord over others. Nor will He accept one who betrays and breaks confidentiality, the trust, Church members share with their minister. A true minister of God will show love and care for the brethren. He will protect them from this kind of treatment, not administer it. He will protect the members in confidential matters. That trust is sacred and should be placed on the highest level of importance. Some in the ministry have exalted themselves by promoting themselves to the office of high priest. No man is to do this (see Hebrews 5:4). God places men into offices when and where He wants them (I Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:11). The Make-Up Doctrine At this present time, leaders of two of the larger groups, along with most of the smaller ones, allow make-up to be worn by women. They are disobeying God who inspired this doctrine to be put into the Church through His apostle. Wearing make-up breaks the spirit of God’s law. It goes against His government! Mr. Armstrong made the ruling for the Church against the use of make-up in the late 1950’s. He permitted it to be worn by women one time after that from late 1974 to the summer of 1981. In 1981 he changed it back to the original ruling and made it final. He spoke about this doctrine in several sermons and Bible studies after that. What he said also appeared in the WWN’s and the PGR. He had been tricked into signing a paper that allowed it’s use without the full knowledge of it’s contents. That’s how it got changed, once and ONLY ONCE, allowing women to use it after he made the decision to ban it. In his sermons and Bible studies on this subject, he mentions how he had already repented before God for allowing it’s use again. He said this to the whole Church. All these things are recorded on cassette tapes and in articles proving these statements true regardless of what any minister may tell you. We’d be happy to send the materials on this subject to you if you request them. They clear the air and make the truth plain about this doctrine. There should be no doubt left once you read and hear what God inspired the apostle to teach about it. Mr. Armstrong trusted those men serving under him to be honest and to have integrity, but some have proven to be otherwise. He later terminated the man who pulled this shenanigan on him. In 1981, he openly said this change had been bothering his conscience for the past few years. He then openly repented of ever allowing the use of make-up back into the Church. God’s apostle said his decision was FINAL! He said: It was never going to be changed again, “EXCEPT OVER MY DEAD BODY”. Well, brethren, that is exactly what Church leaders did after he died. They changed that doctrine over his dead body. Today, most ministers are afraid to address this improper and unauthorized change made by the leadership of the Church following Mr. Armstrong’s death. They are afraid of losing members, possibly causing less income for themselves. Most ministers don’t fear God enough to make it right as Mr. Armstrong did. When he was wrong, he set an excellent example for us in repentance. God honors that kind of attitude. We all need to follow this example. Does the leader of the group you are in now display this same kind of humility and courage? Where is that kind of courage today in the ministry? Do you believe the statements an apostle made expounding this doctrine are serious enough that ministers should tell the truth about it? Or are you one who doesn’t want to know the truth? Put your minister to the test! If he doesn’t teach this doctrine the same as God’s apostle, ask him, why? But then, how about you? Do you truly want to know the truth about it? Please write for the information he gave to us thoroughly covering this subject. Mr. Armstrong said it might seem like a small thing, but that it was a BIG thing in principle. We should heed what Jesus Christ inspired the apostle to teach us. Time is short, and we must be getting ourselves ready as the bride of Christ. As Mr. Armstrong said in a sermon on the subject: “When He returns, I don't think make-up will be what Jesus Christ will want to see on His bride.” He wants to see on His bride His true righteousness, represented by fine linen: “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. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:7-8). Make-up is a spot on a true Christian woman’s spiritual garments. Neglecting to teach about it leaves a blemish on any minister who will not address it as Mr. Armstrong did. It’s time to clean up the Church, and get Christ’s wife ready for His return. Christ wants the spots, blemishes and wrinkles to be removed (Ephesians 5:26-27). Mr. Armstrong made a mistake in this doctrine, he repented, and set things right again. He spent much time and effort making it very clear to us what God’s thinking was about women wearing make-up. Do you believe God’s apostle? Or are you going to follow a weak minister without enough backbone to tell you the truth? Or will you follow one that is proud and stubborn, one that won’t obey Jesus Christ’s directives given through an apostle? This another of those judgments binding upon the Church today (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). Mr. Armstrong said it was sin, that using it breaks the spirit of God's Law because it is vanity. Vanity is sin! He said women who continue to wear make-up, after hearing what he taught about it, would not be in the Kingdom unless they repented. It's that serious! I’ve heard several ministers and members say Mr. Armstrong went back and forth on this doctrine several times during the 1970's and 1980's. Brethren, that is not true, and I can prove it to you. Again, we have several sermon and Bible study tapes, the PGR, and the WWN's to back up what I am saying here. Please listen to or read them again. We will gladly send these to you if you request them. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by leaders that don’t have enough spiritual fortitude to stand up for what an apostle taught about this subject. If a minister really cares for you, he will be open and honest with you about this subject. Do you believe God used Mr. Armstrong to set this doctrine into the Church or not? Do you believe he was God’s apostle? If so, you will act on that belief. I have spent a little extra time here writing about this subject of make-up because it seems to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for ministers and members alike in this era of the Church. It is one doctrine most ministers are reluctant to address. They are afraid of losing members from their group, their paycheck. But God must know if, in their heart, they will obey Him or not. He wants to know if you also will obey Him. Most are failing this test. Are you? God’s people are to hunger and thirst for His righteousness. If they truly want to live God’s way, not wearing make-up should be no problem for the women in the Church. This is just another part of this test we are in right now. Ladies, let’s pass this one! This fear of addressing the make-up issue is especially true for some leaders that claim they are holding fast to all the doctrines Mr. Armstrong taught. They just will not accept the truth about this subject as given from Jesus Christ through His apostle. It seems they make every excuse possible in order to avoid addressing and teaching it as he did. Where is the courage to stand for God’s truth? Elijah Yet to Come? As mentioned earlier, several ministers do not believe Mr. Armstrong fulfilled the role of the " Elijah" to come, that he is yet to come at some future time. The leader of the Living Church of God wrote in an article a few years back stating that “Elijah" is supposed to shake all nations. He said Mr. Armstrong did not do this, that the “Elijah” was yet to be fulfilled in the future. Who does God say will shake all nations? “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:6-7). A little research shows just how far off track some of these leaders are while still claiming to hold fast to the doctrines set in the Church by Christ through an apostle of God. They are usurping authority over an apostle of God. That is very dangerous! Some teach that the “Elijah” to come will be one of the two witnesses. Many members have swallowed this teaching. Mr. Armstrong told us many times he felt he had fulfilled the role of the “Elijah” who was to come and restore all things (Matthew 17:11, Malachi 3:1-5, 4:5-6, Mystery of the Ages, pp. 9-11, 348-349). Sermon, October 2, 1982: "Jesus said the Elijah shall yet come and restore all things. [The original] Elijah did not restore what was taken away.... The government of God was taken away. It was to be restored.... God raised me up to restore it. God raised me up to restore the government of God. But it is only restored so far in the Church. I have no authority from God, no ability, to restore the government of God any further than just over you brethren in the Church. But that has been done. That has been done, brethren. You go back and read Malachi 3:1-5 and Malachi 4. [And] where Jesus said, 'Elijah truly shall come-even after John the Baptist was put in prison, he was yet to come. He [the Elijah] was to restore. John the Baptist didn't restore anything. You'd better realize what this Church is and what you are behind when you say you are behind me 100 percent." All one has to do is to look at the truths restored in God’s Church through this man to find adequate proof he fulfilled this role. There is one question these men, who do not believe Mr. Armstrong fulfilled the role of the “Elijah” to come, cannot answer: “What is there left to restore?” They get stumped, scratch their head and hem-haw around, but they just cannot find an adequate answer. Are these leaders today speaking the same things the apostle taught us? No they are not! There was, and still is, ample proof showing Mr. Armstrong fulfilled this role. The fruits were there for all to see. But the biggest proof he fulfilled this role is us. The Elect of God We, in the Church, constitute the Elect of God. Put Matthew 24:21-22 together with Malachi 4:5-6 and what conclusion do we have? Think about that, the world being spared from total destruction because there is an “Elect” of God. Where did this “Elect” come from? Many scriptures refer to the Church as God’s Elect. This is common knowledge. How did we get to be part of the “Elect”? Many times we heard Mr. Armstrong say: “You all are either directly or indirectly my children in the Lord”. We’re in God’s Church as a result of His using this man. Think for a minute! The whole world will be spared because “Elijah” came and did his job, because there is an “Elect” in the first place. That is very significant brethren! God places a lot of weight on what that man did, so should we. Those who say Mr. Armstrong did not fulfill this role are way off the track! They are blind (Revelation 3:17)! They had better wake up before it is too late! They are leading people right into the tribulation. There is an excellent article that should remove any doubt about Mr. Armstrong fulfilling the role of “Elijah”. It is entitled: “The End-Time Elijah-Has He Already Come?”, by Raymond F. McNair. This is an excellent description and explanation of the “Elijah” role being fulfilled by Mr. Armstrong. Here are excerpts from his article: “Most of those in the Body of Christ today have come in because of his teachings. In fact, even if someone is brought into the Church now by a former Worldwide minister's preaching, that minister is not this new person's "father" in the Gospel. Rather, Herbert Armstrong is-as this minister did not receive the Truth directly from God's Word but instead received it, directly or indirectly, from Mr. Armstrong.
Moreover, as we've shown, available evidence strongly suggests that Mr. Armstrong was the END-TIME ELIJAH through whom God restored His Truth to the Church. Thus, Mr. Armstrong was in a unique position. No single individual can now "fill his shoes"-though a few misguided people have assumed they can. But together, we can "walk in his footsteps." This is a very powerful article describing and proving Mr. Armstrong’s role as the “Elijah” to come. God made sure that His truth was delivered to us and restored in the Church through a faithful man whom He ordained to the office of an apostle. Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong fulfilled his mission and now awaits a great reward upon the return of Jesus Christ as the Lord of lords and the King of Kings. We have so much to be thankful to God for. He gave to us His precious knowledge through him. We are the Elect of God. Now we need to prove our faithfulness to Him, and keep pure and unpolluted all the doctrines and truth given to us. We need to HOLD FAST to these things and endure to the end so we can be there in that first resurrection with the one God used to help us become the Elect. If we remain faithful, God will spare the whole world from total annihilation because of us: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). Brethren, let’s all get back on God’s track, becoming united in the truth, faith and love once again, remaining loyal to Him!
...we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:.. ...Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,..... even Jesus,...” (Hebrews 6:18-20).
Brethren, we can take great comfort in these words! |
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