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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 Two Is The Door Still Open Today?
Some Church of God groups are making efforts at this time to preach the gospel to the world. Each claim Jesus Christ is directing it’s work. These may seem to be noble efforts, but is Jesus Christ directing and blessing the work they’re doing? Since each group has a work separate from the others, which group is right? Can they all be right? Or is any of them right? Could they all be wrong? These are serious questions we need to address in this era of the Church. As we read earlier, Jesus Christ wants unity for His Church. Why then are all these groups separated in the first place? Why aren't they working together as one unit? Would Christ ever conduct His Father’s business through differing groups at odds with one another as we see today? Is Christ pleased with the works of this era of the Church? No, He isn’t. See Revelation 3:19. Also, we must ask ourselves, what about the messages they are preaching to their members? Are they all speaking the same things in doctrine? If they are, then shouldn’t they be united together in their efforts to preach the gospel? But if they are not preaching the same doctrine, which one has it right? Is it possible they have polluted it? Is it possible that Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, may have closed the door for the Church to preach the gospel to the world today? The Word of God strongly indicates He has closed that door. If He has shut it, then we should ask ourselves, why did He close it? If the door to preach the gospel to the world has been closed, there must be a cause. Why would Christ even want to close the door to preach the gospel to the world in a greater way? Could it be possible that the works of these Church of God groups are not acceptable to Christ as stated in Matthew 7:21-23: “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. Many will say to me in that day, 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” And in Revelation 3:15-19 we read: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” The next verse clearly shows what Jesus Christ wants us to do. He wants to help us come out of a Laodicean condition. “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” (Verse 20). Notice the phrase: “I will come in to him”. This shows Jesus Christ is on the outside. He is not involved in the works of the Laodicean Church. He’s not pleased with them. We see no open door for preaching the gospel in these verses. Since Jesus Christ has closed the door to preach the gospel to the world in any expanded way, as was done under Mr. Armstrong's leadership, will He open the door again? Many questions need answering. Christ has not left us in the dark in these matters, if we have the eyes to see and ears to hear (Matthew 13:15-16, Luke 10:22-23, Revelation 3:22). On pages 289-291 in Mystery of the Ages, Mr. Armstrong writes about the Philadelphian era of the Church. He states that an open door was given to the leader and/or the Philadelphia era of the Church. Jesus Christ opened the door to Mr. Armstrong so he could fulfill the commission of preaching of the gospel to the world: “This era of the Church was to produce fruit. To this era--or to its human leader--God had set before it an open door” (page 290). And following on page 291, Mr. Armstrong writes:
“These prophecies have now definitely been fulfilled.” He was the human leader of God’s Church during that time period. The door to preach the gospel to the world was wide open for him. God did a mighty work through him unparalleled in our time. The Philadelphia Era of God's Church is history. The Church is now in the Laodicean era. Remember an era is a period of time when a certain attitude is dominant in the Church. Anyone who does not see we are now in the Laodicean era of God’s Church is truly blind. Blindness is one of the symptoms describing the Church in this era (Revelation 3:17). Again, when reading Revelation 3:14-21, we do not find an open door for preaching the gospel to the world in this era. But, we do find a Church that has become lukewarm and self-deceptive. We find a Church being told by Jesus Christ that it needs to repent. We find that He is on the outside knocking (verse 20). Why? What happened? How did it get to be in this condition? How did it come to be lukewarm? And in what areas is it lukewarm? Of what does it need to repent? The Laodicean Condition The Church in general has acquired a Laodicean condition because something happened to it after Mr. Armstrong's death. Most ministers and members have departed, at least to one degree or another, from the doctrines and truths they once believed and embraced during the Philadelphia era. Please compare Revelation 3:14-20 with Matthew 24, II Thessalonians 2, II Peter 2, etc. This is the overriding problem the Church must resolve first. A great apostasy has occurred in the Church over the past several years by it’s leadership following Mr. Armstrong’s death. The WCG stopped recognizing as valid the doctrines restored or put into the Church through an apostle of God, Mr. Armstrong. This departure from the true doctrines, whether they be major or minor, has brought about much confusion and chaos in the Church. It caused the Church to split apart at the seams. It has also spawned a great distrust for the ministry by the membership of the Church. Because of this apostasy, the open door to preach the gospel such as was done during the Philadelphia era has been shut. Some leaders think that door is still wide open for them to preach the gospel to the world, but they are wrong. All one has to do is look at their fruits to see that door is no longer wide open for them. The impact and growth they are having is very limited. There is no group today doing a work that comes anywhere near the scope of that which was done under Mr. Armstrong's leadership during the Philadelphia era. There was a reason why God blessed the work at that time. There was a cause for that blessing, that effect. Mr. Armstrong would not compromise on doctrine. God abundantly blessed the work of preaching the gospel to the world through him. Indeed, there is a lesson there for us today. Will we ever learn? Will we ever "GET IT", as he used to stress in his sermons? We must attend to the cause if we want to have the same positive effect that God gave to him. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. He alone has the key that will open the door to reach the world more extensively with the gospel and warning message once again. He, not any man, is the one who determines if the door is to be open or shut (Revelation 3:7). He determines if the Church is to receive His blessing or not. He could, and probably would, open wide the door to preach the gospel to the world again with great power IF the greater part of the ministers were to lead the Church in genuine, heartfelt repentance. The ministry needs to return to teaching the full truth and adhere to all the doctrines taught in the previous era, Philadelphia, when Mr. Armstrong put the Church back on track. Several leaders of the splinter Church of God groups say they are teaching the full truth of God. As you will read later, this claim is not true. Any altering or omission of any part of the doctrines in place at the time of Mr. Armstrong’s death constitutes not holding fast. The main focus for the Church at this point in time should be to get back on track doctrinally and spiritually. It needs to get back to all the truths God gave to us through His late apostle. If that were to happen, then efforts to preach the gospel to this world would have the approval and be increased by Jesus Christ. If the majority of the Church were to get back on track doctrinally and spiritually, the leadership and members would again be working together in harmony. We would have unity. Christ could then bless the work of preaching the gospel to the world. This must be the first step, and it has to begin with the ministry. Recent Church history has shown this getting “back on the track” takes priority. When we compare the decline of the work and growth of the Church, when it was off track in the mid-1970's, with how rapidly it grew after it was put back on track by Jesus Christ through Mr. Armstrong in the first half of the 1980's, this becomes very clear. Christ used him to do a great work of preaching the gospel to the world because he was a leader who remained loyal to doctrine and the truth. He did not compromise. He set an excellent example for us. There was tremendous growth in all aspects of the Work of God and the Church during this period of time. He put the Church back on God’s track spiritually and doctrinally. We experienced it. It was a time of great excitement for most of us. God richly blessed the work of the Church during that period of time. It seemed that every week or so we were meeting new members coming into the Church from the world. The Church was back on track again. Growth was everywhere! Even after Mr. Armstrong’s death in January 1986, the Church continued to grow rapidly for a short period of time. Then a short time after his death, when the new leadership of the WCG began to change doctrine, that growth slowed to a snail's pace. Problems developed. The Church was slipping into confusion and disarray. Church Becomes Derailed! In 1991, when the Church’s “Born-Again” doctrine was changed, a significant decline in growth and income was noticed. Think about this: changing the “Born-Again” doctrine actually began a perverting of the true gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). During this time the work of preaching the gospel to the world was being cut back significantly. The Church began losing its impact and influence. Members were perplexed. This downturn continued over the next few years. God was rapidly withdrawing His blessings for the work the Church was doing at the time. From that point in 1991 and forward, as changes in doctrines were accelerated by the WCG leadership, they were paralleled by a decline in income, in new membership, and in preaching the gospel to the world. Again, Cause and Effect! This time it was without excuse, for Mr. Armstrong warned us not to let it happen again. “I want you, brethren, to think about and understand what happened to God's Church in the 1970’s "lest history repeat itself!" I want you to see the "fruits" of rebelling against God's way and God's government. After all, the basic issue all along was that of God's government in the Church” (WWN June 24, 1985). In this same article, referring to those liberals who took God’s Church off the track spiritually and doctrinally, He states; “For some years now, there have been some, like vultures, waiting for me to die. They would like to come back and take over the leadership of the Church in my stead.” Little did Mr. Armstrong realize the very leader he appointed would later be the one guilty of taking the Church off the track again. That is betrayal of the worst sort. Most ministers knew doctrines were being changed by the new leader but did not take steps or make any concerted efforts to protect the saints from this onslaught of heresies. That makes them just as guilty as him. They are without excuse! Their paychecks meant more to them than God’s truth! They didn’t truly care for the sheep to protect them. Jesus condemns hirelings! (John 10:11-16). It must be noted, however, that during the time this apostasy was taking place, a few ministers did attempt to help protect the Church by exposing the apostasy that was taking place. But then those very leaders themselves either went off or were already off the track in other areas of doctrine and teachings! What a MESS! From 1991 forward it became obvious the Church leadership reaped what it was sowing. This apostasy has affected all of us. We now have the Church in much disarray as we find it today. JESUS CHRIST IS NOT PLEASED WITH HIS CHURCH NOR WITH THE MINISTRY IN THIS ERA! You and I brethren, are the Church, if we have God’s Holy Spirit. Christ is not pleased with most of us. That’s you and me, brethren, not just the other guy! We need to look at and evaluate ourselves in these things. This recent history should serve as a reminder to us that God will not bless efforts to preach the gospel to the world apart from keeping His truth and doctrines pure in their entirety. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever does not compromise. Mr. Armstrong did not compromise and neither must we if we expect God’s blessing to do “The Work”. Mr. Armstrong set the proper example for us. We are to HOLD FAST to these things (Revelation 3:11). The Church in general is not holding fast. We are now in the midst of the Laodicean era. The gospel is not going to the world today with any significant power. The power of the holy people has been scattered (Daniel 12:9). Compromising of doctrines have been the major cause for division preventing this lack of power that comes as a gift from God. God won’t walk with us if we’re not agreed with Him. The more perfectly the Church and ministry obeys and teaches His truth, keeping the doctrines pure as given to us, the more God will bless and increase efforts to Preach the Gospel and Feed the Flock. The closer the ministry and members of the Church are to God the more He will give His Spirit to them. “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:32). Straying from doctrines, or changing them, will bring on a curse and lack of power. Doing so separates us from God, the source of all power. He is the source of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) which is the real power to do any work (Zechariah 4:6). It simply comes down to Cause and Effect! Obedience to God and blessings go hand in hand. Obedience is the cause and blessings are the effect. This is a vital principle from Genesis to Revelation that God teaches us in His Word. This is a principle Mr. Armstrong followed, and he taught it to us. Did we listen? Did we “GET IT”? We need to give heed more closely to these things. We must hold fast to them. If we do, God’s blessings will come to us. We can then do a work with His approval. God will not bless the efforts of any group trying to do a work unless, or until, it gets back on track doctrinally and spiritually. As mentioned earlier, that would certainly mean these groups must once again become unified by the truth and doctrines of God (I Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:13-16, III John 3-4, etc.). If that were to happen, God’s love would further unite us together to do a work for Him. It doesn’t appear this will happen any time soon. There are doctrinal differences between all the multiple dozens of groups that have formed since the great apostasy. At this time there is literally no real co-operation between them. Usurping Authority Every group wants to do their own work. They want to do it their own way apart from other groups. Each group believes it is right and all the others are wrong. Their leaders will not even entertain the thought that they, along with the others, could themselves possibly be wrong. When someone brings the truth to them, they will not believe it. Many leaders want pre-eminence. They want to be in charge just like Diotrephes in III John 9. They won’t tolerate those who want to truly hold fast to the doctrines once delivered through Mr. Armstrong. Most leaders disfellowship members from their group (synagogues, John 16:2) when they bring to their attention a doctrine they may not be teaching as God’s end-time apostle taught us. These leaders feel they, or their appointed men on a committee, have the authority to change doctrine. This amounts to no less than usurping the role of an apostle. Mr. Armstrong taught: only apostles were used by Christ to put doctrine into the Church (PGR, May 23, 1980). In essence, those leaders that change doctrine in the Church have appointed themselves to the office of High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-4). Some have assumed the title of a prophet. One has gone so far as to appoint himself the title of That Prophet, which is Jesus Christ’s office. Jesus warned that these things would happen to us in these last days (Matthew 24, etc.). He prophesied false prophets and false Christs would arise from among the people in the end-time. This has happened already, right under our noses, right in the midst of the Church. Yet, so many of God’s people fall for men’s deceptions. In other instances, ministers in some groups are not always speaking the same things as other ministers within their own group. This has increased problems and divisions within some larger groups and is part of the reason why so many smaller groups have formed. There just isn’t any real unity in God’s Church today (Daniel 12:9). Some leaders claim their group is the only true Church of God and the others are not. I have asked ministers and leaders that have said this about their particular group the following question: “Who is everybody else then?” Almost every time the answer has been: “Why, they're the Laodiceans, of course!” Then I will ask further: “Is Laodicea God’s true Church or does God have a false Church?” It is at that point in the conversation they usually decline to talk any further with me. But, do we understand the real significance of what they are truly saying? Since we are in the Laodicean era, if one claims to be leading the one and only true Church of God, then he must be claiming to be leading the Laodicean Church. That’s simple enough for us to understand. This is a major dilemma a leader must face when claiming his group is the only true Church of God. Sometimes men just do not stop to think! They just don’t “GET IT”! The true Church of God is spiritual, never forget that truth. To claim that one’s group is the only true Church of God, and the others are not, is sitting in judgment of them. Remember, one of the meanings of Laodicea was: “the people decide or judge”. It’s like saying all the others are in a false Church. This is not right. This is precisely what’s taking place in the Church at this time. The Church in the Laodicean era is still God’s true Church, but it’s off track doctrinally and spiritually. We must repent and come out of the Laodicean attitude. Some members of the Church, out of frustration over these things, have started their own work, making things even more complicated. They have formed themselves into groups without leadership and direction from a minister. They have gone to the opposite side of the spectrum. That is wrong also. Two wrongs do not make something right, instead we will now have another wrong with which to deal. Jesus Christ does not operate this way, nor does He approve of this type of action. We are to be learning to work within His government, not apart from it. We are supposed to be learning to work as a team under the leadership He provides (Ephesians 4, Hebrews 13:7, 13, etc.). Church leaders have a responsibility to stay on the track doctrinally and spiritually if they are to be used to do “The Work”. Mr. Armstrong makes this point very clear in Mystery of the Ages on pages 270-271. Jesus Christ is training and developing a team of kings and priests, rulers and teachers, to work under Him in the Kingdom of God. That is the main purpose for the Church. The Church is the team, united by God’s Holy Spirit of truth and love, that will graduate into the Kingdom of God as spirit beings. We are supposed to be living and working God’s way now in this life. It is a WAY OF LIFE. We are being tested now to see IF we will follow the truth and how well we are doing it. The Church is being judged now (I Peter 4:17). How are we doing? Are we working together as a team? Are we passing or failing this test? Let’s not forget why we have been called at this time, to be the firstfruits of God’s harvest. The Church is the Kingdom of God in embryo. Shouldn’t we be operating God’s business now just as if we were in the Kingdom? In the Kingdom of God we all will be speaking the same things! There will be NO DIVISION! We will be unified in doctrine, truth and purpose! We will be love just as God is love. We will be very God just as God is God. We will be motivated by that same love. Let’s work harder to overcome our nature and strive for that same character He possesses. We must qualify to rule with Jesus Christ as kings and priests in the Kingdom of God. Doing so then also qualifies us for the free gift of eternal life. This is the ultimate purpose God has for His Church. He wants to save all mankind and bring them into His family. That is the ultimate purpose for mankind.
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