Chapter Index

1 - Work Of God

2 -Is That Door Still Open Today?

3 - A Double Standard

4 - Problems Of A Divided Church

5 - Some Will Be Called Now

6 - A Solution To The Problem

7 - A Faithful Minister’s Duties

8 - A Need For The Message

9 - Test The Minister

10 - Heresies And Errors

11 - Other Areas Of Caution

12 - The Conclusion Of The Matter

13 - The Bridegroom Cometh!

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Chapter Nine

Test The Ministry

Many ministers say they are holding fast to all the truth and doctrines restored or instilled into the Church through God’s apostle Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. The problem is, however, most who say this are not really doing it. They are misleading God’s people.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1).

There is one way you and I can easily prove whether a minister is holding fast or not to all the truths and doctrines. Simply compare what he teaches with what Mr. Armstrong taught on every doctrine, “major” and “minor”.

That is very easy to do. Just open the books, booklets and articles written, or listen to the Sermon and Bible study tapes by Mr. Armstrong. Find out what he said on any subject. He spoke very plainly on all doctrines and made them easy to understand.

There is no way we can misunderstand any of the doctrines that he taught to the Church. He was a very thorough teacher. He made God’s truth very plain and easy to understand. He often repeated the same things over and over so there would be no way for us to misunderstand or get them wrong.

Just compare those same teachings with what any minister you are proving is saying and teaching. That simple little comparison will tell you if a minister is truly holding fast or if he has changed any doctrine. It’s easy to do and could save you a lot of grief.

Does he keep and teach the “major” doctrines such as: the form of government for God’s Church, Passover, Tithing, Born Again, God’s Holy Days, etc., as the apostle taught these things? Some have, and others may not have, changed a part of these major doctrines. An example: in some groups they have completely abandoned the doctrine of third tithe.

On the other hand, some may have changed, even eliminated, one or more of the seemingly less important points of doctrine. Compare what a minister teaches on the “minor” doctrines such as: make-up, birthday celebrations, proper hair length on both men and women, Sabbath attire, etc. with what was taught while the apostle was alive. These are some doctrines in the Church that He put back on track.

Minor Doctrines are Important

Many ministers have dropped some of these so-called “minor” doctrines altogether because they no longer count them as important. Mr. Armstrong thought they were important enough for him to make a ruling on them according to the spirit of the law of God.

How about you? Do you feel they are important? Are you keeping all these, the “minor” points of doctrine, faithfully along with the “major” ones?

The point is this: does the minister or leader, whom you are proving, teach all the doctrines precisely as Mr. Armstrong taught them to us? I'm speaking about all the doctrines which were in place and taught in the Church at the time of his death in 1986?

Could the minister that you are testing be withholding some doctrinal truth from the membership as Romans 1:18-22 tells us?

Does He conduct himself properly? Does he serve God's people in a way that reflects Godly love? Is his way of leadership that of a servant according to the Bible as Mr. Armstrong taught us? Or, is he an overlord that deals with the members harshly and unfairly? Does he always tell the truth?

Is he teaching, practicing, and setting a Godly example of God’s way of love and outgoing concern? Does he practice His way of give in a footwashing attitude? Is he teaching and practicing the “spirit of the law” in his own life, in his own personal dealings with others?

Does he believe, teach and practice the principles outlined in the statutes and judgments which are an extension and magnification of God’s Law, His love, the Ten Commandments?

Does he teach and practice the judgments given to the Church from Jesus Christ through Mr. Armstrong, an apostle of God, that were in place at the time of his death? Judgments are decisions rendered according to the spiritual law of God and are an extension of that same law.

These are a few questions and points we must consider. They will reveal much to us in proving if a minister is truly holding fast or just saying he is in order to attract a following.

The doctrines taught to us by Mr. Armstrong are readily accessible if one is willing to search and study them.

This also can be a test for us individually. Are we faithfully keeping all the truth and doctrines just as they were delivered to us? We need to ask ourselves these same questions (II Corinthians 13:3).

We have God's Holy Spirit. We are under judgment (evaluation) right now (I Peter 4:17). We must give an account for our actions and thoughts. We agreed to at baptism. Our eternal lives are at stake in these things. How are we doing? Are we ready to graduate?