A few years ago, the god that inspires nightmares in certain COG men, decided he needed a new spokesman here on the earth, in this day and age. Ever since he had appointed Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack, and Rod Meredith to be the one true COG leaders, his plan has been thwarted by one idiotic prediction or event after another.
Jesus has been getting so antsy to return that he has given up on strolling around the Wadsworth campus of Dave Pack. In a deep conversation with God, the two of them determined to raise up a new man. A man totally unqualified and rejected by his peers. They devised a plan to inculcate a few nightmares in the mind of this man and a couple other disturbed individuals around the world. Pretty soon, after a couple restless nights of wild and delusional dreams, the future ONE TRUE COG leader woke up from his dream and proclaimed to his wife, "I AM THE CHOSEN ONE!"
Ever since that moment, more and more crazy things flow forth from his mouth as he makes proclamation after proclamation. Now, the Chosen One, the REAL Elijah, the REAL Amos, the REAL Habakkuk, the REAL Second Witness, and the only one who has EVER been doubly blessed by and equally deceived man, has declared that when his created creature he calls "jesus" returns, it will come FIRST to the only church that keeps these specific points:
Baptism of Christians was by immersion and did not include infants.The complete Bible with the proper Old Testament and New Testament was relied on by the true Church in Asia Minor.A Binitarian or Semi-Arian view, that acknowledged the Holy Spirit, was held by the apostolic and post-apostolic true Christian leaders.Birthdays were not celebrated by early Christians.Born-Again meant being born at the resurrection, not at the time of conversion, which is when a spiritual begettal occurs.Celibacy for Bishops/Presbyters/Elders was not a requirement.
Church Governance was properly hierarchical.Christmas was not observed by any professing Christ prior to the third century, or ever by those holding to early teachings; December 25th did not come from the Bible.Circumcision, though not required, was long practiced by original Nazarene Christians.Confession of sins were not made to priests and did not require penance.Deification of Christians (which begins after the first resurrection) was taught by the early leaders of the Church.Duties of Elders/Pastors were pastoral and theological, not predominantly sacramental–nor did they dress as many now do. Easterper se was not observed by the apostolic church.The Fall (and Spring) Holy Days were observed by true early Christians.The Father was considered to be God by all early professing Christians.The True Gospel included the kingdom of God and obedience to the law of God and was so understood by the faithful.Heaven was not taught to be the reward of Christians.Holy Spirit was not referred to as God or as a person by any early true Christians.Hymns were mainly psalms, not praises to Christ.Idols were taught against, including adoration of the cross.Immortality of the soul or humans was not taught. Jesus was considered to be God by the true Christians.The Kingdom of God was preached.Leavened Bread was removed from the homes of early Christians when the Jews did the same.Lent was not observed by the primitive church.Limbo was not taught by the original church.Mary was the mother of Jesus, was blessed (Luke 1:28) and called blessed (Luke 1:48), but was not prayed to, etc. by true early Christians.Military Service was not allowed for true early Christians.Millenarianism (a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth, often called the millennium) was taught by the early Christians.Monasticism was unheard of in the early Christian church.Passover was kept annually on the 14th of Nisan by apostolic and second century Christians in Asia Minor.Pentecost was kept on Sunday by certain Jews and was observed then by professing Christians.Purgatory was not taught by the original apostolic church.The Resurrection of the dead was taught by all early ChristiansThe Sabbath was observed on Saturday by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church.Salvation was believed to be offered to the chosen now by the early Church, with others being called later, though not all that taught that (or other doctrines) practiced “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). God’sSix Thousand Year Plan for humankind to rule itself was believed by early professors of Christ.Sunday was not observed by the apostolic and original post-apostolic Christians.The Ten Commandments were observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians–and in the order that the Church of God claims they are in.Tithes and Offerings were given to support the ministry, the churches, the needy, and evangelical travels and proclamation.Tradition had some impact on the second century Christians, but was never supposed to supercede the Bible.The Trinity was not a word used to describe the Godhead by the apostolic or second century Christians, though a certain threeness was acknowledged.Unclean Meats were eaten by the early allegorists, but not by true Christians.The Virgin Birth was acknowledged by all true ante-Nicene Christians.
I am exhausted reading it! One law after another, more things to weigh people down. More things to keep people imprisoned in another vile splinter cult of the harlot mother, the Worldwide Church of God.
There were only two demands made upon the Christians of the first century: Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor. Two small little steps that the Chosen One fails to do.
So join us in another mind-boggling video experience as The Chosen One, the Great Bwana, himself, Bob Thiel tells you which church his creature "jesus" will be returning to. And no, it is NOT coming back to Wadsworth first!
Bob has it backwards, and would realize this if he would trust Scripture instead of pagan prophecies and his own deluded mind.
ReplyDeleteJesus does not "choose" a Church. The Church exists as the body of believers who are united with Jesus.
One way you can be sure that a church is not the Church of God, the ekklesia, is that human beings established it. Bob made a church and now wants you to believe that because it is the best church, Jesus would choose it. Unfortunately, Bob has it backwards. The Church of God exists wherever two ore more are gathered together in Christ's name. This means that it is possible that some members of the improperly named Continuing Church of God are members of Christ's Church, but membership in any humanly established church has nothing to do with membership in God's Church. In fact, given CCOG's emphasis on pagan prophecies and human imagination (aka "dreams"), people in CCOG are much LESS likely to be members of God's Church, because their Bitter Butthurt Bwana is constantly pointing their attention away from Jesus and toward some Mayan or Catholic prophecy, or to the head cold that accidentally turned him into an improperly ordained prophet.
I know it gets your goat, but everything there is true. I'm not a big fan of Dr. Bob, but his theology is pretty much on point. I think he leans of HWA far too much though, holding on to many of his errors.
ReplyDeleteYes, and it isn't any man-made organization! News flash: He isn't coming back to The Continuing Church of God, The Philadelphia Church of God, The Restored Church of God or The United Church of God.
ReplyDeleteThere was a Tony Goldwyn movie years ago called “Joshua”. As the film develops, it becomes obvious that Joshua “, the central character, is in reality Jesus, that we are witnessing a theophany.
ReplyDeleteJoshua does not just visit one Christian church. He spends time with a variety of believers, and changes peoples’ lives. I was struck with the realism of this depiction, because the reality is that no one church is perfect in all of its beliefs and behavioral patterns. All have and teach a human, imperfect mixture of truth and error, yet all are God’s children, being developed, and in various stages of development. The important factor is that they are all acolytes. So, Joshua (Jesus) lovingly working with all of them is consistent with what Jesus will or would do if He were to walk with us in our times. If a church were to claim exclusivity, the first thing He would need to correct in that church would be the arrogance and vanity, to open the members’ minds to the fact that there were others who are equally sincere, struggling and trying, open to “the Way”.
It is ridiculous for the various splinter leaders to claim that Jesus will make them His base camp when He returns. Dave Pack has made this arrogant claim as well. We’ve all heard of “beer talking”, a phenomenon that regularly occurs in bars across the country and around the world. Inebriation on Armstrongism also causes much foolish talk. These people, in the words of Travis Tritt, believe that they are spiritually “ten feet tall and bullet proof”
BB
he leans of HWA far too much
ReplyDeleteAnd Dr Hoeh.
Which COG splinter would HWA choose to attend?
Good News / Bad News Department for Booby Thiel...
ReplyDeleteFirst the GOOD NEWS.... JESUS HAS RETURNED!
Now the Bad News... HE IS IN SALT LAKE CITY!
I wonder if Bob frequents public parks looking for young pretty impressible truth seekers often? A very odd conception and production for the subject of the "one true church".
ReplyDeleteBob Thiel is stuck in the same rut of thinking as many of the other COG leaders are. All of these men are trying to advertise and advocate the idea of choosing an entity or organization over following the calling of God unto truth.
The idea that Bob proposes to this young girl about the CCOG being the one true church based upon its adherence to 1st century teachings doesn't remotely tell the whole story. His supposed predecessor HWA said there are nor have been no prophets after the 1st century in the present church age save the Two Witnesses who come at the end.
It is ludicrous to think God would have supposedly raised up Bob Thiel as a prophet and then have him do nothing concerning prophecy day after day and month after month and year after year. The same God calls on all Christians to produce fruit constantly or there is future consequences.
The list of identifiers that Bob publishes if believed and kept perfectly guarantees nothing. The 1st century Pharisees kept the whole law, fasted often, prayed much, tithed the tiniest of seeds and what were they told by Jesus Christ?
If Jesus Christ when starting The Church was looking for people who could fulfill lists then the Pharisees and Sadducees would have been the obvious choice of people to call. There would have been no need to open the doors of belief to any other nationality.
Bob misses the greater dynamic of what the true Church is and the honed focus of the gospel message to be able to understand and teach a spiritual doctrine. In a proverbial don't play with matches, Bob needs to quit trolling in public parks looking for young minds to dispense the knowledge of good and evil!
I know it gets your goat, but we know almost nothing about the actual practices or beliefs of the oddball Jewish sect in the 1st century AD that is known as christianity. It's a mistake to even think that 1st century christianity was monolithic.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, no one knows whether anyone's "theology" is "on point" or not. There's 40,000+ christian sects in the world today, each with it's own "theology." Not HWA, not Dr. Bob, and not you either, have any idea if any of these "theologies" are "on point," if indeed any of them are.
I would certainly hope that in 2019 we were NOT worshipping as the first century Christians did. Like all Christianity, belief and faith evolve as one grows as they revel in the grace of God. I don't need to worry whether or not my "theology" is "on point." I am quite sure in my standing with God and have no worry about any of the bullshit prophecies that Thiel, Malm, Weinland, Pack, and others utter. The Church of God has been taken over by false prophets and liars that are deceiving many sincere people who think they are following God.
ReplyDelete7:15 wrote "I know it gets your goat, but everything there is true. I'm not a big fan of Dr. Bob, but his theology is pretty much on point. I think he leans of HWA far too much though, holding on to many of his errors."
ReplyDeleteIf you really think that what Bob Thiel posts is right then you are truly delusional. He is as far from the truth as Pack and Flurry are. Because the Armstrongist Church of God has totally rejected Jesus and the New Covenant and placed the law as the pillar of truth that one has to follow as the true path to salvation shows just how sick Armstrongism!
There is NO TRUTH in Bob Thiel.
Of we were discussing crime rather than religion here, Bob Thiel would be known as a copycat killer, thief, or whatever.
ReplyDeleteBB
In attempting to copy the 1st Century Christians to the letter, every jot and tittle, you then are throwing away every bit of growth that the Church of God has gained through the Indwelling of the Spirit. You are saying that the Holy Spirit has not taught Christianity anything since given to the Church (the people of God). You are saying that for nearly 2,000 years that God has not done anything whatsoever. Of course, this is what made HWA's DIFFERENT GOSPEL popular, because he used that exact theory to promote his 15 seconds of fame.
ReplyDeleteThe goal of Christianity is not to copy first century Christians to the letter, but to receive Christ in you to work through you in the lives of humanity today, with 2,000 years of growing in grace in knowledge - and a very current Holy Spirit working in and through you. God does not wish you to drive a 33 B.C. Vehicle because, quite frankly, the Flintstone Car is not even street legal - it's obsolete. It's about love, not legalism, it's about faith, not festivals. It's about the power of love, not the physical keeping of an ancient calender day (though if that's what you want to do, more power to you in the freedom of Christ, but it doesn't impact your salvation whatsoever). This is the lesson Bob has not learned. Bob seems to think everybody has to be a carbon copy drone of exactly what legalism demands. That is not what the New Testament teaches or has ever taught. This is the deception of what HWA taught through selfish and conceited ambition for sordid gain and physical riches.
Well, SHT, this is one of the reasons that I’ve often said right here that HWA had at best partial understanding of 2/3 of God. No one in their right mind would argue that HWA’s authoritarian model of church government was not an arrogant effort to replace the workings of the Holy Spirit.
DeleteWouldn’t HWA’s statement that the gospel he preached had not been preached for 1900 years actually be at least denial of the work of the Holy Spirit for 1900 years, or perhaps even blasphemy???
WCG denied the very visible process of evolution, and they didn’t just deny it in plants, animals and humans. They also denied it in progress of any sort. In their minds, things started out as being perfect, and degenerated from there. So, of course they were always preoccupied with getting back to an imaginary snapshot in time.
Wierd!
BB
I disagree with at least two of these specific points, namely:
ReplyDeleteHeaven was not taught to be the reward of Christians; &
Millenarianism (a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth, often called the millennium) was taught by the early Christians.
2Ch 9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
During Christ’s second half-week He will appoint a descendant of David/Solomon - “the prince” to rule for Him during the Millennium - while Christ and the Saints will be in heaven.
Eze 44:3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
Eze 45:7 And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion...
Eze 45:22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
Eze 46:2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
Eze 46:4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish.
Eze 46:12 Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.
Eze 46:16 Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance.
Eze 46:17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them.
While the prince, as patron of the Millennial worship system is not allowed to enter the inner court (46:2), another descendant of David will have a ‘dwelling presence’ in the Most Holy Place.
Eze 43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever...
To keep Christ’s ‘dwelling presence’ in the Temple animal blood will be required to atone for sin and ritual impurity throughout the year.
Lev 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement [kipper] for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
"... inadvertent sin and major impurity both require sacrifice for atonement. Since both inadvertent sin and major impurity endanger (requiring ransom) and pollute (requiring purgation), sacrificial atonement must both ransom and cleanse. The verb used to describe this dual event is the verb kipper and the power of the kipper-rite to accomplish both is due to the lifeblood of the animal" (Jay Sklar, Sin Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement - The Priestly Conceptions, p.187).
Culminating in the yearly cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of the sacred year.
Eze 45:19 The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar and on the gateposts of the inner court.
Eze 45:20 You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple. (NIV).
Anon 5:27 said: "The Church of God exists wherever two ore more are gathered together in Christ's name. This means that it is possible that some members of the improperly named Continuing Church of God are members of Christ's Church, but membership in any humanly established church has nothing to do with membership in God's Church."
ReplyDeleteBB 8:13 said: "I was struck with the realism of this depiction, because the reality is that no one church is perfect in all of its beliefs and behavioral patterns. All have and teach a human, imperfect mixture of truth and error, yet all are God’s children, being developed, and in various stages of development. The important factor is that they are all acolytes. So, Joshua (Jesus) lovingly working with all of them is consistent with what Jesus will or would do if He were to walk with us in our times. If a church were to claim exclusivity, the first thing He would need to correct in that church would be the arrogance and vanity, to open the members’ minds to the fact that there were others who are equally sincere, struggling and trying, open to “the Way”."
Agree with both! God's Church, and Christ's Body, of believers is spiritual and not limited to any man-made group.
Armstrongist fundamenalism like this has always been about dragging the first century into the modern day, in a similar way as Islamic fundamentalism is about dragging the 7th century into the modern day.
ReplyDelete"So join us in another mind-boggling video experience as The Chosen One, the Great Bwana, himself, Bob Thiel tells you which church his creature "jesus" will be returning to. And no, it is NOT coming back to Wadsworth first!"
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, are you telling me that I've wasted my time waiting in the parking lot of the Wadsworth Giant Eagle??