Roger Meyer, from Living Church of God, has a small entry on the Tomorrow's World site on the end times:
Jesus Christ gave a prophecy in answer to His disciples’ question about when the end of the age would arrive. He described various worldwide calamities, including wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. Revealing that “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4–8), He went on to describe other events that will take place before the end of the age.
Skeptics retort that wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes have taken place since long before the time of Christ, and indeed, history shows that these things have occurred for millennia. One can go online and find lists of armed conflicts, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, and such catastrophes continue to plague us today.
What about famines? Currently, African nations such as Zimbabwe, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing severe food shortages. These countries have declared national emergencies in response to huge swarms of locusts, which are devastating crops in the horn of Africa and threatening their food supply. Pakistan has also declared a national emergency due to the locust infestation. These nations know they are facing genuine “food insecurity,” a modern term equivalent to the general meaning of “famine.” But millions more around the world are already undernourished.
Pestilences? We’ve seen many pestilences besides the current COVID-19. Ongoing pestilences include various iterations of influenza, SARS, Zika, Ebola, and AIDS, along with older pestilences (many of which continue to infect people today) include cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, Marburg virus, and the infamous Bubonic Plague.
Meanwhile, earthquakes happen daily. Most are very minor, but these have been interspersed with quakes of significant magnitude that cause immense destruction to property and end thousands of lives every year.
But none of this is in conflict with Jesus’ answer to His disciples’ question. Jesus described these disasters as taking place until the end of the age, which comes after an even more significant event: the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world, as a witness to all the nations (Matthew 24:14).
Now, many might think that Christianity has already spent centuries preaching the Gospel to all nations. But if that were so, wouldn’t the end of the age have come—as Christ said it would? Since the end hasn’t come yet, might we conclude that the preaching of the Gospel to the whole world as a witness must not have yet been accomplished?
Consider that Christ’s first statement to His disciples was a warning to “Take heed that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:4). He further warned that those deceiving many would preach about Jesus Christ and claim to be Christians (v. 5). Perhaps the “Gospel” being preached by mainstream “Christianity” is not the true Gospel of the Kingdom—and if it isn’t, it does not fulfill Jesus’ statement.The so-called gospel of many of the present-day COG leaders is nothing more than self-aggrandizing drivel that is devoid of any New Covenant teaching and most certainly devoid of anything to do with what Jesus accomplished.
Considering that every single prophecy uttered by Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith has failed, should not LCG members and COG members realize they have been deceived? Scripture says they were and still are. They love to conveniently forget that scripture plainly states that if just ONE prophecy fails then the self-appointed prophet is a false prophet.
And if that is truly the case, then maybe the time has come to find out what does…Splinter self-appointed leaders have long proclaimed they and they alone have the "good news" and boldly preach it to the world. Yet, none of them do and all end up being abusive controlling failures who blame their followers for the failure of their end times to arrive in blood-shedding glory.
10 comments:
First of all, after reading this, every member of the LCG needs to make a pilmrage to Pasadena and add a shovel full of dirt on Herbert Armstrong's grave.
Secondally, every member needs to take a shot of whiskey and put a gun to their head if they are to believe somehow that LCG's gospel is fulfilling Matt. 24:14 after the apparent failure of and self deception that HWA took to the grave concerning Matt. 24:14.
Third, where does it say anything about a gospel being preached about Jesus in Matt. 24:5? It is quite clear in verse 5, verse 23, 24 and verse 26 that it would be someone claiming to be I Am --- Christ that shouldn't be followed.
If Roger Meyer speaks for the LCG concerning this subject, then he did in this one paragraph show that their minds have rottened away concerning basic understanding and reasoning.
Here we go again. The Living Church of God continues to try and do something that Jesus never told His followers to do, namely, "preach the gospel to the world as a witness". Matthew 24:14 is a prophecy, not a commission. A prophecy that will be fulfilled in Rev 14:6. It is beyond foolishness for LCG to think that Jesus is restrained from returning until LCG reaches the entire world with the gospel. Further, LCG ignores what Jesus did tell his followers to do in Matt 28:19. The KJV says Christians are to teach all nations. But the KJV is a wrong translation here. The word for "teach" is the verb form of "disciple" -- disciple-ize, if you will. Christians are to make disciples of all nations. Instead, LCG's philosophy is to preach the gospel as a witness and let God do the rest. Then, LCG will accept them once they have proven to a minister that they are worthy. True, Christians are to be a witness (Acts 1:8) to Jesus, but that is much more than just sending in your money and preaching the gospel from a comfy studio. Making disciples, changing people lives, is real nitty-gritty down-to-earth Christianity.
". . . the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world, as a witness to all the nations (Matthew 24:14)"
The principle issue here is the scope described by such expressions as "all the world." The original Greek says, first, "in all the oikoumenē". This is translated "in all the world." But it means the inhabited world (See Ecumene in Wikipedia). In particular, it seems to refer to the Roman Empire. In Luke 2:1, everyone "all the world" was to be taxed by proclamation of Caesar. I doubt that Caesar knew of the existence of early Vietnam or Australia. Certainly he knew nothing of the Aztecs in what is now Mexico. The argument is similar for "all the nations." This linguistic expression conveyed a limited scope.
With that as background it is easy to understand Paul's statement in Colossians 1:23. Paul's statement here indicates the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 prior to the events of 70 AD - the time of the Tribulation.
LXG Expositor - you beat me to it!
They've taken "as a witness" and attached that to their mission and thinking, but most of the COG members don't get the significance of the phrase, and why the COG clergy always includes it. Whenever a COG clergy member (I no longer call them ministers) says that the job of the church is to PREACH THE GOSPEL (as a witness)" most of the members see that as a statement of love toward the world because of the PREACH THE GOSPEL part, but the reality is that the impetus is the (as a witness) part, which is only self-serving and not at all caring for the recipient of the message.
When an COG clergy member tells you that you should support the church's efforts to "preach the gospel as a witness" he means as a witness against the world, not toward repentance and salvation, except for the few who are being called who hear the same message and respond. The motivation to preach as a witness is to save one's own skin, ala Ezekiel 33:6 "But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn’t blow the trumpet, and the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes, and takes any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand."
Couple this with the mindset that most people in the world are not being called and thus cannot possibly respond, you end up with a church that is hard-hearted at its core, and the people of the world pick up on this. So it rationalizes the push to preach to those who, in their judgment, God is not calling and who thus supposedly have no chance of heeding the message.
A great example that comes to mind is when the man assigned as pastor in the Kansas City LCG congregation actually advised the assembly that if they are flummoxed why a person to whom the church member is personally evangelizing doesn't come into the church, then it's because the person is simply not being called and the church member should "blow them off" and be satisfied that you've done your job by preaching to the person "as a witness." This particular clergy member emphasizes "as a witness" whenever he says it, "preach the gospel AS A WITNESS." Again, most of the congregants who hear him say that don't get what he's really saying, but the undertone of callousness is passed on and affects the spirit of the group.
This is also why there is less focus on preaching to the public about Jesus, because if you're only preaching as a witness then it's a waste of time to preach about Jesus when your main message is a warning to people who are not being called, have no chance of responding to the message.
If there is one thing that I was bitter about it was the struggle with this callous outlook of the world that tethered me to the HWA movement. I have worked and prayed to overcome this view of people and put into my core the outlook that God has toward people, that he love them, all of them, and wants them to know Jesus. Sever the tether people!
Non_Ecliptic_Orbit, June 13, 2020 at 6:45 PM, citing reference of Matthew 24:14, said: "...The principle issue here is the scope described by such expressions as "all the world." The original Greek says, first, "in all the oikoumenē". This is translated "in all the world." But it means the inhabited world (See Ecumene in Wikipedia). In particular, it seems to refer to the Roman Empire..."
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Your entire post (not quoted here) makes a lot of sense where the "world," when Matthew wrote the words of verse 14, was the whole known world of the Roman Empire at that time.
In fact, it appears that the Roman Empire is the sixth head of the beast as mentioned by the Apostle John in Revelation 17:10.
"And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, [and] the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."
When John wrote the "one is" during his day was the Roman Empire.
Many believe that Gog, the 7th head, will soon be on the scene, but it really appears that Gog will not occur until Satan exits the pit after a 1,000 year pit-stop. People looking for them 10 kings/nations to appear may be watching in vain if they continue think they will "soon" appear.
Anyway, thanks for sharing, and time will tell...
John
This article exposes the fatal flaws of LCG. They think they are preaching the true Gospel but, they don't like Grace. In the history of LCG and its founders, there have never been telecasts, articles, booklets, or sermons about Grace. However, Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. Therefore, whatever they are preaching to the world, it is not telling people how they can be saved. Contrary to Holy Scripture, the LCG "gospel" is all about salvation by works and says absolutely nothing about grace or the gift of God. If you ask an LCG member about grace, they don't want to talk about it - it means nothing to them. The LCG "gospel" cannot be the Gospel if it can't tell the world how it can be saved.
LCG is also caught in the conundrum of saying we are in the last days - and - the end will not come until their “gospel” is preached in all the world. The LCG has managed to get their false gospel to a very small percent of the world. Therefore, they cannot jibe their reading of the signs of the end times with the woefully incomplete status of their mission to preach a gospel to the world.
I believe it was Doug Winnail who pushed the concept that LCG would become known by the vast majority of the world, just prior to the tribulation. If there were was any truth to this idea, we can see that there is no tribulation on the horizon because LCG remains an unknown even in the US. Even a mass murder in a church service gave LCG only 15 minutes of fame that has long since faded. I also recall Herbie stating, before his death, that his gospel had been preached to the world. That is why some of the splinter COGs feel that they don't need to be evangelizing, and instead are feed-the-sheep mode.
Proof that LCG is not headed for the headlines, but rather into oblivion, can be found in 1 Corinthians 1:18: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. If you cite this verse to an LCG member, they can't contemplate on the actual words in the verse - they can only focus on the word cross. They will then tell you that Christ did not die on a cross, it was a stake. It's as if the entirety of verse is invisible and meaningless. LCG is perishing because the message of salvation through the cross (or stake) is the foolishness of those they call "so-called Christians". In rejecting this verse, LCG clearly lacks the power of God.
Anon, June 14, 2020 at 9:10 PM, said: "...This article exposes the fatal flaws of LCG. They think they are preaching the true Gospel but, they don't like Grace. In the history of LCG and its founders, there have never been telecasts, articles, booklets, or sermons about Grace. However, Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast...The LCG "gospel" cannot be the Gospel if it can't tell the world how it can be saved..."
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LCG is just preaching "another gospel" via "another Jesus," which involves meeting prerequisites, or basic requirement(s), something of SELF (& nothing of grace).
For example, about 20 years ago, Doug Winnail's article in the July/August 2000 Living News had a portion of his conclusion that stated this: "...Understanding and developing a deep commitment to fulfill that mission is a basic requirement for being in the Kingdom of God..."
Is Doug Winnail saying that God lied when He inspired it to be written that we would be "saved by grace" and not "by works?" Doug Winnail is clearly saying that "basic requirements" must be fulfilled or one won't be "in the Kingdom of God?"
Doug Winnail is preaching "salvation by works" to enter God's Kingdom. Maybe I should use his words. It appears he is preaching "salvation by basic requirements." Are there any other works other than the basic requirements Doug Winnail has mentioned? Has Doug Winnail considered all of the "basic requirements?"
Dr. Winnail is concluding one thing and God's Word is saying something else.
To be more specific, did the thief on the cross meet these "basic requirements" to be in the kingdom of God or will he be in Paradise by "grace?" I have read of no basic requirements required of the thief, but he will be there. Did God take away the thief's free moral agency? His choice? Will God force the thief to be in Paradise just because he requested it? Does he have to qualify somehow?
Ephesians 2:8 states: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Salvation is a gift of God. Grace is a gift of God. So is faith! It's a fruit of God's Spirit. Unless God gives that faith by His Spirit, we don't have it. Belief also comes by God's Spirit. We can't just "work" any of this up.
Am I saying don't preach the gospel? No, but how do these "basic requirements" become necessary for one's entrance into God's Kingdom? Basic requirements may "shut up the kingdom" for some...(many? This world does not need "another gospel," but many do exist.
I think I'll stick with The Apostle Paul's inspired writing in Ephesians 2:8. I'm still learning from that man.
And time will tell...
John
John, this is Anon from June 14. I quoted Ephesians 2:8-9 to a long-time LCG bigshot and asked him if salvation was by works or by grace. He surprised by answering that it was both. He then quoted several verses that he thought made works a requirement. He would not listen to any reasoing about how he misapplied these verses to contradict the very clear Ephesians 2 message that salavation was 100 percent grace and zero percent works. He was so sold on works being a prerequisite of salvation, rather than a fruit of it and would not answer any questions on how much grace played in salvation. He suprised me by acknowledging grace at all - I think this is a huge step forward for LCG - but it doesn't take them far enough and they are resistant to exploring grace any further.
I then asked him if Jesus was a 100 percent Savior or just a partial savior. He completely ignored that question. LCG isn't comfortable with Jesus as Savior - because that contradicts their concept of being their own savior by performing the right works. Jesus as Savior is just that mushy stuff the Protestants droll about.
The LCG is truly perishing in their foolishness of rejecting the Savior, His cross (or stake), and His gift of Grace. The perishing have nothing to offer the world.
Anon, June 15, 2020 at 3:52 PM, concluded with saying: "...The LCG is truly perishing in their foolishness of rejecting the Savior, His cross (or stake), and His gift of Grace. The perishing have nothing to offer the world."
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Yes, LCG, like so many organizations/associations not planted by God, will go the way that Jesus Christ predicted, namely:
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Because these organizations have another gospel, and another Jesus, they cannot preach what the Apostle Paul taught:
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;..." 2 Corinthians 5:19
One day they will all be so thankful that the God, the Father, really was/is no respecter or persons, and finally give Him the praise, credit, honor and glory for working out His perfect Plan of Salvation (Psalm 74:12), where their works of self played no part, but time will tell...
John
I'm curious WHO added their personal commentary to this article because the original article made no mention of Mr HWA or Mr Meredith at all. If you want to post articles then post them without personal commentary. Here is the link to what was actually said read it for yourselves. https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/commentary/signs-of-the-end-of-the-age
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