One thing the Church of God has always been good at was ignoring Jesus and anything he taught. Instead, the church focused heavily on Old Testament books and the men mentioned in them. After the implosion of the church in the mid to late 1990's, various splinter groups took that focus upon the OT to the extreme, especially the Philadelphia Church of God.
Every signal article from the PCG has as its prime focus the Old Testament men, laws, and covenants. Nothing irritates them more than to have to talk about grace, justification, sanctification, and the name that they dare not be mentioned, Jesus.
Gerald Flurry, in a letter to his faithful, sent this out today:
Joshua Exalted Moses
After the death of Moses, God chose Joshua to lead Israel. Over and over, this Joshua of old told Israel to remember and exalt what God had revealed through Moses—and he and the nation prospered as a result.
"[T]he Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua …" (Joshua 4:10). Joshua didn’t decide on his own to do that; God commanded him to do it, and Joshua obediently did so! We are commanded today to teach according to all that God taught through Herbert W. Armstrong. We are the only Church that does so. "There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel …" (Joshua 8:35). Joshua didn’t even reject one word that God taught through Moses. He taught the people that every inspired word of Moses had to be kept! He taught them to remember Moses! God had revealed to Joshua the importance of Moses’s position in Israel. He also prophesied a great warning to anyone who would dare reject even one word of God’s message through His messenger.
When God sends a man to deliver a message, it is extremely dangerous to reject even one word!
Gerald claims that the PCG is required to teach all that HWA taught, yet they do not. The PCG has taken most of Armstrong's writings and deleted words here and there and even added some so that his words did not conflict with Flurry's new revealed teachings. So when PCG says they preach everything that HWA did, they are liars.
The PCG rejects Herbert Armstrong and Jesus, pretty much like every single COG out there today, especially the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god" and the Restored Church of God. All three of these groups preach the mindless rants of deluded psychotic leaders instead of following the one that they should.
13 comments:
You ignore Jesus yourself. Blasphemy is widespread. Think about it.
We were never meant to worship Jesus.
When God sends a man to deliver a message, it is extremely dangerous to reject even one word!
So men in the PCG all wear tzitzit? I never noticed!
I think this blog mentions Jesus and the Gospel more in a week than PCG in a year, and you know it. If the shoe fits.
When you get your head screwed on straight about what Gods word actually says. Then maybe you could guide people to right conclusions. You tear down everyone who does not agree with you. People have the right to be duped, conned and deceived. Pointing out what is wrong is only your opium and it may be well justified. But know your bible not what you think it says.
Anonymous 1:29AM PDT
"We were never meant to worship Jesus"
Oh Really?
I Guess the man delivered from demonic attack in John 9 was mistaken:
John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
John 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
John 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
John 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Looks like the Apostles blew it as well when Jesus appeared to them after Resurrection:
Luke 24:29 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Luke 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Luke 24:52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
Hebrews 1:1-4 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 IN THESE LAST DAYS HAS SPOKEN TO US IN HIS SON, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
COMMENT: 1) God speaks to us now through Jesus, His Son. 2)God made the world through Jesus. God appointed Jesus heir of all things. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father's nature. Jesus upholds all things through the word of His power (including YOU). HE IS WORTHY OF ALL WORSHIP AND GLORY ALONG WITH HIS FATHER.
JESUS SPEAKING: 37 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38 You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from men; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; THE ONE WHO ACCUSES YOU IS MOSES,IN WHOM YOU HAVE SET YOUR HOPE. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, FOR HE WROTE ABOUT ME. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Have you considered that God has revealed things to Mr. Flurry that he never revealed to Jesus?
HWA teachings are a blend of truth and error. Or does anyone believe that the ACOGs tyranny is biblical?
Christs' "call no man your master" is a warning against putting a leader such as HWA on a pedestal and giving him undue influence. Ultimately every Christian, rather than some leader/minister, is the steward of their life. Otherwise God rewarding every person according to their handling of their talents makes no sense.
Of course they elevate Moses - the scripture universally believed by Christians - that prophet - to refer to Christ, Flurry has stated it refers to Flurry.
This mentality is peculiar in light of Armstrongism's teaching that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament.
Back in the 1990s, it was quite popular for people who were part of the Armstrong movement to further diminish Jesus, by embracing the "one God" movement, in which Jesus was thought to be a created being who had not pre-existed with Father God. This is an old theory, also known as Arianism (not to be confused with Hitler's ACOG-like master race theory, which basically substituted Aryan people for the Brits). Ah well, nothing new under the sun!
There are basically three categories of Christian Church today. Each is based primarily upon one member of the God family, ie, Father God,
Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit. Each of these has specific characteristics. The Father God churches emphasize the law, and law-keeping. The Jesus Christ churches focus on the New Covenant, forgiveness of sins, grace, and transformation. The Holy Spirit churches are primarily concerned with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Pentecostalism). No need to even try to explain which category Armstrongism falls into. It is that self-obvious.
As for any of the purveyors of Armstrongism of today having more revealed to them than was revealed to Jesus Christ, that is perhaps the most easily discerned possibility ever contemplated by Christians: By their fruits, you shall know them! Armstrongism has always been a very toxic faith, one that actually teaches anti-Christian values, and in so doing, quenches the Holy Spirit, and poisons the soul.
PCG isn't alone in this. Watch LCG's latest TV program:
Rod McNair preaches on Malachi's Message
Full of pictures of ancient priests in their ancient priestly garb, McNair tells us that we need to do EVERYTHING God commanded the people of Malachi's generation. No, McNair doesn't speak the words, "you must wear tassels, sacrifice bulls and pheasants, circumcise your babies, wave a sheaf of wheat soon after the Passover, spend eight days each year in a booth you built from palm fronds, etc." However, the unbright McNair has made a program that to anyone unfamiliar with HWA's pick-and-choose approach will sound like it is advocating full-on Judaizing as what Jesus Christ desires of us.
I'm actually shocked that LCG released this, as it does not reflect what they actually teach, which is a much milder pick-and-choose hodgepodge of Old Testament practices. The few people this program attracts are likely to be completely turned off when they see what LCG actually does.
But the program does illustrate what has been pointed out earlier in this thread. Say "Moses" and "Law" to an ACOG member, and they will lap it up uncritically. But if you dare say "Jesus" and "Grace" they will look at you with suspicion. To McNair's credit, his program does mention Jesus Christ. The problem is that it almost completely goes against Acts 15 and other key New Testament teachings that distinguish Christianity from Judaism. What a mess!
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