Satan's deceptive force is leading LCG members astray!!!!
Here we go again, boys and girls! LCG members are getting smacked down yet again for letting Satan influence them and leading them off course. After all, Satan is the most powerful god in the COG, way more powerful than God himself who cannot keep people on track. Since they deny the Holy Spirit, it is no wonder there are so many problems.
Christianity has always known that a Christian's destiny is in Christ and to be like him, not to be some god or goddess ruling over planets or kingdoms with rods of iron as COG myths teach.
In Romans 8:28-29, Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Paul also says that every believer’s destiny is to sonship and to be holy and without fault in our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Ephesians 1:4-5, Paul states: “Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”
Paul also states that our responsibility is to fulfill our call to holiness. Ephesians 2:10, that we are created in Christ Jesus so that we can do the things which God has pre-planned.
Okey dokey, that is pretty plain, but then there is the Living Church of God who is more concerned about being kings and priests and gods and goddesses ruling in a magical kingdom to come than it is teaching the world about Christ and the works that were accomplished through him. No magical kingdom will exist without knowing that first. But, this is the COG after all, and it is more important to be a future god than it is dwelling in a relationship with Christ or even God himself. How can anyone be prepared to be a priest or teacher when they are never taught about Christ?
Stay Focused on Our Mission: The lessons of history show that mankind and God’s Chosen People have drifted off course again and again due to Satan’s deceptive influence. Adam and Eve made wrong choices that sent the course of human history off in a wrong direction (Genesis 3). Ancient Israel turned from God and suffered consequences—and modern Israelite nations are heading down the same path. Jesus called disciples and raised up His Church to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14–15; 16:15), to warn the world of the consequences of sin (Isaiah 58:1), and to announce events that would indicate His return was near (Matthew 24). The mission of God’s Church is also to prepare a people to rule with Jesus Christ as kings, priests, and teachers in His coming Kingdom (Luke 1:17; Revelation 5:10; Isaiah 30:20–21). To qualify for this challenging and exciting reward, we must avoid being distracted by the trials and temptations of this world (Matthew 13:18–23) and remain faithful and focused on our calling and our God- given mission (Matthew 24:13; Revelation 3:8–12; 17:14).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
16 comments:
That Jesus dude is such a weakling, letting His people get duped by Satan again and again.
Or is Doug unconsciously admitting that LCG is a Laodicean remnant, not a Philadelphian one? Aren't the Philadelphians the church that does NOT get super-duped by Satan, in contrast to the Laodiceans? You certainly wouldn't browbeat a Philadelphian in the way Winnail browbeats LCG members. So maybe Winnail is revealing something very important with his attack on LCG members here.
That picture is a perfect description of why all the COG's are rudderless. Jesus is missing from the picture. The church avoids at all costs discussing much about him. Ask them about the law and they will produce hundreds of booklets and magazine articles and preach thousands of sermons. Ask them about Jesus and they will look at you with stunned silence.
COG leaders are not alone in systemic smackdowns - I've heard Protestant preachers make similar demands, but with little or no support from scripture. These are typically Sunday smackdowns, but instead the reward of "getting into the Kingdom" the offerings are "going to Heaven" or an eternity of punishment in Hell. In some ways, I'd prefer the COG version!
Those two examples cited in the great article are some of the biggest questions I have about believing the doctrines of Armstrongism and splinters.
1) How on earth did HWA get anyone, let alone 100,000 people, to believe the two GREATEST lies of all time. The idea believers will one day become God, as God is God? Off the top of my head, I can think of entire chapters in the Book of Isaiah alone, that repeat over and over again that God Himself said, I am God. Beside Me there is no other. Before me was no god formed. After me shall no god be formed. How did HWA fall for the very first lie of Satan in the garden of Eden and then get so many others to believe it? That boggles my mind. That is the literal definition of blasphemy, yet people bought it..some still do.
2) Where did HWA get the other greatest heresy about the Holy Spirit being the power of God and NOT God? At least twice in the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is clearly called God. THIS is the unpardonable sin. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the unpardonable sin as described in Matthew and Mark.
So why did Herbie teach and preach two easily disproved heresies? I can think of no two greater deceptions than this deadly (eternally) duo.
Finally, can anyone answer the great question posed in the article? Why do so many in the splinters appear to be saying that Satan is more powerful than God and Jesus is just sort of the Vice President in charge of paperclip? The mind truly boggles.
I love how the COG's idea of how to prepare people to rule an Entire Planet is to go about their daily lives, pay tithes, and keep their mouths shut in church. At least they could offer management courses. I think this really shows that the ministers don't really believe any of this hogwash.
Paul Ray
I don't believe that the ACOGs deliberately downplay Jesus and His importance to humanity. That just sort of happens when you believe that the New Covenant is actually still the Old Covenant, only now with a Messiah whose death pays for accidental violation of select laws from the Torah.
I love how the COG's idea of how to prepare people to rule an Entire Planet is to go about their daily lives, pay tithes, and keep their mouths shut in church. At least they could offer management courses. I think this really shows that the ministers don't really believe any of this hogwash.
It is blasphemous to think that any amount of physical training could prepare a human being to function as God. If we became God, our submission to the Father would give us everything we might need to know, far above any "preparation" or "management courses" taken in the flesh.
“ It is blasphemous to think that any amount of physical training could prepare a human being to function as God. If we became God, our submission to the Father would give us everything we might need to know, far above any "preparation" or "management courses" taken in the flesh”
One of the best comment ever on this site —— IMO
Anonymous Anonymous said...
"I don't believe that the ACOGs deliberately downplay Jesus and His importance to humanity. That just sort of happens when you believe that the New Covenant is actually still the Old Covenant, only now with a Messiah whose death pays for accidental violation of select laws from the Torah."
A HUGE stumbling block in the cogs for decades. New wine/old wineskins, etc.
At one time, I would have read through the text of this preacher's statement and it would have seemed fluent, intelligible and persuasive. Now it has structure. It contains spots of uneven and irregular meaning.
At first scan, he uses the terms "kings" and "priests." This is from the antique KJV translation. Where this is found in the NT, the translation should be "kingdom of priests." We might overlook this if it were at the margins. But instead this is language invoked in his statement to describe the very "mission of God's Church." It would seem that this passage, highly important to their theology, would be parsed with great care. It makes me think that this splinter group does not attach importance to proper exegesis. It is, rather, coasting along on dubious tradition.
The second word obstacle I tripped on was the term "qualify" contained in the phrase "To qualify for this challenging and exciting reward..." In Classical Armstrongism, this was a cloaked reference to "salvation by works." Qualification, in Armstrongist theology, has been erroneously placed on the critical path to salvation. Works are categorized as a cause rather than an effect in their soteriology. And it is very difficult to make Armstrongists understand this. They always fall into the trap of believing that you are advocating antinomianism when you are actually acknowledging the sole efficacy of Christ's sacrifice.
The word "qualify" does not appear in the KJV. Non-appearance in scripture, after all, is one of their main arguments against the Trinity. So when Armstrongists see the term "qualify" a red flag should go up and flap a little in the breeze. But it never seems to. We do have the term "qualified" in other translations. The ESV for instance states:
"giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son..."
This states that we are already qualified (past tense) by God Himself and that you should, in obedience to scripture, thank God for this. How can you obediently be thankful for this already bestowed gift if you think you are daily struggling to achieve it?
There are probably other rough edges in this preacher's statement but what I noticed up to this point I think is enough. Others will see other issues.
******** Click on my icon for Disclaimer
Luke 1:17 has NOTHING to do with the LCG because they are NOT in the spirit and power of Elijah and are NOT turning the hearts of the children OR the disobedient to the wisdom of the wise OR making a people prepared for the Lord!!!!!!!! Is Doug Winnail SMOKING CRACK???.??? He is clearly DELUSIONAL if he thinks this scripture is referring to him or the LCG!! Their television broadcast is a JOKE!! They stop VERY shot of telling the REAL TRUTH!! They are more in the spirit of MILQUETOAST!!
Once again, Doug delivers a truly dangerous message to the poor sheep, as he injects an indoctrination booster, with this re-re-regurgitated COG-odd poison.
In this repeat piece, there’s something askew from biblical soundness in each one of disqualified Doug’s sentences.
However, I too was most stricken by Doug’s use of “qualify for this challenging and exciting reward”.
The LCG sheep accept Doug/LCG leadership as their shepherd, but it’s sad that they’re so numb, that they don’t demand to know the exact parameters of that “qualify” word.
The sheep need to know exactly what qualifying is, if they’re to have any hope of qualifying.
How cruel and deceptive of Doug to withhold a tight explanation of how they can qualify!
Is it qualify, on a pass/fail basis?
That doesn’t seem to jibe with the COG mantra that God demands excellence.
So, is it qualify, as in achieving a letter grade?
If so, God’s instruction booklet to the COGs should specify what is required to earn an A, as well as indicate if a D is still passing, and articulate what a C will get you.
Is it qualify, as in achieving a certain numerical score?
If yes, what’s the magic number needed and what number of points are awarded for each work of the law?
Will Doug please present his qualifications for examination as an example?
I would not want to learn from Doug if he has not qualified or is not making impressive progress toward qualification.
If we look at Rod Meredith’s self-reported qualifications of not having committed a major sin since baptism, and consider that his LCG eulogy inferred that he had “qualified” – then where’s the list of major sins and list of minor sins, and how many minor sins is a qualifier allowed to rack up, and are you shit-out-of-luck if you did cop a few majors while striving to qualify?
We can’t all be as holy as RCM.
What if I’m not shooting for a big reward; how about no reward at all, beyond just being present in the Kingdom.
What must I minimally do to qualify for being the least in the Kingdom, I mean just barely squeaking through the Kingdom door as it shuts on those nasty Christians-falsely-so-called?
Really, disqualified Doug has no useful message to a needy humanity, if he cannot articulate what one must do to qualify.
As LCG insists on their Jesus-less gospel of “qualifying” they offer no help or hope to the “lost tribes” or humanity as a whole, if they cannot specify and quantify their required qualifications – and of course, back that up with Holy Scripture.
Doug’s demands that the people must “qualify” is leaving the people in constant stress because they keep trying, tithing, and trying some more, and giving some more, but Doug never lets them arrive at “qualified”.
Even the delusional, who believe they are righteous, are suffering from the cruel ways reality has of showing them they’ve missed the mark.
As addressed in comments above, this COG-qualifying nonsense is not biblical.
God demands one hundred percent righteousness for entry into the Kingdom – that is not humanly possible.
Fortunately for those who accept the Savior, Jesus was completely righteous and offers his righteousness to be your righteousness.
People of the LCG, the perfect righteousness of Jesus is yours, if you accept Jesus as your Savior.
To honor the Savior and his gift of righteousness, look for spiritual teachings from those who preach Jesus, and leave the qualifying behind, in the COG rat race.
Romans 5:16-18
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
“Ancient Israel turned from God and suffered consequences—and modern Israelite nations are heading down the same path. “
Here is Mr. Winnail putting the cart before the horse again. The thing is that they don’t understand is ancient Israel turned from God because they entered a covenant with God after Sinai and participated in the 14 of Nisan Passover. THE MODERN ISRAELITE NATIONS NEVER ENTERED A COVENANT with God and keep Christ Passover. They never agreed to keep God’s law. So they have never turned from God because they never had a relationship with God to begin with during the new testament age. God’s chosen people
Yesterday, I said that in this repeat piece, there’s something askew from biblical soundness in each one of disqualified Doug’s sentences.
Doug’s theological skills have never been sharp; the people of the LCG need to examine each individual sentence Doug writes to verify if he has been true to the words found in the scriptures he cites.
Doug’s first sentence in this piece is:
“The lessons of history show that mankind and God’s chosen people have drifted off course again and again due to Satan’s deceptive influence."
As No2HWA pointed out, Satan is the most powerful being in COGdom and Doug rehearses that theme in his first sentence.
Doug wants his people to be scared to peek beyond the LCG confines and to live in fear of Satan snatching them if they question LCG theology or his leadership.
No2HWA referenced Romans 8 and the topic of predestination – a topic the COGs won’t go near because their focus on keeping the people unsure of their fate.
I believe Romans 8:34-37 makes it clear that nothing, not even the COGs most powerful being, Satan, can separate us from Jesus.
Instead of reassuring his readers that we are secure in Jesus and how Jesus has given us the victory over Satan Doug’s opening sentence is intended to unbiblically reinforce Satan’s power and scare the people in submission to his church.
Correct Trooisto 3:06,
Notice how the Apostle John’s letter differs in spirit to his listeners. It seems to be more of an encouragement rather than these “leaders.”
1 John 2:12-13 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
He mentions how they have overcome the wicked one (Satan). in total contrast to how Winnail writes!! The nature is the opposite.
I would rather follow the apostle whom Jesus loved like John, and those others who had miracles working within them. Also note that during this time the apostle John was kicked out of the congregation during this time by Diotrephes, so he wasn’t trying to buy memberships and lord it over people.
Trooisto, Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 1:02:00 PM PDT, asked of Doug Winnail:
"...Will Doug please present his qualifications for examination as an example?
I would not want to learn from Doug if he has not qualified or is not making impressive progress toward qualification..."
******
Doug is qualified...in his own eyes. Since Doug has written about requirements/prerequisites required to earn salvation, he enjoys the luxury of giving these Friday night smackdowns, which are nothing more than being like a summarized "grow and overcome" smini, mini, mini-ermonette.
It is as if Doug can stand up and say to those of the living group something like: "Oh, be as good as ME, and you should repent, overcome or otherwise you will not be allowed by God to be in His Kingdom."
I imagine that Doug believes that he has qualified himself. How could Doug do that? When he fled from the former WCG, leaving his ministerial credentials behind, and abandoning those sheep he was pastoring over: did that qualify Doug for something?
Oh, then Doug attended the 1995 Indianapolis Conference where the United Ass. was established, and remained with United for a short time thereafter. Did that qualify Doug for anything?
Then Doug went to the Living group (or was it “Go Baal?”) and made that his "home." Did that qualify Doug?
It is God who calls (Acts 13:2), says scriptures, and drags (John 6:44) people to His Church. God knows who He is calling and when; that's His business.
If anything it is not that God calls the qualified, but that God qualifies the called.
Now, Doug expecting people to do something to somehow qualify has not, and will not work. That is a work of SELF.
Doug teaches that Satan influences people, but cite one example where Satan influenced anybody? Doug can't even find the word "influence" in the Bible.
Doug denies the worth of Jesus Christ, who is not the God of the Old Testament, but is our Passover sacrificed for us. Doug denies both Father and Son by shifting focus to individuals to somehow save themselves, which they can't do.
Why is Doug so blind and caught in a trap like that? Isaiah 28:10 explains:
Doug has swallowed a premise: "For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:"
Doug says that Jesus Christ, actually another Jesus, will very soon arrive on our planet to reign on earth for 1,000 years. Where is the proof? We're told Christ is going to be at the Father's right hand for a long time yet. Doug's theory isn't much different than what Dave Pack and Bob Thiel spew out, and they also swallowed the same premise, which leads where?
"But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." Isaiah 28:13
Falling backwards, being broken, snared and taken. Snared? Perhaps snared, like so many, former WCG hirelings by whom?
"And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Tim 2:26
When will Doug learn to know that Satan doesn't mess around with influencing anybody, but actually exercises control?
Doug blames/judges Adam, Eve, ancient Israelites for making wrong choices. Those examples exist to show those like Doug that: “You, of and by SELF, will not qualify for anything, but death.”
Is it possible that Doug has already been snared by Satan, but is too spiritually blind to see it?
Time will tell...
John
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