Everyone is always out to get LCG/COG members. If they have such "infallible proofs", why do they not have confidence and faith in the one they claim to follow? Living in fear seems to be more comfortable for the church.
Prove Your Beliefs: Many today assume that simply “believing in Jesus” and “accepting Him into your heart” is all that is required of Christians. However, the Bible teaches differently. Numerous scriptures warn of false teachers who will talk about Jesus and deceive people (Matthew 24:3–5), even labeling them as ministers of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:1–15). This is why the Apostle Paul urged Christians to “Test [examine carefully] all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Luke writes that the beliefs of early Christians were based on eyewitness accounts and provide “many infallible proofs” of Christ’s miracles and resurrection (Luke 1:1–2: Acts 1:1–3). The Apostle Peter urged believers to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) as Paul confidently did before Roman leaders (Acts 26). If we take time to prove our beliefs, we can do the same thing.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
30 comments:
I wonder what's so profitable about a sabbath.
I think we know that relaxing & resting is profitable to health, but he insinuates that sabbaths should be profitable in sort of a corporate-church-organizational way.
Why do you assume people don't have confidence or faith NO2HWA? Who says they're living in fear?
Or do you who watches believers desire fear, no faith, zero confidence to rule the roost?
The Church of God would teach 3 feasts, not seven, and teach there has never been a command to tithe on money income.
Yep. Winnail immediately comes out of the gate as a false teacher. Before his first Biblical reference (Matt. 24:3-5) he talks of "false teachers who will talk about Jesus and deceive people". But, the verse is not about those who teach Jesus but rather those that come in His name claiming they themselves are the Christ.
In his efforts to belittle those who teach Jesus, Winnail intentionally avoids the part that defines the deception Jesus is referring to...those claiming to be Christ.
This is why the Apostle Paul urged Christians to “Test [examine carefully] all things; hold fast what is good”
It seems a paradox to me that this writer appeals to Paul yet concludes of a need for sabbath service. Paul never imposed compulsory sabbath on converts , nor feast days foods etc, nor did the Council - yet if one so chooses that is their faith of course. And freedom. Such appeal to Paul seems odd that's all in such circumstance as likely it is the case the author would be of the view only true teachers are found within his kind.
He's really phoning it in.
He's really phoning it in.
Yes, it's another rerun. Poor guy hasn't grown spiritually in years.
1 Corinthians 4:14-15, 17 KJV
[14] I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. [15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
[17] For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
I think we have 10,000 up to no good.
That pretty much describes Bob Thiel.
ACOG-land and those who talk of Christ "too much" share the commonality of being fuzzy regarding person responsibilities. This is exploited by domineering ministers and meddling busy bodies.
Broken record, 1:40.
Sabbatarianism failed to gain traction in the first/second centuries! And its revival, NeoSabbatarianism, 19th/20th centuries, also failed to make a dent, most notably crashing under Tkach who dropped it seeing negative growth in WCG, much like the negative growth in today's Armstrongist daughter churches.
For Doug to remind us of false teachers brings to mind the scene in the movie Casablanca where a pickpocket warns a couple to be careful because there are vultures in the community. He warns them as he picks their pocket.
This Armstrongist preacher wrote, "Many today assume that simply “believing in Jesus” and “accepting Him into your heart” is all that is required of Christians."
I used to believe that about the "churches of this world" when I was a naive Armstrongist. It never occurred to me that the Armstrongist pulpit was strategically mischaracterizing the Christian churches. Christians believe that faith changes behavior. Most of the Christian churches, in spite of what HWA used to maintain, even believe that the moral content of the Law of Moses is still valid (but not the letter). "Cheap grace" among the Christian churches has been an Armstrongist song and dance for decades. It is just a convenient point of disinformation. Just religious vaudeville. If the assertion is sincere, it is just low jinx that betrays limited experience and education.
Scout
Yes Doug, 'we have taken the time to prove our beliefs,' which is why we stopped attending ACOG splinters, and post on Banned.
Winnail sure is a gasbag, until the subject of LCG executive $alaries comes up!
Any wonder LCG membership has now crashed to an estimated 2450.
Loved "V" when it was on TV. Armstrongite ministers could very well be aliens in our midst meaning to destroy us. They have done a good job so far.
It's not so much "False teachers walk among us." More like False Teachers R Us!
Winnail refers to false teachers and mentions this:
“The Apostle Peter urged believers to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) as Paul confidently did before Roman leaders (Acts 26). If we take time to prove our beliefs, we can do the same thing.”
The problem is that last statement, “if we take time to prove our beliefs, we can do the same thing.” See, the context of Peter and Paul is that they were being persecuted and dealing with suffering for being a Christian. Acts 26 is pertaining to Paul standing before king Agrippa. The hope of every Christian is the use of God’s spirit leading to eternal life at the resurrection. The LCG/COG hope is proving points through their “descendent prophecies" to feel that they are right or that Armstrong was right. They want to “do the same thing,” but they don’t have the measure of God’s spirit like Paul or Peter and neither do they have the same ministry. Also they are not being persecuted as the apostles were. Their focus is what leads people astray.
Paul and Peter’s focus was on the prophecy of Christ returning and the hope of the resurrection (gory), having the testimony of Christ which is the (spirit of prophecy) Rev. 19:10-11). I mean if I were in my 70’s or 80’s that’s what I would focus on. Their focus is on certain descended nations' prophecies (that will occur anyways) whether we are still here or not. So they still want to take the time to prooooove theiiiir belieefffs. Germany, BI, 1975...
Indeed this is so - the immature and proud belief only their doctrines are true. And emphasizing these claims all the time. But this is far from the truth.
Yea, 9:11 its pride or a "proud belief" as you mentioned.
Check this out:
Luke 18:11-14. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
See they are like this pharisee, " we only have the truth" we are the only church" we are the true ministers" "everyone else is false who is not in our coorporation/organization." We have the true doctrine" See its that attitude that's the same
Yes the same I agree. A trait inherited from Armstrong who excelled in the art of exalting his status - to culminate in the preposterous claim discovered along the way, and encouraged by fawning acolytes, that he qualified as an apostle. Cheers and Enjoy your weekend coming
False teachers also busy themselves senseless writing on this blog as a sideline.
1:45 awe, poor baby come get your spiritual milk.
Well 1:45, beats the heck of sitting through ACOG sabbath services, and feeling all filthy inside and in dire need for an enema once you get home! Better to purge through writing, n'est ce pas?
đź¤
Anon, Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 9:11:00 PM PDT, said:
"...Indeed this is so - the immature and proud belief only their doctrines are true. And emphasizing these claims all the time. But this is far from the truth.
Anon, Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 10:28:00 PM PDT, said:
"...Yea, 9:11 its pride or a "proud belief" as you mentioned.
Check this out:
Luke 18:11-14. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
See they are like this pharisee, " we only have the truth" we are the only church" we are the true ministers" "everyone else is false who is not in our coorporation/organization." We have the true doctrine" See its that attitude that's the same..."
******
That focus on "our corporation/organization" gets all of their man-made, perhaps satanic-driven, groups into big trouble, b/c they all want to be known to be part of "the churches of god," but isn't there only one God's Church? Those fleeing hirelings of the former WCG use to all preach there was only one that could be God's Church. What happened?
HWA in Mystery of the Ages focused on God's Church as being the organism:
"...The Church is the called out (from this world) begotten children of God. It is the Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:23). It is the spiritual organism that shall be the "Bride of Christ"--after its resurrection to immortality...
...They are the spiritual embryos and fetuses as yet UNBORN, although begotten by God's Holy Spirit-already children of GOD. The CHURCH is God's spiritual ORGANISM...
...All these various members GOD HAS SET in his Church are interdependent--mutually dependent on one another. They form a TEAM--an ORGANIZED SPIRITUAL ORGANISM--utterly different from any secular and worldly organization!..."
And yet, HWA focused so much on the WCG, not so much as an organism, but as an organization, as though it (all approximately 150,000 attendees near their maximum attendance) were actually secular and worldly organization.
Now that the former WCG is so broken up, what do we see? A bunch of separate organizations all professing to be that one true church: God's Church. Deterioration and split-offs continue, of which Global, Living, etc. are just a part of the "spiritual debris."
All of the leaders of these groups, like Doug Winnail, have their own righteousness, or to say it in Paul's words:
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:" Philippians 3:9
And if organizational pride is involved Job would give them this advice about their true king:
"He beholdeth all high [things]: he [is] a king over all the children of pride." Job 41:34
When will these leaders/hirelings of the former WCG and their followers repent of their SELF-righteousness and pride in themselves and their organizations and focus on God's Church as an organism: not a corporation/organization?
Time will tell...
John
Nice to hear from you again John (we have conversed several times), and yes it was suppose to be an organism instead of a bunch of different organization/corporations as you have stated.
They claim to promote first century apostolic christianity, but Paul and Peter were leading within their ministries under an organism. They would sacrifice their lives for the flock. These "leaders/hirelings of the former WCG" lookout for themselves. Even Peter mentions "even our beloved brother Paul" after his correction. They had unity, unlike splinterdom.
These false teachers are the Kaiser Sosays of the ACOGs.
Anon, Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 9:30:00 AM PDT, said:
"...These "leaders/hirelings of the former WCG" lookout for themselves..."
******
Jesus Christ was very aware of their hireling attitude, and He warned us about it in John 10 where He said:
:12 "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep."
Do the hirelings love/care for any of the sheep?
:13 "The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep."
That source of love/care is a fruit of God's Spirit (Galatians 5), and if any hireling is the workmanship of God's hands that love and caring will be evident. Hirelings aren't necessarily evil, but they can be involved with doing evil. Some display good things and others display evil things.
Most of the hirelings of the former WCG were driven by another spirit, identified by James:
"...The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?"
Were those words written in vain? James didn't think so, but he asked:
"Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,...?"
The words say what they mean and mean what they say.
When will those SELFish hirelings do something other than look out for themSELVES?
Time will tell...
John
Yes, time will tell. And the John 10 explanation is spot on!
thank you
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