"...this theater of the absurd that we call Armstrongism "

 

The As Bereans Did site has a most excellent post up today about how we seem to be on an endless loop in Armstrongism that keeps repeating itself.

They start off with this observation:

 ...one cannot read the articles at Banned and not get the impression that this has all happened before.

There is not a day I wonder why I still do this, yet almost every single day some Church of God leader or member says or does something so appallingly stupid that it cannot be left on the sidelines as if it was just an innocent COG thing. People are still being lied to and spiritually damaged by every single one of these larger groups that make up the face of the church today. They all try so hard to be little mini-me Herbert Armstrong clones and yet none of them can do it and never will.

The article says this:

How many times do you have to be lied to, fleeced, stepped on, and taken for a fool before you say "enough already"? How many times will Jesus not return next month before you say, "Huh, maybe this guy isn't a prophet after all, and I might do well to question other things he says,"? A 504th sermon? A 900th? How many more duplications of Ambassador College or the Plain Truth magazine or the World Tomorrow television program will it take before you say, "Huh, maybe that wasn't the best use of millions of dollars, and I might do well to question if this organization is really being led by the Spirit,"? How many self-aggrandizing leaders need to rise up, with their petty in-fighting and their posturing, before you say, "Huh, these people aren't any different than that Herbert Armstrong guy, and none of this looks like what I see in the New Testament,"?

Then there is this: 

If you're staying because of the Sabbath, I've written articles since day 1 recommending you try it over at the Church of God - Seventh Day. See for yourself that they aren't like this. They did the right thing and fired Herbert Armstrong in the 1930s. Here we are almost 100 years later and many still haven't learned that one simple lesson. 

 

What became of these men? What became of Herbert Armstrong, Garner Ted Armstrong, Rod Meredith, Gerald Waterhouse, Herman Hoeh, Gerald Flurry, Ron Weinland, Dave Pack, etc etc etc etc? Did their work pass through the fire or did it burn up? Do you suppose those wells gave fresh water or bitter?

All we have seen, at least in this latter-day dispensation of Armstrongism, is division, back-biting, self-aggrandizement, and superiority complexes as its major minor players thump their puffed-out little chests and bellow at us as to how great they are.

The article continues:

I want you to take an inventory of the past 100 years, an honest inventory, and ask if these are the fingerprints of Jesus you see. Was it Christ who got the prophecies wrong so many, many times? Was it Christ who caused church leaders to struggle for power and influence? Was it Christ causing these men to say "I am Elijah", "I am the Inkhorn", "I am the Two Witnesses"? Was it Christ who caused so many divisions? Was it Christ who misrepresented the facts of history and scripture over and over again? Was it Christ who ruined families financially?

Or maybe was it not Christ at all. Maybe, just maybe, is Jesus Christ to be found elsewhere?

Sadly, very few of the present-day COG groups are even actively looking for Jesus. Their personal interpretations of scripture, their assumed superior knowledge on all kinds of ultimately useless topics, their obsession with legalism, and their blatant narcissism prove that Christ is not part of the picture. 

Some are waking up and leaving the church and there are others seeking to replicate it every day.

That's why I continue to post stuff about Armstrongism and its absolutely CRAZY legacy. If they are going to be dumb enough to say, I am going to post it. The longed for glory-days-of-old that so many look fondly back at were days of zero accountability. Those days are over and many today actively hold their feet to the fire, whether it be this blog, As Bereans Did, The Painful Truth, and the numerous xCOG Facebook pages where people share personal stories of spiritual and physical abuse at the hands of the church.

Read the entire article here: What Will It Take?

 

Satan Is Not Happy That Aaron Dean Will Soon Be Returning To Restore The Worldwide Church of God To It's Former Imagined Glory

 

Sometimes you just can't win when it comes to big bad meanie Satan who works his diabolical plan through those who criticize or mock the idea of Aaron Dean as some later-day savior to the church. Satan is so incensed at the idea of Aaron restoring the faith once delivered through Herbert that he is using this blog and other sites to turn people off to the idea. Too funny!

What Candlestick was raised up through one man, by Jesus Christ, in this Philadelphia era?

Answer: The Worldwide Church of God.

Does this Church face identity thieves and liars?

Answer: Yes. Revelation 3:9

In Revelation 10:7, we read "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."

Now Mr. Armstrong wrote "Mystery of the Ages" a synopsis of the Bible, and through explanation of God's plan up to the World Tomorrow, which begins at Christ's return. Jesus Christ does not return until the seventh angel blows the trumpet.

Apparently, no one was able to understand the Bible till Herbert wrote Mystery of the Ages which cleared up 100% of any questions anyone could ever have regarding scripture. MOA is right up there next to The Incredible Human Potential book as the church's two most boring books that few have ever read completely through.

Now who was trained and who assisted Mr. Armstrong, and even co-wrote "Mystery of the Ages"?

Answer: Aaron K Dean.

Who alone, remains, out of the "casting of lots" of the ministry that Mr. Armstrong performed, to be the next Pastor General?

Answer: Aaron K Dean

Tkach Sr left Jesus Christ. Almost immediately. The rest left Christ or have died. So when there is only one left, it leaves little imagination who could be the next Pastor General out of that selection.

Mr. Armstrong according to the testimony of Mr. Dean, told him that God wanted him(Aaron Dean) to be the Next Pastor General. He said he talked Mr. Armstrong out of making him the next Pastor General.

So Mr. Armstrong went on to Tkach Sr, but then he gave Mr. Dean a SPIRITUAL ROLE over Mr.Tkach. He made him promise many things.

This is one of the stupidest things ever. No COG minister, assistant, apostle, supreme leader, pastor general, or chief overseer has any spiritual role over ANY member. 

And when Tkach left Christ, and broke his own promises to the apostle, he was NO LONGER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST!

But Aaron Dean continued. 

Now the UCG, according to Victor Kubik, was started with the purpose of constraining power from concentrating to one man. It is in total opposition to the government of God.

Victor Kubik gives a false report, saying that TKACH Sr. received concentration of power from Mr. Armstrong. This is untrue. It was the Advisory Council of Elders who gave it to Tkach Sr in 1991.

Victor Kubik assisted the TKACH regime with new organization structure, which brought about the destroying of the FACILITIES that aided the Worldwide Church of God. His solution was NEW CHURCH organized with the State, to OPPOSE the type of power they faced when dealing with Mr. Herbert W Armstrong.

Aaron Dean was the first "ordained minister" of the UCG, as a guinea pig to see if it would work, according to his testimony in 2010(I believe).

Why him out of all the ministers?

Also, in 1990 he asked God to give him 20 years for a family of his own. That ended in 2010 when he was hired by the UCG, and got on their payroll that year. Prior to this he was not on a payroll.

From 1991-2010 was a 19 year time cycle.

Ah yes, the good old stand-by, the 19-year time cycle. More crap theology. 

That Incidentally was the year my family came online, and began warning brethren about GROUPS who have departed from Christ, and the establishment of the FACT that the Worldwide Church of God continues to exist!

And so, as a result I came into contact with Mr. Aaron Dean. And so I mention him, because I believe Jesus Christ showed me he is the one God picked.

Did you know that UCG was started to thwart God's plan of having Aaron Dean become the new church leader? UCG is also a stumbling block stopping ministers from returning to the restored WCG. Someone has been smoking a little too much herbs.

But he is UNABLE to do his ministry in the Worldwide Church of God, while attending with ANOTHER CHURCH, which has now come out admitting they were started to prevent what God has plans for HIM.

They are literally a stumbling block to stop the ministry from returning to the Worldwide Church of God spiritual structure!

They are an idol, in which gold has been applied to, like a golden calf.

So I'm trusting the Word of God here. God knows who He wants for the job of the second witness.

It has to be a man in the ministry, of the Worldwide Church of God aka the Philadelphia candlestick, in whom the Mystery of God is finished. He is Separated from the Worldwide Church of God, and is called up on to REPENT and to Come out of the other assembly, to fulfill his job Jesus Christ wants him to do!

And the fact that AARON DEAN'S NAME IS NOW BEING TALKED ABOUT, and the fact that those Outside of the Church, DISSIDENTS, are all worked up about it, shows me Satan is not liking it! So I press on... determined more than ever to talk about these points, which concern the future of the Worldwide Church of God.

Black and CULTivated: New Podcast Seeking Black and Brown Former Church Members

 

Hi all. My name is LaNisa. I’m an actor and writer. And I was born and raised in the Worldwide Church of God, an apocalyptic doomsday cult.

I am in pre-production for the podcast Black and CULTivated in which I talk specifically to Black and Brown cult survivors. This podcast is to give a voice to and help eliminate stigmas around us using humor.

I have a great guest lineup but I am hoping to round out the season with a few more folks. If you or someone you know (they don't have to be former WCOG members, but they DO have to have been in a cult and be Black or Brown) are interested, I'd love to hear from you.

Please email me at blackandcultivated@gmail.com for more information about the podcast and how it will be a safe place for us to chat about our experiences.

And if you are not Black and Brown, I hope you'll tune in and support! As former WCOG members I'm sure we're all aware of the disgusting and just plain wrong doctrine surrounding race HWA and others would preach. So I'm eager to and it's about time we have these conversations. We're slated to release in September 2024!

Dave Pack: Herbert Armstrong will be the first human being resurrected.

This was originally posted in 2017 and here we are in 2024 and the idiocy coming out of Dave's mouth continues unabbated. Not one single thing he has said has ever come true.

His claim below is also as ludicrous as his return of Jesus every other day now.

Dave Pack claims:

Mr. Armstrong literally will have the honor of being the first human being, at the end of the age, to be resurrected from the dead. Now, there have been other people resurrected in different ages, but I’m talking about resurrected from the dead to go on within Christ’s government to a position of enormous authority. I just find that easy to understand.

Isn't it wonderful to know Dave has the answer to EVERYTHING!

Church of God International: Vance Stinson Was Given Authority To Terminate Political Hack Bill Watson But So Far Has Declined

Vance Stinson Joins Bill and Adrian and Embraces Trump!

Lonnie Hendrix

In a reaction to my most recent post, Vance Stinson revealed that the contest that has been raging within CGI for several years was never really any contest at all! The reason that Bill Watson’s, Adrian Davis’s, and Murray Palmatier’s political and culture war messaging has not been successfully curbed is that their views are shared by the man at the helm of CGI: Vance Stinson. I have it on good authority that Mr. Stinson was authorized by that organization’s leadership team to terminate Pastor Watson’s association with CGI, and he chose NOT to do that!

For context, here is an excerpt from the article I posted:

Why does the leadership of the Church of God International (Vance Stinson, Mike James, and Jeff Reed) continue to lose the battle over messaging with the Bill Watson-Adrian Davis wing of that organization? I believe that the reason is that this contest has reflected some of the same dynamics which have characterized the contest between Biden and Trump for the Presidency of the United States. How so?

Chauncey DeVega recently penned an article for Salon entitled Trump is all dominance, all the time. In the article, we read: “Political scientist M. Steven Fish believes that the Democratic Party’s inability, despite their many policy successes, to conclusively defeat the Republicans and the larger ‘conservative’ movement and American neofascists, is rooted in much bigger and systematic failings.” Continuing: “Fish warns that Donald Trump and the other Republican leaders use a high-dominance approach to politics and communication that allows them to set the agenda, which in turn puts the Democrats, who tend to be more passive and consensus-oriented, in a consistently weak position of reaction and defense.” In other words, it’s Trump’s style which makes him so attractive to white, working class voters.

Like their political hero, Watson and Davis use the same high-dominance approach to their messaging. They confidently assert (without real evidence) that God is on their side, and that the other guys are tools of Satan. Also like their mentor, they claim that things like Marxism, Globalism, abortion, homosexuals, and immigration are not only destroying the nation they claim to love, but that they are all part of a coordinated attack on Christianity. They warn that the other side is actively trying to pervert, deceive, and destroy. They argue in favor of authoritarianism and paternalism without blinking an eye, and their message is well-received in MAGA world and among the traditionalists within CGI.

If interested, you can read the full article here: It's All About Presentation!

Vance Stinson’s response:

After quoting from an article by leftist lunatic Chauncey DeVega (and apparently taking the nutcase seriously), Lonnie summarizes, "In other words, it’s Trump’s style which makes him so attractive to white, working class voters." 

 

That's utter nonsense! Is that what's also attracting a growing number of non-whites, including many immigrants (and, no, Trump is not and never has been against immigration)? If anything, the reverse of what DeVega (who cites Fish) claims is true. The party of the pathological liar who currently occupies the white house controls the mainstream media and has weaponized the justice system and even our intelligence agencies against their political enemies. And we're to believe that Democrats "tend to be more passive and consensus-oriented"??? Good grief! Should I laugh or smash something? If Lonnie believes that garbage, he really needs to pull his head out of the sand. 

 

The claim about why working-class whites support Trump is false, so it's not a very good premise for making a comparison. In any case (and for the record), I don't like being stuck in the "Democrat" category. 

 

Lonnie writes, "Check out CGI's website sometime." Yes, by all means, check it out. And then tell me if you see the "war" Lonnie thinks he sees. Does it look like there are different "sides," and that one side is losing? Or does it simply look like there's plenty of room for different approaches and even some room for different views and opinions? What you won't find is a lot of yellow pencils.
---Vance Stinson

As you can see, Mr. Stinson makes very clear where he stands within the context of the ongoing debate within CGI – He is firmly in the camp of the Armstrongite Traditionalists! Apparently, he was only pretending to be on the side of sanity and reason within that organization. So, we see that Bill and his allies really had NOTHING to worry about all along! They had a secret ace in the whole!

Moreover, this reality is clearly reflected in the latest edition of their The International News. Once again, Bill Watson has the lead article in CGI’s quarterly newspaper, “Is America Losing Its Heritage? (If so, what can we do?)” The article opens with this lead:

Interestingly, the history of the United States illustrates an obvious Christian influence that is remarkable beyond question. And yet, presently, there appears to be a “cultural shift” to cancel this connection. One cannot help but to ask, why? What is so wrong about admitting the United States of America has a connection to the God of Israel?

And, make no mistake, Bill Watson unapologetically embraces the teaching of Anglo-Israelism! For those who may be unfamiliar with Mr. Watson’s teachings, he believes in a golden age of American righteousness – a time when the United States embraced and followed the God of Israel. You know, back in the days when Europeans were stealing Native American lands, enslaving their African brethren, and ruthlessly exploiting America’s resources to get wealthy! You remember, the good old days – when men ruled and women and children drooled!

Pastor Watson continued:

Consider the tensions and conflicts currently experienced over the encroachment of the Federal Government against state laws regarding immigration, abortion, legalized cannabis, public education curriculums, sanctuary cities or states, LGBTQ+ laws, and equality [DEI] regulations often mandated in the work place or public educational facilities. 

 

These are just a few categories that cause contentions among ourselves and creates enormous cultural tensions, quarrels, and hostilities, which unfortunately lead to division and injustices inflicted upon the people.

The message is clear: Those nasty Gay and Transgender folks and all of those Pro-choice people and immigrants are destroying America! And, just so his message is not lost on his readers, there is a full-color picture of a “Gay Pride” parade with a big old pink tank rolling down the street! Bill then went on to decry the loss of state’s rights (a long recognized code word on the political Right for opposing any Federal action/policy which doesn’t fit their ideology).

And, just in case any of his readers were bothered by Romans 13, Mr. Watson continued:

However, what if the government begins to work ill toward the people it serves? What if the laws clearly infringe on your freedoms, such as healthcare choices, freedom of speech, or the right to defend yourself? These are important questions that go to the heart and foundation of our Christian resolve—of what is right, fair, and just! These are the very fundamentals of our Constitutional rights as U.S. and Canadian citizens—and as Christians! 

 

So when is it acceptable to take a stand, or pick a lane?

For Bill, Vance, and their allies, the current administration in Washington is clearly the problem. If their guy was in office, all would be well!

For the record, Vance, I’m NOT a Democrat either. My point has always been that everyone is entitled to their opinions, but that those who claim to be pastors of Christ’s flock have NO business telling that flock how to vote (which candidates to support). Unfortunately, for those within CGI who do NOT believe in Anglo-Israelism and that Trump is America’s savior, you are clearly red pencils in a box of yellow pencils. 

It seems to me that you have a decision to make. My only suggestion, follow the dictates of your own conscience led by the Holy Spirit!

Imagine Having The Same Name As HWA - -Including the "W"

 

Imagine going through life having the same name as the Worldwide Church of God's leader!

The Real and Better Sabbath

 

The Real and Better Sabbath

Herbert Armstrong (and others) taught that Christians were obligated to keep God's Sabbath. He also taught that the vast majority of Christians had rejected or abandoned God's Sabbath and had substituted a day of their own choosing (Sunday). Was he right? Have the vast majority of folks who claim to be Christian refused to obey God's commandment to keep the Sabbath holy? Why and how did God give the Sabbath to the Israelites? What was the Sabbath? Was the Sabbath part of God's covenant with the Israelites? And/or was it intended for all of humankind? Is it a part of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ? Did Christ and his original disciples keep the Sabbath? If so, doesn't that suggest that we should be following their example?

To answer these questions, we must employ the whole Bible - from beginning to end! Hence, in the first chapter of the book of Genesis, we are informed that God created the earth and its life in six days. Then, immediately following that event, we read: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation." (Genesis 2:1-3, ESV) Thus, in this first scriptural reference to the Sabbath, we are told: 1. That God had finished his creative work and rested on the seventh day, and 2. That he pronounced a special blessing on the day and made it holy. So, these two points are the foundation of our attempt to understand the concept of the Sabbath and answer our questions.

Even so, this immediately brings to mind another question: Did God need a rest? The prophet Isaiah once stated that the Lord does NOT faint or grow weary (Isaiah 40:28). So, if God didn't need a rest, why did he take one? In other words, God must have had some other purpose in mind when he created this day. Does Scripture reveal what that purpose was?

Within the context of his disciples eating some grain as they walked through a field one Sabbath, Jesus Christ revealed that "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28, ESV) According to Christ, the Sabbath was created for humankind, and that he was consequently the Lord of the Sabbath! Indeed, in his own observance of the day, Christ revealed that it was appropriate to perform good works on that day - to do things which benefited people! (See Matthew 12:1-12, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:1-11, 13:10-17, 14:1-6, and John 5:1-17) In another place, we are also informed that Jesus once said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:18, ESV) He went on to say that all of the Law and the Prophets would remain relevant until he had completed his task of fulfilling them (Matthew 5:18-19).

On yet another occasion, Jesus told the Jewish religious leaders of his day: "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 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. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" (John 5:39-47, ESV) Likewise, in the Gospel of Luke, we are informed that after he was resurrected, Christ told his disciples: "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (Luke 24:22, ESV) So, according to Jesus, the Hebrew Scriptures (including the Sabbath) pointed to HIM!

We know too that Paul preached Jesus from the Law and the Prophets (Acts 24:14 and 28:23). Moreover, in his letter to the saints at Colosse, Paul told them that festivals, new moons, and sabbaths were shadows of the reality found in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). This all provokes yet another question: Exactly how did the Sabbath point to Jesus?

Let's go back to Torah and see if it is plausible to see Christ in the Sabbath. The Sabbath was introduced to the children of Israel in the midst of God sending them manna - bread from heaven. In the book of Exodus, we read: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.'" (Exodus 16:4-5, ESV) Continuing in the account, we are informed that the Israelites eventually learned to follow God's instruction regarding the collection of manna relative to the Sabbath - that they eventually learned to rest on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:22-35)

In this connection, it is instructive to read of some remarks attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John. We read there that he said: "'Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.' Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.' So they said to him, 'Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread always.' Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'" (John 6:27-35, ESV) So, according to Christ, he was the real bread from heaven, and the work required of his followers was to believe in the one whom God had sent to them! Also, of interest in this regard, is the fact that Christ later instituted the symbols of the Eucharist - the bread and the wine (which his followers would be required to ingest - see Matthew 26:26-29).

Returning again to Torah, we know that God later incorporated the Sabbath into one of the Ten Commandments he gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. We read there: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:8-11, ESV) Once again, God made very clear that the Sabbath was celebrated by NOT WORKING! He reminded them that he had finished his own work in six days and had rested on the seventh one. Now, how does that relate to Jesus Christ?

Before leaving Torah, let's return to a passage which I quoted in the post which immediately preceded this one. You remember, the one where God instructed the Israelites to "seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go." (Deuteronomy 12:5, ESV) Notice also in this same passage: "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes, for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you." (Deuteronomy 12:8-11, ESV) So, we see that God clearly told the Israelites that a day was coming when God would make his choice clear to them, after he had given them REST and their inheritance, and that they would be required to attend him there - ONLY there!

In this connection, the New Testament makes very plain that a Christians inheritance is in and through Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Galatians 3:29, Romans 8:16-17, I Peter 1:3-5, Hebrews 9:15, etc.). Also, it is interesting to note in this regard what Christ is reported to have said in the Gospel of Matthew. We read there that he said: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV) Christ invited all who were working and loaded down with burdens to seek him, and he promised to give them REST!

Likewise, in the anonymous epistle to the Hebrews, we read: "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.' Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end." (Hebrews 3:7-14, ESV) Continuing in the account, the author made clear exactly who God had declared would NOT enter his rest: "who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:16-19, ESV)

According to the author of this epistle, the children of Israel were not allowed to enter God's true rest! He continued: "Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest," (Hebrews 4:1-3, ESV) Don't think this has anything to do with the Sabbath? Continuing with the account, we read: "as he has said, 'As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,' although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: 'And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.' And again in this passage he said, 'They shall not enter my rest.' Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.' For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:3-10, ESV) Then the writer goes on to warn Christians not to follow the example of those rebellious Israelites - to fail to enter God's rest (verse 11). Hence, the message is clear: Jesus is that ultimate rest!

This is, of course, in harmony with what Paul wrote to the saints at Rome. He said: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:20-26, ESV) It is NOT through keeping the Sabbath that we will stand clean before God. It is clearly through Jesus Christ that we will do so, as Paul also made clear to the saints of Galatia. He wrote: "we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16, ESV) Hence, for Christians, it is clear that Christ is the Sabbath which we celebrate!

Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix

Aaron Dean: Jesus Is Telling Him To Repent, Return To The TRUE Worldwide Church of God, And Be Pastor General

 

This is so far off the charts it does not deserve commentary...other than this, COG members will no more follow Aaron Dean than they did Bob Thiel.

So here we have a man, who was a minister of the Worldwide Church of God(Church of God in Philadelphia era), needing to REPENT, in order to receive GOLD to apply to the candlestick!

He already is a messenger of the church OF THE LAODICEANS, a separated group. Jesus Christ calls on him to REPENT, and make purchase of gold tried with fire. The gold, or tithes and offerings, are to be applied to the PHILADELPHIA CANDLESTICK or the WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD! This "good work" will provide "white raiment".

Now since the Worldwide Church of God, the Philadelphia Candlestick, is already in existence,(Rev. 3:10; Rev. 12:14-16) this man switches SUPPORT away from a separate group unto God's Church. He then will ADDRESS THE SEPARATED from a CLEANED UP POSITION. Notice Zechariah 3! And from that position, the TEMPLE WILL BE FINISHED, aka the Church age will be finished at the return of Jesus Christ! Notice Zechariah 6!

Revelation 12:17, explains that those who do not repent prior to the Great Tribulation starting, are SEPARATED THEN, and therefore are the Church of God in Laodicean era when they repent and OBEY GOD. The Laodicean Church is an OBEDIENT CHURCH!

The warning to the Laodiceans, in Revelation 3, is to those who have separated away from the Worldwide Church of God, or Philadelphia Candlestick.

They must return to being the Worldwide Church of God! Those who repent prior to the Great Tribulation, will be counted among Philadelphia!

Those who repent too late, wont be able to flee and will go through the Great Tribulation as a REMNANT. That is when they become the Laodicean Church!

So this messenger, is called upon to repent and be part of the Philadelphia Candlestick, to apply what he has received from Jesus Christ TO THE PHILADELPHIA CANDLESTICK.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."(vs 20)

A knock is a loud RAPPING of knuckles against a hard surface.

It shows that the Church of God is in a SCATTERED STATE. Now, God has a VOICE He is using to reach the people of God. That voice is Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. He is the voice crying in the wilderness.

So that's how Christ is dwelling among the Worldwide Church of God today, and feeding His sheep. Those who are sticking with His apostle, His Voice, are enduring until the end, and OVERCOMING.

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

So when you view Revelation 3:7, you read " And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write"

This is talking about the Church of God INSIDE of the Philadelphia Era.

When you get to verse, 14, however, " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write"

This messenger, is being talked to, to REPENT, so God could use him in the Philadelphia Candlestick, aka the Worldwide Church of God.

This is the SECOND man of the Two Witnesses!

The Laodiceans, in verse 14, are those SEPARATED in the Great Tribulation(Rev. 12:17), while Philadelphia is in the Place of Safety.

This man will be ministering unto them who COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

Notice Revelation 11:4 about the Two Witnesses.

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."

Reason for writing this...Mr. Aaron Dean is a minister of the Worldwide Church of God. He is now attending with, and has also been ordained as a minister of the UCG. The United Church of God is a SEPARATE GROUP, collecting the ministers and members of the Worldwide Church of God to PREVENT "one man rule" to be restored back to the Worldwide Church of God.

So it is basically serving as CHAINS, on the ministry. And so you see a picture like that of Zechariah 3. Satan is ready to ACCUSE, the ministry.

When I write about Mr/ Aaron Dean, I do not worry about those who wish to do him harm. I believe he is the man spoken about in Revelation 3:14-21.

Now if you notice, Revelation 11:4-5.

"These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."

Now, out of all the ministers of the Worldwide Church of God, he was there with Mr. Armstrong, meeting the heads of state, the Kings, Queens, Emperors, Presidents, Prime Minister's etc.

There is NO ONE ELSE, who can provide a first hand testimony, and witness, to those leaders of the world.

Just like Joshua the High Priest, under Zerubbabel, Aaron Dean is the assistant to the end time Zerubbabel.

Now, when Mr. Armstrong examined the Advisory Council of Elders, he found ONLY ONE MAN, and he told Aaron Dean that God wanted HIM to be the next Pastor General. Mr. Dean said he talked him out of it.

But Tkach left Christ. The rest have died or left Christ and only Aaron Dean remains of that "casting of lots".

But because of the wolves, he is now found among another church. He has NO GOLD to apply to the Worldwide Church of God candlestick. He is busy applying gold to a GOLDEN CALF.

Which brings you to the picture of Aaron the High Priest, the brother of Moses, while MOSES IS NO LONGER AROUND, being swayed by rebellious people, to apply GOLD to a "suitable replacement"(quote, unquote) which is a golden calf.

So he is aiding the United Church of God right now.

Jesus Christ is calling him to REPENT, and to make PURCHASE, and that means sacrifice, and CHANGE. When you repent, YOU GIVE UP THE WAY YOU WERE HEADING, and TURN AROUND.

And through repentance, he receives GOLD from Jesus Christ, and as a minister APPLIES IT, uses the Tithes and Offerings, to the candlestick Jesus Christ has raised up. The Worldwide Church of God.

Jesus Christ is saying all you have to do is repent, Mr. Dean, and to turn around and apply your labor to the Worldwide Church of God. The Philadelphia Candlestick.

I'll have to write more on this later. But I will say this...

The Worldwide Church of God is NOT the church of Samuel Kitchen! I am NOT an ordained minister. I am simply a member.

I am not asking for support. I am not asking to be made a minister!!!!!!! And I mean that! What I am concerned with, is making known the Worldwide Church of God aka the Philadelphia Candlestick EXISTS!!!! And to bring attention, to perhaps a man who is the next Pastor General, picked by God, and NOT BY MEN.

I wish to declare the works of God! That's all. But If I am to take the flak, for mentioning this, and become the prey all because of what I am saying... so be it. Bite all you want, wolves. You can't overthrow God and His Word.

If my torn flesh is what is needed, then so be it!

Revelation 3:14-21, is talking about a LEADER of the Church of God, who was part of the Worldwide Church of God, who needs to REPENT from being SEPARATED from the Worldwide Church of God. Jesus Christ is telling him NOT TO GO INTO THE TRIBULATION with that separated people, but to return, and be one of the two witnesses.

So...Im putting my own name on the line, in saying this is Aaron Dean. He seems to fit the picture, and appears to be the one God picked. No man has picked him. No man is voting for him.

I don't support the UCG. I don't believe it to have been established by Christ! So why would I choose Aaron Dean out of anybody, if i was off my rocker and trying to build a church of my own? This isn't the Church of Samuel W Kitchen! The Worldwide Church of God is THE SPIRITUAL BODY OF CHRIST! Jesus Christ is head of this Church! Like I said, Im nobody. Im not a minister. I'm just a member.

But since THERE ARE MORE OF YOU, than me, go and ask questions. Go and search for answers. Take it to God. See if what I am saying is crazy or not. BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD! It's that simple.

The Biblical Exegesis for the Absoluteness of God: And Speculation on Why Armstrongists Reject Divine Absoluteness

 

Quartz Polyhedral: The Absoluteness of Geometric Patterns 

(Fair Use)

 

The Biblical Exegesis for the Absoluteness of God

And Speculation on Why Armstrongists Reject Divine Absoluteness

By Scout

“Nowhere in the Bible is God described as "absolute". Nowhere does God say of Himself "I am absolute". I am absolutely certain of that. So where does that idea even come from? . . . God does not need or require us to rely on human philosophy to understand Him. Quite the opposite, He condemns human philosophy as idolatry.” – Comment from the “Banned by HWA” blog in response to the article “The Absoluteness of God” by Ranger.

One of the oddest characteristics of Armstrongism is its insistence on a limited God. If you observe to an Armstrongist that there are qualities of God that transcend the Armstrongist model, the reaction typically is anger. I am not certain of the source of this anger but I have a couple of speculations. First, anything that contravenes the word of Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA), no matter how reasonable, evokes anger among his followers. Second, the theory that HWA put forward that humans would become God-as-God-is-God portrays a limited God.

Biblical terminology describes God as relative. He is more powerful than anything we know in the human realm so he is therefore almighty. But this is a yardstick comparison. It just says that God is greater, by the yardstick, than anything that we know. He is not essentially different from us. He just happens to be the biggest kid on the block. This is an important supporting belief for the theory of God-as-God-is-God. It makes the condition and state of being God appear attainable. And if we do our exercises and eat right, maybe one day we will be just as big as the biggest kid.

But God is absolute. He is not relative. He transcends all relative measures. We are in the image of God and this makes God intelligible to us but we are not in his category. He is absolute and we are not and never will be. And we know that he is absolute because it states that he is in the Bible. Absoluteness is directly deduced from the fact that God is Creator. And he creates “ex nihilo” or out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3). He can call (we don’t have a verb for it) things into existence. He is the creator of existence itself. And existence is not relative. It is non-evolutionary. It is absolute. In the human realm, we are fabricators from pre-existing materials. We can make things that can get out of control. We make things out of stuff and forces that we don’t understand. God transcends that. He has complete ownership and mastery of what he creates at the very existential level.

God is the Creator and we are not. We belong to a different category. Our role is to rejoice in what God creates – forever. It says in Isaiah:

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create:” (KJV, Isaiah 65:17-18)

This is not vain, human philosophy. It is not a Hellenistic view as one blog commenter asserted. It is simply understanding the ramifications of what the Bible states. Absoluteness is a direct deduction from creatio ex nihilo. The word “absolute” does not have to occur in scripture for its meaning to be present. God creates ex nihilo. Nowhere does the Bible ever suggest that humans will ever create ex nihilo. That I know of, HWA never claimed that resurrected humans would create ex nihilo. He typically spoke of humans terraforming already existing planets. Which means the sound bite concept of God-as-God-is-God collapses. Because God is uncreated and absolute. We are among the created. And in this we can duly rejoice. 

This COG Splinter Now Charging For All Literature And Refuses To Send It To Prisons

While the United Church of God is taking its message to prisons, the House of Yahweh is charging for all of its literature AND will not send it to those in prison. They found an easy way of getting around doing that by using FedEx to deliver their literature, not that anyone there was ts to read it.

Never fear though, you can buy the so-called Bible they print for $272.00 on Amazon.

The Yahwehist Bible

UCG Now Taking Their So-called Gospel To The Prisons

 

Bob Thiel got left behind again! Instead of taking his "vitally important" message to those in prisons, he spends money translating books into languages that no one is ever going to read. UCG now takes its message to those locked up. I don't know whether to think of it as continued punishment or what.

New Initiative to Reach those Incarcerated 

On April 19 of this year, Media and Communications Services began airing Beyond Today television in over 420 U.S. prisons through the Edovo app. 

 

Edovo is a non-profit organization providing educational, vocational and rehabilitative curriculums and content to incarcerated people. While the Church pays for this service, it is available at no cost to the incarcerated learners. Edovo’s goal is to create rehabilitative-focused correctional environments that lower recidivism and increase safety inside and outside correctional walls—all to drive positive outcomes for incarcerated people and their families. 

 

More than 300,000 incarcerated learners view content on the Edovo platform daily, and more than 30 million hours of content has been viewed. 

 

Our initial contract with Edovo allowed us to upload 20 Beyond Today programs. Every three months we can upload 20 more. Since April 19 (less than a month ago) our content has been watched in 340 different prisons, with 3,746 unique program starts and 2,197 unique program completions. So, 59 percent of the programs were viewed to the very end, which is a very good percentage. 

 

The most-watched programs so far are: 

 

Globalism and Prophecy 

Russia and Bible Prophecy

Have the Ancient Gods Returned?

Hell Unleashed: The Spirit Behind the Hamas Attack

You Become What You Think 

 

Please pray that preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to those serving in hundreds of prisons across the United States will have a positive impact on those persons’ lives, and that the Father will call to salvation those whom He will.

"Satan will intercept your prayers and answer them faster than God will at times"

 

Why is the most powerful entity in the Church of God always Satan and never Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit?

Ol'Satan is so powerful he can intercept prayers and answer them before God does. The mindless rantings of COG self-appointed prophets are astounding.

So God created man... When Satan deceived Eve God punished him and turned him into the serpent... And that's why you see snakes and dragons adorning old religious temples... And you wonder why these people were destroyed and disappeared...

So now Satan and the 1/3 of the angels are here on earth to deceive you and have you accept his mark instead of the mark of God... Which over 99% of the world has done... If he already has you then he basically leaves you alone... If he doesn't have you then he'll tempt you in every way... He will give you riches and fame... He can give you the world... Because he is the god of this world at this time...

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Satan will intercept your prayers and answer them faster than God will at times... He's the god of this world controlling everyone... very easy for him to get John, down the rooad (sic) to give you the $50 bucks you need to make rent... To keep you deceived... Tony Roach