LCG - Spiritually Deleaven Your Mind Just Like We As Ministers Do Daily

 

I feel sorry for the perpetually unfortunate souls at the Living Church of God—always landing squarely on the blacklist as such epic failures in literally everything they attempt. They're branded as covetous little lusters, overflowing with enough hate to fuel spontaneous outbursts that spark delightful divisions and endless contention throughout the ranks. But perish the thought that any of their ministers would ever stoop to such behavior! Heaven forbid.

This Passover season, the faithful are graciously instructed to sit down and dutifully scribble out a lengthy list of all their nasty attitudes and rotten behaviors that they simply must overcome in the coming year. Never mind that their spiritual slates were supposedly wiped sparkling clean on Passover night—apparently, divine forgiveness has an expiration date, and it's time for round two of self-flagellation.

LCG members must learn to forgive others exactly as the ministry so magnanimously does, while remaining eternally thankful for Christ's sacrifice.

Doug Winnail warns LCG members to eliminate their spiritual leaven. He says, the Scriptures command us to remove all leaven from our homes before the Days of Unleavened Bread and to avoid eating any during that time (Exodus 12:15). But let's be honest—this is merely a quaint physical ritual designed to remind us of the far more critical task: identifying and purging the spiritual leaven from our lives. You know, charming little sins like lusting, coveting, hating, throwing fits of wrath, sowing seeds of division and contention, peddling personal doctrinal heresies, chasing selfish ambitions, and all those other delightful ways we compromise with or outright rebel against God's commandments (Galatians 5:19–21).

As we plod through the Days of Unleavened Bread, we should earnestly beg God to spotlight every last bit of this spiritual leaven lurking in our souls so we can eliminate it. Writing out a handy list of attitudes and behaviors to conquer in the coming year is just the motivational tool we need to try extra hard this time. And while we're at it, let's be forgiving of others—just like the ministry models so perfectly—and stay oh-so-thankful for the sacrifice Jesus Christ made so we could be forgiven.

The exquisite irony. Year after year, the same leadership that can't seem to avoid scandals, splits, and internal drama lectures the rank-and-file about purging "outbursts of wrath," "sowing division," and "selfish ambitions"—sins that somehow never seem to stick to those at the top. Their slate gets "wiped clean" at Passover, yet the membership is immediately handed homework to list all their failures again, as if true forgiveness comes with an annual performance review attached. It's almost as if the real spiritual leaven isn't the average member's bad attitude... but the endless cycle of control, finger-pointing, and selective amnesia coming from the pulpit.

One can only hope that next year, the ministry might take a moment to apply that same list to themselves. Now that would be a profitable Holy Day indeed.

Eliminating Spiritual Leaven: The Scriptures tell us that leaven is to be removed from our homes prior to the Days of Unleavened Bread and not eaten during those days (Exodus 12:15). However, this is just a physical exercise to help us understand the importance of identifying and eliminating spiritual leaven from our lives, which includes lusting, coveting, hating, outbursts of wrath, sowing seeds of division and contention, promoting personal doctrinal heresies, pursuing selfish ambitions, and other examples of compromising on or rebelling against the commandments of God (Galatians 5:19–21). As we go through the Days of Unleavened Bread, we should ask God to show us spiritual leaven that we need to eliminate from our lives. Writing out a list of attitudes or behaviors to overcome in the coming year can help us to make a greater effort to eliminate these sins. Let’s also be forgiving of others and thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us so we can be forgiven.
Have a profitable Holy Day period,
Douglas S. Winnail

PCG's Andrew Locher Has Died

Keeping Pope Gerry Comfortable In His Lifestyle 

as he spreads the Gospel message through Irish dance.

One of their most dedicated Gestapo-style tithing agents that the Philadelphia Church of God has ever produced has finally shuffled off this mortal coil. For years, this paragon of piety was held up as a shining example: a relentless enforcer who demanded that struggling members cough up their tithes even when they could barely feed their own families. After all, in this glorious dispensation, God's top priority is clearly keeping the Flurry family living in the lap of luxury. Why let pesky little details like rent, groceries, or basic human decency get in the way of divine favor?

Money, it seems, is the true beating heart of the Philadelphia Church of God. They piously claim it's all about "getting the Gospel message out," but let's be real: it's first, foremost, and almost exclusively for the exclusive enrichment of the Flurry dynasty and their ever-expanding brood of offspring, who coast through life on the backs of faithful members' hard-earned tithes and offerings.

Just look at the lavish perks: a private jet for globe-trotting in style, a traveling Celtic dance troupe (because nothing says "end-time warning message" like fancy footwork), state-of-the-art dance studios, an extravagant office setup in Jerusalem, a moldy old house in England they're still desperately trying to unload, and those oh-so-cozy faculty homes on the Edmond cult compound—complete with cushy, high-paying salaries. Truly, the sacrifices of the brethren are making a real difference... for the inner circle.

And then there are the shameless money grabs disguised as sermons. Take Andrew Locher's April 2020 sermonette, for instance. Even as the world reeled from the pandemic, he had the audacity to pressure brethren to keep giving to "the church" despite having next to nothing left. How touching—especially after the organization had already pocketed $1.1 million in U.S. government relief funds, thanks to their convenient nonprofit status. Yet in the same breath, they love to berate and label government leaders as modern-day Jeroboams destined to evict them, while hypocritically comparing their own situation to the Israelites plundering the Egyptians. What a pathetic display of selective biblical amnesia.

Fast-forward to July 2022, and Locher was at it again with his sermon "Keep the Father First." He droned on (and on) about tithing, using the economic collapse in Sri Lanka as a heart-wrenching example. Brethren there were apparently scraping by just to put food on the table, but no worries—God (or rather, the PCG "Government") still needed their tithes most of all. He made a special point of assuring everyone that, as far as he knew, the church didn't have a "tithing problem." Of course, only God truly knows... though it's funny how the actual CFO seems to struggle with basic accounting and forecasting. Even funnier: when they catch someone skimping on tithes, they suspend them faster than you can say "stealing from God." (Oops, I mean from the Flurrys.)

A quick glance at the UK financial accounts tells its own story—the "tithe of the tithe" came in at a mere 8k when it should have been closer to 37k based on second tithes. But who cares about numbers when the Spirit is moving? On a side note, one does wonder who those mysterious "other creditors" are—the ones owed a cool £3.17 million. Just a minor detail, I'm sure.

Meanwhile, members were treated to the usual sermons and Bible studies on "sacrifice" and "financially doing our part"—the standard guilt-inducing dribble. All this while learning that the shiny new archaeology building in Jerusalem sits in one of the city's most affluent neighborhoods, right near the Prime Minister and President's residences. They're locked into a three-year lease (never mind that pesky upcoming Tribulation). The site hasn't been used in six years, so they're shipping over "volunteers" (slaves... erm, students) to handle the grunt work, while still needing professional builders for the heavy lifting. And the kicker? The dig only covers the period from 400 AD to 1400 AD—hardly the ancient Israelite golden age they idolize. It's all a elaborate sham to prop up their Herbert W. Armstrong worship and keep the cash flowing.

In the end, the Philadelphia Church of God stands as a masterclass in religious grift: a polished operation that preaches sacrifice and impending doom while its leaders enjoy every earthly comfort the tithe-payers can fund. They demand loyalty, obedience, and open wallets from the faithful, all while building personal empires under the guise of "God's Work." One can only hope that more members will eventually open their eyes to the irony—and the exploitation—before another generation is bled dry in service to a family that long ago forgot the difference between ministry and monarchy. After all, if tithing truly were about pleasing God, wouldn't the fruits look a little less like luxury real estate and a little more like genuine care for the flock? What a divine comedy indeed.

From The Exit and Support Network

Shameless Sermonette by Andrew Locher Exploits Members Financially:
April 27, 2020 

 

In the recent PCG sermonette Andrew Locher continues to ask brethren to give to the “church” despite having little. What a shameless organization that could still ask their lay members for more money when they have already received $1.1 million from the U.S. government, the reason being that they are a nonprofit. They continue to berate, criticize and even label this government leadership as Jeroboam who will evict them, yet had the audacity to compare their plight to the Israelites benefiting from the Egyptians. How pathetic. –sermonette critiqued by L. S.

Andrew Locher Sermon Was Recent Money Grab:
July 18, 2022 

 

In a recent sermon by Andrew Locher entitled “Keep the Father First” he rabbited on about tithing and how Sri Lanka is in the midst of turmoil and that brethren there are struggling financially to just put food on the table but how important it is to pay your tithes (especially those that are struggling–because you know God doesn’t need the money, the “Government” [in PCG] does). 

 

He made a special point that, as far as he knows, the PCG doesn’t have a tithing problem, only God knows. (Yes, the actual CFO apparently doesn’t understand basic accounting forecasting. But funnily enough, when they find that someone isn’t paying tithes, they suspend them immediately from stealing from them…oops, I mean stealing from God). However, even looking at only the UK Financial Accounts [see July 9 letter above] we can see there is an issue as the Tithe of the Tithe is definitely not 10% of 2nd Tithes (it was only 8k but should have been closer to 37k). 

 

Also, on a side note, I would love to know who the “other creditors” are that are owed 3.17m–but I digress. 

 

We had sermons/Bible studies on “sacrifice” and “financially doing our part,” etc., and all the normal dribble, just to find out the new Archeology building that is in Jerusalem is in the most affluent part of the city; i.e., near the PM and president’s abode and that they are committing to a 3 year lease. (what about the Tribulation?) The property has not been used in 6 years so they are sending over slaves…erm I mean students to do all the manual work but it will still need builders, etc., to do the majority of the work. This dig isn’t about God’s Work at all as the era that they are digging is only from 400 AD to 1400 AD. It is all a sham to bolster their HWA idol worshipping! I am so over it!!! –[name withheld]

Andrew Locher Is Definitely Not a Good Person!
August 14, 2024 

 

I wanted to write in response to C. P. [see 8-12-24 letter] who wrote about Trisha Locher dying. He mentioned that Locher” seemed like a good person” and “one of the better ones at HQ.” He definitely is no such thing! His MO is to come across as a kind, meek, and humble man. In reality he is none of those things. It is a facade that he wears well. I’ve personally known him since 1993. He has been in the upper rankings and operations of the PCG for a very long time. He is well aware of and fully participates in all the underhanded, manipulative tactics that are used in controlling the membership. As many people know, this is often cruel and rarely if ever has the person’s best interest in mind. It’s always to get money and/or control for the benefit of 1st, the Flurrys and 2nd, the organization. Locher is the CFO. He knows things! Just ask him why Richard Williams quit as the CFO many years ago! (Richard could not in good conscience and legally work their books the way Stephen and Gerald Flurry wanted him to, so he quit and is now CFO of a tire company and fairly successful). This is when Locher took over the church’s (PCG’s) finances. And he knows, according to the UK charity commission, 0.06% is the TOTAL expenditure given for financial support to those in need; 0.06% of their total UK and European income is all they give to help people, as of 2021. Unfortunately, I cannot get these number for the USA as it is not public knowledge as it is in the UK. (See Five year PCG UK Financial Review, posted on this site June 2, 2023) 

 

Andrew Locher directly assists people in setting up their estates in back-handed ways, so they can’t be challenged by family members. This, of course, is done after the usually elderly or sick person is manipulated in leaving everything to the PCG and none to family who are not members of the “church” (PCG). He instructs them on how to remove assets outside of the will/living trusts jurisdiction. Ultimately usurping the Biblical admonition to leave your children and children’s children an inheritance. I, unfortunately, have first hand experience with this. 

 

Locher also knows full well that members are not healed, nor can he site a tangible case of it. He knew his wife was going to die if she didn’t seek medical treatment! He undoubtedly encouraged her to keep the faith and rely on God to heal her, as all members are told in such a situation. If she didn’t, it would have been a colossal embarrassment to Locher and the other ministers. So does Andrew Locher sound like a good human being, let alone a Christian, one of God’s “chosen few”? –-R. M. (former PCG member)

Gerald Flurry and Cal Culpepper On The Caves Of Adullam

 

The caves of Adullam

Gerald Flurry and Cal Culpepper have been regaling their followers with their latest masterpiece of delusional prophecy for quite some time now.

These two towering intellectual giants have solemnly declared that the Caves of Adullam — you know, those charming, damp, bat-infested holes where David once hid like a fugitive — will serve as the exclusive, five-star Place of Safety for the Philadelphia Church of God’s oh-so-special, spiritually spotless elite.

Because heaven forbid Flurry’s pure, superior, hand-selected remnant should have to rub shoulders in Petra with all those filthy, Laodicean, half-baked COG rejects, Protestant losers, certain Messianic Jews, and other assorted spiritual trash. The very idea is simply too horrifying for words!

No, no — his precious snowflakes deserve their very own private, members-only cave system. After all, when you’re running God’s One True Work, and you alone have the “correct” understanding, you can’t possibly be expected to share end-time real estate with the great unwashed masses. That would be... egalitarian. Or worse — common.

So while the rest of the COG world and others crowd into Petra like desperate end-time tourists, Flurry’s enlightened few will be huddling in their own deluxe, divinely appointed rock holes — where the caves are drafty, the ambiance is biblical, and the exclusivity is second to none.

Truly, the height of end-time spiritual sophistication.

Truly, nothing says “God’s favored remnant” quite like demanding your own private apocalyptic bunker because sharing is for lesser Christians.

From The Exit and Support Network 

In The New Throne of David by Gerald Flurry (copyright 2018/2021) he said the place of safety was in Adullam. “We must be prepared to go to the cave of Adullam, the place of safety.” (Chapter 2: The New Throne of David, p. 25.) However, he is still telling members that Petra is the place of safety. 

 

One Way Ticket? 

 

In a June 2013 sermon Cal Culpepper (“Come Out of This World”)13 stated, “Do we really think it is going to be that easy? There’s a lot of details that we don’t know yet. We are going to be packing our bags–it will be an act of faith. We don’t know how it will be. Maybe the government will give us a one way ticket.” 

 

So now we need to ask another question: 

 

Do we think the government is actually going to let Gerald Furry leave the country with a bunch of money? Even if he tries to place it all in offshore accounts, wouldn’t he be watched? (More extreme, fanatical groups are being watched today since the Jim Jones and David Koresh tragedies.) 

 

We need to realize that these stories members are hearing about HQs fleeing “first,” or skipping the country and leaving the members behind, usually turn out to be lies or wild guesses, or a rumor handed down from someone higher up the pyramid.14 

PCG believes they will be persecuted in the future. They believe “the Work” will finally end and armies will surround Jerusalem. It is at this time that they believe it will be time to “flee.”15 Herbert Armstrong preached this same fear doctrine for decades. No one ever fled anywhere. Members simply continued to pay in more and more money, as PCG members are doing. 

 

No One Fled Anywhere: 

 

HWA, for decades, predicted end-time scenarios and talked of a “place of safety.” When every one of his WW II prophecies failed, he said his “timing was wrong” but they would be fulfilled in the “next war”–WW III. In the meantime he convinced his co-workers and members that a college needed to be built. When his later prophecies also failed–especially the 1972 one–he merely said God had given them “more time to do the Work” and shifted their attention. Flurry will undoubtedly say something similar. 

 

As Gerald Flurry continues to use the “place of safety” ploy the same way HWA did, members will fear to leave PCG lest they be left to go through the Great Tribulation. Leaving PCG, in their minds, is the same as “leaving God.” Flurry tells them, “Fear of God must always be with us.”16 But this is the wrong kind of fear. It is the fear of a man whom they are unknowingly putting between themselves and the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not know they have been deceived, as countless thousands before them were deceived by the false teacher and false prophet Herbert Armstrong. 

 

By D. M. Williams
Exit & Support Network™
December 2, 2005
Updated June 30, 2021; March 19, 2024; December 3, 2024

Galatians

Paul writing to Galatia

 

Palm Sunday

 

The scene depicts crowds welcoming Jesus by spreading their cloaks and palm branches on the road while waving palms and shouting "Hosanna!" (meaning "save now" or "save us, we pray") and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (quoting Psalm 118:25–26). Jesus rode a young donkey (or colt), fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: "See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Key Symbols and Their Meanings

Palm branches

• In ancient Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, palms represented victory, triumph, peace, and joy. Victors in athletic games or military conquerors were often honored with palm branches.
• The crowds waved and laid them down as a sign of homage and celebration, treating Jesus like a king or conquering hero. They expressed hope that He would deliver them—likely expecting political or national liberation from Roman rule.
• In Christian interpretation, the palms point to Jesus' ultimate spiritual victory over sin and death through His Passion, death, and resurrection. They foreshadow the "Paschal victory" (Easter triumph). Blessed palms are often kept in homes as sacramentals—a reminder of faith in Christ as the Messianic King—and some traditions burn the previous year's palms to create ashes for Ash Wednesday.

The donkey (or colt)

• Unlike a warhorse (symbol of conquest and military power), a donkey symbolized humility, peace, meekness, and servanthood. In ancient Near Eastern tradition, kings rode horses into battle but donkeys when coming in peace.
• By choosing this humble animal, Jesus presented Himself as the Prince of Peace and a servant king, not a political or military ruler. This act deliberately fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy, publicly declaring His messianic identity while contrasting with expectations of a warrior Messiah.
• The donkey also evokes themes of burden-bearing and gentle strength, mirroring Jesus' mission to serve and save spiritually rather than through earthly power.

"Hosanna!" and the crowds' actions

• The shouts combined praise with a plea for salvation. Spreading cloaks was a royal gesture of honor (similar to coronations in the Old Testament, like 2 Kings 9:13).
• The moment highlights a tension: the crowds acclaimed Jesus as the "Son of David" and king, but many misunderstood His kingdom as earthly and political. Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom through sacrifice, not immediate national deliverance. This sets up the dramatic shift later in the week, when some of the same crowds (or others) cried "Crucify him!"

Spreading cloaks on the ground

Spreading garments was a known act of royal homage and submission in ancient Jewish (and broader Near Eastern) culture. It treated the person as a king. The clearest Old Testament parallel is 2 Kings 9:13, where people spread their cloaks on the steps for Jehu when he was proclaimed king.

With the cloaks and the palms, these actions created an impromptu “red carpet” — an improvised royal welcome — as the crowd acclaimed Jesus as the “Son of David” and “King of Israel.”

Broader Significance

Palm Sunday captures a beautiful irony: a day of joyful welcome that foreshadows suffering. The palms and cheers represent human hopes for a triumphant Messiah, while the donkey and the events that follow reveal Jesus' path of humble obedience, leading to the cross. Christians see it as an invitation to welcome Jesus as King—not on our terms, but as the Savior who brings true peace and eternal victory.

From Broken Stones to Living Faith: Righteousness Under the New Covenant"

 

From Broken Stones to Living Faith: Righteousness Under the New Covenant

By

The Silent Pilgrim

Samuel Kitchen posted a letter to his scattered followers, 

and this is my response to it (his letter is at the end).

The statement mixes some biblical truths (righteousness comes by faith in God/Christ, not self-boasting works; the Spirit—not our strength—empowers obedience; sin is serious and calls for quick repentance; faith produces living evidence) with several clear errors when measured against the New Covenant as taught in the New Testament. The New Covenant (promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and fulfilled in Jesus) is not a revised version of the Old Covenant/Mosaic Law with "faith added on." It is a fundamentally better covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13) where:

• God writes His law internally on hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit (not external stone tablets or ritual observance).
• Justification and freedom from condemnation come by grace through faith in Christ's finished work alone.
• The Old Covenant system (including its ceremonial commands) is obsolete and fulfilled in Christ.

Here is why key parts of the statement contradict this, with direct scriptural grounding:

"If we sin we are judged of the law of God!" (and the idea that sin makes our righteousness "worthless" or puts us back under law's judgment)

This is the core error. The New Covenant explicitly declares believers not under the law's dominion or condemnation.

• Romans 6:14: "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."
• Romans 8:1-2: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."
• Galatians 5:18: "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

Christ bore the full curse and penalty of the law (Galatians 3:13; Romans 7:6). Sin still grieves the Spirit, requires repentance, and can bring discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 John 1:9), but it does not return us to law-based judgment or make our standing in Christ "worthless." The New Covenant promise is that God "will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more" (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). The statement's logic—that ongoing sin (which all believers still experience—1 John 1:8) nullifies righteousness unless perfectly faith-powered—actually undermines assurance in Christ and revives the very condemnation the cross removed.

Keeping the Sabbath, Holy Days of God, tithing, etc., as part of "keeping the law" that strengthens faith or avoids being "breakers of the law"

The New Covenant does not bind believers to these Old Covenant shadows. They pointed to Christ but are no longer required observances:

• Colossians 2:16-17: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."
• Romans 14:5-6: "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."
• Hebrews 8:13: "In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete."

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) confirmed that Gentile believers (and by extension the church) are not placed under the Mosaic Law's ceremonial requirements. Tithing was part of Israel's theocratic system; the New Testament shifts giving to cheerful, Spirit-led generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7). The statement treats these as ongoing "law" that faith must uphold or be judged by—this is exactly what Paul warned against as a return to "weak and worthless elementary principles" (Galatians 4:9; 5:1-4).

"Our righteousness is good works proclaimed and boasted while sinning... Faithless and dead" combined with "Righteousness is of faith. It is not of works" and the reward framework.

This creates an internal contradiction that the New Covenant resolves. Yes—righteousness is of faith, not our works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28; Philippians 3:9—"not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ"). Our attempts at self-righteousness are worthless (Isaiah 64:6). But the New Covenant does not say "if you sin at all, your faith-righteousness collapses and you're judged by the law."

• Good works (love, obedience, fruit of the Spirit—Galatians 5:22-23) are the evidence and result of living faith (James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:10—"created in Christ Jesus for good works"). They do not "strengthen" faith to avoid law-judgment; the Spirit does the empowering (Philippians 2:13).
• Rewards in the New Covenant are for faithfulness done in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Matthew 25), not for "doing what we ought" under law or to prove we "cannot be condemned by the law." The statement's tension ("we are not justified by works... but if we sin we are judged of the law") revives the very self-righteous boasting it claims to reject.

Minor strengths that still miss the New Covenant's heart

Parts like "Christ in us who doeth them," "by the Spirit of God," quick repentance, and thanking God for exposing sin align with New Covenant reality (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:9-11; 1 John 1:9). The "mind of Christ" is indeed humble and receptive. However, these are framed inside a system that still treats believers as partially under the Old Covenant's external law-structure for judgment and righteousness. That framework was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).

In summary, the New Covenant is grace-based freedom from the law's curse and ceremonial yoke, with the Spirit producing internal obedience that looks like love for God and neighbor—not ritual law-keeping to "strengthen faith" or avoid being "judged of the law." The statement's view, while sincere, functionally pulls believers back under the Old Covenant's shadow instead of resting fully in the substance, which is Christ. This is why Paul so strongly opposed any mixture of law and grace for justification or daily walk (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-5).

The goal of the New Covenant is joyful freedom in Christ, not fear of law-judgment.

Samuel Kitchen's letter to his followers:

If God commands us not to sin, and we sin still, our righteousness is worthless because it was not of faith.

Meaning, we may keep the sabbath of the Lord, the Holy Days of God, tithe of all, be hospitable, and keep the law….but if we sin we are judged of the law of God!

Righteousness is of faith. It is not of works.

Our works strengthen faith, showing it is alive, for if we disobey God how can we believe God in faith? Sin is a lack of faith and sin weakens faith.

Our righteousness, is good works proclaimed and boasted while sinning against God. Faithless and dead.

The righteousness of God is believing God, and knowing He is able to perform what He says! And through obedience, we strengthen faith. Knowing God is a rewarder to those who both do good and evil.

We are not justified by boasting or self righteousness. We are not justified by our works, for we all are sinners. But if we believe God let us believe in faith, and let us strengthen one another in faith, and loosen the chains of darkness that easily beset us.

For we cannot do the works that strengthen faith. But it is Christ in us who doeth them. Therefore it is not ourselves who strengthen faith, but Christ in us. And it is God who gives us living faith, and living faith is strengthened and powered by the spirit of God, through which Christ lives in us.

Not by our own hands, might, ability, strength, I.Q, and works.

But by the Spirit of God.

So when sin is revealed, let us not turn our heads away, for we strive always to walk and to live by the living faith of Jesus Christ. Let us repent quickly, of allowing Satan to weaken faith through disobedience, and therefore by repentance turn to God wholly and being strengthened thoroughly filled with the Holy Spirit. The mind of Christ is not hostile, angry or bitter against God for exposing sin. When sin is exposed, let us thank God. For it is HIS GOOD WORK for our sake to walk in faith and be rewarded according to our faith.

We do not get rewarded for doing the things which we ought. We are rewarded according to doing which we ought in faith, not in self righteousness, not as breakers of the law but those who cannot be condemned by the law.

Church of God International - The Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Song - Fire Proof Faith

Church of God International: Passover Rap - Jesus Is Our Passover King

 

Crackpot Prophet On Stay At Home Passover Keeping

One thing you do have to hand to Herbert Armstrong is that he genuinely appreciated quality. Whether it was in his personal home, the beautifully maintained college campus, its facilities, or the polished visual presentation of Church of God speakers and television backgrounds, the man insisted on excellence. Almost every COG splinter group has carried at least some of that commitment to quality forward into their video programs and public image.

Well… almost every group.

Enter our most highly favored Crackpot Bob.

For the last thirteen years, the very concept of “quality” appears to have never once crossed his mind. His videos are a visual trainwreck: crooked bookcases, bizarrely arranged books, random doorknobs hovering behind his head, file cabinets, and perpetually creased banners. The clutter is every bit as distracting as his constant arm-waving and hyperactive bouncing in that oversized leather chair.

And here we are, just days away from the most sacred observance of the year for Armstrongists, and our bouncing, flouncing prophet has delivered yet another banger. While solemnly lecturing his dwindling band of faithful on how to properly observe Passover at home, viewers are treated to a glorious, wide-open view straight into his closet — proudly displaying his impressive collection of magic, holistic  and overpriced ju-ju pills.

Quality all the way, folks. Truly inspiring.

Wade Cox: Mohammad himself presided over the Council of the Church of God in Mecca.

 

The convoluted world of Wade Cox continues its glorious downward spiral, plunging ever deeper into the cesspool of official Church of God stupidity!

Did you know that when Satan supposedly destroyed the true church centuries ago, God heroically sent it into exile in Mecca — where it was viciously persecuted by those pesky Jews and Baal worshippers? Oh yes, those dastardly Jews completely destroyed the pure, harmonious understanding between the Church, the Scriptures, and the Koran!

Apparently, the Prophet Mohammad himself presided over a Council of the Church of God right there in Mecca. He was a good Biblical Unitarian, you see, and was divinely inspired to dictate the Koran as the church’s official handbook.

The full reality, according to Cox’s fevered imagination, is even more epic: God sent His prophets, then the Messiah, then the elders and prophets of the Church. Satan destroyed it all using Baal worshippers. Then, when the church was relocated to the Arabs, Satan once again used Jews and idolaters to wreck their understanding. The same Baal worshippers destroyed the beautiful relationship between the church, the Scriptures, and the Koran.

Most people don’t realize that Mohammad was actually leading a Council of the Church of God — a perfectly Biblical Unitarian structure, just like the Koran itself. The poor Church at Mecca was so persecuted by Baal worshippers that they had to flee to the sister Sabbatarian Unitarian Churches in Abyssinia in 613 CE during the First Hijrah (see Cox’s groundbreaking absurdity Commentary on the Koran: Surah 19 Maryam).

Because the rest of the Church of God has stubbornly refused to follow Wade Cox’s mindless rantings, they have all been declared utterly unfit for the Kingdom of God. As usual, the only true followers in these end times are the lucky few inside Cox’s little cult. All other Armstrongites have been officially pronounced dead and spewed out of the mouth of Cox’s god like so much lukewarm vomit.

But don’t worry — God is not losing the battle! He wisely chose from the foundation of the world those special souls who could survive without falling into “erroneous doctrines” or the lusts of the flesh. Everyone else? Simply not fit for the Kingdom. Even the two major sectors of the Churches of God in the last days have been judged, found wanting, declared spiritually dead, and spectacularly spewed out.

If you want any hope of being saved and making it into the Kingdom in the First Resurrection, there’s only one narrow path: You must become a groveling follower of Wade Cox. You must repent and be baptized by Wade Cox himself or one of his hand-picked “authorized Sabbath-keeping ministers” into his exclusive little club.

The only true church today is a Unitarian Sabbatarian Church of God that keeps both the Old Testament and believes in the Koran. Oh — and those Unitarian Sabbatarian Mohammedans had better make damn sure they don’t follow the Hillel calendar of the Jews. It was those wicked Hillel followers who made it impossible for Islam (the true Church of God of the Middle East) to be saved!

To qualify for the First Resurrection, you must repent and be baptized as a repentant adult by an authorized minister of the one true Sabbatarian faith. The church must be a Unitarian Sabbatarian Church of God that strictly follows God’s Calendar (No. 156) — without any of those nasty Jewish postponements, according to the Temple System.

The evil Hillel Calendar of modern Judaism shamelessly postpones Holy Days based on filthy Oral Traditions from the Egyptians and Babylonian intercalations. The idolaters of Mecca simply threw out the intercalations entirely, turned the Juma’ah preparation period into a lazy Friday afternoon prayer service, ditched God’s Sabbaths, went to work like pagans, and thereby doomed Islam as the Church of God in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the pseudo-Christian Sun and Mystery cults had the nerve to switch the Sabbath to Sunday and murdered anyone who refused to join their pagan party (see Cox’s absurd paper The Jumaah: Preparing for the Sabbath).

Why is the Church of God forever infested with so many brain-dead fools who feel compelled to reinvent history to prop up their own twisted, perverted understanding?

The truly pathetic part is that there are, somewhere out there, people who are actually stupid enough to follow these delusional morons.

Wade Cox, The Offical Church of God Simpleton Calls All Splinter Group Followers As "Less Intelligent"

One thing you can always count on in Armstrongism is its endless supply of theological simpletons. The various Churches of God are packed wall-to-wall with men whose “deep biblical understanding” comes exclusively from whatever Herbert Armstrong, Rod Meredith, or the latest self-appointed COG splinter guru happened to scribble down that week.

Naturally, there’s always one standout — the undisputed Chief Simpleton — and while the Great Bwana Bob Thiel is currently giving a strong performance, the crown still belongs to Wade Cox, one of New Zealand’s most delightfully unhinged Armstrongite gurus.

This guy is so gloriously off-the-wall that he makes Bwana Bob look like a model of sanity and restraint. Quite the accomplishment.

Like Bwana, Cox keeps his circus afloat thanks to a tiny band of loyal donors from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. He, too, is strangely convinced that the overwhelming majority of his followers reside in Africa. In fact, he has the sheer audacity to claim that a large chunk of African Muslims are secretly part of his flock. At one point, this raving genius solemnly declared that nearly half the African continent had joined his little cult.

And yes — some of these wandering souls bounce between Cox’s group and Bwana Bob’s faster than a chameleon on espresso.

Cox, in classic Armstrongite fashion, is utterly convinced that he is the smartest man in the entire Churches of God movement. Everyone else, in his humble opinion, is “simple and erroneous.” That’s why we still need the Day of Atonement, you see — because the church is “composed of all grades of people, such as those that make mistakes and for those that are less intelligent…”

Oh yes, brethren. This is the glittering face of Armstrongism in 2026.

According to Cox, we dutifully observe the 7th of Abib — the sacred Sanctification for and of the Simple and the Erroneous (Ezekiel 45:20). On this day we fast. Why? Because apparently Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice wasn’t quite enough. We need to give it a little annual boost by fasting for the intellectually challenged among us. Wouldn’t want to let Jesus hog all the glory, after all.

As the great theologian Wade Cox explains, citing Ezekiel 45:20:

And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple.

He then graciously breaks down the Hebrew word kaphar for the rest of us slow learners, reminding us that this day is all about reconciling the house of God — specifically “for every one that erreth and for him that is simple.”

In other words, the whole point of this extra-biblical ritual is to provide yearly spiritual cover for all the dim bulbs and blunderers who make up the bulk of the COGs.

Truly, it doesn’t get more profound than that.

This, dear friends, is what passes for advanced theology in the twilight years of Armstrongism.

We observe 7 Abib, the Sanctification for and of the Simple and the Erroneous (Ezek. 45:20). On this day we fast. Why do we do this? Was not Christ's Sacrifice enough for the process for all time? Are we trying to do something that was done by Christ and usurp Christ's prerogative? 

 

Ezekiel 45:20  And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple.

(cf. also Heb. 5:1-2.)

 

The text here says make atonement for and the word in the Hebrew is Atonement (SHD 3722 Kaphar  ie kawfar) meaning the prime root to cover (spec. with bitumen) in the sense of to expiate, or condone, to placate or to cancel: thus it has the meanings to appease, make an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, reconcile or make reconciliation. The word is used here in the sense ofmake reconciliation and it is in that sense that it is rendered as reconcile in the KJV both for this text and for the text in Leviticus 6:30 for the reconciliation of everything in the house of God for the acceptance of its offerings. The KJV for Ezekiel 45:20 reads: And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth and for him that is simple: so ye shall reconcile the house.   

 

Thus the Temple of God or House of God is composed of all grades of people such as those that make mistakes and for those that are less intelligent and can’t understand many aspects of the faith.  A good example is the Worldwide Church of God offshoots who are so misled by their ministry that they follow the Hillel calendar and keep the feasts and the Solemn Assemblies on the wrong days and sometimes in the wrong months; and so we must fast for their error and ignorance, and also for that of Israel and Judah and the nations that understand even less.

 

The major aspect of the Passover is that there must be reconciliation of the House of God such that all are reconciled to their brothers before they go to the altars of the Passover.

It is in this sense that the fast is used and commanded in the Book of Joel and then taken up in Ezekiel following on from the commands in Joel to Sanctify a Fast in relation to this period from the New Moon of Abib on Ezekiel 45:18-24 and the preparations continue to 7 Abib (45:20) and on to the 14 Abib at the Passover Preparation and Sacrifice and then on to 21 Abib for the next seven days of the Feast. 

And as a special reward for all his groundbreaking theological contributions to the movement, Wade Cox has officially earned this well-deserved honor:

Personal Speculation in the Church of God: A Serious Abuse of the Pulpit

For decades, personal speculation has been the driving force behind much of the preaching in the Churches of God. This problem first exploded across the COG scene many years ago and has only intensified since the great apostasy that shattered the Worldwide Church of God (the Mother Church) in the late 1980s and 1990s. Today, the entire Church of God movement is riddled with abusive speculators such as Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Ronald Weinland, Alton Billingsley, and virtually every human head of the hundreds of splinter groups now in existence.

Almost everything these leaders preach is pure speculation rather than solid biblical fact. Instead of faithfully teaching what Scripture clearly states, they repeatedly offer their own private interpretations, prophetic guesses, date-setting, and imaginative theories — presenting them as if they were direct revelations from God or authoritative “new truth.” Sermons and booklets are filled with bold claims about exactly when the Great Tribulation will begin, who the “man of sin” is, which nation will invade another, or how specific current events are fulfilling obscure prophecies down to the month or even the day.

This practice is not harmless. Nathan Albright has written a White Paper on this issue: “The Importance of Teaching What the Bible Says from the Pulpit and Avoiding Personal Speculation as an Abuse of the Power of the Pulpit”. It explains that the pulpit is a sacred trust, not a platform for personal opinion or philosophical display. A minister is a steward of divine revelation (1 Corinthians 4:1–2), not its owner. When a preacher substitutes personal theories, political opinions, or imaginative conjectures for biblical exposition, he abuses the authority God has given him and distorts the sacred office.

The fragmentation following the great apostasy created the perfect environment for speculation to flourish. When the Worldwide Church of God largely abandoned the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, thousands of members fled into dozens — eventually hundreds — of splinter groups. With no central authority and intense competition for members, many new leaders felt pressure to distinguish themselves. The easiest and most effective way? Claiming special prophetic insight or “understanding” that others lacked. This turned the pulpit into a stage for one-upmanship rather than humble exposition of Scripture.

The results have been devastating on multiple levels:

• Repeated Prophetic Failures and Loss of Credibility History shows a clear pattern: leaders make specific predictions that do not come to pass, yet they rarely repent or stop. Instead, they often revise the dates, spiritualize the failure, or blame the members for not having enough faith. This cycle has repeated for decades across many groups. When predictions collapse, members experience disillusionment, bitterness, and shaken faith. Some leave the Church of God entirely, while others become cynical and distrustful of all ministry. The credibility of the entire movement suffers, making it harder to reach new people with the true gospel.

• Doctrinal Drift and Spiritual Confusion Speculative preaching erodes doctrinal clarity. Congregations begin treating human guesswork as inspired truth, leading to confusion, division, and spiritual instability (Ephesians 4:14). Members spend more time debating the latest “prophetic update” than growing in holiness, love, or practical Christian living. The Bible becomes a puzzle book for end-time timelines rather than the living Word that equips believers for every good work.

• Cult of Personality Over Christ When preachers promote their own interpretations as “God’s revelation through me,” the focus shifts from Scripture to the man in the pulpit. Loyalty is demanded toward the leader’s latest theory rather than to Christ and the plain Word of God (1 Corinthians 1:12–13). This fosters authoritarian control, where questioning the speculation is treated as rebellion against God Himself. The result is a toxic environment that resembles a cult of personality far more than the humble, Bible-centered fellowship of the early Church.

• Erosion of the Fear of the Lord and Reverence for Scripture Bold speculation about divine mysteries teaches listeners to treat God’s revelation lightly. It implies that human insight can add to, improve upon, or even replace what God has already clearly said. This normalizes irreverence. Instead of cultivating awe and trembling at God’s Word, members learn to chase the next exciting “revelation.” Over time, this weakens genuine faith and opens the door to further error.

• Spiritual and Psychological Coercion Because sincere believers rightly revere the pulpit, they are especially vulnerable. Leaders who equate their fears, preferences, or failed guesses with “the will of God” exercise coercive control over consciences. Members may feel pressured to give more money, isolate from family in other groups, or remain in unhealthy situations “until the prophecy is fulfilled.” This violates pastoral ethics and Christian liberty, turning the shepherd into a taskmaster.

• Institutional Decay and Endless Division Churches that tolerate or encourage speculation from the pulpit eventually suffer theological decay, loss of trust, and repeated schisms. The focus on the preacher’s latest theory rather than the immutable Word of God leads to more splits, more tiny groups, and more isolation. Instead of unity in the faith, we see competition, accusations, and a scattered remnant that cannot effectively do the work God has called the Church to do.

Nathan Albright's White Paper rightly warns that when opinion masquerades as revelation, the pulpit becomes abusive. To speculate beyond what Scripture actually says is not “deep insight” or “prophetic zeal.” It is spiritual malpractice. It distracts from the core gospel message, discourages biblical literacy, and replaces the freedom of God’s Word with the tyranny of human personality.

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White Paper: The Importance of Teaching What the Bible Says from the Pulpit and Avoiding Personal Speculation as an Abuse of the Power of the Pulpit

Posted on October 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Edge Induced Cohesion Blog

The pulpit occupies a sacred trust within the community of faith. It is not a platform for personal speculation or philosophical display, but a solemn charge to communicate the Word of God faithfully. This white paper examines the ethical, theological, and practical imperatives of confining pulpit teaching to what Scripture actually says. It warns against the creeping tendency of ministers to substitute personal theories, political opinions, or imaginative conjectures for biblical exposition—an act that constitutes an abuse of authority and a distortion of the sacred office.

I. The Nature of the Pulpit as a Sacred Trust

Divine Commission and Accountability The preacher stands as a steward, not a proprietor, of divine revelation (1 Corinthians 4:1–2). The words spoken from the pulpit are not personal property but entrusted truth. A minister’s authority derives entirely from fidelity to God’s Word; deviation converts stewardship into self-promotion. The Power of Influence The pulpit shapes consciences and directs lives. The hearers assume that what they are being told is the Word of God rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15). Misusing this trust through speculation or conjecture exploits spiritual authority for personal ends. The Ethical Boundary Between Teaching and Storytelling A sermon may employ illustrations or analogies, but the moment a preacher speaks in the name of God about that which God has not revealed, the act crosses from illustration into invention—a violation of Deuteronomy 18:20 and Revelation 22:18–19.

II. The Dangers of Personal Speculation

Doctrinal Drift and Confusion Speculative preaching erodes doctrinal clarity. Congregations begin to treat theological guesswork as inspired truth, leading to confusion, division, and spiritual instability (Ephesians 4:14). Cultivation of Personality over Principle When preachers promote their own interpretations as truth, the pulpit becomes a stage for charisma rather than conviction. The result is a cult of personality that displaces reverence for God’s Word (1 Corinthians 1:12–13). Erosion of the Fear of the Lord To speculate boldly about divine mysteries teaches listeners to treat God’s revelation lightly. Instead of cultivating awe, the preacher normalizes irreverence by implying that human insight can rival divine revelation.

III. The Biblical Mandate for Faithful Exposition

Preach the Word, Not the Self (2 Timothy 4:2–4) Paul commands Timothy to “preach the Word,” not to entertain the hearers with opinions or fables. The apostolic model of preaching emphasizes reading, explaining, and applying Scripture. Pattern of Expository Ministry Ezra and the Levites “read from the book of the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). This remains the pattern for all who handle the Word publicly. The Model of Christ and the Apostles Jesus consistently grounded His teaching in “It is written,” demonstrating submission to the authority of Scripture even as the incarnate Word. Likewise, the apostles preached “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

IV. The Abuse of the Pulpit as a Power Structure

When Opinion Masquerades as Revelation The pulpit becomes abusive when preachers use its authority to sanctify personal conjecture. This blurs the line between divine and human speech, misleading the congregation into obedience to human will rather than divine command. Psychological and Spiritual Coercion Listeners who revere the pulpit are vulnerable. When leaders equate their preferences or fears with the will of God, they exercise coercive spiritual control, violating both pastoral ethics and Christian liberty. Institutional Consequences Churches that tolerate speculation from the pulpit eventually suffer theological decay, loss of trust, and internal schism. The congregation’s faith becomes grounded in the preacher’s personality rather than in the immutable Word.

V. Principles for Faithful Preaching

Textual Fidelity Every sermon should clearly identify, interpret, and apply Scripture. The text must control the message, not the other way around. Transparency of Interpretation Where interpretation is uncertain, the preacher must admit uncertainty rather than disguise it as revelation. Humility protects both the truth and the hearers. Doctrinal Consistency Preachers should anchor every message in the broader biblical witness, ensuring harmony with established doctrine and the full counsel of God. Accountability Structures Churches should maintain oversight mechanisms to ensure that pulpit teaching aligns with Scripture—peer review among elders, post-sermon Q&A, or theological training refreshers.

VI. Restoring Reverence for the Word

Renewed Emphasis on Biblical Literacy Congregations must be trained to discern the difference between what Scripture says and what a preacher merely imagines. The mature congregation becomes a safeguard against pulpit abuse. Cultivation of Expository Habits Teaching line by line through books of the Bible minimizes the temptation to speculate. The preacher’s role becomes that of a guide rather than an oracle. Repentance for Misuse of Authority Ministers who have used the pulpit for self-expression should publicly repent and recommit to faithful exposition. Restoration of trust begins with honesty before God and the flock.

VII. Conclusion: The Call Back to Scriptural Authority

The pulpit must be reclaimed as a platform for truth, not theory. When preachers restrict themselves to what the Bible actually says, they liberate their hearers from the tyranny of personality and return them to the freedom of God’s Word. To speculate beyond revelation is not creative theology—it is spiritual malpractice. The preacher’s calling is not to say something new, but to say again what God has already said, with clarity, conviction, and humility.

Appendices

Appendix A: Scriptural Citations on Preaching and Authority

Appendix B: Historical Examples of Pulpit Speculation and Its Consequences

Appendix C: Practical Framework for Sermon Review and Accountability

Appendix D: Training Outline for Expository Preaching

Are You Worthy to Take the Passover?

You Are Made Worthy to Take the Passover — Not by Self-Examination and Works, 

but by 

Grace Alone Through Faith in Christ

The Silent Pilgrim

Right now, during the Passover season, many in the Armstrongist Churches of God are engaged in intense self-examination. They  review their lives, search for sin, purge “leaven” (symbolizing sin), and strive to ensure they will not partake of the bread and wine “unworthily.” The fear is real: if they are found lacking in obedience to the law—Sabbath-keeping, tithing, holy days, or developing “God’s character”—they risk being guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27), or even jeopardizing their hope of eternal life in the Kingdom.

This annual ritual of striving to make yourself acceptable before Passover is rooted in a serious misunderstanding of the gospel. It turns the Lord’s Supper into a test of your own worthiness through works, rather than a celebration of Christ’s finished work that has already made you worthy.

The Biblical Meaning of “Examine Yourself”

Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:28—“Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup”—does not mean you must prove yourself worthy by perfect law-keeping or spiritual performance. The context is clear: “unworthily” refers to the manner of partaking—with selfishness, division, or without recognizing the Lord’s body and the meaning of His sacrifice (1 Corinthians 11:17-22, 29).

Paul is not telling believers to earn worthiness through self-effort. He is calling them to discern the significance of what Christ has done and to partake in a spirit of repentance and faith, not hypocrisy or ritualism.

You Are Already Made Worthy in Christ — Before Any Self-Examination

The liberating truth of the New Covenant is this: You do not make yourself worthy to remember Christ’s death. Christ has made you worthy by His death.

• On your own, no one is worthy: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No amount of annual self-examination, law-keeping, or character development can change that.

• But in Christ, you are made worthy the moment you trust Him alone for salvation: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

• God the Father has already qualified you: “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12).

Your acceptance at the Passover table (the Lord’s Supper) is not based on how well you examined yourself or kept the Old Covenant law this year. It is based on being in Christ—clothed in His perfect righteousness.

Justification, Sanctification, and Worthiness Are Gifts of Grace, Not Earned by Works

Armstrongism mixes justification (being declared righteous) with sanctification (being made holy), teaching that while Christ’s sacrifice covers past sins, you must keep the law (including annual Passover observance with strict self-examination) to remain acceptable and qualify for immortality. This adds human works to the gospel and creates ongoing fear and uncertainty.

Scripture refutes this clearly:

• Justification is by faith alone, not works of the law: “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ… because by works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

• Sanctification is both positional (instant at salvation) and progressive (ongoing by the Spirit): “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). It flows from grace, not from striving under the law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:18).

• Good works, including honest self-examination and putting away sin, are the fruit of faith, not the root of your acceptance (Ephesians 2:8-10). The law was a tutor to lead us to Christ, not a means to make us worthy (Galatians 3:24).

If your worthiness at Passover depends on your performance this year, then Christ’s sacrifice was not enough. But Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). His blood fully paid for every sin—past, present, and future.

The True Freedom of the Passover (Lord’s Supper)During this season, instead of anxiously examining yourself to see if you measure up, rest in this gospel truth:

You are justified.

You are sanctified positionally.

You are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

You are made worthy—fully accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6).

Self-examination is still valuable, but it should lead you to the cross, not to self-reliance. Confess any known sin, receive afresh the cleansing of Christ’s blood, and partake with joy and gratitude, not fear.

The Passover symbols point to Christ, our Passover Lamb who has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7). Because of Him, there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). You do not have to prove yourself worthy year after year. You are already worthy in Him.

This is the freedom Armstrongism’s system of law and annual striving cannot give. The true gospel declares: Come to the table not because you have made yourself acceptable, but because Christ has made you acceptable forever.

Rest in His finished work this Passover season. “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). You are secure in Him.

Is It Hot Outside? Our Crackpot Prophet Knows Why

 

Is it hot outside today? 

Well, congratulations, you pathetic, sniveling, lukewarm Laodicean cretins — God Himself is personally roasting you like the worthless spiritual slob you are. Every drop of sweat rolling down your pathetic face is divine judgment screaming that the end times are finally here (again). This isn’t just summer, you dullard — it’s the Almighty’s special weather report telling you that you’re about to be left behind like the miserable failure you’ve always been.

So you’d better fall on your knees and repent immediately and joind the only one true Philadelphian church… lest you be deemed too spiritually bankrupt to join the elite remnant hiding out in Petra, where you’ll miss the glorious opportunity to sit on a dusty rock for three and a half glorious years, listening to Crackpot Bob drone on and on about how this time his prophecies will definitely, positively, for-sure come true (unlike the last 547 times he was spectacularly wrong).

Enjoy the heat, you grievous Laodiceans. You’ve earned it.

Bible prophecy shows that before the Messiah (Jesus) returns, we will have what could be called as a global heat punishment:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)

But, the above prophecy is for several years into the future–we are not too near that yet. But I believe that this will happen in the 21st century.

The Bible shows:

30 God … commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30)

And weather problems are one tool that God uses to urge people to repent (cf. Haggai 2:17; Amos 4:7-12). But most will not. Nor will most Christians as they should (cf. Revelation 3:14-18; see also The Laodicean Church Era).

 

We have had record temperatures this month in parts of California and elsewhere.

Most now will ignore weather changes and simply believe that weather changes all the time and the changes do not have to do with God or disobeying His laws.

Yet, the Bible shows that weird, severe, and odd weather patterns are part of the warning messages that God gives.