Thursday, September 21, 2017

Taking The Apostle Dave Pack to the Woodshed



"Every time Pack says facts and truth I cringe really hard."
"Mr. Pack is so completely outclassed intellectually by AronRa that I find these videos endlessly amusing and fun to watch. Pack wouldn't know a fact if one slapped him in the face"

"I hate to ask, Aron, but is Pack done yet? He's been droning on for what seems like an interminable time, and his BS isn't getting any better.
And sadly, I doubt he would ever dare look at this series."
Part XVII

Part XVIII

United Church of God: Still Conning Members With Tithe of the Tithe



United Church of God members are still being hoodwinked into tithing on the second tithe they have saved for the Feast.  UCG has cunningly changed the name of the tithe of the tithe to the Festival Fund.  Neither one has any scriptural validity.  Of the millions and millions UCG rakes in each year a person would think that UCG would foot the bill for the members.  After all, UCG takes in several large "offerings" during this time that are supposed to be "free will" offerings.

UCG, like most of the other COG's have fine tuned the system to take and take from members, even though none of the ministry and some of the HQ staff save second tithe. Since they are considered "Levites," thanks to the old Worldwide Church of God teaching, ministers do not save second tithe.  On top of that, many ministers and staff staying free at resorts where the Feast sites are located.  Then add to this the "blessing" ministers and certain staff have of having all of their meals, travel, gas and some personal expenses paid for by the church, it is one big happy fun fest of never having to worry about expenses, unlike a large percentage of UCG members have to do.

The Feast of Tabernacles is the highlight of the year for many. It is a great blessing to be able to gather together at Feast sites around the world to picture the coming millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
A lot of planning goes into preparing the Feast every year. Those involved are happy to dedicate their time, effort and expertise, and the ministry looks to God as they prepare messages for our spiritual food.
But the Feast costs a lot of money. Hall rentals, equipment rentals, second tithe assistance for those who don’t have adequate funds, printing expenses, activities expenses and more add up to a lot.
We need your help in being able to provide the Feast venues that enhance our celebration. Please consider sending a portion of your second tithe to help support the Feast. If you have any questions contact your pastor or the treasurer, Rick Shabi, at any time. 
Go to http://donate.ucg.org/ and click on Festival Fund to support the Festival Fund now. Or you can download a PDF of the form to enclose in an envelope with a check or money order. Click the download link on the left hand side of this page to download the form. 

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Philadelphia Church of God: The key of David isn’t a message!




The key of David isn’t a message!
By
Lonnie C. Hendrix

Gerald Flurry, the founder and current leader of the Philadelphia Church of God, broadcasts his message to the world via The Key of David television program. Flurry claims that he and his followers constitute the "Philadelphia era" of God's Church, and that all of the other groups which attempt to adhere to the teachings of Herbert Armstrong are "Laodiceans." In other words, Christ has given his message to Flurry and the PCOG to deliver to the world.

Why did Flurry decide to call his church’s television program The Key of David? “We took that name right out of Revelation 3:7 and a couple other scriptures,” he explained in an article entitled “What is the ‘Key of David’?” (https://www.thetrumpet.com/10776-what-is-the-key-of-david)
In that same article, Flurry calls the key of David “one of the deepest truths in the entire Bible.”  He goes on to claim that “it is a message from God—the message that Jesus Christ gives His Church to deliver to this world in this end time.” Flurry then proceeds to summarize his teaching on the subject with seven bullet points (God named his message after King David, “Jesus Christ is the head of the church,” “Christ has the key,” Christ has set “an open door” before the PCOG, “No man can shut it,” PCOG has “kept His Word,” and they “have not denied His name”).

How do all of these claims square with the Bible? The short answer is:  they don’t!

Let’s take a closer look at the actual scriptures which Flurry is using to make his claims about himself, his television program and his church. In the third chapter of the book of Revelation, we read:  “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works:  behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:  for thou has a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:7-8)

First of all, it is interesting to note that the language employed in this verse was borrowed from a passage found in the book of Isaiah. This particular prophecy foretold that Shebna (the then administrator of the palace in Jerusalem) would fall and be replaced by Eliakim. Through Isaiah, God says that he would clothe Eliakim with Shebna’s robe and commit the government into his hands. (Isaiah 22:21). He goes on to say:  “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (verse 22) Hence, Isaiah is saying that Eliakim will receive the position/power/authority which previously belonged to Shebna.

This language agrees with what Strong’s and Blue Letter Bible have to say about the Greek word translated here as key. In their outline of the biblical usage of this word, we read:  “I. a key A. since the keeper of the keys has the power to open and to shut B. metaph. In the NT to denote power and authority of various kinds” (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?
strongs=G2807&t=KJV). In this connection, it is interesting to note that this is the same Greek word which is used to denote “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” in Matthew 16:19. It is likewise the same word that Christ employs in the beginning of the book of Revelation when he proclaims that he is in possession of “the keys of hell and death.” (Revelation 1:18)

Hence, just a modest amount of research clearly demonstrates that “the key of David” is not a message, but a symbol of Christ’s power and authority. Notice again in the verses that Flurry is using (Revelation 3:7-8) that it is CHRIST who possesses the key and is the one who has the ability to open and shut. Moreover, I can’t find anywhere in these scriptures where either the key or that ability to open and close is given to the Philadelphians (and they certainly aren’t given permission to give that key or ability to others). And, as for the significance of the key bearing King David’s name, doesn’t that clearly suggest that Christ is the chief representative and power within the House of David?

We will lay aside the arrogance implicit in claiming to be the Philadelphia era of God’s Church for the purposes of this article. We cannot, however, allow such a clear perversion of the obvious meaning of these rather obscure verses in the book of Revelation to go unchallenged. Once again, it appears to this writer that an Armstrongite has misapplied Scripture to himself and his followers and twisted it to reinforce his own message and agenda.