In the
Good News Magazine of January 1985, HWA decided to tackle the question of how one in the Church is to know they had "The Truth". He wrote:
Some time ago a man, who knew little or nothing about the truth that the living God is proclaiming to the world through us, asked:
"How can you know that you are any nearer right than anybody else? You say the whole world is deceived. You say the churches are wrong on many points of doctrine, but that you have the TRUTH. You say they are human, and have been deceived. It's human to err.
"But are you not also human? Are you not also fallible? How can you be sure you are any nearer right than any of the others?"
From there, he decided to give his own response of how, and why, his church knew he had the "TRUTH". Yes, all Capital letters.
I want to give our readers the clear, plain, understandable answer to those questions! I want to EXPLAIN, so plainly you can really comprehend it, HOW and WHY we know we have the TRUTH!
I want to make clear how YOU may know what is the TRUTH, while this whole world is deceived and in utter darkness. I want to tell you HOW you may be SURE!
First, are we not also human? Yes, indeed! We can make mistakes, too! We, too, could be in error on this, that or the other point. But we do not need to be!
Alright, Herbert. So how can we be sure? First, it's not a matter, he says, of how smart you are.
A man may say: "Who does this Herbert W. Armstrong think he is? Is he any smarter than all these great theologians — these noted preachers and heads of great religious denominations?"
The answer is NO — it is not a matter of intellectual capacity.
We are all human. We are all fallible. I have been wrong. I have made mistakes. The same is true of all those God is using in HIS WORK.
That is the very first thing that we do recognize. That is the starting point in the search for truth. That is one reason why we do have the truth, in the midst of a very deceived world. I wish every religious leader would adopt this approach.
Because Herbert was human, fallible, has been wrong, and has made mistakes, this makes him different from all the others who were human, fallible, have been wrong, and have made mistakes. He fails to realize, or admit, that the entire movement of all of Christianity is full of entire denominations that believe that somewhere down the road, human, fallible, mistake-making people have gone down a different road. Hence the thousands of different denominations of Christianity.
God says, "PROVE all things." That means you are fallible. That means all the "great" men are fallible! ALL are human. ALL can be wrong — and nearly all are. The whole world is DECEIVED (Rev. 12:9). That means its religious leaders and churches are deceived!
Alright, let's break this down. Because God said "Prove" all things, you are fallible. Which means all the "great" men are fallible. Meaning, they can mike mistakes. He then says because the great men are human - then, they can all be wrong. Then states nearly all are, because the whole world is deceived - meaning because the whole world is deceived, it's religious leaders and churches are deceived.But somehow, he doesn't explain here at all how he is different from OTHER religious leaders and churches! He tries to:
The very recognition of that fact is the beginning of right knowledge. We do recognize it — and that we ourselves could be wrong. That is the first step toward coming out of the fog of error and deception, starting toward truth.
It is not a matter of who has the greater intellect. A man may have the highest IQ in the world, and in his intellectual VANITY refuse to admit he could be wrong — reject all correction — and thus embrace error and deception.
Here, he says that BECAUSE he recognizes that they - the Worldwide Church of God - COULD be wrong -that this differentiates them from any other church. That it doesn't matter who has the greater intellect - but the fact that they could admit they could be wrong and accept "correction". But did they?
The second step, if you would know TRUTH, is to be willing to admit being deceived, or in error, and to reject it and accept truth. Ask yourself: "Am I really willing to confess error — to admit I'm wrong — when proved — and reject it? Am I willing to accept truth new to me — when proved — even though unpopular — even though it cuts me off from my family, friends, associates or club members — even though everything in my selfish and vain nature rebels against it? Am I willing to act on it — OBEY the truth — no matter what the cost?"
Ah, yes! Perhaps now you are beginning to see why "all these great theologians — these noted preachers — these heads of religious denominations" could be in error.
In the 60+ Years of the Radio and the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong:
- They continually uttered the 3 to 5 year timeline of the return of Jesus Christ as imminent.
- They continually uttered false speculation and/or prophecy, only to alter it to another false speculation and/or prophecy.
- They continually extorted 10 to 30 percent of income from members under the threat of damnation.
- They continually used such income for mammon and the purchase and accumulation of earthly treasures.
- They continually disfellowshipped individuals for trivial reasons outside of the biblical authority.
- They, while accumulating funds for the Building Fund, perpetuated fear and falsehoods of the Place of Safety and the Tribulation to increase funds to complete their material ambitions.
- They propagated an incorrect and dis-proven theory of British Israel-ism to differentiate themselves from other religion.
- They continually, until the very end of Armstrong, convinced children and teens in the Church they would be pioneers in the whole new World Tomorrow that was supposed to happen 40+ years ago and forward.
- They continually covered up, lied, and ignored crimes and felonies within their congregations, knowingly enabling abusers to continue their abuse.
What did they change?
- Pentecost.
- Divorce and Remarriage Policies.
- Makeup.
- Internal Policies.
- Select Doctrines not impacting The Bottom Line.
They then used those few changes to convince the brethren that their "ability to change" was proof that they had "The Truth". Herbert continued, saying:
Did you ever know a person of great intellectual powers who did not have the kind of VANITY that shrinks from confessing he has been WRONG — and has misled others? To find and live the TRUTH requires a HUMBLED mind.
These are the first TWO points in which one who has come to the TRUTH differs from those still steeped in deception and error.
Can you be SURE that we have the TRUTH, when we, too, as the critic argued, are fallible, with minds that are not perfect? Yes, you can be SURE!
It's pretty rich Herbert claimed he had a "humbled mind". This from a man who would disfellowship and fire nearly anyone who would dare challenge him, or threaten the stability of his financial empire. Remember, it took after he died for any change to happen within the Church. It would never have happened under Herbert's watch - right or wrong.
The greatest, ablest intellect in the world is still HUMAN — still fallible — still imperfect. Those who are deceived and steeped in error have simply not stopped to realize their own imperfections — their proneness to error. They assume, in their egotism, that whatever they believe is TRUE. And they are UNWILLING to humble themselves and confess their wrongs.
Pot, meet kettle! Herbert continues:
I can tell you how I started, 55 years ago, out of the darkness and into the light. And it is the basically sound and SURE way for you, or any other, to start.
First, I had to know whether there is a real BASIS for truth. Is there an INFALLIBLE AUTHORITY? In other words, does GOD exist? Is the all-wise — all-knowing — all-perfect GOD a reality? And if so, has He communicated basic TRUTH to mankind?
Herbert continued stating that everyone was to have faith in another Protestant leader's human assumption. That God offered proof of fulfilled prophecies. That God has the proof of answered prayer - while claiming few experience that.
He says it's because HE, Herbert, found proof of God in science. That HE, Herbert, found proof in the facts of matter. That HE, Herbert, found facts in reason and in the Bible. That HE, Herbert, found the Bible as the source of authoritive revelation from God to man - and HE, Herbert, found proof by irrefutable proofs. Herbert had a firm basis of faith. HERBERT had an infallible authority.
But this was not enough. Herbert said Herbert had the SOURCE of truth. But HE, Herbert, could not understand the Bible. And most scientists, Herbert said, or educators, or theologians, understood it. Herbert said a great mind and a superior intellect can't understand the spiritual revelation from God, because pure physical brain can't comprehend it. Only the Spirit can comprehend it. And only by receiving the Spirit can you understand it.
Until Herbert Armstrong came on the scene to be the ONLY ONE who got God's Spirit and could understand it.
That is precisely WHY, up until 55 years ago, I could not understand the Bible. That is why nearly all of the truly GREAT minds of world leaders cannot understand this TRUTH! It is not a matter of degree of intellect.
So, in order to really perceive the deceptions that have BLINDED this world, once we have recognized our own fallibility and proneness to error — once we have become WILLING to admit it when proved wrong, and to accept TRUTH — the next step is to receive God's gift of His Holy Spirit. And the CONDITIONS to this are: 1) REPENTANCE, and 2) FAITH in Christ as personal Savior.
Repentance is toward GOD. Sin is against GOD. We may harm or injure people — but we SIN against GOD. Sin is the transgression of GOD'S LAW. Sin is rebellion against GOD. It has cut us off from God.
To repent means to be so HUMBLED, so broken up about the colossal crime of rebelling against the HOLY GOD — so abhorrent of our own rebellious, deceitful, vain, selfish SELVES — that in real contrition we turn to God for mercy and CHANGE of mind and attitude, now desiring to CHANGE OUR WAYS — to be obedient to GOD'S LAW.
Very few know what repentance really is. Then, through FAITH in Christ as Savior, we may be reconciled to God, and His PROMISE is that we shall then receive HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
Yes, it was Herbert ALONE who was given THE TRUTH, because God only gave Herbert the Holy Spirit, so Herbert says. God opened Herbert's mind. Herbert had to be willing. Herbert had to confess wrongs and embrace truths. Herbert now was the only one who understood everything properly. God was only opening Herbert's mind. Herbert was the only one being led. Herbert was the only one who corrected, turned, and proclaimed. Not one other theologian ever did, Herbert said.
But God had humbled me. He brought me to repentance and faith. And He opened my mind to His TRUTH by the gift of His Holy Spirit.
But I had to be willing, continuously, to confess being wrong, and to embrace truths constantly NEW to me.
That process has been going on, now, for 55 years.
As I studied a portion of the Bible, I could now understand it. But I had to walk in the "light" as God opened my mind to see. Regardless of the cost in the esteem of men, or in countering opposition and persecution, I had constantly to BE WILLING to follow GOD and not man.
It is a matter of WILLINGNESS — not of superior and lofty minds. It is a matter of being LED by GOD'S SPIRIT into His ways that are so CONTRARY to this world's established customs, not of personal human powers.
WHAT CHURCH do you know that has ever publicly confessed that its teaching and practice has been WRONG, and has CORRECTED IT, to conform to the Bible? What great, lauded and mighty churchman or religious leader has ever made such a public confession, turned from his nonbiblical ways and, despite persecution and ridicule, PROCLAIMED THE TRUTH?
Yes, Herbert was the only undeceived one. Herbert was the only one who could be humbled. Who surrendered unconditionally to God "And his Law".
These lauded, lofty "greats" of this world could become undeceived and have their eyes opened to God's truth — IF THEY WOULD BE HUMBLED, REPENT AND SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY TO ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS LAW!
But if you would know what GOD says of these "great and eminent" religious leaders of the great denominations, read God's PROPHECIES describing these very leaders of OUR OWN 20TH CENTURY, in Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Ezekiel 22, especially verses 21-31, referring to British and United States peoples and their religious leaders NOW, at the time leading directly to "God's WRATH" — the time of the last PLAGUES, just prior to, and at, the Second Coming of Christ!
Herbert was the ONLY one who submitted to God. No one else.
Yes, we CAN KNOW, if willing to know, whether we are right or wrong. It is not a matter of superior intellect, but of SUBMISSION TO GOD.
So what is the conclusion? That the only way you can know that they have THE TRUTH is to believe GOD was only working through Herbert Armstrong, because God forced Herbert into submission, and plunged Herbert to do it all - and that that can easily be proved.
But the conclusion of the whole question is this: I did not start this Work of my own accord at all. It is the very last thing I would have wanted, in my days of carnality, to do. IT IS GOD'S DOING!
By circumstances, God forced me to submission. The living CHRIST so manipulated events and the force of circumstance that He literally PLUNGED me into His Work. It is not my work — it is THE VERY WORK OF GOD.
And THIS can be easily proved, to those willing to know the TRUTH!p
The Bible has a different answer.
"Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14).
It was never about Herbert. It was never about trusting in Herbert or Herbert's submission or Herbert's theology. Jesus said HE is the Way, and HE IS THE TRUTH, and He is the life. The only way one knows if one has "THE TRUTH" is if they are IN JESUS CHRIST, not following the man Herbert Armstrong. You don't know Jesus by following Herbert Armstrong, or any man. You know Jesus by knowing Jesus, and by knowing Jesus, you know the Father. It is not dependent, and never has been dependent, on the proven lies, distortions, false prophecies, material greed, idolatry, worldly businesses of Armstrongism who have burdened and oppressed good-hearted people under an obsolete law that pointed to Christ who had not yet come. Herbert's bastardizing of the Law - along with all those who follow Herbert's path - should know that Jesus is the way, and Jesus is the truth. And Jesus is both the resurrection and the life. Something all of the personalities of Armstrongism who bastardize the Law and burden and oppress people are absolutely blind to.
submitted by SHT
